Freedom - such an incredible concept. A word that inspires, motivates, excites, even promotes sacrifice to the ultimate. The decision to break free from England was not without soul searching, heart wrenching, second and third thoughts, and yes, blood. Because of that, this freedom is precious to us all, and will not be given up to any outside person or government. Any threat, foreign or domestic, will be faced, and God willing, defeated.
Freedom, however, is not free. With great freedom comes great responsibility. Freedom without responsibility results in chaos. Freedom of speech without responsibility results in lies spread as truth, and hatred of another because of race, sex or creed becomes a "right". Freedom of assembly without responsibility becomes mob rule, with violence, injury, even death, a natural outcome. Freedom to bear arms, without responsibility, will create a vigilante society, in which all, in order to defend against irrational men, BECOME irrational men.
In 1776, a group of men gathered together and signed a document written by Thomas Jefferson, declaring their independence from England and their freedom to enjoy their God given rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Thirteen independent, sovereign states (read countries), united as one to become free. Problems soon started rising out of this "confederation" of states however, as each state had its own militia, each had its own trade and tariffs, each even had its own separate monies The alliance, held together by some loosely binding "Articles of Confederation" was in danger of falling apart. (Sound familiar - EU?) There was a need to create a new government, binding the colonies together as a republic, and overseeing them all, to ensure the preservation of this new union.
This was not achieved without much turmoil. These individual states would not give up their sovereign status without a fight. In order to agree to form as a union under federal control, certain rights had to be guaranteed, to insure no loss of the freedoms they had just won, no chance they were just trading one tyranny for another. Many states refused to sign this Constitution unless those freedoms were in writing. Even then, they could not all agree on what should be listed, wanting to be sure no state had more power than another.
Finally, after much debate, consultation and compromise, a set of 10 amendments, a "Bill of Rights", was drafted, and agreed to. The importance of these rights cannot be over estimated, becoming the first 10 amendments of this great blueprint of a new government. A Constitution for the United States of America.
Those freedoms are possible because of the strength of the government enforcing them. That government is strong because of the laws, fairly administered, in the articles that follow those rights. They were forged in turbulent times, creating a living document that can and must be adaptable to each generation, in order to preserve the freedoms it protects.
We are once again in turbulent times. It is time for rational men and women to discuss, to argue, to compromise, to find adaptable frameworks to ensure the freedoms we enjoy. Only by finding common ground, and standing together, will we ensure these freedoms for the next generation. To do so will require respect, even in disagreement. It will require solidarity as Americans, not political parity. It will come with turmoil, and conflict and passion. Passion with a fire that will forge a strength to last another 240 years, and more. Happy Birthday America. May God bless you.
Thursday, June 30, 2016
Monday, June 20, 2016
The People We Never Were
"Once again IN MEMORIAM. And In Memoriam for the people we used to be."
- Bette Midler
The quote above was sent out following the recent Orlando, Florida club shootings, accompanied by a picture of a wreath of white lilies. And I sighed a little, wishing for a sometimes remembered time that was not filled with what seems to be daily tragedies, and the horrific treatment of our fellow humans on this earth, God's beloved creations.
But as I longed for those past times, I realized my remembrance may be false. Mankind's ability to group itself into categories has been for thousands of years, and its ability to cast judgment on all other categories but its own for only a few days shorter. Judgment creates self-importance, and self-importance, when confronted, creates hate. And hate has been around since the dawn of time.
The only real difference I see is not the depth of the hatred there (it has always been deep), but the extremely volatile nature it has taken on. More and more, people wear their hate just under the surface of their skin. More and more this thin layer of skin is being exposed, ripped off, with its evil pus spewing out.
We have tried to conquer hate with logic, with civility, with avoidance, even with laws. Nothing has worked. The only way this sickness can be cured, the only way to become the people, and the country we like to remember ourselves to be, is with Love.
And not just any love. Not a love of live and let live, that is avoidance. Not a love that looks down on others, that is judgment. The love that will restore us is God. Only He sees us, not in separate categories, not in cliques, but as His children, His creation. ALL fallen, ALL loved-equally. NONE worthy, but ALL loved - equally.
