Imprisoned by your Freedom?

It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery.(Gal. 5:1)

My religious background is a patchwork of various Christian denominations, each slightly different, yet all claiming the same major doctrinal tenets. I attended a Presbyterian church from the age of birth to somewhere around the middle of my grade school years. The next church for our family was a Congregational church where we stayed through the remainder my grade school years and into my freshman year of high school. At age 14 we switched again to a Nazarene church which I attended with my family until, at age 20, I decided to attend a Church of God (out of Anderson, IN) where there were more young people near my age. Somewhere during this denominational journey I made a decision to become a Christian and accept Jesus as savior, although I did so more out of a compulsion to avoid the fiery pit of hell than a clear understanding of what I was really getting into.

In 1985 I was married and began a journey through a few more versions of the Christian church, again with the same basic doctrine (belief in the Trinity, that Christ died for our sins and was raised, etc.) but variations on minor points and practices. Our new family stayed in the Church of God, the denominational affiliation of our college, and we were active in the local congregation for several more years. Upon moving to Texas in 1990, I began attending a Nazarene church again for a short time, then on to a Baptist church where we stayed until moving again around 3 years later. Our next move took us into the crazy world of the Charismatic believers. The freedom from ritual along with the contemporary music drew us in to this church home until we again moved. Since that time in 1993 we have moved several more times, but stayed in non-denominational, charismatic churches.

I tell you all of this denominational history to give you a limited idea of my background in the Christian faith and so you can understand why, to some degree, I have questioned so much of the teaching I have heard. I guess in some ways it has been beneficial to my spiritual development to have such a varied background, since this has allowed me the freedom to search out truths for myself. I know many people that have spent most of their years in one particular denomination and as a result have trouble with questioning their denominational training. They feel almost as though it is sinful to consider that what they have been taught may not be the full truth. Feelings of guilt overcome them if they question the fullness of their experience and start to wonder if maybe God has something more for them. This indoctrination leads to a type of enslavement that Charismatics would label as Legalism or Religiousness. I believe that this type of 'religion' and following ritual, rules and traditions for the sake of conformity is what Christ came to set His people free from.

As of late however, I have seen another form of enslavement that some non-denominational, inter-denominational or charismatic believers seem to be falling in to. It is an enslavement to their supposed new found freedom from legalism or a religious spirit. While it is true that as a believer in Christ, we are free from the strict legalism of the old covenant and the practice of dead rituals, it is also true that we can easily become captivated by our obsession with trying to appear non-religious. We must remember that to follow Christ in a non-religious manner is to be open to the leading of the Holy Spirit, not to be preoccupied with engagement in worldly activities that will signal to others that we are free. This type of pseudo-freedom actually has another name... bondage. We can be deceived so easily by our flesh into thinking that we should participate in things that will offend the religious legalists to show them what freedom looks like. This is not freedom!

Christ Jesus died on the cross for us so that we may truly be free to follow the leading of the Holy Spirit in every area of our lives. True freedom will allow us to make decisions and involve ourselves in activities that bring glory to Him without purposely offending our brothers and sisters that may have differing doctrinal beliefs. We must remember that while all things are permissible, not all things are beneficial. We are reminded in the New Testament that we are to be considerate of those that may be caused to stumble because of our exercise of freedom. While we will not allow ourselves to be resubmitted to the bondage the Holy Spirit has led us out of, we must also take seriously our responsibility to the body of Christ and to avoid pride and arrogance which will lead us into bondage of another sort. I urge you all (as I remind my self) to examine yourself daily and to follow in humble submission to the guidance of the Holy Spirit, the only true way to the freedom God has for each of us.

Bail Out? Maybe that's exactly what we should do...

The talk everywhere you turn for the past several months has been about government bail-outs and the need for economic stimulus. I have heard many of the arguments for, and to a lesser degree, the arguments against these actions. I know many are confused on what needs to be done, torn between giving ailing businesses and industry sectors help and leaving the market place to itself to correct the problems over time. For most of our politicians I think the question boils down to how much should the government be involved and what kind of return will they get when elections roll around again. The question I would like to ask is 'what caused these problems and when did it become the governments job to interfere in the marketplace?'.

If you dig past the surface of 'smoke and mirrors' that the politicians in congress are throwing up you find that most of the problems we have faced go back decades into the past. A great deal of government interference (as opposed to involvement as some suggest) began with the policies of FDR and his Big Government approach to solving economic issues. Many scholars now point to his administration's policies as a key factor in extending the economic depression by up to seven years. This is where the modern big government liberalism started. President Johnson put us into the welfare crisis that we have today by allowing people to live off the success of others instead of working to achieve something for themselves. Nixon gave us the out-of-control, over regulating EPA to assuage the environmentalist radicals that demanded federal intervention in the pollution problems we faced. I could go on about many more federal agencies (such as the NHTSA, OSHA, etc.) and regulations that interfere with our daily lives and override the idea our founding fathers had of each state's right to regulate themselves.

