Could Preaching the Gospel Land You In Jail?

 
 
 
According to an “Action Alert” that I received from the American Family Association today, there is a bill in Congress that makes it a crime for pastors and churches to speak against homosexuality. The  “Action Alert” goes on to say  “The proposed law would make it a crime to preach on Romans Chapter 1 or I Corinthians Chapter 6.  Or even to discuss them in a Sunday School class…House bill H.R. 1592 and Senate bill S. 1105 would make negative statements concerning homosexuality, such as calling the practice of homosexuality a sin from the pulpit, a “hate crime” punishable by law. This dangerous legislation would take away your freedom of speech and your freedom of religion.  Consider what has already happened:”
 
 
According to some excerpts from the Home School Legal Defense Association “H.R. 1592 is a federal hate crimes bill. It will (1) create for the first time a federal hate crime defined as “bodily injury to any person or …attempts to cause bodily injury to any person, because of the actual or perceived religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or disability of any person”; (2) provide federal support to state, local, or tribal law enforcement agencies if the agency requests federal support in prosecuting hate crimes; and (3) authorize the federal government to prosecute hate crimes if a state does not intend to prosecute the crime, or if the verdict or sentence under State charges “left demonstratively un vindicated the Federal interest in eradicating bias-motivated violence.””
 
 
I decided to do a little research on the H.R. 1592 bill and based on what the bill reads I have come up with the following conclusion:
 
 
1)         This bill pertains to bodily injury and to attempts to bodily injury.
2)            Preaching against any sin should always be done in a way that promotes reconciliation, forgiveness and love for those affected by the sin, and not in a way that promotes violence.
3)         As Christians we should not devote ourselves to focusing all our attention on a particular sin.
4)         As Christians we should focus on healing and not punishing.
 
 
If we as priest, pastor or preachers focus on the healing grace of Christ and leave out statements that are purposed on judging others, we have nothing to fear. So I feel that it would be perfectly safe to preach against the sin of alcoholism and drug addiction without having to condemn alcoholics and drug addicts in my sermon. Of course, alcoholism, drug addiction, sexual addiction and other sin multiplying addictions, are running rampant on this great country of ours, but I do not see groups like the American Family Association ganging up on those?
 
 
So it seems to me that there might be some level of discrimination being promoted by some out there, or at the very least, a sense of hysteria is being created around a particular sin, which in turn is moving people to develop ill feelings to a particular group of people affected by that sin, and H.R. 1592 sets out to protect those who can be adversely affected by overzealous crusaders that might cause injury while in their quest to prove their perceived perfection or superiority.
 
 
For that reason, I suggest that you not only keep a close eye on legislation that may infringe upon your right to free speech and freedom of religion, but also on groups that promote hate by their posture and treatment of a particular affected group. Homosexuality is a sin against God, there is no way around that, but so is alcoholism, prostitution, hatred, deception, manipulation, and the list goes on. So we could spend a lifetime talking about sin, or we can focus on Christ’s redemptive message. “For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.” (John 3:17)
 
 
So American Family Association, will you consider using your resources for the cause of the Gospel. Imagine mobilizing America into an evangelism mode. Picture you leading thousands into a mission planting movement on American soil. You could help turn this country into a Christian nation by sharing Christ. But you are helping create an atmosphere of hostility that could lead this nation away from Christ, and we do not need that. So what do you say, will you share Christ with others instead?
 
 
Fr. Abad A. Perez