LOBERFELD ON FALWELL

Barry Loberfeld discovered that preaching against homosexuality in Canada is "hate speech." Then he found out that Jerry Falwell has caved in to it. Mr. Loberfeld isn't impressed with Canada...:

Specifically, I speak of this reference to you in the July 13, 2003 issue of Parade magazine: "The Rev. Jerry Falwell does two versions of his programs. In Canada, criticizing homosexuality can be classified by law as 'hate speech' (not so in the U.S.), so Falwell alters his message north of the border."

I found this absolutely astounding – for more reasons than one. The first was the degree of censorship in our neighbor to the north. A minister cannot deliver a simple sermon on personal morality for fear of government reprisal? What would the criminal act of "criticizing homosexuality" subsume – preaching that the bible condemns certain sexual behaviors? That gays need Jesus just like everyone else? Anyone who knows you knows that you are no Fred Phelps and have in fact expressed your disapproval of him. So can nothing more than traditional Christian (and other religious) teaching on sexual matters now constitute "hate speech"?

...or Mr. Falwell:

What I found most shocking, however, was that you would actually go along with this. I simply cannot see you making any compromises with the witnessing of what you believe is the gospel truth – certainly not because of Caesar, no matter what he threatened. So I must ask: How much further will you go? You really have to answer that for yourself, if for no other reason than there can be no doubt that the Canadian government will go further. Twenty-five years ago, could anyone have foreseen such a law? And yet, can anyone deny that it is the culmination of the trends of all those years, trends that still continue? Consider the Old Testament passages on homosexuality, which are far more severe than any of your sermons. Twenty-five years from now, will the bible itself "be classified by law as 'hate speech'" – in the U.S. as well as Canada? Is it really that inconceivable?

It's an example of how careful we must be not to let the government erode our stand for the truth. It can (and will) be subtle and insidious. And God will judge us on it.