Skip to main content

Hate speech

 

My friend and I were discussing the situation in the United Kingdom, where an extremist managed to stab an innocent citizen, then blame him for hate speech when the police turned up. The police ignored the injured man as he desperately tried to tell them that he had been stabbed and couldn’t breathe, put handcuffs on him, and arrested him. He subsequently died from his wounds, and the extremist was later arrested for murder. The police did not believe the dying man when he said he had been stabbed. What a tragedy!

It appears in many cases the UK police are biased. A Christian woman arrested because she was standing on the street, praying in her head and other similar circumstances. It appears, in that country anyway, that there are no rights for ordinary citizens. No freedom of speech, no freedom of belief! Persecution of Christians continues in many countries yet there is no outcry. When Palestinians are caught up in a war between Israel and Hamas, there are demonstrations throughout the world against Israel; even though Israel did not start the war.

I don’t believe in ‘hate-speech’ legislation because it will flow over into personal beliefs and opinions. So, freedom of speech will be in the past, and we won’t be able to express an opinion without being in danger of ending up in jail.

Freedom of speech is the right (in democratic societies) to express opinions without fear.

Jan Thomas of Massey University, NZ*, says, ‘As a concept that has now entered common parlance, hate speech refers to attacks based on race, ethnicity, religion, and increasingly, on sexual orientation or preference.’ The word attack is the important word here. Is a different opinion on any of the above an ‘attack’. Many would say so. We don’t have to agree with some religions or sexual orientations but expressing that disagreement is not an attack, it is simply a different belief, so we need to be careful in the words used to describe differing opinions. Hate speech is violent, abusive, demeaning – it is so much more than a differing opinion. Unfortunately, it appears, in some countries, that different opinions have become hate speech where in fact it is not, which is why legislation does not work.

As Christians, we must have grace, kindness, and gentleness to all. However, we should also stand in faith for what is scripturally right, even if it goes against the prevailing ‘politically correct’ view where everyone decides their own morality.

*https://www.massey.ac.nz/about/news/opinion-when-is-free-speech-hate-speech-and-why-should-universities-care/

Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Taking Time Out

  I had the privilege this week of attending a retreat with five other women. The retreat was over three days but unfortunately some of the nine women who intended to go, were unable to as other urgent commitments came up and needed to be kept. So it became a bit different than expected. Six of us attended the first day, but two of us could only go for the day. Another two were going out the following day for the rest of the retreat. Unfortunately one of our ladies became quite sick and to her disappointment missed it all. However, the day I attended was blessed.   The retreat was held at a beach house belonging to one of the group, at an isolated beach about an hours drive away. It was a beautiful sunny day. We deposited our bags and the first thing we did after admiring the view, was to have a cup of tea. This lead to a lovely lazy discussion about all sorts of things, a great introduction to spending time together. Following this we spent about an hour studying and discus...
Post a Comment
Read more

Friends

  I am so blessed to have a circle of really good friends in my life. I am a definite introvert so find it really easy to simply stay home, especially if I have a good book to read. I am an avid reader of Christian fiction. However, I do know that it is better that I have some socialization. Research shows that isolation increases the risk of an early death as well as the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease so obviously I want to avoid that if possible. Research also shows that socialization is good for brain health including making your memory sharper as well as increasing well-being and feelings of belonging. Although as an introvert I find socialization can be a little exhausting, I do enjoy time with my friends and it makes me happy. Introverts tend to have a few very close friends whilst extroverts tend to be friends with everyone and find socialization energizing—strangers are only ‘friends they haven’t yet met’! Now that is of course a very broad generalization, but i...
Post a Comment
Read more

In the Wilderness

  After a busy week dealing with renovations and also volunteering several blocks of time to collect for The Salvation Army, I started feeling unwell last weekend.   Taking a COVID test I discovered that for the first time since COVID-19 became a pandemic, I had caught the virus. I had successfully navigated all the lock downs, levels and restrictions over the last four years without a problem and when things get back to normal I succumb. Oh well, maybe my body is telling me something! I am up to date with all my vaccinations as I fully believe in protecting others as well as myself and this is one way I can do this. I’m so glad I did, as although I feel grotty with symptoms of a heavy head cold and a cough, I am not too unwell. In New Zealand isolation is now recommended for five days but at day seven I am still positive. Many people no longer bother to isolate as all COVID mandates were dropped this year, but again I believe it is my role to love others and one way I c...
Post a Comment
Read more