HATE CRIME?

In the light of the ridiculous allegations made against Rev. Dr Alan C Clifford, one visitor to my website added the following statement:


"I have seen Muslims on my campus handing out pamphlets that talked about us Christians and Jews as "dirty kuffar"- yet that's not hate speech evidently!"

This writer, who seems to be a university or college student, has seen supposedly intelligent Muslims handing out their 'tracts' which contained those scurrilous words.  He rightly asks, Is this not 'hate speech'?  To refer to fellow human beings as "dirty kuffar" (whatever that means) sounds and was intended to be offensive.  This is to deal in prejudice, hatred, and in a most threatening way.

Yet the authorities seem to turn a blind eye to such unacceptable published language.  Muslims can say anything they like, not only about western civilisation and its peoples, and about their cherished religion of truth and love; but let not a Christian minister expound the Scriptures and apply its teaching to the religions aberrations that are everywhere around us.

It is surely not what is said in clear exposition of a particular religious position that is the issue; that must be maintained as a democratic right in a free society.  But when what is said is couched in language that is designed to be offensive and intimidatory and inflammatory, then there is a problem.  We surely have the right to analyse and evaluate the various philosophies that are being presented to us from many quarters, and that can never be taken from us.  However, when resort is made to describing these philosophies in ways that are unacceptable, a big problem arises.

The authorities need surely to examine their motives when they take actions against a Christian church and minister as they go about their normal tasks of presenting truth and exposing and opposing error.

More importantly, they must be very, very careful about touching the Lord's anointed or harming His prophets.  Those who do such things will reap a sorry reward.