Posted on 10/16/2018 1:31:47 PM PDT by lasereye
A new billboard campaign in Scotland is calling out “homophobes” and “transphobes,” focusing in particular on religious “bigots.” In reality, it is the billboard campaign that is fear-based and bigoted.
One billboard reads: “Dear bigots, division seems to be what you believe in. We don’t want your religious hate on our buses, on our streets and in our communities. We don’t want you spreading your intolerance. Or making people’s lives a misery because of their religious dress. You may not have faith in respect and love, but we do. That’s why if we see or hear your hate, we’re reporting you. End of sermon. Yours, Scotland.”
Another reads: “Dear transphobes, do you think it’s right to harass people in the street? Right to push transgender people around in clubs? Right to humiliate, intimidate and threaten them online? Well we don’t. That’s why if we see you doing harm, we’re reporting you. We believe people should be allowed to be themselves. Except if they’re spreading hate. Yours, Scotland.”
And still another: “Dear homophobes, we have a phobia of your behaviour. If you torment people because of who they love, shout word that we are not going to write, or use violence because you don’t like who someone is holding hands with, you should be worried. If we see or hear your abuse, we’re calling the police. That’s because love lives in this country, not hate. Yours, Scotland.”
Hate Speech: The New (Ambiguous) Priority On the one hand, we stand with Scotland in denouncing any harassment of those who identify as LGBT. And we condemn any violence against those same people. Categorically, absolutely, and without caveat.
Unfortunately, in the eyes of many in Scotland, simply reading the Bible on a street corner could be considered “harassment.” Quoting Scripture could be deemed verbal “violence.” And even delivering a sermon condemning homosexual practice as sin could be viewed as tormenting someone because of “who they love.”
“We are moving towards an Orwellian State where the in the name of love we are taught to hate all who do not agree with the State’s philosophy.” — David Robertson
As the “Word to the Bigots” billboard makes clear, it is “religious hate” that is being targeted and religious “intolerance” that is the culprit. The message is loud and clear. Those who oppose homosexuality or transgenderism do not “have faith in respect and love.”
And note again the language of the “transphobes” billboard: You do not have the right to “do harm” or “spread hate.”
What, exactly, does that mean? And who, precisely, gets to define this? In the words of Police Chief Superintendent John McKenzie, “Police Scotland treats all hate-related crimes and incidents as a priority.”
Perhaps that street preacher’s sermon will be the government’s next “priority”?
Thankfully, one Christian minister in Scotland, David Robertson, decided to take action.
He began by exposing the hypocritical nature of these posters, writing, “The posters say ‘love lives in this country, not hate’ — whilst encouraging people to hate anyone who dares to disagree with their new State morality. They should say ‘insanity lives in this country’. We are moving towards an Orwellian State where the in the name of love we are taught to hate all who do not agree with the State’s philosophy.”
As a case in point, he cited this remarkable incident: “If you doubt this is happening — take the case of the feminist activist Kelly-Jay Keen-Minshull who put up a poster with the following words: “Woman, women, noun, adult human female.” Dr Adrian Harrop complained that it was transphobic and would make trans people feel ‘unsafe’. So the company apologized, the poster was removed and the police are investigating.”
Then, he went one step further. He reported the Scottish Police and the Scottish Government, the organizers of the billboard campaign, for a “Hate Incident”!
“I have just fulfilled my civic duty,” he wrote, “and reported both Police Scotland and the Scottish Government for a ‘Hate Incident’ following this incident described yesterday. The ‘Hate’ Police are Now Here.” (This refers to the previous comments, just cited.)
He explained, “By your own criteria your posters, especially the one on religion is a hate incident. I perceive it as being motivated by hate and prejudice.
“Why? In my day-to-day life I experience a great deal of anti-Christian prejudice, fuelled by ignorance and prejudice. Your poster will just add to that. You imply that it is religious people who are responsible for what you call homophobia and transphobia (although you don’t define what you mean by these terms — is being opposed to SSM ‘homophobia’? Is believing that a woman is a ‘female adult human’ transphobia? By not defining your terms you have of course left room for people to claim your support for anything that they determine is ‘phobic’).”
He then cited examples of hate mail he receives, as well as pointed out many other groups which are mistreated (such as the disabled) without a government campaign to protect them from hate.
Will others in Scotland have their eyes open as well? Or will anti-religious bigotry run rampant in the name of faith in respect and love? (Yes, this really is Orwellian.)
On Feb. 23, 155 AD, the Christian leader Polycarp was martyred before a large, jeering crowd.
In those days, Christians were called atheists because they refused to acknowledge Caesar as lord or worship the Roman pantheon. Consequently, Christians were called on to renounce their faith and say, “Away with the atheists!”
As recorded in the Martyrdom of Polycarp, the old bishop stood before the crowd, about to be burned alive. He was told: “Swear by the genius of Caesar, repent, say: ‘Away with the Atheists!’; but Polycarp, with a stern countenance looked on all the crowd of lawless heathen in the arena, and waving his hand at them, he groaned and looked up to heaven and said: “Away with the Atheists!”
In that same spirit I say, “Away with the bigots!” If you talk about faith in respect and love, then you need to practice it.
Bigotry is bigotry, even when the government does it.
So the conservative Scots will move here?
What a bunch of faggots.
The “religious hatred” the government is citing is STRICTLY and only set if the “only favored religion” is Muslim.
Hating and persecuting Christians and Jews IS proper and accepted. Even demanded.
Ooooooooooooooooo, they’re “reporting” it.
BFD.
I guess I can take Scotland off my phucket list now.
And the world marches on to the arrival of the Antichrist.
Call him whatever you want; they do not know where this is going.
And they’ll tell you how intelligent and tolerant they are while doing it.
This is what happens when leftists are in power. /Captain Obvious
So much worse when govt does it.... force of law backed by (potential) violence of the state.
Yes.
Right to push transgender people around in clubs?
Yes, and to beat the sh_t out of them.
Right to humiliate, intimidate and threaten them online?
Not just online but in person as well
Well we don’t.
And I couldn't care less.
That’s why if we see you doing harm, we’re reporting you.
Oh? Gonna tell daddy on us? Go whining to mom? You're not just freaks, you're cowards.
We believe people should be allowed to be themselves.
Unless they disagree with US.
Most of the Conservative, freedom-loving Scots moved here in the 1700's.
That's why the Scotland of today is packed with so many totalitarian leftists.
You mean you have just added Scotland to your phucket list.
Phucket list....I like it.
He is going to need all the help in both prayers and legal advice. This in the Orwellian world of Britain.
I remember visiting St. Giles Cathedral in Edinburgh, Scotland. It was there in 1637 that the pastor attempted to read from a newly constituted bible. The Scots congregation were outraged. A redoubtable woman called Jenny Geddes threw her stool at his head.
Riots ensued throughout the city. She is said to have shouted " De'il gie you colic". Turning in her grave no doubt. A chill went through me on seeing those edicts. Pure 1984.
Sodomy is not love.
Love, God
"Away an Boil yer heed"
I just had my comment censored and removed for posting a criticism of a known transvestite here in the US.
Is Scottish censorship now on FR?
See my profile page to see what was censored.
Dear Bigots: We are bigger and badder bigots than you. So there!
Hear that whirring sound? That’s John Knox spinning in his grave.
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