I believe that God is the only rightful ruler of the universe, and I believe that He has set up human authorities to protect and train His children. There is a role for parents, governments, spiritual leaders, employers, etc.
But there is also something about Individual Freedom. Self-Government. Only if this is installed in a person will they be safe from Tyranny when God’s appointed governors are in violation of God, or if someone who is not God appointed is trying to control a person.
This blog represents my quest to discover and proliferate the hunger for and ideas of True Freedom. I intend to explore Freedom from Spiritual, Civil, and Individual points of view. There may be more points of view discovered as I explore.
This is also my place to post my thoughts about what is going on in the world around us, to discuss the state of those who have not heard the good news about Jesus, and to share things that may help you grow in your relationship with God.
Please join me in my quest by reading and commenting with your ideas and responses.
In Jesus - the only true source for True Human Freedom,
ThirstyJon
| Freedomthirst Comment Policy: |
|
• I reserve the right to moderate all comments and either approve them or not approve them for any reason without explanation. • My approval or refusal of a comment should not be taken to mean I agree or disagree with the comment. All comments are the opinion of the comment poster, not of Freedomthirst.com • Be nice. Disagreement is allowed, meanness is not. • All "curse" words will be deleted and/or the comment may be rejected. • Use of insults, name calling, stereo-typing, etc. will leave me truly un-impressed and may cause your comment to be ignored, edited or deleted. • Please keep your comments on topic and reasonable in length. Longer comments may be edited for length. • To contact me do not leave a comment - instead go to my contact page. |
20 responses so far ↓
1 Mr Crowley // Sep 3, 2007 at 9:00 pm
George Bush is a religous fanatic and apparently you are as well.. the only thing that Karl Marx was right about was making religion illegal… Tax the churches or shut them all down.. want to see a horrifying movie ? Rent Jesus Camp,, scarier than the Exorcist about the fictional devil.. do you believe in the Easter Bunny as well ?
2 Lyne G // Sep 3, 2007 at 10:14 pm
great site. Found it after I read your comment on the CNN blog about Pres. Bush new upcoming book. Although a canadian, I’ll probably get it. Some people don’t know what they’ve got till it’s gone…I liked the comment about atheism being the worst evil and greatest of wars…Did you hear the one about the judge in Florida who dismissed the case fo an atheist who protested because he did not have any holiday to celebrate while other groups had such as Christmas, Passover…Case was dismissed as the judge quoted Psalms 14 and 53. Hum!
3 ThirstyJon // Sep 3, 2007 at 11:03 pm
Response to Mr. Crowly:
I’ll assume you are just grumpy and are not actually that opposed to Religious Freedom where each man and woman is acknowledged the right to worship God according to their own conscience.
I recommend to you that you avoid the current fad that scapegoats and blames all the worlds problems on Christians and “religious people.” The Atheistic Religion, while trying hard to appear like it is not a religion, has brought as much evil to the world as any other belief system.
Refer to the post on my site: “The Worst Religion.“
Instead, let’s have a civil and friendly discussion, even if we disagree.
ThirstyJon
freedomthirst.com
4 ThirstyJon // Sep 3, 2007 at 11:15 pm
Response to Lyne G:
Thanks for your comment and encouragement!
I’d love to know more about that case in Florida with the Scripture quoting judge.
ThirstyJon
freedomthirst.com
5 Russ // Sep 4, 2007 at 12:22 am
I saw your post on the CNN article discussing the new book about Bush. [Irrelevant personal insult deleted] Even from a right-wing evangelical standpoint, Bush is a collosal failure. Evolution is only beat out by gravity in its factual basis, the heathen Dems are in control of congress, and Roe v. Wade is still the precedent… Wait a sec, you’re right! GOOOO Bush!!! P.S. Atheism isn’t a religion, it’s a word to describe an absense there-of.
6 ThirstyJon // Sep 4, 2007 at 4:26 am
Response to Russ:
Atheism requires a lot of faith, because there isn’t any good reason to believe it. It comes with a worldview and all kinds of implications on how to live. It is a religion.
7 Jeff Lindsey // Sep 9, 2007 at 5:11 pm
ThirstyJon,
Interesting site. I am always deeply curious about the various intersections of religious and political thought.
Out of that curiosity, I’d like to ask how you reconcile the teachings of Christ with the practice of modern warfare. You clearly support the current war and would clearly identify yourself as a Christian.
