We have another case of a religious person being jailed for denouncing homosexuality. In England, Dale McAlpine was charged with causing “harassment, alarm or distress” after a homosexual police community support officer (PCSO) overheard him stating that he viewed homosexuality to be a sin.
We have been following a disturbing trend in the West of limiting free speech under both blasphemy and discrimination laws, here. In the United States, we are seeing increasing conflicts between our anti-discrimination laws and assocational and free exercise rights, here.
McAlpine, 42, is a Baptist in Wokington, Cumbria for years who delivered his sermon from a stepladder.
Police reported that he referred to “sins” of homosexuals loud enough to be overheard by others, which is probably the point to speaking. He was held for seven hours in jail under the Public Order Act. The law was passed to deal with violent rioters and football hooligans.
We have been watching with great concern as England turns to greater enforcement of speech laws, here. Our cousins in Canada have also crackdown on free speech, here and here and here.
For the full story, click here.
One will never be arrested for practicing the pure LOVE of God. Homosexuality, indeed, is sinful and an afront to God. But so are the many sins traditionally practiced by us Christians such as pride, greed, self-righteousness, and tongue wagging
. Accusation breeds accusation. Yelling breeds yelling. Condemnation breeds condemnation. Good example breeds good example. Soft words breed soft words. No person is more grieved by sin, on behalf of God, than me. But I am mostly grieved by my own sin. I am compelled in my conscious to ‘follow’ Christ in servitude. Only God can convict a heart of sin. A man ‘hears’ with the heart, not with the ears.
Very good post. Thought provoking. Thanks.
Carolyn
Um, yeah, but ‘abomination’ was not defined as a ‘sin’ until much later in language history. Might want to use the words in context of their historical origin.
Otherwise, yeah, that’s not the best way to handle things.
Internet Elias displays symptoms of the dreadful rapture mental illness in which one is free to first invent sin, and then use it as a club against those who meet the criteria. It is a no more inappropriate response to this man than arresting him for speech.
If you want a sinner, look in the mirror, and then kindly shut up.
@Carolyn (internet elias),
Stating a belief as fact when the belief cannot be substantiated by any real evidence is dishonest. Books such as the Bible cannot be regarded as presenting evidence of prophesies, miracles, or the word of god, because none of these claims can be validated by independent scientific investigation.
Fairy tales and myths are all fun and games until someone tries to pass a law based on them.
Er, 80% of Elias’s post was saying “whatever sin homosexuality is, I’m at least as bad, and anyway it’s not our job to judge others.” Why’s everyone focused on the other 20%?
“I am not the homophobe, my God is.”, could be a better defense
Can we use this UK-led politically correct, anti-free speech movement to bash and ban religions everywhere?
You will just not find more racist and homophobic speech anywhere!
Opinions are like Ass Holes, everyone got one.
I guess that if anyone said that the CEO of Goldman Sachs Sucks or Blows then they could be arrested under this law as well?
I find the other comments here very interesting… But speaking from the perspective of one of the people to whom this gentleman was condemning to eternal damnation, “until you’re on the receiving end of such hate speech, you probably don’t see how it really is injurious and criminal to those it’s directed at.”
A simple solution, if you can’t say anything nice, try saying nothing at all.
Christopher Flournoy,
If that was directed at myself. My point is proven.
Christopher Flourney
I’d wish to emulate you.
Therefore I wish you would stop your hate speech against people who believe homosexuality is a sin. And if you cannot say anything nice about people who say homosexuality is a sin, then you shouldn’t say anything nice at all and your post would not exist.
Thank you for your cooperation.
Free speech for all – even those who spout such ignorant nonsense as “homosexuality is a sin.”
Skip the last “nice”.
vlf: what if we find out if violence is determined biologically (I’m convinced that some of it is). What then?
Another line of thinking goes like this. What do we do for those who are blind? Not look for ways to help them see? Or do we let them be because that is the way they were born?
How about those with sickle cell anemia? Do we discourage fighting against it because people were born (nature made them) that way?
You may not like what Christians (and many other groups) say about homosexuality, but there is an internal logic to it that applies to other areas of the human condition.
Internal logics, like any other logic not properly proofed, can be inconsistent and wrong. You demonstrate that fact about logic on a regular basis, Tootie.
I’m all verklempt! Here’s a topic for you. Reconcile a compassionate and infinitely loving God with a God that excludes people based on a trait that in no way affects your life unless a member of the same sex asks you to dance.
We could all use a good laugh.
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Is it fair for a pastor in his own church, be arrested for “hate speech”?