Posted on 10/15/2014 8:14:40 AM PDT by GonzoII
The city of Houston has issued subpoenas demanding a group of pastors turn over any sermons dealing with homosexuality, gender identity or Annise Parker, the city’s first openly lesbian mayor. And those ministers who fail to comply could be held in contempt of court.
“The city’s subpoena of sermons and other pastoral communications is both needless and unprecedented,” Alliance Defending Freedom attorney Christina Holcomb said in a statement. “The city council and its attorneys are engaging in an inquisition designed to stifle any critique of its actions.”
ADF, a nationally-known law firm specializing in religious liberty cases, is representing five Houston pastors. They filed a motion in Harris County court to stop the subpoenas arguing they are “overbroad, unduly burdensome, harassing, and vexatious.”
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
God should drop off the Ten Commandments — right through the City Hall roof.
The American Left is now showing its true colors.
If I was a pastor, I’d simply refuse to comply and force city officials to drag me off to jail with the cameras rolling.
It’s time to let America see fascism in action.
If they back down then whatever they preach it ain’t gospel. Oooooh, we can’t evangelize because the lions will eat us!
Don’t you think God is disgusted to hear that.
The power he has is one to fool people. One huge con artist. That’s all.
Probably if they refused, nothing would happen. It’s a huge bluff with nothing of legal substance whatsoever behind it.
But I’d still suggest the “red carpet compliance” treatment. Invite the fair lady to a private showing in a deluxe chapel. If it’s a gospel church then it will have gospel preaching in it. If it’s a First Church of Carping then yes they might have an image problem but they brought it on themselves.
I’ve never seen a hard copy of a sermon from any priest or preacher. I did see one preacher’s notes once — it was four words, just meant as mental triggers, written on a tiny piece of paper. He got up and talked for 30 minutes based on those four simple words, and must have quoted at least 100 scriptures in the process.
They must think these things are fully written down and read from a telepromter, lol.
I went to catholic masses for decades and the sermons were usually quite short and not much said on topics like homosexuality. Even the protestant churches with typical longer meatier sermons rarely focus much on homosexuality. Then I am not sure pastors always write them down. Depends.
Many churches now record sermons and post online so they can just watch the replays.
I think to hear any sermons on the s word (sin) you need either an FSSP parish or a church where the priest was personally very orthodox.
Pastors should tell city to pound sand and to contact said pastors’ lawyers. Paging Jay of ASJ.
They provide copies of the sermons OR WHAT? They get prosecuted on WHAT CHARGE? Nazis are all about intimidation. Call this carpet muncher’s bluff.
What probable cause for a crime has been presented to a judqe in order to qet authorization for these subpoenas?
“This is completely insane by the Mayor. Does she know that this is a blatant violation of the First Amendment to the Constitution in regards to both Free Speech and Freedom of Religion?”
Do you think she cares?
Obviously not, because she has issued it.
I think the Mayor better realize this is effectively trying to silence the opposition. Not going to work when the First Amendment explicitly prohibits government interference of free speech and freedom of religion.
“How about all Christians send a Bible to city hall in Houston with a post-it on the front cover that says, “Sermon Notes”?!”
I like this - a lot!!
Thousands of bibles piled on the front door!! What a picture.
Do not comply. We have a First Amendment.
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