
Scenarios
- Free speech can be hateful so it’s bad
- That’s hate speech
One-liners
- Who defines what is bad or hateful?
- Is censorship good?
In-brief
We need to speak the truth whether it is deemed to be kind or unkind by others, though we do it only with grace - with a view to helping the person.
We have a duty to speak truth, not be silent, because truth saves.
The rightness of an action can only be determined by open conversation. On both sides it should be ‘seasoned with salt’. If either side will not discuss or are dismissive or condemning this cannot be right, and is a ‘power play’ and should not be submitted to.
In practice those who deny free speech either do it to shut down debate on their strident unhelpful views, or are naive about the issues and don’t like any conflict.
Take the Duct Tape of Political Correctness Off Your Mouth and Speak the Truth: US Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene
Shield verses
- A truthful witness saves lives, but a false witness is deceitful.
Prov 14:5 - On my account you will be brought before governors and kings as witnesses to them and to the Gentiles.
Mt 10:18 - Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.
Col 4:6 - ‘Peace, peace,’ they say, when there is no peace.
Jer 16:4