Hate Crimes Laws: Censoring the Church and Silencing Christians

B

BenBrockway Jun 14, 2007

June 13, 2007 - Wednesday

Advocates of a sweeping national "hate crimes" law are on the verge of victory in the U.S. Congress. With massive funding from the homosexual lobby, these advocates are moving one step closer to the day when the federal government will be able to investigate, and punish, politically incorrect speech and thoughts.

Think "it can't happen here"? In October 2004, a small group of Christians, now known as the "Philadelphia 11," were arrested and spent a night in jail for preaching the Gospel at a "gay pride" event. They were charged with a "hate crime" under Pennsylvania law. Though the case was ultimately dismissed, the Christians had no support from the ACLU and other self-described champions of free speech. More and more, the political left is protecting the First Amendment rights only of speakers they agree with.

Hate crimes laws now threaten free speech and religious liberty nationwide. They have the potential to "shut down churches and send pastors to prison for simply reading a part of the Bible," as Dr. D. James Kennedy has warned.

Family Research Council, along with Coral Ridge Ministries, invites you to order a copy of our provocative new video, "Hate Crimes Laws": Censoring the Church and Silencing Christians. This program, which I had the honor to host, features shocking examples of how hate crimes laws trample free speech, muzzle broadcasters, and intimidate pastors in country after country.

For a limited time, with a donation of any amount, you can obtain this 40-minute video and discover how even the Bible is being deemed "hate" literature. The time has come for every citizen to take action. Violent crimes are despicable, and their perpetrators deserve swift and certain punishment. But the purpose of "hate crime" laws is to attribute violence to certain ideas as a way of attacking and ultimately outlawing those ideas, among them, that homosexual conduct is wrong and unhealthy.

If hate crime laws proliferate, the freedom to speak one's mind will be limited to those who celebrate and promote homosexuality.
share this with your neighbors, family, and friends. Our freedom to speak is the bedrock of our political liberties. Help us spread the word.

**edited**

E

enid Jun 14, 2007

Was reading that the words and phrases 'natural family, marriage and the union of a man and a woman' might soon become so called hate speech.

Whilst we are indifferent about it, satan is moving to get this to happen as soon as possible.

So far, it hasn't really affected the Church as a whole, but in time, the tide will turn.

It will mean fines, imprisonment, unemployment, loss of family and friends, and even death.

But we should be ever ready to suffer for the gospel.

Suffering is not popular, or wanted, but it is inevitable, 2 Tim 3v12.

However, we have a wonderful God to help us here and now, and a glorious home awaiting us.

And it is not on this earth, thank God!

God bless.

sermonindex Jun 14, 2007

"Homosexuality is a sin."

There, I said it. Throw me in jail.

Krispy

D

dohzman Jun 14, 2007

This is indeed serious because anything that is said, especially in media like radio will be targeted as a hate crime offense. These kind of bills won't have much impact until the right political climate exsists, probably sometime after Bush is out of office.

sermonindex Jun 14, 2007

Hmmm...

Seems to me that this could be a blessing to the church in America. Maybe we can get away from picking on gay people and turn our attention and sermons to the sins of our whitewashed pew warmers. One of the points in Charles Finney's list of ways to preach as to convert nobody is to preach agains sin, just not the sins of the people to whom you are preaching. There is a relatively low percent of homosexuals in the american public, yet most americans (including the vast majority of church goers) are greedy, liars, inwardly corrupt and openly given to numerous other forms of sexual immorality. Its easy for our teachers to preach against homosexuality since they generally are not given to homosexuality, its a lot harder to preach against bitterness, greed, lukewarmness and the damnable sins that our supposed pastors and teachers themselves are in bondage to.

perhaps with this persecution will come a revival as the sheep and goats are manifest.

In Christ - Jim

E

enid Jun 14, 2007

Are the sexually immoral, bitter, greedy and lukewarm people asking for 'rights'?

If you say anything against them, will you get thrown into prison or find yourself without a job?

Let's not kid ourselves, this is war!

It is a satanic war. It has to be, because God has said homosexuality is a sin, and it is.

