No Place for Vile, Low and Cheap talk in a Civil Society

By Pastor Gordon Manche

It is not uncommon nowadays unfortunately in our nation to hear bias news. Lately, it would seem to many that we have heard too much one-sided reportage on social media and on certain national television stations, about certain reports to the police about just mere jokes! Hmm?!

I am referring to the so-called trivial reports I made at the Police Station against certain “artists” who have, without any doubt, greatly stretched the meaning of the word (artists) and abused their role of a true genuine artist.

These certain so-called “artists” and “comedians” have taken the liberty to spew abusive hate speech, publicly calling for and inciting for violence against myself and the renowned Evangelical Charismatic Church congregation.

Countless serious allegations were hurled on these platforms made about me and our Church family, which are pure lies and intentional false information. The oxymoron of this whole thing is that, certain militant one who are stifling true freedom of speech in our nation, have come out pointing their fingers at me and tell me that I am a threat to freedom of speech, when in all reality they are the ones who hold a clear agenda to silence true freedom of speech! Now that is a real joke!

Since the Evangelical Christian Church was founded in 2006, I have never filed any report to the police against mere satire, arts or jokes made against me. Many people know, countless dramas, skits, jokes, memes, caricatures etc have been done about me which I did not report. Actually, I feel truly honoured and thank them for their attention! However, intelligent and mature people know that cheap dirty talk, blasphemous and vile words are not art! These are things to be ashamed of!

Showing off with low, cheap, foul and dirty talk is the fool’s idea of glory!

Some have fallen to such a low level that swearing, using vile language, insulting people by their names, hatefully attacking and ridiculing the Christian faith, God and Jesus Christ Himself consider it as some form of “art”. Go Figure!!!

No, this is not art!

This is cheap and trashy that only belongs in the dustbin! (May I remind everyone that belief in God and Jesus Christ is the held belief of the great majority in our nation. I assure you that the great majority are not laughing about this!).

This kind of satire is an insult to art and genuine artists! I am myself an artist. I have trained in visual arts and performing art schools for many years; not nationally but also internationally. I have been greatly blessed because for many years I had the privilege of making a living as a professional artist in Malta, UK and USA. It is to be greatly pitied that such cheap and low life definitions are associated with “art”.

When the police saw these reports, they took them seriously and were not laughing because they saw them for what they really are – nothing more than threats and incitement for violence. I commend our Police force for they work very hard to preserve peace and protection of citizens, which is often taken for granted. Keep the Police Force in your prayers. God richly bless you and your families!

What has actually been reported were not the actual jokes, but “threats and insults with the specific intent to stir up hate and violence against a specific group of people”, especially Christians whose Faith is precious and take their walk with God seriously.

As the Senior Pastor of River of Love Christian congregation, I have the duty to protect the numerous families, youths and children which assemble weekly at our church against threats – especially against threats to life – which these so-called “artists” are hiding behind to mislead and deceive the misinformed.

Here is wisdom: “Like a madman who throws firebrands, arrows, and death, 19 Is the man who deceives his neighbour and says, “I was only joking!” (Proverbs 26: 18-19)

“A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good things, and an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things. But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment. For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.” (Matthew 12: 35-37)

Responsible and Accountability

What shall I say to such things? Who is going to answer and be held accountable and responsible if things don’t remain a joke and God forbid a tragedy – incited by these same types of hate speech and threats – disguised behind “jokes” happen?

Minister Owen Bonnici just this week commented publicly on his page because someone attacked him on a national tv program and wished him harm. He didn’t take it as a joke! May I add, I agree that such things should not be done in a supposedly civil society. So, I agree that Minister Bonnici was not pleased. These things do not lift up a nation in any way!

A few weeks ago, the Prime Minister Robert Abela made a national statement of displeasure regarding bullying in the streets of our capital city and how he was concerned and did not feel safe to let his daughter be in such an environment; I agree with him, he is right to be concerned. However, we must think and this is not a joke, could it be, that with all due respect his own leadership is creating this atmosphere in our nation by excusing bullying and encouraging speech that hurl insults and hate speech with the excuse of free speech while stifling the freedom of speech of others!!

Will Matt Bonanno, Daniel Xuereb and Sean Buhagiar be held responsible and accountable if because of their so-called art, violence and hate is encouraged against a group, a person, a church etc?

Will Minister Byron Camilleri and Minister Owen Bonnici be ready to be held responsible if people end up being hurt and put in danger because they are themselves encouraging this type of bullying? This being disguised behind so-called “art” and “satire”!

