https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/07\/HateSpeech.mp3<\/a><\/audio>\n\tby Jeffrey W. Hamilton<\/p>\n\t
Text: Matthew 5:10-16<\/p>\n
<\/p>\nI. One popular trend arising around the world is to criminalize talk that is branded as “hate\nspeech.”\n
A. Now we all know that “hate” isn’t good, so these laws passed quickly and easily<\/p>\n
B. But what exactly is “hate speech?” I found definitions, such as:<\/p>\n 1. Speech that attacks a person or group on the basis of race, religion, gender,\nor sexual orientation\n 2. Speech that carries no meaning other than an expression of hatred for a\ngroup, especially if it provokes violence. \n 3. Hate speech can be any form of expression regarded as offensive to racial\nethnic, and religious groups and other discrete minorities or to women\n C. Notice the bias in the definition. In that it leans in favor of minorities, but speech\nagainst a majority is not counted as hate speech.\n D. Around the world we are finding that hate speech laws are being used against\npeople who take a stand against what some people do or advocate.\n 1. In Sweden a Pentecostal preacher was found guilty of hate speech when he\nspoke against homosexuality in 2003. He referred to homosexuality as\n“abnormal, a horrible cancerous tumor in the body of society.” What\nmakes this particularly noteworthy is the comment of the prosecutor: “One\nmay have whatever religion one wishes, but this is an attack on all fronts\nagainst homosexuals. Collecting Bible citations on this topic, as he does,\nmakes this hate speech.”\n 2. You can believe what you want, but you can’t express it publically if it is\nagainst homosexuality, nor can you offer evidence that the Bible is against\nhomosexuality.\n 3. Similar prosecution has taken place in Canada and other European\ncountries.\n
II. Consider the reversal<\/p>\n A. Christians who point out that homosexuality is wrong are called names, such as\nhomophobes and hate-mongers. \n B. Christians who decline actions that show a support of homosexuality are\nprosecuted and fined. \n
C. Christian beliefs are taunted and degraded. <\/p>\n
D. As a result, Christians’ business are burned and destroyed.<\/p>\n
E. Now who is inciting violence by hate-filled speech against a particular group?<\/p>\n
F. You can see the flaw when a position applies to one by not to self – Romans 2:1-3<\/p>\n
III. What is being feared?<\/p>\n
A. Christians are different from the world. We stand out as lights – Philippians 2:14-17<\/p>\n
B. It is our Lord’s command to let our light shine – Matthew 5:14-16<\/p>\n
C. The problem to the world is that light reveals – Ephesians 5:8-13<\/p>\n
1. And people don’t like their sins exposed – John 3:19-21<\/p>\n D. It isn’t that true Christians are being provocative and seeking to cause problems.\nWe seek to be peaceable people – Romans 12:18\n
1. But we remain different. And so we are sought out for persecution.<\/p>\n 2. For example in Indiana, a pizza store, whose owners followed Christianity,\nwere merely asked if they would cater a homosexual wedding. It wasn’t\nthat anyone was asking to do so, it was a hypothetical question. And yet,\ntheir store was burned down when they politely stated that they would\nhave to decline because of their beliefs.\n
3. People don’t like people who are different – John 15:19<\/p>\n
4. It has been going on since the beginning – I John 3:11-13<\/p>\n
IV. We have to make sure that the reason for the persecution is because we are doing right<\/p>\n
A. Matthew 5:10-11 – “for righteousness’ sake”, because of Christ<\/p>\n
B. Christ is our example – I Peter 2:19-23<\/p>\n
C. As Christ pointed out, this has happened before – Matthew 5:12<\/p>\n
D. Stephen pointed out it was consistent – Acts 7:52<\/p>\n
V. Persecution is going to happen at times<\/p>\n
A. If you live godly lives, you will be persecuted – II Timothy 3:12<\/p>\n
B. But however bad it may become, it is momentary and light – II Corinthians 4:17<\/p>\n
C. They are nothing to what awaits us – Romans 8:18<\/p>\n
D. Thus the encouragement – Revelation 2:10<\/p>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Matthew 5:10-16 I. One popular trend arising around the world is to criminalize talk that is branded as “hate speech.” A. Now we all know that “hate” isn’t good, so these laws passed quickly and easily B. But what exactly is “hate speech?” I found definitions, such as: 1. Speech that attacks a…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"jetpack_seo_schema_type":"","footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[119,32],"tags":[719,572,162],"class_list":["post-45413","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-audio","category-sermon","tag-hatred","tag-persecution","tag-politically-correct"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":82085,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/they-call-it-hate\/","url_meta":{"origin":45413,"position":0},"title":"They Call it Hate","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"December 16, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"by Terry Wane Benton Calling something \"sin\" that separates you from God and the righteous is the modern idea of \"hate speech.\" But the truth is that pointing out sin is love. It is like a doctor pointing out cancer. It may not be what we want to hear, but\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Article"","block_context":{"text":"Article","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/article\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":27230,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/youre-no-different-from-all-the-other-hate-mongers\/","url_meta":{"origin":45413,"position":1},"title":"You’re no different from all the other hate mongers","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"April 15, 2011","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: First I am not religious at all, but just someone who has a fascination with religions of all kinds.\u00a0 And, no, I am not an atheist, and I am not seeking a religion, especially with people like you helping the world wars, terror, and terrorists go around.\u00a0 Yes, terror.\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":39941,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/persecution-in-europe\/","url_meta":{"origin":45413,"position":2},"title":"Persecution in Europe","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"November 25, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"Source:\u00a0Joy Pullman, \"In Case With Global Implications, Finland Puts Christians On Trial For Their Faith,\"\u00a0The Federalist, 23 November 2021. \"Rasanen's alleged crimes in a country that claims to guarantee freedom of speech and religion include tweeting a picture of a Bible verse. Potential penalties if they are convicted include fines\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Issues"","block_context":{"text":"Issues","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/issues\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":63959,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/controlling-the-tongue\/","url_meta":{"origin":45413,"position":3},"title":"Controlling the Tongue","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"July 3, 2011","format":false,"excerpt":"by PJ Anderson","rel":"","context":"In "Audio"","block_context":{"text":"Audio","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/audio\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":61048,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/why-are-so-many-afraid-to-call-a-dog-a-dog\/","url_meta":{"origin":45413,"position":4},"title":"Why Are So Many Afraid to Call a Dog – \u201cA DOG\u201d?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"May 29, 2005","format":false,"excerpt":"by Brian A. Yeager When one reads of false brethren and those teaching errors (false teachers\/prophets) throughout the word of God you find that they were labeled, at times, in colorful ways. Of the watchman in Israel, Isaiah penned the following: \"His watchmen are blind: they are all ignorant, they\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Article"","block_context":{"text":"Article","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/article\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":46064,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/figures-of-speech\/","url_meta":{"origin":45413,"position":5},"title":"Figures of Speech","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"September 27, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Matthew 13:10-17 I.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0A common confusion in reading the Bible is understanding text when figures of speech are used A.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0A bit odd because all languages of men contain figures of speech, so you think that people would be used to understanding figures B.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Statements with literal meaning\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Audio"","block_context":{"text":"Audio","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/audio\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/45413","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=45413"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/45413\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=45413"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=45413"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=45413"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}