THE RUTHERFORD INSTITUTE-
OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. — Pushing back at attempts by the courts to silence individuals whose religious views may be perceived as intolerant or hateful, The Rutherford Institute is challenging a five-year restraining order against a street preacher who has been threatened with arrest after citing Bible verses on social media to express his moral concerns about a church that endorses same-sex marriage and raising awareness about a public drag queen performance that occurred in front of children.
Warning that the ramifications of such court rulings could penalize anyone who cites a Bible verse which causes offense or ignites fears despite there being no actual threat to safety, The Rutherford Institute is asking the Oklahoma Supreme Court to overturn the five-year restraining order against street preacher Rich Penkoski, denouncing it as excessive and a clear violation of the pastor’s First Amendment rights to freedom of speech and the free exercise of religion. Institute attorneys also point out that in the absence of any actual threats by Penkoski or proof that he sought to incite violence through the use of Bible verses, the court’s rationale appears to be based solely on claims that LGBTQ leaders felt terrorized, harassed and fearful about how others might react to the Bible verses cited in the street preacher’s social media posts. Continue reading…
