Freedom As a Word

Freedom, as a word, insight many meanings, to many people. We hear of freedom from debt, freedom from persecution, freedom to seek life, liberty and the hope of the future. Many see freedom given from their army's and military might. Many put their trust in their military, many put their trust in governments to let freedom ring. Freedom is; "Freedom from restraint, in a general sense, and applicable to the body, or to the will or mind.

The body is at liberty, when not confined; the will or mind is at liberty, when not checked or controlled. A man enjoys liberty, when no physical force operates to restrain his actions or volitions. Exemption from fate, necessity, or any constraint in consequence of predetermination or otherwise; as the freedom of the will. A state of exemption from the power or control of another; liberty; exemption from slavery, servitude or confinement.

Freedom is personal, civil, political, and religious." Freedom from past sins; "Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities." Freedom to be recreated; "Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me." Freedom to call upon the name of the Lord; "Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me. Freedom to be restored; "Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit."

Freedom to teach the truth; "Then will I teach transgressors thy ways; and sinners shall be converted unto thee." Freedom from The guilt, or crime, of shedding blood; "Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, thou God of my salvation: and my tongue shall sing aloud of thy righteousness." Freedom to praise the Lord; "O Lord, open thou my lips; and my mouth shall shew forth thy praise." Freedom from the Law, and flesh sacrifices; "For thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it: thou delightest not in burnt offering."

Freedom to choose; "The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise." (Psa 51:9-17.) "The body is at liberty, when not confined; the will, or mind, is at liberty, when not checked or controlled." Freedom is a gift given to all by the sacrifice of His Son Jesus. Without God we would have no liberty, no freedom, and no hope. God grants us freedom to seek, adore, and worship Him.

We must not confuse the freedom of the body with the freedom of the spirit. The body may be contained, jailed, or even killed, but the spirit is never confined, but loose from all manner of guilt, condemnation, and control. Our freedom from guilt, and sin, allows us to fly as an eagle, swim to the depths of the sea, and traverse the darkest valley.

Freedom - Do What You Want, When You Want

I want to talk a little bit more about freedom because like I said before I think that it is the key to life. What do we want freedom for? For one, there is freedom to create and freedom to express, like I am doing now. There is freedom to love, freedom to be empowered and to empower others, freedom to be loved and to love others. These are all key essential points of life and I believe that freedom is something that society is really craving right now especially because it is really lacking these days.

I believe that freedom to a lot of people is considered thinking "out of the box". Most can't even comprehend what real freedom is, or they just think it is too far away from their reality. With that said, let me just share some of the things that I want freedom for so that people like you can relate to what I am saying, and spark some feelings within you that will stir up that desire to be free. So, let's start with real life issues. You might have a family. I have a family. My dad just passed away and to one extent his soul and his spirit are free, because he was pretty sick in this life. So now he is free, and I think that is a good thing. There is my mom. She has a lot of physical illnesses and to have the freedom financially to pay for her to have better health would relieve a lot of stress from her life.

As you might know, health is pretty expensive if you are living in the United States and especially in California. So I would like the freedom to take care of my family. Also, I can relate to people that haven't had very much money. I feel what that does is limit the feelings of having the opportunities to create more experiences for yourself. So, I would like the freedom to be able to take my brothers and put them into a workshop or a seminar on something that they want to learn, because I want them to know that they can create wealth and abundance for themselves. That is why I created, or attracted this business because I want to do so much for my family. My family means so much to me. I have my mom and my five younger brothers and I don't know too many of my relatives.

This is my tight little family that I care so much about and I want to be able to do stuff for them. I want to be able to, yeah, buy them nice things and all that, but more than that, AFFORD to spend more time with them, to go out and enjoy life on an adventure. There is free stuff out there, I know, you can go take a walk in the park and everything and that's beautiful and you should go do that as much as possible. But I am talking about "Hey brother, here is a surprise: Tickets to Hawaii, lets go! Since it is summertime, and you don't have to be in school, let's go for a whole month." That is the kind of freedom that I desire. And I believe that if you don't have the money and you have family that is sick, or that needs an education or just wants to go out and have a vacation like they see other people doing, you need to be able to build that financial freedom, this wealth that so many people out there have.

