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Pennsylvania Bill Could Silence Churches on Homosexuality
CENTER FOR RECLAIMING AMERICA. ^ | 11/27/02 | Greg Hoadley

Posted on 11/27/2002 6:02:07 AM PST by apackof2

Pennsylvania Bill Could Silence Churches on Homosexuality

A bill that could make pastors open to lawsuits for teaching the biblical truth of homosexuality could soon become law.
House Bill 1493 has already passed the Pennsylvania state, and could pass the House as soon as Wednesday, November 27.

"If pastors from pulpits speak either of the supremacy of biblical traditional marriage or speak of sexually
alternative lifestyles in an unfavorable way, under this amendment they could be open to litigation," William Devlin, president of
the Pennsylvania-based Urban Family Council, told Cybercast News Service.

"Basically," he continued, "it's saying if you're sitting and you're hearing and you feel intimidated, you can sue."

The bill would include provisions for sexual and gender minorities—gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender,
transsexual, transvestite, polyamorous, pan-sexual, and transvestites.

The bill provides no exemptions for religious institutions or clergy, according to Devlin.

"It is difficult for me to fathom that such a bill could become law in Pennsylvania," said Dr. D. James Kennedy,
founder and president of the CENTER FOR RECLAIMING AMERICA.
"Please, take a moment to call Governor Mark Schweiker, at (717) 787-2500, and tell him to veto House Bill 1493."


TOPICS: Government
KEYWORDS: bill; catholiclist; churches; homosexuality; pennsylvania
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To: randita
Unfortunately this will pass and the law will stand. The courts will say that as long as the churches are receiving largesse from the government, via tax exemption, that the government can dictate what is spoken in the church. The only way the churches will be able to retain their "freeom of religion" will be to give up their tax exempt status. This is just part of the ongoing effort to get rid of religion, especially christianity.
41 posted on 11/27/2002 8:24:13 AM PST by fifteendogs
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Comment #42 Removed by Moderator

To: apackof2; *Catholic_list; .45MAN; AKA Elena; al_c; american colleen; Angelus Errare; Antoninus; ...
I just called the Gov to ask him to veto this bill:

Please call Governor Mark Schweiker at (717) 787-2500 or (800) 932-0784 urging him to veto hate crimes bill HB1493 which passed PA House



e-Alert!
from the Pennsylvania Family Institute
November 27, 2002

1240 N. Mountain Rd., Harrisburg, PA 17112 phone (717) 545-0600; fax (717) 545-8107
Web site: www.pafamily.org

HATE CRIMES BILL PASSES PA. HOUSE
GOES TO GOVERNOR FOR SIGNATURE OR VETO ! FAMILIES SHOULD URGE THE GOVERNOR TO VETO HB 1493 !

After a 90-minute debate, HB 1493, which adds "sexual orientation," "gender" and "gender" identity to Pennsylvania's "ethnic intimidation" statute, passed the House by a vote of 118-79.

Having already passed the State Senate last year, the measure now goes to Governor Mark Schweiker. He can either sign it, making it law in Pennsylvania, or veto it, which will kill the legislation.

Gay and Lesbian organizations hailed the vote, noting that for the first time in Pennsylvania law, gays and lesbians (and other forms of sexual behavior) have special recognition and protection. It is clear that this will not be the end of their legislative efforts.

PLEASE CALL GOVERNOR MARK SCHWEIKER AT (717) 787-2500 OR (800) 932-0784, AND URGE HIM TO VETO HOUSE BILL 1493, THE "HATE CRIMES AMENDMENT."

Reasons Why HB 1493 Should Be Vetoed:

* Although well intentioned, "hate-crime" laws are seriously flawed. They pave the way for unequal treatment under the law as well as the un-American concept of "thought crime," in which someone's actions are "more" illegal based on their thoughts or beliefs.
* A grandmother walking down the street should have at least as much protection under the law as a homosexual who is leaving a "gay" bar. But under this "hate crimes" laws that include "sexual orientation," the same crime would be punished with greater penalties if the victim were a homosexual.
* There is no evidence that victims of "hate crimes" are receiving any less attention than victims of other crimes. To suggest otherwise insults the men and women of the nation's law enforcement community.

We deplore any act of violence against innocent victims (including homosexuals), but we strongly oppose as unjust and dangerous HB 1493.

