Bias? .............. Parables 279

August 7, 1991

The Canadian Radio and Television Commission has been considering an amendment restricting “abusive comments” made on the basis of sexual orientation. Apparently some media people have made snide remarks offensive to the gay community and their complaints have made an impact. One response to this proposal suggested that anyone reading the Bible on a Sunday morning broadcast could be prosecuted under this restriction.

In contrast, a Canadian Christian organization says it complains to the CRTC regularly about anti-Christian comments on the air, but nothing is done. It seems that Christians do not have the same clout. After all, evangelicals make up less than 10% of the Canadian population and certainly are not making nearly as much noise about what we want as are other groups. We have become a “silent minority” that does not matter, a “radical fringe” group that can’t seem to roar loud enough to be heard.

With everyone demanding their “rights,” Christians might do well to remember what Jesus told His disciples: “If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you, ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you...” (John 15:18-20).

If we live as we ought to live, can we expect an equal voice? God says if we sin, we can expect Him to chasten us, but if we live godly lives, we can EXPECT some abuse and persecution. Being ignored by the CRTC should not be a shocking surprise.

Beyond that, after two thousand years of persecution, Christians have demonstrated that our faith can endure abuse. In fact, the CRTC might think we are tougher than any other minority, that we need no assistance from them to defend ourselves. Actually, if they think that, maybe they have something.

Scripture abounds with God’s promises to protect His people from those who deal unjustly with them. He tells Christians not to be anxious about the things others do, that He Himself will eventually deal with them.

However, Christians must keep their lives right before God. He says if we have a good conscience, others may speak evil of us, but our purity should cause them to become ashamed of making their false accusations. Even if they do not, it is better we suffer for doing good than doing wrong (1 Peter 3).

This CRTC decision does not affect me directly, yet I have prayed about the matter and mailed my protest to the Director. If the amendment goes through, radio preachers will have to make a different kind of decision. They will have to consider the time Peter and the other apostles were told not to talk about Jesus Christ. Their response? “We must obey God rather than men!” We who are Christians need to determine from Scripture our position regarding both media content and how to speak up against unbiblical lifestyles. More importantly, we need to act upon what we determine. Our action may be persistent prayer; it may be personal involvement. Whatever it is, when we are denied the right to make God’s Word known, we need to be concerned.

Someone has said that for evil to prevail, all good men have to do is nothing. If our voice is not heard, if we don’t act while we have the freedom to do so, the day could soon come that it will be a crime to be a Christian.