Top Gear presenter Jeremy Clarkson has apologised for making a remark which drew thousands of complaints. He voiced his opinion on live TV after a recent UK public workers strike and suggested they should all be shot. What's astonishing is that viewers actually thought he was being serious. Anyone who follows his motoring show will be familiar with his querky humour. I am also mindful of a friend of mine who is in court this Febuary after being arrested last July for preaching against the sin of homosexuality on the streets of Somerset. Two homosexuals took offence and made a complaint against him. In may well be the two homosexuals didn't like or agree with what he said but he should still be free to say it. I remember watching a video at 'Yad Vashem' (Holocaust Museum) in which followers of Hitler were shown burning the books of the 'Free thinkers' who didn't line up with 'Nazi theology.' A qoute from an unkown source read "When men burn books it isn't long before they start burning men." In the case of 'Redman versus Bate' a high court Judge ruled that free speech which doesn't offend isn't worth having. I agree. Those who excercise free speech usually understand that some may be offended, while others remain untouched. 'Offence truly is in the mind of the beholder.'
Monday, 5 December 2011
Jeremy Clarkson & Free Speech
Top Gear presenter Jeremy Clarkson has apologised for making a remark which drew thousands of complaints. He voiced his opinion on live TV after a recent UK public workers strike and suggested they should all be shot. What's astonishing is that viewers actually thought he was being serious. Anyone who follows his motoring show will be familiar with his querky humour. I am also mindful of a friend of mine who is in court this Febuary after being arrested last July for preaching against the sin of homosexuality on the streets of Somerset. Two homosexuals took offence and made a complaint against him. In may well be the two homosexuals didn't like or agree with what he said but he should still be free to say it. I remember watching a video at 'Yad Vashem' (Holocaust Museum) in which followers of Hitler were shown burning the books of the 'Free thinkers' who didn't line up with 'Nazi theology.' A qoute from an unkown source read "When men burn books it isn't long before they start burning men." In the case of 'Redman versus Bate' a high court Judge ruled that free speech which doesn't offend isn't worth having. I agree. Those who excercise free speech usually understand that some may be offended, while others remain untouched. 'Offence truly is in the mind of the beholder.'
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4 comments:
In reality, there's truly no "free speech" in this fallen world. Even the infallible, perfect Word of God offends a lot of people. As Christians, we really have to exercise caution with love & ask for God's wisdom in order to speak in truth but with humility & care. Thanks for this post! God bless...
Interesting point. One man's meat, another man's poison. What someone may find funny, another may find offensive; such is life. Some people are angered by anything they don't agree with, whilst others are more cool about things. What is the Christian response, or what should it be?
I think we must respect another person's viewpoint even if it differs from our own; if we respect them, they might respect us!
SEE; father daughter and other
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