Contact: Pastor Paul Blair, 405-348-1745
WASHINGTON, Nov. 9 /Christian Newswire/ -- On November 16, 2009, at 1:30 PM, an ad hoc coalition of concerned ministers from various denominations will be holding a Press Conference and Rally for Religious Freedom in front of the Department of Justice.
A group of ministers including Rick Scarborough of Vision America, Gary Cass of the Christian Anti Defamation Commission, Bishop Earl Jackson of STAND America, Paul Blair and Steve Kern of Reclaim Oklahoma, Pat Mahoney of the Christian Defense Coalition, Brad Cranston of Iowa Baptists for Biblical Values and Jim Garlow, a leader in the Prop 8 battle in California will join together with others and boldly preach Biblical truth concerning the subject of homosexuality. If believing and proclaiming the Bible is considered a Hate Crime, then they are willing to be arrested, if necessary, in order to stand for the guaranteed First Amendment right to free speech for all ministers of the Gospel.
Pastor Paul Blair, founder of Reclaiming Oklahoma for Christ, said, "Pastors have preached the Bible in America for over 400 years, pointing people to Jesus Christ and standing against sin. If preaching the Bible is now against the law, then let us be arrested. If not, may every pastor across America know that he can stand strong and proclaim Biblical Truth without fear of persecution or prosecution."
Mat Staver, Attorney and Founder of Liberty Council, has agreed to serve as legal counsel for the ministers and will join them at the press conference. A letter will first be delivered to Attorney General Eric Holder asking that this Law not be enforced as it violates the Constitution.
Various legal institutes have offered opinions on the new Hate Crimes Law including this one by the American Center for Law and Justice:
"... hate crimes legislation ... creates separate classes of victims. This law makes it a more severe crime to commit a violent act against a homosexual than to commit a violent act against a senior citizen, a mother, or countless other classes that could be viewed as meriting special protection. Rather than prosecuting all crimes equally, this law creates a special victim class based on 'sexual orientation' and 'gender identity.' This...(could have a) chilling effect on religious speech ... While we firmly believe that the pastor's First Amendment protections would ultimately prevail, this law could put the pastor's constitutionally-protected speech under a legal microscope."
For more information contact Pastor Paul Blair at (405)348-1745.
