‘Santa is a lie’ preacher can’t convince court
A Christian who shouted that Santa was a lie in a busy shopping centre just days before Christmas has been found guilt of threatening or abusive behaviour.
John O’neill was also accused of saying children would go to hell while “preaching the gospel” at Braehead Shopping Centre.
A Christian has been found guilt of threatening or abusive behaviour after preaching that Santa was a lie in a busy shopping centre just days before Christmas.
John O’neill was also accused of saying children would go to hell while “preaching the gospel” at Braehead Shopping Centre, near Glasgow.
O’neill, 42, denied he had done anything wrong, claiming he was exercising his freedom of speech and freedom of religion.
O’neill, of hamilton, went on trial at Paisley Sheriff Court charged with breaking the Criminal Justice and Licensing (Scotland) Act 2010 by shouting while expressing his religious views on 22 December last year.
He spent the lunch hour during his trial preaching to members of the public outside the town’s Piazza Shopping Centre.
O’neill represented himself during his trial and gave evidence in his own defence but did not swear an oath to God to tell the truth, and instead affirmed he would tell the truth. Asked by Procurator Fiscal Depute Frankie Morgan, prosecuting, why he had not taken the oath, he said: “The Bible tells me not to swear on anything.”
He told the prosecutor he had acted the way he did on the day in question because he believed he was entitled to do so.
He said: “I believe I had a right to do so. I am called as an evangelist and that’s what I do regardless. We have a right to freedom of speech and freedom or religion and that includes manifesting it.”
Mr Morgan then asked why, just a few days before Christmas, in a shopping centre full of young families, he took it upon himself to “tell them Santa is a lie”.
O’neill replied: “I have a right to speak the truth. The Bible tells me to speak the truth to every creature. This is very serious business – men don’t know when they will die.
“Santa is a lie. I know it caused upset, but that’s not why I did it. Preaching the gospel upsets people – should I therefore stop preaching the gospel?”
And he denied claims he had said “all the children will go to hell”, saying: “I believe children will go to heaven.”
O’neill then touched his Bible as he said: “A man who doesn’t live by this said I said that.”
Sheriff Lindsey Kooner deferred sentence.