home
***
CD-ROM
|
disk
|
FTP
|
other
***
search
/
CD ROM Paradise Collection 4
/
CD ROM Paradise Collection 4 1995 Nov.iso
/
edu
/
essy53.zip
/
69.DOC
< prev
next >
Wrap
Text File
|
1995-07-12
|
9KB
|
149 lines
ESSAY 69
THE "TRUST ME" MYTH
The Condition upon which
God hath given liberty to man
is eternal vigilance;
which condition, if he break,
servitude is at once
the consequence of his crime
and the punishment of his guilt.
(John Philpot Curran, 1790)
A recent Gallop poll indicated that 52 percent of US
citizens fear government and 38 percent fear that they are
in immediate danger of government abuse! Government is
supposed to be a servant of its citizens but, left uncheck-
ed, it becomes a master instead.
Frederic Bastiat wrote THE LAW in 1850. As a legisla-
tive member of France, he warned that socialism would in-
creasingly usurp more and more freedom, and that it would
degenerate into communism. This progression into slavery is
happening right here in the United States.
To trust human beings with nearly unlimited power is
both naive and foolish. Government must be supervised by
its citizens.
Government has become a thief by gradually raising
taxes over a period of time so that citizens haven't notic-
ed. It is time to abolish the IRS and replace it with a fair
tax. Confiscatory property tax should be abolished. (Both
taxes may be unconstitutional.) Other unfair taxes must be
abolished. Hidden taxes must be made obvious so that
the average citizen can see them. The fight against unfair
taxation must be waged at the ballot box and by communicat-
ing to elected officials.
Jesus paid taxes. Paul also taught that citizens should
pay taxes even to the anti-Christian Roman government:
This is also why you pay taxes, for the
authorities are God's servants, who give their
full time to governing. Give everone what you owe
him: if you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then
revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then
honor. (Romans 13:6-7, NIV).
So many laws and regulations have been legislated that
those who are in law enforcement MAY use them against
citizens. Federal laws have grown from the original 3 laws
to 3,000 laws and 300,000 regulations. Government can apply
broad and vague laws and regulations to DO WHAT IT WANTS. It
is time for unneeded laws to be rescinded. We do not need
special anti-terrorist laws--they will certainly be abused
by overzealous law enforcement.
The EPA, the USPS and other governmental agencies may
be usurping the functions of congress and law enforcement
agencies. The few abuses of power against citizens will
increase unless citizens themselves exercise their constitu-
tional rights.
Law enforcement must be brought back to its roots--it
should police itself. If not, citizens must police law
enforcement by exercising their constituional rights at
elections and through contacting their elected representa-
tives. The prime directive of law enforcement is, PROTECT
CITIZENS AND DO NOT HARM THEM!
What, then, should we do concerning government? Paul
speaks clearly:
Everyone must submit himself to the governing
authorities, for there is no authority except that
which God has established. The authorities that
exist have been established by God. Consequently,
he who rebels against the authority is rebelling
against what God has instituted, and those who do
so will bring judgment on themselves. For rulers
hold no terror for those who do right, but for
those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from
fear of the one in authority? Then do what is
right and he will commend you. For he is God's
servant to do you good. But if you do wrong, be
afraid, for he does not bear the sword for
nothing. He is God's servant, an agent of wrath
to bring punishment on the wrongdoer. Therefore,
it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not
only because of possible punishment but also
because of conscience. (Romans 13:1-5, NIV).
Keep in mind that the Roman government was corrupt at the
time that Paul wrote the above passage. (Later, the Roman
goverment executed Paul for the CRIME of being a Christian).
However, if the government asks someone to violate his
conscience, he is not to do it. In such a case, Bill Gothard
advises that one should (1) maintain an attitude of respect
toward lawful authority; (2) discern the intention of those
in authority; (3) propose an alternative course of action
that would accomplish the same result without one violating
his conscience. Usually, this will solve the problem. If
not, civil disobedience is in order. For example, the
apostles were commanded not to preach the Gospel by certain
leaders, but they refused.
Citizens must learn to listen for the truth. This in-
cludes bypassing the liberal media for news. One should
understand the bias of a particular news medium in order to
"crank out" that particular bias and discover what really
happened. For instance, in the late 1970s, Reverend R. V.
Bosworth and his wife visited my wife and me. They had been
missionaries in Zimbabwe when the revolutionary communists
were in the process of overthrowing the government. They
had organized the distribution of 750,000 pieces of litera-
ture calling blacks and whites to prayer. They had evidence
of communists killing black civilians and missionaries. We
saw none of this reported. We tried to get the local CBS
TV affiliate in San Antonio to air some of this firsthand
account, but the station refused. In another example, our
missionaries reported the persecution of pastors in Nicara-
gua by the communist government, but the anti-Christian
major networks did not report it. Missionaries are immersed
in the culture of their respective nations and could give
expert testimony as to what is really happening in their
particular country. The news media is overlooking a credible
news source.
Citizens must participate in their government--ours is
a participatory government. Write elected officials and let
them know what you believe to be right. Elect people of good
character who are competent leaders. Our government must be
restored to the government "of the people, by the people and
for the people."
Unless United States citizens pay attention to their
government it may devolve to the point of no return. It is
time to WAKE UP and WATCH big brother closely.
ETERNAL VIGILANCE IS THE PRICE OF LIBERTY.
Sources
Frederic Bastiat, THE LAW (Garden City, MO: Russell
Communications, [1850, 1950], 1995).
Jim Ammerman, "Prepare Now for Patriotic Events on July
4, 1995!" CHAPLAINCY OF FULL GOSPEL CHURCHES NEWSLETTER,
June 1995.
The Apostle Paul, "Paul's Letter to the Church at
Rome," NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION.
END