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Canada hate-crime sentencing poses difficult question for Christians

Canada's same-sex marriage and hate crimes legislation has had its testing in court, reports MNN.

Adele Konyndyk with Voice of the Martyrs Canada says Pastor Stephen Boissoin and the Concerned Christian Coalition were punished for a letter concerning homosexuality and sin.

The case stems from a 2002 letter Boissoin wrote to the editor of his local Red Deer, Alberta, newspaper that included this statement: "Children as young as five and six years of age are being subjected to psychologically and physiologically damaging pro-homosexual literature and guidance in the public school system, all under the fraudulent guise of equal rights."

Darren Lund, a professor at the University of Calgary, complained about the letter. The Alberta Human Rights Commission (AHRC) ruled that Boissoin and the CCC violated Alberta's human rights law by publishing a letter in a local newspaper that was "likely to expose homosexuals to hatred or contempt because of their sexual preference."

The sentencing phase just wrapped up at the end of May. Konyndyk explains, "The tribunal ruled that Boissoin and the Concerned Christian Coalition had to pay damages equivalent to $7,000 as a result of the tribunal's decision to side with the complainant."

The ruling also ordered Boissoin and CCC to cease publishing "disparaging remarks" about homosexuals in the future in newspapers, by email, on the radio, in public speeches, or on the internet. Furthermore, Boissoin was ordered to publicly apologize to Lund in a local newspaper statement.

Boissoin has publicly stated that he "will never offer an apology" and plans to appeal the ruling.

However, the sentence poses a difficult question for Canadian believers. Konyndyk says, "He has a right to have these beliefs and to express them. So when this kind of a case comes where it's saying he can't have a moral opposition, based on biblical beliefs, then the question is raised, 'Where does the censorship stop?'"

The team is urging other believers to keep vigil with them, especially those who live in North America. "Pray for Boissoin as he stands up for his beliefs in this way, that he'll feel the support and encouragement of fellow Christians in Canada who recognize that his case should concern all Christians as it threatens our very ability to express moral opposition according to our Christian beliefs."

[06/28/2008]

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