GOSPEL DEFENCE LEAGUE
P O Box 587, Sea Point 8060, RSA; Tel 021-510-6854; e-mail: dscarborough@mweb.co.za
May / June / July 2006
Dear Friends,
Dear Friends,
On 30 June another Christian radio station was shut down by ICASA, the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa, namely Good News Community Radio, which broadcast from Verulam near Durban. ICASA insists that all community stations must reflect staff and geographical quotas of race and language, and cater for all interest groups. In spite of 108.000 petitions, it refused to renew GNCR's licence and gave it to a Zulu-speaking station. GNCR had broadcast for 11 years and served 100.000 Christian, Hindu and Muslim listeners. It had also helped rural matrics with educational programmes. Its closure now brings to ten the number of Christian Stations which have been silenced or curtailed. - Radio Pulpit, too, which was long the only National Christian radio station, was forced to reduce its air time on Radio 2000 to a mere two hours per day (and that from 4 to 6 am!). An SABC spokeswoman said: "Radio Pulpit serves only a minority of evangelical fundamentalists, and no written proof has been submitted to indicate any unhappiness from listeners." What a statement when, as late as 2001, the census recorded 70% of all South Africans as Christians! 1) The authorities treat the Christian community as if it were a minority while the real minority religions are given ever more air time and exposure.
The Criminalization of Christianity
All over the world Christians are being sidelined and silenced in what the American author Janet Folger calls "the Criminalization of Christianity." Speaking about the US she says: "Right now, people in powerful places want nothing less than to eradicate the Christian faith from American society. At first the attacks were subtle. The Supreme Court ruled that children can't pray in school. The Ten Commandments were removed from our classrooms and, later, our courtrooms. Now pastors are being imprisoned for speaking out against homosexuality from their own pulpits, people in New York are fired from their jobs, and kids in California are suspended from school. Their "crimes"? Nothing more than exercising their religious freedoms. - How in the world did we get to this place in a "free" and civilized society? And how far will it go? - While you have the right to remain silent and watch as Christianity becomes criminalized in America, it's not what God would have you do. SPEAK OUT. MAKE A DIFFERENCE, BUT FIRST GET THE FACTS." 2)
She lists countless examples of actions against Christians. To name but a few: The prosecution of a 67 year old Bournemouth street preacher, Harry Hammond, who was attacked, knocked down, and arrested because he was carrying a placard which said, 'Stop Homosexuality', 'Stop Immorality', 'Turn to Jesus'. - The hostility towards the English churches which were ordered to take down posters saying: 'Jesus is the Way and the Truth and the Life'. - The sentencing of the Australian pastors Daniel Scot and Danny Nalliah who, after having taught a seminar on Islam, were charged with hate speech, prosecuted, silenced and fined. Or the jailing of the Swedish pastor Ake Green who preached against homosexuality in a sermon. - Or the harassment of five US evangelists who, having witnessed at a sodomite "Outfest" in Philadelphia were sued for $90.000 each. (The case was later dismissed.) - Or the judgment against the Canadian Hugh Owens who, following a gay pride week, was punished for having placed an advertisement citing Scripture. His fine of $4.500 was then given to the three 'gays' who had laid charges against him!
Homosexuality and "Hate Speech"
All these prosecutions were made possible because of "anti-discrimination" legislation, especially the "anti-hate" laws which are now being promulgated all over the world. South Africa, too, is faced with a "Prohibition of Hate Speech" Bill. This is an extension of a law already in existence, called the Promotion of Equality and Prevention of Unfair Discrimination Act (No 4 of 2000). 3) Among other things, the Prohibition of Hate Speech Bill criminalizes all "ideas based on racial superiority" and all ideas that "propagate religious superiority," if expressed in public. "Public places" include churches, which means that ministers will have to be careful as to what they preach. Janet Folger says: "What we believe becomes criminalized. And it's the Hate Crimes Bill they'll use to do it if we let them. This is the most dangerous legislation in America." 4) - If the hate-crimes bill is the most dangerous legislation in America, what about South Africa? Or any other country?
