In Defense of The Right to Speak

Are you aware of the recent story out of Alberta regarding the Alberta Human Rights Commission (AHRC), judge Lori Andreachuk and their ruling that Pastor Stephen Boission had somehow made politically incorrect remarks in speaking out against the practice of advocating for homosexuality in Alberta schools? The AHRC found that Pastor Boission in submitting a letter to the editor of the Red Deep Advocate made despairing remarks against homosexuals and those who advocate for them in public schools.

I've read several different postings and blogs on the subject, and it seems to me many of the writers are missing the point. While I believe homosexuality is a sin, the issue isn't whether you agree with Pastor Boissoin, but whether he has the right to write and say what he believes without being hauled before some Kangaroo court where he was fined, prohibited from ever publicly speaking, writing or advocating on this issue again, and told to write a letter of apology to Dr. Darren Lund of the University of Calgary who was the complainant to the AHRC.

I happen to agree with Pastor Boissoin, but if you don't I would still defend your right to say so. Although, let's be honest, no one is going to haul you before some tribunal for speaking out against what Pastor Boissoin and I believe. The issue here isn't homosexuality, but rather, as this case so clearly illustrates, the truth that unless you are in lockstep with the politically correct thought police, then there is no room for a dissenting view.

Now, some will call me homophobic, and that's alright. I don't hate or fear homosexuals. I love God and I believe with my whole heart that God's word, the Bible, is true, relevant and worthy of proclaiming. The truth is, I'm not afraid of homosexuals in the real sense. I seriously doubt that homosexuals are going to storm my office, are going hunt me down or are going to stand outside my town home and protest. I'm not afraid that homosexuals are going to "convert" me or any of that kind of rot. I am afraid, though, of losing my right to state my opinion. I am afraid of a state that will "tolerate" censorship. I am afraid of being told what my opinion is, or at least should be. As author and humorist Mark Steyn writes, "'Homophobia' was always absurd: people who are antipathetic to gays are not afraid of them... The invention of a phony-baloney "phobia" was a way of casting opposition to the gay political agenda as a kind of mental illness: don't worry, you're not really against same-sex marriage; with a bit of treatment and some medication, you'll soon be feeling okay." He's quite correct and I'm feeling just fine thank you very much.

No, this debate isn't about homosexuals being victimized by some letter to the editor that some conservative Christian wrote. It's far more insidious than that. It's about whether we live in a society that still protects the rights of its people to think independent to the government, and to hold views and opinions that are not politically correct. Ironically, the homosexual lobby will try and get you to believe that as Christians we're out of touch, we're on the fringes of society and that we're nothing but a small loony bunch of people that nobody should pay attention to. If that's true, they sure do spend a lot of time, money and effort combating such a small insignificant group. That's fine! They have the right to believe what they believe, just don't take away my right to think and say what I believe.