Stephen Green arrested

Stephen “Dog Shit” Green, national director of Christian Voice, was arrested this weekend at the Cardiff Mardi Gras.

His was charged with using “threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour within the hearing or sight of a person likely to be caused harassment, alarm or distress thereby, contrary to section 5(1) and (6) of the Public Order Act 1986”. What he actually did was hand out around 1,000 anti-gay leaflets (PDF download).

Green is predictably delighted:

I thank God for the honour of being locked up for sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ. […]

Speaking about righteousness, morality, sin, repentance and the forgiveness sinners can find in the cross of Jesus Christ may well offend the fragile sensibilities of homosexuals, but should the police have a partisan unit whose job is to round up Christian dissidents, treat them like thought criminals and trample on freedom of speech?

While it is quite amusing to see hypocrisy exposed in such a manner (this self-styled champion of free speech tried to get a musical show shut down because it offended him, wanted to sue the BBC for “blasphemy”, and reacted with glee when the Gay Police Association were investigated for an alleged “faith crime” after they suggested that religion was sometimes a contributing factor to violence against homosexuals), isn’t it about time people stopped trying to prosecute each other for “faith” or “hate” crimes when no actual crime has been committed?

Freedom of speech not only means the right to say things others don’t want to hear, but also involves hearing things you don’t like the sound of. If Stephen Green is prosecuted for his silly leaflets, or the GPA gets done for its bloody Bible ad, it will be a sorry day for freedom of expression in this country.

UPDATE: (6 Sept) Green has denied the charges and was remanded on unconditional bail until Sept 28


78 Responses to “Stephen Green arrested”

  1. martyn says:

    You actually see god? Your parents don’t believe in god yet you do? Well don’t leave us in suspense, what made you find god? Were you looking or do you suffer from a mild form of schizophrenia? Have you ever had any tests for it?

    So nice too that you made the effort to come back to check if we’d been talking about you too. 🙂 I don’t have a problem with you religious types and what you choose to believe in, however I do find it a problem when those views start having an affect on others who have no interest in your various faiths.

    As I said before Lyn I can only keep you in my thoughts and hope you recover enough to lead a normal productive life, free from the dogma of the supernatural world.

    You see god??? 😉

  2. lyn says:

    Ive never claimed to have seen God personally,Ive always believed in God.I believe the world was created
    and for something to be created there has to be a creator.I didnt become a christian untill a few months
    back,before that i was into the occult.I dont come in here to convince you there is a God,you have already
    made your mind up you dont believe in Him.
    I actually like coming in here to see if you guys have commented,just gives me more to pray for.
    If you are refering to steven handing out tracts,well look at it this way God says go into all the world and tell people about me,because people wont go to church the church go to the people,and if that means handing out
    tracts then so be it.aww thankyou for keeping me in your thoughts,ill keep you in my prayer,only fair.
    Funny i lead a normal productive life SINCE becomeing a christian.

  3. martyn says:

    Well come on Lyn, are you going to tell us how/why you found god? You say it’s only been a few months and that you used to be into the occult. From my view point there is no difference between the two, both limbs of the same tree so to speak. At least your not as preachy as a lot of christians threatening red hot pokers up bottoms for all eternity unless we conform. (or am i confusing it with conservative central office?)

  4. lyn says:

    Well martyn,like i said in the other statement ive always believed in God,God was never lost to be found.
    To be hounest all i can share is that when i was in the occult there was nothing i done that was good,
    Im not going to go into details of any of it because mentioning it only gives glory to it.And its something i would rather forget about.I actually dont even see the point in going into talking about how my life has changed since becomeing a christian,all im going to say is it has made me a better person.
    I actually dont see the point in preaching to anyone that isnt prepared to listen without mocking,it just falls on deaf ears so to speak.Yes there is a place where those who havent trusted Jesus as their Saviour goes,but im sure you have already read the bible to know God speaks of such a place.And if you havent when you have some spare time read it for yourself.Now like i said wether you chose to beleive it or not thats up to you.Im just the messenger.
    It is good talking to you and maybe when i feel the time is right to share my testimony then i will.

  5. martyn says:

    That’s nice of you Lyn, I’ll look forward to it. I have read the bible as I was sent to one of those sectarian schools.
    My views didn’t go down too well there either, leading to many a good whacking with a metre rule for just questioning what they were trying to indoctrinate me with.
    Most of those people would be in jail or on the sex offenders register if they behaved that way at a school now.

