May 4, 2004

Evangelical Christians in Canada fear it's just a matter of time now before pastors there are charged for preaching that homosexuality is sinful.

By a vote of 55-11, Canada's Senate last week gave final approval to Bill C-250, adding "sexual orientation" to the country's hate crimes law.  It means comments made against homosexuality can now be considered as violations of the criminal code.

Brian Wilkie of the Evangelical Fellowship of Canada tells Mission Network News that the legislation  may deter Christians and their ministers from addressing issues of sexual morality.

"With these new provisions, which include not only what somebody says about an issue to incite hatred, but also include provisions to seize literature that was used in the promotion of hatred, we have had a very strong concern that the Bible might become guilty by association," he says.

And despite the fact the law supposedly contains an exemption for religious-based objection to the homosexual lifestyle, Wilkie notes that groups with judicial authority have already shown their bias.  "And in fact at one point, a human rights commission did judge portions of scripture to actually promote hatred against homosexuals," the evangelical leader says.

Still Wilkie is praying that Canadian Christians will continue to preach the whole counsel of God.

A representative with Focus on the Family Canada says passage of C-250 represents a significant loss of free speech for Canadians.  Derek Rogusky says the bill was pushed through Parliament with little public consultation.

"It's unfortunate that both Senators and [Members of Parliament] rejected the concerns of thousands of Canadians, and ignored the huge flood of correspondence they received about this bill," Rogusky stated following the bill's passage.  "Canadians are now stuck with this poorly-worded legislation -- and it's left to the courts to define what is and what isn't hate propaganda."

Rogusky says acts of violence against anyone clearly are wrong, but that existing laws already cover those actions -- and C-250 does not improve the situation.

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Evangelical Fellowship of Canada ( http://www.evangelicalfellowship.ca )
Focus on the Family Canada ( http://www.fotf.ca )

© 2004 Agape Press.