If you look into the current crisis in mortgage lending the problem is not corporate C.E.O.'s with large salaries and 'golden parachutes'. Have some of these people been overpaid and given outrageous severance deals over the years? Yes. Is it the business of anyone other than the board of directors and shareholders to change this? No. The real problem that hit the mortgage industry so hard was a meddling government that required loans to be made to people that were bad credit risks and could not afford the homes they were purchasing.

The same is true of the ailing American auto industry. The people that know how to make and sell automobiles work for Ford, GM and Chrysler.... they do not hold seats in the Senate, House or any other post in the government. The C.A.F.E. standards that have been applied to the automakers along with the outrageous burden of the overpaid employees of 'Big Labor' have combined to cripple our domestic manufacturers ability to compete. If rising fuel prices cause the public to demand vehicles with better mileage, then competition will drive the manufacturers to meet that need without government interference. The market dictates who succeeds and who fails based upon a sellers ability to meet the buyers wants and desires.

This is where the problem for most politicians and radical liberals originates. They see themselves as better educated and wiser than the public. They spend all of their time talking about freedom of choice (aren't these the 'pro-choice' people?) yet they want to eliminate our freedom of choice in so many areas. They want you to drive the car that they approve of (in spite of their continuance to drive large SUV's and fuel inefficient sedans) instead of the car you would like to buy. They want our children to attend public schools and have a government mandated curriculum, and appropriate indoctrination, instead of allowing us to make a choice of where our dollars and our children attend school. These individuals who have proven that they cannot manage anything (how's the future of Social Security looking, or the federal budget deficit) want to take control of our financial institutions, the auto industry, health care, the petroleum producers, regulate the thermostats in our homes and now even dictate whether television broadcasts are analog or digital (and use our money to provide converters for those that cannot afford to miss Oprah or The View).

I for one think that it is time for a massive, all inclusive bail-out. The federal government needs to bail-out of the free market, the affairs of the free states, and our supposedly free lives. Our nations founders did not risk their lives, the lives of their families, their fortunes and all that they had to be ruled by a government that sought to control their money, education, purchasing decisions and tax them into oblivion. God help us to start the return to reason in government and restore our freedoms to their intended state.

Where Do We Go From Here?

I don't know about you, but I was in a real funk on Nov. 5th. This election was not the first time that I have been disappointed in the results (ie: Clinton's 2 terms), but for some reason I was effected to a much greater degree. I was not a strong believer in John McCain as the right man for the job. In fact I was unsure of my vote until he selected Sarah Palin as a running mate. Somehow though, I knew there was more riding on this election than any previous in my lifetime. Perhaps part of my reaction was due to the obvious negligence of the mainstream media in letting the American people know just exactly who Barak Hussein Obama is.

Let me back up just a bit and tell you something you may find extremely weird, troublesome, nutty, etc (pick your own word). I was very anxious for this election. I found myself counting the days when we were still weeks away from the voting. I voted early here in Texas and was really looking forward to spending the election day evening with friends and watching the returns come in. Then a strange thing happened. As I finished work for the day (which was early on Tuesday) I started to feel a heaviness in my heart about the evening. As I walked up to the front door of my home, I noticed that the American flag we had out had somehow become completely wrapped around itself and the pole. Ordinarily I would probably of thought nothing about it, except that it had never happened before. But on this day I heard a voice (not audibly) say that for the next four years the flag (which I somehow knew was representative of our freedom) would be bound up and not allowed to fly freely.

If you knew me, you would know that this was a pretty weird thing for me to experience. As I thought about it I felt strongly that many of our rights (free speech, right to bear arms, etc.) would be challenged and perhaps even restricted in the years to come. I tried to shake this off and told myself that it was silly, since the polls had not even closed yet and surely the McCain-Palin ticket would win. I just couldn't shake the feeling of dread and/or doom that I felt the rest of the night. By around 9:00 CST I knew it was over. Depression set in!

Having some time to think about this and process it some (my brain works on stuff SLOWLY) I have arrived at what I think is the Lord's will in all of this. We are told in the Bible that God is Omnipotent and His purposes will be accomplished. So where does that put us as Christians that may feel a man has been elected that supports some agendas we know go against God's will, and others that are at the very least contrary to the Constitution? We must rest and be at peace with God's sovereignty and know that He will work things for our ultimate good.

