The Orwellian concept of the “thought police” is now coming more toward full circle with the signing into law of “hate crimes” legislation that would more appropriately be called “thought crimes” legislation.  I have never yet seen any case of a crime being committed out of love for the victim, so hateful attitudes are a theme common to criminal behavior.  Therefore, these laws are not truly intended to identify hateful behavior, but the thoughts of ther person committing the crime must be discerned through whatever is considered evidence in these cases.

In deciding that this nation is going to protect a behavioral lifestyle choice with civil rights protection, the way that this law will be interpreted will most assuredly be swayed in the very near future toward a liberal interpretation with broad implications that attempt to quell any debate or disagreement regarding homosexual acts.  What will be allowed to be considered evidence will be heavily debated.  Despite what those who wanted these ideas to become law have claimed, this law will be used to stifle religious speech and we will see it used to prosecute pastors who dare to speak out against the sin of homosexual acts in a public manner.  These prosecutions will start out by targeting those with the more vocal and aggressive speech that is viewed to incite violence against homosexuals.  We’ll see them target a preacher in the not too distant future and then get someone to implicate their preaching as a cause for their behavior choice of being a criminal toward someone who is a homosexual.  These test cases will be used to get the law interpreted the way they want so that precedents will be in place to put fear in the hearts of those pastors who would dare to continue to preach the whole Bible and any Christian who would dare object.

Another effect that is already being seen is that employers are going to be more likely to pass restrictive rules in the workplace to accomplish the same effect which is to stifle Christians who would want to witness to others in their workplaces.  WorldNetDaily has posted a recent story about a man who was fired for saying that homosexuality was wrong and he has been accused of “harrassment” (http://www.wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=114779). 

One thing is for sure: The wheat will be separated from the chaff.  In spite of what laws may be in place, the pastor must always continue to preach the whole Word and not just what is convenient or safe.  “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind” [2 Timothy 1:7 (KJV)].  Just as Peter and the other apostles stated, “We ought to obey God rather than men” [Acts 5:29 (KJV)].