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Christians persecuted in the UK

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September 24, 2017, 10:45:16 pm Psalm 51:17 says: The specific rule pertaining to the national anthem is found on pages A62-63 of the league rulebook. It states: “The National Anthem must be played prior to every NFL game, and all players must be on the sideline for the National Anthem. “During the National Anthem, players on the field and bench area should stand at attention, face the flag, hold helmets in their left hand, and refrain from talking. The home team should ensure that the American flag is in good condition. It should be pointed out to players and coaches that we continue to be judged by the public in this area of respect for the flag and our country. Failure to be on the field by the start of the National Anthem may result in discipline, such as fines, suspensions, and/or the forfeiture of draft choice(s) for violations of the above, including first offenses.”
September 20, 2017, 04:32:32 am Christian40 says: "The most popular Hepatitis B vaccine is nothing short of a witch’s brew including aluminum, formaldehyde, yeast, amino acids, and soy. Aluminum is a known neurotoxin that destroys cellular metabolism and function. Hundreds of studies link to the ravaging effects of aluminum. The other proteins and formaldehyde serve to activate the immune system and open up the blood-brain barrier. This is NOT a good thing."
http://www.naturalnews.com/2017-08-11-new-fda-approved-hepatitis-b-vaccine-found-to-increase-heart-attack-risk-by-700.html
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Author Topic: Christians persecuted in the UK  (Read 4133 times)
Lisa
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« on: January 22, 2011, 04:38:21 am »

 The Christian hotelier found guilty of gay bias looks set to lose her home and asks: So who's really being persecuted?
By Helen Weathers
Christian hotel owner Hazelmary Bull has certainly had her faith tested to the limit this week.

Yesterday, she was planning to make a four-hour round trip to visit her desperately ill husband Peter, 71, in hospital, where he is recovering from a triple heart bypass and valve replacement surgery.

How, she fretted, was she going to tell him that they were teetering on the brink of financial ruin? That there was little hope now of hangi
ng on to the Cornish guesthouse they’d owned for 25 years; the home they’d poured not only their life savings into, but also their heart and souls. In the end, 66-year-old Hazelmary just couldn’t bring herself to do it.

On Tuesday, Peter was undergoing a nine-hour operation at the exact moment his wife of 47 years was sitting in Bristol County Court waiting to hear their fate.

In a landmark ruling, which will have far-reaching implications for many Christians in Britain, Judge Rutherford ordered the Bulls to pay civil partners Martyn Hall, 46, and Steven Preddy, 38, £1,800 each in compensation for refusing to allow the couple to stay in a double room at their hotel.

The gay couple, IT workers from Bristol, sued the Bulls for £5,000 in damages under the Equality Act (Sexuality Orientation) Regulations 2007, after they were turned away from seven-bedroom Chymorvah House, near Penzance, in September 2008.


 More...Johnson affair guard faces axe: Minder confesses to liaisons with Shadow Chancellor's wife

The Bulls argued that, as devout Christians, they let their double rooms only to heterosexual married couples and that their beliefs prevented them from allowing same-sex couples to share a double bed - although gay couples could stay in single or twin rooms.

This week, however, the judge ruled that the Bulls’ actions amounted to direct discrimination, on the grounds of sexual orientation, as there was ‘no material difference between marriage and civil partnership’.

Their lives are now in turmoil. Hazelmary is adamant that she and Peter will not compromise their religious beliefs, despite the court ruling. As a result, they have two options - face prosecution again by refusing to book double rooms to gay civil partners, or close the business.

And if they close the business, which is already in debt, then they can’t afford to stay in their home.

‘I don’t want to tell Peter. I want to hold back for a little while, because he’s so ill,’ says Hazelmary, whose husband suffered complications after surgery. ‘He doesn’t know because the hospital has kept him sedated for two days.

‘The uncertainty of the future would take Peter down. He doesn’t cope well with stress.

‘I feel so upset. I don’t want us to leave Chymorvah like this. It feels like we are being driven out.

‘We have put everything into it and if we lose it we’ll be left with nothing. We’ll have no money to buy a new home and who will give us a mortgage at our age?’

 Victory: Steven Preddy (left) and Martin Hall were awarded £1,800 each in compensation after they were refused to stay at Chymorvah House, near Penzance
Chymorvah is a small, loss-making hotel, which charges £43 per person per night. Yet the Bulls did not go into this business to make a fortune, but to offer Christian hospitality.

They bought the house in 1986 for £81,000 and ploughed the money they’d made from their first B&B in Cornwall into it, renovating and updating the building.

They are now incapable of paying their £2,800-a-month mortgage, and have come to an agreement with their lender to pay less, for now.

But Hazelmary says that with the hotel closed since Christmas and not due to re-open until Easter - if it ever opens again - this, too, will become impossible to meet.

‘Our lenders have been very sympathetic, but there will come a time when we will either have to sell or, if that doesn’t happen in this gloomy market, lose our home,’ says Hazelmary.

‘Even if we do re-open, things will be very tricky, because we are not prepared to compromise our beliefs. I would not be able to look God in the eye if I did.’

As evangelical Christians, the Bulls insist that ‘the Bible’s teaching is clear that a man should not lie with a man and a woman should not lie with a woman’.

'There are many people in Britain, Christian or not, who are very worried about being told what to believe in their own homes.'  Hazelmary says: ‘We are not homophobic. Had Mr Hall and Mr Preddy booked into twin rooms or for a cream tea, we would have more than ­welcomed them. For us, it’s a case of loving the sinner, but not the sin.’

Is this really the victory that ­campaigners envisaged: two elderly ­people ­facing ruin and this week subjected to a barrage of abusive phone calls and obscene emails which are now in the hands of police? Even Peter’s hospital has been plagued with ­nuisance calls.

‘Peter was airlifted to hospital on New Year’s Eve when he became ill and I believe the stress of this case exacerbated his condition,’ says Hazelmary. ‘I would have been at his side during surgery, but news on Monday afternoon that the judgment was about to be delivered came out of the blue.

‘I spoke to Peter on the phone that day. We said a lot of personal things, because this was a big operation, and prayed together.

‘He felt very upset that he couldn’t be there with me. He sees himself as a protector and provider, and felt he was letting me down.

‘I said I wished I could have the operation for him and he said: “Actually, I think I’d rather be here.” That’s how stressful this has been for him.

‘Monday was frantic with my worrying about Peter and leaving ­everything to drive through the night to get to Bristol for the judgment. When I arrived at court, I would have been out of my mind if it had not been for my faith. I prayed for strength to help me deal with whatever challenges lay ahead.

 Ruin: The Bulls could be set to lose their hotel, The Chyorvah, after they were ordered to pay compensation to gay couple Martyn Hall and Steven Preddy
‘When the judgment was delivered, I was disappointed, but I can’t help feeling this isn’t over yet. There are many people in Britain, Christian or not, who are very worried about being told what to believe in their own homes.

‘This is a head-on collision between two lifestyles which are both equally protected under the human rights charter, but it seems our rights are now less equal.

‘This has never been a personal battle with Mr Hall and Mr Preddy. They were always going to feel the way they did and we were always going to feel the way we did. So is there a human rights charter out there which respects the feelings of us all? That’s what’s really on trial.’

After the judgment, Hazelmary shared the lift down with Mr Hall and Mr Preddy and insists the atmosphere was friendly.

