It has been said that these days, it seems everyone has a right, but no one has a responsibility. This is typically said by Conservatives, who are getting ticked off by the radical Left's increasing chokehold on society. And rightly so. But Conservatives, I believe, should also heed the phrase.
For good reason, freedom of expression is a highly cherished value, particularly in America, where it is uniquely enshrined into the legal system. Under the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, freedom of expression cannot be legitimately hindered by the government. Though apparently, they're still trying...
A part of freedom of expression is the freedom of comedy. You can make any joke you want, no matter how offensive some people find it. And this is a brilliant thing. Comedy can be a useful tool, both to spark discussion, and to help us deal with the dark and morbid world we inhabit. But with this blessing comes an equal and opposite curse. Freedom to offend brings with it the responsibility not to. Let's take the meme in the header image as our example. For context, this was found on a Christian page.
The meme consists of four comic panels. The first panel depicts a firefighter bravely bursting into a burning building, shouting "fear not, lady, I'll save you!" This is followed by a genuine photo of an angry Leftist, who, in this panel, spouts the common slogan "did you just assume my gender?" The firefighter, in response, looks very frustrated, and then explains to a police officer that the Leftist was already dead when he found her, the obvious implication being that the firefighter simply left her to burn.
Now, it makes sense that a Conservative might find this funny. We all get frustrated by the more extreme aspects of the LGBT ideology, and for good reason. And of course, a common type of comedy is to joke about some ill fate befalling people we find distasteful which we would (hopefully) never actually wish upon them. But here's the question: What would the subject of this joke think?
Due to her infamy, the young woman in the photo is probably used to jokes being made at her expense by now. I can't imagine this makes her very happy. Already, she has been told that she is hated by her dissenters, and these jokes no doubt reinforce that belief. But do we hate her? I can't speak for whoever made the original meme, nor for the page I found it on, but I can say this much: A Christian definitely should not, because God does not. He loves her so much that He sent Jesus to die for her, all to save her from a very real fire. Not the fire of a meme, but the fires of Hell.
Now, already I can hear the screams of resistance. "It's just a joke, we have a right to free speech, you just don't understand comedy" etc. Like an easily offended Leftist, Conservative snowflakes (yes, I said it) can get very upset if you don't laugh at what they laugh at. And honestly, I agree. I know it's just a joke. I believe you have the right to free speech. And yes, I am fully aware of how comedy works. But I also understand the power of the tongue, or, in this case, memes. Let us hear a few words from our Lord on this matter:
"Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof." - Proverbs 18:21
"Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers. And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you." - Ephesians 4:29-32
"Behold, we put bits in the horses' mouths, that they may obey us; and we turn about their whole body. Behold also the ships, which though they be so great, and are driven of fierce winds, yet are they turned about with a very small helm, whithersoever the governor listeth. Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth! And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell. For every kind of beasts, and of birds, and of serpents, and of things in the sea, is tamed, and hath been tamed of mankind: But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God. Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be. Doth a fountain send forth at the same place sweet water and bitter? Can the fig tree, my brethren, bear olive berries? either a vine, figs? so can no fountain both yield salt water and fresh." - James 3:3-12
My brethren, we carry the deadliest weapon on earth right behind our teeth. We have the power to create or destroy, to harm or to heal, permanently attached to us. What we say, be it with our lips or our keyboards, should be treated with as much respect as a loaded gun. We need to be careful where we aim it, and if we "pull the trigger", we better make sure it's with purpose.
Now tell me, what purpose does publicly posting such jokes about people who already think we literally want them to burn to death serve? It might give us a laugh. Fine. Maybe make these jokes privately if you conscience can handle it. But how much is that laugh worth to you? More than the precious soul of a lost Leftist?
Christians? We get comedy. We have to. Jokes are made at our expense frequently, and it's not even politically incorrect to do so. And what do we do about it? Depends how funny it is. If it's actually funny, we may laugh along. The worst you'll get from a mature Christian for an offensive anti-Christian joke is an eye roll, maybe a rebuke if you're worth the time. But it should be abundantly clear by now that certain people are not that mentally stable. Sometimes, what we consider comedy may be a contributing factor to someone ending their own life.
So what responsibilities accompany our right to free expression? Well, I would contend we should use it to express the truth in love. Sometimes, that may well include some very harsh words. You may need to explain how messed up their most cherished beliefs are, you will have to highlight their sin, and yes, you must warn them that God has a very harsh penalty for their rebellion. The fires of Hell are not worth temporary sexual pleasures, or relief from what is, let's face it, a destructive mental illness. I guarantee, if this article reaches certain people, they will be very offended by it. But just because we have beliefs they find offensive does not mean we should needlessly offend them. Indeed, the very goals are different. As the saying goes, "I'd rather offend you into Heaven than flatter you into Hell". But if we offend them into Hell, are we not at least partly to blame? They're in Hell for their own sin, but perhaps if the truth was presented in a Godly fashion, they may have repented.
Comedy is a beautiful thing, and freedom of expression is a value we should defend as passionately as it was fought for in the first place. But we should respect the freedoms we have, knowing that not only were they bought for a hefty price, but that abusing them may cost so much more. Just as the freedom to keep and bear arms is not an excuse to recklessly open fire in a shopping mall, so also is the freedom to express ourselves not an excuse to recklessly offend the unsaved. Let us therefore be held to a high standard, speaking not what merely pleases us for a moment, but what will please God for the eternity we hope to spend with Him, and hopefully with the many precious souls affected by the many false ideologies plaguing our world.