The Official Writing Challenge
BACK TO
CHALLENGE
MAIN
INSTRUCTIONS
how it works
submission rules
guidelines for
choosing a level
ENTRIES
submit your entry
read current entries
read past entries
challenge winners
Our Daily Devotional HERE
Place it on your site or
receive it daily by email.


TRUST JESUS TODAY

  • Share
  • how it works
  • Submit
Previous Challenge Entry (Level 1 – Beginner)
Topic: Canada (01/29/09)
Pastor Marth you're under arrest," said the police officer in his dark blue uniform as he walked into the pastor's office.

"Why are you arresting me?" exclaimed the pastor.

"For violating Canada’s laws on hate speech," said the police officer.

"How did I do that?" questioned the pastor.

"The Canadian government has just passed hate speech laws, which means you can not talk about gay marriage. We had a complaint from someone. They gave me a CD of a sermon of yours, you spoke about gay marriage," said the officer.

The gray haired sixty-year-old pastor Walter Marth had been the pastor of first Baptist Church in Ontario, Canada for more than thirty years. The Canadian government just passed hate crimes legislation he was unaware of it.

This fictional story should remind us that we who live in the United States should not take our freedom of speech for granted.

In 2004 speaking about homosexuality became a crime. If you a pastor or a Christian radio talk show host, and read Romans one or any other verse that talks about homosexuality, you could be subject to arrest.

I feel bad for the people in Canada who may want to get out of this life style. How can they be helped if it is illegal to talk about it in the public square?

That is why I hope that this does not happen in the United States. It is bad enough that the homosexual community wants to shove gay marriage down our throats. What makes it worse is that they want to stop people from talking about it.
The opinions expressed by authors may not necessarily reflect the opinion of FaithWriters.com.
If you died today, are you absolutely certain that you would go to heaven? You can be right now. CLICK HERE

JOIN US at FaithWriters for Free. Grow as a Writer and Spread the Gospel.
This article has been read 1098 times
Member Comments
Member
Date
Jan Ackerson
02/05/09
I was unaware of this bit of Canadian law--thanks for bringing it to our attention.
Sara Harricharan
02/05/09
I've never heard of this law in Canada, but I like how you grabbed my attention here. Some good thoughts and a good message. Thanks for sharing!
Lynn Jacky
02/05/09
HI - suppose you're talking of Bill C-250 - passed in the dark of the night, under closed doors, by only a few - Most Canadians are not in favor and quite upset. We do not hate, this is just an outright attack against the Scriptures and those who believe. Beware I'm told the U.S. has two bills -in 2007, S-1105 and HR 1592. By the way, my research indicates that most countries have hate legislature on your topic. This has not gone down without a fight - As believers we stand in the gap and battle in the Spirit for Canada - God's Word is still
His Word -"Not by Power, Nor by Might but, by My Spirit says the Lord of Hosts. Thank you. Lynn
Karlene Jacobsen 
02/06/09
Yep, I've heard of that new law. I almost wrote about it too, but went another route.

Perhaps you could expand on this into story form somehow involving how the pastors and people of God in Canada deal with such laws.
KarLynn Erickson
02/07/09
Oh my goodness! I did not know this was a law either. How we take for granted being able to speak what we want to speak. I guess it goes to show take nothing for granted. Thank you for being brave and standing up for what you believe in!
Lynda Schultz 
02/09/09
The price we pay for being a tolerant society is the passage of these kinds of laws. Ironically, in the name of tolerance they express an intolerance for truth. Perhaps part of our problem is that sometimes we haven't always spoken the truth in love.

Thanks for bringing up this subject. It's a timely one.