  6. lyn says:

    Well martyn,im wondering are we both sat at the pc right now,tee hee.I gather you didnt like school?
    Seems to me that it wasnt a nice school,To be hounest i think you were in the right to have questions about the bible,Jesus disiciples asked Jesus questions all the time,and im sure He didnt hit them with a big ruler. them when they questioned Him.
    Its always different when you read the bible because you want to,rather than being forced to.
    Im sure those teachers claimed to be christians,not everyone who claims to be a christian are.
    Its not easy being a christian,and God never promised me a rose garden,but one thing He did promise me is that He will take care of the thorns.
    Im the type of person that observes and asks questions first,i dont hear of something and just jump straight into it
    First time i had heared about God was when i was 10 yrs old,although my parents didnt believe in God,they still made me go to sunday school(just so they could have a break i guess)tee hee.I didnt become a christian till after my 40th birthday.
    I will share this one thing with you,i could have got rich from what i was invloved in but what would i profit if i gained the things in the world and lost my soul.Besides that i wouldnt give up Christ and go back into the occult even if someone paid me to.
    God bless you martyn and thanx for coming back,if you would like prayer for anyone or want to ask questions ill try and answer them.

  7. Andrew Nixon says:

    Something tells me that Lyn thinks us atheists dabble in the occult. Not to worry Lyn, I think that the occult is about as valid as Christianity and all other religions, ie. not at all.

    By the way, seen as you apparantly want to answer questions now if you could answer the questions I asked you in comments 44+45, I’d be ever so grateful.

  8. Marc Draco says:

    Funny how Lyn needs God to lead a productive life… Those invisible crutches must really do the trick!

    Why do we bash faith here? Because it’s assinine and because the faithful (insert religion here) continue to make asses of themselves on an almost daily basis.

    Faith is only acceptable today because it has been for thousands of years. Many other things that used to be “faith” or “religious” (visions, voices in the head etc.) are now recognised as mental illness.

  9. lyn says:

    Well andrew if you read it properly i was refering to me personally,also no one mentioned atheism,ive always believed in God.You claim to be an athiest and yet you think the occult and Christinity are all the same.Its ok i know mocking when i see it and like i said a few times i dont waste time in argueing over my faith.Its your choice at the end of the day wether you believe in God or not,when i said about questions,if you read it properly i was addressing it to martyn,also questions to do with the bible.Actually having God as my crutch is a good statement,i agree i did need a cructh to lean on and God is that crutch for me,im glad those invisable as you put it crutches were there for me.Its a hurting world out there and alot of people need crutches to lean on,and God is that crutch they need untill they can get bvack upon their feet again.As far as making A of ourselves well if that what it takes to get the attention of people like you then we wil continuse to make A of ourselves for Christ.Faith is acceptable today because of prayer and people realising they need a saviour and help.God bless you guys,will keep praying for you.

  10. Andrew Nixon says:

    Yes I think the occult and Christianity are the same. The occult is a bunch of superstitous twaddle that only the foolish believe in, so is Christianity. You seem to think that being an atheist prevents me from saying that. Why? Do you actually think that atheism is part of the occult?

    Now if you could answer that quesiton, and the questions I asked in comments 44+45 please. The question I asked in 44 is because you confused me, and I’m sure you’d want to clear up my confusion of what you said. The question in 45 is one that Christians seem to never actually answer when I ask them.

  11. lyn says:

    I know what the occult is all about and no im not saying athiests are part of it.Besides if you were invloved in the occult you wouldnt be an atheist,because no matter what part of the occult someone is in they still believe in a god.
    Well im willing to answer your question in 44 for someone who doesnt believe in God you sure mention Him alot.As far as the question why would i love someone that kills innocent children.Being as i dont know the bible that well,why dont you point out to me what part of scripture it actually says God murdered innocent children?Look forward to being shown it,im not debateing it just want you to show me where,verse and chapter please.
    God bless you Lyn

  12. Andrew Nixon says:

    I mention other fictional characters a lot. What is the problem with this? You still haven’t answered that.

    You clearly don’t know the Bible very well do you?

    Let me enlighten you as to two very well known stories from the Old Testament.

    In Genesis, God wipes out all life on the planet with the exception of Noah, his family and his menagerie. Innocent children and probably babies will have been included in that.

    In Exodus, the tenth plague of Egypt involves God killing all the first born sons of Egypt. Young children and babies would be included in that.

