This article is just on the periphery of our main topic, Islamic hegemony but I thought it would serve to make a point, that censorship because of the fear of insulting some, or inciting some kind of violent response is a bad precedent to set, and leads to even more suppression of speech seen as inflammatory.
Free speech rights are for conversations some do not like. Speech we all agree with needs no protection, that speech which many disagree with is to be protected at all costs.
From WND October 3 (Thanks to AD)
Café owner faces arrest
Police in Blackpool, England threatened a Christian café owner with arrest last weekend - for displaying the "Watchword Bible" on a TV screen in the back of his restaurant.
Jamie Murray was warned by two police officers to stop playing DVDs of the New Testament in his café following a complaint from a customer that it was inciting hatred against homosexuals.
One person claims offense and the thought police come out to stop this breach of common decency. The minority has taken control of the majority.
Murray, owner of the Salt & Light Coffee House on Layton Road, was told that displaying "offensive" or "insulting" words was a violation of Section 5 of the Public Order Act. The officers warned Murray that if he didn't stop, he could be prosecuted.
A woman who had been in the restaurant complained to police. A statement from the Lancashire department said officers were "duty bound" to investigate, and they concluded the business could be in breach of the law. The law warns "people who play images or sounds that stir up hatred again homosexuals could be guilty of an offense," according to a London Daily Mail report.
And like in Islam when a Muslim makes he same charge, the determining factor in whether it is an insult rests solely in the mind of the person making the complaint. There are no tangible guidelines or criteria for determining what constitutes an insult, thus the law is essentially toothless regarding actual precedent for prosecution.
Murray said he had been given no indication of which verses of the New Testament had caused the offense, but he guessed it may have been a reaction to the Book Of Romans that had been playing the week before. The Book takes the form of a letter from the apostle Paul to the people of Rome, in which he rails against all manner of godlessness.
Murray said he felt like a criminal when police confronted him.
"It felt like an interrogation ... We are approaching a state where people can be possibly arrested just for displaying the Bible in public," he warned. "What's next? Police going into churches and saying you can't say this or that?"
Not yet in Britain, Murray but it is going on in dozens of Muslim countries, and the scenario you describe is happening as we speak.
The Christian Institute, which is offering advice to the restaurant owner, confirmed that in 2005 the same police department paid compensation of what now would be about $15,000 to Joe and Helen Roberts, a Christian couple investigated by police for telling their local council they didn't agree with homosexuality.
"I'd have thought Lancashire constabulary would have learned their lesson after paying out 10,000 [British pounds] to a pair of Christian pensioners who they had interrogated over their views on gay rights," said Mike Judge, a spokesman for the institute.
Murray told the Christian Institute he took down the display of the Bible videos after being threatened and while he obtained legal advice. He said he has since restored the message.
"I said 'surely it isn't a crime to show the Bible?'" Murray said. "But they said they had checked with their sergeant and insulting words are a breach."
So now the words in the Bible are insulting. WTF!?!
"We've all seen the police stand by while extremist Muslims hold placards calling for infidels to be beheaded, but woe betides a Christian café displaying Bible text," said Judge.
Amen, Judge.
Read it all
Free speech rights are for conversations some do not like. Speech we all agree with needs no protection, that speech which many disagree with is to be protected at all costs.
From WND October 3 (Thanks to AD)
Café owner faces arrest
Police in Blackpool, England threatened a Christian café owner with arrest last weekend - for displaying the "Watchword Bible" on a TV screen in the back of his restaurant.
Jamie Murray was warned by two police officers to stop playing DVDs of the New Testament in his café following a complaint from a customer that it was inciting hatred against homosexuals.
One person claims offense and the thought police come out to stop this breach of common decency. The minority has taken control of the majority.
Murray, owner of the Salt & Light Coffee House on Layton Road, was told that displaying "offensive" or "insulting" words was a violation of Section 5 of the Public Order Act. The officers warned Murray that if he didn't stop, he could be prosecuted.
A woman who had been in the restaurant complained to police. A statement from the Lancashire department said officers were "duty bound" to investigate, and they concluded the business could be in breach of the law. The law warns "people who play images or sounds that stir up hatred again homosexuals could be guilty of an offense," according to a London Daily Mail report.
And like in Islam when a Muslim makes he same charge, the determining factor in whether it is an insult rests solely in the mind of the person making the complaint. There are no tangible guidelines or criteria for determining what constitutes an insult, thus the law is essentially toothless regarding actual precedent for prosecution.
Murray said he had been given no indication of which verses of the New Testament had caused the offense, but he guessed it may have been a reaction to the Book Of Romans that had been playing the week before. The Book takes the form of a letter from the apostle Paul to the people of Rome, in which he rails against all manner of godlessness.
Murray said he felt like a criminal when police confronted him.
"It felt like an interrogation ... We are approaching a state where people can be possibly arrested just for displaying the Bible in public," he warned. "What's next? Police going into churches and saying you can't say this or that?"
Not yet in Britain, Murray but it is going on in dozens of Muslim countries, and the scenario you describe is happening as we speak.
The Christian Institute, which is offering advice to the restaurant owner, confirmed that in 2005 the same police department paid compensation of what now would be about $15,000 to Joe and Helen Roberts, a Christian couple investigated by police for telling their local council they didn't agree with homosexuality.
"I'd have thought Lancashire constabulary would have learned their lesson after paying out 10,000 [British pounds] to a pair of Christian pensioners who they had interrogated over their views on gay rights," said Mike Judge, a spokesman for the institute.
Murray told the Christian Institute he took down the display of the Bible videos after being threatened and while he obtained legal advice. He said he has since restored the message.
"I said 'surely it isn't a crime to show the Bible?'" Murray said. "But they said they had checked with their sergeant and insulting words are a breach."
So now the words in the Bible are insulting. WTF!?!
"We've all seen the police stand by while extremist Muslims hold placards calling for infidels to be beheaded, but woe betides a Christian café displaying Bible text," said Judge.
Amen, Judge.
Read it all
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