Freedom
July 4 is a celebrated day in the United States of America. We give pause to remember the brave souls who endured Valley Forge, Saratoga, Ticonderoga, and other places of battle and suffering to dream an impossible dream. A fledging group of colonies dared to defy the mightiest power on earth, England/Britain, in a search for expanded freedoms.
Genius minds crafted the Declaration of Independence -- followed by The Constitution and The Bill of Rights. Noble ideas were advanced that were far ahead of any previous or existing government in the history of civilization.
After Man was expelled from the Garden of Eden, tribal leaders evolved -- with the senior leader having ultimate power over all souls in his “kingdom.” This method of government gradually gave way to a choosing of tribal leader -- a rudimentary form of democracy.
About 5,000 years ago Sumerians attempted democracy but gradually evolved into monarchies. India in the 6th Century B.C., prior to Buddha, established the world’s first republic. Greeks during the 4th century wrote about a “form of government (that) was democratic and not regal” existing in what is now Pakistan and Afghanistan.
“Rule by the people,” or the word “democracy,” was invented by Athenians about 508 B.C. Only a generation passed before laws were passed to protect the rights of the privileged/nobility. The idea of “inalienable rights” for every man was far from practical.
Athens did attempt a purer form of democracy than had been introduced to date. With a population of only about 300,000, all male citizens gathered to vote on issues. No representatives were elected. The popular vote of the males was the decision of law.
Women, children, slaves, foreigners and resident aliens had no right to participate in the assembly of the men; however, they were all bound by the decisions of the assembly.
Persons hired for public duty only received lowest pay for wages -- as if they were common workers.
During the 5th Century B.C. Greece sought to export its concept of democracy with limited success. Later in the 5th Century during the Peloponnesian War, the Spartans defeated Greece and democracy was abolished. Athens restored democracy, but had no power to export democracy.
Rome was founded in 753, B.C. About 500 B.C., a constitution was devised, which vested power in an assembly of prominent citizens. The assembly delegated executive power to consuls who elected one of their own to serve a one year term. A giant step for democracy was the recognition to recognize the rights of patricians (leading families) and plebeians (those not of nobility, wealthy, etc.). About 100 years later plebeians were given rights to become consuls and hold public office.
When Rome fell democracy seemed to slide into the Dark Ages. An argument may be made that the Protestant Reformation was a voice of democracy. A further argument may be made that the First Great Awakening (spiritual revival about 1740) and Second Great Awakening (spiritual revival from 1780-1830) sowed seeds that helped to nurture the founding and development of The United States of America.
Oh, it is true that American democracy is not perfect. Inalienable rights have not come to every person within our borders. But it is also true that there is no country like America -- no freedom like America -- no generosity like America.
Other countries have helped the poor and downtrodden. But search and you will find that the generosity of Americans out-distances any other country in the world. It is America where the United Nations has its headquarters. It is America that is supposed to fund the larger part of budgets.
It is America that is about 5[%] of the world’s population with about 60[%] of the world’s wealth. It is America that air-conditions and carpets schools, hospitals and jails. It is America where the guilty sometimes go free on a technicality of the law.
No, America is not heaven, though many people in many nations think it is. Countless thousands have risked their lives, leaving all possessions behind, in an attempt to make America home.
It is America where churches are still free to worship. America it is that gives about 80[%] of the world’s total mission giving. America is where people of whatever culture or creed have the right to speak their mind and live in a democracy.
Let freedom ring! Let us never assume that we have earned the right to our freedoms. Millions of our forefathers paid sacrificial prices, even with their lives, to purchase our freedom. May we ask ourselves what our part is in providing for the freedom of children of future generations. May we also pray for wisdom to use our freedom to bless other peoples in other lands and countries.
July 4 is a day to be celebrated! I thank God for America.
Pastor Bare
II Chronicles 7:14