As a citizen I have exercised my God-given right on behalf of and for the protection of others as God requires of me and every true serious and genuine leader! This is not only godly but it is a Christian duty!

The current Minister for Home Affairs, SECURITY (!!!), Reform and Equality of Malta Byron Camilleri, felt comfortable to use the adjectives about me, that of an “extremist”. I honestly was not offended because when we look at Jesus, we see an extremist in many ways. He died for all of us – when He was innocent of any wrong and guiltless of any sin, yet He chose to pay our penalty of sin and hell, yep, that is definitely extreme!

I wish that Minister Byron Camilleri would be willing to listen more closely to what many Maltese mothers and fathers and voters are saying and how they feel hurt, sidelined and ignored by his unwise statement. He should know that his reaction to this matter alienates more people and adds insult to injury to many who feel abused by such dishonourable behaviour! May we remind him that one of his party’s slogans was that “they will hear everyone’s opinion!”

The Catholic Church as well as the Evangelical Church in Malta share the same view on sexuality and marriage in their church doctrines, and the Constitution of Malta protects such teaching through the freedom of speech and freedom of belief.

We have heard that Minister Byron Camilleri wants to protect the freedom of thought and freedom of artists. Freedom is not the privilege of a handful of certain ones. Freedom is the cardinal gift God gave to all but freedom comes also with responsibility. The way minister Byron spoke comes across as if this group of artists of satire can enjoy some extra privileged freedom than others. Where is Equality now? Above all, protection of life comes far before protecting any dumb and hateful so-called jokes, which is why the reports were instituted in the first place!

With serious care and great caution, let us not be found down the years, when we look back, that we have been the ones to encourage bullying and create a culture where bullies and bullying flourish! Purposefully inciting hate, violence and putting the life of others in danger by targeting a group of people on purpose, hiding behind free speech and so called “art” or “satire (jokes) is not to be encouraged in any civilised nation let alone in a Christian nation where our Ministers in office kiss the Cross and swear to uphold the law and protect our people, by the help of God!

If we encourage such things in any level of society, even more on a government level, we are not only sinning and not seeking God Almighty for help but we are defying Him!

Anyone who follows my videos on social media and television knows that I enjoy a good laugh and I have laughed at caricatures of my person in the past, and will continue to do so. However, no one should have to accept any type of bullying and tolerate such hate speech – even more when directed towards specific persons.

My fellow brother-in-Christ, Rev. Matthew Grech is being prosecuted for speaking up about his personal spiritual journey – does Minster Byron for Home Affairs, SECURITY, Reform and EQUALITY care about Matthew’s freedom of speech? (Which has attracted international news – literally covered on news platforms all over the world! Nice one Malta!!

Where is the freedom of speech of Catholic priest Fr. David Muscat and many others? Where is EQUALITY?

(Equality mean the state of being equal, (and treated as equal) in status, rights, or opportunities)

Has anyone or any group in our nation been given any supreme rights over other individuals or groups. Are we sure we are seeing EQUALITY functioning or are we seeing an increase of some type of SUPERIORITY of certain group/s over others?

Are we sure that the ministry for Equality is treating everyone as equal?

It would seem to thousands of Maltese citizens that not everyone is actually EQUALLY enjoying the same level of freedom of speech, belief and expression in our nation as things have been going! This should be a genuinely great concern to all and THIS is no Joke!

It doesn’t take a rocket scientist that this law is being considered to be amended to only side with the people ‘they want’ while as we have been seeing before our eyes they are shutting up the ‘freedom of speech’ of others!

I would have expected that the newspapers who have reported all sorts of things on me, would have had the decency to contact me to express my point of view on the matter instead of publishing lies and hearsay.

I believe that journalists should be objective and they have a duty to report the facts and the truth with impartiality to their readers. But it is clear that there is bias and a hidden agenda on all of this. Many are awake and are seeing this clearly!

These so-called satirists need to look into the consequences of their actions and refrain once and for all from continuing to shower insults, threats and hate speech. The fact that satirists are not regulated, does not mean that they have no boundaries on what they say.

I am a professionally trained artist myself and I say, “Yes to art”. Thank God that many people and honourable artists with common sense, are aware that using vile language, swearing, attacking, bullying, insulting, blaspheming and, above all – using threatening words – know that this is not ART!

Let us encourage and support Art, but not when it is being used as a tool to hurl abusive speech, insults and hate speech. This isn’t art. This is Bullying!

Poor Art, how we have cheapened its meaning and beauty!

http://www.RiverofLoveMalta.org