Village Baptist Church - Loud Bells

[namellac]

So my Christmas Eve nap was rudely interrupted by the Village Baptist Church's turning up of their Bells. They don't have real bells, just the pre-recorded kind that are played through the P/A in the Steeple. Most of the time, I don't even hear their bells, but they had turned them up SO LOUD that my windows were rattling. SO LOUD, that you could still hear them after the TV was turned all the way up. SO LOUD, that the music coming from the speakers was DISTORTING.

I actually got a hold of some goober on the phone at the church to ask them to turn down their bells. He said "they could do that", but apparently they decided not to - (or was he lying?) . Called them back, and got the same goober who proceeded to get pious and sanctimonious stating that "This is supposed to be a joyous day and that I needed to do an introspection on my life."

Look. I know full well what day it was. The goober did finally admitted to me that they were just "Advertising", but I have no intention of attending that church.

I'm not anti-Christian, or anti-Baptist, and I believe they have the right to ring their bells (if they had REAL bells, this probably wouldn't even be an issue)

HOWEVER, I believe I have a right to privacy in my own home, an the Village Baptist Church violated my privacy. If this how they "Witness" then they are in desperate need of help.

[Midtowner]

Call the cops. Complain about the noise.

[namellac]

I did. They said their hands were tied as "They were expressing their first amendment rights".

[Midtowner]

Noise pollution (which is against the city code) is not covered by the Constitution as far as I know.

If you really, really care, contact an attorney.

[solitude]

One persons junk is anothers gold.

We heard the bells and thought it was really nice. It was chilly, but we sat out on the porch for a while and just listened.

Just a thought, if you were as angry with them on the phone as you appeared to be in your post, maybe that's why he suggested the introspection. Just saying.

[namellac]

I was angry with them because they initially stated they were going to turn them down, and then didn't. You obviously don't live as close to the church as I do.

[Dark Jedi]

"I happen to like it, so your opinion is worthless."

Nice reply. Very loving and Christ like.

[solitude]

"I happen to like it, so your opinion is worthless."

Nice reply. Very loving and Christ like.

Now come on......... that's not how I meant that. Read my post again, I didn't say anything like that. And by the way, I'm barely a Christian. Barely. Meaning, not a very good one and I question it a lot. But how you got that from my comment is beyond me. Dark Jedi, your comment was pretty snarky - you even put quotation marks around a statement that was never made - or implied! Is this a case of "Do as I say and not as I do?" Maybe you should read your own posts.

By the way, I'm not much of a Christian, but you are constantly making snarky remarks about Christianity and seem to make fun of anyone who dares believe in God. I may be on the fence, but I'll tell you this, your brand of militant atheism (I read your posts) turns me off in a big way.

[Midtowner]

Solitude, if the offending religious institution were a Mosque blaring their prayers into your neighborhood five times per day, how would you feel about that?

[PennyQuilts]

Oh for the love of god.... It was Christmas Eve, for heaven's sake. Were you hung over, or WHAT? This was NOT 5 times a day, every day.

We have all turned into such babies.

And I'm no Christian.

[solitude]

Hey, I hear 'ya Midtowner, there's no question religion in general and religious niceties like this are tough. Whether or not America is "officially" a Christian nation is clear - it is not. Yet, it is overwhelmingly Protestant and Catholic, and because of that, it would be provocative for a mosque to blare their prayers. Much like singing Christmas hymns in Tehran or Riyadh.

Religious pluralism is a tricky thing, I agree completely. Yet, I think history tells us where those boundaries are. The House, Senate and Supreme Court open each day with a prayer (an exclusively Christian prayer up until the 1990's). And let me say again, I am a social-action "Christian" (and a pretty damn poor one at that) and am more Catholic Charities than prayer meetings, if that makes sense.

But, this bell thing? I enjoyed it, I'm sure a lot of other people did too. It reminded me of Christmas Eve Midnight Mass as a kid. Sure, somebody is going to complain and I don't blame the original poster if it was as loud as she says near her home. It was the tone of the post, saying she called the church and some "Goober," answered the phone and it was clear the anger in the post probably came across that way to the man at the church, which in turn probably caused him to say what he did. There's always two sides. I know that, understand that - religion is tricky. But, I know this kind of thing wasn't a problem in the forties and fifties and now, with less assimilation into our culture, we are all expected to cater to the balkanized groups who want to import their own culture and customs and skip the assimilation. Very different from the Italians, Germans, Lithuanians, etc of years past.

[Midtowner]

To you it's enjoyable. To your Jewish, Muslim, atheist, Jehovah's Witness, etc. members, it's a nuisance.

We have noise pollution ordinances in this city which, notwithstanding the law enforcement officer's choice not to enforce the law, still applies to churches the same as it applies to teenagers blaring music out of their car stereos.

[namellac]

Noise is noise in my book. This was LOUD. If it were that loud everyday, no matter what the religion, I'd be doing something about it. If they are that desperate to get people to come to their church, they should get a better marketing plan.

And for the record, I've been living in this house since before their steeple was built.

[PennyQuilts]

What whiners. Complain, complain, complain. My life is so hard ... I'd be embararrassed. Dress it up in religious freedom or freedom of speech or whatever you want but it amounts to a once a year deal that was understandably annoying but took a pathetic turn when the hearer became victimized by the mean person who was perhaps "lying." Oh, get serious - plenty of grieving, broken people would love to have such a horrible problem. Go volunteer at a rehab, children's group home, veterans hospital, cancer ward or homeless shelter and quit boring the world with your petty complaints.

[kmf563]

Don't they ring the same bells every Sunday? Or maybe I'm thinking of another church.

