Thomas Jefferson warns us about losing freedom
Our freedoms here in America are being undermined in ever more obvious ways. Government continues to encroach, doing for us what we used to do for ourselves.
It's evil insofar as it is diminishing our ability to choose right and wrong. The irony is that this is why our country was founded in the first place. The state had become so oppressive, citizens felt that rebellion was their only recourse.
"The democracy will cease to exist when you take away from those who are willing to work, and give to those who are not." – Thomas Jefferson
"It is incumbent on every generation to pay its own debts as it goes a principle, which if acted on, would save one-half the wars of the world." – Thomas Jefferson
"I predict future happiness for Americans, if they can prevent the government from wasting the labors of the people under the pretense of taking care of them." – Thomas Jefferson
"My reading of history convinces me that most bad government results from too much government." – Thomas Jefferson
"The strongest reason for the people to retain the right to keep and bear arms is, as a last resort, to protect themselves against tyranny in government." – Thomas Jefferson
"The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants." – Thomas Jefferson
"To compel a man to subsidize with his taxes the propagation of ideas which he disbelieves and abhors is sinful and tyrannical." – Thomas Jefferson
"I believe that banking institutions are more dangerous to our liberties than standing armies. If the American people ever allow private banks to control the issue of their currency, first by inflation, then by deflation, the banks and corporations that will grow up around the banks will deprive the people of all property until their children wake-up homeless on the continent their fathers conquered." – Thomas Jefferson
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Thomas Jefferson for President!
Here’s what concerns me; Our neighbors and friends are not exercising their freedoms, and responsibilities. Many easily share with me they do not vote, saying “it won’t make a difference anyway” OR “politicians don’t listen to us” OR “government is all crooks and robbers”. I have tried unsuccessfully to involve and or educate these neighbors and friends. The number is rising who feel this defeat and dread.
Our community has many illegals (need a better word) living here, these neighbors’ children attend school yet these parents can’t vote, and are not interested in learning our language or supporting the city, schools or government. This problem is growing at an alarming rate as well. Our schools and government gladly accepts the children, educates them, feed them breakfast and lunch at school but resists gaining their parents citizenship to bring the circle complete.
The financial crisis has truly taken its toll on everyone and continues to do so. Many fear this generation will never pay down its debt and this will be passed on to future generations due to the direction of the current government. The division splitting the rich and the poor and ridding the middle class is evident. New stategies placed by Obamas team are tearing apart the small businesses our country prides itself on. These small businesses are closing at an alarming rate. It’s scary.
It is such a blessing we can vote, and use our voices to educate and inspire others to speak up, be heard and help make positive changes. For others prayer used to stand in the gap to help overcome the negativity in the world.
We need to always remember ‘what it is that glorifies God… What honors Him’. Looking for those opportunities is our responsibility, not a burden. We need to be good citizens and we need to educate ourselves and VOTE!
The hard part, Brenda, is that voting has become a futile effort to a large extent in many cases. On smaller scales, it stills works, like in local elections and some state races, but most larger state elections and certainly the national elections are run and orchestrated by the powers that be. The majority of people are motivated in their voting by the propaganda/marketing machine of today’s politics…like cattle to the slaughter. I used be a political cattle herder, and it’s an ugly business.
Our government and our culture is simply on a one-way track to entitlement and big government. The system can’t be saved. But that’s what I love about Jesus so much. He didn’t focus on the government or changing the system, but he focused on changing the people. He created a tribe that changed the world, and for the most part ignored the system that governed him. That wasn’t where it was at, and it’s so true these days too. The sky is falling, and frankly, I don’t care. Because God’s still in charge, and the government is not my tribe.
The hard part, Jen, is not falling to either extreme. It’s true that the government is not our savior or provider. It’s also true that we have a very different foundation and history. What others would give to have a say in their government! I’ve been in Communist nations, and I certainly do not believe the type of government makes no difference. If there is not a turn in the road, my daughter and potential grandchildren will be in jails a long time, such as I saw there.
Because of our freedoms (and those are being taken away, I woefully say), we do have a responsibility to stem back as best we can, the evils others are glad to diligently put into law. For sure, good is called evil and evil is called good increasingly. “All that is necessary for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing.” In biblical culture, it appears that violence was the only supposed avenue for change. Today in our nation, perhaps we lean too hard on making our voice heard among politicians, raising money, etc. I wonder if all the human efforts in the name of conservatism is like using a dull ax.
