Recently the public have called for a senator's resignation, and two Darwin markets have banned certain unofficial NT tourism products. And today as I write this a politician has apologised "if people took offense" at something he said.

What is free speech? What is hate speech? And what is offensive but not illegal?

My son is learning to read and calls out letters and asks me to say what they spell. I don't relish dealing with a certain unofficial NT advertising campaign.

It doesn't surprise me that people use whatever means they can to get attention - but I am surprised that a word I thought to be in the upper levels of offensive is somehow considered ok.

It doesn't surprise me that some politicians are racist, or intolerant, or conniving and generally disagreeable. Nor when they mix things that are true with things that aren't. But when they blame a slaughter on the innocents killed, or government policy, something has to be said.

It matters deeply to me because I believe things as a Christian that others of you will take offense at too - things like "Jesus is the only rescuer from the God's judgment on all people in the world." Hate speech or love speech?

St Paul's Anglican Church meets on Sundays at 9am with kids church. All welcome.