The International Institute for Freedom of Religion, of Bonn, Germany, together with the International Society for Human Rights of Frankfurt, has just issued a documentation on "religious hate speech legislation", entitled "A Muzzle for Christians?" They conclude that the "hate speech" laws curtail Christian liberty, "damage tolerance", and lead to a flood of senseless court cases, in which "members of one world view sue members of another." Dr Paul Murdoch asks: "Should it really be forbidden to have an opinion about good and evil? Should Christians be muzzled, should the call to repentance be punished, should the admonition to conversion be outlawed? Should not people who seek self-realisation, be free to be warned against the consequences of the choices they make? Has it become established in Europe that the only absolute truth that is allowed to be stated is, that there is no absolute truth?" 5)
It is always useful to ask: Who benefits by the dismantling of the Christian value system? Clearly, the non-Christian militant religions do, but also, and especially, the homosexual movement. As seen above, much 'hate-speech' litigation is initiated by 'gay' groups. In South Africa 'gays' are constitutionally protected and even condoned by some Churches. The 'gays' not only demand social tolerance, they demand legal privileges. In December 2005, a lesbian couple, Marie Fourie and Cecelia Bonthuys, succeeded in having the South African Marriage Act declared unconstitutional, and thereby paved the way for the legalisation of homosexual marriage. This has caused great concern. A "Marriage Alliance" (MASA) was established and has been urgently rallying the Churches in defence of marriage, demanding its protection. Because marriage, says the Bible, is between a man and a woman, and God commands them to "be fruitful and increase in number." (Genesis 1:28) Indeed God who is a God of order, has ordered mankind in families. He forbids extramarital immorality, especially homosexuality, saying: "Do not lie with a man as one lies with a woman; that is detestable." (Lev. 18:22) And, "If a man lies with a man as one lies with a woman, both of them have done what is detestable. They must be put to death; their blood will be on their own heads." (Lev. 20:13) He also warns: "Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders... will inherit the kingdom of God." (1 Cor. 6:9-10)
In England the concern over hate speech toward 'gays' is so great, that the Bishop of Chester was investigated by the police, because he had said that homosexuals can be cured by therapy. Sodomites want to keep their fellows in sin and bondage, and they will do almost anything to prevent their rehabilitation. In November 2005, in Boston, USA, a crowd of enraged homosexuals stormed a conference of Focus on the Family, at which former 'gays' were being helped to recover through the power of God. "The anger, rage and hatred were indescribable," said one conference participant. The activists had brought a sound truck, and with this they blasted the neighbourhood, chanting: "What do you want? Bigots out. When do we want it? Now.... 1-2-3-4 open up the closet door. 5-6-7-8 don't assume your kids are straight... This hatred thing is getting old. This hatred thing has gotta go... Ex-gay, anti-gay... Not in Boston, not in America." 6)
Genocide
In Canada the Bible has even been declared 'hate speech' and the Word of God is called 'dangerous.' California has gone further still. A recent law uses the words "intimidation" and "mental genocide". This law, SB 1234 of 2004, declares that the expression of deeply held beliefs is a type of "intimidation" (Folger, page 127), and the UN equates intimidation with "mental genocide". The UN's United Religions Initiative, which is striving for an alliance between the world's major religions and the UN has, among other things, defined "genocide" as "causing serious bodily or mental harm to members of a national, ethnic, racial, or religious group." One can see that this might relate to "hate speech". For instance, if a homosexual activist should claim "mental harm" because a Christian fellow employee displayed Bible verses and bumper stickers, the latter could be accused of "genocide." Canada has just included "sexual orientation" in its "hate propaganda" legislation and "public incitement of hatred" in its "genocide statute.""Advocating genocide," "public incitement of hatred," and "wilful promotion of hatred," are all punishable offences. 7) - Janet Folger comments: "Let's look at that for a minute. If I say homosexuality is a sin or read from the Bible, which calls the practice an 'abomination', all someone has to do is say that it's hateful, and I'm looking at 'a term not exceeding two years.'"
Love your Neighbour
"A culture war is raging across our land - storming our values, assaulting our freedoms, killing our self-confidence in who we are and what we believe." 8) One of the major weapons in this culture war is the "hate speech" legislation, not only in the USA but all over the world. The South African Department of Justice and Constitutional Development admits that the impetus comes from the United Nations Organisation, and that South Africa has to abide by its rules. It says: "The (UN) Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Racial Discrimination to which South Africa is a signatory, requires States Parties to declare, among other, the dissemination of ideas based on racial superiority or hatred a punishable offence." 9) - Alan Stang, a US writer and network radio talk show host, points to the real purpose of all these "anti-hate laws". He says: "The conspiratorial goal is to extirpate every trace of Christianity, thereby to destroy the system based upon it, and then to impose the totalitarian socialist world government dictatorship on the ruins." 10)
Totalitarian powers are busy using our religion to fight, deceive, and conquer us. In the face of all the absurd "Hate speech" accusations, we have to boldly say: It is not hate if one tells someone that he needs a Saviour. It is not hate, if one shows him that what he believes is wrong. It is not 'genocide', if one helps him to repent. For "God wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth" (1 Timothy 2:1-4). God says to the man of a contrite heart: "I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with loving-kindness. I will build you up again... I will give you comfort and joy..." And the sinner may reply: "Restore me and I will return, because you are the LORD my God. After I strayed, I repented; after I came to understand, I beat my breast. I was ashamed and humiliated because I bore the disgrace of my youth." (Jeremiah 31) - Let us therefore boldly state that only in reconciliation with the triune God can man find peace. And let us heed Janet Folger when she warns: "While you have the right to remain silent and watch as Christianity becomes criminalized, it's not what God would have you do. SPEAK OUT. MAKE A DIFFERENCE, BUT FIRST GET THE FACTS."
