House Committee Approves Hate Crimes Act

By Jennifer Wishon
CBN News Washington Correspondent
April 24, 2009

CBNNews.com - CAPITOL HILL - In a vote of 15 to 12, the House Judiciary Committee Thursday advanced hate crimes legislation.

It adds gay, lesbian, and transgender people to the list of federally protected classes. But critics warn it could also criminalize preachers, who preach against homosexuality.

Folks who oppose hate crimes legislation are now working on different strategies to make the bill easier to swallow.

NRB Working With Lawmakers to Add Protections For Ministers

Groups like the National Religious Broadcasters have been working for months to amend the legislation. They are working with lawmakers to add protections for pastors who preach against homosexual lifestyles.

Although many Christians feel confident they would beat any potential charges under the First Amendment, court challenges would be costly, time consuming and many believe they would have a chilling effect on the pulpit.

"Just passing the legislation is going to result in pastors saying, 'I'm not going to address this issue,'" explained the American Center for Law and Justice's Jay Sekulow.

On Thursday's broadcast of CBN's The 700 Club, Sekulow said current law already addresses violent crimes against all people. But loved ones of those who have been targeted because of their sexuality, say it's time for greater protections.

"It is essential that we make our nation's civil rights laws just and equal for every individual," said Nancy Ratzan, president of the National Council of Jewish Women. "It is long past time for Congress to make clear that crimes of hate and prejudice will not be tolerated in America."

House majority leader Steny Hoyer D-MD says the bill will be considered by the full House next week.

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Oh what a tangled web we weave,
When first we practise to deceive!
Sir Walter Scott

The only reason I put that last quote in is that the Hate Crimes Act has been a shell game since its conception. The only ones you are allowed to hate are Christians.

But if you show partiality, you commit sin, and are convicted by the law as transgressors.
James 2:9

I really love stories of young people doing positive and brave things. America should watch any Christian events on the European continent in earnest. The future rests in the hands and hearts of the youth.

Young Christians Take on European Missions

By Peter Wooding
CBN News
April 18, 2009

CWN.org - OLDENBURG, Germany - European society has been called post-modern and post-Christian. Some even say it's the new dark continent.

Recently more than 3,000 young people from 40 European nations met in Germany to explore ways to bring new life to the continent.

Mission-Net Congress director Andy Juliff says after more than two years of preparation for this event he's extremely encouraged by the response of these young European Christians to take up the challenge of reaching people for Christ.

But the challenges still remain particularly in reaching out to the Muslim population of Europe.

One of the main speakers to highlight this issue was Dutchman Brother Andrew, best known as God's smuggler and founder of Open Doors which regularly travels throughout the Middle East reaching out to the Islam community.

Another prominent speaker at the Mission-Net Congress 2009 was Founder of Operation Mobilisation, George Verwer, and he also acknowledged the current challenges for missions work in western Europe.

A native Slovenian and citizen of Croatia, Peter Kuzmic is a professor of world missions and European studies at Gordon Conwell Theological Seminary and he believes the future of Europe's church lies with the next generation of young believers.

And these young missionaries certainly believe that hope could become a reality judging by the response of those attending the Congress.

So despite the challenges of living in this post-Christian society the young European believers leave this Congress better equipped to carry on the work of fulfilling the Great Commission.

Let no one despise your youth, but set the believers an example in speech and conduct, in love, in faith, in purity. Till I come, attend to the public reading of scripture, to preaching, to teaching.
1 Timothy 4:12-13