Canadian lawmakers are nearing a deal to strip away key religious exemptions from the nation’s hate speech laws. Bill C9 is new legislation that criminalizes the display of Nazi symbols as hate speech. Seems straightforward. However, to get it passed, lawmakers are throwing religious expression under the bus.

Currently, Canadian law exempts speech that expresses an opinion on a religious subject or is based on belief in a religious text. Bill C9 would do away with this safeguard, potentially allowing prosecution over biblical teachings on marriage, sexuality, or other faith-based beliefs.

This bill could silence religious expression altogether. Ontario-based Christian Legal Fellowship cautioned that the bill’s definition of “hatred” could be used to suppress speech that is merely offensive to some, even when it is not hateful.

Litigation director Christine Van Geyn of the Canadian Constitution Foundation emphasized that sacred texts often contain language that includes calls for justice against enemies. “This is not the realm of the police,” she stated. “If the state begins parsing Psalms or Hadiths line-by-line in a courtroom, then we have forgotten why the Charter exists at all.”

Bill C9 could also be used to target evangelism and religious instruction, including teaching on marriage and sexuality. “No longer will we be allowed to share God’s design for human sexuality and marriage in public,” warned David Cooke of Campaign Life Coalition.

Conservative Parliament Member Michelle Rempel Garner said it the best: “[This bill] is about to criminalize religious belief in Canada.”

Meanwhile, in the United States, a recent survey from the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE) paints a worrying picture: 74% of Americans believe free speech is heading in the wrong direction.

Political division, acts of violence, and heightened censorship on social media and college campuses contribute to the view. Half of all Americans are deeply concerned about government influence over social and broadcast media. The same percentage is also concerned about being debanked for their political views.

The survey also highlighted troubling attitudes toward political speech. While many Americans defended academic freedom, a growing minority supported firing professors who merely express political opinions or use political slogans like “Make America Great Again.” Experts warn that this growing willingness to silence opposing views signals a worrying cultural instability on the national level.

Christians face the challenge of defending both faith and free speech. The importance of prayer and the need to stand up for those defending biblical truth cannot be stressed enough.

David Closson of the Family Research Council shares a powerful reminder. “We are not the first generation to face instability,” he said. “The gospel has always advanced most powerfully when Christians lived distinctly from the surrounding culture. This is a time for courage, clarity, and compassion — speaking the truth in love, defending the vulnerable, and modeling principled, nonviolent conviction in the public square.”

As both Canadian and American examples show, the struggle for free speech and religious liberty is intensifying. Bible-believing Christians must remain vigilant, steadfast, and prepared to speak boldly for truth. It’s vital that we get the gospel out at home and abroad. Whether we share a tract or support the Chick missions fund, we can make an impact by placing gospel tracts into countries and communities facing restrictions on religious expression.