Faith leaders have an important role in fighting hate speech

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Recently, the Sure Foundation Baptist Church (SFBC) in Indianapolis held a sermon in which the preacher called for the government to institute the death penalty for the LGBTQ+ community. Despite heavy criticism from the Indianapolis community for its hateful remark, the church has refused to back down, instead celebrating the exposure that the incident has brought.

Incidents like this continue to raise concerns about balancing Americans’ First Amendment right to freedom of speech and the need to protect minority communities from hate speech. According to a survey by the Cato Institute, 79% of Americans believe that hate speech is unacceptable but only 40% believe that the government should prevent it. Furthermore, 82% of Americans say hate speech is difficult to regulate because it has no standardized definition. When it comes to the LGBTQ+ community, 56% of Americans believe that calling gays and lesbians slurs is hate speech, while 39% believe that it is offensive but not hateful. Only 28% believe that calling homosexuality a sin is hate speech.

Even the courts have struggled to define hate speech. There is no legal definition of hate speech in U.S. law, but broadly speaking, hate speech is protected by the First Amendment unless it expresses serious intent to commit violence against a specific individual or incites others to imminent unlawful action. For that reason, statements such as those made by the SFBC, which are inflammatory but do not indicate intent to commit violence, are usually protected under the law.

However, that doesn’t mean that communities can’t do anything to protect targeted groups. In response to the hateful sermon, the Concerned Clergy of Indianapolis (CCI), a fellowship of pastors and other concerned citizens advocating against injustice, racism, ageism, classism and sexism from a faith-based perspective, released a statement condemning the SFBC’s words. By stating that the church is “called to be a sanctuary for the marginalized, not a platform for prejudice,” CCI demonstrated their support for the LGBTQ+ community and their commitment to fight for “dignity, inclusion, and justice for all people.”

The actions of the CCI demonstrate the vital role that faith leaders can play in standing up for LGBTQ+ communities. When faith groups refuse to turn their back on the LGBTQ+ community, they also prevent the weaponization of religion to pursue hate. Instead, they advocate for a more inclusive vision of America where religious individuals, LGBTQ+ individuals, and those who are both can fight for a future built on dignity, mutual respect, and equality.

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