When Freedom of Speech Meets a Cold World: Reflections on Charlie Kirk, Kevin Samuels, and the Heart of Humanity

Recently, America watched in horror as Charlie Kirk, a conservative commentator and founder of Turning Point USA, was shot and killed while speaking at Utah Valley University. Whether you agreed with Kirk or not, whether you thought he was a hero of free speech or someone who pushed divisive narratives, the truth remains: a man lost his life on a public stage simply for speaking his mind.

In the aftermath, some mourned, others condemned the violence, and disturbingly, many openly celebrated his death, both in person and across social media.

My Position as a Black Woman

As a Black woman, I must be transparent: both Charlie Kirk and Kevin Samuels made statements about Black women that many would consider deeply offensive and, in some cases, flat-out untrue. Kevin Samuels, a "relationship coach", often directed harsh critiques toward Black women in particular.

Charlie Kirk made political statements that also demeaned our community at times.

At the same time, I have to be honest: there were certain things Charlie Kirk said that I did agree with, especially as a Christian who holds conservative values. I believe in biblical principles, and some of his stances lined up with convictions I also share. But there were also statistical claims and cultural statements he made that were simply incorrect, and as someone who lives the reality of being a Black woman in America, I could clearly see that disconnect.

It’s okay to agree with some things and disagree with others. Overall, I didn’t really follow his content enough to get the fullness of his perspective, but I saw enough to know it wasn’t for me. The same with Kevin Samuels, I caught clips here and there, and that was enough for me to see his approach wasn’t something I wanted to invest my time into.

Still, when both men died — Kirk violently, Samuels unexpectedly — I could not bring myself to rejoice. For me to mock, scoff, sneer, or ridicule their deaths would not only be cruel, it would expose something dark within me. To take pleasure in such tragedy would not reflect the Spirit of God, but the corruption of a beast-like heart.

Two Hearts in the Making

As we live and grow, two hearts are being formed in people. One is the heart of God, softened and sealed by His Spirit. The other is the heart of a beast, growing stone cold and prepared for destruction. Scripture warns: “And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold” (Matthew 24:12). We see this even now, as many celebrate the deaths of others, not because those people were physical threats, but simply because of what they said. This is a conditioning of the heart, grooming society to accept cruelty, desensitization, and eventually the mark of the beast (Revelation 13:16–17).

Proverbs 4:23 says: “Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.” The word keep means “to guard or watch over.” The word heart translates to the inner being, the soul, the inner man. And issues translates to “the source or outflow of life.” In other words, the Scripture is warning us to guard our souls with all diligence, because out of them flows the very source of life.

From the time we are born, the world conditions us toward either compassion or callousness. If left unchecked, sin will harden us until we resemble the beast; heartless, loveless, unguarded. But if we yield to the Spirit of God, our hearts are sealed, softened, and made alive in Christ. One day, each of us will be identified: either sealed by God’s Spirit or marked by the beast.

A lit candle melts wax, brings warmth and gives light; an unlit candle’s wax hardens, leaving only coldness and darkness around it.

Brute Beasts: When Humans Take on a Fallen Nature

Scripture is clear:

“But these, as natural brute beasts, made to be taken and destroyed, speak evil of the things that they understand not; and shall utterly perish in their own corruption.” (2 Peter 2:12, KJV)

Without God, humans fall into a beastly nature. This nature stems from our fallen inheritance from Adam and Eve, who disobeyed God and aligned themselves with the serpent in Genesis, the first book of the Bible, the same serpent who empowers the beast in Revelation, the last book of the Bible.

When we receive God, we also receive His Holy Spirit. And when the Holy Spirit dwells in us, He produces fruit in our lives, as described in

Galatians 5:22–23 :

Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness and Self-control

These fruits separate us from being “brute beasts.” Without them, we live like animals, ruled by instinct and rage. With them, we reflect God’s character.

Emotions: A Dangerous Driver ⛔️

One of the greatest deceptions of our age is to let emotions guide our actions. Emotions are unstable, up one day, down the next. They are not a reliable catalyst for godly behavior.

When we are children, we are taught that if someone says something mean, we don’t have the right to physically harm them. Yet today, many adults have forgotten this lesson. Violence is never justified simply because words offended us.

“He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty; and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city.”(Proverbs 16:32)

Ruling your spirit is greater than winning an argument or silencing a critic.

