2 Peter 2:18-19 'For when they speak great swelling words of vanity, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through much wantonness. . .While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption: for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage.'

My wife recently asked me what inspires me to write certain hubs/blogs. I think she might have been worried that some were directed personally at her. I assured her that this was just not the case. If I have something to say to her, I will talk directly to her. I am not in the habit of hanging dirty laundry in a public forum - which seems to be the case all too often today on television.

No, my inspiration to write these nearly-daily writings comes from either a Bible verse, a Bible lesson I was studying, a quote or theme I gleaned from a book, or a recent news event.

Today the writing is from a recent news event, the story of Larry Johnson, an NFL running back for the Kansas City Chiefs.

In America, we have gone from freedom of - to - freedom from.

Freedom of religion means that a person in the United States of America has the freedom to practice their religion anytime, any place and in any manner while standing on U.S. soil.

Freedom of speech means that a person in the United States of America has the freedom to say anything they want to say, anytime, in any place and in any manner while standing on U.S. soil.

When someone tries to say that it is their freedom to not see and not hear you exercise your freedoms - they have lost the point of freedom and any support for that stance is actually ushering in a passive tyranny.

The tyranny of silencing freedom that we understand today (political correctness) actually began with capitalism run amok, with industry. The company brand or image has become so powerful now, businesses have become nations unto themselves. The owners of said companys can legally protect their brand by revoking your First Amendment right to freedom of religion and speech.

Larry Johnson of the Kansas City Chiefs allegedly made some 'gay slurs' on a blog. The NFL, protecting its brand and image, has launched an investigation and has told him to stay away from his team, his job. What happened to freedom of speech?

2 Peter 2:18 'For when they speak great swelling words of vanity. . .'

I am not defending the things Larry Johnson wrote. I am not saying that what he said was not offensive or insensitive. What I am saying is, Should he have a right to say it without being persecuted, without risking his job?

Homosexuals are still working diligently to change the rules in many areas including marriage and the military. They feel ostracized because of what they believe to be right. But is this not reverse discrimination to do the same thing to someone who is expressing their beliefs the other way?

The government supports, with its legal system, a company's right to control what its workers say, not only at work, but outside of work. They not only can't express their religion and personal beliefs on the job, it has extended itself beyond the workplace.

2 Peter 2:19 'While they promise them liberty, they themselves are servants of corruption. . .'

Liberty is the quality or state of being free, the power to do as one pleases.

If we begin to outlaw everything people say which appears to be insensitive, offensive and demeaning, we might all shut up now. The freedom of speech means I can speak as I please. It means Larry Johnson should be able to speak as he pleases. It means you should be able to speak as you please.

And when you exercise that freedom - no one should be able to investigate you, persecute you, suspend you, or fire you.

Basically, people have become the property of the business they work for because the businesses of the world are lawfully allowed to protect their corporate images by silencing the Constitutionally provided freedoms of its workers. Money talks and freedom walks.

2 Corinthians 3:17 '. . .Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.'

You cannot separate religion and state. They are the same thing. Both are organizations which enforce rules on other people - they are both forms of government - and I don't believe in either.

My wife and I are what the world calls, a mixed couple. She is black and I am white. At one time not so long ago (and still holds true in some places), people were offended by couples like us. People wanted to maintain their supposed right, their supposed freedom to not see us together or not hear what we thought. Think about that - they wanted to be free from seeing us together - free from being influenced by what we believed.

In America, we have gone from freedom of - to - freedom from.

What does the First Amendment say?

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.

Freedoom from things is not freedom at all.

Freedom from things is another way of enslaving people. It is another way of putting shackles and boundaries on people.

Of course, anyone who has read my writings for any length of time knows that I am opposed to the worldly concept of government - any govenment.

The sole purpose of any and all governments is not to protect your freedoms. When they say that - it is a lie. Governments duty is to decide how, when and where your freedoms can legally end. Some nations are stricter than others - but they all work to serve this principle.

When people try to claim that there government is the best government, what they are really saying is that they believe their government to be less restrictive to their freedoms than other governments. Government constantly deals with laws - all of which are formulated and enacted to draw a line where your freedom ends.

Liberty is the quality or state of being free, the power to do as one pleases.

You were born free and the only way to be free again is to cast off the worldly concept of government.

A Christian is called to be self-governed. What does that mean?

Romans 6:16 'Know ye not that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are. . . Whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness.'

Romans 6:18 'Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness.'

Romans 6:20 'For when ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness.'

It is important you comprehend this. Obedience is the key.

