The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) is saying that certain Bible verses are “no longer appropriate” to be read in public in court, News Letter reports.
The comment was made in writing during the legal proceedings for a now-dismissed case the CPS brought against street preacher John Dunns over an altercation between the preacher and two lesbians. During the confrontation, the 55-year-old veteran allegedly shouted that the women should “burn in hell” and called one of them a “devil woman.” Dunns, who was charged under the Public Order Act, denies the allegations.
“This document is not the forum for religious debate, but the bible contains other material recognising slavery (Exodus 21:7), the death sentence (Exodus 35:2 and Leviticus 24:16) and cannibalism (Deuteronomy 28:27),” CPS wrote.
“There are references in the Bible which are simply no longer appropriate in modern society and which would be deemed offensive if stated in public.”
The Crown Prosecution Service has designated some passages in the Bible as ‘no longer appropriate’ to be stated in public and doing so could be a form of unlawful harassment under the Public Order Act. https://t.co/F5BfEc93eY
David Smyth, head of the Evangelical Alliance, sounded the alarm on how the prosecutors could set a dangerous precedent for freedom of expression.
“The CPS holds a really important role in the public life and administration of criminal justice in England and Wales,” Smyth said to News Letter. “However it is not their role to govern what is ‘appropriate’ or ‘offensive’. These comments are unwise and concerning, revealing a lack of understanding and faith literacy.”
* Article from: The Daily Caller