This evening (September 4th) 'TBN' (the right wing Christian American television network) has an interview with a Congressman on who is promising to introduce 'Free Speech for Church' legislation into the U.S. House of Congress. Translated, what this means is that just as churches want to be exempt from civil rights legislation so as to discriminate primarily against Gays and Lesbians, they also want their 'right' to preach discrimination from the pulpit protected under a special 'free speech' law that will, in accordance with 'gospel principles' allow the church pulpit free reign in slandering prostitutes, tax collectors, and 'sinners', not to mention porn stars, who are also being attacked on the same program which gives you some idea of the intent of this new law the churches want passed. (By the way that was sarcasm, for those of you unfamiliar with the gospel. Christ was slandered constantly from the pulpit for having as his friends prostitutes, tax collectors and all sorts of 'sinners').

This reminds me of a similar effort that was made years ago in my home province when a notorious 'gay bashing' preacher complained bitterly that while everyone was protecting civil rights no one was protecting his civil right as a preacher to 'gay bash'. 'What about our rights' he remarked, demanding then the civil right to deny the civil rights of others as, of course, a church civil right. I say let the churches discriminate against themselves and let them also leave other people alone and keep their constant attempts to pass discriminatory and dictitorial laws to themselves as well (others are not interested). As for that canard about protecting the 'civil right' of churches to violate the civil rights of others, this isn't the first time such stupid reasoning has been used by churches constantly seeking the establishment of a totalitarian theocratic dictatorship (as in the 'good old days') and it is my hope that the UCLU and other such organizations will challenge such a ridiculous (politically motivated vote getting) canard in the courts...As for bald faced hypocrisy, I direct readers to my Bible Commentary pages for example after example of fraudulent misuse of the Bible by the religious right which is blatantly obvious to anyone who wants to take the time to investigate the matter. This business of enshrining the 'civil right' of the churches to violate civil rights of others not interested in them or their churches is just one more example of the same type of hypocrisy...

come on bro, give us some details.... that's a big part of reporting.