Just because man is perverting what God says doesn't make the sin obsolete.

What a farcical self-deceived world we live in, when man supposes he can usurp God.

Still, persecution is coming, we should be prepared for it.

God is good.

God bless.

sermonindex Jun 14, 2007

In Canada this is what our Criminal Code states:

Section 318: Hate Propaganda

(1) Every one who advocates or promotes genocide is guilty of an indictable offence and liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding five years.

Definition of "genocide"
(2) In this section, "genocide" means any of the following acts committed with intent to destroy in whole or in part any identifiable group, namely,

(a) killing members of the group; or

(b) deliberately inflicting on the group conditions of life calculated to bring about its physical destruction.

Consent (3) No proceeding for an offence under this section shall be instituted without the consent of the Attorney General.

Definition of "identifiable group"
(4) In this section, "identifiable group" means any section of the public distinguished by colour, race, religion, ethnic origin or sexual orientation.

Section 319

(1) Every one who, by communicating statements in any public place, incites hatred against any identifiable group where such incitement is likely to lead to a breach of the peace is guilty of

(a) an indictable offence and is liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years; or

(b) an offence punishable on summary conviction.

Wilful promotion of hatred
(2) Every one who, by communicating statements, other than in private conversation, wilfully promotes hatred against any identifiable group is guilty of

(a) an indictable offence and is liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years; or

(b) an offence punishable on summary conviction.

Defences
(3) No person shall be convicted of an offence under subsection (2)

(a) if he establishes that the statements communicated were true;

(b) if, in good faith, he expressed or attempted to establish by argument an opinion on a religious subject;

(c) if the statements were relevant to any subject of public interest, the discussion of which was for the public benefit, and if on reasonable grounds he believed them to be true; or

(d) if, in good faith, he intended to point out, for the purpose of removal, matters producing or tending to produce feelings of hatred toward an identifiable group in Canada.

Forfeiture
(4) Where a person is convicted of an offence under section 318 or subsection (1) or (2) of this section, anything by means of or in relation to which the offence was committed, on such conviction, may, in addition to any other punishment imposed, be ordered by the presiding provincial court judge or judge to be forfeited to Her Majesty in right of the province in which that person is convicted, for disposal as the Attorney General may direct.

Exemption from seizure of communication facilities
(5) Subsections 199(6) and (7) apply with such modifications as the circumstances require to section 318 or subsection (1) or (2) of this section.

Consent (6) No proceeding for an offence under subsection (2) shall be instituted without the consent of the Attorney General.

(7) In this section,

"communicating" includes communicating by telephone, broadcasting or other audible or visible means;

"identifiable group" has the same meaning as in section 318;

"public place" includes any place to which the public have access as of right or by invitation, express or implied;

"statements" includes words spoken or written or recorded electronically or electro-magnetically or otherwise, and gestures, signs or other visible representations.

Subsection 718.2

A court that imposes a sentence shall also take into consideration the following principles:

(a) a sentence should be increased or reduced to account for any relevant aggravating or mitigating circumstances relating to the offence or the offender, and, without limiting the generality of the foregoing,

(i) evidence that the offence was motivated by bias, prejudice or hate based on race, national or ethnic origin, language, colour, religion, sex, age, mental or physical disability, sexual orientation, or any other similar factor,

(ii) evidence that the offender, in committing the offence, abused the offender's spouse or common-law partner or child,

(iii) evidence that the offender, in committing the offence, abused a position of trust or authority in relation to the victim,

(iv) evidence that the offence was committed for the benefit of, at the direction of or in association with a criminal organization, or

(v) evidence that the offence was a terrorism offence

shall be deemed to be aggravating circumstances;

(b) a sentence should be similar to sentences imposed on similar offenders for similar offences committed in similar circumstances;

(c) where consecutive sentences are imposed, the combined sentence should not be unduly long or harsh;

(d) an offender should not be deprived of liberty, if less restrictive sanctions may be appropriate in the circumstances; and