I can’t do that. I could support the war or I could be a Christian, but I can’t see room for both in the same philsophy. Do you have some sort of Gospel justification that I have missed?
Don’t bother me with anything from the OT. Whole point of Christ, as I understand it, is that everything changed in terms of the man/God interaction. Christ is pretty clear in his answers to the Pharasis ( forgive my spelling) and his treatment of people that the OT religious laws and morals shouldn’t apply anymore.
I remember a famous “fighting chaplin” coming over to me at Fort Benning and wanting to bless my M-60 in Christ’s name. Kind of turned my stomach. An M-60 and the Prince of Peace ? Not exactly penut butter and chocolate.
Anyway, I’m actually seeking an honest answer here, not trying to change anyone’s mind or behaviors or beliefs.
Take Care,
Jeff
8 ThirstyJon // Sep 10, 2007 at 1:03 am
Response to Jeff:
Well Jeff, that is a doozy that might require a whole post later on. I am currently getting ready to leave the country and won’t be able to leave an extensive answer now.
Ultimately your question revolves around whether or not Jesus was teaching pacifism. Would a Christian ever use violence? What about self-defense.
The Old Testament is relevant in a different way. We are not obligated to obey the ancient Israeli law to “get to Heaven” or to be “righteous,” but it is the only time in history that God has ever founded a nation by direct, authoritative revelation. If I were to found a nation, I would want to consider “what is God trying to do with Israel in the Old Testament?”
My short answer now is this: Jesus said to love your enemies. The Bible says to “do justly and love mercy.” War should not be a delight to a Christian. I do think a good case can be made for self-defense and for using violence to protect the innocent and/or helpless, or those weaker than yourself. Perhaps I’ll write a post on that eventually.
And, for the record, I don’t think I am clearly “for the war.” I have had questions from the start. But we did it. I am for taking responsibility for the invasion of Iraq and finishing well.
I can think of good reasons for the war in Iraq, but I also have concerns and questions. So much to say, so little time.
Keep in touch! I am learning too, and I am open to new insights and information.
ThirstyJon
9 Shane Vander Hart // Nov 15, 2007 at 10:47 pm
I’m glad I found your blog - great post. I’ll look forward to checking back!
10 Rhonda Catlin // Nov 27, 2007 at 8:54 am
There are so many directions a person can take in points of view; but I believe it goes back to a personal relationship with Christ and being able to listen to the Holy Spirit, and doing what we hear from the Spirit. God has many tasks for many people and our true freedom is giving up our life and giving it to Christ, to do his will. The world is changing rapidly, and according to His Word, things are going to continue to get worse until the final moment when Christ has to intervene, or the world would utterly be destroyed. We have to be ready to have everything taken away, but have the promise that NO ONE CAN DESTROY OUR SOUL, BECAUSE OF OUR ETERNAL LIFE IN CHRIST. THAT IS TRUE FREEDOM!
I personally feel led to support Mike Huckabee, one reason being, that more people will be able to increase their faith, and some come to Christ, by his influence on the nation.
Making Christ an intrinsic part of our mind, body and spirit is crucial to being empowered by the Holy Spirit, therein lies our own individual freedom. God controls this universe, resting in that assurance is true freedom.
NO
11 Steve M // Nov 27, 2007 at 9:17 am
Some more thoughts for Jeff Lindsey -
Before you write off the OT completely, consider a few things.
Jesus said He did not come to destroy the Law but to fulfill it - Matt 5.17 (specifically the term “the Law” refers to the first five books of our OT, but it was also used generally to apply to all the OT writings)
We don’t nullify the Law by our faith but we establish it - Romans 3.31
All Scripture is given by God and is useful in teaching and instructing us so that we might be mature in Christ - 2 Tim 3.16
The OT was written to instruct us, to encourage us and to give us hope - Rom 15.4
ThirstyJon is correct, we do not acheive salvation through the obedience to the law, but we obey the law because we have received salvation. There is an axiom in theology, the Old Testament is the New Testament concealed (hidden) and the New Testament is the Old revealed. It is impossible to fully understand one without the other.
Of the Ten Commandments, the only one not repeated (and usually expanded) is the requirement of the Sabbath day (which is Saturday). The other nine were reconfirmed in the NT and expanded
i.e. Jesus reconfirmed the commandment against murder and expanded the definition to include extreme anger in Matt 5
and He reconfirmed the commandment against adultery and expanded the definition to include lust within one’s heart in the same chapter.
