My Freedom does not come from God

[Az]

Not the god of Abraham. Not the gods of Hindu belief. Nor the gods pagan worship. No ones freedom comes from any gods. Freedom has been and always will be a matter of humans dealing with humans.

Only humans can give, take, defend, deny, enforce, and pervert the freedom of other humans.

Forgive me. I had not intended to listen to any of the coronation. But I happened to be in my car when I caught NPR (tainted but still the best thing on most radio airwaves) covering the event. I happened to have turned in for the benediction. I was loudly and defiantly informed that my freedom comes from God. Not some ambiguous notion of god. But specifically the God of Abraham and father of Jesus. Not only that but that this is One Nation Under God.

Be clear on their intent. Any that do not agree with their claim to dominance are going to be marginalized and silenced. This is One Nation Under God. Any that are not Under God (the right God) are not of that Nation. You have no freedom in their world if you do not accept their God.

This may seem a trifling issue to many. Its just words after all. But these words pertain to the very foundation upon which this nation and indeed its philosophy are founded. Freedom. They have attempted to slip their own adjustment to the idea of freedom into the foundation of this nation. Freedom is either for all or it is for none. And they are trying to take ownership of it.

[Skidmore]

1. Amen.

[Taxloss]

2. Bush said "freedom comes from God"?

Quite the moral philosopher, isn't he? Not.

[blm]

3. If they TRULY believed that, they would PRAY for regime changes instead of

bombing hundreds of thousands of innocent people for them.

[beam me up scottie]

4. I felt like a second-class citizen after his speech in 2001, now I

feel like I can be tolerated only if I convert.
I am sick of it.
I am not leaving.
If religious bigots want a theocracy, THEY can move to Iran.

[Taxloss]

7. Yes, what about freedom FROM God? n/t

[beam me up scottie]

9. There is no such thing anymore. At least not in this country.

Freedom and Truth
R.I.P.

[el_gato]

5. what they mean by the word "freedom"

Freedom is not a concept in which people can do anything they want, be anything they can be. Freedom is about authority. Freedom is about the willingness of every single human being to cede to lawful authority a great deal of discretion about what you do and how you do it.
Mayor Rudolph Giuliani - NYC
New York Times, March 17, 1994

There you have it, according to them freedom is about bowing down to their power.

[BlueEyedSon]

11. Freedom means economic freedom, not personal freedom.

Freedom from taxes, tariffs, consumer/worker protections, environmental regulations, etc. - absolute unfettered free-market capitalism - primarily for BUSINESSES/CORPORATIONS.

[Union Thug]

13. You nailed it. This is the new definition of freedom...

Freedom to exploit, kill, and enslave for PROFIT.

[rkc3]

18. Yup - clean air and water are barriers to economic growth.

[GreenPartyVoter]

6. Agreed.

------------------------------------
Would Jesus love a liberal? You bet!
http://timeforachange.bluelemur.com/

[blm]

8. If they TRULY believed that, they would PRAY for regime changes instead of

bombing hundreds of thousands of innocent people for them.

But, we all know they're just hiding BEHIND religion while they line their bank accounts with war dollars.

[Johonny]

10. But

it is being taken away by Bush...

[DinahMoeHum]

12. The "great" seem great only when you are on your knees.

n/t

[Beetwasher]

14. Precisely Correct. They Are ADDING A Caveat To The Notion Of Freedom

You're only free in this country, from now on, if you believe in THEIR god. Otherwise, NO SOUP FOR YOU!!

[RaleighNCDUer]

15. How big a leap is it from

One Nation Under God
to
One Nation Under One God.

Of course, their intent is \
All Nations Under One God.

[immoderate]

16. This is a theme of the right wing.

Most often heard from Gingrich and castrato sounding Terry Jeffrey. Goes something like, "Freedom is from God so it can't be taken away."

What utter nonsense. Freedom is always being taken away. And if god wanted us to have it, it couldn't be.

As I've said elsewhere on the beauty of the language of the Founders. People are "endowed by their creator" with rights. And I was created by my parents, who endowed me with those rights.

--IMM

[Beetwasher]

17. Think Of the Actual Implications of This Nonsense (IT LEADS TO SLAVERY)

"Freedom Comes From God" ultimately excuses enslavement. Since man is not capabable of giving or taking away someone's freedom and only god can do that, then slavery is not wrong. When you enslave someone, YOU are not taking away their freedom. They are apparently either still free somehow, even when enslaved, OR god has decided to take away their freedom by allowing someone to enslave them. Either way, the person doing the enslaving is off the hook and not responsible.

Welcome to the new, improved dark ages people! That's eventually where this sort of insane, unchecked religious bullshit leads.

[rkc3]

19. As long as I can watch Survivor - I don't care who owns me.

[immoderate]

21. Good point, Beetwasher.

When Gingrich says freedom comes from god, he absolves himself and other right wingers of their public responsibility to protect our freedom.

--IMM

[JHB]

20. Stated another way, it doesn't matter whether "freedom comes from God"...

...since God doesn't do the enforcing -- mortals do.