The Roots of Liberty
Traveling with my dad meant never taking the same road twice, so we inhaled dirt on paths not found on any map. Discovering petrogylphs, touring Fort Hall, reading signs about the Oregon Trail, and watching bison graze on the prairie are fond memories of my childhood.
History was alive to me. The musty smell of old museums and the faded signatures of pioneers were not just relics from the past. They contained a part of my identity. I imagined living life in a rough-hewn log cabin. I wondered how my great-grandmother stored enough food to last the long winter. Strength and perseverance prevailed in the cold desert of Southern Idaho. My ancestors wrestled with the land and forced it to bloom.
America’s forefathers fought something more deadly than a desert. They labored against an idea that existed for millennia.
Social order rested on the assumed natural inequality of men. The individual was regarded as of value only as he formed a part of the political fabric, and was able to contribute to its uses, as though it were the end of his being to aggrandize the State. This was the pagan idea of man…This low view of man was exerting its full influence when Rome was at the height of its power and glory. Christianity then appeared with its central doctrine, that man was created in the Divine image, and destined for immortality; pronouncing that, in the eye of God, all men are equal. Richard Frothingham quoted in The Christian History of the Constitution
America’s liberty is rooted in an idea that reaches across oceans and continents. The seed took generations to sprout, but when the intrinsic value of the individual permeated society, it broke crowns and freed slaves. Today the roots are dry and cracked. They are buried, but they still nourish. Individuals are valuable. Each person has the fingerprints of God. When self-evident truth is embraced, liberty spreads.
May future generations abound in the sweet savor of self-government’s blossoms displacing the grime along life’s many trails.
For further insights about the Christian Idea of Man visit PrincipledMom
Wonderful thoughts, Renae. Mostly I stopped by to see what you were working on last night and to say hello to my co-conspirator in establishing bad bedtime habits.
May future generations abound in the sweet savor of self-government’s blossoms displacing the grime along life’s many trails.
What a nice wish. Maybe we can say that to each other rather than that Irish one about “May the wind be always at your back…”
Thanks for your kind words. They mean a lot to me especially after I reread my original title, “Perfume Along the Path.” What was I thinking! All my tree analogies turned into sap, I guess. ;)
Remind me not to write post titles after midnight if we stay up too late again. :)
I love the childhood memories you shared.
“Self-evident truth” is an amazing thing. It will win in the end, even though right now it seems like truth is not allowed to be evident to selves – only to governments, groups, the elite, or the ruling power.
Jennifer,
Looking at the condition of our country, it is easy to lose hope. However, light overtakes darkness.
I have to remind myself the very idea that individuals shouldn’t be abused by the state is a Christian idea. The idea has lost its footing, but truth in us can guide it back. May God have mercy and give us a passion for our heritage.
This is so true! Wonderful thoughts.
Those memories you have are so sweet! Thank you for sharing them.
I am glad I stopped by today!
Love, Prayers and Blessings,
Miss Amanda
http://superangelsblog.com
I am currently reading Liberal Fascism which is a history of fascism and socialism throughout the world including here in America. It is giving me some hope that we can regain our independent freedoms to some extent as in the Wilson era we had as fascist a nation as Mussolini’s Italy. Eugenics and Wilson’s idea that all men are NOT created equal and that the constitution was an outdated piece of paper are what brought about a lot of the loss if individual rights we have today.
The good news is that God is in control.:)
Amanda,
Thank you. I have a bit more to add about those memories, because they aren’t all so wonderful. I think it will fit in well with American history.
Heather,
The acceptance of evolution has affected the foundational idea of all men, women, and children having equal worth, too. The idea is still generally accepted in that everyone wants to have rights, but as the foundations erode more life and death decisions will be reduced to what is convenient.
It’s no wonder we put so much emphasis on the externals in our society. The purpose and worth of mankind has diminished.
And, yes, we can get out of the snare of socialism. I don’t know how, but our hope is in the God who created us.
I love this view Ren! Thanks for posting this picture. Where do you get your pictures by the way? I always love the pictures you posted in your blog.
I love winter and cold weather.:) Being with nature is one of the things I miss. You know, moutain climbing, hiking and the likes. I hope my child is big enough so I can go with him. Or perhaps when my husband will be free, we can go together too.
THANKs for sharing your stories:) Love history too, even if it sometimes bore me to read long long lessons! hahahaha!
be blessed!
Marn
Very inspiring! Makes me want to be free!
I remember reading about the Founding Fathers of America “thirsting for liberty.” I didn’t know what that meant until I was older and began to see the things that threaten freedom.
We as a nation vastly underestimate the value of true liberty.
May the Knowledge of God and the Liberty He brings increase in the earth!
:-)
ThirstyJon
By the Way:
DUGG and SHOUTED. :-)
ThirstyJon,
Thanks so much! I believe teaching my children will increase liberty in this nation, and I appreciate your encouragement. What we do as individuals does make a difference even if we can’t always see it.
[...] The Roots of Liberty, I shared sweet memories of traveling with my family. Tasting the dust of country roads and gazing [...]