Hate group

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Yesterday, the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals released an opinion, styled Coral Ridge Ministries Media, Inc., dba D. James Kennedy Ministries v. Amazon.com, Inc., Southern Poverty Law Center, Inc., Amazon Smile Foundation (USCA11 Case: 19-14125, 7/28/2021). It is an opinion that is newsworthy for Christians. First of all, let me say that I do not disagree with the opinion itself. From my reading and limited understanding of the law on such matters, it appears the Court reached the right decision. Also, I know NOTHING about Coral Ridge Ministries. It may be a good ministry; it may not be.
Despite this, the opinion is significant to us as Christians because of the background facts. Coral Ridge, described as “a Christian ministry and media corporation", sued Amazon and the SPLC. Amazon has a charity arm, where it will give a portion of its proceeds to charitable organizations as selected by buyers. (Of note, my charitable organization I chose was the Alzheimer’s Association.) “To be an eligible charity for the AmazonSmile program, an organization must be registered and in good standing with the [IRS] as a nonprofit organization …; must agree to a Participation Agreement; and cannot ‘engage in, support, encourage, or promote INTOLERANCE, HATE, terrorism, violence, money laundering, or other illegal activities.’”
The Court noted: “In relation to the last requirement, organizations that SPLC designates as hate groups are not eligible to participate in the AmazonSmile program.” The SPLC publishes a “Hate Map,” which is a “list of entities the organization has characterized as hate groups … on its website.” Coral Ridge’s application to be an eligible charity under the AmazonSmile program was denied by Amazon “because Coral Ridge is listed on the Hate Map as being anti-LGBTQ.”
Coral Ridge conceded that, based upon religious grounds, it opposes homosexual conduct, but it “denied that it is a hate group.” Coral Ridge argued that a “hate group [is] commonly understood as ‘groups that engage in violence and crime,’” which it does not do. Coral Ridge argued that it was on the SPLC’s Hate Map solely because it was opposed to homosexuality on religious grounds and argued that Amazon discriminated against it by relying upon the Hate Map as a basis to deny its application.
I have not taken time to look at the SPLC’s Hate Map. I would assume that every church who openly professes that homosexuality is opposed to the tenets of the faith are or will be on this Hate Map. Granted, as the Church, we should care less what the SPLC does (or does not do). We should continue to profess the truth IN LOVE, including that homosexuality, according to the word of God, is a sin. Imagine if the Church was deemed a hate group because it teaches that adultery (cheating on one’s spouse) is a sin; or that stealing is a sin; or that murder is a sin. The Church does not choose what to teach in regard to sin. If it is in the will of God, it simply teaches the TRUTH. The Church does not determine what is and what is not sin; God has done that for us.
The gay community has become one of the most powerful lobby groups in this country. I love all people, including those who are gay. If a man or woman chooses to be gay in this country, they have the “right” to do so. And I am commanded to love them regardless of their sexuality. BUT I have a greater command as a Christian and that is to obey God. Psalm 40:6-8 provides: "In sacrifice and offering you have not delighted, but you have given me an open ear. Burnt offering and sin offering you have not required. Then I said, 'Behold, I have come; in the scroll of the book it is written of me: I delight to do your will, O my God; your law is within my heart.'”
The final decision in this case was rendered by three federal appellate judges, who upheld a trial court judge. Again, it may very well be an appropriate decision. I still expect this case to be resubmitted for an en banc ruling, and I expect if that fails that a petition for writ of certiorari will be filed with the US Supreme Court.
I hate that we are at a point in this nation where it appears that Christians can no longer speak the Truth and where a group the Church deems sinful leads us to being deemed “hateful.” It is not hate to speak Truth. But take heart, Believers. The Lord said: “If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first.” (John 15:18.) And: “You will be hated by everyone because of me, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved.” (Matthew 10:22.)
My prayer is that all sinners, including gays, will repent of their sins. The Lord does not desire that any should perish. (2 Peter 3:9.) I do not desire that you perish either. Lord, please open the eyes of the blind. In Jesus’ precious, holy name, Amen.
 

Arcangl86

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Coral Ridge argued that a “hate group [is] commonly understood as ‘groups that engage in violence and crime,’” which it does not do. Coral Ridge argued that it was on the SPLC’s Hate Map solely because it was opposed to homosexuality on religious grounds and argued that Amazon discriminated against it by relying upon the Hate Map as a basis to deny its application.

The thing is, while "hate group" is open to interpretation, the SPLC is quite clear what they mean by it.

