A republic versus democracy once again.

More important is the ability to discern truth from lies.

Tis the thoughts behind the words that are more precious than jewels.

The more liberty that rings throughout the land, the more power an individual has over his own life. Using this power in a proper way so as not to interfere with another would and should be the end of the power within each of us or in another word, progress.

Reminds me of the parable of the seed and what kind of soil it is sown in.

This is proven by the fact that corrupt politicians continue to tell us we are a land and a people that are free and the ignorant suck it all up as if it were true. To be slaves to the extent Americans are and to still believe they are free is beyond belief.

Courage comes from the faith that one is doing the right thing.

Drunk with power is right and the stench of arrogance is plain to the olfactory sense as well. It is the coal these power drunken egoists wish they could snuff out but it can never be as the urge to be free strengthens when the ignorant slave realizes that's exactly what he is, a slave.

Waffler, I believe Macauley was speaking of order and moderation in government to safeguard freedom. You know, just like the king of England was in the 1770's.

jim k, I to believe in the separation of church and state in that anyone of of any religious persuasion carried the morality they learned from their particular religion into office which office, by oath, was taken to uphold the protections of the rights of the individual. This was the fine line of the separation of church and state wherein the oath taker carried the morals learned from his particular religion into office to do his job of protecting those rights but in no way was he to make law that favored his or anyone elses. This was just as true when it came to favoring another individual or group of individuals. So much for special interests. The oath taker had one job and that was it, to make sure all individual's rights were protected and that's it. As long as our oath takers were moralistic their job was both very simple and limited by the writing of the Constitution and the Bill of rights. I hope this helps you to understand my position better.

I agree cal, any small bit of erosion is in the right direction and really the best way for it can't be done, at least by us, overnight. Thanks for the kind words of yesterday as well.

I'm with you Mike, but I can hear the separation of church and state crowd opening up with this quote.

Our founders did buy freedom for us in the political sense which hadn't been so since the Israelites under Moses. My thanks goes out to our founders.

Amen to that.

Thank you cal. Certain posters were conspicuously silent this day. Hmm.

Three stars because it could be said like this.----"Let men decide firmly what they WILL do, and they will be free to do vigorously what they ought to do."-----Sounds more appropriate for a freeman.

A little added wisdom would be in paraphrase and I can't remember who said it but it is oh so true.------The trick is not to die for your cause but to make the other guy die for his cause.

Dave Wilber, I'm sure you've seen this before but I just couldn't resist.------"The issue which has swept down the centuries and which will have to be fought sooner or later is the people versus the banks." -- Lord Acton

We are all creations of an idea, idea meaning a thought just as we create with ideas i.e. thoughts first and action next. Are we slaves of the creator? No and yes. No in the sense we have free choice, and yes in the sense that if we don't choose the right way we are subject to the consequences of the wrong choice. Do what is right and life is full of life's rewards but make the wrong choice and life becomes the way it is in America today i.e., on the verge of economic collapse, rising crime rates and the possibility of anarchy with a race war rearing it's ugly head. Martial law anyone?

Waffler, you are correct, Adam was forbidden to do something or suffer the consequences. The shape our country is in is caused by the same conditional consequences. Fortunately it will all fall apart soon and true justice will reign again though probably not in my lifetime. God bless America!

RBE, Unfortunately, you aint seen nothin' yet! Some may say fortunately and these are those that see the writing on the wall and are being pushed into a corner such as forced health will do once made into law in one form or another. All the government needs is a big toe in the door and forced health care will become mandated on the many, this meaning on everyone. There are those that will not see and will not hear. I think you fall into both catagories.

J Carlton, agreed. I would never deny or forget that first of divine law that says one has the right to defend himself and if things go the way you say, and they very well could, then I too am in agreement with jim k, keep your powder dry but never give up your faith.

J Carlton, self defense is a definite God given right and is part of the laws of divine justice. It's just that we can't forget that all men, just as we are, under that same divine justice, deserve by right, a trial in front of a jury of their peers. Of course it must be remembered that a peer, under the divine law that makes all men freemen, means not what most think it does today. Trial by jury is something which must not be forgotten when the days of reckoning come. Without it we will just fall into a nation of anarchists with each being a law unto themselves instead of freemen who are following divine laws of justice.

Mike, I agree with you on this and add that I think that if it isn't done with love and an extended hand we are setting the world up to repeat history again with a shortlived freedom and a long drop into the abyss we find ourselves in today. Love is the only thing that can break that cycle along with the divine laws of justice to guide us in our endeavor.

Because americans have become apathetic an individual who wishes to make himself free is not allowed anymore due to the thousands of laws and statutes that prevent this from happening. In today's world it is the unordinary individual who has to fight for his freedom to reclaim the natural law granted by God almighty.