Economically Design Your Own Landscape Lighting

Adding exterior home lighting for safety, security and aesthetics can be a huge undertaking, consisting of meetings with lighting and landscape designers. You'll also need to check local codes to see if your county or town requires a permit, and you'll need an inspector to check for underground plumbing or wires. All this before a single trench is dug across your yard or through your flower garden, and the final price may be more than some are willing to spend. Solar lights allow you to do the job yourself and the flexibility to move the lights if your not happy with the initial placement, and at a fraction of the cost.

Creating a Lighting Plan

You'll need to start with a plan. Walk your property in daylight and sketch out your yard and home on graph paper. Be sure to include landscaping and walkways, and make a note of high sun or shade areas. Solar lights require 6 to 8 hours of sunlight to fully recharge the batteries. Next, walk your property again after sunset noting areas that require lighting for safety such as steps and curbs. Also look for dark spots in corners or behind large bushes that require light for security. Now that you have your basic plan in place you can start being creative.

Lighting Technique

Lighting should be soft and subtle, and the source should be hidden whenever possible. Bright points of light blind the viewer, and the glare makes the rest of the yard look darker. Use fewer lights than you think you need to start, you can always add more later. Tier lights direct light downward on the ground or shrubs and minimize glare, making them ideal for lighting walks and steps. Alternate lights from side to side to avoid the "runway" look. Don't overdue it. You should be able to affectively light a 25' walk with 3 to 5 lights. An effective way of lighting a dark corner or behind a large bush is called grazing. A spot light is placed low to the ground about 6 to 8 inches from a wall or object and the beam is either aimed up, or at an oblique angle to the wall. This is especially effective on a textured wall such as stone, brick, or stucco. You can also create a great affect called Silhouetting by aiming the light away from the building, aimed at a tree or bush. By outlining the object with illumination it shows shape but not color or texture. Placing a light in front of a tree or bush aimed at a vertical surface, castes a striking shadow. Moving the light closer or further away from the object effects the size of the shadow it casts. Up-cast shadows do not occur in nature and are not only dramatic but unusual. Using solar lights made to look like rocks are a great way to create Up-cast shadows.

Solar Freedom

Solar lights give you the freedom to quickly and easily place your lights where you want them, and the ability to experiment and move them to achieve the look and feel you want. They will automatically come on at night, and the NI-CD Batteries and long lasting LED bulbs provide years of maintenance free enjoyment. Another advantage to solar lights used for gardens, is the fact that they can be easily taken down and stored in winter months, and put back in place the following spring.

Freedom, the Foundation of Your Desires

Freedom is the deeper meaning, the foundation behind all of your desires. When you want more money, what you really want is the freedom to have and to give anything. When you want better relationships, what you desire to experience is the freedom to be yourself, to love and to be loved. When you want a different career, what you want is the freedom to be able to express your unique talents and passions and to fulfill your purpose. When you want improved health and body, you are yearning for the freedom of being happy physically and loving your physical form.

This year, add freedom to your list of resolutions. Seek freedom in all areas of your life, and settle for nothing less than absolute and complete freedom to live the life you want to live. Why strive for less than everything? You deserve everything you can imagine and desire. This year, keep your eye on the ball you really want. Review any goals or resolutions you have written and ask yourself, "Is this really an expression of ultimate freedom for me?" Your goals should express your true desires. Aim for heaven and you'll soon enter a new realm of possibilities you couldn't see before.

There are many ways to create freedom in your life. The very first step towards freedom is to make the intention to pursue freedom in all areas of your life and settle for nothing less. This is a big commitment to make, but it is important to do so. Once you have aligned your intention with freedom, freedom will be able to come to you. This is an invitation. If you want someone to come to dinner, you must invite them, turn on the lights so they know you're home and then open the door when they arrive. It's pretty unlikely they would come otherwise.

The next step is to create a structure for the creation of freedom in your life. Following your intention with action is often necessary to make a tangible shift in your life so you can achieve the freedom you desire. If you don't currently experience unlimited freedom in your life, you have beliefs that are holding you back. By creating a daily structure for the transformation of your existing beliefs, you can shift your belief system so that freedom is allowed into your life. Some of the daily exercises you can implement include visualization, affirmations, journaling and gratitude.

