Dear Friend,
I’m fascinated by what the shepherds did when they met the Christ Child laying in the manger. After they met Jesus, they immediately went out into the countryside, proclaiming the very Good News (Luke 2:17). So too, God has given us, His children, the privilege and responsibility to share the truth of the Gospel we’ve received to those around us.
In Canada, we have the legally protected freedom to write or speak about things that flow from our faith. However, our freedoms of religion and speech must never be taken for granted and must be upheld and defended, especially as there are more who are seeking to silence voices whose beliefs or opinions are deemed to be unpopular or controversial.
With increasing frequency, Christians are being accused of promoting hatred towards certain groups when we speak biblical truths into the tough issues of the day.
There are two cases making their way through the courts that the EFC is following very closely…
The first involves a medical student in Manitoba who posted his Sunday school paper opposing abortion on his personal social media page. The second involves a man who distributed flyers at a Toronto Gay Pride Parade in which he encouraged gay men to abstain from homosexual sex and to turn to Jesus.
Both men pointed to God’s loving design for humanity and to the moral laws that He has set to promote health and human flourishing. But in vehemently and passionately opposing abortion and homosexual acts, both men also made use of provocative language and unsettling imagery that were offensive.
The first man was accused of misogyny or hating females. The second was accused of promoting hate against the LGBTQ+ community.
The first man got expelled from medical school. The second is facing criminal charges and possible jail time for “wilfully promoting hate” against gays. In the latter case, the Crown is arguing that condemning gay sex is the same as advocating for “the eradication” of gay men.
The courts are being asked to decide whether expressing moral opposition to a person’s behaviour should be taken as advocating hatred towards that person and therefore a human rights violation or criminal act.
No matter how gentle and loving our speech, there will be those who will be offended by our attempts to communicate Christian beliefs on sensitive topics (2 Tim 4:3-4). What is at stake is whether our speech could be judged as promoting hate or inciting violence towards certain groups of people. Thus, how these cases are decided will have significant impact on all of us.
Will Christians be able to continue to publicly express opposition to what we believe to be sinful behaviour without being accused of hating the person or community committing such acts? Will hurt feelings or personal offence be enough to prove in court that one has been the target of hate speech? Will we be prohibited from speaking biblical truths into the lives of others and to the broader society in which we live? Will we be able to continue contributing to ongoing debates on issues of sanctity of life or sexual morality that impact the well-being of those God came to save?
The EFC may not endorse the tactics used by some to share even Christian views, but we must always defend the freedom to express religious convictions.
If Canada doesn’t have religious freedom for all, then it doesn’t have religious freedom at all.
Intervening in these cases would be a costly activity for the EFC, but at stake is the potential loss of free expression that allows for the healthy discussion and debate of policy, ideas and beliefs – for the good of all Canadians; and the freedom to carry out our God-given task of proclaiming the Gospel and passing on our faith.
We believe that “all Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness” (2 Tim. 3:16). We must protect the right of Christians to be able to continue expressing biblical truths in the public square without such teachings being branded as hate speech and having to face criminal charges or other penalties.
Canadians live in a vibrant society with a diversity of beliefs and opinions. This diversity means we will not always share similar views or attitudes on many issues. It is vital that we distinguish between hate speech and speech that just expresses dissent, disagreement or critique of others’ views. Our
Charter guarantees the freedom of religion, belief, opinion and expression for
all Canadians, not just those with whom we agree.
This is the season where we remember that the true light that gives light to everyone came into the world so we may be saved through him (John 1:9, 3:17). Will you prayerfully consider making a gift
today so that, together, we may continue the work of shining His light into a broken world?
I am so grateful for your support throughout 2023. You’ve been such a blessing to me in my first year as President and a source of great encouragement to everyone at the EFC. We’ll be facing many challenges in 2024, but we fully trust that with God and through the prayers and support of His people, all things are possible.
May the God of hope fill you with overflowing joy and peace this Christmas!
Dr. David Guretzki
President & CEO