Sauce for the goose...

by Feòrag

(or, oh how I wish this had been Newfoundland!)

A Canadian provincial court has decided to treat The Bible like all other literature, and has ruled that certain parts of it are hate speech in particular contexts. Three gay men submitted a complaint about an advertisment placed in two newspapers which emphasised four Bible verses which call for homosexuals to be killed. The court agreed that this exposed the complainants to hatred, ridicule, and their dignity was affronted on the basis of their sexual orientation.

Justice J. Barclay wrote in his opinion that the human-rights panel was correct in concluding that the advertisement can objectively be seen as exposing homosexuals to hatred or ridicule.

When the use of the circle and slash is combined with the passages of the Bible, it exposes homosexuals to detestation, vilification and disgrace, Barclay said. In other words, the biblical passage which suggests that if a man lies with a man they must be put to death exposes homosexuals to hatred.

Bible verses regarded as hate literature—WorldNetDaily (loony fundies and alleged distorters of the truth), 18th February 2003; Parts of Bible ruled hate speech in Canada—Metafilter, 23rd February 2003.