RIVERSIDE, Calif. — Wal-Mart is suing a church that set up tables to seek donations in front of its stores, saying the church has failed to abide by the discount chain's policies.
Since January, Wal-Mart has filed 10 suits in several counties against the 1,000-member Missionary Church of the Disciples of Jesus Christ, seeking to keep church members away from its doors. The cases were consolidated and will be heard soon in San Bernardino County Superior Court.
The church gathers about $15,000 a month in donations for food, clothing and other aid for the poor, said Louis Zepeda, a volunteer missionary with the Covina-based church.
Wal-Mart, which promotes family values and sells spiritual books and other religious products, is being hypocritical by targeting the church, Zepeda said.
Wal-Mart representatives say the retail chain is only trying to enforce its policies for solicitors. The guidelines include signing store forms that detail how the groups collect money and where members will stand or set up tables.
Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts, the Salvation Army and other charities are often allowed to collect donations if they sign forms. The church has refused to sign the forms, claiming Wal-Mart favors certain groups over others, Zepeda said.
``It has nothing to do with the fact that they're a religious entity,'' said Tyrone J. Maho, a lawyer for Wal-Mart. The chain is ``seeking legal action as a last resort. It's not something it does often, only when it's kind of backed into a wall because its customers have complained.''