Actually, this guy is right in a way. Words spoken freely can't erect buildings, plow fields, form an economy, or form trade routs between villages and native inhabitants. People do that, not words.
Words can be used to pass on knowledge and inspire ideas. And yes, they can hurt, but then it's up to the person they're being spoken to whether or not they'll let it bother them. And yes, words can even be used to inspire hate and genocide.
That's probably why the historical freedom of speech has allowed a book like your bible to go on unhindered for two centuries inspiring hate, hurt, lust, vice, avarice, murder, rape, genocide, slavery, segregation, and bigotry.
Freedom of speech allows words and ideas to be passed, but words don't command others to kill in the name of your god. You're the one who does that. Words are just words and do nothing until you take them too seriously.