GQ<\/em><\/a>. I say \u201creactions\u201d because all that\u2019s necessary to constitute a plural word is 2 and that\u2019s about the extent of the diversity in reaction that I\u2019ve seen. Which, admittedly makes sense. There\u2019s not a ton of options here. Either people seem to think his words were reprehensible or they\u2019re coming to his defense, arguing that he\u2019s being persecuted for practicing free speech.<\/p>\nIt\u2019s that later reaction I want to respond to because it\u2019s becoming the go-to defense whenever (usually celebrity) Christians are publicly lambasted for saying, well let\u2019s just call them \u201cless than nice things.\u201d<\/p>\n
Regardless of where you stand on the issue of homosexuality, or anything else for that matter, I think there\u2019s something those of us in the American church would do well to remember.<\/p>\n
We have the freedom of speech in America, not the freedom from accountability for what we say.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\nIn other words, free speech comes with a cost.<\/p>\n
That cost isn\u2019t necessarily persecution. In fact, it usually isn\u2019t.<\/p>\n
That cost is simply the natural and inevitable consequence of the claims we make. When the words we say are offensive or insensitive, the consequences we face usually won\u2019t be pleasant. But we have no right to complain because we brought those consequences upon ourselves. It\u2019s like slashing a stranger\u2019s tires in the parking lot because we think they\u2019re parked too close to the line and then getting angry or being dumbfounded when the cops show up to arrest us.<\/p>\n
Our words, like our actions, have consequences.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\nSo, speak freely if you\u2019re ready to pay the cost.<\/p>\n
But if you\u2019re not, remember these ancient words of wisdom\u2026<\/p>\n
If you can\u2019t say something nice, don\u2019t say anything at all.<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
Grace and peace,<\/p>\n
Zack Hunt<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
I\u2019m in the midst of frantically trying to finish my final paper before Friday. (How you\u2019d you like that alliteration??) But, I wanted to offer just a few very brief thoughts on the plight of Phil Robertson. Emphasis on brief. My Twitter feed and the news feed on my Facebook page is quickly filling up […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3437,"featured_media":11261,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-11260","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"yoast_head":"\n
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<\/a><\/p>\n