In Reply to: Re: Canada law makes Bible "Hate Speech" posted by johnny canuck on September 23, 2003 at 08:42:47:
Johnny,
I think it's a bit of an overstatement to say the article "hyped" this proposed law. Furthermore, there is already legal presidence for persecution of people who communicate what the Bible has to say about homosexuality. A man has already been charged with a "hate speech" crime for putting an advertisment in a newspaper, in which he listed several old and new testament verses concerning homosexuality.
Let's not put lunatic fringe elements such as abortion clinic bombers and people who promote violating the civil rights of homosexuals. I deplore these kinds of people, and their actions should be punished to the fullest extent of the law.
What I decry, however, is the lumping of mainstream Christians who speak against what they believe is sin.
There are some radical groups out there, who have developed very effective lobbies to pressure the judicial system and legislatures to enact draconian laws which will suppress freedom of speech and religion in Canada, the U.S. and elsewhere.
When we are seeing activist judges make rulings that prevent a child from giving out pencils with the inscription, "Jesus Loves the Little Children" to his classmates, and when judges rule that school children can't recite the pledge of allegiance because it has the phrase "One nation, under God..." then lovers of freedom should be concerned.
I don't know about your beliefs Johnny, but as a Christian, I am greatly concerned by the dramatic increase in persecution of Christians all over the world. In the 20th Century, the numbers of inprisonments, torturing, and executions of Christians has skyrocketed. I love my country, but we have made friends and allies of some of the biggest civil rights abusers in the world. The top two are China, who we have given most favored nation trading status, and Saudi Arabia, where Christians have been thrown in dungeons or beheaded for simply posessing a Bible.
Perhaps this is a loosing battle. After all, Bible phrophesy warns us of a day when the world will be led by one who is identified as the Anti-Christ. But Jesus did say that it is better to light one candle than to curse the darkness.
I like what former Supreme Court justice Louis Brandeis said: "All evil needs in order to triumph is that good men do nothing." If we take a complacent attitude and say, "It can't happen here" it most likely will happen here.