It is only when we share God's love with each other, that things will change.No walls, just love No judgment (all of us should be judged, because we all fail.), just love. The free, undeserved, unrestricted Love of God, through us. Until then we will never be "the people we used to be." Because we never were. But we can be.
- Bette Midler
The quote above was sent out following the recent Orlando, Florida club shootings, accompanied by a picture of a wreath of white lilies. And I sighed a little, wishing for a sometimes remembered time that was not filled with what seems to be daily tragedies, and the horrific treatment of our fellow humans on this earth, God's beloved creations.
But as I longed for those past times, I realized my remembrance may be false. Mankind's ability to group itself into categories has been for thousands of years, and its ability to cast judgment on all other categories but its own for only a few days shorter. Judgment creates self-importance, and self-importance, when confronted, creates hate. And hate has been around since the dawn of time.
The only real difference I see is not the depth of the hatred there (it has always been deep), but the extremely volatile nature it has taken on. More and more, people wear their hate just under the surface of their skin. More and more this thin layer of skin is being exposed, ripped off, with its evil pus spewing out.
We have tried to conquer hate with logic, with civility, with avoidance, even with laws. Nothing has worked. The only way this sickness can be cured, the only way to become the people, and the country we like to remember ourselves to be, is with Love.
And not just any love. Not a love of live and let live, that is avoidance. Not a love that looks down on others, that is judgment. The love that will restore us is God. Only He sees us, not in separate categories, not in cliques, but as His children, His creation. ALL fallen, ALL loved-equally. NONE worthy, but ALL loved - equally.
It is only when we share God's love with each other, that things will change.No walls, just love No judgment (all of us should be judged, because we all fail.), just love. The free, undeserved, unrestricted Love of God, through us. Until then we will never be "the people we used to be." Because we never were. But we can be.
Tuesday, June 14, 2016
A New Poem - Looking Out at the Rain
It's raining outside.
Some would say "in sheets".
Some would say "torrential".
To me, it seems God turned on
A giant garden hose, then
put His thumb over the edge
of the spout to give it more pressure.
And He's chasing everybody with it.
"Come play" He calls.
It's raining outside.
Even the Summer Sun is
taking a well earned, unscheduled nap
as the street lights come on
at 2 in the afternoon creating
a mysterious glow, as the artificial
light prisms off the wall of rain.
The wall ripples as God breathes on it.
"Come play" He calls.
It's raining outside.
Little streams in the parking lot
gather together to become little creeks that
become flowing rivers, powerfully
traveling where they will.
All this I see from the window by my cube.
Wanting to travel the river to its end.
But my reflection in the window looks at me,
his back to it all, and I turn to the wall and sigh.
God calls.
"Come play".
I walk away.
"Not today".
"It's raining outside."
Some would say "in sheets".
Some would say "torrential".
To me, it seems God turned on
A giant garden hose, then
put His thumb over the edge
of the spout to give it more pressure.
And He's chasing everybody with it.
"Come play" He calls.
It's raining outside.
Even the Summer Sun is
taking a well earned, unscheduled nap
as the street lights come on
at 2 in the afternoon creating
a mysterious glow, as the artificial
light prisms off the wall of rain.
The wall ripples as God breathes on it.
"Come play" He calls.
It's raining outside.
Little streams in the parking lot
gather together to become little creeks that
become flowing rivers, powerfully
traveling where they will.
All this I see from the window by my cube.
Wanting to travel the river to its end.
But my reflection in the window looks at me,
his back to it all, and I turn to the wall and sigh.
God calls.
"Come play".
I walk away.
"Not today".
"It's raining outside."
Tuesday, June 7, 2016
A Final Comment on Prayer from John Wesley
Whether we think of or speak to God, whether we act or suffer for him, all is prayer, when we have no other object than his love, and the desire of pleasing him.
All that a Christian does, even in eating and sleeping, is prayer, when it is done in simplicity, according to the order of God, without either adding to or diminishing from it by his own choice (A Plain Account of Christian Perfection, Q 38, 5).
All that a Christian does, even in eating and sleeping, is prayer, when it is done in simplicity, according to the order of God, without either adding to or diminishing from it by his own choice (A Plain Account of Christian Perfection, Q 38, 5).
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