‘I have no hostility towards them at all. They seemed like very nice people and I wish we could have met in other circumstances,’ she says.

‘They thanked me for attending and we chatted, although not about the case. When I got out at the wrong floor, they very kindly pulled me back into the lift.

‘But I didn’t get the impression they felt sorry for us. Definitely not. They looked very happy outside the court posing for photographers, while we had nothing to smile about.’

The couple denied they had deliberately ‘set up’ the Bulls, as was suggested at an earlier hearing, insisting they’d simply booked the hotel because it looked nice.

The court heard the Bulls had - prior to the incident - received ­literature from the gay rights group Stonewall criticising their policy, but the judge said there was no ­evidence to suggest the plaintiffs knew of this or the Bulls’ policy before they booked.

However, it might be fair to say that the Bulls are being targeted now. Often in a most unpleasant manner. While the 400 emails and phone calls of support from all over the world have acted like ‘an ointment on the wound’, Hazelmary says she has been shocked by the 50 or so abusive and obscene ­messages she has also received.

Some of them, she claims, are from people purporting to be gay couples trying to book a double room. Others, from anonymous strangers with an axe to grind.

‘On Tuesday night, no sooner had I returned to Chymorvah from the hospital than the phone was ringing,’ she says.

‘I didn’t even have time to take my coat off.

‘I’m not a prude, but I’ve been shocked and hurt by the language used. One told me I was an abomination and would go straight to hell.

‘I couldn’t even switch the phone off in case the hospital needed me. I had one man call, saying he and his gay partner wanted a room. I explained we were closed until Easter and got a load of bad language before he hung up. While he was ranting and raving, I just wanted to ring the hospital.

‘We’ve also had emails from people claiming to be gay ­couples, saying: “Of course, if you reject this booking, you will be acting illegally.”

‘That night, I hardly slept because Peter was so poorly. I had the phone beside me waiting to hear if they were taking Peter back to surgery, then the obscene phone calls started first thing in the morning.

‘These people know nothing about me or my lifestyle, and I’ve been astounded by their cruelty. It is hard not to feel persecuted.’
Hazelmary and Peter, a retired chartered ­surveyor, have been given 21 days leave to appeal. Supported by the Christian Institute, which funded their legal battle, the couple are in discussions to see if an appeal is feasible.

‘Appeals are very expensive and not to be entered into lightly, so whatever the Christian Institute decides about funding, we shall accept. They have their trustees to think of,’ says Hazelmary.

‘But while the court ruling on Tuesday left me feeling penned in, the possibility of appeal showed me a way out.

‘I feel this issue is so important to our society as a whole, it should be heard by the Supreme Court because someone has to sort out this mess.

‘This is a time of great uncertainty for us, but we shall just have to put our best foot forward whatever ­happens. No one has tied me to a stake and set light to me yet, so we have to put this in perspective.

‘But we didn’t move the goalposts, the Government did. We’ve been doing this since 1975, and legally doing it. Then all of a sudden they put us in a position where it is illegal.

‘People say that if I don’t like the law I should go into another business, but this is what I’m good at, this is what I trained for, this is what I have been doing all my working life. Why should I now be made to feel a criminal?

‘I am not against leglislation which protects all members of society from discrimination. No one — not least myself — would want to see a return to the days when homo­sexuals were oppressed, but I believe the pendulum has swung too far the other way.

‘Christians are definitely being marginalised. There is no question about it and we have to be careful that we don’t exchange one brand of oppression for another. The human rights charter says faith is protected not just in the home but in the workplace. Well, this is my workplace.’

So, no visitors to Chymorvah House today and possibly never again. Come Easter, the Bulls could be homeless and penniless.

‘We love this place. Who wouldn’t?’ says Hazelmary.

‘We have never taken it for granted. Never. We have always seen it as a gift, but it’s going to be hard to lose it.’
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-1349489/The-Christian-hotelier-guilty-gay-bias-looks-set-lose-home-asks-So-whos-really-persecuted.html
 
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« Reply #1 on: November 27, 2013, 05:41:05 am »

Gay snub guesthouse owners lose Supreme Court appeal

The owners of a Christian guesthouse who were ordered to pay damages for turning away a gay couple have lost their UK Supreme Court fight.

Hazelmary and Peter Bull refused to let civil partners Steven Preddy and Martyn Hall stay in a double room at Chymorvah House in Marazion in Cornwall in 2008.

Mr and Mrs Bull had already lost cases at Bristol County Court and at the Court of Appeal.

The couple say they regard any sex outside marriage as a "sin".

The Bulls denied discriminating against Mr Hall and Mr Preddy, who are from Bristol.

Sixty-nine-year-old Mrs Bull and her 74-year-old husband said their decision was founded on a "religiously-informed judgment of conscience".

'Just ordinary Christians'
 
Five Supreme Court justices ruled against them on Wednesday after analysing the case at a hearing in London in October.
 
In 2011 a judge at Bristol County Court concluded that the Bulls had acted unlawfully and ordered them to pay a total of £3,600 damages.

The following year the Court of Appeal dismissed an appeal by the Bulls following a hearing in London. The couple had asked the Supreme Court to overrule the Court of Appeal.

Mrs Bull said: "We are deeply disappointed and saddened by the outcome.

"We are just ordinary Christians who believe in the importance of marriage as the union of one man and one woman.

"Our B&B is not just our business, it's our home. All we have ever tried to do is live according to our own values, under our own roof."

Lady Hale, deputy president of the Supreme Court, said: "Sexual orientation is a core component of a person's identity which requires fulfilment through relationships with others of the same orientation."

Mike Judge, from the Christian Institute, said after the hearing: "What this case shows is that the powers of political correctness have reached all the way to the top of the judicial tree, so much so that even the Supreme Court dare not say anything against gay rights."

Gay rights group Stonewall said in a statement: "We are pleased that the Supreme Court has defended the laws protecting gay customers that Stonewall fought so hard to secure.

"Some might suggest that, rather than pursuing this case, a far more Christian thing to do would be to fight the evils of poverty and disease worldwide."

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-25119158
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Kilika
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« Reply #2 on: November 27, 2013, 01:49:30 pm »

Quote
"Our B&B is not just our business, it's our home. All we have ever tried to do is live according to our own values, under our own roof."

And that is the problem with these "Christians" trying to live their lives as they choose, in the world. They want to separate themselves by their beliefs, but insist on feeding from Caesar's trough through running a business. Hmm, no wonder they keep losing in Caesar's court. What they are insisting is their right, is against the law according to Caesar, and the courts have ruled as such, multiple times.

More proof you cannot serve God and mammon.
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« Reply #3 on: March 26, 2015, 11:23:05 pm »

Street Preacher Ordered to Pay for 'Emotional Pain' to Gays

"Mike Overd has been convicted of a public order offense for using the wrong Bible verse in a public conversation with a gay man. (Christian Concern)

A Christian street preacher has been convicted of a Public Order offense for using the wrong Bible verse in a public conversation with a man who identifies as homosexual.

But the preacher was acquitted of two other Public Order charges.
Unusual Judgment

In a highly unusual judgment, Michael Overd, who regularly preaches on the streets of Taunton, was told by the Judge that he should not have referred to Leviticus 20 to make his point but clearly indicated that he could have used chapter 18 of the book.

District Judge Shamim Ahmed Qureshi found that Mr. Overd could have pointed to Leviticus 18:22 which describes homosexual practice as an 'abomination' but that reference to Leviticus 20:13 was inappropriate because the chapter refers to the death penalty.

