Over the years, the Universal Life Church has served as a haven for the downtrodden. It would open its doors to those that did not have a place to go. On the whole, we as a society are not very welcoming, but that was not the case with this particular establishment. Read More
Religious Persecution: Going After the Wrong People
In the early 1970s the Seattle Police were dealing with some serious threats to the community. There were robbers, vandals, criminals assaulting innocent civilians, and worse, happening daily in the city. Luckily, the SPD had their priorities straight; the police knew the true threat to the city came from criminals and degenerates who are drinking alcohol at The Monastery Read More
The Case for George Freeman
In 1977, George Freeman, a New Yorker, moved to Seattle and found a derelict church with a “For Rent” sale on it. Being the opportunist that he was, he formed The Monastery Church, focusing his attention on turning it into a night establishment. On May 19, 1979, Freeman was ordained as Presiding Minister for The Monastery Read More
The Long, Legal Fight for Justice in King County
In 1982, King County and the Washington Department of Revenue (WDOR) sought to assess personal property taxes against The Monastery, arguing that The Monastery was not a legitimate church. George Freeman and The Monastery fought back and appealed this tax assessment to the State Board of Tax Appeals, which ruled The Monastery was entitled to a partial exemption. Read More
Threat to Society: The Unsung Hero
George Freeman was convicted and disgraced from society for providing a safe place for people to come and express themselves. Teenagers looking for a foothold to jump the fence and go over to the dark side were shown a responsible way to spend their time at his institution. At the time, this was considered to be a gross endeavor. Read More
Remembering Seattle’s Nightlife: The Police and 1980’s Bias
Stumbling across this article gives a notable perspective of the Seattle police in the 1980s. One night following a brawl police were sent to the hospital after being assaulted and jumped during a fight involving 7 patrons of Club Broadway before Mister Freeman took it over, two years later. Notable here is that Freeman had no police incidents under his tenure. The history …