Free speech and God
In America, we cherish our freedom of speech, the right to say what we want to say. Lately there has been quite an uproar over how much, or what kind of, speech should be allowed, or in other words, free.
There have been disruptions on campuses of higher education over guest speakers which have been labeled as 无毛视频淗ate Speech.无毛视频� And the reasoning goes that if speech is perceived as hateful, or offensive, then it shouldn无毛视频檛 be allowed. It then wouldn无毛视频檛 be free, or a right anymore. Even to the point that speakers are being shouted down to shut them out. Demonstrators are committing physical acts of violence over what they call the destructive force of verbal violence.
While most everyone (hopefully) would agree that statements like, 无毛视频淜ill the cops, kill whitey, Jews go home, whites only无毛视频� are patently offensive, and some statements can be considered illegal when inciting physical violence against others, and that is restricted. But the mix of today无毛视频檚 brouhaha isn无毛视频檛 restrictions on that kind of expression; it无毛视频檚 the big gray subjective area of censorship. I don无毛视频檛 like your ideas or thoughts being expressed, therefore you shouldn无毛视频檛 express them.
I believe that all of us are offended periodically by the speech of someone else. Think husbands and wives. Think teenagers and parents. Think of co-workers. Should we judge everything that is offensive as hate speech? Maybe it无毛视频檚 really stupid speech? Maybe it无毛视频檚 just disagreeing speech? Maybe it无毛视频檚 thoughtless, immature, disrespectful, foolish, irresponsible speech? The political discourse on speech seems to go in the direction of not just (falsely?) accuse the speech itself, but to now accuse the others无毛视频� motives. In other words, the political attack is on,无毛视频� the why of the speech.无毛视频�
My thought on speech has to be, what does God have to say about the speech of his people? Admittedly, there isn无毛视频檛 enough space here to say a lot, but here comes some context. Eph 4:29a says 无毛视频淟et no unwholesome talk come out of your mouths.无毛视频� Eph 4:15a: 无毛视频淚nstead, speaking the truth in love.无毛视频� God is informing us that we are to avoid the gutter when we talk, speak or dialogue and to do it with the right motives. Admittedly, God is concerned about the 无毛视频渨hy of our speech.无毛视频� We must exercise restraint in what we say 无毛视频� James 3:6a says 无毛视频淭he tongue also is a fire (shortened).无毛视频� Ecc 3:7b says 无毛视频淎 time to be silent and a time to speak.无毛视频�
These few scriptures alone answer the 无毛视频渨ho, what, when, where, why and how无毛视频� of our speech. We shouldn无毛视频檛 purposely be looking for a speech fight. Romans 12:18b says 无毛视频淎s far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.无毛视频�
However, there are times to speak up, but when we do, what is our motive? Speak the truth in love, and be decent about it, no unwholesome talk. It appears that many Christian Americans are mixing too much of their American rights/free speech against their Christian walk with Christ. As offensive as this statement is to some, here goes: I am a Christian before I无毛视频檓 an American! I say it with the motive of reconciling Christians on different political spectrums. We should obey the biblical direction for our speech even if others do not. I无毛视频檓 offended over choice words that I hear every day on social media, the workplace, in the aisles of stores, or when my wife tells me to clean up after myself (Okay, that last one is a joke). But God also has given us free will to exercise that will towards Him, or ourselves. Just because something is allowed (permissible) doesn无毛视频檛 make it productive. 1 Cor 10:23a says 无毛视频淚 have the right to do anything无毛视频� you say 无毛视频� but not everything is beneficial.
Just because I have a right to say something, is it right to say it? It无毛视频檚 okay to disagree, debate, dialogue, but why? How are we going about it? Do we choose our words? Are we using the 无毛视频淚无毛视频檓 offended by you无毛视频� phrase to intimidate or harass the speech of others so we don无毛视频檛 have to hear what they have to say? According to 1 Cor 13:5b (shortened), 无毛视频淟ove is not easily offended.无毛视频�
I wish we all would consider free speech and God!
Tracey Gardone can reached at www.traceygardone.com.