Have you been following the story of the completely bogus arrest of Pastor Ake Green from Sweden and the charge of a "hate crime" for speaking in his church that homosexual behavior is sin? After the first trial, the pastor was convicted and given the sentence of one month in jail. An appellate court overturned Green's conviction on February 11 of this year. However, on March 9, the Swedish Prosecutor appealed that decision to the Supreme Court, which acquitted the pastor on November 29. This is only one example of the truth about The Devastating Error of Hate Crimes Laws.
There is no doubt in my mind that those who pushed for "hate crimes" legislation in Sweden were out to get this pastor. They wanted to make an example of him in order to silence the Biblical Christian view that homosexuality is sin.
You may want to sit up and take notice of the following article. It is proof positive that speaking out on behalf of Christian free speech rights and freedom of association does make a huge difference!
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ADF: Worldwide Outcry Influenced Swedish Pastors Hate Speech Trial
An attorney with the Alliance Defense Fund (ADF) says international exposure and pressure played a major role in a recent decision by Sweden's Supreme Court not to convict a pastor of committing a "hate speech" crime after he preached a sermon offering a biblical perspective on homosexual sin.
Last week Sweden's highest court unanimously decided to acquit Pastor Ake Green, who had been charged with hate speech in connection with a July 2003 sermon he preached at his church and later had published in a local newspaper. Arrested, charged, and initially convicted, Green was given one month in jail, a sentence he appealed.
An appellate court overturned Green's conviction on February 11 of this year. However, on March 9, the Swedish Prosecutor appealed that decision to the Supreme Court, which acquitted the pastor on November 29
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ADF chief counsel Ben Bull says Swedish officials took notice of the extensive international press the case generated. He says this whole affair has been "a lesson that we need to be involved in what's happening in Europe with respect to the persecution of the Christian faith."
Under Swedish law, Bull points out, any person who shows disrespect for a person's sexual orientation may be sentenced up to four years in prison. He says things could have gone very differently for Pastor Green in the courts, but public outcry made a difference in the outcome of the legal controversy.
"If enough people make enough noise, even the enemies of the Christian faith sit up and take notice," the ADF lawyer asserts. "Most pundits who followed this case would have predicted that, had Christians around the world not paid a lot of attention to this -- publicized the case, got it into the Christian and secular media -- there's no doubt in everyone's mind that [Ake Green] would have been convicted and put in jail for doing nothing more than preaching the gospel in his own church."
Bull believes Christians worldwide who stood up and spoke out on Green's behalf were instrumental in the Swedish preacher's ultimate acquittal. To date, the 64-year-old minister still pastors his Pentecostal church in the southeastern city of Borgholm.
Hat tip to The Christian Underground.
Hi Christine,
ReplyDeleteI don't really have a comment here, I just found a blog that has classified you and I in the same group, which I just find odd. Incidentally, she does not label us well ("false Christians" I believe is the title). I just find itreally odd that she puts us in the same boat, because I think that if there were literal boats, you and I would probably be in very different ones! And I say that in a friendly way, because I think it is entirely possible to disagree with someone and think that they (and by they, I mean you) are a nice person with a sincere heart... but still, we are very different... Her webpage is here, if you want to check it out.
Hi JJ,
ReplyDeleteThanks for the heads up. I am already aware of Maureen and have replied to her in the "They Complain About Bush and Iraq" thread.
If you read my post to her, you will find out that I suspect her motives.
Despite the fact that we disagree on almost every social issue, we do have one thing in common. We are both Christian believers. The one thing that I find that all true Christians agree on is teaching and proclaiming the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We all generally agree that the Great Commission tells us to "teach Jesus Christ and Him crucified."
Perhaps that is the common thread that she finds between the two of us?
I find it strange that she doesn't approach fellow believers with love in her heart. I could be incorrect about this, but it appears to me that she doesn't think homosexuals (or other types of sinners) can be redeemed. That is a lie from the pit of hell!
It is basically what the deceiver of our souls would like to have us believe. Notice, she is targeting Christian believers, not pagans.
Again, all of this makes me question her motives.
Thanks for your nice comments about me. I really appreciated that.
Scripture informs us that this is the way in which we are to act towards fellow believers, despite our political and social differences. We are called to build each other up as brothers and sisters in Christ; not tear each other down. We can argue and disagree about issues, but fighting over doctrinal differences in a meanspirited way is not good. We are called not to condone or compromise when confronted with the issue of sin, but we are to proclaim the truth in love and share the gift of redemption offered by Jesus Christ.
Thanks again JJ. Have a blessed Christmas! Jesus is the reason for the season!
In Him,
Christine
P.S. I was just listening to the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and Orchestra on KPBS....SO beautiful! It's like a glimpse of what heaven might sound like!!