As a Christian, I am opposed to hate.

            As a Christian, I believe in love.

            As a Christian, I believe in the right kind of tolerance.

            As a Christian, I oppose hate crimes.

            As a Christian, I oppose hate crime laws, as well.

            Why?

            Because hate crime laws are essentially an attempt to muzzle the gospel. Talk radio host, Janet Parshall, notes: “Wherever Hate Crimes legislation has become the law of the land, without exception, the individuals in the crosshair of the application of that law are pastors and the pulpit.”

Hate crime laws----they may sound like they are needed. After all, who is for hate? But many Christian leaders are opposed to hate crime laws because they are unnecessary ---and because they are dangerous. Mat Staver, founder and director of Liberty Counsel, says: “Hate Crime Laws pose a serious threat to religious freedom and freedom of conscience, and it’s not hypothetical.  In New Jersey, for example, where you have a sexual-orientations civil unions law---a church lost its property-tax exemption because it refused to allow a same-sex civil union to take place at their own church property.” That church in New Jersey was one of the few places where the late Dr. D. James Kennedy would speak (outside his church). Dr. Kennedy turned down about 95% of the speaking-engagement requests he would receive. But every year, he would speak at that church in New Jersey.

Hate crime laws have been operating for a while in other countries, such as Canada, Sweden, and Australia. Islamic groups and homosexual groups have been among the most active in accusing others of committing supposed hate crimes. What has been the result? Constitutional attorney Craig Parshall observes, “If we look at the pattern around the world about what has happened in each country that has passed hate crime laws, whether it’s in Europe, England, Australia, or up in Canada, very close to the United States, in every country, without exception, hate crimes have morphed into hate speech regulations, and more likely than not, the targets have been outspoken Christians, who are bold enough to preach and teach the whole counsel of God.”

            For example, Steve Boisson, a youth minister in Canada, now may potentially go to jail for the “crime” of criticizing homosexual behavior in a letter to the editor. He has been ordered to no longer say anything on the subject---not even in private emails. This is outrageous. But so is the liberal mindset that would punish speech.

            Think about the African-American pastor in jail in California right now for providing a pro-life witness out in front of an abortion clinic. As of this writing, he is in jail.

            I can only imagine the conversations:

            “What are you in for?” “Murder.”

            “What are you in for?” “Armed robbery.”

            “What are you in for?” “Standing on the public sidewalk in front of an abortion clinic, trying to provide a positive alternative to a mother killing her baby.”

            Hate crime laws throughout the country would only give us many more unjust arrests and sentences like this one.

Advocates of hate crime laws for America claim there is a great need for this type of legislation. But statistically that is not correct. For example, some 11 million crimes took place in 2006 but just 9,000 of those were classified as so-called hate crimes. That’s only .08 % of the total crime problem facing the nation. And almost half of those were merely verbal threats. Attorney Matt Barber of Liberty Counsel.

            The tragedy of hate crime laws is that you can be hauled before a magistrate simply by offending someone. Truth can sometimes be offensive. Mark Steyn is a columnist from Canada, who wrote a  best-selling book, America Alone (on the threat of radical Islam and its impact on Europe). McLean’s Magazine of Canada excerpted the book in a cover story, and Mark Steyn was charged with a hate crime. He quoted an Islamic imam in the article, and this was viewed as hate speech.

Kerby Anderson, host of the radio show Point of View, says this about the Mark Steyn case: “Now, interestingly enough, you have two issues going on here. Number one, they said that truth is no defense. But number two, it was simply saying that because you were quoting that, that alone was a hate crime, there was no action that was taken, there was no offense that was really brought about, but because he simply said words, that words themselves could be a crime. That’s gets us very easily into this idea of big brother, where all of a sudden even sighting certain words could be a crime. You can begin to see how that would stifle free speech.” 

            Janet Parshall, host of the radio show, Janet Parshall’s America, also thinks hate crime laws are dangerous: “When we look back at Hate Crimes, we have to understand that the way the courts have interpreted a Hate Crime. Assault does not necessarily mean you’ve been bodily harmed. Assault can mean you’ve been offended by an idea you disagree with. Well, if you go to the Gospel of Jesus Christ, we’re told that the Gospel is a sword, it’s going to divide people. We never have the license to be offensive personally, but the message we proclaim will by its very nature be offensive. So what will happen to the proclamation of the Gospel if Hate Crimes legislation takes up residence? We will no longer be able to preach the whole counsel of God, because when we do, someone will say, “That’s Hate Speech.” And what will happen to our pulpits? What will happen to our pastors? And what will happen to our message?”

            These kinds of laws are dangerous and counter productive---unless the goal is to stop the Christian witness.

            In that, the other side can never win. Because Christianity was virtually born in the catacombs. All authority in heaven and earth has been given to Jesus. Therefore, we must go in His name to make disciples.