Off-Clock Musings

On Freedom & God

I won't share where I stand on the political scale just yet, though, being an American, you may safely assume freedom trumps everything (no pun intended) for me. Our Founding Fathers, some of the most remarkable people to ever walk this Earth in my opinion, have a strong respect in my heart. I'm not ignorant to say they were perfect, for some owned slaves (ironic and disturbing), but it would be naive of me to ignore the reason why I have everlasting freedom today. They made clear to me what freedom is and how it is the number one thing one must have the right to in order to flourish on an individual and societal level. The Bill of Rights is by far the most cherished piece of writing to me as it grants me what I need in order to live as a rightful human. Best of all, the Founding Fathers didn't believe you earned your rights but are rather God given.

God given.

Given the rise of atheism, this idea that our rights are God given makes a good amount of Americans uncomfortable, but I'm not one of them. I've noticed non-Americans think we Americans are godless, though that is far from the truth. Our country was founded on religious freedom after all.

I believe in God and believe we are one nation under Him as the current pledge of allegiance says. But why exactly do I love the idea that my rights, my freedom especially, is God given rather than man given?

I love men and women, and children are cute sometimes, but my love for them is very distinguishable from my trust in them. Sure, man has a brain, and the human brain is a powerful, resourceful tool (just look at how far we have come as a species), but is man's brain as powerful as it needs to be in order to grant all people rights? Some may say yes, but I don't trust in man enough to give him such essential and vulnerable responsibilities. I would rather be granted such things from a Higher Being, and I choose that Being to be God. The Founding Fathers thought so too, and I'm grateful they did as I do not trust anyone lesser than God Himself to provide me with such rights.

I trust God, and I love Him deeply for providing me with rights, and my thanks will be given to Him and only Him eternally.

Pagan Uthred Ragnarson provokes an interesting idea to a priest, an idea that my brother has once discussed with me: Who's to say God doesn't work through us all? God is everywhere and everything, my eldest has told me, and he's even in you. He isn't male, nor female, he continued, but a Being that transcends all human, animal, and environmental matter.

God is the One who grants us the freedom we have, and God is the one I will only ever accept to grant me such a heavy blessing.

Lord God, thank you.