Visualization is the use of your mind to picture what you want your life to look like. This is an amazing technique used by Olympic athletes, business executives and many other people to achieve success. By visualizing in your mind what you want, you are actually creating a network in your brain that enables you to create these desires externally. Imagine all five senses when you visualize - sight, sound, smell, taste and touch. To achieve maximum results, visualize your goals in detail at least twice daily.

Affirmations are short sentences describing a goal that you wish to achieve. Affirmations are phrased positively and in the present as if you have already achieved the goal. As an example: My career allows me to express my purpose and my passion. This affirmation is present tense and positive, rather than saying "I want a career that does not suppress my joy and does not pay poorly." Create a list of affirmations customized to your goals and read your affirmations in the morning before you start your day and again right before bed. You can even write affirmations on post-it notes and place them in various frequented places such as your car and your computer.

Freemasons History - Tolerance, Brotherly Love and Freedom of Religion in the Fellowcraft Degree

Early in his Masonic career, a Freemason is instructed upon the exercise of brotherly love and told that he is to regard the whole human species as one family. That family includes the high and the low, the rich and the poor who, as created by one Almighty Parent and inhabitants of the same planet, are to aid, support and protect one another. Throughout the remainder of his Masonic career, the Mason will receive countless additional instructions about the relationship of brotherly love to the concept of tolerance, especially the concept of religious tolerance.

Most people, including most Freemasons, generally regard themselves as tolerant of other people's religious beliefs. If asked that question during a town meeting, or in any other public setting it is not likely that many would hesitate to raise their hands in proof of their tolerant nature, if for no other reason than to avoid appearing to their friends and neighbors as being socially unacceptable. Indeed, as opposed to merely feigning sincerity, it is likely that most people actually believe they deserve to be labeled as tolerant, especially if they happen to be citizens of the United States.

Our Nation's Constitutional protection of the freedom of religion is taught to American school children at an early age. Churches of several different denominations dot the landscape, as do the synagogues and mosques. While our society can hope that such fundamental devotions to the concept of religious tolerance are accurately representative of how we act as citizens, the truth actually depends upon how one defines religious tolerance.

Wikipedia, an Internet dictionary, suggests that the word tolerance is a recent political term used as an antithesis to the word discrimination. That same source goes on to describe tolerance as a word most people would rather avoid using; a word that is evidently universally disliked, because it starkly challenges us to understand that it means much more than merely accepting differing opinions.

As an example of that distaste, one person with an excellent reputation for good character who had recently discovered the joys of a particular religion, replied with a resounding "no" when asked whether or not the new religion brought a deeper sense of tolerance. "To be truly tolerant, as I understand the meaning of that word," that person said, "would require me to be dishonest to both my religion and the beliefs I hold to be true should I accept other religious points of view."

Here, we have struck upon another definition of tolerance, one that has sadly enjoyed widespread acceptance throughout the world: a definition that clearly implies that being religiously tolerant means not having any firm beliefs in matters of morality and God. The basic misunderstanding behind that definition is based upon the misconception that one gives up anything other than ego and self-pride when other similarly held religious beliefs are tolerated. Such is not the case, at least not from the perspective of Freemasonry.

Debunking the Myth of Freedom and Democracy in America With Facts and Overseas Experiences

These cherished fanatical beliefs of America and its propagandists have no actual basis in fact or reality, yet they are chanted by many Americans, their media and education system as a religion and set of Gospel truths that are universally agreed upon and unquestionable. Thus they are the antithesis to a free-thinking and truth-seeking mind.

Let's dissect these myths and see how they match up to facts, common sense and real life experiences:

"America is the epitome of freedom and democracy for the world to emulate. It is the ideal form of government by the people that the world envies."

We will get into freedom later, but for now, let's address the democracy issue. Technically, a democracy is defined as a "rule by the majority". Hollywood, the media and our education system all chant that America is the epitome of democracy as though it were a Gospel Truth that is universally agreed upon (but it is not by far). It is so ingrained in our culture that most never dare to question it.

The founding fathers never intended America to be a democracy and in fact didn't even believe in one. Most Americans would be shocked to learn this. Anyone who casually researches the American form of government and its founding in the late 18th Century will see that technically, America was not set up as a democracy but as a Constitutional Republic.

