BULLETIN 21 -FREEDOM, (IT'S NOT ALL POLITICAL)
Greetings. I'm writing for everyone to ponder over this most vital question; it has engaged rulers, ordinary people, politicians and philosophers for millennia and continues to do so.
In Australia, and throughout most of the world it is one of the basic and cherished values, certainly in democracies and where there is private enterprise rather than autocracy and socialism. I'm not wanting to highlight political matters but rather the moral and ethical values of Christianity, for this is another form of Ethics. We require a certain amount of freedom and discipline to make democracy work, and if it's suspended we can be sure of protests and even riots, such as occurred in Sydney and Melbourne in July 2021,after Covid 19 lockdowns. We find it difficult to harmonise peace and freedoms at the same time because we are individualized and want freedom to do as we want. Philosophically freedom arises innately from an assumption that humans are in charge of their lives and destiny, an idea that originally comes from Satan (see Genesis 3.) in the Garden of Eve. So unbelievers say is there a place for a creator, Heavenly Father and Lord to take charge over us? It's greatly misunderstood and one chief reason why Christianity is one of the most despised and opposed movements. And the Jews and Moslems also suffer where spirituality is rejected and doubted.
So does it require individuals to moderate their inordinate desire for freedom, to accept self-discipline? (most certainly it does). Yet for small children, say 4-8 years of age, it is impractical to allow full expression of discipline as boundaries on their wild behavior are not yet set. It needs learning and setting of boundaries from their age to grow into responsible adults.We look to the Epistle to the Epistles, to be written by Paul in Rome about 60-64 AD. We find the theme of unity of the church, the word TOGETHER, to quicken together and build together, see chapter 2:22. The one word UNITY, ONE BODY 2:16, ONE SPIRIT 2:18, ONE HOPE 4:4 and One faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, Chapters 4, 5 and 6..In chapter 2:14-16 it removes all barriers between Jews and Gentiles and unites them into one body for the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, see Chapter 4:1, the unity of believers, with a diversity of GIFTS but only one body in Christ, verses 7-16. Ref- Thompson The New Chain Reference Bible 1964. In conclusion we find it best to moderate our desires for inordinate freedom and seek guidance from the church/GOD.
-srd