To the Editor:

The Bible says in 2 Timothy 3 that in the last days people would “resist the truth.” Also in 2 Timothy 4 “And they shall turn away their ears from truth, and shall be turned unto fables.” One of the most emphasized virtues in the Bible is to love the truth and tell the truth. We are commanded “Speak the truth to one another”(Zechariah 8) and promised whoever “speaks truth in his heart” will be blessed and live with God (Psalms 15). Jesus declared “I am… the truth” (John 14). Paul’s question from Galations 4, “Am I therefore become your enemy because I tell you the truth?” has become an accurate descriptor for a large segment of today’s culture. This is true with social media giants such as Facebook, Twitter and YouTube, who more than ever regularly ban or block users for sharing Biblical truth.

Consider the case of PragerU (www.prageru.com). PragerU is a 501(c)(3) non-profit educational media company and is known for its five-minute videos. They have received a staggering two billion views, often featuring a presenter giving a Biblical perspective on events in the news. Despite their popularity, YouTube restricts more than 100 of their videos. YouTube censors PragerU videos that are pro-life, anti-abortion, pro-Israel, pro-Ten Commandments, promote only two genders (male and female), condemn persecution of Christians and other such topics. PragerU has taken YouTube to court because as a public forum they are required to allow all individuals and organizations to exercise their free speech rights. The law in Section 230 requires public forums such as Google, Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter promote “a true diversity of political discourse.” In 2016 they started acting not as public forums but like publishers and began to judge content by their own liberal left political and social criteria. They silenced and treated Christians and Jews badly. However at the same time Google bowed to Muslim pressure and changed search results to conceal criticism of Islam, Jihad and Shariah law!

PragerU isn’t the only one being censored for telling the truth. Candice Owens, a black Christian commentator and civil rights leader, was cut from Facebook for sharing statistics proving the presence of a father in the home is one of the most accurate indicators of poverty in the black community. For sharing evidence affirming what the Bible teaches, Owens lost access to her account. Facebook also blocked a Christian Gospel song called, “What Would Heaven Look Like,” which called for unity among various people groups. There are many similar examples.

The fight to be able to openly disseminate truth has led the White House to set up a website to report instances of censorship, because as the page explains: social media platforms should advance freedom of speech. Yet too many Americans, especially Christians, have seen their accounts suspended, banned, or fraudulently reported for unclear “violations” of user policies. It has gotten so bad some state legislatures have begun considering legislation that would allow citizens to take legal action when Christian or conservative principles (such as pro-life) are targeted. Pray that America has revival and returns to a point where, along with the psalmist, we ask God to “Lead me in Your truth and teach me.”(Psalm 25:5). If revival happens, Americans will no longer censor and consider those who proclaim Biblical truth to be enemies!

D.D. Nave

Elizabethton