Free Speech Was Never Free.
“If Liberty means anything at all, it means the right to tell people what they do not want to hear.”
George Orwell
On Saturday, 5th October, another rally took place at Flagstaff Gardens, protesting a Bill perceived as infringing on freedom of speech. The frequency of such rallies begs the question: “Do rallies truly effect change?” I would argue, they do not. Moreover, individuals in Australia have faced imprisonment for their speech even before the passage of these Bills. Australia does not have a Bill of Rights therefore it will not have free speech, freedom of movement, freedom of association or any real freedom simply because the people rally for it. Any sort of freedom will cost the people a great deal more than multiple rallies.
The word freedom itself is so broad and wide open to definition.
Freedom as defined by Oxford Languages is: “The power or right to act, speak, or think as one wants without hindrance or restraint. The right to entitlement to absence of subjection to foreign domination or despotic government.”
Based on the above definition, it would be safe to say that no one is truly free. But is that so negative? Christians find their freedom in Christ, yet this freedom is not without limits; it is bounded by the Holy Spirit, the word of God, and our conscience. Unless one is a sociopath or psychopath, we all know when we’re doing or saying something wrong. The little voice inside us says so, what we do with that voice is another story.
Regardless, (free) speech, much like freedom, has never been free and likely never will be. As governments persist in enacting laws that benefit themselves and the established system, individuals may face incarceration or financial penalties for their words, whether they are deemed “politically incorrect,” “inflammatory,” or simply information which challenges the status quo. Who can rightly judge something so subjective?
The perception of false or misleading information varies from person to person, making it dangerous to legislate on such topics. Enacting laws against certain statements or types of information could send us hurtling down a slippery slope. My suspicion obviously, is that it is financial and authoritarian in nature. The message being, if a person’s statements hurt (muh) feelings, then that person deserves to lose his livelihood and the roof over his head. If the information opposes the ruling dictator, it’s off with your head.
Personally, I am not a free speech absolutist so if there are consequences to certain things people say, then so be it. If a person says something nasty and as a result, got a mouthful of fist, then all is fair. I don’t mind the old-school style of dealing with people who vomit their nastiness all over the place. Sort it out like real men, I say.
As a Christian, I wouldn’t physically hurt anyone or encourage others to do so, but it would also be nice to return to a time when we could participate in civil discourse, expressing our views, opinions and truths without fear of reprisal. Regrettably, society has grown overly sensitive and fragile. When confronted with differing views and beliefs, we either lack the social grace or maturity to respond civilly or have forgotten how to respectfully agree to disagree with love and compassion.
The right to free speech does not bother Christians. In wisdom and discernment, we will speak God’s truths whether or not it is against the law. God’s word is clear, those who guard their lips preserve their life. It discourages cursing, lying, deception, filthy language, slander, and any evil talk that tears others down (Exodus 20:7, 16; Leviticus 19:11; Ephesians 4:15, 25, 29; Colossians 3:8–9; Titus 3:2). It does not mean withholding godly truths for the sake of escaping prison or some form of consequence. God forbid.
For the Christian, it is good to follow the advice given in Ephesians 4:29, “Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.” These are commandments most Christians try to live by; therefore, laws mean nothing to us. If they drag us through the courts and imprison us for speaking truths in Christ, it will be nothing new or surprising. Jesus was crucified for speaking truth and accused of lying and attempting to overthrow the establishment. He, along with many others, was martyred and imprisoned for disseminating truths deemed false and contentious throughout Israel and the Middle East. Proselytizing or speaking truth to power was frowned upon back then and it won’t be long before it is a crime in the West today.
The problem is political. If there was a political solution, Jesus would have already resolved it, and overthrown the establishment made up of bureaucrats, aristocrats, and clergymen. But let’s call it what it is, a group of sinister overlords, gangs of power tripping, self-righteous bullies. Hypocrites who scratch each other’s backs, pretending they want the best for humanity, but they are fake and gay. In fact, they are spiritually dead men walking with no love or care for anyone but themselves. They want to destroy all that’s good, right and just.
Free speech is not free, it has always come at a cost. True freedom cost Jesus His life. Unfortunately, efforts such as rallying, protesting, lobbying, and submitting petitions are like beating the air. It’s pointless time wasting and complicit in the system set up to fail us all. In order to successfully effect change we would literally need to prepare to die, take up arms, overthrow the ruling establishment, and take full control. Thankfully, this kingdom is temporary and will soon fade away. Our actions here carry significant consequences, either of everlasting glory or destruction. There is no political solution. Fight the good fight.
“Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called and about which you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.”
1 Timothy 6:12 ESV / 62
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