Who Says Christianity is not under attack?

Christians Arrested and Charged with 8 Criminal Counts

On October 10, 2004 in the city of brotherly love, Philadelphia, eleven Christians were arrested for doing nothing more that preaching, reading the Bible in a public place and singing Christian Hymns.

Four of them were captured on video tape, and after reviewing the tape, the ADA charged them with three felony charges, criminal conspiracy, ethnic intimidation, and riot (should that be inciting a riot or rioting?). They also face five misdemeanor charges. The four can, if convicted face up to 47 years in jail for preaching, for expressing their religious freedom. The prosecutor in the case labeled the Bible as “Hate Speech” and called specific verses “Fighting Words” and the judge in the case has agreed.

The reason that this is such a problem is that these eleven Christians decided to exercise their free speech and indeed their rights to freedom OF religion on the same day as the Gay Pride event also known as “Out-Fest”. The militant gay faction of the city decided that they were being intimidated by the Christians, and started shouting at them, blowing whistles and disrupting their rights to free speech. The mob grew angry and the situation became tense. Instead of protecting the speakers, the Philly Cops decided to arrest them.

White supremacists, Gays, Nazis, Feminists, Muslims, Animal Rights Groups, Anti –Tobacco Groups, Asians, Jews, Mexican Separatists, Republicans, Democrats, Naderites, South Africans, Communists, and Black Cultural groups have all enjoyed one of the basic tenets of our country. They have all enjoyed the right to express themselves. Why are Christians being denied this same basic right of self expression?

I am not a homophobe, one of my best friends is gay, I do not care, he is still my friend and I would trust him with my life and the lives of my children, he is a good honorable man. He is some one that I think I’m a better person for knowing him. This event was not about the Christians trying to “convert” or “fix” the gays at Out-Fest, I doubt preaching is going to “cure” anyone of much other than saving their soul, but that is another matter. This issue, the problem and threat that is presented here is the stifling of opinion, of free speech and of religious expression. If this does not alarm anyone, it should. This should shake freedom loving people to the very core of their being.

If we stop dissent, if we muffle peaceful speech because someone might be offended by it, where will it stop? How far down the road of censorship, of political correctness run amuck must we travel down before we realize that if we speak up, to claim the rights our fore fathers that have bled for, that we too will be arrested for Criminal Conspiracy, Ethnic Intimidation, and Riot? How far indeed.

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UPDATE December 22, 2004

I guess I did not make myself clear in my article. My issue here is not a Gay v. Straight issue. I do not care what people do, nor do I care who they do.

My issue with the entire Philadelphia kerfaffle is not “the gays attacked the Christians” and it was not that “The Christians were shoving their morals down the throats of the Gays”

I was trying to point out the attack on Christianity by political correctness. I am incensed that the courts would CHARGE ANYONE for practicing free speech.

I do not personally agree with going to a Gay Pride gathering and shouting at people. I think that confronting people in an in-you-face manner is counter productive to trying to convince people to see your point of view. I do think that they had the right to do so. If I had been there I would have been offended, and I am a Christian. I would have admired their right to free speech as I exercised my right to leave because I don’t agree with the way they presented their message.

I am appalled that the state would prosecute Christians and indeed anyone else for speaking their minds. Where is the anger? Where is the fear of “Big Brother”? It is not there because the defendants are Christians. I will not waste your time with any if-the-shoe was on the other foot arguments. It was not. I will state that the limitation of free speech is something that ALL groups, no matter their agendas, should be horrified at.

I do think that Christianity is under attack and no, I did not mean to imply it was the Celebrants of Out-Fest. I think it is under attack by political correctness under the guise of being diverse and sensitive to other groups. I see no reason why we should have to limit Christianity so we can recognize other groups. I say groups because I am including other religions and non religious agendas.

By definition diversity should not exclude ANY group, including Christians.


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