Episode 27
Free Speech, Satire and the Power of Humor
Featuring Seth Dillon
September 8, 2026
Seth Dillon, CEO of The Babylon Bee, joins host Gerson Moreno-Riaño on Cornerstone University’s Wisdom and Influence podcast to discuss free speech, censorship, and the role of satire in defending truth. Dillon recounts The Babylon Bee’s 2022 suspension from Twitter after the site named Rachel Levine its Man of the Year, a decision that drew Elon Musk’s attention and preceded his acquisition of the platform. The conversation distinguishes hard censorship—platforms and governments suppressing speech—from soft censorship, the self-silencing that occurs when people fear reprisal for expressing dissenting views. Dillon and Moreno-Riaño examine how censorship threatens the pursuit of truth, drawing on COVID-era speech restrictions and the broader cultural shift toward hypersensitivity. They also discuss the importance of Christian apologetics, the moral imperative of mockery, and how humor can serve as a powerful vehicle for telling the truth. Listeners will gain a deeper understanding of why defending free expression remains essential for faith, civil discourse, and the health of American society.