My eyebrows raised a bit higher than normal as I read the article for a third time – subpoena of “all speeches, presentations, or sermons related to [the equal rights ordinance], the Petition, Mayor Annise Parker, homosexuality, or gender identity prepared by, delivered by, revised by, or approved by you or in your possession.”
It appears we have a battle on our hands. Is it about our First Amendment rights or does it go deeper?
Lawyers for the city of Houston have subpoenaed sermons delivered by several local pastors. A lawsuit against the city has been filed over its rejection of citizen petitions filed to repeal an equal rights ordinance approved by Houston’s City Council in May.
Five pastors and religious leaders who have spoken out against the ordinance, which bans racial and sexual orientation discrimination in city employment and contracting, housing and public accommodations, is the basis for the subpoena.
My thoughts drifted to Dietrich Bonhoeffer, a German Lutheran pastor, theologian, anti-Nazi dissident, and key founding member of the Confessing Church. In his journals he wrote of Nazi soldiers entering his church, standing in the back, listening to his sermon. One wrong word and he would be arrested on the spot – and he was.
The Mayor states she was unaware of the subpoenas and along with the City Attorney David Feldman agree the original documents were overly broad. Then, under whose direction did these “pro bono” attorneys file the subpoena?
UCLA law professor, Eugene Volokh, writes “a demand for records of sermons and other pastoral communications doesn’t necessarily raise First Amendment red flags.” His opinion? “There’s no reason why the Free Exercise Clause would provide a greater protection against subpoenas of the sermon than the Free Speech/Press Clause provides against subpoenas of participants in the newspaper editorial meeting.”
Is the idea of separation of church and state only applicable when it meets the agenda of the person shouting it or is it for all purposes? The very ploy atheists use to attempt to remove God from public facilities, here, it is used to include Him.
People of ALL faiths should do more than raise their eyebrows.
The best way to boil a frog? You put him in warm, comfortable water, and slowly increase the temperature. The frog is totally unaware until suddenly he is boiling, and there is no way to jump out.
I’m jumping out of this pot. My rights as a woman of faith; a Christian; a believer in my Lord and Savior; as a worshiper are being questioned and challenged. Do I believe the request for subpoenaed documents will go through? No, not today and not in the near future; but neither did the frog believe the water was getting a bit warm.
It’s time for us to do more than raise our eyebrows. It’s time to raise our banners high against the threats to our freedom of religious expression; against our God; against our Savior.
I have a friend living in a country where being a Christian is grounds for imprisonment; going to church is a risk to life; worshiping in one’s home could lead to death. I talk with her in codes about memberships and leaders, all the while referring to God. She seems so far away. I feel so removed from her plight, nestled in the comfort of my Georgia home.
Or am I just enjoying a warm, bubbling bath?