A Republic is "rule by law" and tends to be the most just and stable form of government, protecting the rights of its citizens while limiting the power of government to a minimal level.

The first video above contains quotes from the founding fathers expressing their thoughts on democracy, which you will see was anything but positive.

In fact, there is no mention of the word "democracy" in the Declaration of Independence or the Constitution. Even the Pledge of Allegiance cited by school children mentions that America is a Republic:

"I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the Republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all."

The founding fathers were intellectual elites who knew their history. They knew that a democracy was unsustainable, for it was in essence a rule by a lawless mob. The fundamental flaw in a democracy is that the majority is unrestrained.

Critics of democracy use this revealing analogy: "Democracy is like three wolves and one sheep voting on what's for dinner." In other words, if 51 percent of the population voted to harm or seize the property of the other 49 percent, who's going to protect the 49 percent? This reveals the inherent flaw in democracy, which America does not dare bring light to.

In fact, the US Constitution and Bill of Rights were designed to PROTECT you FROM a democracy! (Most Americans would flip if they heard that) For example, in a true democracy, or a "rule by majority", if most people in your town voted to seize your property and hang you, your assets would be confiscated and you'd be hanged. Simple as that. But in a Republic with a Constitution of rights, your rights and property are protected by law. If you are accused of anything, you have the right to a fair trial. That's how a Republic works. And that's how it PROTECTS you from a true democracy.

A Thing Called Freedom

Way back when I was in my early teens, I was taught that freedom can only exist within a framework of rules.  Without rules, freedom would run amok and result in more harm than good.  Clearly defined rules and good enforcement help build trust in a system and ensure that it is functioning properly for the benefit of all.

As an analogy, anyone with a valid driver's license may drive a car provided that he or she is prepared to respect all traffic signs and rules posted.  If the rules are not obeyed, there would be total chaos on the streets and innocent pedestrians and other drivers would be at risk of harm and injury.  Traffic rules are built on logic (reaction times, road conditions, etc.) - they are not there to impede progress but to keep order so that everyone can get to their destination safely in due time.

The notion of absolute freedom cannot exist in any society because the good of the larger community must prevail.  The driver's right is not prejudiced by the traffic rules - he/she is free to drive so long as the rules that applies to everyone is followed.

Why am I writing about freedom and rules?  Quite simply, in the light of the financial debacles we have recently witnessed, it is clear that the degree of freedom that was accorded to the financial industry led to abuses and ultimately a crash that hurt many innocents and retirement egg-nests' values were destroyed or, in the worst of cases, completely wiped out.  In the light of what has happened, it is clear that we need a fresh look at how to prevent similar crashes in the future and we need to write smarter rules.

For far too long, we have relied too heavily on the word of the law and not the spirit of what was intended by those laws.  This trend stems from the fact that it is easier to apply a prescribed set of do's and do not's than to leave it to the interpretation of the authorities.  The problem with that thinking is that as new processes and technology is adopted, hard coded rules must be revised to keep up and we end up with volumes and tomes of legal prescriptions that no lay man can hope to fully grasp or understand anymore.  At the same time, the 'pros' exploit the gaps in the rule books to profit from the unwary and uninformed.

The recent meltdown of what were once giants in financial institutions and insurers, the investment fraud perpetrated by Madoff point clearly to the need for a more comprehensive and intelligent way of ensuring compliance and reliability of the system.

Freedom is the Price For Love

Freedom is one of the most cherished values of mankind. Freedom is also the key to happiness as a famous Indian poet Tulsidas said, "A dependent man cannot attain happiness even in his dreams." Moshe Dayan called Freedom as the oxygen of the soul. Wars have been fought to attain freedom from the foreign powers and despotic ruler. Yet after people attain freedom, they devise methods to curtail freedom and make laws that takes away freedom.

All laws of a nation seek to curtail the freedom of the citizen. Yet it is a truth that the more free a country claim to be, the more laws it has to contain freedom.

We often wonder what is so special about freedom that we cannot live without it and we also cannot live with it.

