Reason.com - Free Minds and Free Markets
Reason logo Reason logo
  • Latest
  • Magazine
    • Current Issue
    • Archives
    • Subscribe
    • Crossword
  • Video
  • Podcasts
    • All Shows
    • The Reason Roundtable
    • The Reason Interview With Nick Gillespie
    • The Soho Forum Debates
    • Just Asking Questions
    • The Best of Reason Magazine
    • Why We Can't Have Nice Things
  • Volokh
  • Newsletters
  • Donate
    • Donate Online
    • Donate Crypto
    • Ways To Give To Reason Foundation
    • Torchbearer Society
    • Planned Giving
  • Subscribe
    • Reason Plus Subscription
    • Print Subscription
    • Gift Subscriptions
    • Subscriber Support

Login Form

Create new account
Forgot password

How a Swingers Club Got the Government to Call it a Church

"It will have the same rules that many churches observe" except adultery is OK.

Amanda Winkler | 6.14.2015 8:00 PM

Share on FacebookShare on XShare on RedditShare by emailPrint friendly versionCopy page URL
Media Contact & Reprint Requests

Originally published on May 28, 2015. Original text below:

How do you protect a swingers club from a bullying neighbor and a hostile zoning board? Turn it into a church.

That was the innovative legal tactic devised by Nashville Attorney Larry Roberts, whose client purchased a property for $750,000 last November with the intention of making it home to the Social Club, an "equal opportunity lifestyle organization" that aims to help its members find other that share the "same interest and desires."

Enter the Goodpasture Christian School, which his located nearby. Principal Ricky Perry complained that the organization would "pollute" the minds of his children with "ungodly activity." The local zoning board agreed, passing an emergency zoning resolution in March that blocked Robert's client from building on the site.  

So the swingers club found religion. When asked if rebranding the club as a church was intended to skirt the zoning resolution, Roberts smiled. "Let's just say it's opening up to give people guidance."

No sexual activity will be allowed on the premise, but there will be socializing and dancing. "It will have the same rules that many churches observe," says Roberts, "such as do not steal, do not lie, do not cheat, do not harm others, and do not kill." There is one difference: Adultery is OK, as long as your spouse knows all about it.

About 5 minutes.

Produced by Amanda Winkler. Narration by Todd Krainin.

Scroll down for downloadable versions and subscribe to Reason TV's YouTube Channel to get automatic updates when new stories go live.

Start your day with Reason. Get a daily brief of the most important stories and trends every weekday morning when you subscribe to Reason Roundup.

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

NEXT: Meet the People Getting Screwed Over By Jerry Brown's High Speed Rail

Amanda Winkler was a producer at Reason TV.

Share on FacebookShare on XShare on RedditShare by emailPrint friendly versionCopy page URL
Media Contact & Reprint Requests

Show Comments (20)

Latest

How Tariffs Are Breaking the Manufacturing Industries Trump Says He Wants To Protect

Eric Boehm | From the July 2025 issue

The Latest Escalation Between Russia and Ukraine Isn't Changing the Course of the War

Matthew Petti | 6.6.2025 4:28 PM

Marsha Blackburn Wants Secret Police

C.J. Ciaramella | 6.6.2025 3:55 PM

This Small Business Is in Limbo As Owner Sues To Stop Trump's Tariffs

Eric Boehm | 6.6.2025 3:30 PM

A Runner Was Prosecuted for Unapproved Trail Use After the Referring Agency Called It 'Overcriminalization'

Jacob Sullum | 6.6.2025 2:50 PM

Recommended

  • About
  • Browse Topics
  • Events
  • Staff
  • Jobs
  • Donate
  • Advertise
  • Subscribe
  • Contact
  • Media
  • Shop
  • Amazon
Reason Facebook@reason on XReason InstagramReason TikTokReason YoutubeApple PodcastsReason on FlipboardReason RSS

© 2024 Reason Foundation | Accessibility | Privacy Policy | Terms Of Use

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

r

Do you care about free minds and free markets? Sign up to get the biggest stories from Reason in your inbox every afternoon.

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

This modal will close in 10

Reason Plus

Special Offer!

  • Full digital edition access
  • No ads
  • Commenting privileges

Just $25 per year

Join Today!