In an amazing (but not surprising) ruling this month, the very liberal 9th Circuit Court of Appeals in America concluded that words such as [b]"marriage"[/b] and [b]"family values"[/b] constitute [i][b]hate speech[/b][/i] that could [i]frighten[/i] homosexual employees. The ruling restricts the right of free speech of Christian employers of the city of Oakland, California, arguing that [i]"public employees are permitted to curtail employee speech as long as their legitimate administrative interests outweigh the employee's interest in freedom of speech"[/i] ("9th Circuit Endorses Censoring Christians," WorldNetDaily, March 8, 2007).

The ruling was against two Oakland city employees who attempted to organize the "Good News Employee Association" as a forum for [i]"people of Faith to express their views on the contemporary issues of the day with respect for the Natural Family, Marriage and Family values."[/i] This was in response to the continual assault of homosexual propaganda by Oakland's Gay-Straight Employees Alliance (GSEA), which is supported by the city.

The GSEA is allowed to attack the Bible and to describe Christians as hateful in e-mails that are widely disseminated and on the city's bulletin board, but when some employees attempted to counter this propaganda they were ordered to cease and desist and their statement in favor of Family, Marriage and Family Values, which they had posted to the bulletin board, was deemed [b]"homophobic"[/b] and a form of [b]"sexual-orientation-based harassment."[/b]

When homosexuals are given their "rights," Bible-believing Christians lose theirs. The Pro-Family Law Center, which is defending the plaintiffs, has vowed to take the case to the Supreme Court.

People we need to be in prayer about this. It wont be long before forums like this one are deemed unconstitutional. We often say on here that we need men like Spurgeon or Wesley today, and we do. But we also need men like John Adams and Thomas Jefferson as well.

Krispy

....I appeal to Caesar, Act25v11

Paul wasn't looking to Ceasar for deliverance, he knew only God could deliver him.

He appealed to Ceaser for justice, but trusted God for the outcome.

Too many Christians suppose that they have to steer clear of politics.

What happens when it knocks on your door, and then slaps you in the face when you open the door?

We need to pray, fast and act.

Satan is zooming in, and we cannot afford for him to close in anymore.

We can all say it is the last days. And so it is. What does that mean?

Does it now mean God is powerless?

Let's face it, God warned us what would happen in the last days, and it is happening right before our eyes.

Does that make us any more complacent that we alreay are, God forbid, or do we fight with the armour of God?

Whatever happens, let us be watching.

God bless.

I recently read a book by David Barton called "Original Intent" which is about the Constitution and the myth of "Seperation of Church and State". It's amazing to read about our founding fathers, and how it was obviously [b]never[/b] their intention to keep Christianity out of government or public life. In fact, they said over and over that if Christianity was removed from government and public the result would be... well, what we're seeing today.

Did you realize that in most states in the early years of our country, if you did not believe that there was at least a Diety... you could not hold public office? Can you imagine that today?

Krispy

I'm bumping this cuz I think this is waaaaay more important than people think....

Krispy

this is just the beginning, in Sweden we already have these laws, for example a preacher cant preach from romans about homosexuality, not whiteout risking going to jail, we have seen it happened and i believe it will happened again. There will be more laws against these kind of things,

we must be willing to pay the price...

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CHRISTIAN

Most of the founding fathers were Deists who did not hold to even the Apostolic Creed. When they referred to God in their writings they meant the Deistic God of the Enlightenment who has his hands behind his back. Nothing near to the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

This doesn't bother me, this ruling.

From the case in ruling,

"Public employers are permitted to curtail employee speech as long as their “‘legitimate administrative interests’ outweigh the employee’s interest in freedom of speech.” Pool, 297 F.3d at 906 (quoting Bauer v. Sampson, 261 F.3d 775, 784 (9th Cir. 2001)). In this case, the only limit placed on appellants’ speech was the removal of a single flyer from the wall. Although appellants did receive an oral warning for posting the flyer, no adverse employment action was taken, and the warning alone is insufficient to tip the Pickering balance in appellants’ favor. Appellants were also allowed to submit a new flyer, subject to certain editorial constraints. In light of the minimal interference with appellants’ free speech rights, the district court appropriately described their speech interest as “vanishingly small.” Good News Employee Ass’n v. Hicks, No. C-03-3542 VRW, 2005 WL 351743, at *9 (N.D. Cal. Feb. 14, 2005). Because the district court correctly held that appellees had a more substantial interest in maintaining the efficient operation of their office than appellants had in their speech, appellants cannot establish a viable free speech claim."
([url=http://www.ca9.uscourts.gov/coa/memdispo.nsf/pdfview/030507/$File/05-15467.PDF]Court Opinion[/url])

I don't necessarily see this as an attack on "free speech"... I think the employer had the clear right to do this.

Jordan

When preaching the truth is outlawed... I'll be an outlaw. I dont care what the courts say. In this country we have Freedom of Speech. If pornographers can hide behind that, then so can Bible believing Christians. It's a fight that Christians need to fight... but too many believers either are too scared or think they cant beat the courts. I seem to remember a story in the Bible about a kid who killed a giant... I also remember in history learning about a bunch of farmers who defeated the greatest empire of that day 200 years ago (no offense philologos!).

Krispy

well the more sin is accepted the more people will not want to hear what they are doing God hates, and they wont like the messengers either

democracy sucks when the majority is a Godless sinful people who makes the laws... but the church in acts didn't care to much about that...so lets do as they did.

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CHRISTIAN

Well... America is not a democracy anyway. Never was. It is a Republic. There is a difference. And as far as free speech is concerned, Christians do need to be involved because as that right disolves so does our effectiveness in society because we will not be allowed to preach the gospel.

So I respectfully disagree with you on that point.

Maybe y'all are used to it in Sweden, but most of us here are not... except those who have been more influenced by TV than their Bibles. ("Christians" included)

Krispy