We must also be vigilant and watch closely for any party or politician that may go against the principles of the Constitution and our founding fathers. If and when these issues arise we must not be silent, as the German people were in the 1930's, but we must protest and petition to be heard. Beyond this we must also, and more importantly, pray for our leaders... even those we don't like. We must pray that God's will is done and pray that He would give insight and wisdom to those governing our country. I am not proud of the fact that I did not do this when Mr. Clinton was in office because I so strongly opposed the man and his lack of integrity, honesty and morals... but let us learn our lesson and do our part this time around. We must be a light and a blessing to all and truly learn to selflessly pursue God's will over our own social or political agenda.

Peace is the Answer... or is it?

I was raised during the 60's and 70's, a time when changes were coming... and not all of them good. There was a lot of unrest with young people born in the 40's and 50's that were disenchanted with a war they didn't understand and the politicians that were trying hard to lose it. For the first time ever television was showing the horrors of war to the public and they didn't like it. Suddenly peace was the answer to all our problems. If we could just leave the rest of the world, and mankind as a whole, to do whatever makes them happy all would be better off. We just needed to talk, listen and understand each other and everyone would act reasonably and avoid war.

If you believe that man is basically good and desires nothing but the best for everyone, I guess the peace movement all makes sense. After all, if our enemies are basically just good people then there must be a reason why they are behaving in a violent or threatening manner. That reason must be America. Our system of capitalism, freedom, religion and foreign policy must force our enemies to action. We must be the catalyst that makes them behave in such a manner and hate, attack and kill others.

Of course the only problem with this logic is the premise that man is good. The truth is that man is inherently evil and selfish. We are all born with a rebellious nature that is concerned only about ourselves and our pleasure. Unfortunately history is full of people that demonstrated this time and time again. How can we believe that other governments will always be peaceful and benevolent when we see hate and crime everyday? No amount of rationalization will convince a leader bent on destruction of peoples of another class, race or religious belief to behave in a civilized manner. Sometimes nations must be disciplined and punished just as individuals are in most societies.

Peace is certainly an admirable goal and one we strive toward constantly, however, peace at all costs is not worth the price that must be paid. Peace is valuable, but not more valuable than justice. Life is valuable, but not more valuable than principle. I would suggest that without justice and principle, peace is not worth anything except to those that fear death more than their loss of freedom or basic human rights. No, peace is not necessarily the answer. The answer is found in a people that pursue righteousness and are willing to stand up for the rights of others regardless of the price that must be paid. If it means trading our lives for the lives and rights of those less fortunate, then so be it.

You Owe Me!

What ever happened to the old America? You know, the one most of us grew up in during the 20th century. I am old enough to have experienced a little of it, yet young enough to still remember. Many of you know what I am talking about but for those of you that don't or are too young and missed out, let me share with you a little about what it used to be like in America. When most of us were proud of our country (despite it's flaws) and not just because our spouse was running for president.

I was raised by parents that were born in the mid-1920's, between two of the largest, most destructive and deadly wars that man has ever known. My father entered WWII by enlisting in the Navy, lying about his age at the time so he could go to war. The second world war pulled us out of a depression with massive defense spending on military items of every description. This was a time when our existence as a country was threatened and countries around the world were falling to fascist regimes. Even then, with the obvious evil perpetrated by the Nazi Party, there were those here in America that strongly opposed any involvement in a war that was none of our business.

It was during these times, I believe, that my father's character and life principles were developed. He learned that some things were more valuable than your physical comfort, finances and life. These were defining principles that led him through life's journey and helped him to make the right choices, even when it was perhaps the hardest choice to make. Although I tried hard at times to escape this influence and choose a path of less resistance and more temporal pleasures, these principles were passed on to me and have become the foundation for my adult life. I thank God that this is the strong foundation that was built for me, and many others, by a hard-working, patriotic generation of Americans.

America has been a place where individuals have been limited only by themselves. Our system of free enterprise and individual freedoms, guaranteed by the Constitution, has provided the best environment ever known to man for reaching dreams, goals and visions. A person lacking the funds for a secondary education can visit free public libraries and educate themselves on a multitude of subjects. Those born in poor economic conditions can work and save to start their own small business. The idea of America has always been (if you don't believe it, read the writings of the founding fathers) a weak central government that does not interfere with the lives of those it was created to serve.

What has me confused is how we have arrived at where we are as a nation today. The politics of class envy is taught to our young at supposed institutions of higher learning. Those in power use the selfish desires of the populace to further their own agenda. Why do some of us feel that it is our inherent right to be given things we did not work for? It is like a demented Robin Hood story with a theme of take from the rich to give to the poor. We have politicians that tell us everyone has the right to a nice home, two cars, free secondary education, free childcare, free healthcare and HD Television. When did our right to pursue happiness translate into the right to have what we have not earned?

