Jews for Jesus sued for reporting of Christian conversion
Liberty Counsel has posted an updated press release with links to video of yesterday’s argument at the Florida Supreme Court. The press release indicates:
. . . Today’s arguments were presented before the Florida Supreme Court to address the sole question of whether the tort of “false light invasion of privacy” should be recognized in Florida. Staver argued on behalf of Jews for Jesus that such claims have never been allowed in Florida, suppress too much First Amendment speech by having a chilling effect, and that defamation claims (where published statements must be false) are sufficient to protect persons from injury by media reports . . .
The Rapp v. Jews for Jesus case involves a lawsuit over a newsletter report that a stepmother of Bruce Rapp, a Jews for Jesus missionary, had “repeated the sinner’s prayer.” The newsletter also requested prayer for “new Jewish believer Edie and salvation for her husband, Marty.” After Bruce’s father (Marty) died, Edith Rapp (Edie) sued Jews for Jesus for printing the information about her. The lawsuit read like a polemic against Christianity . . .