I encourage you in your pursuit Jeff and my purpose in writing is to help you in this journey. A pursuit for truth is a journey worth taking.
12 ThirstyJon // Dec 3, 2007 at 1:15 am
Thanks Rhonda and Steve for adding to the discussion!
Come back and visit anytime!
ThirstyJon
13 Sidharth // Dec 3, 2007 at 10:02 pm
Freedom is God’s message too.
You shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free [John 8: 32]
Thanks for the comment on our site.
Sidharth
TWJ Ministries
14 Jeff Lindsey // Dec 4, 2007 at 12:56 am
Steve,
It does not seem to me that any living Christian who wishes to stay out of prison or a mental hospital can fully obey the laws of the OT, which go beyond the Ten Commandments.
You just can’t gloss over the issue that a lot of those rules indicate a man/God relationship that is fundamentally different from the relationship presented by Jesus. “Go forth and sin no more” is itself a rebuke one of the Mosaic laws. She was a woman taken in adultry and had a prescribed, non negotiable punishement ordained to her.
If some of the laws apply, but others don’t, I don’t think it’s intellectually honest to regard the OT as a functioning covenant at all. How are we to know which laws apply?
Jesus is either purposefully vauge on the subject or as in his commands to the young prince, ignored by his most visable modern followers.
If Jesus is not the clearest on the subject, what other authority is worth defering to?
Even a notable such as Timothy suffers from historical distortion–he was refering to a body of scripture that is not the same as the Bible of Kings James time or of today. Does Timothy mean all scripture? The Vedas?All Hebrew scripture? All post Jesus scripture? The Gospel of Thomas and The Gospel of John are not compatable, for example, and “The Bible” was not formed when Timothy was writing. Which Gospel should I regard?
With these questions unanswerable, his –and any other man’s -lose any real validity. That’s why I say that Jesus’s approach should be regarded as a whole new covenent. It’s workable and it’s complete on it’s own if you have faith. If you have faith that he came back after the cross, you don’t need the OT to justify him at all. That miracle alone is sufficent to justify his words about the man/God relationship. Any thing else is gilding the lilly.
All that said, I still don’t see an outpouring of philosophical reconcilliation between a stated Christian’s support of modern war and their faith in Jesus’ explict teachings.
My intitial comments on the OT were simply meant to limit the discussion to the teachings of Jesus, rather than a pick and choose interpretation of the faith of his ancestors.
Again, I’m looking for insight into an important issue confronting your faith rather than trying to play a game of moral “GOTCHA!”
John, I hope you had a good trip to Australia.
Take Care,
Jeff
15 Randall // Dec 29, 2007 at 12:32 am
Thirsty Jon,
We are currently moving Revival Theology Promotion to a new state and the website is temporarily down in the move.
I enjoyed your response on the war, and I also think we cannot dismiss the OT. I look forward to reading your blog in the future.
16 Matrix // Jan 1, 2008 at 4:42 am
One of the way to have true freedom to to face oneself, be truthful and honest to oneself. It is even harder to be honest with others.
Matrix
http://female-therapist.blogspot.com
17 soulwarriorone // Jan 3, 2008 at 7:09 pm
wow, what a wide variety of responses! This is an amazing, timely blog! Just remember to put on your full armor as you enter waters that are filled with treachery and attacks!
He is Faithful, and as you stand on His Word (being a David of your time), you will see Him defeat the lions, bears, and Goliaths that will inevitably come against you and the Truth for which you stand!
Believing this connection is directed by Yeshua, and sending blessings to you in His name,
soulwarriorone
18 Matt // Feb 11, 2008 at 7:40 am
Wow, Mr. Crowley. But Christians are ignorant, right? Great sort of thesis statement. It’s almost what I was thinking when I made my blog.
19 FriendTim // Mar 22, 2008 at 2:26 pm
Matt, what do you mean by Christian’s being ignorant? I’m a Christian and I don’t think I’m ignorant.
20 LyneG // Aug 15, 2008 at 11:20 pm
what follows is an article I fread from Breakpoint on Pres. Bush visiting China this past week. Wish more people would stand up against countries like China who have no respect for human rights.
Leave a Comment