Damon Atkins, who is a Christian, was arrested over the weekend during a ‘Pride‘ event in Reading, Pennsylvania. While standing on the outskirts of the event, Atkins was reading from 1 Corinthians 14:33, a verse that references peace. However, law enforcement intervened and arrested him, resulting in controversy over the issue of First Amendment rights. “For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints,” the verse reads.
Atkins was handcuffed within a minute of standing on the sidewalk.
So let me get this straight, they’re allowed to paint church stairs in rainbow colors and make a mockery of christianity by sexualizing nuns, but someone can’t read a verse from the Bible?
I thought America was a free country, and land of opportunity and all that.
— saltrockr.sol (@_saltrockr) June 6, 2023
Ironic since they were right outside a church.
So, people can frolic in the street with their whips and leather bondage outfits but a man from a church cannot stand outside it and read from a Bible?
Could he read from the Quran? Or from Marcus Aurelius?
— Miss Jo (@therealmissjo) June 6, 2023
Based on a court document obtained by The Lancaster Patriot, Atkins received a charge for “Disorderly Conduct Engage in Fighting.” The criminal complaint, given by the Reading Police Department to The Lancaster Patriot, explains that breaking the Disorderly Conduct law means intentionally causing significant disruption or irritation in public, or dangerously risking such a consequence.
According to the report, Atkins ignored the police’s warning and proceeded to shout insulting comments at a permitted event organized by a particular group. His behavior was described as intimidating, aggressive, and chaotic.
“The main reason I was there,” he told the Lancaster Patriot, “was because of love. Because Jesus has taught me to love my neighbor as myself.” Earlier in the week, he had attended another pride event, where a man approached him and menacingly remarked, “If I had a gun, I would shoot you in the head.”
It took less than sixty seconds of standing on a public sidewalk for Damon Atkins to be placed in handcuffs and arrested for quoting a portion of a Bible verse. https://t.co/q9sZStshdJ
— The Lancaster Patriot (@TheLanPatriot) June 5, 2023
Atkins argued that the message of repentance is not well-received because it does not approve of the sinful behavior that is celebrated by the culture. He questioned whether true love is when a pastor tells someone that they can enter God’s kingdom while continuing to engage in homosexual behavior. Atkins suggested that this is not love.
Atkins was interviewed by The Lancaster Patriot where he mentioned that he had received a citation for making “derogatory” comments. He explained that he was simply quoting from the Bible. Atkins expressed his dissatisfaction with the fact that the word “God” is now considered derogatory in the country and that it sickened him.
On June 16, Atkins has a court appearance and he is hoping that Alliance Defending Freedom will represent him legally. Even though he is discouraged by the pride celebrations in Reading and the conduct of the police officer, his determination to warn people about the dangers of sin remains strong. “In the end,” Atkins reassured, “all of this will be sorted out.”