Posted on 07/09/2008 11:38:36 AM PDT by Kaslin
The Grand Rapids Press
CASCADE TOWNSHIP -- A Canton man is suing Zondervan Publishing and a Tennessee-based publisher, claiming their versions of the Bible that refer to homosexuality as a sin violate his constitutional rights and have caused him emotional pain and mental instability.
Bradley LaShawn Fowler, 39, is seeking $60 million from Zondervan, based in Cascade Township, and $10 million from Thomas Nelson Publishing in the lawsuits filed in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan.
Fowler filed the suit against Zondervan on Monday, the same day U.S. District Judge Julian Abele Cook Jr. refused to appoint an attorney to represent him in his case against Thomas Nelson, a Tennessee publisher.
Fowler filed a suit against Thomas Nelson in June. He is representing himself in both claims.
"The Court has some very genuine concerns about the nature and efficacy of these claims," the judge wrote.
Fowler alleges Zondervan's Bibles referring to homosexuality as a sin have made him an outcast from his family and contributed to physical discomfort and periods of "demoralization, chaos and bewilderment."
The intent of the publisher was to design a religious, sacred document to reflect an individual opinion or a group's conclusion to cause "me or anyone who is a homosexual to endure verbal abuse, discrimination, episodes of hate, and physical violence ... including murder," Fowler wrote.
Fowler's suit claims Zondervan's text revisions from a 1980s version of the Bible include, and then delete the reference to homosexuality without informing the public of the changes.
The other suit, against Thomas Nelson and its New King James Bible, mirrors the allegations made against Zondervan.
Christian radio is next under th “Fairness Doctrine”.....
So, when do the homosexual activists start attacking this guy for claiming that the Bible says homosexuality is a sin?
Why was it deleted?
Should the publisher sue this clown for damages because his lifestyle has caused the Lord to send us global warming? (sarcasm off)
C’mon you “conservative Democrats” & “moderates” & “independents” & other self-proclaimed “free thinkers” . . . a vote for Democrats provides political cover for this sort of nonsense.
Put a stop to this crap. VOTE AGAINST POLITICAL CORRECTNESS.
Zondervon and Thomas Nelson are just publishing God’s Word. Shouldn’t this idiot be suing God instead?
If he has a problem with the Bible he should take it up with the author.
Sounds like a fruitcake. There’s no serious doubt that the translations of “homosexual” are exactly what was originally meant.
This is especially true in light of Rom 1&2.
If the judge doesn't throw it out of court, he is an idiot.
Scholars and philosophers are wise to delay publishing their life work until they are DEAD. It worked for Copernicus. Publishers ought to be exempt, but of course they never have been.
Am I reading this right? This guy wants to censor the Bible? He wants to delete references to homosexuality as sinful? This sounds too unbelievable. I figure I’m reading this wrong, because how could such a lawsuit proceed? Exactly what laws are broken in his opinion?
I bet this case gets thrown out, but I bet the publisher incurs some expense, which is wrong. This nutcake who filed this should pay a fine and costs.
It’s a publicity stunt. This arsenokoit wrote a book, check Amazon.
If he wants to sue Zondervan, he should at least use a better reason, such as “fraud” for publishing so much of their garbage.
This kind of thing has been going on in Canada for some time...and I’ve said, as Canada goes, so goes the US... but people keep saying “we will never allow it”... well its happening... we will allow it because we have become the proverbial ‘frog in the pot’....
Thus nuisance lawsuit is clearly preposterous and would be repulsive to any rational person, so I would say his chances are no better than 50% - 50%.
I think the “mental instability” was there long before he read this Bible.
That said, the truly tragic thing is that nuts who once would have been laughed out of court can now file suit, get good press coverage, and even win judgments. The world’s gone mad.
I refuse to dismiss any social threat like this on the basis of
“it’ll never happen here”
“they can’t get that done here”
“they’re a fringe group, ignore them”
“we won’t allow it here”
because of the existance of the court system as it is, the ACLU, and the general Left.
If there’s a will to impose some crap on the rest of us, destroying our values, traditions, culture, and families - their will be a way to do it.
Another reason, in a long list of reasons, why we need a “loser pays” law.
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