Three brave soldiers of the cross of Christ dared to proclaim the Gospel of Christ in a neighborhood where a known murderer of God’s precious preborn children lives. They brought the Gospel of Christ to the streets and the local SWAT Team removed them from the streets. They were arrested for carrying and reading from a Bible, carrying a video recorder, and carrying a sign that said “Celebrate Life!” This was all done on a public sidewalk. They were all released from jail. Here is Jay’s report.
Enjoy! ~ Flip
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My friend of 20 years, Pat McEwen, was simply standing on a sidewalk and reading her Bible. I was taking video of a pro-life march. Cheryl Bischoff was celebrating LIFE in front of the home of a Planned Parenthood executive on Aloma Ave in Winter Park, Florida — a four lane highway in an upper class section of Orlando.
Apparently, the city SWAT Team decided we were violating a “no picketing” ordinance.
Yes, they called the Winter Park SWAT team on us. The regular police were not good enough.
Actually, they were really nice guys. One of them described his training with machine guns to us later as we were being booked.
When we got to the police station in Winter Park, they were trying to find a copy of the ordinance that they arrested us for. The Winter Park SWAT Team had a big discussion about what to call our crime. Finally, they decided on “Picketing in a Prohibited Area.”
I was hoping for “Conspiracy to Commit Loitering.” But they didn’t take my advice.
I asked: “What have you got?”
I looked at the list and I picked “evangelical” — I explained what it meant. I said it means that you believe
that “You must be born-again.”
We also talked about God’s Law, being “born-again,” and the whether the death penalty is biblical. Not necessarily in that order.
My bunkmate (for all of three hours) was a 43-year-old crystal meth dealer who I tried to “sympathize” with. When I bonded out, he felt he had to give me his cell phone number. I have no idea why. This guy really needs God to do a miracle in his life.
On my release, the processor asked me to repeat my name, DOB, and reason for arrest.
The woman asked me to repeat that and smiled.
The jail officer asked me if I was insulting the woman at the desk.
I said, “No, just the opposite. I am glorifying God.”
He said: “What if she doesn’t believe in God?”
Me: “Oh … well, He does exist!”
Jail worker: “How do you know? Have you seen him? Have you touched him?”
Me: “Yes! I know His presence!”
Jail worker: “Oh really?”
Me: “If you could feel the presence of God right now, would you believe in Jesus?”
Jail worker: “Don’t preach! You’re preaching to me!”
Me: “No, you asked me a question and I elaborated.”
Jail worker: “Don’t preach in here! You are preaching!”
Yes, that was my whole point. That’s why we were arrested. But I didn’t want to be arrested again on my way out. So I left it at that.
Video via Youtube of the “Awareness Campaign at the Winter Park Florida Hospital”
Link to a brief summary of the challenges (Tosh 2.0 and Tosh 3.0) leading up to the arrests.
