We are always being encouraged to think that free speech is important and it is all about being free to say what you want. I do believe it is important but I don’t think it is about being free to say what you want. In fact we have laws to stop people saying what they want when it is going to incite hatred or violence against another. We rightly – in my opinion – stop people from attacking people verbally just because they have differing coloured skins , etc.
Free speech should not be about saying anything but should be about rational and thoughtful discussion of any issue.
We are also given the impression that we should restrict speech if someone is going to be upset by what is said. This is nonsense, of course. We cannot decide to ignore issues just because someone might be upset in the discussion. If we are going to have real freedom of speech and try, together, to discover what truth really is then we must be prepared to allow people to say things that might be personally upsetting. Of course, I’m not suggesting in a Politician/School playground sense but in a clear and reasonable way. Arguments can be put in such a way that they are designed to cause a reaction in the hopes of winning a point by causing the challenger to feel uncomfortable – or even angry. That way of arguing does not get us any closer to the truth.
I firmly believe that what we need is the ability to have a talk about anything with an approach that says anything can be said as long as it is logical (backed up by evidence if necessary) and said in a way that is not a personal attack or said in a offensive way. I think there is a difference between talking about something that someone might strongly disagree with (and hence find upsetting) and talking in an offensive manner (using words or phrases designed to get an emotional reaction). We have to learn to use language better and find a way of not getting all hot under the collar when someone disagrees with us.
One of the problems I find as a Christian is that few people are actually willing to have a sensible debate. Nearly all discussions of faith, outside faith communities, degenerate into name calling with points trying to be scored by citing the badness of those who have claimed to be Christians (or whatever). Yes it is true that there have been many misguided people who have believed they were doing something in the name of Christ (this could also apply to Mohammed by the way) when in fact what they ended up doing was anything but in the name of Christ.
It would help everyone if we could get beyond the pointless name calling and start talking in a sensible way.
I sometimes hear/read atheists, for instance, saying that 9/11 changed everything and so now the gloves are off and we are free to start name calling. I’m afraid 9/11 changed nothing in regards to what the truth is and that name calling is still (and always has been) a pathetic attempt by those with weak arguments to win by making the opposition embarrassed. Free speech is not freedom to make offensive jokes or produce offensive cartoons – this is an abuse of an important value (and sadly for many reason seems to leave when laughter begins).
I pray that one day the world will wake up and start taking truth seriously and seek after it in a good way – that for me is what free speech is about.