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Thursday, December 19, 2013

Christian Free Speech

Typically, I am not one to speak out via social media in response to controversy. I stay away from this because I am an uncontroversial person and because I have no desire to fight/argue with anyone.

But as of recently, my newsfeed has been bombarded with talk of the famous Duck Dynasty Patriarch, Phil Robertson's recent interview with GQ magazine. Robertson was being interviewed about his beliefs/opinions on a variety of topics. To respond to this interview, when asked about his perspective on homosexuality he said: "Start with homosexual behavior and just morph out from there. Bestiality, sleeping around with this woman and that woman and that woman and those men." He did go on to quote Scripture and further explain his opinions in a very descriptive manner. 

But here is what I think. Yes, Phil Robertson is an American. So Yes, he absolutely one hundred percent has the right to believe what he would like and is free to speak those thoughts as he would like. So please do not think this blog is about the American right to freedom of speech. This blog is also not about what I believe or don't believe in regards to homosexuality.

Instead this blog is about  "Christian Free Speech." It is no secret that there are verses of Scripture that speak very strongly about homosexuality. This is no secret because these verses are thrown around in our society all the time. The argument between "The Christian vs. The Homosexual" has to be the most intense, most argued debate of our time right now, because truthfully it is just a hard topic to discuss in our culture currently. But what makes this topic so difficult to discuss is because both sides are coming to the argument guns blazing, ready to simply prove their point. Unfortunately, he Christian so often faces this conversation a lot like Phil Roberston did, by throwing out Scripture that is hard for anyone to grasp and make comparisons about an entire community of people. Because we so often forget when we are talking about this topic, that we are talking about people. The same kind of people we are…as in the human kind that was created by God and in the image of God. The people facing sin everyday just like all of us are

As Christians we are given the Word, a book that is Holy and precious and this Book is given for us to read, learn, teach, understand, appreciate and unravel. But here is the deal when we are using portions of Scripture alone to judge/condemn others, I think we are using it inappropriately. Sure, because we believe it is the Word of God and the truth, we could say it whenever and wherever we want to make our point or how it is most often used as "The Ultimate Trump Card." But please understand, I assure you that using the Holy Word of God as a trump card to win an argument is not the ultimate intention of what our Savior and God has created us to do.

We, as Christians are called in 1 Peter 4:8 to "Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins." Again in John 13: 34-35 Jesus exclaims, "A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this eaveryone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.

This is what we have been asked to do. Not just to speak. I have read so many comments and statuses during this controversy that are so concerned about Phil Robertson is right for saying these things because it is what he believes about the Christian faith and because quoting Scripture somehow entitles Him to make ultimate, massive public statements that in turn represent the entire face of Christianity.

Now here me out…I like Duck Dynasty. I think Phil Robertson seems like a nice guy and I'm sure he has good intentions. But the fact is that well intentioned speech does not make up for inappropriate, judgmental statements. 

Instead, what if Christians were to approach Freedom of Speech carefully. Yes, Christians are free to speak their minds. But I would ask just because you can say it and even if you feel supported by it, does it fall under, "Above all else, LOVE each other deeply?" This is my cry to the people that love the Lord and wish to follow and love him wholeheartedly: Speak slowly, carefully, and lovingly.

There is a time and a place for truthful rebuke/guidance to help your brother or sister that comes from love… but remember that often that time and place is not to be directed towards people you don't know and is not to be shared without love, humility, and integrity.

I think in this time of intense war between Christianity and the culture we live in, Christians might do so much better to put their main focus on loving above all else. Which for Phil Robertson might have meant saying, "I support what the Scriptures say about these issues" and then going straight to the statement he eventually made saying, "We are all created by the Almighty and like Him, I love all of humanity." Why couldn't that have been enough? Instead, he angered and hurt so many people justifying it by using the Word as His ultimate trump card. Instead of trying to explain a human answer to such a monumentally complex question. 

Perhaps in the future we could approach a Christian Freedom of Speech with Scripture. Proverbs 15:1 states, "A soft answer turn away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger." Maybe we as Christians could start to remember this proverb instead of getting caught up in what we have the right to say… and focus more directly on what might be said to love above all else.


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