Freedom and Love

If freedom is a great desire of human kind, love is ever greater requirement for man. Man is be the only animal who experiences love in all its manifestations like affection, friendship, reverence, lust etc. Man is also the only animal who has been able to restrict its own freedom by moral and social laws. Every human civilization put some restrictions on the freedom. You cannot have more wives. You cannot have relationship outside marriage. You cannot cross the road when the light is red. You cannot assault your fellow human being. The list of restrictions is endless.

We just cannot live without such restrictions. It is impossible to find any civil society that puts no restriction on its people. No society can ever exist without restriction on the freedom of men.

The answer seems to be love. If we probe further, we find the all restrictions are due to the love of humanity, particularly the weak one. It is for the love of more human that an individual freedom has to be sacrificed. All rules are made so that powerful people should not be able to exploit the weak ones. In this way the man-made laws are different than the rules of the jungle where the might is right.

Love has the natural tendency to restrict the freedom. Love is like a binding force that pulls the lovers together restricting their freedom. A man can have any number of relationships with different women if he is not in love. However, once he falls in love, he has to control his relationships else love can not last. In the same way, if you love your children, you have to necessarily sacrifice your freedom and give your time and resources to your children. Your love for the country needs that you sacrifice your personal freedom for the sake of your country.

Freedom is What We Already Are

When we strive to be free, when we try to release ourselves from the burdens that we have laid upon ourselves, we miss the point: we are already free.

We simply forget that we are free. We forget by becoming bogged down in our difficulties, by pitting ourselves against others, and fighting for what we want. Actually, we already have everything we need, but because we don't know and understand this, and because we are insecure, we try to get more.

We are already secure, completely secure, but because of our misunderstood and deluded images and perceptions of what we really are, there is the idea that we are in danger both physically, psychologically, and maybe even spiritually. We believe that the physical body is us, and once we buy into that, our problems and fears escalate exponentially. How could anyone ever feel secure trapped in a very temporary, delicate organism that is susceptible to all kinds of dangers seen and unseen, known and unknown?... Securing ourselves is a myth.

If we think about the final moments of life, when everything that we have strived for begins to fade into oblivion, we know that many times a peacefulness takes over our consciousness (if we have lived a good life!). So why is it okay to let go of everything then, and not while we are living?

There is a trick to both living, and letting go at the same time. Being completely at ease, yet taking care of the responsibilities of a human being is actually the only way that human beings can coexist without conflict. And this way of life is the way of letting go of learning to live in freedom.

Truth as Power and Freedom Over Illusion

"Truth is the highest consciousness, and the ever-abiding presence of God in reality."1

"We individualize infinite power in proportion to our consciousness of Truth."2

The truth is so vitality important to our evolution, for without being able to see it, we keep strengthening illusion and the world of the ego mind that breeds strife. All illusion that we create is unworkable and will have to be undone, and in this regard, is not supporting the increase in life but rather the need for more time. Not only does illusion generate conditions that must be personally undone by its creator, but also it contributes to a collective condition that must be suffered through and undone by all. Needless to say, the world of illusion is not in harmony with the One Substance. Striving to see and create in truth is thus for the highest good of all.

Truth is the revelation of God's presence in life. God is inseparable from Reality and His will is intrinsic to it. The truths we distill from reality will eventually enhance our understanding of both God and the universe and lead to workable and effective solutions in life.2 As Joel Goldsmith has stated, "We individualize infinite power in proportion to our consciousness of Truth." 2 And so our consciousness of Truth determines our vibrational level. In working truth into our life, we merge with the Mind and Will of God and all that we create is worthy. Seeking truth in all our perceptions and understandings is equivalent to seeking the presence of God in all things, and thereby do we harmonize profoundly with the intelligent Substance. There is no surer way to enter into the creative mind, than to love and seek truth.

Truth is also the soul's honesty. And honesty is the foundation of intelligence, and one of the levels of the Heart's intelligence. "You are not going to go any further than honesty will carry you." "Many doors are shut to the dishonest person. Even if he could enter, he could not walk through the maze of his own self-deceptions."4 Without truth, honesty is compromised, and without honesty difficulties arise in life.

