Why Christians Must Defend Free Speech—With a Caveat

Mark Zuckerberg, founder and CEO of Meta, announced that the company is making substantial changes to its content moderation policy, including ditching its notoriously biased third-party fact-checking system in favor of the Community Notes approach adopted by X.

In a recent interview with popular podcaster Joe Rogan, Mark shared how he had succumbed to significant pressure from the media and the Biden administration to actively suppress certain content on ideological grounds.

Most notably, Meta actively marginalized any information that might have dissuaded people from taking the COVID-19 vaccine at the US government’s behest.

This admission is incredibly revealing about the US Government’s incremental infringement on the First Amendment of the American Constitution.

Zuckerberg’s decision is the latest indication that our rights to free expression will continue to remain intact, at least for now.

Followers of Jesus should be champions of free speech. Still, some deeper analysis and one crucial caveat are necessary if we are to handle this delicate subject properly.

We need to start with the profound reality that we can speak in the first place.

The fact that we can communicate intelligibly with one another doesn’t inspire the awe in us that it should.

Think about it.

Our lungs produce air to vibrate two tiny strands of muscle fiber inside our throats. These strands resonate at precise frequencies that we shape into sounds.

These sounds form words that can be heard and understood by another person. This creates limitless possibilities of expression and is responsible for every human development.

This capacity is an extraordinary miracle!

Evolutionists flail and fumble to explain the origins of our ability to speak, but we know the truth. God endowed us with this capacity. It was His idea and cannot be adequately explained in His absence.

In a world supposedly governed by random chance, there is no objective grounding for such a right—leaving power as the sole force capable of either upholding or suppressing free speech.

Without God, no meaningful basis exists for claiming a right to speak.

Followers of Jesus advocate for free speech not only as a part of their divine inheritance but also as a vital foundation for the flourishing of society as a whole.

Belief in God thrives in a society where everyone can exercise their right to pursue and express truth.

This is why the godless Communist regimes of the 20th century targeted free speech first. They understood that controlling expression was essential to suppressing truth and maintaining power over both the actions and minds of their citizens.

So fight for free speech because it’s a fundamental part of who you are and a crucial component of a truth-seeking society but with one critical caveat.

Governments aren’t ‘god,’ but neither are you.

When it comes to speech, we are not obligated to submit to human rulers, but we do submit to God - and scripture is replete with warnings about the power of words for good and evil.

As Proverbs 18:2 warns, “The tongue can bring death or life; those who love to talk will reap the consequences.”

We get off track when we make free speech an idol rather than a gift.

Free speech is not merely a political right; it is a profound gift entrusted to us by God. It allows us to seek truth, share ideas, and foster understanding, forming the foundation of a thriving society. However, defending free speech is about more than protecting personal liberties—it’s about preserving the conditions that allow truth to flourish.

Yet, as we champion free speech, we must also approach it with humility and care. Words can build up or destroy, heal or harm - and scripture warns us of the consequences of careless speech.

Free speech is not an idol to be worshiped but a gift to be stewarded wisely. By submitting our words to God’s guidance, we ensure that our speech reflects His truth and love. In doing so, we honor the divine purpose of this extraordinary gift and contribute to a society where both truth and grace can thrive.