The following is taken from Tony Perkins' Washington Update for April 29, 2004.

The Canadians Make Free Speech a Crime


If you haven't realized it yet, you will soon. For those pushing the homosexual agenda, tolerance is a one-way street - their way. Where is their tolerance targeted? The church. Just north of us in Canada, the parliament passed Bill C-250 last week, making it a crime for anyone to publicly criticize homosexuality. Known as the "chill bill," the law makes it illegal to advocate traditional Christian opposition to homosexual sex. The quoting of Scripture will soon be hate speech.

Already in Sweden, sermons are explicitly covered by an anti-hate speech law passed to protect homosexuals. A Pentecostal minister there is facing charges for using Scripture references that state homosexuality is a sin. And in England, the House of Lords passed the Gender Recognition bill last month, which makes it illegal for a clergyman to refuse to marry a homosexual couple claiming to be man and a woman. And if a clergyman is under the impression he is marrying a man and woman, but finds out after the ceremony that the couple is really of the same sex, it is against the law for him to tell anyone. If he does, he faces a hefty fine! You may think this will never happen in America, but if we continue down the destructive path towards redefining marriage and thought crimes legislation, it won't be long before our churches will be handcuffed and silenced.

While we should be aware on this trend and do our best to ensure that it does not happen in The Bahamas, we should not be fearful about it. In my view, any conviction that is a true conviction is worth dying for and the worst that will come out of these will be a fine or prison time. So if our government follows suit and passes "silencing the truth" laws like they have in Canada and Sweden, I will continue to speak against homosexuality and all forms of non one man one woman relationships in the context of marriage and call them sinful as God's Word declares. Also, I will submit myself to the law of the land as the 3 Hebrew boys did when they refused to bow to the king's statue...they disobeyed the king and submitted to his fire. Ultimately they obeyed God who delivered them. However, their deliverance is no assurance for ours. The Lord in His sovereignty could choose to allow us to die a martyr's death like many who have gone before us.

You and I have "locked horns" on many occasions. However, you have never tried to stop me from speaking, you have acted like a Christian Gentleman. I hope I have acted like a Buddhist Gentleman, who supports Gay rights.

It will be a sad day, in this country, when either one of us has our mouths stopped for what we believe. I abhor what has happened in Canada and in Sweden (The stifling of free speech) and denounce it in the harshest terms!!!

If needs be, I will join you in the fire to keep free speech free! I support the rights of all people to speak their minds and their beliefs without let or hindrance. No one has the right to silence anything, be it "truth" or not.

Looks like I will burn in that fire as well because I will stand with you on that Cedric. Even though what these countries have done helps my cause I will not stand and let the government dictate what someone’s truth should be and if they can teach it or not. Free speech and free to teach is the only way for the human race to grow.

Remember it works both ways equal rights for all or no one is equal. (No such thing as heterosexual equal rights or Christian equal rights.)
Cedric now you see discrimination aimed at your way of life and you obviously don't like it. You don't want to be treated that way. So why treat others that way. Look in the mirror and see what you said in the past and see what you are saying now.
People choose to be Christian they are not born that way.

“Homosexual agenda “
What was it they called what Martin Luther King did, "The Negro Agenda" or a fight for equal rights.

I guess all of us will be dancing in that fire together!!! What next?? Are they going to try to take our minds? Our beliefs? Hah, they can cut out my tongue but they will never stop me from my actions! Til Death I will communicate my feelings and thoughts!

Here is what a Rainbow Alliance member emailed me about Cedrics post.

Hi Vicky,

I am familiar with that Canadian law. It was being
debated when I was at school there. It is
unconstitutional to publicly (in a non-church
environment) express a religious view with the intent
of imposing that view on others. It merely ensures
that there remains a distinct separation of Church and
State.

Our Constitution says government must protect its
citizens from abuse, harassment and discrimination. I
guess a good lawyer could argue that unwanted anti-gay
speech is harassment. No one has ever challenged that
aspect of the constitution to my knowledge.

But the forcing of one's religion on others of a
different faith is unconstitutional in The Bahamas.
Hmmm!! E.g., if a Buddhist over 18 years old, is
opposed to a Christian preacher giving religious
instruction at a public function which he is required
to attend, he or she could challenge it
constitutionally.

See section 22:2 in capitals

Protection of freedom of conscience.
22.-

1.Except with his consent, no person shall be hindered
in the enjoyment of his freedom of conscience, and for
the purposes of this Article the said freedom includes
freedom of thought and of religion, freedom to change
his religion or belief and freedom, either alone or in
community with others, and both in public and in
private, to manifest and propagate his religion of
belief in worship, teaching, practice and observance.

2.Except with his consent (or, if he is a person who
has not attained the age of eighteen years, the
consent of his guardian) NO PERSON attending any place
of education SHALL BE REQUIRED TO receive religious
instruction or to take part in or ATTEND ANY RELIGIOUS
CEREMONY or observance of that instruction, ceremony
or observance relates to a religion OTHER THAN HIS
OWN.

gee, never knew we actually had a working constitution.

Its like there is a law that sais we must use a turning signal, and not run red lights, and then some..

seems there is not much being enforced here, let alone ones constitutional rights.