On the Side of Freedom

Here’s some irony for you; modern western post-Christian / humanistic culture says there’s no supreme personal being up in the sky looking out for us, so if that’s true why is God and Christ’s names the number one swear words still?

I wonder, is the reason that modern culture is so ready to dump the belief in God due to the traditional culture’s misrepresenting God; painting God as a cosmic kill-joy out to get you for any number of infractions?  Here’s a thought experiment that might surprise you – of the western nations that have traditionally called themselves Christian, which have flourished in the past several hundred years and which have not?  Probably the most notable would be Britain, as the saying went, the sun never set on the British Empire.  Germany certainly has and is the obvious leader of the EU.  Then there is Switzerland with its banks, watches and chocolate, the most wealthy per-capital nation in Europe (except for the very small Country of Luxembourg that shares a border with Germany).  The Dutch never rivaled England but their shipping and exploration were also world renown, they even settled in Manhattan and built the foundation for Wall Street and all that New York is today. 

On the other hand you have Spain that that at one point in time rivaled and threatened Britten's Navy.  But Spain who concurred and settled much of South America has in recent years become not much more than a great place to visit while its economy has gone through rather hard times of late;  France, Italy, Ireland all wonderful places to visit and certainly world players but not leaders. 

Moving over to North America you have Canada, the US and Mexico.  Now if you know your history is there a picture starting to form for you?  Religious Freedom in a Nation = Prosperity.  God is on the side of Freedom and it’s the tyrant who is the repressive one.  Think about it, England embraced the protestant reformation that started mainly in Germany and Switzerland and later on Holland accepted dissenters from the Church of England.  God blessed those countries while at the same time God was not able to bless Spain, not because the peoples were any better, but because their leaders embraced FREEDOM.  Throughout history, without fail, Countries that have embraced free thought, free speech and above all freedom of moral convictions, have risen and those who prefer to be ruled over by their overlords, have declined. 

Not convinced, here’s another incredible example of this principle.  The US Civil war was fought between the Christian South and the Christian North.  In 1861 an overwhelming majority of the US population identified as Christian and both sides claimed to be in the right and prayed to God for victory over the other side.  And which side was God on?  You don’t have to guess you can hear it in Lincoln’s own words, GOD WAS NOT ON EITHER SIDE!  NO, RATHER GOD WAS ON THE SIDE OF FREEDOM!

The Almighty has His own purposes… and that He gives to both North and South, this terrible war, as the woe due to those by whom the offence came, shall we discern therein any departure from those divine attributes which the believers in a Living God always ascribe to Him? Fondly do we hope -- fervently do we pray -- that this mighty scourge of war may speedily pass away. Yet, if God wills that it continue, until all the wealth piled by the bond-man's two hundred and fifty years of unrequited toil shall be sunk, and until every drop of blood drawn with the lash, shall be paid by another drawn with the sword, as was said f[our] three thousand years ago, so still it must be said "the judgments of the Lord, are true and righteous altogether" Lincoln’s Second Inaugural address.

If there had been a quick resolution to the war the North would have been satisfied to allow slavery to continue in the South provided it was not allowed to grow.  If fact the North benefited financially by allowing it to continue in much the same way we benefit today from slave labor in other Countries.  And are not the woes that are about to fall on the world and in fact have already started with the COVID plague allowed because we turn a blind eye to the slavery that exists throughout the globe? 

But this is not written to be political or convince you of the sins of the mankind, for those are plain to see and you can make up your own mind, this is written to proclaim that God is on the side of Freedom and it is the tyrant, God’s enemy who loves slavery, repression and totalitarianism.  Don’t take my word, rather listen to the words spoken by Jesus Christ who said:

John 8:36

If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.

John 8:32

And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

John 10:10

The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.

If you would like to know more about this God who loves freedom and also loves you personally and you are curious about how if such God exists how this world could be full of slavery, repression and every kind of evil and malice, read the Gospel according to John.  John who was the closest of Jesus’ disciples and thereby knew Him the best, is the best place to start.  From there continue on to read the Bible as the Spirit of Truth directs you to, for to learn of God is to know God and to Know God is to Love God.