Mr. Overd points out that in his use of Leviticus 20 he never referred to the death penalty. "I am being punished for words that never passed my lips," he commented.
Censorship

He went on to express his shock that a Judge should adopt the role of Biblical censor, effectively dictating which parts of the Bible are fit for public preaching.

"I am amazed that the Judge sees it as his role to dictate which parts of the Bible can and can't be preached. I did not quote the full text of Leviticus 20 or make reference to the death penalty but the Judge is telling me that I should use other parts of the Bible. This is not free speech but censorship. The Judge is redacting the Bible.

"I have been ordered to pay compensation for causing 'emotional pain' to someone who approached me aggressively demanding to debate the issue. There was no harm, injury or theft, just a simple disagreement over theology which I have now been fined for.

"My motivation for preaching the gospel is my love for Jesus Christ and my deep concern for people who do not know His great love and are heading towards an eternity separated from God."
'Unable to Recall'

In another highly unusual aspect of the case, a Somerset newspaper reported the Police accusing Mr. Overd of "being hostile" to people and encouraged members of the public to record Mr. Overd if they felt that he was making "offensive remarks."

However, a number of the witnesses interviewed in connection with Mr. Overd's case said they cannot remember what was said or when it was said. One of the eyewitnesses, Nigel Marley, said in a statement that he was "unable to recall exactly what phrases he was using, but it was clear to me that it was homophobic."
Fine, Compensation and Costs

Judge Qureshi imposed a fine of £200 on Mr Overd and told him to pay a total of £1,200 in costs and compensation.

Mr. Overd is supported by the Christian Legal Centre and was represented in Court by Paul Diamond and Michael Phillips.
'Defending the Freedom to Preach'

Andrea Williams, chief executive of the Christian Legal Centre, commented:

"Mike is clear that he is motivated by love, not hate. Indeed, this is in line with the message of the Bible.

"It's clear from the evidence that he has consistently dealt with people's objections in a balanced and reasonable way. He has explained his beliefs. He hasn't been aggressive or targeted anybody in particular. The evidence bears all this out.

"Mike's boldness and his witness to Jesus is remarkably similar to that of the apostles in the early years of the church.

"They were also hauled before the courts to defend themselves for preaching a message of love and truth. They also faced trumped up accusations in an attempt to portray them as 'disruptive.'

"Now, as then, the disruptive ones appear to be the people who bring accusations, on the flimsiest of evidence, against a man who loves Jesus and loves people. This is why Mike gets up and preaches in Taunton town centre.

"There will always be those who disagree with the Bible's teaching. But we should defend to the hilt the freedom to proclaim it in a loving way, which is what Mike Overd always seeks to do."

http://endtimeheadlines.org/2015/03/street-preacher-ordered-to-pay-for-emotional-pain-to-gays/
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« Reply #4 on: April 09, 2015, 08:23:04 am »

UK Tribunal Rules Against Christian Suspended for Sharing Faith with Muslim Co-Worker

An employment tribunal in the United Kingdom has ruled against an occupational therapist who was suspended for nine months after her Muslim co-worker alleged that she was trying to convert her.

Victoria Wasteney, 38, had developed a friendship with her colleague Enya Nawaz, 27, as they worked at the St. John Howard Center in London. The two had discussed Islam and Christianity, and Wasteney had talked to Nawaz about her church’s efforts to fight human trafficking.

“The whole basis of our conversations around faith started with her telling me that she’d had an encounter with God, that she felt she had been brought to London for a particular reason,” Wasteney told reporters. “We were both interested in what one another were involved in. It was part of the normal process of building a relationship with someone, to talk about primarily things we were interested in outside of work.”

In 2013, after Nawaz told Wasteney about her personal health concerns on a lunch break, Wasteney offered to pray for her. Nawaz replied, “Okay,” and Wasteney laid hands on her and prayed that God would give her “peace and healing.”

Wastney also invited her co-worker to church and gave her a copy of the book “I Dared to Call Him Father,” which is about a Muslim woman who converted to Christianity. Wasteney said that she had never read the book, but that it had been recommended by a friend.

“Because we had had these conversations, it did not seem abnormal,” she explained.

But Nawaz soon lodged a complaint with her employer, alleging that Wasteney was trying to convert her. Wasteney was consequently suspended for nine months with pay while an investigation was conducted into the matter.

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Last year, a disciplinary panel declared Wasteney guilty of “bullying and harassment,” stating that she was wrong to pray with her co-worker, invite her to church and give her a book about her faith. She was presented with a written warning and allowed to return to work—but not in her specialist field.

The matter then was appealed to an employment tribunal out of an effort to draw awareness to concerns over those who might face discipline for speaking about their faith in the workplace.

“I’m not particularly fighting for myself,” Wasteney told Christian Today. “This needs to be something that’s talked about. … I prayed with this girl in my lunchtime and I nearly lost my job over it.”

But this week, the tribunal upheld the panel’s ruling, stating that it dealt properly with the situation. According to reports, attorneys for Wasteney had argued that the European Convention on Human Rights “enshrines the freedom to be able to speak about faith in the workplace and not be disciplined for it.”

Wasteney said that she is disappointed in the outcome.

“I knew she was from a different faith background and I was respectful of that. I didn’t force my beliefs on anyone at any point. Surely there should be room for mutual conversations about faith, where appropriate, in the workplace?” she said in a statement on Wednesday.

“I am extremely disappointed with the tribunal’s decision to side with my employer,” Wasteney continued. “There is already an unnatural caginess around faith and belief which is an obstruction to building meaningful relationships in the workplace.”



http://christiannews.net/2015/04/08/uk-tribunal-rules-against-christian-suspended-for-sharing-faith-with-muslim-co-worker/
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« Reply #5 on: June 18, 2015, 02:26:38 pm »

Teaching Jesus is Son of God Could Become Criminalized in UK

 A top theologian has warned that Christian teaching could become “criminalized” in the UK, under British Prime Minister David Cameron’s new anti-extremism orders. Rev. Mike Ovey, principal of Oak Hill Theological College in London, said that the policy, which is intended to defend democracy and tolerance, could be used against traditional Christian teaching.
 
Ovey, a former lawyer, said that teaching Jesus is the son of God and pro-life teaching could be some of the Christian ideas that are threatened under the “Extremism Disruption Orders.”
 
"As a lawyer I think it is a disaster area and as a Christian believer and teacher I think it is a disaster area. There has got be a better way to do it,” he said.
 
He continued, "That is essentially a government saying trust us with your civil liberties. I would say, frankly, human experience tells us the last thing you ever want to do is trust a government with your civil liberties.”
 
The Christian Post reports Cameron identifies as a Christian, and said this past Easter that Christianity is "the bedrock of a good society."

http://www.christianheadlines.com/blog/teaching-jesus-is-son-of-god-could-become-criminalized-in-uk.html
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« Reply #6 on: June 23, 2015, 08:23:39 am »

Irish Pastor Faces Jail After Calling Islam ‘Satanic’
"I am facing up to six months in jail and a hefty fine for saying what I believe."


A protestant pastor in Northern Ireland now faces up to six months in jail for having previously spoken out against Islam, denouncing the religion as a "satanic" heathen "spawned in hell."