The Southern Poverty Law Center defines a hate group as an organization or collection of individuals that – based on its official statements or principles, the statements of its leaders, or its activities – has beliefs or practices that attack or malign an entire class of people, typically for their immutable characteristics. An organization does not need to have engaged in criminal conduct or have followed their speech with actual unlawful action to be labeled a hate group. We do not list individuals as hate groups, only organizations.
People might disagree with it, but since it is provided, there is no need to bring in any "commonly used" definition. They decide what it means, and what qualifies a group to be on it.


I have not taken time to look at the SPLC’s Hate Map. I would assume that every church who openly professes that homosexuality is opposed to the tenets of the faith are or will be on this Hate Map.

That's the danger with assuming things. You end up being wrong, when you could have checked in a matter of seconds. Here's what the SPLC has to say about how it defines Anti-LGBT groups.

Anti-LGBTQ groups on the SPLC hate list often link being LGBTQ to pedophilia, claim that marriage equality and LGBTQ people, in general, are dangers to children, that being LGBTQ itself is dangerous, support the criminalization of LGBTQ people and transgender identity, and that there is a conspiracy called the “homosexual agenda” at work that seeks to destroy Christianity and the whole of society.

Viewing being LGBTQ as unbiblical or simply opposing marriage equality does not qualify an organization to be listed as an anti-LGBTQ hate group.

It takes very specific action to be on that list, and the fact that out of tens of thousands of churches in the country there are only 40 anti-LGBT groups listed, including non-church groups, should indicate how high a standard it is.
 
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FireDragon76

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I don't think you actually revealed what the ruling was.

I hope note... because it's certainly within Amazon's rights to refuse to support organizations, religious or otherwise, that work against its corporate values.

edit: as far as I know, the 11th Circuit dismissed the religious groups lawsuit
 
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Gene2memE

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I have not taken time to look at the SPLC’s Hate Map. I would assume that every church who openly professes that homosexuality is opposed to the tenets of the faith are or will be on this Hate Map.

The SPLC labelled Coral Ridge a hate group because of a range of statements made by individuals associated with it about homosexuals - including that homosexuals are all pedophiles and they "prey on adolescent boys", that homosexuality is "vile" and a "pathology", homosexual sex is "criminal" and "sick" and suggesting that homosexuals should be imprisoned or executed to "protect" the public.

Coral Ridge/associated individuals also have made a set of blanked statements about Muslims/Islam - such as that Muslims want to "overthrow" America or that every true Muslim wants to "subjugate and murder you", claims that Islam has "no place in any civilised society", that Christians need to arm themselves against Muslims and called for a holy war against Muslims and/or forced expulsion of all Muslims from America.

That's just the tip of a very large set of icebergs.

So, labelling them a hate group is a no-brainer.

The final decision in this case was rendered by three federal appellate judges, who upheld a trial court judge. Again, it may very well be an appropriate decision. I still expect this case to be resubmitted for an en banc ruling, and I expect if that fails that a petition for writ of certiorari will be filed with the US Supreme Court.

As one of the lawyers said (paraphrased): "Coral Ridge has a First Amendment right to say hateful stuff, and the SPLC has a First Amendment right to call them hateful".
 
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Pommer

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Yesterday, the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals released an opinion, styled Coral Ridge Ministries Media, Inc., dba D. James Kennedy Ministries v. Amazon.com, Inc., Southern Poverty Law Center, Inc., Amazon Smile Foundation (USCA11 Case: 19-14125, 7/28/2021).

Searching for both the “styled” and case #, they appear to be two different cases.

Here’s the Opinion the OP should have had.

Reading now, it would seem the CRM is trying to argue that
“We were defamed by being listed as a ‘hate group’ , when it’s really only the LGBTQ+ communities we’re not fond of, or give jobs to.
This is wrong, and it hurts us because if the bad ol’ SPLC hadn’t’ve ‘blacklisted’ us, we’d’ve been eligible to get sweet, sweet Bezos-Bucks!; they’re working in cahoots to deprive us of a ‘good name’ or at least the money that would assuage the pain of it all!”

Interesting.
 
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Pommer

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Page 12:
“The Supreme Court’s decision in Hurley v. Irish-American Gay, Lesbian & Bisexual Group of Boston is instructive here. 515 U.S. 557. In Hurley, the Irish-American Gay, Lesbian and Bisexual Group of Boston (GLIB) sued the South Boston Allied War Veterans Council (the Council), an association that organized a St. Patrick’s Day parade in Boston, when the Council denied GLIB’s application to have a unit in the parade.”

Amazon can give (or not) to whomever they deem fit, and if Amazon uses the SPLC to vet charities, so what?

What goes around…comes around.
 
