On this July 4th 2013, my attention is of course directed to the issue of religious freedom and how we must be tolerant of other religions in order to be able to freely practice our own.
However, there is even limits on that freedom as there are some religions that require that conversion occur to their point of view or death is the result. Meaning the Muslim. They believe that there is no room for any religion but their own. I know this is true as I personal have read their Holy Book and it does say that.
But that is not the freedom I wish to right about this morning.
Personal Freedom, is what I want to write about, not freedom from responsibility but the freedom because of responsible thinking and response. Consider this definition especially the first statement:
Freedom
FREE'DOM, n.
1. A state of exemption from the power or control of another; liberty; exemption from slavery, servitude or confinement. Freedom is personal, civil, political, and religious. [See Liberty.]
When I have a resentment towards a fellow traveler on this planet, no matter how righteous that re-felt anger may be, I have given a portion of control of my mind, feelings and thoughts to that person or institution. No longer am I free, I am a slave to that re-felt anger, my response towards that person or anyone that resembles the original offense will be controlled by that memory of offense.
All of us feel anger, none of us are exempt, even Jesus expressed anger,(Matt 21:12). It is the deep, long term re-felt anger, that I am referring to, that keeps us in a kind of bondage. We may not even be aware that we still feel offended about that person or incident, but it is there and it is controlling our response to our fellow human beings.
So, how do we get free of this slavemaster?
Jesus gave us the answer:
Mar 11:25 And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.
So, what do you think?
However, there is even limits on that freedom as there are some religions that require that conversion occur to their point of view or death is the result. Meaning the Muslim. They believe that there is no room for any religion but their own. I know this is true as I personal have read their Holy Book and it does say that.
But that is not the freedom I wish to right about this morning.
Personal Freedom, is what I want to write about, not freedom from responsibility but the freedom because of responsible thinking and response. Consider this definition especially the first statement:
Freedom
FREE'DOM, n.
1. A state of exemption from the power or control of another; liberty; exemption from slavery, servitude or confinement. Freedom is personal, civil, political, and religious. [See Liberty.]
When I have a resentment towards a fellow traveler on this planet, no matter how righteous that re-felt anger may be, I have given a portion of control of my mind, feelings and thoughts to that person or institution. No longer am I free, I am a slave to that re-felt anger, my response towards that person or anyone that resembles the original offense will be controlled by that memory of offense.
All of us feel anger, none of us are exempt, even Jesus expressed anger,(Matt 21:12). It is the deep, long term re-felt anger, that I am referring to, that keeps us in a kind of bondage. We may not even be aware that we still feel offended about that person or incident, but it is there and it is controlling our response to our fellow human beings.
So, how do we get free of this slavemaster?
Jesus gave us the answer:
Mar 11:25 And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.
So, what do you think?
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