Pastor James McConnell of Whitewell Metropolitan Tabernacle suffered intense scrutiny at the hands Northern Ireland's Public Prosecution Service (PPS) after a sermon he made denouncing Islam last year became available over the internet, which allegedly violated the 2003 Communications Act. For simply saying "Islam is heathen, Islam is satanic, Islam is a doctrine spawned in hell," James McConnell now faces up to six months in jail for "sending, or causing to be sent, by means of a public electronic communications network, a message or other matter that was grossly offensive."

"I am facing up to six months in jail and a hefty fine for saying what I believe," McConnell told the Belfast Telegraph.

After the Charlie Hebdo attack in Paris this past January, McConnell had been contacted by the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) cautioning him that his life may be in danger due to his past statements on Islam. According to the PPS, McConnell was prosecuted because he had "declined the offer of an informed warning," a charge that left his attorney Joe Rice puzzled.

"The logic of the decision to prosecute Pastor McConnell means that many clerics - including Catholic priests and other evangelical pastors - could now find themselves under investigation for preaching with passion," said Rice. "My client's remarks weren't addressed at individual Muslims but at Islam in generic terms."

Neither Joe Rice or James McConnell have any intention of going down without a fight. The pair even plan on making this a hallmark case for religious freedom and freedom of speech, which will require a range of political, religious and academic witnesses from all across the United Kingdom.

"I don't agree with everything Pastor McConnell says but his prosecution represents a threat to freedom of speech and freedom of religion," said Rice. "If we're moving into a genuinely pluralist society, these freedoms must be extended to Christians as much as they are to others."

The PPS currently plans to call eight witnesses in prosecution of pastor McConnell, but Rice promised his defense will be calling "many more."

"This will be a landmark case with leading political, religious and academic figures giving evidence," said Rice. "I suspect the trial will have to be moved to the High Court because Laganside courts won't be big enough to accommodate it."

McConnell boldly stated he has no regrets about his past statements regarding Islam, saying he has no hatred of no individual Muslims, but denounces it as an ideology and doctrine.

"I apologised last year if I had unintentionally hurt anyone's feelings," he said. "My church funds medical care for 1,200 Muslim children in Kenya and Ethiopia. I've no hatred in my heart for Muslims but I won't be stopped from preaching against Islam."

At age 79, McConnell suffers from cancer and diabetes, and though they will certainly be exacerbated while in prison, he has no qualms about being persecuted for God, likening himself to the earliest apostles.

"It is a case of back to the future. In the first century, the apostles were jailed for preaching the gospel," said McConnell. "Early Christians were boiled in oil, burnt at the stake and devoured by wild beasts. If they faced that and kept their faith, I can easily do six months in jail."

As highlighted by Jihad Watch, the most disturbing theme undergirding McConnell's prosecution is that the United Kingdom has been bursting at the seams with Muslic clerics and Imams preaching all kinds of hatred towards Jews and Christians alike, but not one of them has faced prosecution.


http://www.truthrevolt.org/news/irish-pastor-faces-jail-after-calling-islam-satanic
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« Reply #7 on: September 16, 2015, 05:17:32 am »

Government plans regulation of faith leaders

Proposed legislation leaked to the media outlines how the United Kingdom government plans to oversee religious leaders and their messages.

“If the reports are accurate, what the government is proposing turns the clock back on religious freedom more than 300 years,” said Ciaran Kelly, a spokesman for the Christian Institute.

“Not since the days of the notorious Test and Corporation Acts have we seen such a concerted attempt by a British government to restrict religious practice,” Kelly said in an institute report Tuesday. “We don’t want to go back to those darker days of religious intolerance.”

It was the London Telegraph’s Andrew Gilligan who obtained a copy of the plan.

“Imams, priests, rabbis and other religious figures will have to enroll in a ‘national register of faith leaders’ and be subject to government-specified training and security checks in the Home Office’s latest action on extremism,” he reported.

“The highly controversial proposal appears in a leaked draft of the government’s new counter-extremism strategy, seen by The Telegraph, which goes substantially further than previous versions of the document.”

He explained the government will demand “all faiths to maintain a national register of faith leaders,” which will be subject to “the minimum level of training checks.”

What’s REALLY happening in America? Judge Andrew Napolitano reveals the details in “Lies the Government Told You: Myth, Power and Deception in American History.”

“Registration will be compulsory for all faith leaders who wish to work with the public sector, including universities, the document says. In practice, most faith leaders have some dealings with the public sector and the requirement will cover the great majority,” he reported.

Kelly explained in a statement from the institute, “They mean that Christian leaders invited to speak to a university Christian Union would be required to go on a government approved training scheme before being allowed to speak to students.

“This is a truly sinister proposal more in keeping with China or North Korea than a democracy built on the freedoms of Magna Carta,” he said. “We would ask the government to think again and drop these dangerous plans immediately.”

The plan reportedly defines extremism, the apparent target, as the “vocal or active opposition to fundamental British values, including democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty and the mutual respect of tolerance of different faiths and beliefs.”

“This sounds unworkable and reads like too strong state intervention,” said Rabbi Neil Janes of the West London Synagogue, according to the institute.

The U.K. government already has been criticized for its “Extremism Disruption Orders,” which measure behavior it assesses to undermine “British values.”

The Telegraph report said the plan would be opposed by the Mosques and Imams National Advisory Board.

And a spokesman for the Catholic church said it had not been consulted on the proposals.

Other senior Catholic sources said any plan for state supervision of priests would be “firmly resisted.”

The Telegraph said the primary target appears to be Islamic extremism. The paper cited the “Trojan Horse” scandal in Rotherham in which Muslim leaders were trying to take over control of local schools.

British Prime Minister David Cameron was quoted saying: “For far too long, we have been a passively tolerant society, saying to our citizens that as long as you obey the law, we will leave you alone. The government will conclusively turn the page on this failed approach.”

The problem, however, is that the broad term “British values” allows the government to condemn and act against Christian schools that do not teach homosexuality, which falls under the broad category of freedom under “British values.”

Christian Today reported Catholic priest Fr. Jeffrey Steel said on Twitter: “Exactly what China did and does. Don’t submit!”

Christian writer and blogger Barrie Lawrence tweeted: “Faith leaders’ in the UK will have to register? I thought such predictions were alarmist – it’s starting to happen,” according to the report.”

The Telegraph reported Colin Green, Christian author and expert on apologetics, noted government plans to put church leaders’ names on a watchlist.

“No this isn’t a novel by George Orwell.”

In the U.S., the Obama administration has described the First Amendment religious rights as “freedom of worship” instead of the constitutionally correct “freedom of religion,” effectively limiting the scope to activity inside places of worship.

WND also reported a First Amendment expert warned that simply uttering the term “pro-life” in a church these days could bring trouble from the Internal Revenue Service.

The Freedom from Religion Foundation, an atheist group, demanded the IRS investigate sermons focusing on certain politically charged “code words,” and, through a settlement, the IRS appeared to agree.

The non-profit Becket Fund is raising questions about the practice.

Then there was the case in Houston in which city officials issued subpoenas for copies of the sermons of several pastors who opposed a transgender-rights ordinance adopted by the city.

http://www.wnd.com/2015/09/government-plans-regulation-of-faith-leaders/print/
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« Reply #8 on: November 23, 2015, 08:31:26 pm »

British Pastor Facing Jail For Criticizing Muslim Terrorists

While Muslim terrorists with ISIS have begun an aggressive new campaign against the West including the bombing of a Russian airliner and murdering at least 129 people in Paris, a 78 year old British pastor may end up going to prison for criticizing the violent elements of Islam.

