CROSS OF CHRIST FAITH MINISTRY

ACT NOWHate Crime Bill ends Freedom of Speechand Religious Freedom in America  

The House has passed the controversialHate Crime Bill which will inhibit pastors from speaking abouthomosexuality as a biblical sin, and prohibit free religious speechagainst the homosexual lifestyle.The Bill is called “The MatthewShepard Hate Crimes Prevention Act “and was introduced in theSenate last week just as the House passed its version in a 249-175vote. The legislation is intended by its sponsors to protecthomosexuals and transgendered people from violent hate crimes byexpanding a list of federally protected groups to include sexualorientation, gender, gender identity and disability.

The new law will protect homosexuality,pedophilia, and every form of sexual deviance imaginable. Thiswill not only violate our freedom of Speech and ReligiousFreedom but may usher in unprecedented religious persecution in thisnation.

If you have not read a copy of the billyou may view is HERE

This bill will:

1.      Expand the existing definition of a"hate crime" to include gender identity, sexualorientation, and disability. (Under existing law, if someone commitsa violent crime against someone which is motivated by the victim'srace or religion, then that crime receives a harsher sentence than itwould otherwise. HR 1913 simply expands the classes protected by thisrule.)

2.      Give federal law enforcement greaterleeway and resources to investigate and prosecute hate crimes, incase local law enforcement lacks the resources to, or chooses not to,investigate.

An amendment to omit pedophiles fromprotected status was suggested to Congress; however the amendment wasquickly dismissed. Rep Alcee Hastings, D-Fla., stated that anysuffering from a “disability or all of these ‘phillias’ andfetishes and ‘isms’… need not live in fear.”

Under this new law a pastor can beprosecuted if he preaches against homosexuality and a listenersubsequently commits an act of violence against another based onsexual orientation.  In addition, the new bill will providefederal money which will enable the Justice Department to aid locallaw enforcement in imposing their own hate crime laws.

When you pass laws which assign greaterguilt to certain parties for committing the same crimes, based onwhat they were thinking at the time and the “class” of citizenswho were the victims, then you are assigning a higher value to thelives of based on their sexual orientation, race, skin color, orreligion. We are in very very dangerous water.

Expanding the Federal Government’spower to prosecute Hate Crimes will encroach on the rights of states,clogs federal courts, and conflict with the courts’ traditionalfunctions. It will also put Christian communicators in a precariousposition as simply relating what Scripture says regardinghomosexuality could be construed as hate under this new bill.

Where is the outcry from the AmericanPeople?  Contact your Senator and let Washington know thatwe will NOT stand for this!

Click HEREfor the contact link for your State’s Senators.