Hate Crimes Legislation Draws Criticism from Christian Groups

[Natasha]

Hate Crimes Legislation Draws Criticism from Christian Groups

http://www.cnsnews.com/public/content/article.aspx?RsrcID=47052
Ryan Byrnes
4/23/09

What hate-crimes laws do, Barber said, is "take the focus off the crime itself and instead puts the focus on the opinion of the alleged perpetrator."

"It becomes a thought crime and not a hate crime," he told CNSNews.com.

[sd]

Coming from those most guilty, why is this a surprise.

[Miniar]

I for one think that "why" a person does what he/she does is of greater value than "what" exactly the person does. For people who act out of hate, I can understand why they don't want to get caught doing that, which is exactly why we need hate-crime laws.

[Lisbeth]

"H.R. 1913 broadly defines 'intimidation,'" Lafferty said. "A pastor's sermon could be considered 'hate speech' under this legislation if heard by an individual who then acts aggressively against persons based on any sexual orientation. The pastor could be prosecuted for 'conspiracy to commit a hate crime.' "

So they say a pastor should be exempted from responsibility if their sermon causes a parishioner to go out and commit a violent crime?

[NicholeW.]

So they say a pastor should be exempted from responsibility if their sermon causes a parishioner to go out and commit a violent crime?

Why yes, they've been making that argument for 36 years in regard to abortion clinics and the slaying of doctors who do the procedures. Of course there are no hate-crimes legislation in-place to protect those they refer to as abortionists.

They deny any and all responsibility for what pastors say from their pulpits. Why, it's freedom of religion. Afterall, god told the Habiru to ruthlessly slaughter many dwellers in Canaan during the settlement of the area by the Habiru tribes, no?

It's a law of god, doncha know, for the pastors to call down god's wrath on those of us who are abominations? tsk, tsk, we can't ask them to ignore god's word can we? All of us should prolly just offer our throats to the first wingnut we find and ease their pain for them.

Nichole