Pastor James McConnell was preaching a sermon in a church at the Whitewell Metropolitan Tabernacle in May, 2014, when he called Islam a “satanic” religion for wanting to punish Meriam Ibrahim, a pregnant woman who committed the crime of refusing to renounce her Christian faith and marrying a Christian man.

During his message McConnell said that it is impossible that the God of the Hebrew and Christian Bible is the Allah of the Koran. He said:

"The Muslim religion was created many hundreds of years after Christ. Mohammed, was born in 570. But Muslims believe that Islam is the true religion, dating back to Adam, and that the biblical Patriarchs were all Muslims, including Noah and Abraham and Moses, and even our Lord Jesus Christ.

"To judge by some of what I have heard in the past few months, you would think that Islam was little more than a variation of Christianity and Judaism. Not so. Islam's ideas about God, about humanity, about salvation are vastly different from the teachings of the Holy Scriptures. Islam is heathen. Islam is satanic. Islam is a doctrine spawned in Hell."

It was those words that streamed live on the Internet — violated the 2003 Communications Act by "sending, or causing to be sent, by means of a public electronic communications network, a message or other matter that was grossly offensive."

While the words spoken by McConnell may sound harsh in today’s culture of “microagressions,” it is nothing more than traditional bible teaching by great men of God over the years including George Whitefield, John and Charles Wesley, Charles Spurgeon, DL Moody, and many others. Indeed, one of the foundations of Christianity is that Jesus is the only way of salvation and all other ways lead to hell.

Yet it now appears that preaching traditional Christianity is now illegal in the UK. Following his sermon, McConnell was told that he was facing hate crime charges and has a court date scheduled for Dec. 14-16 in a Belfast court.

McConnell is refusing to back down for his statements defending Christianity and criticizing Islam, saying at the time he made his comments he was specifically referencing Ibrahim.

“It began with the Muslim issue when I protested (through my sermon) concerning the young Muslim woman who was pregnant and had been converted to Christianity,” the pastor wrote. “She was to receive 80 lashes and possibly martyrdom. Thankfully she and her husband are now living in the United States. I have no regrets about what I said. I do not hate Muslims, but I denounce Islam as a doctrine and I make no apologies for that".

McConnell said, his situation should be alarming for everyone, including those who disagree with him because of the implications for the right to engage in free speech and to freely practice religion.

“I also appeal and challenge every Muslim who lives in this country. No-one is questioning your right to worship here and practice your religion,” McConnell wrote. “If I was living in many Muslim countries in the world, I would be forbidden to practice my religion and would probably be imprisoned or even put to death for doing so. Yet you, as a Muslim, have perfect liberty here. So I appeal to you, come with me and protest.”

McConnell summed it up this way: "Islam is allowed to come to this country, Islam is allowed to worship in this country, Islam is allowed to preach in this country and they preach hate. And for years we are not allowed to give a tract out, we are not allowed in Islam, we are not allowed to preach the gospel. We are persecuted in Islam if we stand for Jesus Christ."

Interestingly, McConnell has received support from Suzanne Breen, a prominent Irish journalist and editor.

“As an atheist, I carry no candle for Christian fundamentalists, but there is something seriously wrong in hauling a pensioner pastor in ill health through the courts for simply expressing his opinion," Breen wrote.

While it is easy to dismiss the issue as something that is happening “over there,” Christians in America need to realize that it is just a matter of time before the same thing happens here.

Following the terrorist attacks in Benghazi, President Obama responded to the attacks by saying “the future must not belong to those who slander the prophet of Islam.”

There is also a move by the United Nations to make criticism of Islam a crime against humanity. For years the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) has been pushing for a UN resolution that would make defamation of religion a criminal offense.

While the resolution does not mention any single religion, it is noteworthy that the resolution has been aggressively pushed by Muslim countries. The Obama administration strongly supports the resolution.

In 2011, the State Department and then Secretary of State Hillary Clinton sponsored a closed door conference in Washington on implementing the resolution. The stated purpose of the conference was to establish international standards for criminalizing “intolerance, negative stereotyping and stigmatization of … religion and belief.”

In 2012, a Pennsylvania judge dismissed assault charges against a Muslim man who attacked an atheist for insulting his faith.

American Atheists Pennsylvania State Director, Ernest Perce was attacked by a Muslim while dressed as a zombie Muhammad in a Halloween parade. During the same parade another atheist was dressed as a zombie Pope, but there were no reports of a Roman Catholic attacking anyone.

In dismissing the charges, Judge Mark Martin berated the victim, saying essentially he deserved it and should be grateful he did not live in an Islamic country where he could face the death penalty for daring to insult Islam.

The judge, who is an admitted Muslim said, “There’s a big difference between how Americans practice Christianity – I understand you’re an atheist – but see Islam is not just a religion. It’s their culture, their culture, their very essence, their very being.”

He continued, “Whenever it is very common, their language, when they’re speaking to each other, it’s very common for them to say, uh, Allah willing, this will happen. It’s, they’re so immersed in it. And what you’ve done is, you’ve completely trashed their essence, their being. They find it very, very, very offensive. I’m a Muslim. I find it offensive.”


Read more at http://www.prophecynewswatch.com/2015/November18/182.html#BueIdeyIM68ugC1w.99
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« Reply #9 on: January 06, 2016, 04:48:40 am »

Pastor on Trial for ‘Hate Crime’ of Calling Islam ‘Satanic,’ ‘Heathen’ During Sermon Declared Not Guilty

A pastor in Northern Ireland who was prosecuted with a hate crime for denouncing the Islamic religion during a Sunday sermon has been declared not guilty of both charges leveled by the prosecution.

As previously reported, James McConnell, 78, pastor of the Whitewell Metropolitan Church in North Belfast, discussed Islam during an evening sermon in May 2014. During the message, McConnell denounced the religion and said that the contrast between it and Christianity is stark.

“The God we worship and serve this evening is not Allah,” he proclaimed, according to a video of the sermon. “The Muslim god—Allah—is a heathen deity. Allah is a cruel deity. Allah is a demon deity.”

McConnell then criticized the “foolish” British government for attempting to appease Muslims financially, saying that Islam is “Satanic” and “a doctrine spawned in Hell.” He also noted that Christians around the world are persecuted for their faith by the “fanatical worshipers” of Allah.

According to the Belfast Telegraph, McConnell’s remarks were inspired by the plight of Meriam Ibrahim—a Sudanese woman who was sentenced to hang after she was convicted of apostasy for refusing to deny her faith and convert to Islam.

But following McConnell’s sermon, the Police Service of Northern Ireland investigated the preacher for allegations of a hate crime under the 2003 Communications Act. Northern Ireland’s Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness described the preacher’s comments as “hate mongering” and said the anti-Muslim statements “must be condemned in the strongest possible terms.”

John McCreedy, assistant pastor at Whitewell Metropolitan Church, also soon resigned from his position because McConnell would not retract his statements. McConnell apologized for any offense he may have caused, but would not recant his sentiments.

Because McConnell refused a lesser punishment by the government following police questioning, prosecutors decided to move the matter forward in court. He was officially charged with the improper use of a public electronic communications network and causing a grossly offensive message to be transmitted through such network, since the sermon streamed online.

