SHOULD WE BE FREE TO OFFEND AND EXPECT TO BE OFFENDED?
UK
I see more and more people (including actors) are coming off the social media platforms such as Twitter and Instagram, because as they say the responses have been affecting them badly mentally. Well, I could have told them that. It has never felt right to me (and so I don’t use them), opening oneself up to strangers across the world and their hurtful and wicked responses to a person, sometimes simply because they have voiced their opinion, and the trolls didn’t like it, or they don’t like the way they look, or they didn’t like their latest performance if they were actors etc.
According to some, this is supposed to be a free world where everyone is entitled to their own opinions, but it seems that does NOT actually mean everyone or every opinion. In this woke world some opinions and thoughts and beliefs are not allowed (hence cancel culture) and are trolled by very nasty people thinking they can get away with online what they couldn’t otherwise, and the actual producers of these social medias can even delete you if you do not tow the PC party line – so much for freedom of speech and opinion. It can all take its toll on those who allow themselves to be influenced by what other people think or say about them, especially with the showbiz luvvies.
On the other hand, there is this attitude by others that, to quote, you must be allowed to offend and expect to be offended! Which means anybody can say what they like and upset people, and people should expect to be upset.
But what does God’s Word say:
And the second (commandment) is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. Matthew 22:39 & Leviticus 19:18.
If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men. Romans 12:18.
I listened to an argument yesterday about how much offense should be tolerated in a comedy act, specifically at The Fringe season in Edinburgh where apparently anything goes. A comedian has been cancelled by the theatre’s operator because some members of the audience walked out due to the offensive nature of this man’s show. Apparently, he not only verbally offended these people, but he also exposed himself to the audience. The argument is that he is a comedian and should be allowed to joke about anything and everything and that his exposing was part of the joke. Some joke! I too would have walked out but then I would never go to such a show anyway as it is well known for pushing the limits. It was claimed that because it was done by a comedian in his act that it should not be taken seriously – really?! So, everybody laugh even if you don’t like it!
This of course is the other side of the coin from the trigger warning, safe space brigade. We are either expected to be totally insensitive or totally snowflakey and woke. There appears to be no actual common sense these days let alone being able to discern between right and wrong, good and bad, or just as God has said love your neighbour as yourself. Treat others as you would have them treat you.
I do not see why anybody should have to expect to be offended, nor do I see why anybody should be allowed to offend in saying all kinds of nasty things. The Lord Jesus was quite clear when He said, the first thing you must do is:
… Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And then: And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets. Matthew 22:37 – 40.
Because if we loved God the way we should, we would naturally care for our fellow man the way we should and so, by obeying these two commandments we would be obeying the whole LAW word of God.
But of course, then we come up against the way the Faith has been rejected and so people not only have rejected the one true and Living God, but they have also rejected His Laws. The Christian Faith has been reduced to just one of many cults and is only considered an individual’s personal belief choice. And as my brother said to me some years ago-it’s just your opinion. It is not of course, God and all that He is and does is not my opinion it is the TRUTH, the WAY, and the LIFE if mankind wants to live properly and live forever in peace and harmony.
Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life… John 14:6.
But TRUTH is another thing that some people find offensive, so does that mean we should not tell people the Truth – i.e., Holy Scripture – God’s word? This of course is the aim of the God haters. And as can already be seen how God’s Word is being downgraded and gradually erased, it has even had a trigger warning put on it by certain universities in order that those who would read it should be prepared to be upset/offended, or better still should not read it at all!
So, we have now reached a time in the world where anything and everything is judged by the PC mob and Woke brigade, or on the other side, the anything and everything literally does go libertarian! Surely, we are indeed at the end of days!
And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another. Matthew 24:10.
 And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. Matthew 24:12.
But then we are told:
But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come. Matthew 24:13, 14.
Notice it says: for a witness. There is no indication that the world will be full of believers at the end, on the contrary, Jesus Himself asks…. when the Son of man cometh, shall he find [the] faith on the earth? Luke 18:8.
