The National Association of Realtors (NAR) has decided to amend its controversial "hate speech" rule after a Christian minister, Wilson Fauber, was penalized for sharing Bible verses on social media.
The NAR clarified that in the revision of Standard of Practice 10-5, which states that members "shall not harass any person or persons based on race, color, religion, sex, disability, familial status, national origin, sexual orientation, or gender identity," the rule applies only to speech made by realtors in their professional capacity and in connection with their real estate activities.
Initially, the Virginia Association of Realtors punished Fauber, a longtime realtor in Virginia, for posting his biblical views on gender and sexuality on his personal Facebook page. Despite multiple appeals, his “hate speech” conviction was upheld in February 2025.
Fauber expressed that this change is ““a massive victory for free speech and religious freedom not just for me, but for all 1.5 million members of the National Association of Realtors,”” suggesting that his imminent lawsuit against NAR and lobbying efforts in state legislatures contributed significantly to this decision.
The controversy began when Fauber ran for Staunton City Council in 2023. Opponents of his campaign uncovered social media posts from years prior, including a 2015 post in which he expressed Christian views on marriage, referencing discussions prompted by the U.S. Supreme Court's deliberation on same-sex marriage.
At the time, Fauber shared his Bible-based perspective, citing thoughts from Rev. Franklin Graham and other Christian leaders.
In 2024, Fauber's social media activity led to a complaint filed with the Virginia Association of Realtors (VAR), alleging a breach of NAR's Code of Ethics.
Posts shared as part of his personal ministry were unremarked upon until two fellow realtors, whom Fauber had never met, filed formal ethics complaints against him, arguing that his posts broke NAR's ambiguous "hate speech" rule. The VAR panel concluded that Fauber's views on marriage and sexuality, articulated through Bible verses and Christian teachings, violated NAR's Standard of Practice 10-5.
One of the original complainants, reportedly an openly gay man, is generally not publicly identified in real estate ethics complaints.