To be in truth, you must start by being the love that you are, and this is the first principle of success in Love Without End. When you are love, you have innocent perception and bless all with your thoughts, you are an agent of healing and resolution, and you rise above any problems you may face. Your outlook and performance change, because you are at peace. One cannot be in the creative mind, or think in a Certain Way for that matter, in any consistent way without also striving to be love and to know the truth. The creative mind is very much 'heart thinking', and having a feel for truth is one of its important components. Wattles mentions the importance of the truth quite often in his writings, though he does not elaborate on what it is that it may be seen clearly.

Freedom of the Spirit

True freedom is the ability to express who you are through a natural flow of love and creativity.

Freedom is first gained within your consciousness. Then, because your outer life always reflects that which is within, you gain freedom in all aspects of your life.

Often, much of this potential flow of authentic life experience is reduced by inner blockages. These blockages of the natural flow of love and creativity are formed by the fear-based emotions that come with the challenges of human existence.

Fear is the common factor underlying all disharmonious emotions. For example, fear of inadequacy can lead to jealousy and hatred, fear of lack can generate an over-reaction of greed, while fear of being overwhelmed by life's challenges can lead to control issues.

When you are born into the human race, you arrive with your own, self-made, personal life plan. This plan includes a list of the personal and societal issues that you intend to work through during this lifetime. Your carefully made plan includes the location and surroundings of your birth as well as your choice of parents. It also includes the friends and associates that you will be likely to meet as your life unfolds.

The personal and societal issues that we adopt in our lives today are generally based upon the consciousness of separation, or duality rather than unity. For example, one issue being worked through today is equality of the sexes. The Old Reality of separation consciousness demanded separation of the power of the sexes into societies based on either matriarchy or patriarchy. The New Reality, into which we are shifting, requires an equality of the sexes; an integration of that which was formerly separated into two. Every woman and every man today is playing some part in this massive societal adjustment towards equality of the sexes.

As the purpose of the entire human experience is to work through and transform such issues, it is appropriate that we seek an elegant solution to all of these fear-based issues. When enough people pass through the gateway into freedom of the spirit, then the hundredth monkey phenomenon will click in and, suddenly, the whole world will wonder why it hadn't seen such an easy solution all along.

The Shift to the New Reality is a shift to heart-centered and heart-powered consciousness. Society is building up to a critical mass where consciousness will flip from 'you versus me' to 'you and me,' a shift from competition to mutual cooperation. Every day, more and more people are making this shift to heart-powered consciousness. With a little inner work, these individual transitions to the New Reality happen sooner and more easily.

Freedom or Tyranny

Nine months out from the most important general election, certainly in my lifetime, and there is still no clear-cut republican nominee at this point. Quite honestly, I am much less concerned about that than I am the blatantly obnoxious attempt of the left-wing media, and by extension, the Obama administration, to determine who our guy is going to be come November. For anyone of even meager intellect to suggest that this is not occurring is laughable. Unfortunately for us all, there are no shortages of those who would doggedly insist there is no "cabal" as such. That's to be expected, I suppose, when the warped and failed ideology that idealistic liberals embrace is apparently more important than the bleak realities that such liberal philosophy presents when taken to its logical conclusion.

Please do not cite the liberal philosopher-king Rousseau to me unless you are ready to see the writings of your progressive champion trashed in his own words. You've read Rousseau? Good for you, I have as well. I have a few words for the blissfully ignorant young communists in this country also. Before one begins touting the virtues of a Leviathanic government as proposed by the delusional Thomas Hobbes, one really should take the time to actually read the words of Hobbes, as well as those of Karl Marx. The Communist Manifesto, co-written with Friedrich Engels, is infamous, incredibly enlightening and, simultaneously very deeply disturbing.

The thing that makes Rousseau particularly annoying to myself and other advocates of Lockean thought, is that in places, Rousseau parrots Locke while espousing the virtues of individual liberty, and then touts the "general will," and ultimately advocates something of a collective philosophy that is much more in line with Marx than Locke. Surely, a man of Rousseau's unsurpassed intelligence understood the inevitable conclusions that result from any form of Statism (be it communism, Marxism, socialism, fascism, etc.). That is the stifling of initiative and incentive, the complete eradication of a "free press," which used to fill the indispensable role of the watch dog of the government in the interest of "the people;" furthermore, statism is a self-defeating prophesy that ends in the utter bankruptcy of entire civilizations both financially and morally.

