What if you are arrested?

I have a question for you all:

If you would be arrested for taking a stand against homosexuality, jailed, slapped with charges of hate speech, what do you think a Believer should do?

Should a Believer hire an attorney to defend himself/herself or take without any resistance what is dished out to you?

I suspect we will likely see this in the near future. Also suspect that depending on sees me post this may come after us.

Would like to hear/read a discussion on this issue, pro or con.

Sandra

As a criminal defense attorney, I would LOVE to defend someone arrested for simply preaching the gospel. I went to law school for the express purpose of defending Christians, but my career took a very different track.

If arrested, I would defend as Paul did for himself. It is an opportunity not for vindication but for witness to the gospel of Jesus.

Good question and one that requires prayerful consideration~

Great answer brother Tim!

Tim, you are ever so kind and thoughtful. But let's face it, not all can afford to pay an attorney and they have to eat and pay bills, too.

Sometimes I wonder if the LGBT folks do not plan to rush Christians with lawsuits, working to wear them down. They may win some and lose some. But they may not care - all they care about is to harass the Saints.

I do not hope to be arrested but I know I am putting myself at risk for this because I am public on social media with my opposition to it.

Any more comments?

Sandra

If arrested, I would defend as Paul did for himself. It is an opportunity not for vindication but for witness to the gospel of Jesus.

Great answer! Good question as well. I do not find anything wrong in defending our self. Does US government not provide you a lawyer if you cannot afford one? Will they not permit you to talk to Jury yourself as a self defense? I am not sure how it works in US.

Sister,

I think that I would probably do as Paul did after he was arrested in Jerusalem. Now, he represented himself [legally] before the Romans (*perhaps because he knew the law). Still, he used the Roman legal and civil system to proclaim Christ -- appealing all the way to Rome.

I am reminded of something that was written about William Gurnall. In the forward to the edition of Gurnall's A Christian in Complete Armour published by David Wilkerson and Banner of Truth), Ruthanne Garlock wrote, "A neutral is never popular; each party is offended at him for not casting his weight into their scale. He was just the man to be disliked and slighted by both sides."

Gurnall was a Puritan -- but not of the political sort. He was a man who saw the mud in the water of the established state-embraced churches. Men like Gurnall and Bunyan could have been popular in the church (and world) if they wanted. All that they had to do was be silent, avoid offense and "go with the flow" in terms of life and faith.

Yet, like Moses, they preferred to "choosing rather to endure ill-treatment with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin" (Hebrews 11:23-26). They were men who would choose "rather to endure ill-treatment with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin, considering the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt" (verse 26).

It is an honor to truly suffer for the cause of Christ! Would we take up the banner and shine the light of truth or would we hide that light under a bushel?

When I was in college, I was assigned to read Les Miserables by the French author Victor Hugo. The book deals with the June Rebellion in France during the early 19th Century. One of the book's characters, Marius, is faced with the dilemma of fighting for the cause of the French republicans (which he believed in) or to escape with his beloved Cosette to England. Marius is torn but ultimately decides to join the republicans.

When I first read this, I immediately thought of believers who struggle between being true to the truth of Christ Jesus above all else or the fleeting esteem of this lost world. There are so many people who lose their will to stand for Christ because they are willing to bow to the demands of this world for risk of shame. We should always be willing to stand for Christ and be ready to tell the truth (in love) to all who ask.

Persecution in The Salvation Army during the 1880s

The history of The Salvation Army contains many a story of persecution that occurred when Salvationists chose to serve Christ on the streets. They took the transformative message of Jesus Christ to the streets, and that's where the persecuted erupted. The United Kingdom in the late 1870s and 1880s were not too keen on listening to, and putting up with the preaching of these 'Salvationists', who would unashamedly preach the need for repentance and to be filled with the power of the Holy Ghost.

Colonel Henry Gariepy in his 2009 one volume history of The Salvation Army (Christianity in Action) writes, 'During one year, 1882, the number of Salvationists knocked down or otherwise assaulted in the United Kingdom was 669. More than one-third of them, 251, were women, and 23 were children. Eighty-six Salvationists, 15 of them women, were thrown into prison. All because they took part in religious meetings in their own buildings or in the open air.'

