Apparently it isn't only Muslims that are having difficulty getting houses of worship built.

The Associated Press reports that the U.S. Justice Department has filed a religious discrimination lawsuit against the city of Walnut, Calif., claiming it unfairly denied a permit to a group seeking to build and run a Buddhist center.

The lawsuit filed Monday in Los Angeles seeks a court order saying the Southern California city violated federal law and an injunction to prohibit Walnut officials from discriminating against the Chung Tai Zen Center and other religious organizations.

Federal officials say Walnut denied the center's application in January 2008, something it had not done that to any other religious group that sought a conditional use permit since at least 1980.