The First Amendment to the US Constitution reads: “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.” Yet our society in America seems to have come to a point where free speech is fine so long as you don’t disagree with anything the news media, leftists, leftist politicians or certain political parties say. Then you are labeled a racist, bigot, homophobe, xenophobe, Islamophobe, misogynist, or some such other slur-especially if you respond with facts. Its free speech they say-that is, to insult you.
These folks would limit your free speech. Some of them think that people who voice concern about the flawed science of global warming should be put in jail. Others say that citing the Koran as the reason Islamists kill Christians, Jews and other infidels is hate speech and bigotry. Many believe that those who want people to immigrate to the United States legally are racists. If you believe that the safest place for a baby is the mother’s womb, many consider you someone who is trying to take away women’s health rights. These people have somehow taken what they consider a moral high ground and have boxed in those who disagree with their nonsense. Apply facts to support your ideals and you invite a personal attack.
If this isn’t hate speech, it certainly is hateful speech. But it is free speech according to the shrill voices that accuse others of bullying while they, themselves, are the biggest bullies. When you or I make a statement based on facts, they immediately say we should have no voice, that we are hateful, and apply a label. Who gives them this right? In reality, free speech and free exercise of religion have their foundation in God’s word. It is the laws of God that give us freedom. Galatians 5:1 says, “Stand fast therefore in the liberty with which Christ has made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.” Liberty, freedom, free will, life abundantly springs eternal from God. The labels applied to us by these hateful people are of sin. They have no moral ground. Yet they claim they are crusading for social justice.
Proverbs 28:4,5 says, “They that forsake the law praise the wicked: but such as keep the law contend with them. Evil men understand not justice: but they that seek the LORD understand all things.” These folks couldn’t truly define social justice because they do not understand justice or from whom the law came. Freedom of speech and of religion comes with a responsibility to exercise such in reverence to Godly principles of love, truth, honor and justice. Those who do not know the one true God have no foundation to speak. We must do a better job. How? It comes through the free exercise of speech and religion as Ephesians 6:19 exhorts: “that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel.”
