Free Speech Clause

2007-11-25T00:19:51Z

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The [[First Amendment]] of the [[U.S. Constitution]] states:

:Congress shall make no law ... abridging the freedom of speech ....

The U.S. Supreme Court has expanded this prohibition to apply against all forms of government, such as [[state]] and [[local government]]s.

== What Free Speech Is ==
Free speech is the doctrine that allows a citizen to speak freely without government restriction.

Supreme Court Justice Louis D. Brandeis wrote in ''Whitney v. California'', 274 U.S. 357
(1927):
*[The Founding Fathers] believed that freedom to think as you will and to speak as you think are means indispensable to the discovery and spread of political truth; that without free speech and assembly discussion would be futile; that with them, discussion affords ordinarily adequate protection against noxious doctrine; that the greatest menace to freedom is an inert people; that public discussion is a political duty; and that this should be a fundamental principle of the American government. <ref> [http://www.cwfa.org/images/content/hecklers-veto-05.pdf] </ref>

== What Free Speech is Not ==
An important distinction is that free speech is ''not'' the right to be able to speak freely in a private setting such as a job or a school. You can be fired for criticizing your company's product in front of a customer, insulting your boss, etc.
While the government may not intrude, private organizations may set their own speech policies, and every citizen has a duty to speak and act responsibly. The First Amendment addresses none of these concerns as protected.

Speech that is termed "fighting words" is not protected speech. That is to say that speech that causes an act which the law does not protect, is not protected. Thus, it is not a free speech violation to arrest a person for shouting "Fire!" in a crowded theater when there is no fire. Similarly, it is not protected speech to advocate the death of the president.

Heckling is a gray area in the ethics of free speech. To a certain extent, interrupting a public speech with question or retorts is tolerated. On the other hand, using heckling as a tactic to stop the speaker is not an expression of free speech (on the heckler's part) as much as it is a violation of the speaker's free speech rights.

== Origins ==
Christians believe its basis is the Christian evangelism that characterized the American colonies in the period leading up to the American Revolution. Of all the nations of the world, the one which provides the most support for free speech is the United States (see [[Marketplace of ideas]]).

Others point to the history of political & patriotic dissent as an American tradition, and the last wall against tyranny.

The jury acquittal of [[John Peter Zenger]] (1735) in the colony of New York played an important early role in expanding freedom of press and free speech.

==External links==
*[http://wnd.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=57800 Journalist, Columbia graduate to rip diploma over Iran prez ]and the original article [http://wnd.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=57799 The day freedom died] at ''WorldNetDaily'', September 24, 2007.

[[category:politics]]

The Gospels

2007-11-25T00:08:13Z

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{{Christianity}}
[[Image:Njbible.jpg|left]]
The Four '''Gospels''' of the [[Bible]] (from the Greek for "good news") are the first four books of the [[New Testament]]. The books were written anonymously. There is no conclusive proof of their authorship. This does not mean they have no value as works of faith. There was no ambiguity among the early [[church fathers]] as to the authorship of the gospels, as the apostolic connections were established to demonstrate the books' authority. For additional information on each Gospel, see their individual entries.

The Gospels were originally written in [[Greek]], the common lingua franca (common or commercial language among diverse peoples) of the Roman Orient. No original Gospels have been found in [[Aramaic]]; the only known Aramaic Gospels are translations from Greek versions. The general consensus is that the Gospel according to Matthew was written particularly for [[Jews]]; the Gospel according to Mark was written particularly for [[Romans]]; the Gospel according to Luke was written particularly for [[Greeks]]; and the Gospel according to John was written for everyone.

==Etymology==
"Gospel" is derived from the Middle English word "godspel," in which "god" means "good" and "spel" means "news." Thus "Gospel" literally means "good news," and some denominations like to use the phrase "good news" because they feel it conveys the nature of the Gospel clearly. It is a translation of the Greek word εὐαγγέλιον (euangelion), which is also the root of the word "evangelist;" an evangelist is someone who spreads the good news. The "good news" here is, specifically, the news of Christ's redemption. The label "good news" was also used to compete with the "good news" propaganda created by Emperor Augustus. The four Gospels offer different, yet complementary, accounts of the story of Jesus's life and teachings, and, along with Paul's Epistles lay the foundation for the doctrine of Christ's redemption.

