First Church of swingers

Time was when houses of worship were easily distinguishable
as were the clergy associated with them.
But in an age of Internet ordinations of "ministers," what a flock of fancy calls a "church"
others might consider a far different kind of religious experience.

Consider the ministry of John Ondrik. Ordained online (for $90),
the organizer of the Spiritual Palace sought a special zoning exception for his "church"
in residential North Huntingdon. Affiliated with the nonprofit Church of Spiritual Humanism,
the Rev. Ondrik says he provides his 40-member congregation
"a more private, more hands-on" worship service.

In rejecting Ondrik's application -- "as to be unbelievable" -- zoning officials cited
"overwhelming credible testimony" revealing not a church but a commercial business
"offering sexual-lifestyle-type services for a fee."

Officials say the Spiritual Palace shares the same address as a place called the Swingers Palace.
"Parishioners" pay a minimum $50 fee to "worship."



We are not prudes. And we're not here to judge what consenting adults do behind closed doors;
that's their business. But it is fundamentally wrong for this operation to call itself a "church"
in pursuit of special considerations afforded to bona fide churches.
Personal carnal pleasures are one thing. Abusing the law in their pursuit is quite another.

(PittsburghLive)