[Darris McNeely] When on Beyond Today we get specific about certain Bible prophecies are we legitimately engaging in hate speech? A viewer accused us of that recently. We did a Beyond Today, a BT Daily, on the recent meeting between the German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Pope Francis. And in that we referred to certain prophecies that talk about a coming religious political combination in Europe that the Bible talks about that is something to be aware of and to be watching for. Someone accused us of hate speech in regard to that.

It's an interesting question. It's an interesting subject since people today don't want to be criticized, and to criticize a particular group of people regardless of who they are, what their affiliation is, is construed by some to be hate speech. 

When we look at Bible prophecy and even when we look at the facts of history, then I think the question comes more clearly into line as to whether or not, when we talk about religion, politics, a combination thereof and the potential for conflict whether or not doing so is really hate speech. As I responded to this particular criticism, when it comes to Europe, when it comes to religion, when it comes to what we could even discern from Bible prophecy, it is a legitimate issue to raise whenever you see individuals at that level coming together. And it could be religious leaders of any persuasion and other political leaders even beyond that area of Europe and the Catholic Church in this regard. Because what we find when we get into this subject is that the Bible does talk about the cause of war. And it says in James 4:1-3, James gets into a discussion of the cause of war. And he says, "Where do wars come from among you? Do they not come from your desires for pleasure that war in your members? You lust and you do not have. You murder and you covet, and cannot obtain. You fight and war, yet you do not have because you do not ask." Here James speaks to some of these base human elements of lust, and war, and envy, and wanting and seeking something that is not theirs and people going to battle over that.

History is full of such examples. In fact it doesn't take much to study one significant war in European history, the 30 Years War of the 1600's, to understand that in that war, which was religiously motivated and involved the nations of Europe for over thirty years, more than 3 million people died. And some estimates put it up as far as 11 million people died in what was essentially a religious war just in Europe during that one period of time.

For us to focus upon the current world scene and to look at religion of all kinds or a specific kind and politics of one nation or region, or even global politics, and to match it up with what the Bible says and specific prophecies, that's not hate speech. That at the end of the day is a warning and a warning given in love to help people to understand the world they live in, what God says and even what Jesus Christ Himself in His own words warned about, and what we see here from the book of James. It's a lesson for us all to understand. No, it's not hate speech. It comes down to understanding what this world is and the love of God, and how then to treat one another.

That's BT Daily. Join us next time.