USA (MNN) — H.R. 1913, which has been dubbed the federal hate crimes legislation, passed 249 to 175 in the U.S. Congress, paving the way to conspicuously curtail religious freedom in a country that espouses freedom.
The International human rights watchdog International Christian Concern is more than concerned. ICC's President Jeff King says with the House passage, "It now goes to the Senate Judiciary Committee. They're going to look at it. If they release it, it'll go to the Senate. If the Senate passes it (which we assume they will), if they pass the same version as the house, then it'll go to the President who will sign it. He won't veto it."
One of the most insidious and almost hidden dangers of the bill is that it could be used to halt the free speech of Catholic and protestant ministers alike as it pertains to the biblical teachings of homosexuality.
King says the pro-homosexual lobby or anyone else could cripple a church. "The bill can be used as a bludgeon against the church," he says. "You can bankrupt a church pretty easily when a lawsuit comes from the government. There [are] unlimited resources, and this thing is dangerous."
King adds, "It's a tool to come against the church, to silence it, in regards to Islam and homosexuality. There are people who hate us out there. And they have political friends, and they're going to put tools in place to silence us," he says.
Now is the time for Christians to get involved. "People have to do something or this thing is going to be put in place and, mark my words, some church is going to be targeted, or some pastor is going to be targeted."
While King says Christians need to pray, as well as take action. "It can be a cop out. I hate to say that. People can say, 'Oh, I'll just throw up a prayer, and that's it.' Christians are a majority in this country, but we're asleep. And if we'd just get up, get off the couch and pick up the phone, we can make a lot of noise. We could see a lot happen."
King thinks he knows why Christians aren't getting involved. "Their eye is off the ball. They're worried about the economy. They're worried about their jobs. Plus this bill sounds like a good thing. Who could be against 'hate speech'?"
King is asking you to call one or all of the following Senators: Herb Kohl, Arlen Specter, Dianne Feinstein,
Orrin G. Hatch, Russell D. Feingold, Charles E. Grassley, Charles E. Schumer, Jon Kyl, Richard J. Durbin,
Jeff Sessions, Benjamin L. Cardin, Lindsey Graham, Sheldon Whitehouse, John Cornyn, Ron Wyden, Tom Coburn, Amy Klobuchar, and Edward E. Kaufman.
