Prayer requests

 

We are in a pickle here in the United States. Censorship is raising its head and coming for many of us with loud footsteps. It just may be that this blog gets the axe at some point soon. I've never pulled any punches. I've said what the Spirit of God nudged me to say; some of it has been politically incorrect. But until now, it has been protected by the First Amendment. 

However, the First Amendment is not a high priority at the moment in this country. 

Scary? Yes.

This culture war in America is first and foremost a war of words. And guess what? Evil is winning.

Google, Facebook, Twitter, and others are coming down hard on those who say things -- not things that are incorrect, but things they don't agree with. The old practice of intelligent and reasoned debate on our disagreements has given way to a cancel culture that simply wants to silence or destroy whoever holds a contrary opinion . . . . accusations of "triggering," "microaggressions," racism, and plenty of other "ism's" fly through the air and sully reputations. 
Whatever happened to Voltaire's "I disapprove of what you say but I will defend to the death your right to say it"?

Whatever happened to open discussion and persuasion?

In these Orwellian days, good is deemed bad, and bad is labeled good. If you are speaking quietly, it makes no difference. Even if you are quietly disagreeing, you are said to be shouting, mocking, ridiculing other individuals. You may even be accused of "hate" speech.

A recent Prager U video notes that we have a generation who is being raised not to value freedom OF speech, but freedom FROM speech. We are urged not to explore and discuss difficult topics in everyday life, college classes, and other situations, but to AVOID them! 

(Raising hand) Can I ask a question? 

How can I understand someone else's point of view if I never allow him or her to tell me about it? How can I learn, if I am constantly cocooned in things I know and agree with? 

(I know, I know. Rhetorical questions. The answer is obvious. It can't happen.)

Freedom of speech is broadly defined as having the right to express opinions without government restraint. It's an ideal whose beginnings date back to ancient Greece, and that has been cherished since the advent of the United States. Court case after court case, precedent after precedent, free speech has been protected. The common sense synopsis has been that even if I'm offended by what you say, it's ok for you to say it. With very few exceptions. Until today. 

And that is why I have broached this topic. I'm asking all of you to pray that "we the people" will wake up. That they will have some modicum of common sense. Somehow. 

Otherwise, this study blog, like so many other sources of good, will be snuffed out. We may try to open to study one morning and find it's been removed. Stamped out. 

“In those wretched countries where a man cannot call his tongue his own, he can scarce call anything his own. Whoever would overthrow the liberty of a nation must begin by subduing the freeness of speech...." Benjamin Franklin

My prayer request for today is that God will help us. That God will preserve His Word. That He will help us to be champions of His Word, and that we will have courage to do so. 

In the coming days, we may be sorely tested. God help us all.