(e) all available sanctions other than imprisonment that are reasonable in the circumstances should be considered for all offenders, with particular attention to the circumstances of aboriginal offenders.

sermonindex Jun 14, 2007

Luk 18:11-12

Lord I thank thee for not making me as other men are such as this homosexual with his political agenda. I go to church twice a week and vote republican...

in Christ - Jim

sermonindex Jun 14, 2007

and BTW, I am an uncompromising holiness preacher. Homosexuality is a damnable sin... infact all transgression is sin. I just think we have been brainwashed by our babylonian religous system to view other peoples sins as worse then ours. Even if they have a political agenda, they are no worse. Our kingdom is not of this world, biblical persecution has always gone hand in hand with a glorious advancement of the gospel.

Of course, most of us will be "raptured" before any of this persecution begins and affects our comfortable laodecian lifestyles in the west :oP

In Christ - Jim

H

HomeFree89 Jun 14, 2007

Wow, this is another reminder to got on our faces before the Lord for our Country.

However, if this bill is passed, I'm sure that the Lord will use it as a wake up call. The "Church" is asleep in the spirit of Babylon and this might be the thing to wake it up. Sad, but maybe necessary. :-(

Jordan

sermonindex Jun 14, 2007

Hey Jim... come down off your high horse. Most folks here are not what I would consider to be pew-warmers. Many are pastors, street preachers, elders, teachers... people who desire more of God, a deeper walk... etc.

Most of us preach against our own sins just as fervently as we preach against homosexuality. It ~~[b]~~all[/b] needs to be exposed and rebuked.

Krispy

B

BenBrockway Jun 15, 2007

While it irritates me that the homosexual and liberal community are trying to write into law, these such things, I'm kind of looking forward to seeing what it does to the Christian community at large. Are we going to hunker down? ARe we going to be silenced? Or, are we goingt o take this opportunity to stand up for our beliefs even if it costs us imprisonment, or our life? This will be good testing of our faith. Revive us, Lord. Bring America, and the rest of the world, back to you.

sermonindex Jun 15, 2007

Ben... I agree. On one hand, I will fight this type of legislation, but if it does pass it will weed out those who call themselves Christians but have no spine. Things like this always strengthen the church.

I hate to see it happen, I hate the duplicity behind it (we cant call homosexuality sinful, but they can call Christians every name in the book), but the revival that would happen as a result of persecution is going to be something to behold.

Krispy

L

lastblast Jun 15, 2007

Was reading that the words and phrases 'natural family, marriage and the union of a man and a woman' might soon become so called hate speech.

Hate to say this, but saying ANYTHING concerning what God says is sin, or what God Himself labels as a "natural" family(one man/one woman for life), within AND without the "church" is now being labelled hate, even by confessing Christians.

I believe when remarriage while one has a living spouse started becoming acceptable in the Church, the doors opened wide for ALL kinds of immorality to creep in. We are merely reaping what has been sown by our own compromise and tolerance of sin.

The Lord says that judgment begins at the house of the LOrd. Perhaps the "persecution" we are starting to see unfold is His judgment on us.......we are pointing at the UNSAVED's sins, being persecuted for it, but we are not dealing with our OWN sins and purging them from ourselves. I just heard a stat on my local Christian radio that stated---among regular church going men(men who attend church EVERY WEEK), almost 50% said that they are addicted to pornography!!! That is shocking to say the least!!! According to Jesus' teaching on sin(outward and inward), these men are all practicing adulterers...........Are some of them the ones pointing fingers at the UNSAVED homosexual??? Probably, and that is very much like the actions of the Pharisees in Jesus' day---they were pointing out sins to the "less religious", yet Jesus said they were guilty of the very same sins they were charging others with.

So far, it hasn't really affected the Church as a whole, but in time, the tide will turn. It will mean fines, imprisonment, unemployment, loss of family and friends, and even death. But we should be ever ready to suffer for the gospel.

