The Outlawing of Some Key Scriptures:

Canada Amends Hate Crime Law
The revision to the Canadian Hate Crime laws, Bill C-250, has passed into law. Christians and other religious groups/individuals are greatly concerned because of the vague wording and potential of abuse. The bill revises the hate propaganda laws to specifically include sexual orientation in laws which make it a crime to "incite hatred against any identifiable group...." Below are some excerpts from the revised law:

Hate Propaganda
318. (1) Every one who advocates or promotes genocide is guilty of an indictable offense and liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding five years. (2) In this section, "genocide" means any of the following acts committed with intent to destroy in whole or in part any identifiable group, namely, (a) killing members of the group; or (b) deliberately inflicting on the group conditions of life calculated to bring about its physical destruction. (3) No proceeding for an offense under this section shall be instituted without the consent of the Attorney General. (4) In this section, "identifiable group" means any section of the public distinguished by color, race, religion, ethnic origin or sexual orientation.

319. (1) Every one who, by communicating statements in any public place, incites hatred against any identifiable group where such incitement is likely to lead to a breach of the peace is guilty of (a) an indictable offense and is liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years; or (b) an offense punishable on summary conviction. (2) Every one who, by communicating statements, other than in private conversation, willfully promotes hatred against any identifiable group is guilty of (a) an indictable offense and is liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years; or (b) an offense punishable on summary conviction. (3) No person shall be convicted of an offense under subsection (2)
(a) if he establishes that the statements communicated were true;
(b) if, in good faith, the person expressed or attempted to establish by argument an opinion on a religious subject or an opinion based on a belief in a religious text;
(c) if the statements were relevant to any subject of public interest, the discussion of which was for the public benefit, and if on reasonable grounds he believed them to be true; or
(d) if, in good faith, he intended to point out, for the purpose of removal, matters producing or tending to produce feelings of hatred toward an identifiable group in Canada.

We know that certain Old Testament texts will be prime targets for accusations; such as Leviticus 20:13 If a man also lie with mankind, as he lieth with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination: they shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them.

Remember that in 2001 [upheld in 2003] ad-poster Hugh Owens and the newspaper Saskatoon Star-Phoenix were found guilty of inciting hatred and forced to pay three complainants 1500 Canadian dollars for a newspaper ad that included citations of four Bible verses that addressed homosexuality. The law allows for peaceful expression of honestly held convictions but the commission ruled that this ad exposed the 3 homosexual complainants "to hatred, ridicule, and their dignity was affronted on the basis of their sexual orientation." For the Court of Queen's Bench in Saskatchewan Justice J. Barclay wrote that the 2001 ruling "was correct in concluding that the advertisement can objectively be seen as exposing homosexuals to hatred or ridicule. When the use of the circle and slash is combined with the passages of the Bible, it exposes homosexuals to detestation, vilification and disgrace. In other words, the biblical passage which suggests that if a man lies with a man they must be put to death exposes homosexuals to hatred."

Could biblical texts have Christians standing accused as being guilty of "Hate Crimes" promulgating genocide? Jude 1:7 Even as Sodom and Gomorra, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire. Jude 1:14 And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints, 15 To execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him.

1 Corinthians 6:9-10 Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. Revelation 21:8 But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.

Even thouh this new Canadian law seems to exempt comments born of religious convictions many are still gravely concerned. Dr. Janet Epp Buckingham, director of Law and Public Policy for the Evangelical Fellowship of Canada, said, "Christians have seen their rights to dissent restricted by case after case in the courts.... We no longer trust that the guarantee of religious freedom in the Charter [of Rights and Freedoms] is necessarily going to apply to protect religious free speech."