I do agree with you that if the Church lived like followers of Christ and prayed faithfully and earnestly for those in authority, our saltiness would hopefully preserve what goodness we have here. We need to sharpen the ax by sharpening one another and living wholly for Christ in ALL aspects. And PRAY. I mean, really.
I agree w/ Tami!
KathyI like the dull ax analogy. You’re correct that we still have a lot of freedom and I am very thankful for that and I’m not advocating a do nothing attitude. I still vote, I still participate in my government. It is a blessing that we have freedoms and can vote, but I just don’t put my faith there.
What worries me is that there’s a Christian attitude out there that’s leftover from the days when the “Religious Right” thing was working for us that says we should strive to save the system. That we should have faith in the system. That through more legislation efforts and more lobbying and more rallying that we can bring the pendulum swing back into our favor and preserve our “Christian Nation.” That’s the attitude that frustrates me.
Because the ultimate battle is a hearts and minds battle, not in preserving a system.
Many people are still thinking in a physical sense. We have to end famine, we have to save the planet, we have to preserve a Christian nation. It doesn’t matter in the long run, since all of this will be destroyed and rebuilt when God decides that the time has come. We are spirits having a temporary human experience. We must focus on spreading God’s message of love and redemption, and we must help people build their personal, intimate relationships with God.
What is the point of having a Christian nation if many of those Christians don’t even know God for themselves, or if we have “Christian” laws sent in place for a nation of unbelievers? As responsible citizens, we should vote on issues that we care about, but we cannot depend on a worldly system to do the tasks that Christ placed as our responsibility.
eeeen-ter-est-ing.
that’s all I have to say for this particular moment. I still need to figure out what’s going on here in America
My comment comes from a 500,000 view. I’m actually getting very excited about the discussions, the buzz, the concepts I see getting thrown about in America today.
Granted, we are at a very vulnerable time in our history. We could easily slide deeper into the abyss (whatever that will look like for America) of broken nations with fallen ideals and lost people. This is the fate of many, many world powers over the history of humanity.
However, many Americans still have HOPE. That is a very powerful ally!
I believe that through all this dissatisfaction with the status quo – people are talking about what’s wrong – what’s gone wrong – and what will go wrong if left unchecked. That’s a powerful conversation in the hands of people with HOPE.
My HOPE is that as people become increasingly dissatisfied with the government, they will begin to turn their eyes toward the church. People crave formal organization of some kind. What they can’t find in American ideals – they may come looking for in Christ.
In some cases, they will not find what they are looking for in the church. I’m afraid that some American churches are just social gatherings rather than true dwelling places of Jesus Christ.
What I’m seeing is that God is rising up a generation of dwelling places of Jesus Christ walking around out here in cyberland. They are going into their churches, schools, and governments to cry for CHANGE.
I agree it’s time to “as responsible citizens, we should vote on issues that we care about, but we cannot depend on a worldly system to do the tasks that Christ placed as our responsibility.” YES!
God is not surprised by the evil in the world – but He WILL use it to turn everything out for good if we only seek, ask, knock, and be assured with HOPE. Many a dissatisfied heart has turned toward Jesus Christ through the testimony of those Christ-followers acting in courageous ways.
We just need to choose what where we place our HOPE.
Well said Teri. We can’t lose hope!
“…we can not begin to understand how free a society we are forming. We will be so free, that ones persons freedoms will encroach on another persons freedoms which will cause us to have meaningless laws on top of meaningless laws.” John Adams penned this to his wife while in France 1777.
Government control continues to pluck our freedoms to the point I can’t even find a park to play baseball with my kid without being a registered member of the community that says what color your door can or cannot be painted. A mall that tracks every movement I make by monitoring my phone. The laws have become so constrictive that you can be denied a “license” for your business in order to keep you out of completion with preferred organizations. Better wake up America before your every move is controlled.
Seth, I’m going back in my FB timeline and ran across one of my posts where I linked your blog. Wow, have are definitely here today! Bless you man.
Thanks, Kenny! Jefferson’s words are still relevant.