A man was arrested in the UK last week for street preaching.
According to the Christian Institute, those who made the arrest said that he called "homosexuality a sin."
No matter what your views on homosexuality are, don't you honestly think that we need free speech? This man claimed that he didn't even mention homosexuality in his public sermon. One of the arresting cops was gay and approached him privately. Even if he had gotten up and said that homosexuality was a sin, he has a right to say it. I know this isn't America; this is the UK. The UK bends over backwards to protect the free speech and expression of Muslim and Sikh beliefs. Why not it's own country's declared national religion of Christianity?
I don't care what you are saying -- you have a right to say it. It may sound offensive, arrogant, hateful, and brash, but I will defend your right to say it. Free speech means that much to me.
Do you think that Free Speech should include controversial religious views? Should this man have been arrested?
NightCometh@xanga
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Comments (65)
Sure, free speech should certainly include controversial religious views.
'Course, just keep something in mind. Most Christians claim that homosexuality = sin = if not repented, deserving of an eternity of fiery torture and infinite painful deaths.
Saying that is not deserving of an arrest, but nor is it deserving of any defense whatsoever.
Keep in mind that speech laws are a bit different outside of the US. In the US, we place a ton of value on free speech --basically, the whole "I may not agree with you, but I defend your right to say it". However, many countries, including the UK, actually have laws prohibiting hate speech.
While there are certain instances where free speech is not so free (i.e. yelling fire in a crowded theater, inciting a riot, etc), I'm in complete agreement on the importance of protecting this right. Unless there are major missing facts in this story, I think it is a big overreach of power to try and curtail conversation, merely because it is offensive to some. As long as he was not calling for violence and not organizing a mob, he should be able to speak his opinion, whether people find it stupid/offensive or not.
Did he say something that could be considered a threat? Violent? Etc.? It doesn't sound like he did. There's a huge difference between saying "homosexuality is a sin" and saying "I want to kill all homosexuals".
Anyone can say anything is a sin. Might not make them popular, but they have every right to say it if that's what they think.
@SerenaDante@xanga - hence why freedome of speech is important, I do not want to live in a country were my religious views can be silenced because someone else thinks it is hate speech. I have nothing against gays, but I personally do not think the fate you discribed is something i want. It is a slippery slope as to what is "deserving" of protection, and what is not. When do you draw a line, if you can go off of what is merely offensive, things can get out of hand, and do so fast.
As to the issue, they bend over backwards to protect other religions? Well then this is a classic example of discrimination. If he had been a radical Muslim preaching in the street it wouldn't have been an issue, but because he was a Christian for some reason it is something deserving of arrest. It is a classic example of discrimination, to say other wise is only demonstrates a lack of the understanding of the meaning of the word.
Freedom of speech and also there is freedom of religion, at least here in the US.
It could have been construed as hate speech, which generally isn't covered in the "you can say this without getting arrested" bits.
I heavily support free speech, but I do think that free speech shouldn't be used to cover abuse.
@When_We_Were_Both_Cats@xanga - Is preaching the gospel "abuse"?
I will admit to wishing I could "put a sock in it", when I hear offensive, vulgar speech. But, I do believe that the right to free speech is a right we should use responsibly.
He may be a liar, but has the right to say what he wants.
I am from the same area as the guy who was arrested - 1) The Hate Law only applies if you are inciting hatred 2) The officer actually asked the man about homosexuality (entrapment??) and it was a private conversation though others could have heard 3) Equality in UK only seems to apply to persons of ethnic origins, of minority sexual persuasions, religious belief other than Christian - In other words, we cannot hope to be equal if we are British, white, heterosexual, Christian etc etc. 4) the officer has had so much hassle that he has had to go sick 5) the case has been dropped
@Liquid_Pain_523@xanga - I love that quote by Noam Chomsky.
p
Without knowing the context, I can't really pass judgment on this. Often times when I hear about Christians being arrested for "sharing their faith" it turns out they were salting their faith with their personal prejudices.
I'm wondering how many of the Christians that object to things like this are angry and Ireland and Poland's blasphemy laws? There's a musician in Poland who is looking to serve two years for saying that the Bible was written entirely by men.
@NightCometh@xanga - You're trying to word it in a way that's more biased even than how religious blogs are portraying the situation.
Telling a complete stranger that their biology is evil and that they deserve eternal torture for it *is* abuse - especially getting more aggravated and strongly-worded about it upon being questioned by the stranger. And though I can't say I support his getting arrested, that is what this preacher was doing, and it clearly was abuse.
Trying to gloss over the details and saying that he was merely preaching gospel or that he was "arrested for Christian belief," as Christian blogs are putting it, is simply misleading and I daresay dishonest.
Yes Free speech should include controversial religious topics. And no. That man should not have been arrested.
@When_We_Were_Both_Cats@xanga - It's not their biology that he was calling evil. It's the sin nature that is evil.
John15:18 "If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me, before it hated you."
a KKK member would probably be arrested for preaching in public that all black people are an abomination and sinful. why should a preacher who says the same about gay people be more protected?
People are who they are and no one should have the right to tell them how to live their lives I wish this person stays in jail for a while at least 3 months considering it not a serious crime. If that was me walking down the street and i herd some stranger go on about how wrong it is to be gay and how you burn in hell and all that bullshit that Christians go on about. I would want to punch that idiot in the head and say that what you get for discrimination against gays. I so hate people that meddle into other peoples personal lives it is none of anyone business who is gay. I'm sure that preacher wouldn't want anyone to meddle in his life. And even if someone is gay who cares it doesn't matter. I used to be a christian myself gave it up because I thought that Christians will not approved of people being gay. I am a huge supporter of gay rights though.
The legal standard (for both Britian and Canada, I believe, but don't quote me on this) has to do with, in this case, promoting discrimination. That is not protected by Free Speech in those countries... and frankly, I'd be fine with an "anti-discrimination" addendum to our current law.
IIRC, the standard for these laws has its roots in the equality of citizens clause... as all citizens of Canada are to be treated equally, then no one citizen is given the right to endorse discrimination against other citizens... because that would be promoting unequal treatment.
However, no one here can give a valid "yes" or "no" on individual cases like this one... that's for the specific judge/jury who end up hearing this.
@SerenaDante@xanga - Sure it is. It doesn't matter if you don't like it. You've said plenty of stuff I don't like, but if you are an american citizen I still take an oath to protect you and your constitutional rights (I'm a soldier)
@too_pretty_to_die@xanga - No, they aren't. There are still rallys where the very same thing you reference is preached, and as long as things don't go violent they are allowed to speak.