Freedom of Speech and Self-Control

America was founded with freedom of speech as a pillar. But today, people often listen to voices they despise just to fuel their outrage. Here’s the truth: you don’t have to listen. If you don’t agree, turn it off. If you feel strongly, create your own platform. Counter speech with speech, not with violence or celebrations of death.

A Clear Warning to Christians ⚠️

If we, as Christians, remain silent while freedom of speech is under attack, we are preparing the ground for our own persecution. What begins with silencing political voices or unpopular cultural opinions will not stop there, it will inevitably reach the Church.

The Bible itself could be labeled hate speech. Not because it isn’t truth, but because truth convicts. And conviction rarely feels good. Conviction exposes the heart, confronts sin, and demands change and for many, that is intolerable. When people reject conviction, they often retaliate, not against sin, but against the messenger.

This is not new.

• Jesus was crucified, not because He harmed anyone, but because His words and His very presence exposed the hypocrisy and sin of those around Him (John 8:40).

• Stephen was stoned because his speech cut his listeners to the heart; rather than repent, they stopped their ears and killed him (Acts 7:57–59).

• In the future, the two witnesses of Revelation will prophesy boldly, only to be slain in the streets while the world rejoices at their deaths (Revelation 11:7–10).

If the world silenced Christ, Stephen, and the witnesses to come, should we expect that they will treat the Church any differently?

This is why we must stand now. We cannot shrug off the silencing of speech, even when it happens to people we personally disagree with. Because once the line is drawn that truth is “hate speech,” the Word of God will be next.

We must not only condemn violence against free speech; we must also check our own hearts.

If we find ourselves rejoicing at another’s downfall, harboring offense, bitterness, or unforgiveness, we must ask: am I truly in Christ? These traits are not fruit of God’s Spirit. They are evidence of a heart waxed cold.

Paul urged believers:

“Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves.”(2 Corinthians 13:5)

To the LGBTQ+ Community

We must be honest: disagreement is not hatred. A person is not your enemy simply because they do not affirm your lifestyle or agree with your choices. Speaking facts or holding convictions does not automatically equate to hate.

At the same time, we cannot ignore what happened with Charlie Kirk. His killer, Tyler James Robinson,

Charlie Kirk's suspected killer, Tyler Robinson.

was reportedly in a romantic relationship with a transgender roommate and, according to prosecutors, expressed frustration with Kirk’s “hate” before carrying out the shooting. He had also grown increasingly concerned about LGBTQ+ rights and political differences within his family. This tragic event highlights a troubling contradiction: while many in the LGBTQ+ community call for acceptance and tolerance in the name of love, there have been cases, such as this one, where hostility and even violence were directed toward those who hold different beliefs.

To be clear, this does not describe everyone in the LGBTQ+ community. But when disagreement itself is treated as violence, open dialogue dies, and society moves toward censorship and retaliation.

Final Reflection: Love That Refuses to Grow Cold

As an educated, fully aware Black woman in America, I take a strong stance against racism. It wounds deeply when words seem to attack my people. It angers me when I see ignorance, indifference, or hostility toward the history and struggles of Black Americans. And yet, I refuse to let my emotions drive me into bitterness.Emotions rise and fall like tides, they cannot be my compass. I must be Spirit-led, not emotion-led. I remind myself constantly that “we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world” (Ephesians 6:12).

It took time for me to get here. I wasn’t always this way. But now I understand: ignorance exists, deception spreads, hatred festers. I will speak out against it, but with wisdom, with discernment, and with the Word of God as my foundation.

We do not have to cower back. We do not have to pretend injustice doesn’t exist. We must speak. We must confront. But we must do it God’s way. Believers cannot afford to let offense callous our hearts or cause us to devalue human life. We are not like the world. Love elevates us higher. This does not mean silence. It means speaking with conviction and compassion, discerning the spirits at work, and addressing them spiritually. If we still find ourselves trapped in bitterness, the call is clear: stop, seek the Lord, and grow up into maturity. Because the ultimate goal is not to win an argument, nor to silence an opponent, but to see the Lord in peace at the end of our lives.

I don’t know if Charlie Kirk was a racist, and I would hope he wasn’t because ultimately, that’s something he would have to answer to God for. Whether he was or wasn’t doesn’t change how I choose to live. I know that I am not racist, and I refuse to let my emotions or anyone else’s inability to control theirs, push me into a place of hate. If I allowed that, then I’d be the one standing before God having to answer for it.

“Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord.”(Hebrews 12:14)