Free?

We here in America have guaranteed freedoms by virtue of our Bill of Rights. Well ... sort of. We know, for example, that we have the freedom of the press, freedom of speech, and the free exercise of religion. But ... do we? I hope you know that these are not absolute. The press, for instance, is not free to print libel. Libel is a printed false statement than can damage someone's reputation. So there is a limit to the freedom of the press. Same goes for speech, too, right? It is called slander, and making a public statement that is false and damages a person's reputation is equally illegal. Free speech is not absolute. Neither is the free exercise of religion. For instance, people that fly airplanes into buildings in the name of their religion don't get a pass because of the First Amendment. So in these examples, there is a common theme. We have such freedoms ... unless they 1) are false and 2) cause harm to others.

This, I'm fairly sure, is the direction we are going in the question of the freedom of religion. They want to shut down our right to believe that certain things indulged by some are sin. Primarily, of course, that would be sexual immorality of various types, especially of the homosexual type. But not just sexual sin. So they try to force businesses, for instance, to violate their religious beliefs in the name of "equal treatment" and then call it "harm" that they were "mistreated." Now, truth be told, very little of that is true. What harm is there in saying, "I'm sorry; I can't do that. But I can direct you to several people who can"? It isn't really mistreatment and there is no real harm. But it doesn't matter. They'll classify it as "brutal" and "hateful" and place it in the "harm" category simply so they can remove your right to the free exercise of your religion.

I don't tell you this so you can gear up for war. I don't offer you this insight so you can build up your defenses and prepare your litigation. This isn't new and it isn't a surprise and, if it is, you weren't paying attention. We should not be suprised even if a "fiery ordeal" came on us (1 Peter 4:12). In fact, that should be cause for rejoicing (1 Peter 4:13). (Yes, let that sink in for a moment. How far are we American Christians from that idea?) No, I'm trying to urge you to keep in mind the purpose. We aren't trying to make people more moral; we're trying to bring them to Christ. We're not trying to express our moral indignation; we're trying to express our dismay that they would not be allowed to inherit the kingdom (1 Cor 6:9-10). Urging people to repent is not a matter of superior morality; it's an act of love. They will often forget that. Don't you forget it. Let none of you suffer as an evildoer or a "meddler" (1 Peter 4:15). "For it is time for judgment to begin at the household of God; and if it begins with us, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God?" (1 Peter 4:17)