Free Speech
I apologize. I’m an opinionated person (in fact, there is very little that I don’t have an opinion on). I had a discussion with an ideologically different family member and I want to share a little with you.
We were talking about the freedom of speech right in the constitution (my wife was listening, rolled her eyes, and started ignoring us). The other person’s position was that the government should only allow things to be shared when they were true and not meant to incite people to violence (I’m really trying hard to present his position in an unbiased way). My position is that free speech should be absolute and if penalties are needed when a person incites violence, they should be legislated separately. For example, I have no problem with punishing a person for standing in a movie theater yelling Fire when there isn’t one for inciting a public panic. The difference between our two perspectives is that he trusts an elected group to administratively control “bad” speech up front while I absolutely do not trust any group of mankind to do that (ever).
This made me think of how we treat God
“A son honors his father, and a servant his master. If then I am a father, where is my honor? And if I am a master, where is my fear? says the Lord of hosts to you, O priests, who despise my name. But you say, ‘How have we despised your name?’ By offering polluted food upon my altar. But you say, ‘How have we polluted you?’ By saying that the Lord’s table may be despised. When you offer blind animals in sacrifice, is that not evil? And when you offer those that are lame or sick, is that not evil? Present that to your governor; will he accept you or show you favor? says the Lord of hosts. And now entreat the favor of God, that he may be gracious to us. With such a gift from your hand, will he show favor to any of you? says the Lord of hosts. Oh that there were one among you who would shut the doors, that you might not kindle fire on my altar in vain! I have no pleasure in you, says the Lord of hosts, and I will not accept an offering from your hand. For from the rising of the sun to its setting my name will be great among the nations, and in every place incense will be offered to my name, and a pure offering. For my name will be great among the nations, says the Lord of hosts. But you profane it when you say that the Lord’s table is polluted, and its fruit, that is, its food may be despised.” - Malachi 1:6-12 ESV
This passage shows, to me, the corrupt nature of sin we all carry. I’m not advocating for sacrifices but when giving something to God, truly believing you are giving something to an all powerful, all knowing God, and trying to cheat him in the process just shows how deeply our sinful nature is.
God knows our intentions. This is the most difficult area of ourselves to control or improve. In almost every case we tend to manipulate what we show others to try to present the best-looking picture possible. But God knows.
Man will always be limited in developing and controlling laws that try to mimic what God knows in our hearts all the time.
Wow, I am starting to ramble because I really want to continue my debate on a larger scale (I did mention that I am very opinionated and not afraid to share it, right?)
Praise God that He knows what is in our heart and still loves us.
