The hate crime bill passed last week by a 249-175 vote in the U.S. House of Representatives is causing an expected stir among conservatives who fought it for years. Yet just as interesting are the comments being made by pastors and Christian leaders regarding the potential effect the bill could have on their preaching.

"It is going to cause, in a critical moment in U.S. history, a chilling effect in the pulpit where we cannot preach about biblical morality and sexuality," said Harry R. Jackson, senior pastor of Hope Christian Church in Maryland. "I know it is not politically correct to say that certain lifestyles are not condoned by the Bible, but in this day those of us who are leaders in the faith community have got to make a choice to be biblically correct or politically correct. And I believe if we are biblically correct we will impact the nation."

H.R. 1913, which is officially called the Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act, adds sexual orientation, gender and gender identity to the list of classes—race, religion, color and national origin—currently protected under the federal hate crimes law. The main argument from Christian leaders has been the potential muzzling of pastors condemning homosexual behavior. Similar laws passed in England, Canada and Sweden have led to Christians—including pastors—being prosecuted for speaking out against homosexuality.

"Ultimately, a pastor's sermon concerning religious beliefs and teachings on homosexuality and gender-confused behaviors could be considered to cause violence and will be punished or at least investigated," said Andrea Lafferty, executive director of the Traditional Values Coalition (TVC). "Once the legal framework is in place, political pressure will be placed on prosecutors to investigate pastors or other religious leaders who quote the Bible or express their long-held beliefs on the morality and appropriateness of homosexuality and other sexual behaviors."

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Yet several conservative Christian leaders, including Florida megachurch pastor Joel Hunter, see the bill as biblical in fighting for the rights of all citizens. "I would think that the followers of Jesus would be first in line to protect any group from hate crimes," said Hunter, who leads Northland, A Church Distributed in Orlando, Fla., and is on the 25-member advisory council of the White House Office of Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships. "He was the one who intervened against religious violence aimed at the woman caught in the act of adultery. He protected her while not condoning her behavior. This bill protects both the rights of conservative religious people to voice passionately their interpretations of their Scriptures and protects their fellow citizens from physical attack. I strongly endorse this bill." [charismamag.com, 4/30/09; christianpost.com, 4/29/09]

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