Current events did not take long to prove Dr. Mohler correct in his assertion yesterday that gay rights has become the centerpiece of a new moral “McCarthyism.” Dr. Mohler’s commentary concerning “The Giglio Imbroglio” has proved prescient. Today, news has come out that an American pastor is being sued for “crimes against humanity” because of his views on homosexuality.
Scott Lively, a pastor and activist who believes that homosexuality is a sinful undermining of traditional marriage and family norms, has been sued by SMUG (Sexual Minorities of Uganda–a political action group funded by George Soros). The lawsuit has been filed in federal district court and appeals to international law, citing a trip that Lively took to Uganda to speak out against the homosexual lifestyle.
The case seems important to me for two different reasons. On the one hand, it is troubling that an American citizen is being sued in U.S. Federal court on the basis of international law pertaining to events in another country. If this path is followed, then it would open an entirely new line of extra-constitutional ammunition to employ against Christians or any who dare violate the accepted norms of the policemen of political correctness.
Second, and much more importantly, if the case is not thrown out entirely (as Matt Staver of the Liberty Counsel is suggesting), then it will encourage the further persecution of Christians who hold a biblical position of calling homosexuality a sin. What Lively has done is express his opinions. For those opinions, he is being charged with assault against the entire population of humankind.
I’m not a huge fan of Scott Lively. He has been over the top in some of his opinions against homosexuality. Nevertheless, he has not harmed anyone. He made clear that he does not condone Uganda’s proposed death penalty for homosexuality. So, even those who oppose him should recognize that he does have the right to free speech.
At what point should those preaching tolerance actually have to exercise some of their own?
Related articles
- Was Christian Pastor Forced Out of Inauguration? (radio.foxnews.com)
- Christian leaders accuse Obama of Religious bigotry (radio.foxnews.com)
- Pastor Faces Day in Court Over ‘Crimes Against Humanity’. (greatriversofhope.wordpress.com)
Gregory C. Cochran 
On subjects like this on many other sites I have stated many times on many boards, “Why does this surprise anyone? Christ told us these days would come.”
LikeLike
Interesting… I don’t care for anyone who hammers on gays because I don’t feel that it’s Christ-like behavior to do so, but you are right about the free speech thing.
LikeLike
No, he does not want us killed. He just wants us imprisoned for life. That is not a “statement of opinion”, that is indeed a crime against humanity. And the result of his lies- all the Nazis were gay, etc, ridiculous lies and not in the Bible- is the Bill which would execute us for “repeated”, ie, more than once, lovemaking. Thank God for George Soros.
LikeLike
I am troubled that someone voicing an opinion is labeled a criminal against human nature. There are many people who hold vile opinions with which I vehemently disagree, but I do not put them in the same camp as Pol Pot or Chairman Mao. To do so would be to grossly oversimplify significant distinctions between thoughts and actions. More important, such oversimplification diminishes the worth of every victim who ever died by the hands of such murderous tyrants. Warrioress, I appreciate your comments, but I think caring for others with whom you disagree is a Christian value. All human beings have worth and, thus, should be subjects of our concern (even if they are also subjects of our disagreements). If the matter in Uganda gets to the point in which people are being killed, then the killers should be resisted, arrested, and possibly executed. For now, those arguing should be confronted with better arguments not with lawsuits which will cause everyone to lose freedom.
LikeLike
Please look at the statement of claim, and consider whether it has any worth. The filing and a fact sheet may be found here: http://ccrjustice.org/LGBTUganda
Lively lies repeatedly. He has claimed that Nazism in Germany was a gay conspiracy, ignoring the 100,000 arrested for homosexuality and the 5000-15000 sent to concentration camps for it. He has claimed that gays seek to sodomise teenagers deliberately to convert them to homosexuality.
He has told these lies repeatedly in Uganda, at conferences for legislators and other powerful people there, deliberately to incite them to their actions against gay people.
He has boasted that his acts there are a “nuclear bomb” against the gay community.
As a result of this, people have died.
There are limits on free speech, even in the US. Direct incitement to murder is one such limit.
I think Lively should be held to account for his actions, and I hope the Massachusetts court will do so.
Do you really think his actions perfectly innocent? Do you think them Christian?
LikeLike
Reblogged this on Gregory C. Cochran and commented:
UPDATE: The Scott Lively case concerning a lawsuit from an international law perspective is still moving forward, despite motions to dismiss and motions to stay while court decisions are reviewed. Scott Lively is being sued under international law for “severe deprivation of fundamental rights contrary to international law ” on account of his belief that homosexuality is sin.
LikeLike