Rousseau confirms all of this in his own works. To his credit, the philosopher-king of the Left also rightly espoused that indeed, freedom is a tenuous thing that can be gained; however, once lost, freedom is rarely ever regained. These are all basic truths of Rousseauian thought that most of his die-hard fans never seem to cite.

Divine Purpose and Freedom Comes Only Through Christ

In the name of Jesus Christ; I pray today for those who read this article, to take heart, engage courage, and reach out to the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

From the first indication and verified account by many within the Biblical texts of Acts 2:2, the Holy Spirit is ignited upon the earth. Many are transformed; filled with the Spirit of God and empowered by the light for living. Many begin to pursue evangelistic and theological endeavors; changing many lives and displaying the work and purpose of God through Christ and the Holy Spirit. Instantaneously, lives changed, souls were saved, and an ever presence of light and joy for which is unrealizable through any of mans pursuits. I tell you my friends; a simply amazing occurrence for which Christ promised before His ascent and a wonderful gift from the Father.

My friends, if you do not know Christ, then you know not the Father, and thus you do not know the Holy Spirit. To accept Christ through faith, to know and to experience this relationship at it's maximum potential; is to understand and to become consumed with the light of the world; to become driven by the Holy Spirit and to pursue your divine purpose given by the Father (Romans 8:28). If you do not know Christ, I beg you to reach out in faith and witness His greatness. Your destiny, purpose and eternity are balancing on this decision. I dare you to seek your divine purpose. I dare you to reach out in faith and discover the greatest gift ever given.

Escaping Misery Freedom in Giving

Imagine that there's a moment in your life when you say good-bye to your happiness forever, just because somebody touched that core in you responsible for your will to fight, and shattered it involuntarily. It's truly frightening to think about all the things people can do, without a slightest apprehension of what is being done.

So, if someone puts you in the dark with one easy movement, instead of fighting for your right to be the way you are--to be yourself--you're giving up, it's like... Well, how could I describe it better? It's like meeting a truck on the road when you're going full speed (you, not the truck), and you're making a choice that turns out to be stupid. You realize it only when you see the truck, and you feel that there is no way back, so you just give in to what's in front of you--despair. Despair takes the firm grip of your heart, and squeezes it tight enough to make you lose your mind.

No matter how bizarre it may sound, but if you're desperate enough to go out on the street, yelling, crying, asking for help, or cursing your life, it doesn't mean you're giving up. I think it's pretty much the opposite. Tears mean struggle. Crying, you're not accepting your reality, but you're rejecting your pain because of its unfairness, and you unwelcome it.

When you truly give up, it's totally different. When you see that truck you're going to crush into, and accept all the despair you have rejected for so long, hope slips away completely at that moment. You're too shallow for tears. You feel like it's over. That's it. Lights off. In your mind the picture of your life slowly turns black and white, and it becomes clear that after you've experienced so many personal dramas nobody knew about, you just good-byed your heart to hell. Well, if you did that, where all the tears should be coming from?

The funny thing is that even though you're going through the worst moments of your life, the next day you think it can be fixed. You just don't realize that everything changed when you made a decision.

Rainbows - 7 Rays of Light

There are seven rays of light that are projected to earth from the Godhead. Each ray radiates a color and God quality to the earth. Each day of the week projects a specific ray and quality to earth. Open you hearts and minds to these qualities. Focus on the color and the God qualities as you open to receive their blessings in your life. Allow the energy of the ray to fill you with Divine Wisdom and Divine Love.

Each ray is sent from the Godhead as a Golden Beam of Light. As it is lowered from the Godhead it takes on a hue of its own. These seven rays circle the earth and provide a protection to all of mankind as they radiate their God virtues.

You see these rays of color as rainbows in your skies. Rainbows provide you with the energy to remember who you truly are. Within you is a forgotten blue print of your true purpose and essence. This is why you get excited when you see a rainbow; it fills you with joy and a remembrance of your divinity.

You see rainbows as a miracle of nature as a sign of love and hope. The splendor of seeing a rainbow lifts your soul. The child returns to your heart filled with wonder and joy. Rainbows are a blessing from the Godhead.