There are rules everywhere. Nature has rules. Governments have rules. Parents have rules.

Obedience to what you believe the rules are is the key.

John 8:31-32 'Then said Yahshua to those Jews which believed on Him, If ye continue in My Word (My Rules), then are ye My disciples indeed, and ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.'

As a Christian, I have chosen a King. I obey Him. Do you realize what He commanded me and every other person who calls themselves a Christian to do?

Galatians 5:13-14 'For brethren, ye have been called unto liberty, only use not your liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another. For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.'

We sadly live in a time period where people have never known anything but liberty and freedom - and they have used it for an occasion to the flesh. This means they use to liberty to get whatever they want, to do whatever they want. They use their liberty as an excuse to take other people's liberty away.

In the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel on October 25, 2009, there was an article about the small city of Fort Oglethorpe, Georgia on page 7A. Since 2003, the cheerleaders in this small high school had been painting bible verses on the banners the football players crashed through before games. On September 23 of this year, Donna Jackson, a Bible-reading mother of a student there, informed the superintendent that they were breaking the law. The article states, 'A few days later, the school district determined that the signs violated the First Amendment.'

Bill Nigut, the director of an Anti-Defemation League in the south said in the article, "What troubles us so much is when a school essentially says at a football game, 'If you're sitting in the stands and you're not a Christian, too bad."

So lets see Mr. Nigut's statement straight - he is offended by the words written on the banners. People like him are offended by the words written on the banners.

One time not so long ago, people like Mr. Nigut, especially people in the south, were offended by "colored" boys even playing football on the same field with "white" boys.

The school district somehow re-interpretted the First Amendment's use of the word 'establish'. To establish something is to make it firm, stable, permanent. These banners were destroyed the moment the players ran through them.

No, we need the heart of the matter.

The heart is, the cheerleaders were practicing their freedom to write biblical verses on giant sheets of paper that would be torn up. Mr. Nigut and his ilk wanted to practice their supposed freedom from reading the bible verses.

It is not only ridiculous but awful how to has been transposed by from.

Nr. Nigut, the Anti-Defamation League, the ACLU and all of them have a right to be offended and speak out against these things - BUT - it is sad and disturbing that they, with their 'great swelling words' are more interested in being free from things rather than for things.

John 15:20 'Remember the word that I said unto you. The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted Me, they will also persecute you. . .'

They crucified my King. They that obey sin unto death, that are not free to do righteousness, will persecute Yahshua's disciples. We can't win in this world.

Christian, stop trying. If you try, you will become polluted by their ways and compromise, and rationalize that a Christian kingdom on earth is possible. They broke Him. We are not as green as He was.

2 Peter 2:19-20 'While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption, for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage. For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world, through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Yahshua the Messiyah, they are again entangled therein and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning.'

Don't go back to the mud and roll in it.

The politics of worldly government is rife with greed, favoritism and intrigue.

As a Christian, we are ambassadors of another kingdom.

John 18:36 'Yahshua answered, My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, then would My servants fight. . .'

Matthew 5:43-45 'Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbours, and hate thine enemy. But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you and persecute you, That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven . . .'

Get ready Christians - gird yourselves with the whole armour of Yah. America has used its freedom, its liberty as an occasion to the flesh. They have not used the liberty and freedom to do what is just and right, but rather to fulfill their own selfish desires.

Hebrews 11:24-25 'By faith, Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter, choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of Yahweh than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season.'

Your freedom of religion and your freedom of speech is vanishing and honestly - there is nothing you can do about it. Yahshua could not change this world and neither can you. The only changes that happen in this world on national levels are the result of violence. The man with the biggest gun, the most money, gets his way.

John 17:16 'They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.'

Do you know why the original Christians were persecuted by the Roman Empire?

They refused to worship at the cult of the Emperor or swear allegiance to him and his nation.

If you are Christian, then you are to be Christ-like, and not of this world.

And if you are not of this world, you cannot swear allegiance to the cult of any president, minister, pope, or dictator - you cannot swear allegiance to any nation or any flag. Like Paul used his Roman citizenship, you have every right to exercise your American citizenship without serving in any other way. The Lord put you here for that purpose. You are free in Christ, so whether or not the freedom of speech and religion is written on paper, you speak what you believe.

1 Corinthians 15:30-31 'And why stand we in jeopardy every hour? I protest by your rejoicing which I have in the Messiyah Yahshua our Lord, I die daily.'

Now that is real freedom. No worries about tomorrow for to this world, I have already died.

Amen