Retaining Our Freedoms For Speech & Religion

There is no common or world-wide acceptance of freedom. Starting with the first family on earth, people have been denied freedom of speech and freedom of religion. But that wasn't God's plan.

Throughout history, various leaders believed their gods (real or imagined) gave them the mandate or authority to conquer; so they attacked, killed, and often outright murdered in the name of their gods.

In the 700s AD, many in the Muslim faith believed that Allah had ordered them to rule the world. They continue that endeavor today: converting, enslaving, or murdering infidels (primarily Muslims of opposing Islamic sects) in the process.

The Catholic Church suppressed, tortured, and put to death people who would not bow to the Pope and the Church, but the Protestants did the same thing to people (including to Protestants) who didn't agree with them. That's why the Pilgrims (Separatists) came and established a home in what they called New Jerusalem or The New Promised Land.

Closer to our time, the Communists in Russia and China brutally murdered millions of their own people; the German Nazis murdered millions; and the Japanese Empire conducted murderous campaigns in attempting to fulfill their gods' desires. Wars and rumors of war continue in various parts of the world.

It appears that everyone (including kings, emperors, dictators, murderers, thieves; and depraved, perverted, and confused people) wants the freedom to live the way they please, but many are not willing to grant that same freedom to others.

For example: I don't get angry at those with whom I disagree, and I peacefully attempt to discuss our differences. But some with opposing world-views accuse me of being bigoted, prejudiced, and intolerant -- simply because I disagree with them. Intolerant of my world-view, they want to silence me -- in the name of tolerance. And representatives of our government, while allowing my accusers the freedom to belittle me, tell me that I must be tolerant -- which means I should not employ the First Amendment right to state my Biblical world-view. But my accusers and governmental leaders are ignorant of the truth, lacking in understanding, and blind to common sense because they have been deceived by those who reject truth.

My freedom of speech and freedom of religion are being nullified by the double-standard of a false application of tolerance.

However, using common sense, history, and the Bible as their guide, our national forefathers gave us the U.S. Constitution. The Preamble says:

"We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America."

The First Amendment, called Article 1 of the Bill of Rights, says:

"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; of abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances."

These two portions of the Constitution speak clearly of freedom. However, as mentioned above, there are those who want to change the First Amendment. Some folk don't want our historic American way of life to continue. They don't want the Judeo-Christian faith -- which helped us become a great nation -- to prevail in America. They are using America's traditional freedoms as a basis to tear down America.

Many in our various governments are working to change America into a pluralistic society so that people who don't value Biblical morality and freedom will feel welcome and tolerated. And in the process, they are negating some of the Constitutional inalienable rights for America's Bible-believing citizens. This is how we are slowly losing our Constitutional rights.

True freedom is a gift from our Heavenly Father, given through Jesus Christ, and promoted by Bible-believing men and women. Therefore, if we want to retain our freedom, we must speak out for truth and righteousness as long as we have breath.

GENE LINZEY IS A SPEAKER, AUTHOR, MENTOR AND PRESIDENT OF THE SILOAM SPRINGS WRITERS GUILD. SEND COMMENTS AND QUESTIONS TO [email protected]. THE OPINIONS EXPRESSED ARE THOSE OF THE AUTHOR.

Editorial on 10/17/2018