Man Sues Bible Publishers over Verses on Homosexuality

[Sheenar]

Sorry, UC. I didn't know I would start all this...

[KeybladeWarrior]

[quote="Sheenar (post: 1243377)"]I usually take any article from Citizenlink with a grain of salt...but after reading this, I think the U.S. may be headed in the same direction as Canada and the U.K. in regarding Scripture as hate speech.

Article

A Michigan man is suing Zondervan Publishing and Thomas Nelson Publishing, claiming biblical references to homosexuality as a sin violate his constitutional rights and have caused him emotional pain and mental instability.

Bradley LaShawn Fowler, 39, is seeking $60 million from Zondervan and $10 million from Thomas Nelson, The Grand Rapids (Mich.) Press reported. He is representing himself in both claims.

Fowler claims the Bible has made him an outcast and contributed to physical discomfort and periods of "demoralization, chaos and bewilderment."

"As frivolous as this case may sound, it's an indicator of where the homosexual agenda is headed," said Bruce Hausknecht, judicial analyst for Focus on the Family Action. "Ten years from now, this type of case won't be humorous at all]
Wouldn't suing the Bible plublisher be going against Zodervan's right of freedom of speech? o.O Second, why did he read the passage in the first place?

[Nate]

Wouldn't suing the Bible plublisher be going against Zodervan's right of freedom of speech?

This was covered earlier. Not all speech is protected under the first amendment. He is trying to get these verses classified as "hate speech" which is NOT protected speech (another form of speech which is not protected would be, for example, yelling "FIRE!" in a crowded movie theater).

[ChristianKitsune]

Yah, but what in the heck DEFINES Hate speech? I mean... it's hate to one person and truth to another? O_o And if that man would only read further in the Bible and stuff he would find that God definately doesn't hate them.... ._.

^^; i just opened a can of worms with that question, didn't I?

[Fish and Chips]

Yah, but what in the heck DEFINES Hate speech? I mean... it's hate to one person and truth to another? O_o And if that man would only read further in the Bible and stuff he would find that God definately doesn't hate them.... ._.

God, no.

Lots and lots of Christians, yes.

[beau99]

God, no.

Lots and lots of Christians, yes.

Exactly.

Many Christians use those verses (which could be argued are poor translations, but that's a whole 'nother topic) AS hate speech.

[Tundrawolf]

[quote="ChristianKitsune (post: 1246429)"]Yah, but what in the heck DEFINES Hate speech? I mean... it's hate to one person and truth to another? O_o And if that man would only read further in the Bible and stuff he would find that God definately doesn't hate them.... ._.

^^]

It most assuredly is hate speech, as society defines it today.

However, he will not win, because Jesus died for the sins of the world, and there is healing and deliverance for those who will walk with Christ.

Even if this man who is suing doesn't believe that, the argument is still in favor of the Christians because it is OUR book and it says what it says.

If Jesus had said to stone to death every homosexual, then this man would have a case. This man is holding an OT view, and is probably infuriated by it.

So, in essence, the Bible is saying that "You are being bad, but there is hope for you".

Instead of "You are being bad, and you're screwed".

[ChristianKitsune]

God, no.

Lots and lots of Christians, yes.

Shame on us. Seriously.

Christians are called to love others...not use God's word as Hate Speech. It really makes Him look bad, which he is 100 percent not. XD

Woooh CK just stated the obvious.

[Technomancer]

It most assuredly is hate speech, as society defines it today.

Oh? And what is the legal definition of hate speech?

[Jaltus-bot]

It starts... Remember all those slippery slopes we conspiracy theorists were nutjobs to believe in? Seems people HAVE slipped down that far.

You know, there is a word for people who think everyone is out to get them.
Yeah, perceptive.

I hope it does get thrown out. If it doesn't, let's either write to the US gov. or join giant class action suits to make our point. Maybe we can sue him for mental anguish.

[Etoh*the*Greato]

You know, there is a word for people who think everyone is out to get them.
Yeah, perceptive.

I hope it does get thrown out. If it doesn't, let's either write to the US gov. or join giant class action suits to make our point. Maybe we can sue him for mental anguish.

What conspiracies are those?

[Tundrawolf]

Oh? And what is the legal definition of hate speech?

I said as society, not the courts.

And also-calling for the death of a homosexual is hate speech, as is the death of an adulterer. Right? If Jesus never came to die for our sins, that's exactly what the Bible would be calling for today, right? Or am I off base, here.

[Technomancer]

I said as society, not the courts.

Ah.

And also-calling for the death of a homosexual is hate speech, as is the death of an adulterer.

More likely, it would be incitement (which is not legally protected).

[Tundrawolf]

Good point.

[Psycho Molos]

There is a double standard here though...the guy is suing because of the antihomosexual parts of the Bible and some of us are talking about doing the same for other religions however heaven forbid we do that. If we do that....then we're "hateful intolerant people" for dissing religions that proclaim that there's "only one way to Heaven"

(however those "tolerant" people forget that Judaism and Islam are ALSO religions that insist there's "only one way"...!!)

