four hundred eleven

Every news cycle there are countless references to our rights, independence, sovereignty, freedoms and democracy. Unfortunately these have been weaponized, freedom of speech depends on who is speaking and our rights have morphed into cradle to grave entitlements. 

Politicians claim our human rights to free housing,  free utilities, free health care, free food, free clothing, free transportation and free entertainment but never mention accountability. 

Claiming and expanding freedoms without responsibility or accountability is now the norm. Any mention of these will brand you an uncaring privileged racist and every kind of  _____phobe (fill in the blank).

These attitudes are not new they have always been used to sway voters and gain power. Please don't assume my politics, no party has clean hands. Buying votes and corruption have been around from the beginning and will be as long as they still work.

Freewill has been given to every one of us along with accountability. No matter what some man or woman with a fancy title tells us or what they give us we are always accountable for our actions.

Governments that still have at least a little respect for their citizens must still convince them to give their consent or votes. Yes there is an effort to bypass this but so far we still have elections. 

John Adams said "Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other." 

The idea that our rights come from God is fundamental. Today we have heard our elected officials mock this idea. I have asked students that questions each year I heard more of them say our rights come from government. This I believe is by design.

The more people trust governments for rights, the more they become slaves to those governments. The rush to purge all religion from schools and government is obvious. "Organized religion" has been demonized for simply pointing out our rights come from God. Theocrats, bigots, racists, nationalists, exclusionist and worse are an immediate reaction to any mention of accountability. 

They say they can be moral, more generous and caring without God, but they set their own standards to measure these and are only accountable to themselves. 

Religious people look to God for standards and understand they are accountable to Him.

Marquis De Sade is an extreme example. His philosophy was, if there is no God I am only accountable to myself. I can use my freewill the way I choose without consequence. Hitler, Stallon, Mao and every mass murderer and serial killer used their freewill. 

Yes these are extremes but we must admit respect for human life has been shifting. Attitudes toward the homeless, mentally ill, the elderly and those not yet born have slowly been rationalized. If there is no standards or guard rails this is inevitable.

God gave us all freewill with just one string, accountability. Ironically those who deny him the most blame him for humans using their freewill to do horrible things. Imagine how it hurts Him to watch.

I can't think of anything more selfish then to take this gift so lightly. As a Christian I believe in the God of Abraham Isaac and Jacob and put my faith in the promises of Jesus Christ.

I believe in an all seeing all knowing God. I also believe God is love. I also believe I have a purpose beyond my own self interests. There is my will and God's will and I have the freedom to choose.

What is God's will? There are endless books written and a multitudes of opinions, I believe this:

1 Timothy 2:3

"This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all men to be saved and come to a knowledge of the truth. "

This may be over simplified but it works for me. Anything I do or say can be judged by this standard. Is it helping others become more interested in God or does it repel them? 

This doesn't require us to be preachers on the contrary others see God when we are at our worst sometimes. How we react to unfairness, grief and suffering. In our weakness God can be seen more clearly. Willingness and honesty are a powerful testimony.

I do come from a place of gratitude because God saved me first in 1980 from my sins then in 1990 from the clutches of alcohol. I received His Spirit then drank with Him and finally aligned myself with His will. I am forever grateful He was faithful to his word and did not abandon me.

Governments will do what they do and with enough people they can do great or horrible things. However every individual has a choice to do God's will or reject it and follow their own self interests. 

This flesh and blood life is limited. These suits we wear to stay in this dimension will eventually wear out and we will have to go. I believe there is something beyond this life. I have seen and felt God's mercy, love and faithfulness I know what He says is true. 

The draw to intelectualize everything can become a distraction from a simple truth there is a God and it isn't you or me. Use your freewill wisely.