May God bless you richly,
D. Scarborough.
Footnotes:
1. Christian Action Magazine, Government orders Gospel Radio to Close Down, 2006, Vol. 2; 2. Janet Folger, www.faith2action.org; 3. Department of Justice and Constitutional Development, Legislative Development (Ms Pillay), Private Bag X81, Pretoria 0001, Tel: 012-315-1480; Fax 012-315-1618; 4. Janet L Folger, The Criminalization of Christianity, Multnomah Publishers, Sisters, Oregon, USA, 2005, p. 117; 5. Ein Maulkorb für Christen? Diakrisis 2/2006; 6. Activists 'terrorize' ex-'gay' conference, WorldNetDaily.com, 2.11.2005; 7. "Hate Propaganda", Consolidated Statutes and Regulations, Dept of Justice, Canada, 30.4.2004; See Janet Folger, op.cit. page130-131; 8. Charlton Heston, at a Kennedy Centre Honours Award Ceremony in 1997; 9. Department of Justice, The Object of the Promotion of Equality and Prevention of Unfair Discrimination Act; 10. Alan Stang, War on Christianity, Ether Zone, 24.12.2004.
Of Christian Liberty and Freedom of Conscience
from the Westminster Confession of Faith of 1648
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God alone is Lord of the conscience,
"There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, the one who is able to save and destroy." (James 4:12)
"Who are you to judge someone else's servant? To his own master he stands or falls. And he will stand, for the Lord is able to make him stand." (Romans 14:4)
and has left it free from the doctrines and commandments of men which are in any thing contrary to his word, or beside it, in matters of faith and worship.
"Peter and John replied, 'Judge for yourselves whether it is right in God's sight to obey you rather than God." (Acts 4:19
"Peter and the other apostles replied: 'We must obey God rather than men!'" (Acts 5:29)
"You were bought at a price; do not become slaves of men." (1 Corinthians 7:23)
"You are not to be called 'Rabbi', for you have only one Master and you are all brothers. And do not call anyone on earth 'father', for you have one Father, and he is in heaven. Nor are you to be called 'teacher', for you have one teacher, the Christ." (Matthew 23:8-10)
"Not that we lord it over your faith, but we work with you for your joy, because it is by faith you stand firm."
(2 Corinthians 1:24)
"They worship me in vain; their teachings are but rules taught by men." (Matthew 15:9)
So that to believe such doctrines, or to obey such commandments out of conscience, is to betray true liberty of conscience:
"Since you died with Christ to the basic principles of this world, why, as though you still belonged to it, do you submit to its rules... These are all destined to perish with use, because they are based on human commands and teachings. Such regulations indeed have an appearance of wisdom, with their self-imposed worship, their false humility and their harsh treatment of the body, but they lack any value in restraining sensual indulgence." (Colossians 2:20-23)
"Am I now trying to win the approval of men, or of God? Or am I trying to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ." (Galatians 1:10)
"This matter arose because some false brothers had infiltrated our ranks to spy on the freedom we have in Christ Jesus and to make us slaves. We did not give in to them for a moment, so that the truth of the gospel might remain with you." (Galatians 2:4-5)
"It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery." (Galatians 5:1)
and the requiring of an implicit faith, and an absolute and blind obedience, is to destroy liberty of conscience, and reason also.
"Faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ." (Romans 10:17)
"The man who has doubts is condemned if he eats, because his eating is not from faith; and everything that does not come from faith is sin." (Romans 14:23)
"To the law and the testimony! If they do not speak according to this word, they have no light of dawn." (Isaiah 8:20)
"Now the Bereans were of more noble character than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true." (Acts 17:11)
"You worship what you do not know; we worship what we do know, for salvation is from the Jews." (John 4:22)
"Ephraim is oppressed, trampled in judgment, intent on pursuing idols." (Hosea 5:11)
"He exercised all the authority of the first beast on his behalf, and made the earth and its inhabitants worship the first beast, whose fatal wound had been healed.... He also forced everyone, small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on his right hand or on his forehead, so that no-one could buy or sell unless he had the mark, which is the name of the beast or the number of his name." (Revelation 13:12-17)
"The wise will be put to shame; they will be dismayed and trapped. since they have rejected the word of the LORD, what kind of wisdom do they have?" (Jeremiah 8:9)
They who, upon pretence of Christian liberty, do practise any sin, or cherish any lust, do thereby destroy the end of Christian liberty; which is, that, being delivered out of the hands of our enemies, we might serve the Lord without fear, in holiness and righteousness before him, all the days of our life.
"You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather serve one another in love." (Galatians 5:13)
"Live as free men, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as servants of God." (1 Peter 2:16)
"They promise them freedom, while they themselves are slaves of depravity - for a man is a slave to whatever has mastered him." (2 Peter 2:19)
"Jesus replied, 'I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave to sin." (John 8:34)
"The Lord swore to our father Abraham: to rescue us from the hand of our enemies, and to enable us to serve him without fear in holiness and righteousness before him all our days." (Luke 1:74-75)
The Law of God is our Guarantee of Freedom
The moral law does for ever bind all, as well justified persons as others, to the obedience thereof;
"Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for he who loves his fellow man has fulfilled the law. The commandments, 'Do not commit adultery,' 'Do not murder,' 'Do not steal,' 'Do not covet,' and whatever other commandments there may be, are summed up in this one rule: 'Love your neighbour as yourself.' Love does no harm to its neighbour. Therefore love is the fulfilment of the law." (Romans 13:8-10)
"'Honour your father and mother' - which is the first commandment with a promise - 'that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth.'" (Ephesians 6:2)
"We know that we have come to know Him if we obey his commands. The man who says, 'I know Him,' but does not do what He commands is a liar, and the truth is not in him... I am not writing you a new command but an old one, which you have had since the beginning. This old command is the message you have heard. Yet I am writing you a new command, its truth is seen in Him and you, because the darkness is passing and the true light is already shining." (1 John 2:3,4,7,8)
and that not only in regard of the matter contained in it, but also in respect of the authority of God, the Creator, who gave it. - "Whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it. For He who said, 'Do not commit adultery,' also said, 'Do not murder.' If you do not commit adultery but do commit murder, you have become a law-breaker." (James 2:10-11)
Neither does Christ in the gospel in any way dissolve, but much strengthen this obligation.
"'Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfil them. I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished.. Anyone who breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practises and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.'" (Matthew 5:17-19)
"If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, 'Love your neighbour as yourself,' you are doing right. But if you show favouritism, you sin and are convicted by the law as law-breakers." (James 2:8-9)
"Do we, then, nullify the law by this faith? Not at all! Rather, we uphold the law." (Romans 3:31)
Although true believers be not under the law as a covenant of works, to be thereby justified or condemned;
"Sin shall not be your master, because you are not under the law, but under grace." (Romans 6:14)
"Man is not justified by observing the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. So we, too, have put our faith in Christ Jesus that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by observing the law, because by observing the law no-one will be justified." (Galatians 2:16)
"Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: 'Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree.'" (Galatians 3:13)
"When the time had fully come, God sent His Son, born of a woman, born under law, to redeem those under law, that we might receive the full rights of sons." (Galatians 4:4-5)
"Through him everyone who believes is justified from everything you could not be justified from by the law of Moses." (Acts 13:39)
"There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death." (Romans 8:1-2)
yet it is of great use to them, as well as to others; in that, as a rule of life, informing them of the will of God and their duty, it directs and binds them to walk accordingly.
"So then, the law is holy, and the commandment is holy, righteous and good... For in my inner being I delight in God's law... So then, I myself in my mind am a slave to God's law, but in the sinful nature a slave to the law of sin."
(Romans 7:12,22,25)
"You (God) have laid down precepts that are to be fully obeyed. Oh, that my ways were steadfast in obeying your decrees! Then I would not be put to shame when I consider all your command." (Psalm 119:4,5,6)
"Circumcision is nothing and uncircumcision is nothing. Keeping God's commands is what counts." (1 Corinthians 7:19)
The law of God shows us the sinfulness of our nature. It helps us to humble ourselves, hate sin and understand how much we need Christ. The law restrains our corruptions and shows what our sins deserve. It also shows us the promises of God's approval and the blessings of doing His will. The law is not contrary to the grace of the gospel, but complies with it. The Spirit of Christ subdues and enables the will of man to do that freely and cheerfully which the will of God has revealed in the law.