On Tuesday, Judge Liam McNally declared McConnell not guilty of both charges, stating that although the pastor’s remarks could be considered offensive, they did not rise to the level of gross offense. He cautioned against criminalizing speech simply due to potential offense.

“The courts need to be very careful not to criminalize speech which, however contemptible, is no more than offensive,” McNally stated. ”It is not the task of the criminal law to censor offensive utterances.”

McConnell said following the verdict that while he agrees his words were harsh, it was not his intent to hurt Muslims, but to rather express his disagreement with Islamic theology.

“There was no way I was out to hurt them. I wouldn’t hurt a hair on their head,” he told reporters outside the courthouse. “But what I am against is their theology and what they believe in.”

“If there are Muslims out there, I want to assure them I love them and, if they need help, I am there to help them,” McConnell continued, “but their theology and their beliefs—I am totally against them.”

He agreed with concerns that similar prosecutions may be leveled against Christians in the future.

“The Public Prosecution Service (PPS) needs to explain why this case was brought and assure everyone that this will not happen again,” Peter Lynas of the Evangelical Alliance of Northern Ireland told the BBC.

http://christiannews.net/2016/01/05/pastor-on-trial-for-hate-crime-of-calling-islam-satanic-heathen-during-sermon-declared-not-guilty/
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« Reply #10 on: January 19, 2016, 02:18:25 am »

Christian MP's Say Ofsted Inspections Will Force Sunday Schools to Ban Biblical Teachings on Marriage

Several British parliament members are speaking out against government-proposed inspections that they fear would force Christian Sunday schools to censor their teaching of Christian values, such as traditional marriage.

Four Christian members of parliament sent a letter to The Telegraph warning that newly-proposed Ofsted inspections could pose a problem for Sunday schools and other out-of-school groups that teach religious values.

The inspections were recently proposed by Britain's Department of Education after Prime Minister David Cameron warned that some out-of-school programs for Muslim children may teach extremist ideology.

The four MP's who wrote the letter to The Telegraph, including Sir Gerald Howarth, Gary Streeter, David Burrowes and Fiona Bruce, argue that the inspections "could have a seriously detrimental effect on the freedom of religious organisations."

The letter adds that Christian groups in the country fear that the Ofsted inspections may "[impose] sanctions for the expression of traditional views on matters such as marriage — views which, until very recently, were considered mainstream in Britain."

"This would be an intolerable but very real possibility given the clear desire of the Department for Education to investigate what it calls 'prohibitive activities,' such as 'undesirable teaching ... which undermines or is incompatible with fundamental British values.' This could challenge established Christian teaching," the letter continues.

The four conservative MP's then add that the proposed inspections should focus only on "certain strains of Islam," adding that for the Department of Education to investigate all religious groups would be operating under the false pretense that "radicalization could be discovered in any organization."

The letter to The Telegraph comes after numerous Christian groups voiced their concern over the proposed inspections.

The Christian Institute recently sent a letter to the Department of Education arguing that the inspections should "focus on areas and groups where there is a risk of violent radicalization," rather than all religious groups.

The Department of Education has defended the inspections, telling The Telegraph that the new regulations will likely not target Sunday Schools.

"The Government is not proposing to regulate institutions teaching children for a short period every week, such as Sunday schools," a spokesman for the department said.

"We are looking specifically at places where children receive intensive education, to ensure that the children there are in a safe environment, which does not subject them to intolerant and hateful views," the spokesperson added.

Read more at http://www.christianpost.com/news/england-ofsted-inspections-freedom-religion-force-christian-sunday-schools-ban-teaching-traditional-values-marriage-154903/#kY2kxV5DylHQLJS7.99
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« Reply #11 on: March 11, 2016, 03:43:13 am »

Christian Student Faces Expulsion For Opposing Homosexuality

Educational campuses have long been a battleground for discussing and debating different ideologies. Usually, the exchange of different beliefs and perspectives are encouraged, however when it comes to Christians who might be opposed to homosexuality, there is no debate.

You will be persecuted and even expelled if your views don't align with the status quo that homosexuality is not only acceptable but to be encouraged and supported.

The latest victim of this battle on campus is Felix Ngole, aged 38, who was asked to leave the University of Sheffield, where he was in the second year of a Masters in social work. What is amazing about Ngole's case is that his comments in support of the Biblical teaching on marriage and sexual ethics were not even made on campus, but on his personal Facebook page, which is only able to be viewed by his friends.

However, the post was still brought to the attention of the faculty at Sheffield who determined after a hearing that Ngole would no longer be recognized as a University student due to the committees belief that he "may have caused offence to some individuals" and had "transgressed boundaries which are not deemed appropriate for someone entering the social work profession."

Ngole believes his case sets a dangerous precedent against Christians wanting to serve in social work as well as the nature of free speech on campus and has enlisted the support of the Christian Legal Center where he released the following statement:

"The way that I have been treated raises very serious issues about the way students in English universities are being censored in their views and beliefs.

"If the personal statements of students on their own social media pages, and amongst their own 'friends' are now to be used to judge whether they are 'fit and proper people' to serve in professions such as law, medicine, teaching and social work, then very serious questions need to be asked about the freedoms in the UK.

"A university is not the proper body to judge whether a potential student is a fitting person to join a professional body. That is for the professional body concerned. If universities are now to scrutinize their student's social media accounts, then students should be warned about that at the very start of their studies, and should be given the opportunity to decide whether it is the sort of university they want to attend.

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"If each university is making its own, arbitrary decisions, who is monitoring these decisions and how can students ensure that, across all universities, there is good, fair and equal assessment of such issues?

"However, there is a far more serious issue at stake. Further education is a time when all students should be helped to explore their beliefs, through interaction and debate. If they are censored from even sharing their ideas or beliefs as part of a discussion on Facebook then how can that happen? Even the Soviet Union did not restrict students like this!

"If these sort of judgmental procedures were in place when David Cameron and other Cabinet ministers were in Oxford, and some were members of the Bullingdon Club, one wonders whether they would have been prevented from continuing their courses as well!

"The university claims my views are discriminatory but I am the one being discriminated against because of my expression of Christian beliefs. I wonder whether the university would have taken any action if a Muslim student who believes in Shari'a law, with its teaching about women and homosexuality, had made comments on his Facebook page. I dont think so."

Read more at http://www.prophecynewswatch.com/article.cfm?recent_news_id=179#MOd4G3PLccx3ElAU.99
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« Reply #12 on: March 11, 2016, 09:00:16 am »

Ever since the Catholics have gotten a foothold in England, that country has gone downhill.  Cry Cry Cry Cry Cry Cry Embarrassed

But, this proves evermore, that Christ return is soon!  Wink Wink Wink
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« Reply #13 on: March 11, 2016, 04:06:45 pm »

Ever since the Catholics have gotten a foothold in England, that country has gone downhill.  Cry Cry Cry Cry Cry Cry Embarrassed

But, this proves evermore, that Christ return is soon!  Wink Wink Wink

Just asking, when do you think the catholic church got a foothold there?
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« Reply #14 on: July 07, 2016, 06:40:39 pm »

Street Preachers Arrested in UK in Front of Cheering Crowd: Video

BRISTOL, UK — Among cheering crowds, four street preachers were arrested in the UK on Wednesday for causing a “disturbance” while exhorting men to “obey God and keep His commands.”

The incident occurred as local resident Mike Overd was open air preaching outside of the Bristol shopping center, while others engaged passersby in conversation and/or held gospel signs. Some of those joining Overd in the evangelism effort included American citizens visiting the country to share the gospel.