I fear that America has fallen asleep. We are missing the conservative moral values and principles that used to guide us to work at being the best and most productive members of society. We are quickly turning into a hedonistic society where the pursuit of comfort and pleasure is replacing what was once a desire to exercise discipline, self-control and to achieve. We have forgotten that adversity is what develops character and motivates us to work for the betterment of ourselves and others. Our educators have been negligent to teach our history, as it really happened, and to remind us of the great men that have been grown from the poorest of conditions.

If America is to survive and once again be that shining light of freedom and God's grace that all the world looks to, we must examine ourselves. We must get back to the foundation of truth and freedom that was laid for us nearly 250 years ago. We can no longer be consumed by self-interests, but must work for what is best for our country. This is the greatest country on the face of the earth and we alone can make it better. We must adopt policies that encourage our citizens to be productive, hard-working and caring. If we don't shake off our complacency soon, I am afraid it will be too late and we will fade from our former greatness into mediocrity and forced servant hood to the state.

Government Intervention - Remedy or the Reason?

The current financial crisis in America is 'exhibit A' in the deliberation over whether or not government should be involved in the market place. Our government has grown from a weak central government charged mainly with defense of our homeland and our individual rights, into a ugly, inefficient behemoth trying to control all areas of our lives. At the turn of the century (20th) our federal government operated on a budget of close to $1 million. Now it siphons off more than two trillion from a productive economy in an effort to control everyone and everything while seeking to eliminate poverty, a task which even Jesus indicated cannot be done ("For you always have the poor with you", Matt 26:11).

Government dabbling in social engineering has created a huge welfare society that destroys families and keeps the poor and uneducated subservient to Uncle Sam. Do I think that we should simply ignore the poor and less fortunate in our society? No, this would be unethical and go against the commandments of my religion. Do I think that the government should be burdened with redistribution of wealth to those unable or unwilling to take care of themselves? Again my answer would be no. Prior to the intervention of Big Government in our lives the poor and less fortunate were ministered to by the churches and other non-profit organizations, and they did so with very little overhead and much volunteer help.

If the folks in Washington, D.C. really want to help the poor why don't they create a tax policy that offers more of a benefit to those that donate to charity? The American people have traditionally been a very giving people, if we capitalize on this by making it mutually beneficial to both the giver and the recipient we can meet these needs without unnecessary interference from Washington. I believe most reputable charities operate more efficiently than the government (remember the wonderful success of Social Security and Medicare not to mention $150 toilet seats and such), and it also take away some of the control the politicians have over our lives. Isn't this after all, one reason so many fled the old world for the new over the past 400 years?

It Just Doesn't Work...

"From each according to his ability, to each according to his need". I am surprised lately at how many Americans think that this is a great idea we should entertain. The quote, in case some of you attended public school like me, is from Karl Marx. The idea is that everyone should share equally in the prosperity of the community, and in the wonderful land of Utopia created by Thomas More, maybe it would work. This however is an imperfect world filled with flawed and imperfect people.

The problem with the philosophy is that it punishes the industrious and rewards the shiftless. I think that we can all agree that there some among us that work very hard, and regardless of their motives for their work, they achieve great things. There are others that avoid work at all costs. Some would not even go through the trouble to seek hand-outs if their very existence did not depend on it. In America the idea that each person has the freedom to pursue their dreams and desires is the foundation upon which we build.

Lately I have been hearing individuals communicate their desire for a system that will take from those that have worked hard and reaped the rewards of their labor, and give it to others that have not earned it. The entitlement mentality many possess is a threat to our freedom and ultimately to our economic well being. We live in a country that offers us the freedom to pursue our desires. Our freedom gives us the right to strive for these things, not to have them. We will only achieve to the level we are willing to invest our ability, work ethic and persistence. The lessons learned from working, and many times failing, to achieve our goals is what molds us into people of character. Living off the work of others does nothing to build character, teach us perseverance, or bolster our sense of self worth.

For those that play the game of class-envy the result is always the same, the socialist and communist countries of the world have taught us this. Senator Obama continues the tradition of liberalism by espousing a tax policy that will punish the successful, the employers, the innovators in our country and increase the role of Big Government. Redistribution of wealth (which is what Obama admits his goal is) does not, has not and never will stimulate an economy or motivate individuals to work. The proven way to stimulate the economy and increase tax revenues to the state is through tax reductions. This was successfully proven twice in the last 50 years, once by JFK and again by Ronald Reagan. If, on the other hand, we are looking for a plan to "spread the poverty", squelch productivity, stagnate the economy and discourage individual achievement... the Obama plan would be it.