Free Speech
Here are two quotes from J.N. Armstrong, the first president of Harding:
"There is a great need to stress the importance of maintaining
freedom of speech in the kingdom of God. Intolerance is
dangerous to the future growth of the church. Most of us
have an aversion to anything except what we ourselves believe
and teach, and as a consequence, we are intolerant of the
teaching of anything that antagonizes our doctrine. All
progress of truth - all truth - has always depended on free
speech and progressive teachers who were not afraid to teach
their honest convictions, even though it cost life....It takes
no courage to teach the things one's audience already believes."
"I am well aware of the fact that free speech has its dangers and that progressive and fearless teachers have given the world untold trouble. But are we ready to surrender free speech and to deny ourselves teachers who are not afraid? Even our deliverance from such a possibility must come through free speech and courageous teachers. If our great-great-grandchildren enjoy the truth we hold dear, it will be due to free speech and courageous teachers."
8 Comments:
Very timely. . .
I'm really surprised that those words came from that person in that position.
It's sad when contemporary means less openmindedness than antiquity.
What wisdom! A set of beliefs that will not withstand a healthy challenge are not much.
The tradition of our fellowship is to try to silence anyone who teaches anything different than what we already believe. Or, to slander them so that they are discredited and will not be received.
Thank God for courageous men and women who speak the truth even when the easy route is to remain silent.
His peace,
Royce
And yet I cannot help but wonder if J.N. Armstrong had in mind a Harding faculty member coming out in favor of same sex marriage.
Do you think that's what he meant?
You have to appreciate the courage shown in making an anonymous comment.
I'm assuming our friend anonymous is referring to the tempest-in-a-teapot brewing over a prof at Harding who supports Obama.
Groan.
No, anonymous, I'm sure he didn't. Perhaps he had in mind an HU prof calling Martin Luther King an apostate anarchist agitator.
DU...thanks for these quotes. I had to add to them on my own time, and once I got started I couldn't stop.
Thanks so much for those powerful words, David.
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