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Posted on 05/03/2007 5:56:07 AM PDT by NYer
WASHINGTON, D.C., May 2, 2007 (LifeSiteNews.com) - A proposed "hate crimes" law that would impose special federal penalties against crimes related to sexual orientation is being denounced as a serious risk to freedom of religion in the US, as Congress prepares to vote on the measure.
Passed by the House Judiciary Committee last week, the Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act would give special considerations to "hate crimes" committed against those engaging in homosexual activity and people who consider themselves transgendered or bisexual. Dr. James Dobson, founder of Focus on the Family Action, told CitizenLink the bill's backers are hiding the "true intent of the legislation," which he said is an attempt to "muzzle people of faith who dare to express their moral and biblical concerns about homosexuality."
Dr. Dobson pointed out that a proposed amendment to include protection for religious freedom in the bill was gunned down by Democrats.
"What is at stake here is freedom of speech and the expression of conscience," Dr. Dobson said, "and without a huge outcry from the public expressed to the House, Senate and the White House, it will become law."
Chuck Colson, founder of Prison Fellowship, in a BreakPoint Commentary warned that similar laws in England, Sweden and Canada have already resulted in the prosecution of Christians for hate crimes when they objected to homosexuality.
"If this dangerous law passes, pastors who preach sermons giving the biblical view of homosexuality could be prosecuted," Colson stated. "Christian businessmen who refuse to print pro-gay literature could be prosecuted. Groups like Exodus International, which offer therapy to those with unwanted same-sex attraction, could be shut down."
Concerned Women for America have asked President Bush to veto the proposed legislation. Matt Barber, CWA’s Policy Director for Cultural Issues, stated, “Attempts by Republicans to make this legislation more inclusive by adding additional classes of citizens such as children, members of the military, the elderly or the homeless were refused by congressional liberals in committee last week. That refusal underscores the exclusionary and discriminatory nature of this bill. H.R. 1592 unequivocally treats one class of citizens preferentially over others."
“Perhaps most frightening is the fact that liberal legislators have refused any amendment which would substantively protect religious expression in association with this legislation. Similar laws have been used around the world — and right here at home — to silence opposition to the homosexual lifestyle. That refusal speaks volumes about the true agenda behind this legislation, which is to grant official government recognition to both homosexual and cross-dressing behaviors, and to silence opposition to those behaviors."
Mr. Colson and Dr. Dobson are urging concerned US citizens to contact their representatives in Congress and ask them to vote against the bill.
See previous LifeSiteNews coverage:
U.S. House to Vote on Special “Hate Crime” Protection for Sexual Orientation
http://www.lifesite.net/ldn/2007/feb/07022108.html
Democrats Refuse Religious Freedom Amendment to Hate Crimes Bill
http://www.lifesite.net/ldn/2007/apr/07042601.html
CWA Claims Fake “Hate Crimes” Being Used to Force Legislation through Congress
http://www.lifesite.net/ldn/2007/apr/07041107.html
That's EXACTLY what it's supposed to do..........
Do doubt they will next pass a non-binding resolution declaring that the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah was a hate crime.
“No doubt...”
Sheesh. Coffee... gimme.
When priests and ministers start getting hauled off by federal agents then perhaps some of their congregation who voted Demo because Republicans are so mean and heartless will be in for a rude shock.
This thing is unconstitutional on so many levels that, if passed, I don’t see how it could stand up to judicial scrutiny (outside of the 9th Circuit, that is).
I said that about campaign finance law. Best to err on the side of suspicion.
Another aspect of this to bring up in any conversation -
the democrats on the committee voted down ANY amendment to add any other “vulnerable” groups (elderly, pregnant women, minors, military, etc) from “protection” by this bill.
I wonder if Rudy had anything to do with this proposed legislation?
Dobson has it absolutely right: this bill is a flagrant attack on freedom of speech and the expression of conscience. Hello, Soviet gulag...
Yep! The Word of God is perpetually offensive to those who reject Him.
The Left is trying to make outlaws of those who believe in it.
What Constitution? We still have one of those outdated, antiquated, meaningless pieces of paper? Sure couldn’t tell by our legal system, or our government...
Exactly. They may as well try to outlaw our currency, since it has the word God on it.