    And by the way Lyn, people who practice the occult don’t automatically believe in a god.

  13. Andrew Nixon says:

    And you may want to enlighten yourself as to some of the other elements of extreme cruelty in the bible: http://www.skepticsannotatedbible.com/cruelty/long.html

  14. Marc Draco says:

    And let’s not forget the medianites… they got really f*cked!

    Modern-day “Devil” worshipers have nothing on what the early Jews got up to!

  15. lyn says:

    Wow really stepped on some toes there by the looks of it,i actually wasnt being sarcastic when i asked about the verses in the bible,no i dont know much about it because like i said ive only been a christian a few months.
    Yes i agree God did wipe out the earth and why did he do that because of peoples ignorence,and besides it just goes to prove that what people were like back then are revelant to today to,i imagine there was someone like you who mocked at God then by calling noah crazy when he told the people God was going to flood the earth,if they had listened to noah then im sure they wouldnt have drowned.And again God warned the poeple of egpyt its not Gods fault people wont
    listen to Him,when i said about people in the occult believeing in a god,a god doesnt nessary mean the God that created the universe.
    God doesnt have to prove His love for anyone,He did that by sending Jesus to die on the cross for us all.
    My question to you is why does it really matter if i love God or not,you show me a better life and ill follow it.untill then ill stick to what i know and believe is the truth.
    Its your choice at the end of the day chose God or reject Him,i nore any other christian can force you to believe .
    God bless

  16. Andrew Nixon says:

    So God killed people because they pissed him off. Do you think that’s a moral way to behave? Answer my question? I don’t want to know why god did it, I want to know what you think about it? Do you think it’s acceptable to kill people who piss you off?

    And I’ll show you a better life.

    One where you make your own mind up about stuff, and don’t let yourself be guided by a clearly fictional book written thousands of years ago by a bunch of people some of whom were quite possibly mentally disturbed as they beleived that there was some great big bloke in the sky watching everything they did that has absolutely no relavance to modern society whatsoever. One where you don’t show yourself to be a complete fucking bigot with statements like “It’s Adam and Eve, not Adam and Steve”.

    And your statement that essentially says: God showed his love by sending Jesus to die for us. Just look at that for a second. Jesus (who never actually existed by the way) was God’s son. God sent his son to die! What a fucking bastard he is. Sending your son to his death is the actions of a complete and utter piece of shit. And you love someone who’d be willing to do that? What an idiot.

    Oh, by the way, I love the way that you capitalise God, Jesus and Him all the time, but completely fail to captalise other names and the names of countries. It’s actually quite funny.

    And just so you don’t get confused, yes I still think God, Jesus, Noah, the Bible, etc, etc, are complete fiction. I’m just trying to get into the head of someone who can pass off mass genocide so easily. It makes no sense whatsoever to me.

  17. lyn says:

    Well andrew i dont think its a good thing to kill someone that upsets you,but that still doesnt stop me from loving God.
    I actually do make my own mind up,and its not so wrong for me personally to be guided by God.Well the whole thing about God sending His own son to die for us,and it being fictional why get so wound up about it if you dont believe it.
    Thats like me being told there is a guy interfeering with kids down the road,not believeing it and getting angry about it.
    I captilise God more than anything else .ie. places is because God is bigger.My goodness you sure let things get to you.
    Yet again im useing the words its your choice.Ill still be waiting for you to show me a better life for me to lead.
    God bless.

  18. Marc Draco says:

    Hell’s teeth Lyn. Learn to punctuate will ya!

    Anyway, why do you love your imaginary friend more than, say, yourself?

    Do you even believe in yourself? The one thing you can be certain if is that you exist… in most philosophies, you do anyway.

    We’re not wound up. We just can’t imagine why people need imaginary friends. Jesus is at best a composite character and there’s no a jot of evidence for stories such as Exodus. Not ONE!

    We owe a lot to Christianity. It gave us some great rules. In the same way, we also owe a debt of thanks to the the dinosaurs and prehistoric plants for the fossil fuels we rely on. The electricity powering the PC you’re is probably powered by a coal-fired power plant.

    What Christianity (and other monothesistic faiths like Judaism and Islam) won’t let go of is the fact that like dinosaurs, we’ve out-evolved them. We need the legacy, but not the whole shooting match.

