People have quite diverse notions about the right and proper way to behave in church.
Here are 11 weird laws from the USA that, if ignored, could send you from church to jail without passing “go”
1. In Alabama It is illegal to wear a fake moustache that causes laughter in church.
2. In Rehoboth, Delaware it is illegal to whisper in church
3. In Boston, it is against the law to eat peanuts while in church.
4. In New York City, it is illegal to fart in church with the intention of causing a disturbance.
5. In Nicholas County,Virginia, no clergy members may tell jokes or humorous stories from the pulpit during church services. Continue reading
While it is harder to track down New Zealand weird laws relating to church behaviour, the New Zealand Police Offenses Act in 1928 covered a raft of weird laws.
It was an offence to allow a mare to be mated within site of a public road. Why it was all right for cattle and sheep and do the wild thing beside the road, and not horses, is now lost in the sands of time.
The same Act also made it illegal to fly a kite, beat a rug in public, and wear slippers in a public place by night.
It was also an offense to “ride furiously”. This beautifully crafted phrase
This legislation remained in force until a new Act was passed in 1981.