Gospel Preaching in an Age of Censorship
Written on 12 April 2025.
Gospel Preaching in an Age of Censorship
The notion of free speech has been central to the identity of Western democracies, especially the United States. However, recent legislative and executive actions signal a dramatic shift. Once seen as a bastion of liberty, the U.S. is now moving toward conditional speech—particularly when it comes to criticism of Israel or expressions of religious belief that conflict with prevailing political narratives.
President Donald Trump's establishment of a new *Task Force to Combat Antisemitism* under the Department of Justice—alongside appointing Chabad Rabbi Yehuda Kaploun as an envoy—marks a turning point. Backed by Executive Orders and supported by bipartisan legislation like the Antisemitism Awareness Act (H.R. 6090), the U.S. is redefining the boundaries of permissible speech. These actions are reinforced by Department of Homeland Security guidelines to screen immigrants’ social media for "antisemitic content," and by social media companies like Meta enforcing expansive anti-Zionist hate speech policies.
What makes this shift so dangerous is the vague and sweeping definition of antisemitism adopted from the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA). Under this definition, even proclaiming the exclusivity of Jesus Christ for salvation, or criticizing Israeli government actions, can be construed as antisemitic.
The Impact on Gospel Preaching
For Christians committed to preaching the gospel of grace, this trend has chilling implications. Scripture itself—particularly in books like Acts, Romans, Titus, and 1 Thessalonians—contains truths that are now at risk of being labeled as hate speech. Paul’s direct rebukes of the Jewish rejection of Christ, and his exhortations not to heed "Jewish fables" (Titus 1:14), are examples that could draw scrutiny under these new policies.
In Sweden, the situation is already tightly controlled. The legal category "hets mot folkgrupp" (incitement against a population group) has been used in cases like that of Pastor Åke Green, who was prosecuted for preaching against homosexuality. Though acquitted, the case set a precedent that Biblical preaching could be interpreted as hate speech. This has created an atmosphere where evangelists must self-censor, or face legal consequences.
Why Only Certain Evangelists Remain
Given this climate, it’s no wonder that figures like Jacksmack77 have managed to continue preaching, albeit in a restricted form. His strategy—focusing solely on exposing false gospels and condemning additions to the doctrine of salvation by grace—allows him to remain within the ever-narrowing bounds of acceptable speech. By avoiding overt references to controversial scripture, or to any group outside of professing Christians, his content avoids triggering censorship or prosecution.
In effect, this creates a kind of algorithm-safe, legally tolerable gospel snippet that is not the full gospel, but a placeholder. Evangelism becomes reactive, criticizing others rather than proclaiming Christ boldly.
The Role of Noahide Laws
The appointment of Rabbi Kaploun, a Chabad figure and promoter of the Noahide Laws, adds another layer of concern. These extrabiblical laws include mandates that align with moralism and works-righteousness, not salvation by faith alone in Jesus Christ. The requirement to establish courts of law and prohibit blasphemy or certain dietary practices could be twisted into mechanisms for persecuting Christians who refuse to conform.
Paul warned of this exact trend:
"For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God." (Romans 10:3)
Truth as a Casualty of War
In both Sweden and the United States, what we are witnessing is not simply legal evolution but spiritual war. The first casualty is truth. The gospel, when preached in full, includes judgment, sin, exclusivity, and the cross—elements offensive to the world system. As in Acts 14, the unbelieving stir up opposition, and the faithful must either flee or find new, underground ways to speak.
"Forbidding us to speak to the Gentiles that they might be saved..." (1 Thessalonians 2:16)
As these laws advance, the choice becomes clear: conform, stay silent, or go underground. True gospel preaching may survive—but not in the open. And certainly not without cost.