Police Probe “Incendiary” Church Sign
By Joseph DeCaro, Worthy News Correspondent
LONDON, ENGLAND (Worthy News)– A Baptist church in the UK was recently investigated by police after displaying a sign suggesting that unbeleivers would “burn in hell,” according to the Mail Online.
The sign at Attleborough Baptist Church in Norfolk read: “If you think there is no God you better be right!” and was accompanied by a visual aid of burning flames below the text. The church was later forced to remove it after a passer-by complained that it didn’t agree with Christianity’s message of love.
“It is my basic understanding that Christianity is inclusive and loving in nature,” said Robert Gladwin. “The message being displayed outside of the church could not be further from the often uttered phrase: ‘love thy neighbor'”.
A Norfolk police spokesman said they had received a report about a sign that was deemed offensive by the complainant, therefore national guidance required an investigation; as a result, the matter was recorded as a “hate incident”.
The sign has since been replaced by another with the message: ‘God loves you!’ with a picture of a meerkat. However, there still remains a controversy about free speech and banning of the Bible.
“Personally I don’t find it offensive,” said Terry Sanderson, president of the National Secular Society. “But we did fight a long battle of freedom of speech together with Christian groups because we believe that freedom of speech is essential to a functioning society. If you don’t give free speech to everybody then it isn’t free speech and as long as they aren’t inciting violence then I think it is acceptable to say whatever you want to say”.