    Go love your god all you want – you’ll starve and freeze. The food on your table and the power you take for granted isn’t there because of your belief. It’s there for a reason – and a god had nothing to do with. I know this, not because I believe, but because I don’t need to.

    People aren’t afraid of flying, they’re afraid of crashing, they aren’t afraid of water, they’re afraid of drowning. People aren’t afraid of death if they believe in a god – but that won’t make it go away. I’m not afraid of death – I expect and celebrate it. I will go in my genes and those of my children. I will survive in my deeds and the memories (good and bad) of people who know me.

    I have helped to change the world. How about you? Praying never changed a thing. People do.

  19. lyn says:

    Marc ive already told you im not perfect,why learn to punctuate,writeing in here isnt some kind of english test,besides you understand me.Yes i beleive in myself,and to be hounest im not just exsisting,exsisting is what i used to be now im living a life.To you Jesus is imaginary to me He is real.I cant convince you He is real.So we will just leave it at that shall we?We will agree to disagree on that one.Actually my pc isnt running on a power plant its actually running on a sola system in my back yard.*Smiles*.Ill starve and freeze?wow does that mean once you beleive love God,you have to just sit there and wait for God to stretch His hand out and give us food and electricity,loving God doesnt send us back to the stone age.
    Yes you are right about death,that is one thing we are certain of.Everyone will die eventually.Soem arent afraid of dieing some are,i know many people who are afraid of dieing.Im glad to see you are one of these people that arent afraid of dieing.I dont just sit around praying all day and everyday,yes there are situations like in these cases where i cant help people because its impossible to help someone who proberly lives miles away,and so i pray.Yes i agree people can and do help change the world,ie feeding the poor,giving refuge to the homeless,clotheing the naked,the practical things we can do,but prayer can change the things we cant do.
    Let me ask you something if i was to come to your house and ask you if i could pray for you?would you allow it or refuse it?
    Another question,if you worked,do you have time off for easter and christmas?

  20. Andrew Nixon says:

    I take time off work for Easter and Xmas, simply because most companies are actually closed at that time.

    By the way Lyn, you are aware that Easter and Xmas date back to before Christianity even existed and are actually modified pagan festivals aren’t you?

  21. Marc Draco says:

    Yes Lyn. Andrew’s quite correct. Many “Christian holidays” are actually pagan: if you knew anything about the faith you profess to follow, you would know that. In fact a LOT of Christian tradition is carried over from previous faiths. White weddings probably are the best known and Christmas’s date is actually fairly arbitary.

    As for time off, no, I don’t. When I work, I work 7 days per week regardless: I don’t even take national holidays. I just rest when I need to.

    Au contraire, belief in god *does* send you back to the stone age, too. Actually, back as far as man has been able to communicate with other humans. This in this age of understanding, we no longer need it. However, many people still have the brain chemistry necessary: this is down to evolution, but that is another discussion altogeher.

    Loving a god means you credit you invisible friend with pretty much everything. Have you *listened* to some of the prayers your preachers spout every Sunday? Remove your god and there’s precious little of the modern world left; that’s what the Amish (for a quick example) and other devout believers think and that’s why they live the way they do.

    Would I let you pray for me? That’s an interesting question. Praying does nothing for the prayee – and in some cases, has been documented to make them worse (for reasons that I won’t go into now). Praying only does something for the person doing the praying, because it makes them feel better. The effect is purely psychological of course, and it’s cheaper AND easier than actually doing something!

    I can’t stop you praying for me. Would I encourage you to? No. I would ask you get off your knees and do something practical.

    Prayer is the single most selfish act that anyone can perform (short of a purely negative actins). Positive actions change the world, silent prayers change nothing. Spoken prayers can even change people to do evil things.

    Don’t preach, get off your arse and do something to help: someone. Anyone! Don’t just give your money. Give yourself. Give your time. But keep your prayers for your own time.

    Visit a hospice, work in a charity shop, hell, go visit an old relative that you haven’t seen in ages and spend some time with them. Make a difference, not hot air.

