Thursday 10 December 2015

Free to Be Offended


Donald Trump, you may have heard of him, made some claims the other day on his way to winning the US Presidential election candidature or whatever it is they do in the Wild West.  The world jumped up and down and grumbled.  This has always been the way.  Since Cain slew Abel people have been quick to complain and object to things they disliked.  Here we find politicians rejecting his words (which like me most have not heard) and people demanding he stand down, go away, be banned for the UK and told to keep quiet as they don't like what he said.
Germain Greer, an objectionable Australian woman, made a comment re transgender types (one of today's fashionable set) and found people demanding universities do not allow her to speak, that she apologises, and keeps her trap shut.  Christians are no longer allowed to speak in some universities as they indicate being is not part of Gods plan, they object to abortion also, the secular types and feminist groups tell them to keep quiet and go away.
Freedom of thought is being lost in the UK and the west in general.  People have always objected to others saying things they do not like but today social media spreads such thoughts both for and against, across a wide net.  Thus objecting becomes easier and much, much louder.  
One philosopher and secularist recently spoke on the radio (I forget his name) condemning the ultra secularists who wish to ban all religions.  How, he asks, can anyone have free speech and ban others?  The Nazi's banned free speech by brute force and as the Communist nations did later put a stop to people listening to other wireless broadcasts.  Free speech was free as long as it is ours.
It is strange that we have a petition to ban Trump but as far as I know none to ban the Chinese President nor the Saudi's latest King.  Both nations are bastions of tyranny, torture and great opponents of free speech, much more so than Trump will ever be!  
Donald Trump is a  bumbling rich boy, an uneducated Boris Johnson if you like, he has cunning, money, friends but in the end will fade away.  If the US is as sinful as I think it is it may be God will allow Trump to win, as a punishment!
We must accept anothers viewpoint even if clearly wrong.  I work and live amongst and have lived amongst people of all faiths and none, gay boys and girls, crooks and rogues, foreigners from all over the place and for the most part we got on well enough.  There are always those you do not wish to tolerate, one Scots drunk in the late seventies comes to mind here and people who have opinions and beliefs that are clearly erroneous (we do not get electricity from the ground that keeps us alive) and often plain daft.  We must just try to make the best of it or avoid them as much as possible. 
However should we be banning people from public speaking because their views are offensive?  If they incite hate or violence, here I consider some radical Muslim preachers, they must be stopped but drawing the line is a difficult thing to judge.  Darwin is much praised by secular types but they forget he considered women second class because of their smaller brain (hmmm) and he thought that blacks were also inferior.  Not much of that in the secular world today, no mention of Adolf Hitler a man who lived out his Darwinian beliefs.  
Free speech is not an excuse to hate others, it is not an opportunity to bring others down but it is an opportunity to oppose their ideas just as they oppose yours.  An argument is not a fistfight it is a discussions, with both ears open, to the other viewpoint.  The results will vary but it ought not to lead to abuse.  
Others views may be offensive to us but we, and universities in articular, must not stop people spouting ideas and opinions we dislike.  After all we are not perfect and in the end it is Jesus himself who will judge them, not us.








8 comments:

carol in cairns said...

My Dad would often say that there was only one perfect man in the world and even then they crucified him. So I think that is saying more about us, than Him. I think that is what you are trying to say?

the fly in the web said...

We must allow people to express their views....we don't have to agree with them. The pernicious influence of political correctness has muzzled free expression.

Lee said...

People will always have differing opinions...nothing changes...not even their opinions most of the time!

Jenny Woolf said...

The petition to keep Trump out is a way of expressing feelings I think. A chance to make the point that we don't like people like him in Britain. I would be absolutely appalled if Parliament decided they WOULD ban him. that's why I didn't sign that petition although I was tempted to just becuase he really is revolting and VERY scary (just becuase he does have so much support). It reminds me how I REALLY wanted a change of leadership in the labour party and I could see why so many supported Corbyn but look how it has turned out.

You never know who you are voting in company with when you vote against free speech.

Unknown said...

Is it too late for us to repent?

Adullamite said...

Carol, You speak the truth and people will attack you as they do not wish to hear the truth. Your students will often do this.

Fly, Indeed, PC is allowed but free thought is not.

Lee, Some opinions never change even when wrong.

Jenny, Well put.

Jerry, To late for you!!!!!

Mo said...

I couldn't agree more.

Adullamite said...

Mo, I agree.