Pastors will test Matthew Shepard Act by "inciting hate crimes"

[Political Tiger]

Religious conservatives still outraged over the passing of hate crimes legislation have decided to test the limits of the new law with a publicity stunt involving incendiary hate speech directed at gays and lesbians. In order to "prove" that their God-given right to harass LGBT folk is being threatened, a group of pastors plan to travel to the nation's capital and ratchet up the rhetoric in hopes of getting themselves arrested. (Can you believe this shit? And these zealots have the audacity to refer to hate crimes legislation as the "Hate Christians Law.")

You can't miss the irony here. Christianity is supposed to be all about "Love Thy Neighbor" and "Do Unto Others," right? So in order to challenge the new law, a posse of homobigots led by Pastor Gary Cass (president of the so-called Christian Anti-Defamation Commission) is heading to Washington DC on November 16th where they will assemble outdoors and shout hatred and even foment violence against gays - y'know, to see how far they can go before being arrested under the Matthew Shepard Hate Crimes Prevention Act.

From the creepy World Net Daily: The "Rally for Religious Freedom" in front of the Department of Justice in Washington is intended to force Attorney General Eric Holder either to address the issues or be put in a position of ignoring those who say they are violating the provisions of the federal law, Cass said. "We're basically going to defy the law, and challenge it," Cass told WND. "We're going to declare the whole counsel of God, including those parts that some may consider 'inciting a hate crime' to see if the attorney general is going to come down and arrest a group of peaceful clergy exercising their First Amendment rights."

{....}

Still, I don't think D.C. tourists will appreciate hearing anti-gay slogans shouted as they make their way toward the Lincoln Memorial. The police will be standing by, bored expressions on their faces. The local news might make an appearance. I doubt anyone will be arrested during Cass & Company's little hate fest, which will only serve to make the participants look like what they are: a bunch of delusional preachers with way too much time on their hands.

http://www.progressivepuppy.com/the_progressive_puppy/2009/11/fundies-to-test-matthew-shepard-act-by-inciting-a-hate-crime.html

[spanone]

1. go for it assholes. christians my ass.

[laconicsax]

17. What suggests that they aren't Christians?

Is there a tenet of Christianity that condemns what they seek to do?

[Posteritatis]

21. Two are quoted in that article, not that the pre-decided will care. (nt)

[spanone]

24. I suggested they are not christians.

[laconicsax]

43. And on what authority?

[Union Yes]

27. Instead of calling them Christian I call them unchristlike. The bible reads that Christ spoke..

against hate and contempt for their fellow person.

[polichick]

2. Can you imagine how disgusted the historical Jesus would be with these creeps?! nt

[laconicsax]

16. No, I can't. Please enlighten us.

If the Gospels are any guide, he was exceptionally silent on the issue.

[polichick]

19. Sure, of the 30+ gospels, the Church chose the 4 that best suited their needs...

Even those 4 recognize that Jesus' message was about loving one's neighbor.

[laconicsax]

42. You mean this part?

Matthew 10: ³⁴Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword. ³⁵For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law. ³⁶And a man's foes shall be they of his own household.

Luke 12: ⁵¹Suppose ye that I am come to give peace on earth? I tell you, Nay; but rather division: ⁵²For from henceforth there shall be five in one house divided, three against two, and two against three. ⁵³The father shall be divided against the son, and the son against the father; the mother against the daughter, and the daughter against the mother; the mother in law against her daughter in law, and the daughter in law against her mother in law.

[DavidDvorkin]

47. That's metaphorical

Or something like that.

[laconicsax]

49. Right...rule #74

If a passage in the Bible doesn't sit well with your preconceptions or sense of morality, then it's metaphorical.

[xchrom]

3. may they 'incite' their asses into a prison stay. nt

[aquart]

10. Nah. I think you're still allowed to talk.

It's what you do next...

[xchrom]

13. you're not allowed to incite violence.

which is what they would have to do to test this.

timothy mcveigh.

[aquart]

30. You know what? That's a phrase that SHOULD be tested in the courts.

"incite violence" seems very elastic to me. If it isn't clearly defined in the bill, I would like it challenged and defined.

[rubberducky]

4. Pull thier damn tax exemptions!

[ck4829]

5. Unless they're planning on committing acts of violence, then they're protected

These guys are denser than a bag of rocks.

[Cass]

6. I can't imagine Jesus endorsing their little hatefest.

These people are so consumed with htared it is pathetic. How can anyone be opposed to hate crimes legislation - it boggles the mind.

[cynatnite]

7. Are they fucking kidding? They call themselves peaceful? n/t

[AspenRose]

8. Urging violence against people is not a First Amendment right.

:banghead:

I know hate is a strong word, but I really hate these people.

[Kablooie]

31. it is unless the violence is carried out by someone. Then they are part of the crime.

So they have to hope that someone violently attacks someone gay and says it's because of these assholes.

Then they won't have any real defence and will go to prison, real prison, as they should.

[Cleita]

9. Throw their asses in jail. Inciting violence has to be against the law elsewhere than

the new anti-hate crimes legislation.

[Chipper Chat]

11. Pray! That oodles of video will be shot by LGBT folks

to be used in denouncing the reHATElican party in next year's election ads. And make no mistake about it these "pastors" ARE republicans.

[KamaAina]

12. Dammit. One of my very best friends is in DC *this* weekend.

Had they encountered her, the bigot brigade would soon have wished it had been collectively aborted.

