“Big Brother is watching you” wrote George Orwell in his fictional account of governmental tyranny and totalitarianism in the novel “1984” (published in 1949) wherein Orwell chillingly predicted citizens would be prosecuted for, what he described 65 years ago, as “thoughtcrimes.”
Thirty years past the titled date, in 2014 America “Big Brother” is not only watching, but is standing over the pulpit issuing subpoenas to pastors demanding they hand over copies of all sermons and communications to the local government. Yes, you read that right. In Houston, Texas the city government has unleashed the “thoughtcrimes” Gestapo against local churches.
As Todd Starnes writes, “The city of Houston has issued subpoenas demanding a group of pastors turn over any sermons dealing with homosexuality, gender identity or Annise Parker, the city’s first openly lesbian mayor. And those ministers who fail to comply could be held in contempt of court.”
This comes after the city council, led by their lesbian mayor, enacted a so-called “non-discrimination law” which, among other things, allows for people to enter the public bathroom of whichever gender they choose to identify. The Houston City Council, bent on giving special status to those who practice bi-sexuality, did nothing to protect women and girls from men – claiming to be transgender – who now can legally enter women’s bathrooms or store dressing rooms.
Joe LaRue, an attorney with Alliance Defending Freedom, spoke last May before the Houston Area Pastors Council where he warned that this Houston law would force a church having 50 or more employees to hire homosexuals and transgendered individuals. He also listed 46 examples where women and children had been sexually abused in cities having these ordinances. The Houston city attorney has also acknowledged that the ordinance can be used to prosecute photographers and other business owners who, due to their strongly held religious beliefs, choose not to participate in same-sex "marriage" ceremonies.
This transgender bathroom law, which was passed by the Houston City Council last June, was not enacted without a Texas-size fight. City council meetings were packed with widespread opposition. And from the Houston Area Pastors Council a whopping 400 local pastors joined together to speak out against the ordinance! Black, White, Hispanic, and Vietnamese pastors from all kinds of denominations joined together to voice opposition.
Yet in spite of the public outcry, the city council voted to enact the law. That did not stop the opponents of the ordinance, who gathered more than 50,000 signatures from Houston residents – far more than the 17,269 needed – to place the issue on the ballot for voters to decide.
The secretary for the City of Houston, who by law must examine to petitions, certified the petitions as sufficient. Yet, in an act of true lawlessness, the mayor and city attorney defied the law and rejected the certification and threw out the petition.
In response, the citizen opposition group has now brought a lawsuit against the city regarding the rejection of their certified petitions for a ballot referendum.
Now, the City of Houston has countered by issuing subpoenas to local pastors, demanding copies of sermons and other communications with their church members regarding this issue. Incredibly, the pastors weren’t even part of the lawsuit filed by the citizen group, but that didn’t stop city officials from sending a message to these pastors and the community at large that dissent will not be tolerated.
Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF) attorney Christina Holcomb stated: “The city council and its attorneys are engaging in an inquisition designed to stifle any critique of its actions. Political and social commentary is not a crime; it is protected by the First Amendment.” ADF, who specializes in defending religious liberty, is representing five Houston pastors targeted by these Orwellian tactics.
Pastor Steve Riggle, of the Houston mega-church Grace Community, was one of the pastors subpoenaed. As Todd Starnes reported, Pastor Riggle was ordered to produce all speeches and sermons related to Mayor Annise Parker, homosexuality and gender identity, and hand over “all communications with members of your congregation” regarding the non-discrimination law.
Pastor Riggle warned: “This is an attempt to chill pastors from speaking to the cultural issues of the day. The mayor would like to silence our voice. …”
Rev. Dave Welch, executive director of the Texas Pastor Council, who also received a subpoena, told Todd Starnes:
“We’re not afraid of this bully. We’re not intimidated at all. … We are not going to yield our First Amendment rights. This is absolutely a complete abuse of authority. … This is the place where we stop the LGBT assault on the freedom to practice our faith.”
Family Research Council’s Tony Perkins is calling out pastors and Christians to stand together against this brazen attack against our constitutionally guaranteed religious freedom. “The state is breaching the wall of separation between church and state. Pastors need to step forward and challenge this across the country. I’d like to see literally thousands of pastors after they read this story begin to challenge government authorities – to dare them to come into their churches and demand their sermons.”
The attack upon religious liberty, and specifically Christianity, is growing by the day. We are on the brink of losing our religious freedoms. God’s people must stand against those who would silence our voice of biblical Truth. Now is the time to rise, to speak out, and to pray.