Because of politics. There are so many unconstitutional laws on the books - at all levels of government - that it’s impossible to keep track. Particularly at the federal level, our rights have been whittled away relentlessly. It will take a lot more Scalias and Thomases - and a lot more cases brought before such “originalists” - to start the pendulum swinging back the other way.
Do you or does anyone else know if The White House has taken a position on the bill?
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If it becomes a hate crime to have a copy of the Bible (not too far-fetched the way things are going), the book publishers can produce edited versions which leave out the verses that the gay rights advocates object to. That, or leave them in the original Hebrew or Greek.
Leviticus 18:22 and 20:13 will have to go. /s
My question is why are so many in politics and government office and the courts pushing this?
I reckon perversion is OK? If so, stalking is just another warped perversion, right?
Ask Paul the Apostle and do likewise.
Are you prepared to be jailed for your faith? If not, then say nothing; but know that God will ask you to give an account of your actions on that fateful day when the Kingdom of God comes to you
Revelation 6
7. And when he had opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth beast say, Come and see.
8. And I looked, and behold a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him. And power was given unto them over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword, and with hunger, and with death, and with the beasts of the earth.
And some men think they can outlaw The Truth.
So what??? This is the Post-Enlightenment. Religious Freedom is scorned, ridiculed, and oppressed--that is, religious freedom other than acceptable religions, i.e. Wicca, Gaiaism, the Church of St. Al Gore, Islam, et al.--religions acceptable to Big Brother. This is what George Orwell warned us about.
Just goes along with those who would further the immoral behaviors by hiding behind “freedom of speech”... a constant double standard - free to promote killing of unborn babies, free to promote disease filled lifestyle, free to pile their ideas on our children at school, but yet others are not free to speak out against them...
Exactly!!!!! You asked the very question that my post was about, it is indeed something that every Christian must consider. Do we Zechariah 8:16 These are the things that ye shall do; Speak ye every man the truth to his neighbor: execute the judgment of truth and peace in your gates: 17 And let none of you imagine evil in your hearts against his neighbor; and love no false oath: for all these are things that I hate, saith the LORD."
Love sure gets the opposite instruction from what political correctness divines.
The action can be chosen, while the inclination may or may not. Thus, it is appropriate to separate the sin from the sinner, and that is a Christian response.
What “religious freedom”? there is none for Christians and Orthodox Jews.
Also Romans 1.27.
Yes indeed. To speak against the immoral destructive behaviors many times gets the reproach of 'Judge not lest ye be judged'. Interesting isn't it that these that promote destructive behaviors snip and clip the Scripture to silence their 'adversaries'?
Spiritual Lilliputians.
Time for Bush to use that underutilized veto pen again. Bush can stop this, just like he could have stopped so-called “campaign finance reform,” the pork barrel farm bill and many others.
This “hate crimes” garbage from the left will not stop either. Today it will be “homosexuals” that will be the protected class. Tomorrow it will be our Islamist enemies!
Of course I am disgusted by this legislation, but I am also disgusted with Bush’s reluctance to use the veto pen.
ping
Good ones!!
In days gone by it was possible to discuss the sin of homosexuality in distinction of sinner versus the sin. However, once the 'supremes' made sodomy a civil right no longer can even the subject of homosexuality be two separate subjects.
The sinner and the sin are as one, and one surely would not want to offend some high-school freshman by quoting scripture because they can't possibly differentiate their sin from themselves cause they believe that sin makes them who they are and they do in fact have the right in their eyes to be who they are.
That little voice that speaks from the inside of all of us,, if you will. We just have to be willing to listen and ask.
The Supreme Court is not a godlike arbiter or definer of Christian morality. We would all be in trouble if that were the case (actually we’d still have slavery, as in Dred Scott). Who’s to say that those with homosexual inclination cannot or do not resist the temptation to engage in sinful activity. It is the evil homosexualist ideology that tells people that their sexual urges are their entire identity, and that they must engage in sinful behavior. That is the tragedy of the poor souls who buy this evil ideology and live it out. They deserve prayers, not Fred Phelpsite signs saying “God hates F**s”.
My apparent lack of ability is to express that where we are in this present day, to even scripturally discuss the subject as Written Scripturally, is now viewed ‘legally’ as hate speech, nothing more nothing less.
Thought police.
Liberals are terrorists, plain and simple.
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