|
Pastors: Act now or prepare for jail
|
John Henry
|
Apr 24, 2007 13:13 PDT
|
Pastors: Act now or prepare for jail
April 24, 2007
By Janet Folger
I've already told you about how H.R. 1592 will
destroy equal justice (setting up a victim hierarchy), set up a
Gay Gestapo with unlimited funds and send grandma to jail for sharing
her faith on the public sidewalk,
as happened in Philadelphia. But what you may not know is how this
bill scheduled for a vote in the House this week will come after pastors
and all those who disagree with the homosexual agenda out loud. H.R. 1592
the so-called "hate crimes" bill isn't about hate. It isn't
about "crimes" (there are already stiff penalties against
crimes); it's about speech.
Forget theory. Let me give you a real-world example. Here's a question:
Which is worse? Actions or words? Robbing someone or calling him a mean
name? Which one deserves the greater penalty?
Before you answer, let's say the name was really mean, like being
called "Four-eyes!" I played on the public school playground,
used to wear glasses and have been victimized personally by such horrific
verbal assaults. They hurt my feelings. And there ought to be stiff
penalties for something like that. Stiff like 23 years behind bars? I
don't think so. But the state of New Hampshire does.
I know what you're thinking. Can't be. We can't criminalize name calling.
The public schools would be empty – with everyone behind bars until their
30s. Oh, I left something out. The mean name in New Hampshire isn't
"Four-eyes," targeting the visually impaired; it isn't
"Fatso," shamelessly targeting the lovers of cheesecake. The
only people protected from mean names with a 23-year jail sentence are …
homosexuals.
Robbing someone outside a convenience store is a Class-B felony in New
Hampshire, which typically carries a sentence of three and a half to
seven years in state prison along with a $4,000 fine. But according to
Assistant County Attorney Roger Chadwick, if convicted of a "hate
crime" (shouting an anti-homosexual name), the sentence becomes
"enhanced" by 23-26 1/2 years – turning a three-year sentence
into a 30-year sentence.
Oh, and it's not a hypothetical. According to the New Hampshire Union
Leader, John Guimond, 23, faced those charges. He was charged with
stealing a cell phone from a homosexual man, 24, and his underage
"male partner" (a statutory rape violation), after approaching
them in a parking lot.
Stealing is a bad thing to do. But keep in mind, no weapon was used, no
injury sustained. Just that mean name – something far, far worse. Think
about it for a minute. If saying a mean anti-homosexual word adds an
additional 23-26 ½ years to a sentence, and people live to around 80,
that penalty is one-fourth of your life for the words you say. And while
this was in addition to a robbery penalty, how much of a jump would it
really be to penalize the speech "infraction" alone? And just
what constitutes an "anti-gay epithet"? Would an "anti-gay
epithet" be to say, "Homosexuality is a sin," or
"Homosexuals should repent"? What if you informed someone that
"Homosexuality is harmful to your health"? If I were you, I
wouldn't try it in New Hampshire.
So, if speech turns a three-year sentence into a 30-year sentence for a
state "hate crime" violation, just what might H.R. 1592
do on the federal level? As Rep. (and former Judge) Louie Gohmert,
R-Texas, pointed out on the House Judiciary Subcommittee, if passed, H.R.
1592 is going to put pastors in prison. Pointing to Title 18 of the US
Criminal Code, Section 2 (a):
(a) Whoever commits an offense against the United States or aids,
abets, counsels, commands, induces or procures its commission, is
punishable as a principal. –18 USC Sec. 2
Pastor? Have you ever counseled from a biblical perspective or read
from Roman 1? I Corinthians 6? Genesis 19? Leviticus 18 or 20? Then, if
H.R. 1592 becomes law and someone who has attended your church, read your
materials or heard your broadcast commits a crime – such as pushing away
a cross-dresser's unwelcome advances – you are "punishable as
a principal," as someone who "counsels" and
"induces" the now-illegal belief that homosexual behavior is a
sin.
Think this is a stretch? Think again. In 1998, I oversaw the national
"Truth in Love" campaign, which expressed hope for change for
those struggling in homosexuality – something for which I was accused of
murder. Here's a sample of one of the full-page "Truth-in-Love"
campaign ads that caused all the commotion. One ad pictured 850
ex-homosexuals with the headline, "We're standing for the truth that
homosexuals can change." Brace yourself for "hateful,"
"bigoted" and "intolerant" speech said to be
responsible for murder. (Note: If you're under 18, you may want to ask
your parents before reading it.):
We believe every human being is precious to God and is entitled to
respect. But when we see great suffering among homosexuals, it's an
inherent Christian calling to show compassion and concern.
Wow. With words like "precious," "respect,"
"compassion" and "concern," you can understand why
the city of San Francisco would be prompted to accuse us of murder:
It's not an exaggeration to say that there's a direct correlation
between these acts of discrimination, like
Matthew Shepard, such as when gays and lesbians are called sinful,
and when major religious organizations say they can change if they try,
and the horrible crimes committed against gays and lesbians.
– City of San Francisco Board of Supervisors, Oct. 19, 1998.
We now have a governmental body on record connecting speech and
violence. It's not even violent speech. They are saying that the hopeful
message that homosexuals can change is responsible for murder. That, my
friend, is why the hate-crimes legislation is the most dangerous
legislation in the country. It will lead to silencing our speech just as
the city of San Francisco tried to do.
H.R. 1592 isn't about hate. It isn't about crime. It's about silencing
our speech. But you don't care about speaking out on "issues"
such as homosexuality? As I said in my book,
"The Crimnalization of Christianity," if they can silence
the truth, they WILL silence the Gospel. Look no further than
Philadelphia where
grandmothers were
thrown in jail for the "hate crime" of sharing the Gospel.
Arlene Elshinnawy, a 75-year-old grandmother of three, held a sign before
she was hauled off to jail: "Truth is hate to those who hate the
truth." View
her 30-second ad and help us tell her story while there is still
time.
Or you can use your "right to remain silent." But the House
vote on H.R. 1592 is scheduled this week. Use it much longer, and those
are the words you'll hear before you're put in the jail cell next to
grandma for the "hate crime" of sharing the Gospel.
Janet L. Folger is president of
Faith2Action: turning people of faith
into people of action to WIN the cultural war TOGETHER for life, liberty
and the family. Author of "The Criminalization of
Christianity," she hosts a daily radio program from 2-3 p.m. Eastern
and a daily radio commentary heard in 100 markets and at
www.f2a.org.
-------------------------------
"Remember them that are in bonds, as bound with them; and them
which suffer adversity, as being yourselves also in the body."
(Hebrews 13:3)
"Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for
theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are ye, when men shall
revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against
you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great
is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were
before you." (Matthew 5:10-12)
Fair Use Notice: This message contains copyrighted material the
use of which has not always been specifically authorized by the copyright
owner. The moderator is making it available in an effort to advance
understanding scriptural, political, and social justice issues, etc. The
moderator believe this constitutes a 'fair use' of this
copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright
Law. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, the material is
distributed without profit to those who have by subscribing to this
eGroup have expressed a prior interest in receiving it for research and
educational purposes. It must not be used for profit!
The views expressed in this article are not necessarily the
opinions of the moderator.TO
UNSUBSCRIBE GO TO:
http://groups.LandmarkBibleBaptist.net
THIS MESSAGE IS ARCHIVED
AT:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Persecution-Watch
|
|
 |
|