If we don’t, it won’t be long before Big Brother will be knocking down your door.“Big Brother is watching you” wrote George Orwell in his fictional account of governmental tyranny and totalitarianism in the novel “1984” (published in 1949) wherein Orwell chillingly predicted citizens would be prosecuted for, what he described 65 years ago, as “thoughtcrimes.”
Thirty years past the titled date, in 2014 America “Big Brother” is not only watching, but is standing over the pulpit issuing subpoenas to pastors demanding they hand over copies of all sermons and communications to the local government. Yes, you read that right. In Houston, Texas the city government has unleashed the “thoughtcrimes” Gestapo against local churches.
As Todd Starnes writes, “The city of Houston has issued subpoenas demanding a group of pastors turn over any sermons dealing with homosexuality, gender identity or Annise Parker, the city’s first openly lesbian mayor. And those ministers who fail to comply could be held in contempt of court.”
This comes after the city council, led by their lesbian mayor, enacted a so-called “non-discrimination law” which, among other things, allows for people to enter the public bathroom of whichever gender they choose to identify. The Houston City Council, bent on giving special status to those who practice bi-sexuality, did nothing to protect women and girls from men – claiming to be transgender – who now can legally enter women’s bathrooms or store dressing rooms.
Joe LaRue, an attorney with Alliance Defending Freedom, spoke last May before the Houston Area Pastors Council where he warned that this Houston law would force a church having 50 or more employees to hire homosexuals and transgendered individuals. He also listed 46 examples where women and children had been sexually abused in cities having these ordinances. The Houston city attorney has also acknowledged that the ordinance can be used to prosecute photographers and other business owners who, due to their strongly held religious beliefs, choose not to participate in same-sex "marriage" ceremonies.
This transgender bathroom law, which was passed by the Houston City Council last June, was not enacted without a Texas-size fight. City council meetings were packed with widespread opposition. And from the Houston Area Pastors Council a whopping 400 local pastors joined together to speak out against the ordinance! Black, White, Hispanic, and Vietnamese pastors from all kinds of denominations joined together to voice opposition.
Yet in spite of the public outcry, the city council voted to enact the law. That did not stop the opponents of the ordinance, who gathered more than 50,000 signatures from Houston residents – far more than the 17,269 needed – to place the issue on the ballot for voters to decide.
The secretary for the City of Houston, who by law must examine to petitions, certified the petitions as sufficient. Yet, in an act of true lawlessness, the mayor and city attorney defied the law and rejected the certification and threw out the petition.
In response, the citizen opposition group has now brought a lawsuit against the city regarding the rejection of their certified petitions for a ballot referendum.
Now, the City of Houston has countered by issuing subpoenas to local pastors, demanding copies of sermons and other communications with their church members regarding this issue. Incredibly, the pastors weren’t even part of the lawsuit filed by the citizen group, but that didn’t stop city officials from sending a message to these pastors and the community at large that dissent will not be tolerated.
Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF) attorney Christina Holcomb stated: “The city council and its attorneys are engaging in an inquisition designed to stifle any critique of its actions. Political and social commentary is not a crime; it is protected by the First Amendment.” ADF, who specializes in defending religious liberty, is representing five Houston pastors targeted by these Orwellian tactics.
Pastor Steve Riggle, of the Houston mega-church Grace Community, was one of the pastors subpoenaed. As Todd Starnes reported, Pastor Riggle was ordered to produce all speeches and sermons related to Mayor Annise Parker, homosexuality and gender identity, and hand over “all communications with members of your congregation” regarding the non-discrimination law.
Pastor Riggle warned: “This is an attempt to chill pastors from speaking to the cultural issues of the day. The mayor would like to silence our voice. …”
Rev. Dave Welch, executive director of the Texas Pastor Council, who also received a subpoena, told Todd Starnes:
“We’re not afraid of this bully. We’re not intimidated at all. … We are not going to yield our First Amendment rights. This is absolutely a complete abuse of authority. … This is the place where we stop the LGBT assault on the freedom to practice our faith.”
Family Research Council’s Tony Perkins is calling out pastors and Christians to stand together against this brazen attack against our constitutionally guaranteed religious freedom. “The state is breaching the wall of separation between church and state. Pastors need to step forward and challenge this across the country. I’d like to see literally thousands of pastors after they read this story begin to challenge government authorities – to dare them to come into their churches and demand their sermons.”
The attack upon religious liberty, and specifically Christianity, is growing by the day. We are on the brink of losing our religious freedoms. God’s people must stand against those who would silence our voice of biblical Truth. Now is the time to rise, to speak out, and to pray.
If we don’t, it won’t be long before Big Brother will be knocking down your door.
photo credit: Stuck in Customs via photopin cc
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