Last Thursday, March 18, 2010, I received an email from my friends at CHANGE Collegian Network (CCN) that a dear brother in Christ, Shawn Holes, was arrested while preaching the gospel in Glasgow Scotland (for explaining to a group of homosexuals, in love, that their lifestyle was sinful). Shawn spent the night in jail, and went before a judge the very next day.
Due to Scottish law, Shawn was charged with one count of homophobia, and one count of disturbing the peace and was given 3 choices by the judge: 1). Plead guilty and pay a fine, 2). Plead guilty, and go to jail, or 3). Plead innocent, and await further trial. Given the laws and his extremely slim chance of a legal victory, Shawn pled guilty and will need to pay a fine of about $1,600. The good news is that the Christian men he was with plus ten or so Christians from the area that he had never met pitched in and paid the fine!
Many dear friends of mine have witnessed with this brother side-by-side on the streets and testify of his love for the Lord. God bless him for his faithfulness to the Gospel. Let's keep preaching while we still have our freedom.
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4 comments:
Homosexual love is not one of your 10 Commandments, why so concerned?
I was arrested once for protesting the war...
'Thou shall not kill'.
Glad you post his bail, jail's no fun.
I'm sure I'd get arrested if I protested the History text book changes in Texas.
It's a travesty that he was arrested for answering a question with his own personal views - informed, as they are, by his religious convictions - the Scottish authorities should be ashamed of themselves.
If he was preaching the Westboro' Baptist way by saying 'God hates fags' or by suggesting that homosexuals should be stoned to death (more of an Islamic approach, I feel), then he should have been arrested. But, from what I gather, this was not the case and he never should have been arrested in the first place.
Question: should he have stood his ground and gone to court to fight for his name and his right to do what he did? Did he take the easy way out?
Cheers,
You have a right to spout your hateful nonsense so long as it is orderly. If that was the case here, then I disagree with the actions the authorities took here. As much as I abhor homophobia, my appreciation for free speech outweighs it here.
According to the account given on Tony Miano's blog, Shawn was just preaching the gospel and giving his testimony, when a woman asked him what the bible says about homosexuality. So he read some scriptures that address the topic, and an argument with the crowd began.
Trying to put myself in his position, if I were asked that question, my response would be something like this:
"The most significant thing for you and me today is what the bible says here:" (Then I would read 1 Cor 6:9-11)
Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals,
nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God.
Such were some of you; but you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God. (NASB)
Then I would say something like, "So in answer to your question, the bible includes homosexuality among those sins for which the unrighteous will be judged. The Good News is that because of Christ's death on the cross for sinners, we can be completely "washed" from those sins. That is what the Bible says. Thank you for your question."
I remember Ray Comfort saying, in "Hell's Best-Kept Secret", something like, "When you are witnessing to a homosexual, don't preach about his homosexuality, He is ready for you with boxing gloves on. Instead, preach [the Ten Commandments and the Gospel]."
Ray also says, commenting on the passage that I quoted above, "This list of sins (which encompass most, if not all, of the Ten Commandments) makes it clear who will not be included in the kingdom of God. However, Paul says to those who are now believers, "And such were some of you." (v. 11) No matter what their sins, God can wash sinners clean and make them righteous in His sight." (From The Evidence Bible - Bridge-Logos)
I don't know how everything "went down" in the incident with Shawn. I do know that Ray offers some good advice, in these and other comments, of how to diffuse a potentially hostile confrontation. It does take some tact, but it is possible to be uncompromising in your stand while keeping the discussion civil.
As for the law that he was charged with violating, I'd have to see how that law reads, and what Shawn actually said and did to give a more informed opinion.
Craig
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