[Angry Dragon]

14. Perhaps the problem is

these people fail to see the female side in themselves. The female side in them is screaming for physical intimacy with others of their sex. They have repressed these urges for so long that the only way to relieve these urges is to attack the people they are attracted to. They say you hurt the loves you love.

[Toasterlad]

18. It Is Not Welcome On DU to Suggest That Homophobes Are Closet Homosexuals.

It's called blaming the victim, it's offensive, and it will get you deleted and/or tombstoned.

[DaveinJapan]

35. I don't understand this at all..

Could you elaborate? Why would this result in being banned?

I sincerely don't understand this at all. Could you explain exactly what you mean?

[Toasterlad]

38. Glady.

It is offensive to gay people to suggest that homophobes are homophobic because they're secretly gay, because this excuses their bigotry by saying that the bigot is one of the victims, and is just acting out because he's afraid of what he is. Basically, it says that no straight people hate gay people, it's just a bunch of self-loathing, confused homos.

While there are definitely instances of closet cases indulging in a bit of self-loathing, I can assure you from personal experience that the vast majority of homophobes are ignorant, bigoted straight people, whose hate for gay people comes from religious and/or societal prejudice.

Because it is offensive to gays, this sort of "blame the victim" speculation is against DU policy. Posts that indulge in it are normally deleted when alerted upon, and, like any other bad behavior, it can get you booted from DU if indulged in repeatedly, although I don't know of anyone being tombstoned for this practice alone.

[Toasterlad]

15. Of Course They Will.

Yay, christian love!

[laconicsax]

20. Since when is Christianity "supposed to be all about "Love Thy Neighbor" and "Do Unto Others"?"

What tenet of Christian faith prohibits their actions?

[Political Tiger]

25. Maybe because that's what Jesus taught his followers to do?

Why call yourself a Christian while completely ignoring the teachings of Jesus Christ?

And why call yourself a Christian while ignoring the admonitions of God?

Psalms 5:4 For thou art not a God that hath pleasure in wickedness: neither shall evil dwell with thee.
5 The foolish shall not stand in thy sight: thou hatest all workers of iniquity.
6 Thou shalt destroy them that speak leasing : the LORD will abhor the bloody and deceitful man.

Proverbs 6:16 These six things doth the LORD hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him:
17 A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood,
18 An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief,
19 A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren.

[laconicsax]

44. Psalms and Proverbs are Old Testament--they can't be Christ's teachings.

And if you're going to cite those books, you have to consider the violent parts too.

Either way, religious adherence is established through self-identification. They have every right to call themselves Christian if it's the religion that they self-identify with.

[eShirl]

22. "Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man;

but that which cometh out of the mouth, this defileth a man."

[Toasterlad]

26. "but that which cometh out of the mouth, this defileth a man"

Does that mean that I have to swallow EVERY TIME???

Sorry...couldn't let that pass.

:hide:

[eShirl]

36. yes

:rofl:

[treestar]

23. They are so stupid.

Wouldn't they even be a protected group? Like if someone attacked someone for being a fundie?

[krispos42]

28. So in other words, business as usual.

Well, this just means that after one of their members is convicted of beating or killing some gay guy or black woman, that criminal will get a few more extra years of prison visits from his pastor.


I can only assume at this point that the pastors do understand what hate crime is and simply find it more useful to pretend it's something else. I can't believe that somebody that went to higher education can't comprehend that.

[Odin2005]

29. Go for it, fuckers!

Land your asses in jail!

[logosoco]

32. It seems to me that , in these times with so many folks out of work

and losing their homes that these folks would have better things to do. Isn't helping people what they are supposed to be doing? What a waste of time.

[Vinca]

33. Stories like this make me wish I wasn't an atheist so I could pray

to God for some well placed lightning strikes.

[laconicsax]

48. You don't need to be crazy to wish things to happen.

You do, however, need to be crazy to think that your personal wishes will come true because a omnipresent creator deity can read your mind, has a vested interest in you happiness, and will actively influence events to make your wishes come true.

Plus, it's best to pray to Zeus for lightning strikes--it's supposed to be his specialty.

[Fearless]

34. Come to think of it there's several pastors I'd like to throw in the clink.

Go for it. :popcorn:

[Hepburn]

37. Wow....

...WWJH?

(Who Would Jesus Harass?)

[The Backlash Cometh]

39. WTF?

[marmar]

40. How Jesus-like......

:eyes:

[DavidDvorkin]

41. These ARE the real Christians

Christians who are nice guys may not want to face that fact, but speaking as an outsider, I can say that such vile jerks are far more representative of Christianity's role in the world, now and throughout history, than the nice guys are.

[laconicsax]

45. But everyone else here says that they aren't true Scotsmen!

[DavidDvorkin]

46. Heh, exactly.

[donco6]

55. Exactly.

This is what it's all about, from top to bottom.

[distantearlywarning]

50. Which group would Jesus incite hate crimes against?

n/t

[ZombieHorde]

51. Slaves. nt

[D23MIURG23]

54. Any who don't buy into his bullshit n/t

[PeaceNikki]

52. I am seriously bothered by a few "Bring it on!" responses here.

:\

[bridgit]

53. Then they are to be held as responsible as bartenders free-pouring...

over-pouring people into stupors and parked cars with ruffies and Spanish flies - people have a right to say what they say, but it is time to start holding them responsible for the effects of their free speech especially where it incites hate & violence