Is the Bible hate literature? -- attempt to broaden Canada's hate-crimes laws

swissinfo (Reuters) ^ | May 16, 2003 | Randall Palmer

[Polycarp]

Is the Bible hate literature?

swissinfo

May 16, 2003 6:15 PM

By Randall Palmer

OTTAWA (Reuters) - An attempt to broaden Canada's hate-crimes laws to include protection for homosexuals has sparked a fierce debate in Parliament over whether the Bible and the Koran could be branded as hate literature.

It centres on a bill from gay Member of Parliament Svend Robinson that would make it a crime, punishable by up to two years in prison, to incite or promote hatred against homosexuals.

But his attempt to end gay-bashing has brought warnings that pastors or imams could be thrown into jail for preaching homosexuality is evil and that their scriptures could be banned or confiscated.

Robinson, a member of the minority New Democratic Party, dismissed the fears as unfounded.

"There's not an attorney general in the country anywhere at any level who would consent to the prosecution of an individual for quoting from the Bible," he told a House of Commons committee examining the bill.

"An attorney general who tried something like that would be run out of town on a rail."

Opponents of the bill point to the Owens court case in Saskatchewan five months ago involving the right to quote the Bible in an newspaper ad against homosexuality. The judge ruled that a Biblical passage in Leviticus "exposes homosexuals to hatred."

Even though the Owens case dealt with human rights legislation, critics said that sort of ruling could just as easily be applied in a hate-crimes case under the criminal code.

"I'm concerned about the chilling effect of this kind of decision," said Vic Toews of the official opposition in Parliament, the Canadian Alliance.

The gay-rights lobby group Egale suggested the courts would eventually insist on including sexual orientation in the current hate-crimes legislation, which prohibits hatred on the basis of colour, race, religion or ethnic origin.

"I would suggest to this committee that the legislation as it stands, by being under-inclusive, by failing to protect a group equally needing protection, is unconstitutional," Egale's John Fisher said this week.

He said gays were more likely to be attacked than heterosexuals.

Pat O'Brien, a legislator from the governing Liberal Party, recalled an incident in which Robinson himself had confronted a Roman Catholic priest on Parliament Hill who was protesting homosexuality, and Robinson threw one of his signs over the embankment he was standing on.

"I have concerns whether somebody like that is going to be able to carry out his freedom of expression," O'Brien said.

Because Robinson's bill has prompted an avalanche of e-mails and letters to members of Parliament, it has become hot potato that the Liberals appear unsure how to handle.

Liberal Justice Minister Martin Cauchon told the House of Commons on Thursday he supported the bill. But socially conservative members of the Liberal Party were put on the committee on Wednesday when a motion was made to shelve it.

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URL of this story http://www.swissinfo.org/sen/Swissinfo.html?siteSect=41&sid=1862043

[Polycarp]

Opponents of the bill point to the Owens court case in Saskatchewan five months ago involving the right to quote the Bible in an newspaper ad against homosexuality. The judge ruled that a Biblical passage in Leviticus "exposes homosexuals to hatred."

Even though the Owens case dealt with human rights legislation, critics said that sort of ruling could just as easily be applied in a hate-crimes case under the criminal code.

"I'm concerned about the chilling effect of this kind of decision," said Vic Toews of the official opposition in Parliament, the Canadian Alliance.

Homosexual juggernaut ping

[Porterville]

I can't wait to annex that country to the North once it implodes...There are a ton of natural resources that America can use. We can send all the folks in Quebec to France.

[Blue Scourge]

I remember reading something like this a month or two ago....may not have been the same thing....but has the same general story. Just on more reason to vote republican/conservative.

[epluribus_2]

well, if you are Satan or just plain Evil, well, Yes the Bible would be considered hate-filled.

[LiteKeeper]

bump

[IvanT]

I can't wait to annex that country to the North once it implodes...There are a ton of natural resources that America can use.

As a Canuck, I honestly don't know what to say to that statement.

[TheWillardHotel]

There, I said it...

"Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it is abomination"

Lev. 18:22

[TexanToTheCore]

Good trout fishing too........

[The Hon. Galahad Threepwood]

"There's not an attorney general in the country anywhere at any level who would consent to the prosecution of an individual for quoting from the Bible," he told a House of Commons committee examining the bill.

In other words, we should rely on the common sense and good will of lawyer-politicians.

Riiiiiiiight.

[Polycarp]

annex ???

How can we annex a suburb?

[Porterville]

Tongue and cheek, tongue and cheek ;-)

[EdReform]

Bump & Ping

[Polycarp]

I honestly don't know what to say to that statement.

51 stars fit nicely on the USA flag if you put 3 rows of 9 stars and 3 rows of 8 stars.

A secret committee of the CIA has been studying this problem for many years now, as the last remaining obstacle to the annexing of our northern suburb. (Insert maniacal laughter track here...)

[lilylangtree]

"It centres on a bill from gay Member of Parliament Svend Robinson that would make it a crime, punishable by up to two years in prison, to incite or promote hatred against homosexuals."

Barney "Frankenwhine" Frank, and his homosexual supporters, will try the same in the US if the bill passes in Canada, most likely.

[biblewonk]

Is the Bible hate literature? -- attempt to broaden Canada's hate-crimes laws

Bring it on, I love it when a plan comes together.

[I still care]

There are six things which the LORD hates,
Yes, seven which are an abomination to Him:

Haughty eyes, a lying tongue,
And hands that shed innocent blood,
A heart that devises wicked plans,
Feet that run rapidly to evil,
A false witness who utters lies,
And one who spreads strife among brothers.

I can see Bill and Hillary in every line of this.

[Pan_Yans Wife]

"It centres on a bill from gay Member of Parliament Svend Robinson that would make it a crime, punishable by up to two years in prison, to incite or promote hatred against homosexuals."

So, Canada will start arresting missionaries, pastors, nuns, parishoners for quoting the Bible? Hmmm... sounds like Canada will soon be a Christian-free country.

[nothingnew]

Is the Bible hate literature?

No. Many people hate the Bible though.

FMCDH

[CaptRon]

There's not an attorney general in the country anywhere at any level who would consent to the prosecution of an individual for quoting from the Bible," he told a House of Commons committee examining the bill.

Yeah. That's what we all thought about Oreos.