Preacher Wants Free Speech
UK Police to Preacher: It’s a Crime to Call Homosexuality a “Sinâ€
A few months ago, the Westboro Baptist Church was here in Pittsburgh protesting a number of things, but one was about protesting the funeral of Catherine Baker Knoll’s funeral. She had supposedly been involved in some law that influences street preachers. My original idea for Queer Look at the Bible was to develop a “preacher character” who used the street corner in a style lie the fire and brimstone type of preacher, but preached from the Bible as if it were a queer positive book. Preaching is 30% interpretation and 70% performance, so why not utilize a queer positive interpretation and pay it up?
But I’m getting off track. The linked blog is about a Glasgow street preacher who feels his free speech rights are being taken from him. He claims that the police are saying that to call homosexuality a sin is a crime. This preacher is doing more than a 30% interpretation! The police are saying that to say that  on a public street corner is offensive, and that is the problem.
If preachers and Bible thumpers want to rail on and on about homosexuality, in their church, go right ahead and do it. Just keep that vitriolic speech out of the public square, where all people- those who are believers and those who are not have a right to be in peace.
Now, I’m not saying I personally am for all the anti-gay rhetoric even in a church, but that is the place where it belongs, and there, preachers ought to be able to deliver their interpretation of the Bible as they believe is right. There is a reason why greater numbers of people are leaving the churches- because the church is still using an old “text” as it if is the most relevant guidelines for modern life.
So the preacher just wants free speech. Interestingly, the blog this came from does not accept comments. So much for free speech?
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