Christ and the First Amendment
“Our profound national commitment to free and open debate is not a license for the vicious verbal assault that occurred in this case. In order to have a society in which public issues can be openly and vigorously debated, it is not necessary to allow the brutalization of innocent victims like the petitioner.”
~ Samuel Alito ~
Christians or at least those proclaiming to be Christians, and the freedom of speech were in the news today.
In Islamabad, Pakistan, the Minister for the defense of minorities, Shahbaz Bhatti, was murdered because he was a Catholic; and a vocal opponent of religious intolerance and discrimination. At the sight of his slaying, his assassins scattered leaflets which claimed “Taliban al-Qaida Punjab” was responsible for Bhatti’s death, calling him an infidel Christian; and warning the ruling government: “With the blessing of Allah, the mujahedeen will send each of you to hell.” http://bit.ly/g6sfAZ
Shahbaz Bhatti had been appointed to the parliament in November of 2008, charged with defending minority rights. As a child he had converted to Catholicism, and boldly announced that he would be empowered by Christ to carry out the duties of his new position.
The minister oversaw All Pakistan Minorities Alliance (APMA) which works to “promote unity, interreligious dialogue, social justice, human rights, and religious freedom for all minorities in the country: from Christians to Hindus, from Sikhs to Parsis, without any distinction.” Upon taking office Minister Bhatti said: “Jesus is the nucleus of my life, and I want to be His true follower through my actions by sharing the love of God with poor, oppressed, victimized, needy and suffering people of Pakistan. I will propose legislative reforms for the promotion and protection of minorities’ rights. I will speed up efforts to promote unity and understanding to tackle the issues of intolerance, hatred, prejudice and violence.” http://bit.ly/g6sfAZ
He was opposed to the blasphemy law, which prohibits Pakistanis from speaking against Islam and Muhammad, with penalties including fines, imprisonment, and death. Shahbaz Bhatti had been at the forefront of Aasia Bibi’s defense, who in November of 2010, had been sentenced to die for blaspheming Muhammad.
Meanwhile, in the United States, the Supreme Court ruled that Westboro Baptist Church “have a constitutionally protected right to protest military funerals even though their demonstrations are widely despised and deplored.” Justice Samuel Alito wrote a dissenting minority report. http://bit.ly/h9vhsH
This case is based on the funeral protest organized by Westboro Baptist Church of Topeka, Kansas. They began protesting at Matthew Shepherd’s funeral, and have continued to protest military funerals proclaiming that the brave men and women killed in action, have lost their lives because God hates gay people, and the United States has provided gay people with a tolerant environment to live; they seem to be unaware that Matthew Shepherd was brutally beaten to death for being gay.
“Shirley Phelps-Roper, the church spokeswoman, says the members want God to punish Americans for tolerating homosexuality. They picket funerals to make people angry, she says: They want people to reject God and be condemned to hell. ‘Our job is laid out,’ she says, in comments sprinkled with biblical references. ‘We are supposed to blind their eyes, stop up their ears and harden their hearts so that they cannot see, hear or understand, and be converted and receive.’”
This church is also anti-Semitic, and against Catholics and Chinese, they have protested at other events, not only funerals. http://n.pr/eutVIV
This case was brought by the father of a slain Marine, Lance-Corporal Matthew Snyder, who in 2006, at twenty years of age, was killed in Iraq, on active duty, he was not gay. The Westboro Church chose to protest his funeral, claiming that God killed him in an act of vengeance against America and her view on homosexuality.
The Supreme Court was asked to decide if this church had the right to publically make such inane and abhorrent statements. Does the First Amendment protect this hateful speech and public demonstrations? Is it legal for Westboro members to hold signs saying: “Thank God for Dead Soldiers, God Hates Fags, and You’re Going to Hell.”
Chief Justice Roberts answered: “As a nation we have chosen a different course — to protect even hurtful speech on public issues to ensure that we do not stifle public debate. Because this nation has chosen to protect even hurtful speech on public issues to ensure that public debate is not stifled, Westboro must be shielded from tort liability for its picketing in this case. Speech is powerful. It can stir people to action, move them to tears of both joy and sorrow, and — as it did here — inflict great pain. On the facts before us, we cannot react to that pain by punishing the speaker.”
The Justices were of course right, in the United States; we believe that the First Amendment is sacrosanct. “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.”
As much as it pains me, and as evil as I believe Westboro Baptist Church to be, they do have the right, in the United States, to speak their hate. However, as this day comes to an end, and these two stories play out in the news, what I keep wondering, if you will pardon the cliché is What Would Jesus Do?
Shahbaz Bhatti risked his life, convinced that Christ cared for the downtrodden, while Westboro Baptist Church, has applied all of its resources to spread hate, while claiming to be followers of Christ, they worked to hurt grieving people, and turn them away from God. How in the world can this be understood?
I grieve for Shahbaz Bhatti’s family, and offer my deepest condolences to the Snyder family, but in Matthew 5, Jesus said: “Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven . . . and Blessed are those who mourn for they shall be comforted.” The Bhatti and Snyder families will find comfort and peace.
The Waterboro Church however, they have already condemned themselves. “Do not judge or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” (Matthew 7: 1-2) That is all for now.
