A recent poll by Rasmussen Reports found Americans still largely committed to freedom of speech.

However, nearly a third of the respondents seemed conflicted about it. Sixteen percent declared they were undecided and another 12 percent preferred that the government regulate speech.

Most Americans take freedom of speech for granted having grown up with the idea that anyone can speak their mind on any subject that they believe. But this is rare in history and also in a majority of today`s world.

We need only to look to Canada for evidence of where the trend is going. Under the guise of "human rights" the definition of "hate" has become applied to the Bible itself.

A recent case has been working its way through the courts for several years. William Whatcott in Saskatchewan became aware of the homosexual indoctrination planned for the local public schools and distributed fliers alerting the populace to the unbiblical, dangerous and degrading nature of homosexual behavior.

For his efforts, he was charged with a violation of the hate speech provisions of the Human Rights Code. There followed a lively discussion in public and in the courts over the definition of "hate." Earlier this year, the Canadian Supreme Court confirmed Whatcott`s conviction.

In the future, this will be a precedent set to discourage other Christians from speaking up against what God clearly calls sin. America has already moved in this direction by inventing "hate crimes." Traditionally, crime investigations have included a search for a "motive." The Mosaic Law prescribed different penalties for someone who killed a person accidentally because he "hated him not in times past," and someone who planned the murder intentionally.

Once an assault or murder was done, attitudes were brought into play, but the attitude itself was not usually considered criminal. Now, the homosexual lobby has succeeded in moving punishment into the area of attitudes or opinions.

One of the extreme examples of suppression of an attitude showed up in a recent Department of Justice directive.

Federal employees were instructed to put on an approving face when confronted with a fellow lesbian, "gay" or transgender employee. "Don`t judge or remain silent. Silence will be interpreted as disapproval," came the instruction. The entire directive can be viewed at: http://libertycounsel.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/LGBT_tips_for_managers.pdf

America`s founding fathers put both freedom of speech and freedom of religion in the First Amendment on purpose because, without the first one, the other is not possible. They saw clearly how, in history, without guaranteeing these rights, government mind control was the result.

It is a disturbing trend to find a third of the populace either wanting the government to define what is hate or unable to decide. Other polls indicate that over half of the country is in favor of "same-sex marriage."

This does not bode well for any soul winner who dares to speak God`s words on this homosexual abomination. Whatcott`s experience in Canada shows how thin the wall of protection has become in the Western World. And America is not that far behind.

Unless enough people become convinced that God`s way is best, the night will come when "no man can work." In the past, most revivals have been preceded by saturation with no-nonsense gospel tracts. Chick Publications has over 100 titles designed to turn hearts back to God.

Many speak to specific subjects such as homosexuality, abortion and evolution but always end with a challenge to surrender to Christ. We just need to get out more of these paper missionaries to show God`s mercy to the lost.