More and more theses days we are hearing about what is called “hate speech”. That phrase has quickly become the measuring stick for what we will or won’t allow to be spoken in public. On the surface, that may seem like a great idea. Wouldn’t it be wonderful not to hear people say hateful things? Now, as Christians, we should never say hateful things. The Bible is very clear about what should come out of our mouth and it is to be pleasant, constructive, and compassionate. But it is not “hateful” speech that is banned. There is a subtle, yet important, difference between hateful speech and hate speech.
Miriam Webster dictionary defines hate speech as speech that is “intended to insult, offend, or intimidate a person because of some trait (as race, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, or disability)”. Hateful speech will certainly intimidate or offend someone, that is its intent. One of the biggest problems with defining something as hate speech is how to determine the “intent” and then determine guilt based on whether or not it “offends” someone. What is being defined as hate speech can actually be said out of love and concern for a person. If I believe that a person with gender dysphoria can and should get help, is that being hateful? If I believe that abortion is the taking of innocent life, am I being hateful? What if I quote scripture warning people about ungodly lifestyles, is that done out of hate? Of course not, but each of those things have been called hate speech.
Again, as I’ve said before, it is yet another way to marginalize Christianity and paint the Bible as a book of hate. Why? Because it offends ungodly people. That will never stop, Paul’s said in Ephesians 5:11 that the cross, itself, is an offense to certain people. So what is our response? Silence? No. Ephesians 4:15 we are commanded to speak the truth…but to speak it with love.
And if truth, spoken with the love of God, offends someone then so be it. We should never let our voices be quieted. People need to hear the truth.
Bro. Tony