==The relationship of the Gospels==

Although Matthew comes first in Biblical order, the gospel of Mark is widely agreed to be the oldest of the Gospels. Matthew and Luke were probably compiled slightly later, drawing both from the oral traditions of the life of Jesus. John is the last of the Gospels, the most theologically mature, and the strongest in its emphasis on God's loving sacrifice of his only son, Jesus, and the ways in which this sacrifice redeemed all mankind. The first three canonical Gospels are often called the "synoptic" Gospels, as they tell slightly different versions of the same underlying story of Christ's life and ministry on earth.

Luke was a said to have been a Greek physician (see Col 4:14) who accompanied [[Paul]] and also wrote the [[Acts (of the Apostles)|Acts of the Apostles]] describing the arrival of the [[Holy Spirit]]. Due to Luke's professional nature, his Gospel is very comprehensive about Jesus' life and resurrection, and it also conveys the great sense of [[joy]] that Jesus' family, friends and followers felt.

==Non-canonical Gospels==
In addition to the four Canonical gospels, other texts claiming to record the accounts of Jesus's earthly ministry have survived in part or in whole. Most notable among these is the [[Gospel of Thomas]], which contains additional sayings and teachings. Recently, a [[Gospel of Judas]] surfaced, but this text is decidedly a later one, and its claim for any original authority is very slim. These Gospels are considered apocryphal by modern Christianity, and therefore not authoritative texts.

A number of other "gospels" were written sometime in the first four centuries, most well after the dates when the disciples lived. They include: the Gospel of the Ebionites, Gospel of the Hebrews, Gospel of Marcion, Gospel of Mary, Gospel of Peter, Gospel of Thomas, Infancy Gospel of Thomas, and the Infancy Gospel of James. <ref>Donald Harman Akenson, Surpassing Wonder: The Invention of the Bible and the Talmuds, 216.</ref>

Among fragments that still survive are the gospels according to the Hebrews (much prized by the early Jewish Church), according to the Egyptians, of the Ebionites, of Philip, of Matthias, of Peter, of Thomas (almost complete), of Nicodemus, of Bartholomew, of Pseudo-Melito, of Joseph of Arimathaea, of James, of Pseudo-Matthew, of Barnabas and a whole collection of infancy gospels <ref>James. M.R, The Apocryphal New Testament (Clarendon, Oxford, 1924)</ref>.

== Teachings of Jesus ==
[[Image:Fishes.jpg|right]]
The Teachings of Our Lord Jesus Christ are found in the four Gospels and other holy documents. [http://www.earlychristianwritings.com/newtestament.html The New Testament] Early Christian Writings.

*[[Gospel of Matthew]] - [http://www.catholic.org/bible/book.php?id=40 Book of Matthew] Catholic version.
*[[Gospel of Mark]] - [http://www.catholic.org/bible/book.php?id=41 Book of Mark] Catholic version.
*[[Gospel of Luke]] - [http://www.catholic.org/bible/book.php?id=42 Book of Luke] Catholic version.
*[[Gospel of John]] - [http://www.catholic.org/bible/book.php?id=43 Book of John] Catholic version.

*[http://www.ebible.org/bible/kjv/ King James Version of the The Holy Bible]
*[http://ebible.org/bible/asv/ The American Standard Version of the Holy Bible]

*[http://www.lifeofchrist.com/teachings/sermons/mount/default.asp '''Sermon on the Mount'''] This is the greatest sermon Jesus ever preached.
*[http://www.lifeofchrist.com/teachings/sermons/default.asp Sermons of Jesus Christ]
*[http://www.lifeofchrist.com/teachings/parables/ Parables of Jesus Christ]
*[http://www.lifeofchrist.com/teachings/topics/BlasphemyAgainstTheHolySpirit/ Blasphemy Against the Holy Spirit]

== See also ==

* [[The Twelve Apostles]]
* [[Symbols of the Holy Spirit]]
* [[Fruits of the Holy Spirit]]

==References==

<references/>

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[[Category:Bible]]
[[Category:Book of Worship]]
[[Category:Religion]]
[[Category:Catholic Church]]
[[Category:Christianity]]

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Free Speech Clause

The Gospels