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DO SOME BIBLICAL PASSAGES QUALIFY AS HATE LITERATURE? IF SO, UNDER WHAT CIRCUMSTANCES?

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Overview:

Two well publicized court decisions -- one during 2002 in Saskatchewan, Canada, and one during 2004 in Idaho -- have ruled that advertisements or posters can be regarded as hate literature or as "demeaning and degrading" even though they consist mainly of citations or texts from the Bible. These courts did not rule that the Bible verses themselves are hate literature. But they did determine that in certain circumstances,  Bible quotations or citations are not protected religious speech.

The two cases both involved conservative Protestants taking a negative view of homosexuality: Both cases involved references to Leviticus 20:13.

There is a general belief that Canadian and American citizens are guaranteed almost complete religious freedom. They are free to believe in any religion or none. But their freedom to act on their religious beliefs is not necessarily guaranteed -- particularly if their actions hurt or denigrate others.

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References:

1. The text of the ruling by Justice J. Barclay of the Court of Queen's Bench in  "Owens v. Saksatchewan (Human Rights Commission) QB02511" is online at: http://www.aloha.net/ and at: http://www.canlii.org/
2. Stuart Shepard, "Court Upholds Firing over Bible Verses," Family News in Focus, 2004-JAN-8, at: http://www.family.org/

3. Joanne Laucius,  "Bible: Decision raises questions about freedom of speech," Ottawa Citizen, 2001-JUN-29, Front page, at: http://www.eunacom.net/