An outfit calling itself The Christian Anti-Defamation Commission (CADC) has put out a Top 10 list of what it considers “the most outrageous Christian bashing in America in the year 2008.” Coming in at No. 4 is a claim that “Colorado Law Criminalizes the Bible.” What?
The assertion is actually a reference to last year’s Senate Bill 200, which expands the definition of discrimination to include sexual orientation. At the time, you’ll remember that Colorado Springs-based Focus on the Family went bonkers over the bill, claiming that transgendered people would be able to go into bathrooms and molest children. But criminalizing the Bible? How on earth did Focus miss that angle?
Actually, The Christian Anti-Defamation Commission’s reference to the so-called criminalization of the Bible is not the first time that assertion has surfaced.
But first, the claim from the Top 10 list: In between others like “Bill Maher Gratuitously Attacks Pope,” “Vice Presidential Candidate Sarah Palin Is Attacked,” and “Radical Homosexuals Assault Prop 8 Marriage Supporters in California,” is the Colorado SB 200 assertion, coming in at No. 4:
SB200, a Colorado state bill recently signed into law, criminalizes the Bible. Section 8 of the bill entitled “Publishing of discriminative matter forbidden” makes publishing the Bible illegal because it contains anti-homosexual passages. This is part of a larger effort to criminalize the expression of certain opinions and beliefs.
This is what James Dobson, founder of Focus, had to say about Senate Bill 200 when it was passed:
“Who would have believed that the Colorado state legislature and its governor would have made it fully legal for men to enter and use women’s restrooms and locker-room facilities without notice or explanation?” Dobson asked.
“Henceforth, every woman and little girl will have to fear that a predator, bisexual, cross-dresser or even a homosexual or heterosexual male might walk in and relieve himself in their presence.”
Um, lots of people didn’t believe that was the case. As numerous Colorado lawmakers noted , it is AGAINST THE LAW to assault or molest women, little girls, as well as little boys and men. What SB 200 does is prohibit people from discriminating against people based on their sexual orientations.
But Colorado state Rep. Kevin Lundberg, a conservative Republican from Berthoud, did in fact glom on to the so-called Bible implications last year, citing Section 8 of the bill that forbids the publishing of discriminative matter. Apparently, Lundberg’s translation puts the Bible in that category.
In July, Lundberg told the conservative World News Daily that it’s “clear” the Bible could be targeted by those using the vague definitions in the law.
“If you’re going to be distributing Scriptures, there are clear passages that someone of a homosexual orientation could easily find offensive,” he said.
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