I hear some clamoring for more freedom -- freedom to exercise their "rights"; freedom to have their "rights" met; and freedom to do whatever they want without fear of guilt, disdain, or punishment. But this is not freedom. This purported "freedom" is in fact, a cry for anarchy! If everyone could do whatever they wanted chaos would reign, then yield its throne to tyranny. This is not freedom. I celebrate something quite different this July 4th.
I celebrate freedom from things which I have never experienced. Things which I had heard about, but had never understood.
I celebrate freedom of religion. I am thankful that I can worship God in my own way. I have been freed from a state - yes, even international - church, whose priest is greater than any king. I am free from religious persecution if I happen to choose a different doctrine than the one imposed by this tyrannic church. I do not have to face torture and death from the church if I belong to a different denomination.
I celebrate freedom of press. I am thankful that I am allowed to print and read all the truth. I have been freed from a regulated and dictated media. I am free to read for myself in my own language. I do not have to go to someone who can read, who must tell me how and what to think. The Bible is in my language. I can read it, and it is not a capital crime.
I celebrate freedom of speech. I am thankful that I am allowed to speak my mind. I have been freed from a systematic destruction of opposition. I am free to speak out and oppose that which I do not agree with. I do not have to fear losing my property, my position, or my life because I spoke against a ruler.
My freedom is so complete, that I cannot even understand nor comprehend what my ancestors had to endure. Oppression of that degree is so far gone it is but a story. I have been freed from the tryanny and oppresion; from even the memory and lingering fear.
Thank you, from the bottom of my heart, to those who freed me from tyranny.
This July 4th, perhaps for the first time, I am beginning to understand what liberty means. I am beginning to love and appreciate those who died, so that I might be freed from tyranny. I celebrate their victory. I celebrate America.
I celebrate freedom.
If you want something to be thankful for this July 4th, read Foxe's Book of Martyrs.
http://www.gutenberg.org/f
"... they slew of all ranks and conditions to the number of 10,000. The bodies were thrown into the rivers, and blood ran through the streets with a strong current, and the river appeared presently like a stream of blood. So furious was their hellish rage, that they slew all papists whom they suspected to be not very staunch to their diabolical religion. From Paris the destruction spread to all quarters of the realm. . . .
"At Augustobona, on the people hearing of the massacre at Paris, they shut their gates that no protestants might escape, and searching diligently for every individual of the reformed church, imprisoned and then barbarously murdered them."
"When the reformed religion began to diffuse the gospel light throughout church, he accordingly instituted a number of inquisitors, or persons who were to make inquiry after, apprehend, and punish, heretics, as the reformed were called by the papists."
"The principal accusation against those who are subject to this tribunal is heresy, which comprises all that is spoken, or written, against any of the articles of the creed, or the traditions of the Roman church . . . and of such who read the bible in the common language . . . ."
"Upon all occasions the inquisitors carry on their processes with the utmost severity, and punish those who offend them with the most unparalleled cruelty. A protestant has seldom any mercy shown him, and a Jew, who turns christian, is far from being secure. . . .
"A defence in the inquisition is of little use to the prisoner, for a suspicion only is deemed sufficient cause of condemnation . . . ."
"A prisoner in the inquisition is never allowed to see the face of his accuser , or of the witnesses against him ..."
"A. D. 1546, Peter Chapot brought a number of bibles in the French tongue to France, and publicly sold them there; for which he was brought to trial, sentenced, and executed a few days afterward."
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