“The purpose of mankind is to worship God and enjoy Him,” Overd preached, according to recorded footage of their arrest. “You need to obey God and obey His commands. I hated His commands once and I remember what that mind frame is—it is like banging your head against a brick wall.”

Seconds later, Overd is approached by a police officer who orders him to leave the area.

“Look, you are causing a disturbance now,” the officer stated. “You are not welcome.”

“Go home! Go home!” a few men nearby chanted.

The officer warned that if Overd did not stop preaching, he would be arrested.

“For God so loved the world, guys, that He gave His only begotten…” Overd declared, resisting the order.

The officer consequently immediately grabbed Overd by the arm while he was speaking and pulled him away. The crowd clapped and cheered enthusiastically.

In addition to Overd, Americans Mike Stockwell and Don Karns were taken into custody, as well as Bristol resident Adrian Clark. According to reports, the men were charged with violating Section 5 of the Public Order Act and released.

“A person is guilty of an offence if he—(a)uses threatening, abusive or insulting words or behavior, or disorderly behavior, or (b) displays any writing, sign or other visible representation which is threatening, abusive or insulting,within the hearing or sight of a person likely to be caused harassment, alarm or distress thereby,” the law reads.

The Bristol Post claims, according to a witness, that the men had stirred the crowd by preaching that “Allah does not exist” and that Muslims will go to Hell, as well as speaking harshly about the sins of homosexuality and divorce. It is not known whether the street preachers actually spoke on the subjects or if they were falsely accused out of a heckler’s veto.

As previously reported, Overd was accused in 2014 of speaking against homosexuality and Islam, and was leveled with two charges of using threatening and abusive words and a charge of causing racially or religiously aggravated harassment, alarm or distress under the Public Order Act.

He was initially convicted by Judge Shamim Qureshi, a Muslim, who expressed concern that Overd quoted from Leviticus 12:13, which reads, “If a man also lie with mankind, as he lieth with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination. They shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them.” Quereshi said that the preacher should have selected another verse that was less offensive.

But Overd told Christian News Network that he never quoted from Leviticus at all, and that the claim was false.

Last December, Circuit Judge David Ticehurst overturned the conviction due to insufficient evidence from the prosecution.

http://christiannews.net/2016/07/07/street-preachers-arrested-in-uk-in-front-of-cheering-crowd-video/
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« Reply #15 on: July 13, 2016, 11:22:44 pm »

Church singers compared to ISIS & Nazis by columnist



A US church group currently in the UK has been compared to neo-Nazis and Islamist terrorists by a newspaper columnist.

Shona Craven said The King’s Project singers were a “musical Trojan horse” who were part of a church that “ticks every box on the Ugly Religious Fundamentalism checklist”.

Craven pointed to the church’s pro-marriage and pro-life views as reasons why they are “not welcome”.
Hope in Jesus

The choir, part of Prestonwood Baptist Church, is on a tour of England and Scotland and said they had enjoyed presenting a concert in Edinburgh “to another great crowd”.

They added: “We have found the people very receptive to our message of hope in Jesus Christ”, before asking for prayer that they would be bold in sharing the Gospel.

Craven, who writes for The Herald and The National newspaper, claimed that the church’s “dreadful” pregnancy centre exists “to frighten and manipulate women into ruling out abortion”, because they offer them ultrasounds.
Neo-Nazis

She continued: “What message does it send when a shopping centre welcomes this kind of musical Trojan horse into a Scottish city, and where do we draw the line?

“A neo-Nazi puppet show at the Gyle Shopping Centre? Magic tricks by Islamic State at Buchanan Galleries?”

Craven added that, as a nation, citizens “should be stating clearly: bigots are not welcome here”.
Well-received

A separate article in The Herald gave prominence to the Scottish Secular Society (SSS) who questioned why the church group had ‘even been allowed in the country’.

Megan Crawford, from the SSS, claimed the church was “extremely fundamentalist”, describing their orthodox views on marriage and abortion.

A spokesman for Waverley Mall in Edinburgh where the group featured on Saturday said he did not think the choir sang “anything that would upset anybody”.

He added: “I was unaware of their views and my views are completely different. But the plaza was packed and it was well-received.”


http://www.christian.org.uk/news/church-singers-compared-to-isis-nazis-by-columnist/
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« Reply #16 on: February 28, 2017, 07:23:28 pm »

Preachers Found Guilty of Violating UK ‘Crime & Disorder Act’ After Arrests for ‘Anti-Social’ Opposition to Islam, Homosexuality

Coming to Amerika here soon

BRISTOL, UK — Two street preachers who were arrested last July on accusations of “causing a disturbance” and engaging in “anti-social behavior” after some listeners became offended by their speech about issues such as Islam, Buddhism, homosexuality and divorce have been found guilty of “intentionally alarming” the public with open-air preaching.

The verdict against Michael Overd of the U.K. and Michael Stockwell of the U.S. was handed down Tuesday in Bristol Magistrates’ Court. They were fined nearly $2,500 each.

The men had been on trial over accusations that they violated a section of the Crime and Disorder Act, which prohibits speech or behavior causing “intentional harassment, alarm or distress” that is “racially or religiously aggravated.”

During their trial, prosecutor Ian Jackson “told the court some of the statements made by the preachers may have been in the King James Bible, translated in 1611, but that did not mean they were acceptable in 2016,” according to the Daily Mail.

As previously reported, Overd and Stockwell, along with Adrian Clark and Don Karns, had been taking turns open air preaching outside of the Bristol shopping center on July 6, as well as engaging passersby in conversation and/or holding gospel signs.

Two of those involved in the evangelism effort, Stockwell and Karns, were American citizens visiting the country to share the gospel. The men allegedly preached on a variety of issues, and took questions from those who stopped to listen—questions that ranged from Islam, Buddhism, Jehovah’s Witnesses, homosexuality and other moral and religious issues.

Police state that some became offended by the men’s preaching and/or responses to the questions, as statements reportedly included remarks such as “Allah is the greatest deceiver—that’s in the Koran,” “David Cameron is no more a Christian than my dogs” and that false religion leads men to “the gates and the very depth of Hell.”

An online video shows the moment the men were arrested.

“The purpose of mankind is to worship God and enjoy Him,” declared Overd, who was preaching at the time. “You need to obey God and obey His commands. I hated His commands once and I remember what that mind frame is—it is like banging your head against a brick wall.”

Seconds later, Overd was approached by a police officer, who ordered him to leave the area.

“Look, you are causing a disturbance now,” the officer stated. “You are not welcome.”

“Go home! Go home!” a few men nearby chanted.

The officer warned that if Overd did not stop preaching, he would be arrested.

“For God so loved the world, guys, that He gave His only begotten…” Overd declared, advising that he was not going to leave.

The officer consequently grabbed Overd by the arm while he was speaking and pulled him away. The crowd clapped and cheered enthusiastically.

“There’s a line of freedom of speech,” the officer told Overd. “[I ]t’s when you’re causing a disturbance, that is, aggravating people, anti-social behavior, which you were causing.”

“How were we causing it?” Overd asked. “What did we say?”

“People were getting angry. You were challenging [homosexuality]. You were challenging Muslims,” the officer replied.

“But just saying what the Bible says,” Overd noted.

“That’s fine,” the officer said.

