There is a difference. I write a Lisp program, and it runs everywhere Emacs does, including my Android device. I wouldn't do that with Java, as thaw would be extremely impractical. (I might be biased: I probably wouldn't be programming at all if Lisp didn't exist.)
Lisp is the №1 enabler of Stallman's “Freedom 1”. Smalltalk might be close but I can't really say, and it doesn't look like I can install Pharo on my Android device. Nothing else even comes close.
pfff... Lisps exists pretty much for every platform and domain these days. You need to target JVM - here's Clojure. Javascript - Clojurescript and nbb. You need system scripting - you can use babashka or Janet. OTP - there's LFE. You need iOS/Android development - there's ClojureDart and ReactNative. Low-level systems programming - try Carp or Ferret. Data science and numerical computing - Hy gives you Python interop and there's clj-python/libpython-clj. Microcontrollers and embedded - uLisp covers it. Academic/research work - still can't beat Common Lisp or Scheme.
The OP is wrong about creative freedom being overblown. Lisp gives you creative freedom - if you choose to accept it.
Lisp is the №1 enabler of Stallman's “Freedom 1”. Smalltalk might be close but I can't really say, and it doesn't look like I can install Pharo on my Android device. Nothing else even comes close.