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FireDragon76

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Searching for both the “styled” and case #, they appear to be two different cases.

Here’s the Opinion the OP should have had.

Reading now, it would seem the CRM is trying to argue that
“We were defamed by being listed as a ‘hate group’ , when it’s really only the LGBTQ+ communities we’re not fond of, or give jobs to.
This is wrong, and it hurts us because if the bad ol’ SPLC hadn’t’ve ‘blacklisted’ us, we’d’ve been eligible to get sweet, sweet Bezos-Bucks!; they’re working in cahoots to deprive us of a ‘good name’ or at least the money that would assuage the pain of it all!”

Interesting.

They admit they are "not fond" of LGBT persons. It's not a leap to see how some might consider them a hate group.
 
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essentialsaltes

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Religious conservatives worked long and hard to make corporations people, so they could discriminate against people they didn't like on moral grounds. Joke's on them.
 
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Quartermaine

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Coral Ridge conceded that, based upon religious grounds, it opposes homosexual conduct, but it “denied that it is a hate group.” Coral Ridge argued that a “hate group [is] commonly understood as ‘groups that engage in violence and crime,’” which it does not do. Coral Ridge argued that it was on the SPLC’s Hate Map solely because it was opposed to homosexuality on religious grounds and argued that Amazon discriminated against it by relying upon the Hate Map as a basis to deny its application.
for years the leader of Coral Ridge has advocated homosexuals be executed going so far as to say in a 1989 newsletter that it was the Christian's "God given right" to kill people they deem as sinful

I have not taken time to look at the SPLC’s Hate Map.
Maybe you should

.
The gay community has become one of the most powerful lobby groups in this country. I love all people, including those who are gay. If a man or woman chooses to be gay in this country, they have the “right” to do so.
NO one chooses to be gay any more that anyone chooses to be black or left handed.
 
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RDKirk

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[QUOTE="Quartermaine, post: 76131567, member: 422479"

NO one chooses to be gay any more that anyone chooses to be black or left handed.[/QUOTE]

That may be true for the most part, but I have met people who deliberately chose to be gay for reasons of their own rationale.
 
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cow451

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They admit they are "not fond" of LGBT persons. It's not a leap to see how some might consider them a hate group.
Rightly so since this is a civil matter, not criminal. If a baker doesn’t have to bake a gay cake Amazon doesn’t have to give money to a group not meeting criteria for donations.
 
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cow451

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for years the leader of Coral Ridge has advocated homosexuals be executed going so far as to say in a 1989 newsletter that it was the Christian's "God given right" to kill people they deem as sinful

Maybe you should

NO one chooses to be gay any more that anyone chooses to be black or left handed.
I always wanted to bat left-handed, but wasn’t allowed because I was a righty. And I couldn’t hit a fastball or a curve or a slider.
 
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cow451

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[QUOTE="Quartermaine, post: 76131567, member: 422479"

NO one chooses to be gay any more that anyone chooses to be black or left handed.

That may be true for the most part, but I have met people who deliberately chose to be gay for reasons of their own rationale.[/QUOTE]
Those people are known in the neighborhood as switch hitters. Or, bisexual.
 
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essentialsaltes

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Supreme Court declines to revisit landmark First Amendment decision, leaving higher bar for libel in place

The case at hand was brought by a not-for-profit Christian ministry – Coral Ridge Ministries Media, Inc. – that broadcasts a television program of previously recorded messages of the group’s late founder, Dr. D. James Kennedy.

The group sought to sue the Southern Poverty Law Center for defamation for calling Coral Ridge a “hate group” – a designation that appears on its website and is used in some of its fundraising materials, publications, and training programs. In court papers, the center said that Coral Ridge calls homosexual conduct “lawless,” an “abomination” and “shameful.”

Coral Ridge lost in lower courts and subsequently filed a petition with the Supreme Court asking to revisit the libel standard.
 
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Arcangl86

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Supreme Court declines to revisit landmark First Amendment decision, leaving higher bar for libel in place

The case at hand was brought by a not-for-profit Christian ministry – Coral Ridge Ministries Media, Inc. – that broadcasts a television program of previously recorded messages of the group’s late founder, Dr. D. James Kennedy.

The group sought to sue the Southern Poverty Law Center for defamation for calling Coral Ridge a “hate group” – a designation that appears on its website and is used in some of its fundraising materials, publications, and training programs. In court papers, the center said that Coral Ridge calls homosexual conduct “lawless,” an “abomination” and “shameful.”

Coral Ridge lost in lower courts and subsequently filed a petition with the Supreme Court asking to revisit the libel standard.
Honestly I was a bit afraid that would go as well.
 
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