We read:
"A Christian street preacher has been arrested and charged with a public-order offence after saying that homosexuality was sinful.
Dale Mcalpine was handing out leaflets to shoppers when he told a passer-by and a gay police community support officer that, as a Christian, he believed homosexuality was one of a number of sins that go against the word of God.
Mr Mcalpine said that he did not repeat his remarks on homosexuality when he preached from the top of a stepladder after his leafleting.
But he has been told that police officers are alleging they heard him making his remarks to a member of the public in a loud voice that could be overheard by others.
Mr Mcalpine, 42, who earns about £40,000 a year in the energy industry, was arrested and taken to the local police station in the back of a police van after preaching in the Cumbrian town of Workington on April 20. After seven hours locked up in a cell, he was charged with using abusive or insulting words or behaviour contrary to the Public Order Act 1986.
Christian campaigners said last night they were alarmed that the police seemed to be using legislation originally introduced to deal with violent and abusive rioters and football hooligans to curb free speech.
Neil Addison, a barrister and expert on religious law, said: ‘People should be able to express their opinions freely as long as their conduct is reasonable. In fact, it is part of the duty of the police to protect free speech.’
Source
8 comments:
Interesting parallel here. From the source article:
"He was eventually charged under Sections 5 (1) and (6) of the Public Order Act 1986 and released on bail on the condition that he did not preach in public."
Now to compare:
"So they [the Jewish religious leaders] called for them and ordered them not to preach or teach at all in the name of Jesus.
But Peter and John answered them, “Whether it’s right in the sight of God for us to listen to you rather than to God, you decide; for we are unable to stop speaking about what we have seen and heard.”"
(Acts 4:18–20 HCSB)
Hmmmm…
That's right Luke. Most major Police Dept.'s in the US have gay officer's organizations, which never miss an opportunity to whine when things don't go their way.
"People should be able to express their opinions freely as long as their conduct is reasonable. In fact, it is part of the duty of the police to protect free speech."
This is true, unless the police officers assigned are themselves gay. Then the outcome is typical of this case.
You mean Thought Police?
Then don't complain when "gay activists" have some "preachin' to do" as well.
Christians think they have a monopoly on "truth", but maybe they are as mistaken in that as much as they have a clue about the source of their own religion!
Annon 3:33
Spewing more of that progressive "tolerance" I here so much about!
3:52 AM - spewing pointless remarks again, without any depth of critical analysis - ?
Anon 3:33,
Ever heard of the "Law of Noncontradiction"?
It's Logic 101: There can be only one truth.
"This is nonsensical - so much so that not even gay people should support it."
---You're right, this story was reported on advocate.com and most of gays commenting there did not support the action of this officer, they thought he was an idiot. Others however think that "hate speech" created the holocaust so "civilized" Europe is basically preventing nazi-like behavior by using nazi-like tactics.
I also think officers have to be professional and keep their personal views from interfering with their ability to do their jobs. I've seen black officers protecting the Klan when they go on parades, imagine how they must feel?
Post a Comment