'Gay' man sues Bible publishers

WorldNetDaily ^ | July 8, 2008 | WND

[driftdiver]

A homosexual man is suing two major Christian publishers for violating his constitutional rights and causing emotional pain, because the Bible they publish refers to homosexuality as a sin.

Bradley LaShawn Fowler, 39, of Canton, Mich., is seeking $60 million from Zondervan and another $10 million from Thomas Nelson Publishing in lawsuits filed in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan, the Grand Rapids Press reported.

Fowler filed his claim against Grand Rapids-based Zondervan Monday, alleging its Bibles' references to homosexuality as a sin have made him an outcast from his family and contributed to physical discomfort and periods of "demoralization, chaos and bewilderment," the paper said.

He filed suit against Tennessee publisher Thomas Nelson in June.

Zondervan says that even if Fowler's claim is credible, he's suing the wrong party. A company spokesman told WOOD-TV in Grand Rapids that Zondervan doesn't translate the Bible or own the copyright for any of the translations but relies, instead, on the "scholarly judgment of credible translation committees."

Yesterday, U.S. District Judge Julian Abele Cook Jr. refused to appoint an attorney to represent Fowler in the Thomas Nelson case, saying the court "has some very genuine concerns about the nature and efficacy of these claims."

[Harrius Magnus]

"On his personal blog's 'About Me' page, Fowler says that while serving a sentence in the Michigan Department of Corrections"

[DaveyB]

If the guy wins we can.
(He won't)

He could win in Colorado under the recently signed law Colorado SB200. Not necessarily as a civil suit, but a criminal one. In fact this is exactly what the law states - What's more the publisher, distributer, poster etc. could face two years in jail for this homosexuals discomfort.

[Darren McCarty]

This is the key phrase in the story.

Fowler, who is representing himself in both lawsuits

An attorney who represents himself as a fool for a client. I hope the defendant's attorney plays hardball and sanctions him.

$60 million for Emotional Distress due to other people's reactions based on this translation of the Bible? That doesn't make any sense from a logical or legal standpoint. I don't think this makes it to trial. I wouldn't take this case, and I have a rather libertarian standpoint when it comes to gay related issues. Nothing is a sure loser in court, but this is about as close to one as it gets.

[Darren McCarty]

The lawsuit is in Federal Court, but likely under Michigan law due to diversity as I don't see a Federal Question involved here offhand. (unless he's an idiot and screwed up - which may be the case). Diversity in the legal definition refers to jurisdiction and not the left wing's holy grail. The publisher is in Tennessee, and the translator is from Grand Rapids (in state - so that MIGHT get tossed out), and the amount is over $60,000.

I expect this to get tossed out due to standing, maybe jurisdiction, lack of claim, etc, etc. I just hope this punk gets tagged with all the court costs for wasting my tax money.

[Darren McCarty]

Fowler says that while serving a sentence in the Michigan Department of Corrections"

Nice catch. Michigan's rap sheets are online if the convict is prosecuted through the state level system (local isn't there). Here's Fowler's rap sheet

Cocaine, bad checks, manslaughter, and uttering/publishing (Forgery).