“Well, if it’s fine, why are you arresting me?” Overd asked.

Stockwell, Karns and Clark were also arrested, but the charge against Karns was later dropped and the charge against Clark was dismissed last week at trial.

U.K. blogger Richard Carvath decried the guilty verdict handed down against Stockwell and Overd on Tuesday.

“[T ]he four Christian men were preaching—quite lawfully—about their Christian beliefs in a public place in Bristol; they were certainly not bent on causing any trouble. They were not violent and did not incite violence. They spoke no profane words,” he said.

“In Britain we cherish liberty and the rule of law. We do not live according to yobs’ mob rule. Police officers are supposed to uphold the law and protect the right of law-abiding people to speak in public—not side with the mob against public speakers whom the yobs want to silence,” Carvath continued. “It’s yobs and mobs that engage in public disorder—not peaceful Christian evangelists.”

The men plan to appeal the verdict.

http://christiannews.net/2017/02/28/preachers-found-guilty-of-violating-uk-crime-disorder-act-after-arrests-for-anti-social-opposition-to-islam-homosexuality/
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« Reply #17 on: March 08, 2017, 07:38:23 pm »

Public Prosecutor: Quoting KJV Bible Should be Considered ‘Abusive’ and ‘Criminal’

 A public prosecutor in a case involving two Christian street preachers has alleged that quoting from the King James Version Bible in public should be considered “abusive” and even “criminal.”

The Christian Institute reports that the two men, Michael Overd and Michael Stockwell, were arrested last summer while they were preaching in Bristol city center and charged with a Public Order Offense.

The men claim they were simply preaching the gospel and answering questions from the crowd. Their lawyer has argued that the two men were exercising their legal and democratic right to freedom of speech and were not in violation of any ordinance.

However, the public prosecutor accusing the men stated, “Whilst it is right that if things are said in the Bible, they can be said to be an expression of religious belief – to use words translated in 1611 in a very different context, in the context of modern British society, must be considered to be abusive and is a criminal matter.”

“To say to someone that Jesus is the only God is not a matter of truth. To the extent that they are saying that the only way to God is through Jesus, that cannot be a truth,” he added.

Colin Hart, director of The Christian Institute, has spoken out about the case: “We must not forget that strong protections for free speech still remain in our country,” he said.

Both Overd and Stockwell have been convicted and charged with fines, which they will reportedly appeal.

http://www.christianheadlines.com/blog/public-prosecutor-tells-judge-quoting-kjv-bible-should-be-considered-abusive-and-criminal.html
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« Reply #18 on: October 12, 2017, 03:45:42 pm »

http://redstatewatcher.com/article.asp?id=99236

BREAKING: University Bans Christian Group!
10/12/17

A college of Oxford University banned a student Christian group from appearing at a freshman fair out of fear it would lead to "alienating" students who practice other religions.

From Fox News:

A college of Oxford University banned a student Christian group from appearing at a freshman fair out of fear it would lead to "alienating" students who practice other religions.


The Christian Union of Oxford’s Balliol College was initially banned by an event organizer who felt students might feel “unwelcome” due to what he calls the Christian religion being “an excuse for homophobia and neo-colonialism,” The Times of London reported.

“We recognise the wonderful advantages in having CU representatives at the freshers fair but are concerned that there is potential for harm to freshers who are already struggling to feel welcome in Oxford,” Frederick Potts, vice president of the undergraduate student body, reportedly said in an email to the Christian group.

Potts added: “Christianity’s influence on many marginalised communities has been damaging in its methods of conversion and rules of practice, and is still used in many places as an excuse for homophobia and certain forms of neo-colonialism.”

Potts, according to The Daily Telegraph, said that event organizers initially wanted the fair to be a “secular space” because they were unsure if “every major belief system” would have a spot at the student fair.

“Many students, especially students of colour and of other faiths, may already feel alienated and vulnerable in Oxford, a university with a reputation for racism and lack of diversity, and a city with barely any appropriate places of worship for non-Christians," Potts said, according to The Telegraph.

Event organizers eventually agreed to allow the event to have one "multi-faith" stall that would permit religious groups to display brochures, according to The Guardian. The Christian Union reportedly "boycotted" that as an option.
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« Reply #19 on: December 14, 2020, 11:34:16 am »

'Go and sin no more' could land you in jail

Christians in the United Kingdom and Canada are being warned that foundational religious beliefs and practices soon could be criminalized under laws banning the counseling of people seeking help with unwanted sexual attraction.

Activists want to ban not only the so-called "conversion therapy," they also want to prevent people from criticizing their lifestyle.

And that includes a veto on the preaching and the practice of churches regarding sexuality, according to the U.K.'s Christian Institute.

Pastoral counseling, communion or even membership could become criminal matters.

For example: "A lesbian activist visits church on a day when the minister – who knows her personally – is preaching on sexual ethics. He teaches that sex is a gift reserved for marriage between a man and a woman, and says singleness is an honorable calling. She reports this as an attempt to change or repress her sexual orientation."

The institute explained that citing Jesus' admonition to an adulterous woman to "go and sin no more" to a practicing homosexual could break the law.

"The government wants to ban practices that seek to change someone's sexual orientation or gender identity. 'Conversion therapy' is a wide umbrella term chosen by LGBT campaigners. It covers abusive practices by quack medical practitioners and charlatan preachers which are largely illegal already," the institute said. "But the campaigners want to go much further: they want to stop people criticizing their lifestyle or theology. A conversion therapy ban could hand them a veto on the preaching and practice of churches."

Should criticizing the LGBT lifestyle be a crime?

Proposals in the U.K. and Canada are similar.

One proponent of such laws, Rev. Steve Chalke, says "informal prayer and sermons that do not affirm LGBT identities are damaging and require government intervention."

A statement from the pro-LGBT Ozanne Foundation to the prime minister said: "We urge you to ensure that the UK will not tolerate those who practice conversion therapy in any form, whether consensual or not, and that those who practice it will be prosecuted. This will have the impact of causing religious leaders to think twice, as they will be loath to risk having a criminal record that would stop them following their vocation."

The foundation said it's "not a matter of freedom of speech."

"This harmful practice is unfortunately promoted and practiced primarily by religious leaders … the ban must …. [e]nsure that no loopholes are created that allow those who practice conversation therapy to offer help in 'changing one's behavior.'"

The Christian Institute warned that even ordinary practices, such as having members affirm their belief in a church's theology, would not be allowed.

"An Anglican church requires candidates for adult baptism or confirmation to attend classes. These cover 'Christian living,' including sexual ethics. A candidate strongly objects to hearing that homosexual relationships are wrong. He is told he cannot be baptized unless he accepts the Bible's teaching. He reports the church to the authorities for trying to change his sexual orientation."

The campaign comes at a time when Christian beliefs have been protected by courts. But concerns remain, especially with the promotion of transgender rights, the brief said.

"A parent who complains their child has been damaged by gender ideology at school could be accused of 'suppressing' their 'true gender identity,'"  the institute said.

Even those not involved could be charged.

"A Christian shares her faith with a friend at work. The colleague is interested but reacts angrily when she learns that all people must repent of sin, including sexual sins. She is in a same-sex relationship. She tracks down her colleague's church online and reports her and the church. She claims they told her she would 'go to hell for being gay' in an attempt to change her."

Even prayer could be the foundation for a complaint.

https://www.wnd.com/2020/12/go-sin-no-land-jail/
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