We all are entitled to the freedom of speech. But people don't necessarily have a right to force their own beliefs onto other people without giving valid context.

That's the main problem we find with the "House of Horrors" run by Lansing's Mount Hope Church. And the church's actions seem to have crossed the line.

In the church's haunted house, located at 644 Migaldi Lane, off West Saginaw Highway in Lansing, visitors saw actors simulating a screaming woman covered with blood having an abortion, a woman being raped, two gay men getting married by a demon and a young boy giving his uncle oral sex.

The house closed down as scheduled on Sunday.

Church officials said the purpose of the graphic displays was to teach youngsters the negative consequences of their actions.

They have every right to be against what they believe is evil, sinful and wrong. They also have every right to convey their opinions to other people, but only in a proper context.

It's alarming to hear the church officials say they are obligated to teach people the truth and reality, because what the church showed in the "House of Horrors" falls far short of that description. What the visitors had to bear instead were highly opinionated and distorted views of the reality.

The church's action is based on its dislike of certain beliefs. It exposed visitors to a shock without having any signs warning the nature of the displays inside the house. The church relied on fear and hate to get its messages out, which shouldn't be the basis of a democratic - or a spiritual - debate.

If the church wants to show such graphic displays to teenagers, and have teens act them out, it should have better reasons than just saying these people are evil and sick. If not, their actions can't be any different from the hateful doodlings on the bathroom walls.