You are quite wrong that addressing immorality and suffering for it hasn't really affected the Church(those in the BODY of Christ) yet. There are some who are suffering "loss" because they are speaking out against sin WITHIN the confessing church. They are rejected by those who name the name of Christ. I find it quite ironic that confessed Christians come against UNSAVED people who are persecuting them for standing against immorality, but the same Christians will stand against the BRETHREN/SISTERS who come against immorality WITHIN the Church. Personally, I think that persecution is much more difficult to take than persecution by the World, who don't claim to know/serve God. Just my two........or three.

L

lastblast Jun 15, 2007

and BTW, I am an uncompromising holiness preacher. Homosexuality is a damnable sin... infact all transgression is sin. I just think we have been brainwashed by our babylonian religous system to view other peoples sins as worse then ours. Even if they have a political agenda, they are no worse. Our kingdom is not of this world, biblical persecution has always gone hand in hand with a glorious advancement of the gospel.

Great post, Jim. :-)

sermonindex Jul 13, 2007

Stand up Stand up for Jesus ye soldiers of the cross
Lift high your royal banner you must not suffer long.

A house divided cannot stand.
If anyone has HIS SPIRIT living within them if they condone sin vocally, support it in any fashion or be in support of a group that condones it and if they do they are a house divided and it cannot stand.
We need to pray for those people because it appears from scripture they honor HIM with their lips but their hearts are far from HIM.

C

Compton Jul 14, 2007

Or, are we going to take this opportunity to stand up for our beliefs even if it costs us imprisonment, or our life? This will be good testing of our faith. Revive us, Lord. Bring America, and the rest of the world, back to you.

I used to think our national trend away from Christianity from would tend to rally and unite the Church but I'm not so sure now. I feel we are divided on how to respond to the liberalization of the country.

I think American Christians don't know to view their country; is it a nation under God or Babylon the fallen? Those who, inspired by a fear of coming judgement, try to stand up and speak out, will be thought of as zealots by some Christians. On the other hand, those who feel that America, like the rest of world system, should be allowed to go it's seperate way unimpeded, will be thought of as weak or compromised by others.

We Christians in America are wrestling with the paradyme shift towards socialism/totalitarianism in our country, and we are in disagreement as to how we should respond. I imagine some of us look back on earlier times in religous America with wistful sentiment, while others fantasize about a dark future where the lines between the Church and the world are refereshingly stark, if violent.

In any case, the present nebulous gray fog that we are in is disconcerting. It is like those scenes of civil war battlefields where the two opposing forces, shrouded in thick smoke, could not see clearly, but knew that they were mixed in with the enemy. (I am using a physical analogy in spiritual context.)

Presently there are many border disputes between the Church and the World. Christians are taking sides in these shifting struggles, and the result is strife within our own 'ranks.' Perhaps we might remember the current confusion, if ever we are rounded up and put into prisons...in the least we will at least be thankful for the restoration of defined borders...even if those borders are prison walls and barbed wire.

A house divided cannot stand.

Amen. Yet there is a need for division some where. The question is where should the divide be established? I think this is what Jesus meant when he said "I come not to bring peace, but to bring a sword" . Not that we are exhorted to cut each other, or subdue the world...but that Jesus would bring the Sword of the Spirit into our situation, which is much like those smokey civil war battlefields, and seperate the Church from the World. Sometimes the border falls between citizens of the same country. Sometimes the border falls between members of the same family. And sometimes the borderline falls right through the heart of a poor Christian.

Blessings,

MC

sermonindex Jul 14, 2007

If D. James Kennedy had been alive during the days of slavery, I'd bet he be standing up in a pulpit, Leviticus in hand, defending the "property rights" of slaveowners and bashing abolitionists.

I can hear him now.

sermonindex Jul 14, 2007

that was a really good post.

And sometimes the borderline falls right through the heart of a poor Christian.

sermonindex Jul 14, 2007

Hey Jim... come down off your high horse.

YOU, lecturing brothers about being perched on a "high horse"?

Now that is true irony.

and I can tell you this, Jim is preaching out in places where a white boy like you wouldn't even dare to go, so maybe you should be the one to dismount that steed Krispy.

(I'm laughing while I write this btw, so don't get THAT irate)