Here's what's annoying - I live 7 blocks away from a biker bar. Every Thursday night (especially during the summer) they have a parking lot party. You have a bar - go in it! I can hear the music and the cycles rev it up when they leave in my house over the tv. 7 blocks away. I hate that place. They won't do anything about this either because their side of the street is zoned for that kind of establishment. They do make them end at 11pm (which usually drags on until midnight) instead of 2am. That helps. But I promise you - if I blared my stereo or my dog barked past 10pm - the cops would be called and be all over me for the noise ordinance. It has happened. I have complainy neighbors. I think noise policy should be noise policy regardless of who or what is making the noise.

[Martin]

if liquor is brought out to the parking lot it would seem like a violation to me... i'd think an establishment could lose their liquor license over something like that. -M

[namellac]

kmf563 I feel for you. If you have complainy neighbors, have you done anything as a group to confront the situation?

[kmf563]

Well those complainy neighbors are all over the age of 80 I believe. So they, fortunately, sleep right through this noise. I didn't think about the liquor aspect of this though. That could be helpful. Can't you get some kind of event permit to have it outside though? Other restaurants have live music and drinks outside on their patios. It's nice and peaceful now since it's cold outside - but as soon as summer hits it will be every Thursday. The new steak house next door will last as long as every other place in it's spot. That's something I didn't think about either!

Okay, who knows (or is) the owner of the new steak house on memorial next to the biker bar? And who knows (or is) someone that works with the ABLE commission?

Sorry to take over your thread here....
Since it was only a one day problem, not much you can do about it now I don't think. Unless you call the church and tell them how much enjoyed the bells ringing but felt it was a tad loud and ask to consider this for future ringing occasions. Flattery and agreement with the person you are trying to persuade usually works in a situation like that. And sadly, having a female call would probably help also.

[namellac]

good suggestion. My complainy female neighbor across the street might do that, she didn't like the bells being so loud either, and her house is even closer to the noise.

Another suggestion for your situation would be to hire an off-duty cop to sit in his police car in the parking lot on the nights in question. May work, may not, but I have a feeling if they do it enough times that the place will be "uncool" to the bikers. I was at the biker bar on 63rd when a cop pulled in on some other business, and the place practically cleared out.

[oneforone]

I do understand your point of view. On the other hand I do think you are over reacting. It was a one time thing that you could have just left home and went to friend or relative's house for a little while. You could have went for a drive, anything.

The bells rang for only a few minuets. If they rang for hours and hours. I would say that you had a right to complain and the police should have stepped up.

I thank we all need to take step back to remind ourselves that we are a part of community and we are not entitled to never be disturbed or never be offended. Sometimes things are going to happen to irritate us. Sometimes we have to just ignore it move on.

[Midtowner]

I think that other than venting here, namellac isn't going to take this to the next level.

As an aside, I think there's tremendous irony in some of these comments. East Coast in particular -- he's angry (and complaining) that someone else can't just ignore something they find to be a nuisance.

Follow your own advice

[namellac]

I do understand your point of view. On the other hand I do think you are over reacting. It was a one time thing that you could have just left home and went to friend or relative's house for a little while. You could have went for a drive, anything.

The bells rang for only a few minuets. If they rang for hours and hours. I would say that you had a right to complain and the police should have stepped up.

I thank we all need to take step back to remind ourselves that we are a part of community and we are not entitled to never be disturbed or never be offended. Sometimes things are going to happen to irritate us. Sometimes we have to just ignore it move on.

They rang for over 30 minutes. The thing that irritates me the most is I called initially and they said they would turn them down and THEN DID NOT.

[oneforone]

They rang for over 30 minutes. The thing that irritates me the most is I called initially and they said they would turn them down and THEN DID NOT.

I think you and the church need to work on being good neighbors.

Thirty minutes is nothing. It was during a time when most people are awake and You could have left home for a little while if it was that bad.

I live next door to college kids that are partying and playing loud rap music every other weekend for hours at a time. Have I called the cops? No. Have gone over and asked them to keep it down when one of the parties lasted until 3 AM. Yes, I did.

They complied and apologized. Had I been the a nervous nellie neighbor and called the cops everytime they made a peep, they probabably would have cranked the music even more.

If I where you I would send a polite email to the lead pastor of the church. I would ask that if they plans to do that in future, that they not crank them so loud or at least send a courtesy letter to the residents who live with in a mile of the church. That way people can at least be prepared when the bells sound.

You can either do that or call the ALCU Emergency Lawsuit Response Unit. They can file a lawsuit to have the bells removed or close the church for good.

[PennyQuilts]

I think more people should be willing to point out when people are being big babies instead of patting their hands and saying," There, there you poor put upon thing." We are all part of the community. We can suck it up within reason or we can expect the rest of the community to cater to us. Here is a hint - they won't. The last person who consistently catered to any other non disabled adult (absent some embarassing dysfunctionality) was probably their mother. If she did it past the age most kids give up naps she didn't do them, or us, any favors.

I'll stop now.

[Dark Jedi]

By the way, I'm not much of a Christian, but you are constantly making snarky remarks about Christianity and seem to make fun of anyone who dares believe in God. I may be on the fence, but I'll tell you this, your brand of militant atheism (I read your posts) turns me off in a big way.

be aware: atheism is not an evangelical occupation. we don;t care if you convert or not. As such, I am not out to recruit.
yes, I do ridicule the religious when they get selfish. Someone has to, or they will turn this great country in to another Afghanistan or Iran, just with a different name for "god".

And I summarized your reply. You said, essentially, that you liked the bells and the original poster's discomfort was unimportant in light of that. how else were we to take it?