Canada's Hate Speech Law Compels Christian Concerns About Same-Sex Marriage Debate
by Mary Rettig
May 24, 2004
(AgapePress) - Some religious leaders in Canada are concerned that a new law will keep them from being able to speak the truth from the nation's pulpits.
The Canadian government recently passed a law that prohibits advocating violence or hatred toward homosexuals. Although there is a provision in the law that excludes religious groups, Janet Epp Buckingham of the Evangelical Fellowship of Canada fears that may not be enough.
"The church is a public place," Buckingham says, "so if a pastor preaches a sermon that a gay or lesbian person feels is inciting hatred, we're concerned that that might fall under this criminal code provision, and the defense does not apply to that. So we're a little bit concerned that the way this defense has been applied means that religious freedom won't be protected."
And the pro-family Evangelical says many pro-family Christians like her are apprehensive that this new law may be helping Canada's liberal judges in their efforts to lead the way toward the nationwide legalization of same-sex marriage.
"I think one of the big concerns about this legislation is that it came at the same time that same-sex marriage was a very hot topic in Canada," Buckingham says, "and so there was concern on the part of the Christian community that it was an attempt to silence the religious opposition to same-sex marriage."
Intimidation tactics have also been employed to that end, the EFC spokeswoman notes. She says some pastors are being harassed through threatening phone calls, letters, and e-mails by members of the homosexual and lesbian communities, and this has caused many clergy to fear that they are being watched.
Nevertheless, Buckingham says the evangelical Christian community in Canada remains undaunted and will not stop speaking up for biblical truth as it relates to homosexuality. "We're just going to continue to speak out on this issue," she says, "because it is an important topic in our society, and we think it deserves a full and fair discussion in public."
This fall the Canadian Supreme Court will examine the definition of marriage and consider whether to include same-sex couples. In light of recent court action in favor of same-sex marriage in Massachusetts, many Americans are looking toward Canada to see the effects of those decisions on that nation's culture.
