By Justin Bergman
The Rev. Todd Pyle thought it was the perfect spot to baptize 12 new members of his church–the river was calm and shallow and there was a shaded area offshore for people to stand. “It was a very serene place,” he said. “It was special.”
But officials at the Falmouth Waterfront Park just outside Fredericksburg, Va., weren’t pleased. Officials tried to break up the religious ceremony, claiming it might be offensive to swimmers frolicking nearby or other people using the park. After Pyle finished the baptism, he was asked to leave.
Now free-speech advocates are outraged and are threatening to file a lawsuit if the park refuses to allow future gatherings by religious groups, something the park admits it has no written policy against.
Read the original article at: Daily Press