So-called "hate crimes" laws:

* Violate the concept of equal protection under the law by designating special classes of victims, who get a higher level of government protection than others victimized by similar crimes.
* Politicize criminal law, leading to pressure on police and prosecutors to devote more of their limited resources to some cases, at the expense of other crime victims' cases.
* Have a chilling effect on free speech by making unpopular ideas a basis for harsher treatment in criminal proceedings. Over half of the so-called "hate crimes" in the last U.S. Justice Department report were categorized as "intimidation" or "simple assault," which do not necessarily involve anything more than words.
* Confuse law enforcers, because the definition of what constitutes a "hate crime" is clear in some instances but unclear in others. This burdens prosecutors and opens up endless opportunities for defense attorneys to invoke technicalities.
* Are not necessary. There is no evidence to substantiate the claim that "hate crime" victims are receiving less justice than other crime victims.

For state legislator contact information, go to:
http://www2.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/findyourlegislator/find.cfm

or visit http://www.pafamily.org/and click on the "Find Your Legislator" link
or ask us at the PA Family Institute at 1-800-FAMILY-1.
43 posted on 11/27/2002 10:30:03 AM PST by Polycarp
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To: apackof2
"Basically," he continued, "it's saying if you're sitting and you're hearing and you feel intimidated, you can sue." ... The bill provides no exemptions for religious institutions or clergy, according to Devlin.
It will never pass Constitutional muster. Bring it on.
44 posted on 11/27/2002 10:48:38 AM PST by eastsider
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Comment #45 Removed by Moderator

To: eastsider
It will never pass Constitutional muster. Bring it on.

The bill says nothing of the sort. Check out post #24.

46 posted on 11/27/2002 11:30:09 AM PST by dirtboy
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To: MRAR15Guy56
No, this

This what? This article is not truthful about the nature of this bill.

AND the Patriot Act - and 'Homeland Security' is how fascism starts.

Likewise, the Homeland Security Act actually contains, from what I have read, more positives for privacy than negatives. There is a lot of doom-and-gloom B.S. floating around nowadays.

47 posted on 11/27/2002 11:31:57 AM PST by dirtboy
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To: dirtboy
Thanks for the language, dirtboy. The quote I posted from the article clearly misrepresents the bill.

Happy Thanksgiving!

48 posted on 11/27/2002 11:38:53 AM PST by eastsider
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To: eastsider
Happy Thanksgiving!

And you too!

49 posted on 11/27/2002 11:40:35 AM PST by dirtboy
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To: twyn1; apackof2
this is a test-case which could lead to the destruction of non-PC churches

In China, there are the government "sanctioned" churches within the various denominations and then there are the underground churches where the truth is still taught. In China, however, those caught attending the underground churches are shipped off to jail .... and worse.

50 posted on 11/27/2002 12:25:18 PM PST by NYer
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To: dirtboy
Thanks for the info on the wording of the bill, but you need to remember one word: incrementalism. With the kind of judges that sit on most benches in this country there is going to be some really wild interpretation of what "malicious intent" means.

I think this is just the first step. Get a glimmer of the thought introduced into the legal system and the public's ears. The left knows they can't get it all in one fell swoop.

I'm also not saying that this will be a completely bad thing for the church. The lines will be drawn. Who will truly stand for and speak the truth (speaking it in love and concern for the sinner, as Jesus would) and who will cave to the PC Nazis (as many have already)?
51 posted on 11/27/2002 5:31:43 PM PST by Pablo64
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To: fifteendogs
The courts will say that as long as the churches are receiving largesse from the government, via tax exemption, that the government can dictate what is spoken in the church.

If your argument holds in court, then the government should be able to dictate to the ACLU, Emily's List, People for the American Way, Focus on the Family, Sierra Club, Red Cross, Salvation Army and any other tax exempt charitable group what they can say.

If the tax exemption is denied to a church, then it will have to be denied across the board to all tax exempt charitable groups.

52 posted on 11/28/2002 6:09:38 AM PST by randita
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To: apackof2
Unfortunately, by electing homophile Eddy Rendell, this bill is as good as signed if it ever gets to him. What's more, he'll enforce it to the hilt. He was the guy, as mayor of Philadephia, who had the whole city boycott the state of Colorado for daring to pass a pro-family, anti-extra-rights for homos referendum.

Pennsylvania's headed down the crapper it seems.... sigh.
53 posted on 11/28/2002 8:23:40 PM PST by Antoninus
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To: apackof2; Polycarp
I haven't kept up on this. What is the latest?
54 posted on 11/29/2002 5:58:50 PM PST by Salvation
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To: apackof2
Govenor Schweiker signed this bill into law on Dec. 3. I just read about it in the local paper yesterday.
55 posted on 12/11/2002 8:44:13 AM PST by StopGlobalWhining
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To: All
Anyone know offhand who the author(s) of this bill are?
56 posted on 12/11/2002 8:52:29 AM PST by jla
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