  22. lyn says:

    Well seems im just waisting my breath and time in here with you guys.This will be the last entry,and no for your information im not running,i just have better things in my life to do than spend time on here trying to convince you guys of things you dont and proberly never will believe.yes xmas is a pagan festival,Christmas is what it stands for,Christ mas.Easter was orginally to celebrate the ressurection of Jesus Christ,not easter bunnies and eggs,as im sure you guys believe in.As far as prayer is concerned i dont get on my knees and do it.Yes i will continue to pray for you.
    Goes to show how little you know about me,i dont just give my money to people who need it,i buy food for the homeless that live on the streets,i work as a volunteer in a charity shop,ive applied to work in a cancer hospital voluntree.
    Who cares if i give credit to God,if it wasnt for God you wouldnt be able to take your next breath.
    Just remeber one thing,when you finally die,and face God alone you will have no excuse as to why you didnt accept Him.
    Martyn if you decide at some point to come in here again,i have to appologise for not being here.Im a new christian to the faith and coming in here listening to people bash my faith and my God isnt helping with my walk,im wiling to listen and help anyone who wants the help and is willing to learn,but all marc and andrew want to do is insult people.
    Have a good life both.God bless,its been an interesting time listening to the views of fools,why call you fools is because thats exacually what God says,For the fool says in His heart there is no God.God is real.
    God bless.

  23. Marc Draco says:

    Cheerio Lyn. Hope the door doesn’t hit your pompous arse too hard. See what it feels like to have views that not everyone shares? Truth hurts. You’re so convinced you’re right you thought you could turn people who have learned better! That’s like trying to make a shark vegetarian.

    God has nothing to do with my ability to breath: that’s down to my autonomic nervous system.

    Fools believe in what they can’t see; wise men don’t need to believe in anything.

    Shame on you Lyn. If you trust dumb sayings like that you just quoted you should learn Pascal’s Wager – the simplistic trick that proves your god – and learn why it’s also wrong.

    Wrong about Easter too, darlin. Easter is a hijacked celebration from other cultures that Christians use to celebrate another fictional event. We don’t have to believe in it – I can get very fat eating easter eggs; I don’t need faith to do that! Just chocolate.

    Looks like you just enjoy being wrong. If god exists, Lyn, why then do you need a cancer hospital? Why don’t your prayers work? Why am I still here able to take the mick? Because if your god exists, he doesn’t care! You geddit yet? Either it doesn’t give a shit (so you’re wasting your time and mine) or it doesn’t exist – which amounts to the same.

  24. martyn says:

    Careful you’ll get “smoted” 😉

  25. martyn says:

    You should be alright in a no smoting building or restaurant though 🙂

  26. Andrew Nixon says:

    Christmas is what it stands for,Christ mas.Easter was orginally to celebrate the ressurection of Jesus Christ,not easter bunnies and eggs,as im sure you guys believe in

    Just because Christians slapped their own name on the ancient pagan winter solstice festivals does not take away from the fact of the matter. And look at how they work out the date of Easter….. First Sunday on or after the first full moon after the Spring Equinox…… Equinoxes, full moons, doesn’t that just scream pagan?

    if it wasnt for God you wouldnt be able to take your next breath.

    Strange, humans and all the other animals were able to breath long before mankind ever invented a god.

    Just remeber one thing,when you finally die,and face God alone you will have no excuse as to why you didnt accept Him.

    In the highly unlikely event this actually happens, as I have always said, my choice would be Hell, as I couldn’t stand to live in paradise and not help people who were suffering. For me, the choice of eternity with god or eternity in hell is no different than a choice of eternity with Hitler or eternity in Auswizch (sp?)

    but all marc and andrew want to do is insult people.

    And then you say…..

    For the fool says in His heart there is no God

    You call us fools! Your first post on this site just dripped in homophobia. Seems like you came onto this site solely to insult people. And besides, as every sensible person knows, the end to that quote is “And the wise one shouts it from the roof tops”.

    The very fact that you don’t want to come back here because it might steer you away from your path just indicates one of the problems with christianity, or indeed any other religion. As Brian Flemming put it so eloquently in “The God Who Wasn’t There”, the greatest crime in fundamentalist christianity is to think.

    I used to be a Christian. Then I thought about it. Here’s hoping you do the same some day. All the best.

  27. Marc Draco says:

    She’s realised she’s in the company of smarter people so she’s run away, Andrew. “Chickennnn — Bock bock bock!”

    She knows that what we’re pointing out isn’t only true, but it also endangers her “faith”. Damn I love to kick the crutches from under those religious folk! 😉

    Nice point about the full moon. I’m just in the middle of programming a common era calendar and I have moon phase info in that. I’d always wondered how Easter was calculated. The truth, as they say, can set you free.

  28. Peter says:

    CPS have dropped the case against Stephen Green!