No one was more offended against than our Lord Jesus Christ. He had done nothing to offend others but tell them the Truth and perform miracles of healing, and if the Truth offends you then maybe you need to reassess yourself and your ways.
As a Bible-believing Christian, one who accepts the whole word of God, I am offended these days by this gender silliness, by all this sexual perverseness, and much more. Not because it offends me personally, as it does, but more because it offends God, His Righteousness, Purity, and Holiness. It goes against His Word and His Laws. But who is going to stand up for me and my being offended?
No one, except fellow believers, who are also few and far between. Even what was once my church (the C. of E.) now embraces all these modern aberrations to try and be relevant these days. By the looks of things, they have failed! As the numbers continue to decrease in the church, it seems to me that it is those who do still believe that are the ones leaving the apostate visible church and either going elsewhere or going on alone in the Faith as members of the invisible church, and so the visible church has now become impotent in bringing sinners to Christ.
For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God; Romans 3:23.
We are all offenders against Almighty God, the difference being God is willing to forgive if we repent and practise sin no more. But there is no forgiveness in the church of Woke and PC-ness.
 Even people who would not call themselves “Christians”, are looking to the church and saying where are the church leaders in all this? They are saying that “wokery” is the new religion in this post Christian era, but it does not allow for a person to change their mind and be forgiven.
Whereas God says:
.… Return unto me, and I will return unto you, saith the LORD of hosts… Malachi 3:7.
I will hold fast to God’s Word, and remember those of you who mock and scorn Him and His Word:
 Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. Galatians 6:7.
This is what Jesus had to say about those who were offended because He told them the truth, [He had taken them to task because they were complaining the disciples had not washed their hands before eating so Jesus called the Pharisees hypocrites]:
… that which cometh out of the mouth, this defileth a man. [As opposed to any dirt that might be on one’s hands] Then came his disciples, and said unto him, Knowest thou that the Pharisees were offended, after they heard this saying? But he answered and said, Every plant, which my heavenly Father hath not planted, shall be rooted up. Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch. Matthew 15:11-14.
 Jesus didn’t apologise for ‘offending’ the pharisees because what He had said was Truth. Although He was here talking to and about the Pharisees, this applies to all who reject the Lord Jesus Christ.
 Then Jesus … said unto them [disciples of John], Go your way, and tell John what things ye have seen and heard; how that the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised to the poor [meek] the gospel is preached. And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me. Luke 7:22, 23.
Of course, the way Jesus uses the word offend is not in the same way these people are today. The Truth yes will be offensive to those who believe not and think otherwise, but Jesus’ offending is meant to provoke self-examination and so repentance, or as with the Pharisees the Truth is a rebuke to their hypocrisy. Whereas in the minds of the people today it is merely the idea that this is what I want to say and think and too bad if it offends you, get used to it because I’m not changing, it’s my right to free speech. Which only goes to show total so-called freedom doesn’t work, this is license not freedom, as for one section to be totally free to say what they like goes against the other person’s freedom NOT to be offended. The whole thing is a dystopian fantasy.
Freedom without rules and boundaries, is not true freedom even by man’s standards, it’s anarchy and chaos. Which brings us back to God. Only in Him do we have absolute true and perfect freedom, and that by obeying His Rules. There is no such thing as freedom the way man is viewing it at the present.
St. Paul put it so well:
 Romans 6:16 Know ye not, that to whom [God or Satan] ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death [Satan], or of obedience unto righteousness? [God]
I.e. you are either subservient to Satan and death, or you are a servant to the Ever Living God and Life. There is no in between, there is no fence sitting. God is the absolute Authority in all things.
Romans 6:18 Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness. And this is a good thing, this is true freedom.
John 8:36 If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.
And in that freedom, we will not uncaringly offend our neighbour or deliberately say or do something to hurt or upset someone.
Bottom line: No, I do not believe we should be free to offend, nor should we expect our so-called friends, neighbours or even strangers to offend us. But if GOD’S TRUTH offends, then maybe you should examine your ways and change; it’s called REPENTANCE.
Then said Jesus unto the disciples, It is impossible but that offences will come: but woe unto him, through whom they come! Luke 17:1.
