By Joseph DeCaro, Worthy News Correspondent
BISHKEK, KYRGYZSTAN (Worthy News)-- A church in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, is appealing a decision allowing local authorities to confiscate its building, according to Barnabas Aid.
In January, a court ruled that the sales contract between the Church of Jesus Christ and the state was invalid. The judge who annulled the contract determined the church had not fulfilled its obligations to support social activities, but the congregation countered that it runs classes for children and rents space to organizations that support youth projects.
However, some suspect the judge's decision was motivated merely by profit.
The church building, which was originally bought for only $46,000(U.S.) is now worth around $1 million(U.S.), yet the lawyer who represented the State Property Fund said it would only pay back to the congregation what they paid for it 14 years ago!
For their part, the congregation claims that they couldn't afford to lose their building as it will difficult to buy a new one given the current market prices.