CANADA: BILL COULD CRIMINALIZE SCRIPTURES SAY BISHOPS

Bill could criminalize Scriptures say Bishops

Bob Harvey CanWest News Service March 27, 2004

Portions of the Bible are in danger of being condemned as hate literature, say religious groups opposed to changes in the Criminal Code to be debated next week by the Senate.

In a letter to Justice Minister Irwin Cotler, the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops said Friday that Bill C-250 proposes changes that could lead to the church being prosecuted for its teaching that "sexual conduct between people of the same sex is morally wrong."

"Participation in the current public debate on marriage has demonstrated there are individuals who believe that Catholic Church teaching on homosexual behaviour is hatred. We remain concerned that this bill as presently drafted could be used in an attempt to silence Church teaching in this regard," they said.

The Catholic bishops urged senators to change Svend Robinson's private member's bill, which includes sexual orientation in the hate propaganda sections of the Criminal Code, so that no one could be prosecuted under the hate crimes provisions for publicly commenting on sexual morality.

The bishops said they have seen the impact of including sexual orientation in previous legislation and suggested they have little confidence in reassurances that the changes in the Criminal Code will not affect freedom of religion.

"For example, when the question was about social benefits, reassurances were given that the traditional concepts of marriage and family were not at risk," they said.

Janet Epp Buckingham, the director of law and public policy for the Evangelical Fellowship of Canada, said senators have told her they are "getting a ton of phone calls and e-mails opposing the bill," but said there is also "quite a bit of momentum for the bill to pass."

The evangelical fellowship said that if C-250 is passed, it will endanger faith groups' freedom to read, preach and distribute sacred texts, and to publicly discuss and comment on sexual morality.

© The Calgary Herald 2004