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Last October, a group of eleven Christians attended a pro-homosexual rally called the 'Outfest' where they displayed banners with biblical messages, sang hymns and preached from the Bible.

Not long after the group began their activity, members of the Pink Angels, which the statement describes as "a militant mob of homosexuals," confronted the protesters and attempted to drown out their message with whistles, while hiding the signs with large sheets of pink Styrofoam.

After the confrontation, the Christians were arrested and taken to jail. None of the homosexuals at the 'Outfest' were charged or arrested.

In all, eight charges were filed against the Christians: criminal conspiracy, possession of instruments of crime, reckless endangerment of another person, ethnic intimidation, riot, failure to disperse, disorderly conduct and obstructing highways.

The “ethnic intimidation” charge was made possible by Pennsylvania’s Ethnic Intimidation and Institutional Vandalism Act – that state's “hate crimes" law – to which the newest "victim" category of "sexual orientation" was recently appended.

The Christian group issued a statement in which they complained, "Despite the fact that our behavior was above reproach and we were attacked by a mob of whistle-blowing, obscenity-screaming God haters, the Christians, and only the Christians, were charged."

The entire incident was videotaped. It clearly showed the defendants cooperating with police as well as documenting the harassment activities of the Pink Angels.

Philadelphia's prosecutor argued before the court that the defendants were "hateful" and referred to preaching the Bible as "fighting words." The judge in the case agreed and ordered them bound for trial.

Four of the Christians arrested were ordered to stand trial on three felony and five misdemeanor charges. If convicted, they could each get a maximum of 47 years in prison. One female teenage protester faces charges in the juvenile justice system.

Charges were dropped against six of the 11 Christians, apparently because they were not seen quoting Scripture on the videotape, since, in this case, quoting the Bible is what constitutes the 'corpus delecti' (body of the crime).

It has since been revealed that homosexual attorneys from the U.S. Justice Department Civil Rights Division were among the 'celebrants' at 'Outfest'. They allegedly 'advised' the police to arrest the Christians and helped them formulate the charges.

Consequently, appeals from the Christian group to the Department of Justice, claiming that their civil rights were violated fell on deaf ears.

What makes this even more egregious is the fact that an article printed in the Philadelphia Gay News, published BEFORE the 'Outfest' festival, announced -- in advance -- that the organizers intended to block Christians from access to the event.

Chuck Volz, senior adviser to Philly Pride Presents, told the publication the Pink Angels security force would carry large signs alongside the Christians to surround them and block their access to OutFest participants.

But Volz also admitted the Christians had a 1st Amendment right to attend, just as they did.

"Given the parameters of the First Amendment, there's no way to keep them out," he said. "I think the gay community should understand that the gay-rights movement has succeeded because people are permitted free speech under the First Amendment. We can't be in a position of denying people the right to compete with us in the marketplace of ideas." Unless, of course, they are Christians.

It is hard to argue against the evidence. I'm not referring to the evidence provided by the videotape that proves the Christians were cooperative with police and non-violent in their demonstration. Evidently, THAT evidence is extremely easy to argue against.

The evidence I am referring to is the evidence that being a Christian in America is ALREADY a crime. We are talking about the United States -- not Russia, Vietnam or Saudi Arabia, here.

What I find fascinating is that, in the days of the Apostles, it was also a crime to accept Jesus, and the charges then were the same as the charges now.

In the days of the Roman Emperors, Christians were charged with what were the equivalent to 'hate crimes' for preaching Jesus as the only way to heaven.

That is the same argument the Bible says will find wide acceptance during the Tribulation Period when the antichrist launches a world-wide effort aimed at exterminating Christians and Jews.

Here's the fascinating part.

Those who claim Christians practice hate speech by claiming Jesus as the only way to heaven don't believe in Jesus anyway.

They don't believe they are accountable to Jesus, and don't believe that accepting Jesus will win them entry into a heaven that they don't believe in either.

So, the Philadelphia Christians are charged with preaching the 'alleged' words of a Person their opponents dispute ever existed, because He said (without ever existing, remember) that, without accepting the 'mythical' Jesus they won't get to go to a place that they say is a myth in the first place!

And THAT activity is so damaging a 'crime' (in America -- and on THIS side of the Tribulation Period), that it merits a potential of 47 years in prison.

It is a vivid foreshadowing of the time that Jesus described as "great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be." (Matthew 24:21)

"So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors. Verily I say unto you, This generation SHALL NOT PASS, till ALL these things be fulfilled." (Matthew 24:33-34)

Excerpted from the Omega Letter Christian Intelligence Digest, Volume 41, Issue 4

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