Wednesday, September 01, 2010

Pastor arrested for poaching

Poaching - any encroachment on another's property, rights, ideas, or the like.

MarkHolick Pastor Mark Holick was tying to poach Muslims outside of the Islamic Society of Wichita.

Pastor Mark Holick of Spirit One Christian Center says he was arrested for handing out "packets that included the Gospel of John and the Book of Romans in English and Arabic, a DVD with testimonies of former Islamists who have come to the Lord."

He was arrested for loitering and failing to disperse. I think the charges should be dropped. He was doing what many Christians do, spreading the word of Jesus. It’s annoying as hell, but it is legally protected speech.

In an email, Holick says his group was peaceful and he was exercising his First Amendment rights on the sidewalk.

So why was he arrested? I suspect it has something to do with 9/11 and the uptick in anti-Islamic activity leading up to nutball Pastor Terry Jones’ Koran burning in Florida.

Let’s say Holick were instead a Atheist named Mojoey, or vjack. Would we be arrested for trying to hand out material critical of religion and Islam? Could we do the same thing in front of a large church and get away without ending up in jail? I hope so, but I think we need to test it. Who is willing to volunteer to do the same thing as pastor Holick? Who among us would stand with him, if he would have us?

Pastor Holick works for the Spirit One Christian Center. I’ve requested comments on his arrest by e-mail.

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Mike aka MonolithTMA's avatar - Go to profile

Mike aka MonolithTMA 58p · 769 weeks ago

Unless there's some detail they are not including I see no reason for them to have been arrested.
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mikespeir · 769 weeks ago

I agree with the monolithic Mike. If they're just trying to come up with a technicality, though, that ain't kosher.
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Catlin's avatar

Catlin · 769 weeks ago

In the city of Wichita you are required to have a permit to picket on city property, which the sidewalk is. Based on their prior behaviour, they did not bother to get this. Also based on their proir behaviour when they chose to picket the renfaire in Wichita, they chose to shove their pamphlets at people who did not want them, saying bad things to those who refused. When asked to quit they hid behind free speech, ignoring that freedom of speech is not intended to include insults.
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ronmurp · 769 weeks ago

We need the secular alliance on the case to ensure fair game: Muslim, Christian, Atheist go round together, promoting their world view at each other's place of worship: Atheist and Muslim outside Christian church, Atheist and Christian outside mosque, Christian and Muslim ... errr

Where's that comment delete button.
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deleted8470268's avatar - Go to profile

deleted8470268 143p · 739 weeks ago

All religious speech is hate speech I far as I am concerned ,now it to is protected speech Let him stand outside the Westborro church . And condemn them .

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