Christian group gets obscene, hateful messages

[Dittomonkey911]

http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article....RTICLE_ID=42417

[MooseGirl]

My husband showed me another article on it. I posted it the general forums. It makes me sad to see this. I dont see how reading the Bible is bad.

[Yahsway]

And the ACLU has the gawl to call these christians guilty of "hate" crimes?

Just reading those messages that pastor got was chilling to say the least. And it was full of HATE towards him and his family.

It makes me want to go to Philly and scream the TRUTH from the top of my lungs.

When I read that, I could almost here those men that were in Sodom calling out to Lot to let them in so they could have their way.

Yeshua was right! As in the days of Noah and Sodom and Gomorrah. We are just getting that much closer my brothers and sisters. Shalom

[hippo's hope is HIM]

How was what they did illegal???

Don't homosexuals, pro-lifers, aids, all kind of people protest.........

maybe there is more to what the christians did than what we are hearing????

[lifeandliberty]

Judge eases curbs on protesters

Bail condition barring the "Philadelphia Four" from gay events violated rights to free speech, ruling says.

By Larry Eichel

Inquirer Staff Writer

In a case that has received national attention, a Philadelphia judge yesterday revoked a bail condition that had kept four antigay activists away from organized gay events, calling the restriction an unreasonable restraint on free speech.

She also indicated she might be inclined to dismiss the entire case.

The decision by Common Pleas Court Judge Pamela Dembe came in the case of the so-called Philadelphia Four. They are facing a variety of charges, including felonies, in connection with their behavior at the gay and lesbian community's Outfest celebration last fall.

"We cannot restrict people's right to speak or to be near those who might not wish to hear them into the future," Dembe said. The limit had been put in place last month by Municipal Court Judge William A. Meehan against the demonstrators, who are affiliated with a local group called Repent America and who say their opposition to homosexuality is Bible-based.

After viewing a 22-minute videotape of the events leading to the defendants' arrest, Dembe said: "It all amounted to annoyance on both sides, but it did not amount to criminal behavior that I can see."

Cathie Abookire, a spokeswoman for District Attorney Lynne M. Abraham, said that the prosecution would proceed with the case. A pretrial hearing is scheduled next month, at which Dembe is to hear arguments on dismissing the charges.

The activists, led by Michael Marcavage of Lansdowne, say they are being prosecuted for preaching the Gospel, a claim that has won them considerable support among conservative Christian groups around the country.

During the hearing yesterday, Assistant District Attorney Charles Ehrlich said that the criminal charges were based not on what the defendants said at Outfest but on their conduct.

"Mr. Marcavage's conduct is to try to incite a crowd to cause a public disturbance... whether it's from the Bible or somewhere else," Ehrlich said.

Marcavage faces felony charges of criminal conspiracy, incitement to riot, and violating the state's law against hate crimes, plus five misdemeanors.

Felony charges (but not the misdemeanors) have been dismissed against the other three, though they remain in place against a 17-year-old girl who demonstrated.

The activists were arrested after refusing a police order to move to an area farther from the center of the Outfest celebration, which covered eight blocks of Center City.

Police said they were concerned about possible violence; the activists were being followed by counterprotesters using pink insulation boards and whistles to prevent the antigay words and signs from being being seen or heard.

During the hearing, the defendants' attorney, C. Scott Shields, said the bail condition preventing his clients from getting with 100 feet of any gay event had effectively "muzzled" them, "and that's unconstitutional as a prior restraint."

In addition, Shields argued that Marcavage and the other defendants were within their rights to go to Outfest with their bullhorn because the festival was a public event held on public streets. The legal situation would have been different, he said, had the event taken place in a private venue.

Continue this story at:

http://www.philly.com/mld/inquirer/news/front/10705185.htm

[lifeandliberty]

Bill Would Strip 'Sexual Orientation' from PA's Hate Crimes Law

February 10, 2005

By Ed Thomas

(AgapePress) - Legislators in Pennsylvania have introduced a bill designed to remove language from a state "hate crimes" law that was used against Christian protestors in the "Outfest" case in Philadelphia. The arrests of the Christians allowed political opponents of the hate crimes law to say their warnings were ignored.

House Bill 1493 became Act 143 of the Pennsylvania Hate Crimes Law in November 2002 and added "sexual orientation" protection to the law. Legislators and other opponents -- like Diane Gramley of the American Family Association of Pennsylvania -- warned then that the law could be used against the First Amendment rights of Christians, a charge sponsors adamantly denied was the intent. She even recalls one of the measure's supporters accusing opponents of having "an active imagination," and saying the bill was about "thugs, hooligans, murderers, and blood in the street," not about infringing on the rights of Christians.

That was until the pro-homosexual Outfest event in October 2004, when the "ethnic intimidation" charge against the arrested Christians was drawn from Act 143. Gramley says opponents of the measure now have the proof they need -- and 17 of them have co-sponsored House Bill 204.

"[This bill] removes the wording that was added back in November 2002 [when] 'actual or perceived sexual orientation, gender, and gender identity' [were added]," she explains.

State Representative Tom Yewcic was to introduce the new bill today (February 7) at a capital news conference. Gramley calls the lawmakers' move a "bold step in restoring the First Amendment rights of Pennsylvania's Christians."

Five of the Christians arrested at the Outfest event are stilling facing 47 years in prison and fines up to $90,000 each. Those who were arrested committed no violence against homosexuals at the gathering. However, a city prosecutor declared that the bullhorn used by one of the Christians was an "instrument of crime."

Agape Press

[other one]

It is time we started praying for judgement on this country, before it gets to the point where God decides to destroy the whole thing. We need Gods hand to either straighten out our nation, or do it in before it gets us all.

[lifeandliberty]

The Criminalization of Christianity

By Wendy Griffith

CBN News Sr. Reporter

CBN.com

[lifeandliberty]

I just recieved this note from the father of Lauren Murch (one of the Philadelphia 5).

--------------------------------------------------------

Breaking News!

I was contacted by the Philadelphia attorney and told that the Prosecutor in Lauren's case has said he will drop the charges. It is not yet official, the charges have not yet actually been dropped, and we may still have to appear in court on the 18th, but this is excellent news!

In further good news, it is becoming evident what God's plan was in all of this.

So far, 17 Pennsylvania legislators, led by a Democrat, have drafted a bill removing "sexual orientation" from their hate crimes legislation, that they just put in there back in 2002!

Furthermore, the reason they are doing it is because of this case! The very first time it was invoked, it was so badly abused, and brought such overwhelmingly negative publicity to the State and the City, they have decided to mount a move to trash the language they fought so hard to have put in!

Let's pray they are successful.

[M45510G1C]

So far, 17 Pennsylvania legislators, led by a Democrat, have drafted a bill removing "sexual orientation" from their hate crimes legislation, that they just put in there back in 2002!

Wow, let's hope that that nonsense does get romoved from the hate crimes legislation.

It would be ideal that all hate crime legislation be stricken form the books, as it is nonsense, but this would be a step in the right direction.