[Radical Dreamer]

There is a double standard here though...the guy is suing because of the antihomosexual parts of the Bible and some of us are talking about doing the same for other religions however heaven forbid we do that. If we do that....then we're "hateful intolerant people" for dissing religions that proclaim that there's "only one way to Heaven"

I can't tell if you're being sarcastic or not but just in case, I'm pretty sure all of those posts were meant in a joking way, and not in a "he shouldn't do that, we should" way. XD

[Mave]

I was pretty depressed after reading God is Not Great and The God Delusion but it wasn't hurtful to the level of me killing myself or telling me upfront to kill Christians for doing something as evil as believing in God.

I only had one thought upon reading this: Would this guy have sued other religious books such as the Koran or hadith on the same charges? I *think* the literature also contains about the "relatively same" thoughts pertaining to the topic (do correct me if I'm wrong). Maybe the Bible is more accessible in the USA and it makes more sense to go after Christian publishers but yeah, USA always have these unusual cases. I mean, I just can't imagine one challenging the Koran in a Muslim country. Now that would be interesting.

[Fish and Chips]

I mean, I just can't imagine one challenging the Koran in a Muslim country. Now that would be interesting.

Not really. People die every day.

[Psycho Molos]

I can't tell if you're being sarcastic or not but just in case, I'm pretty sure all of those posts were meant in a joking way, and not in a "he shouldn't do that, we should" way. XD

I wasn't though I did not know they were joking.

[termyt]

Oh? And what is the legal definition of hate speech?

Now isn't that a fantastic question.

I believe the definition goes something like this:

Hate Speech - Label to apply to doubleplusungood phrases to point out and silence crimethinkers. All doubleplusungood phrases, which are just useless left overs of oldspeak, will then be unmoved from plusgood NewSpeak.

[Tundrawolf]

I was pretty depressed after reading God is Not Great and The God Delusion but it wasn't hurtful to the level of me killing myself or telling me upfront to kill Christians for doing something as evil as believing in God.

If anything should tell you that any book written against God and Christians is BS, it should be this: Islam is taught in our schools after 9-11, but if you pray, or profess faith in Christ you are slandered.

I once had a refreshingly honest Atheist tell me he is almost sure Christianity is the one true religion, if only by the fact that it is so universally hated when other religions aren't.

Don't let some book written by a person angry with God discourage you. Think of it this way: People all over the world are getting to live with God every day. Those books have no effect, and will never have an effect on that.

[Warrior 4 Jesus]

I once had a refreshingly honest Atheist tell me he is almost sure Christianity is the one true religion, if only by the fact that it is so universally hated when other religions aren't.

Your friend is very perceptive. I think they have a point there.

[uc pseudonym]

If anything should tell you that any book written against God and Christians is BS, it should be this: Islam is taught in our schools after 9-11, but if you pray, or profess faith in Christ you are slandered.

How are those statements connected? Regardless of what happens in our schools, what bearing does that have on the books written by atheists? Pornography isn't allowed in schools, does that make books written against it false?

Furthermore, it's bizarre to say that "Islam is taught in our schools after 9-11" - yes, that's called a religions course. If any schools weren't teaching it prior to the 2001 attacks, that's a major curriculum gap. Unless you meant that it was being forced upon the students, such as having Koran classes or having school-supported Salat, and that certainly isn't the case.

I don't mean to attack you personally, but I really don't see how what you said holds together logically.

I once had a refreshingly honest Atheist tell me he is almost sure Christianity is the one true religion, if only by the fact that it is so universally hated when other religions aren't.

I wish Christians were being persecuted for the right reasons. But all too often it's because they've been insulting and degrading to other people.

[Mave]

Yes, that is an interesting point from that atheist. Other religions aren't taken too well in my Muslim home country (not Singapore) but Christianity does receive the biggest resistance as a whole.

[Prince Asbel]

To Nate and termyt: I think you guys are right. It IS wrong to point to a heinous act of sexual assault and equate it with homosexuality. I realize the two are not the same, so I will edit my post. Thanks for your input.

EDIT: Huh? The edit option is gone. Wierd. Oh well, I'll just repost it here.

Darn, somebody already said what I was. Maybe I should sue Christopher Hitchens for publishing a book called "God is not Great"? That makes me sad! It hurts my feelings... That's worth at least 80 million dollars right there. I tell you, if this is not dismissed immediately, the legal battles that will ensue over moral issues like this will never end.

P.S. Let's say I'm a psychotic killer, and the Bible teaches against that. It hurts my feelings and makes me feel like an outcast. Should Bible publishers everywhere be forced to empty their accounts into mine for making me feel like scum? Of course not! I know this isn't the same as homosexuality, but let's get real here. If you're going to demand money purely on the basis that it makes you feel bad, then by George, you can sue just about anybody for anything, even if it's illegal!

[Mr. SmartyPants]

Hate Speech - Label to apply to doubleplusungood phrases to point out and silence crimethinkers. All doubleplusungood phrases, which are just useless left overs of oldspeak, will then be unmoved from plusgood NewSpeak.

Orwell would be proud. =)