The City of Houston has summoned a group of pastors to turn over their constitutionally protected sermons and communications to see if the pastors have ever opposed the mayor, homosexuality, or an unpopular non-discrimination ordinance known as the “bathroom bill” voted by the city council last June. The hotly contested ordinance allows, among other things, men to use the ladies room (toilet) and vice versa, which the openly lesbian mayor has admitted “is about me.”
The sermons were subpoenaed in response to a lawsuit filed by voters (not the pastors) whose legal petition to either repeal or put the new ordinance to a city-wide vote was rejected on dubious grounds. After collecting three times the legal number of signatures needed and having them certified by the town secretary, the voters were told by the city attorney that he had found “technical irregularities” on enough signatures to drop their number below the legal requirement.
The city attorney is not allowed to certify signatures. When voters responded to his breach with a lawsuit, the mayor and her council demanded to inspect sermons from pastors vocally opposed to the “bathroom bill,” alleging they had incited the voters.
Mega-church pastor Steven Riggle of Grace Community Church was ordered to hand over sermons and “all communications with members of your congregation” regarding the non-discrimination law. “This is an attempt to chill pastors from speaking to the cultural issues of the day,” said Riggle. “The mayor would like to silence our voice. She’s a bully.”
Pastor Dave Welch, executive director of the Texas Pastor’s Council and one of the targets of the subpoena, said, “We’re not intimidated at all. We are not going to yield our First Amendment rights. This is absolutely a complete abuse of authority.”
Alliance Defending Freedom, a nationally-known law firm specializing in religious liberty cases, is representing five Houston pastors. ADF attorney Christina Holcomb said in a statement, “The city council and its attorneys are engaging in an inquisition designed to stifle any critique of its actions. Political and social commentary is not a crime. It is protected by the First Amendment.”
The “men of the city” are gathering around the house. Through intimidation they are pressing sore upon the voice of reproof.
“But before they lay down, the men of the city, even the men of Sodom, compassed the house round, both old and young, all the people from every quarter. And they called unto Lot, and said unto him, Where are the men which came in to thee this night? Bring them out unto us, that we may know them… And Lot went out at the door unto them… and said, I pray you, brethren, do not so wickedly… And they said, Stand back. And they said again, This one fellow came to sojourn, and he will needs be a judge: now will we deal worse with thee, than with them. And they pressed sore upon the man, even Lot, and came near to break the door.” Genesis 19:4-9
“As it was in the days of Lot.” Luke 17:30