Some Salvationist's were martyred for their faith, but that did not stop the passion and zeal of the early Salvationists. Even when hundreds were thrown in jail (over 600 in 1884 alone), the commitment to preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ on the streets prevailed. Colonel Gariepy says, 'Some shopkeepers kept eggs of vintage for sale at reduced prices for assailing Salvationists on the march' (: 29). This is a nice way of saying, shopkeepers kept a bunch of rotten eggs for sale, so people could 'egg' the Salvos when they marched on by! Along with the sharp rocks that were thrown, no wonder the Salvation Army bonnet was introduced!!

Bramwell Booth wrote that the fiercest opposition did not come from drunkards on the streets, but from the local churches. He writes about the churches, saying, 'We were fighting for freedom to proclaim the same Savior whom they honored. We were a menace to the "comfortable" worship of the day. Our people's zeal and joy put to shame the religion which consisted mostly in a listless rote. Ours was a practical faith. It appealed to the common mass. It offered a spiritual charter to the ecclesiastically disfranchised...' (Bramwell Booth, Echoes and Memories, 1925).

There is much more to say regarding the history of The Salvation Army, and its history of persecution. Stories come to mind of Frederick Booth Tucker being thrown in jail, in India, and the band of followers standing outside the jail cell, all singing praise to God. "You go to jail, I'll go to jail, we'll all go to jail..."

With that said I think anyone taking a stand, should expect to be dragged off by the police and receive there heavenly bracelets..

"You go to jail, I'll go to jail, we'll all go to jail" --- hahahaha,

Something in my heart that is burning is having 1000 preachers descend onto the 5 main cities in Scotland and just overwhelm (swarm) the system, lets fill up all the police cells so there is no room.

Youtube clip from Christian Concern on LA street preacher arrested in London.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KMmq84eBM8k

But at the same time we should use all the resistance that we can use in the UK a lot of Christian reach out to Christian Concern.

Christian Concern

http://www.christianconcern.com/

Hi All

I learned a good lesson from Corrie ten bloom as she told the story of what her father taught her. when she was young she was worried about what to say to people when witnessing to them and not having the answer, her father said this to her " Corrie when you need to get a train do i give you money for the ticket weeks before or at the time that you need it, the heavenly father will also give you what you need when you need it? when she needs it.

I had been in a caught case for over a year where i was targeted for my christian beliefs they tore at every aspect of my character and to me it was David verse Goliath. we lost everything during the battle but the most important thing during this time was crucifying our flesh, so many times the devil tried to rattle us through friends, finances, anger and suicide. when we got to a place where we had faith in what God was doing we where able to look upon our enemies with compassion and pray in the right manner. God restored everything to us and more because one of the people involved in the battle against us had a change of heart and decided to settle the matter. I believe this was God intervening.

under persecution the spiritual poisons that have laid hidden and dormant in our spirits because of being unchallenged will come to the surface. at the time i didnt see this as a blessing but i do now as it allowed me to give this area to the lord and have a closer relationship to Jesus as well.

It is all about faith and it is a great time for God to grow this in our walk with him.

RE: ///Should a Believer hire an attorney to defend himself/herself or take without any resistance what is dished out to you?///

Does the Bible say anything about it being wrong ?

Ken Miller was defended by David Bercot, was that wrong ?

Not getting a lawyer is one of the worst thing you can do to yourself and your family. Legal system does not really look for the truth but for evidences which has to be presented under the rules of court and that makes it complicated and frustrating. If no one will examine, cross examine, or raise an objection for you during the proceedings you are seriously maimed.

With the current scenario, I think it is safe to know beforehand the legalities that you may face for openly advocating certain beliefs. I hope christian lawyers
will gladly share their talents for this burden.

At least have legal consultation or have a good lawyer to present your position during preliminary investigation and see how the case proceeds.

We had a good lawyer but we prayed for him to have wisdom in our case. a couple of times he had missed vital information but we would bring it to his attention when God showed us. I don't have a problem with using lawyers but my faith is not in them but in our father who will direct them as needed.

Yes, above all rest in the Lord, pray hard, fast, and be inspired or be among those who stood in their faith to the point of death or poverty.

ginnyrose wrote:
If you would be arrested for taking a stand against homosexuality, jailed, slapped with charges of hate speech, what do you think a Believer should do?

Should a Believer hire an attorney to defend himself/herself or take without any resistance what is dished out to you?

I suspect we will likely see this in the near future. Also suspect that depending on sees me post this may come after us.

Would like to hear/read a discussion on this issue, pro or con.