Thread: Bitter Fruits Of Hate Crime Laws

Bitter Fruits Of Hate Crime Laws
By Harmony Grant
3-4-8

In 2004, eleven Christians were arrested for peacefully protesting a gay pride parade in Philadelphia. You can watch their irreproachable actions on YouTube. Evangelicals across the nation were shocked. What kind of freedom do we enjoy if we can't even sing hymns at a public event?

Since then, more attention has been paid to "anti-hate" laws, which threaten to totally destroy our freedom. But still not enough. The injustice done to the Philly 11 has been repeated again and again since 2004. And, still, how many Christians even know about the Philly 11 or these other cases?

In New York State last July, seven Christians were arrested for silent prayer at a gay pride rally. A police officer warned them not to enter the public event or "share their religion." Within four minutes of entering the site and lying prostrate on the ground with Bibles, the Christians were arrested. They hadn't uttered a single word.

In Kansas, pastor Mark Holick was arrested for distributing flyers near a park hosting a homosexual festival. The city dropped charges after viewing a video that showed Holick's peaceful actions. Apparently the arresting officers were so indoctrinated by sensitivity training that they couldn't sense Holick's American rights.
(http://www.thechronicleonline.net/index.php?option=
com_content&task=view&id=686&Itemid=12)

Of course, it's even worse other places. Nations of Europe are also surrendering individual rights. In 2006, South Wales evangelist Stephen Green was arrested for handing out tracts.

"South Wales police admitted evangelical Christian Stephen Green was then charged purely because his pamphlets contained anti-gay quotations from the Bible," reported the Daily Mail. "A spokesman for the police said the campaigner had not behaved in a violent or aggressive manner, but that officers arrested him because 'the leaflet contained Biblical quotes about homosexuality'."
(http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/n
ews.html?in_article_id=403815&in_page_id=1770)

Colin Hart of the Christian Institute said, "This was a very gentle leaflet. There was no use of words like "perversion". I have to wonder if churches, bishops and archbishops are now vulnerable to arrest for their views on homosexuality."

That Daily Mail piece warned, "The decision to prosecute Mr. Green is the latest in a series of police initiatives aimed against those who have expressed public disapproval of homosexual behaviour Another warning about future behaviour was delivered by Lancashire police who visited the home of a Christian couple after they complained about their local council's gay rights policies."

Imagine that meeting. You're at home having dinner one evening and the knock on your door turns out to be uniformed police. They inform you that you may be arrested if you keep criticizing the local government. What is this? North Korea? Nope. It's Wales, where they have tea and polo and cute princes. For all of Wales' apparent civilization, it's become a crime to speak out against aberrant sexuality or even criticize your government's "gay-friendly" policies.

On their website, the Anti-Defamation League of B'nai B'rith-creator of "anti-hate" laws and "hate crime" police training-helpfully reassures anyone worried that hate laws steal freedom. They suggest you might wonder if hate laws punish thought and answer blithely, "No. Hate crimes laws punish violent acts, not beliefs or thoughts - even violent thoughts. Hate crime statutes do not punish, nor prohibit in any way, namecalling, verbal abuse or expressions of hatred toward any group even if such statements amount to hate speech. It is only when the perpetrator crosses the line from speech to criminal action that hate crime laws might come into effect." Boy, isn't that reassuring.

In 2005, British author Lynette Burrows received <http://www.christian.org.uk/rel_liberties/cases/burrows.htm>a phone call from the police after stating on a BBC talk show that homosexuals wouldn't make the best adoptive parents.

In Bournemouth, an elderly autistic street preacher was surrounded by an angry crowd when he held up a sign that said, "Jesus Gives Peace, Jesus is Alive, Stop Immorality, Stop Homosexuality, Stop Lesbianism, Jesus is Lord." The crowd forced him to the ground and poured mud and water on him. The police officers who arrived at the scene arrested the evangelist, not one member of the crowd! He was charged and fined. He died before the High Court ruled on his appeal. It said he acted unreasonably with his sign because he knew it was offensive.

Also in "Great" Britain, a Christian couple has been banned from providing foster care to young kids, because they refuse to agree to tell their charges that homosexuality is acceptable. Owen and Eunice Johns have been married 39 years and raised four children of their own, but the state has now declared them unfit because they won't submit to the state's dogma about sexual ethics!

When we see the fruits of "anti-hate" and bias crime legislation, only an idiot would believe the ADL's reassurances.

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Harmony Grant writes and edits for National Prayer Network, a Christian/conservative watchdog group.

Let the Anti-Defamation League of B'nai B'rith teach you how they have saddled 45 states with hate laws capable of persecuting Christians: http://www.adl.org/99hatecrime/intro.asp.

Learn how ADL took away free speech in Canada and wants to steal it now in the U.S. Congress. Watch Rev. Ted Pike's <http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=7217700265038533779>Hate Laws: Making Criminals of Christians at video.google.com. Purchase this gripping documentary to show at church. Order online at <http://www.truthtellers.org/>www.truthtellers.org for $24.90, DVD or VHS, by calling 503-853-3688, or at the address below.

TALK SHOW HOSTS: Interview Rev. Ted Pike on this subject. Call (503) 631-3808.

NATIONAL PRAYER NETWORK, P.O. Box 828, Clackamas, OR 97015
<http://www.truthtellers.org/>www.truthtellers.org

http://www.rense.com/general81/bitter.htm

In New York State last July, seven Christians were arrested for silent prayer at a gay pride rally. A police officer warned them not to enter the public event or "share their religion."

I find it ludicrous that people are allowed to say a particular religion offends them, but if someone were to say homosexuality offends them, it's deemed "hate" speech?

While I don't hate anyone, the idea of homosexuality does offend me.