Focus on the Family Action, the political arm of the family group, said today that Congress’s enacting of the Defense Authorization bill, which contains “hate crime” laws that include sexual orientation, is unnecessary, unjust, unconstitutional and opens the door for prosecutions based on religion.
Congress reasoned in its decision that given the increase in hate crimes against gay, lesbian and transgender people over the last several years, people who engage in crimes because of someone’s sexual orientation need to be prosecuted.
But Ashley Horne, Focus federal issues analyst, said in a news release that “the measure threatens our precious First Amendment rights to freedom of religion and speech. Would a pastor preaching from the Bible be prosecuted for ‘inducing’ a federal hate crime if one of his listeners was violent towards a self-identified homosexual?”
“We are appalled that Congress would pass a law that falls short on so many measures and can be used to target those who speak or preach on homosexuality from a biblical perspective,” Horne said.
Do you think Congress was right to enact legislation to include sexual orientation in its hate crime bill?
Please respond below.
Focus: Hate Crimes Legislation Threatens Religious Freedom is a post from: The Pulpit