Hate crime legislation is not really about hate, but politics....

Greg Koukl's conclusion in Why Hate Shouldn't Be a Crime:

... Hate crime legislation is not the answer. It turns the government into thought police, and turns the law into a club to enforce political correctness. Those felled by its blow will be Christians and others like them.

Instead, existing laws should be enforced to give equal protection to all classes of people, punishing the crime and not the frame of mind.

For Believers, though, there is a frame of mind that needs attention.Made in His Image

Christians have an impulse to distance themselves from people like Matthew Shepard. Though his assault was lamentable, some have reasoned, he was, after all, a homosexual—evil and an abomination to God. Sporting signs with slogans like "Aids Cures Fags," they go public with their crusade by disrupting graveside ceremonies. This makes me want to weep.

There is no question in my mind that homosexuality is an egregious evil. Christians need to be reminded, however, that no matter how far we try to distance ourselves, we are more similar to Matthew Shepard than we are different from him.

There are at least two things each of us share with Matthew, maybe three. First, like us, Matthew Shepard is a human being made in the image of God. His value transcends whatever evil he may have been guilty of. This makes the brutal crime against him unconscionable.

Second, Matthew Shepard is fallen, as we are. We stand beside him in the dock, guilty of our own crimes against our Creator. Paul asks, "Are we better than they? Not at all, for we have already charged that both Jews and Greeks are all under sin."

Finally, for the homosexual that turns to Christ for forgiveness, we share the same Savior. Christ's blood was shed for us equally: "For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord."

For these reasons all Christians should be grieved and angered at the injustice done against homosexuals, just as they should the any victim of a crime. They should condemn without qualification the brutalizing of Matthew Shepard and others, a human being who is, in all the important ways, just like us.

Check out all of Greg's columns at Townhall here.

Greg is brilliant and is the founder of Stand to Reason. Check it out!