Posted on 04/28/2011 9:35:21 AM PDT by WalterSkinner
Video of a member of Hemet Calvary Chapel being arrested for reading the Bible to people standing in line at the local DMV office by a CHP officer.
Another story said he was inside. That article also said the police asked him to stop reading and he refused.
I know that office, it is never very busy, if there was a line he was reading to he would have had to be inside.
Then ignore him - don’t silence him. This nation is in a downward spiral and I don’t see much hope for the future if our religious liberties continue to be trampled on. Do you think if it had been a muslim reading for the koran he would have been arrested?
I feel the same way. The guy wasn't arrested for reading the Bible; he was arrested for being a nuisance.
Did you watch the video? He was in the parking lot.
Where exactly did you get that information? You must have seen a different video from the one referenced:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FruQO8qaw9c&feature=share
..that is simply not true
The line to get in wraps around the building and all the chairs inside are full. This video showed he was outside.
How was he harrassing anybody? He was simply reading from the Bible. You really think he would have been arrested for reading the phone book? LOL
You really should watch the video before commenting, because he was outside the entire time. They were standing outside the DMV waiting for it to open. That said, I don’t think it’s productive to try and proselytize in such circumstances. I’d do the same thing if the Lord directed me to do so, but I’d want to make sure it was His will first. It just seems to me this sort of proselytizing is actually counter productive. You can hear other people in the line laughing about the whole thing. Finally, would we appreciate it if Satanists, Muslims, and other non-Christian folk wanted to do the same thing? Being uncivil is not a good witness. Doesn’t scripture tell us to be all things to all people, to obey the law to the extent it doesn’t contradict the Lord’s will?
Did you watch the video?
If he had been singing, would he have been arrested? I find people who sing in public annoying. What if he was praying facing mecca on a prayer rug in the parking lot? Would he have been arrested?
If the Bible is an offense--- any time --that indicates a problem with the hearer not the speaker IMHO--especially when it is done respectfully and calmly...
“Who decides if it’s a public nuisance? I didn’t find it to be a nuisance at all. He was simply reading the Bible.”
The legislatures decide. Just because you enjoyed it, doesn’t mean it’s not a public nuisance under the law. We can’t decide not to apply the law to Christians, and then expect it to be applied to others, like Muslims for example. Conversely, just because someone doesn’t apply the laws to Muslims when they should, doesn’t mean we can expect an exemption for Christians.
Look, I can’t watch the video right now but people are not arrested for reading the bible. They are arrested for harassing people. I’ll comment more when I can actually watch.
Freedom of religion is a protected right. He was not harming anyone. He was not in anyone’s face. He was in the parking lot of a government office. He had every right to be there. Thankfully a lawsuit will teach CA about our freedoms.
How can being a captive audience on public property make the first amendment be overruled. The recent SC decision in the case of the Westboro Church protests at a funeral went in the favor of the Westboro Church. I think those attending a funeral are more of a captive audience than those standing in line at the DMV. You may not like what is being said but the government cannot arrest the person doing the saying, just because of your dislikes, otherwise free speech is very costly. This free speech violation is going to be very costly: to the cash strapped State of California.
There is a MAJOR difference between personal reading of the Bible to yourself and preaching to people at the DMV.
“He was simply reading the Bible.”
So what if it was the Bible, the Koran, the phone book or a novel. You fail civics if you think you have the right to disturb other people just because you think your religion is what I should be hearing. I have the right not to hear about your views.
They weren’t inside - they were in the parking lot - not even close to people and reading from the Bible. How is that harrassing people?
Wow, who is holding all those people in line hostage? You’d think such kidnapping would be of greater concern to captives than a little reading and speaking in public.
In truth, the 1st Amendment forbids Congress (and because of the 14th Amendment, also the States) from passing any laws that abridge the freedom of speech, or of religion and the free exercise of religion, among other things.
Therefore, it’s the law that is in error, not the pastors. Your preference to be free of such speech is irrelevant to this issue.
Surely you’re not suggesting that it is good to allow the government to empower itself to do that which it is forbidden to do by the Constitution, are you?
Why are your rights greater than mine?
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.