We are experiencing central government's involvement in our daily lives on an unprecedented scale. While sometimes this involvement is seen as good, it is still involvement and inherently a loss of freedom.
”Good intentions will always be pleaded for every assumption of authority…There are men in all ages who mean to govern well, but they mean to govern. They promise to be good masters, but they mean to be masters.” -Noah Webster
Thomas Jefferson realized that we would slowly allow our freedoms to be eroded, often in the name of doing good. He recognized that the way of life afforded by the freedoms would even likely lead to their loss, as we become comfortable with our lives and our wealth and slowly allow the encroachment of government beyond its rightful place in our lives - which is also known as tyranny.
“The spirit of the times may alter, will alter. Our rulers will become corrupt, our people careless…From the conclusion of this war we shall be going downhill. It will not then be necessary to resort every moment to the people for support. They will be forgotten, therefore, and their rights disregarded. They will forget themselves, but in the sole faculty of making money, and will never think of uniting to effect a due respect for their rights. The shackles, therefore…will be made heavier and heavier, till our rights shall revive or expire in a convulsion.” -Thomas Jefferson, Notes on Virginia, 1781
The more that I read of the Founding Fathers and understand the systems they put in place, I find myself absolutely stunned at how well they understood fallen human nature and consequently the inherent propensity of government to overstep the rule of law and become oppressive. The varied systems of checks and balances they put in place were simple, and yet profound. Unfortunately, we have allowed some of them to be removed from the Constitution through legislation and amendment, and we have allowed others to be slowly circumvented through "legalism," i.e., following the letter of the law but violating its intent. Now we are faced with another result that Jefferson also foresaw.
"When all government, domestic and foreign, in little as in great things, shall be drawn to Washington as the center of power, it will render powerless the checks provided of one government on another, and will become as venal and oppressive as the government from which we were separated." -Thomas Jefferson
Does it even need to be debated as to whether Washington is now the center of human power? With Congress largely deferring to the President's lead, it seems the executive branch is now effectively our king. With the first part of his statement fulfilled, I wonder what Jefferson would say regarding the fulfillment of the second part? Is the current government as "venal and oppressive as the government from which we were separated" as he projected? Or do we have a benevolent king? Either way, we are again ruled by a king.
Principle Based Evaluation: The same government that we expect to provide for us as we pursue our comfort and self-interest will eventually take away our freedoms and imprison us. We must remember that transformation comes from the bottom up and inside out.
Joel Petersen
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Ruled By A King , O how the Lord God warned us ! Check out 1 Samuel, chapter 8. Rousas Rushdooney deals with this in The Institutes of Biblical Law pp. 797-799 and elsewhere. It doesn't take a seer to see we are on a collision course with the bottom of the abyss. We [ Kingdom Ministries, Reconstructionists ] have an opportunity at hand we haven't had since the decline of Godly government that started in the 1700's and steadily went downhill till now. I believe God Almighty wants the Kingdom Ministry leaders to start coming together and corporately seek His direction. United, we attack and conquer, divided, we just try to individually survive. Comments anyone? Please, lets engage. |
Joel Petersen
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The bottom up and inside out ? ? ? I've never in my 61 years , 2 years Marine combat veteran Vietnam and 38 years Logging Contractor, seen any movement go anywhere without Leaders in Unity ! |
Jeremiah Surface
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Shrink Government by filling need It is true that the government is over stepping its bounds, but some of where it is overstepping is simply because the church has abdicated their role. Where are the people who will spend their time feeding the poor and helping the widows. The church does a good job protecting their own and also helping people out for the soul goal of converting them, but what about loving people simply to love them? What about having our leaders unite and lead the charge for political change and caring for the poor. As a 17 year old, I do not believe that God has given up on this country. I believe that the change starts one person at a time being changed by the kingdom and a flood of leaders who represent principle and have vision for our future. |