Freedom Surfaces When We Let Go of Our Resistance to the Way Things Are

Resistance is a conflict between one emotion and another. You want that feeling you get when you win and you seek to avoid the experience of losing. Have you ever not done something because you spoke too early and you couldn't change your position because of your stubbornness or maybe didn't want to look bad in front of your friends? You know, your assessment of the situation is different than you thought but you continue to hold your position even though you know you may be wrong. We learn to resist certain people and come to assume that everything they say must be doubted. They were wrong before why should I trust them now?

What are we resisting when we are resisting? It is our emotions. And when we do, we do not recognize it as gripping tightly to the emotions we are experiencing. There is little awareness that that is what we are doing. We resist most emotions and are unwilling to release them. Picture the person ready to leap out on his first parachute attempt. As he grips to the overhead bar he needs to pump up his courage to let go. There is an emotion of fear that if it was not present at all, he would jump freely. This example is logical and easily understood but there are far more subtle resisted emotions.

Consider your friend who might think of herself as otherwise brilliant but has come to believe she is not good enough or deserving enough to be happy. Every belief you have even the most subtle conclusions you made about yourself, others and life in general, are attracted so to speak by an emotion. It is what holds the belief in place. The question is why? The law of attraction clearly shows that energy precedes everything. Thoughts, rather small 'things' are a kind of reflection in the physical world of the present moment. The present moment which you seem to be experiencing is like a light bulb shining brightly and as long as it is on. It can only be noticed in the present moment; because that is the only time you can experience the light being on.

When the energy is not moving into the vortex of now, energy intersecting with the observer, there is no light. The only evidence that light exists is in the present. Your emotions are like the energy and they are given rise by your intent. Our emotions range at the higher end, happiness, joy and bliss, to the lower vibrations of despair, hopelessness and powerlessness. The cells in your body are healthy when they experience no resistance to their natural expansion, where they are free. This is the reason happiness and joy is the optimal conditions for success.

Low Voltage Lighting Products - Tailoring Them For Your Use

When it comes time for a home designer, decorator or even a homeowner to put together a lighting plan, low voltage lighting products gives them flexibility and power. By permitting the designer to simply move setups around and make an easy, tailored layout, most low voltage lighting units give the designers more freedom.

Inefficiency, bad design and weight were the obstacles bringing track lighting down when it was first introduced over thirty years ago. They were far too hard to adapt, and way too bright for anyone to look at. Today's track lighting is very different, based largely on the initiation of low voltage lighting products.

It is easy to tailor the lighting in your home without being concerned about troublesome installation or wiring by using low voltage lighting products. Using low voltage lights are cheap, and can be moved on the track to establish the type of lighting you prefer. By using a set number of preset places where the light units may be attached, fixed track lighting give the designer a substantial degree of freedom. Free track lighting is even more adaptable, permitting the designer to move the lights on the track at any given point.

In terms of adaptability, free track lighting is truly the best while fixed track lighting is actually more cost-effective. For those designers who would prefer a free form look in their layout, putting out some effort to locate curved track sections that are able to be connected will work very well. But, they have to be prepared to shell out a little more money, too.

With the inception of "bare wire" low voltage light products, some new developments have been seen. Using only a 12V power supply, the bare wire system is absolutely safe, and permits the lighting units to be moved around easily. It allows more freedom in the design of the system, and the lights can go wherever you want them.

Remote controls can be used in some bare wire systems, telling specific lighting units to move along the wire. Business and homes are finding more use for the bare wire systems, although they are the most popular in museums. When picking out products for home design, affordability is a major concern. Happily, track lighting just so happens to be rather reasonable, even in its, free for selection.

Twin Towers Lights Are Awesome To Behold

The symbolism of the twin beams of light as they thrust skyward from the site of the now ruined but once majestic twin towers in New York is obvious to all who see them.

The first time I saw those twin lights on my television screen, I thought: what a wonderful tribute, what a magnificent way to celebrate and remember the lives of the nearly three thousand people who died there on 9/ll. As their families and friends know, those lights carry a heart-warming message of both encouragement and defiance that is far beyond the power of any of our well meaning attempts to comfort them. But, there is more to it than that.

In my lifetime, there was only one other occasion that compares with 9/ll. That was December 7, 1941, Pearl Harbor Day. I was fourteen years old back then. We first heard the news of the attack on Pearl Harbor as it was announced on our family radio that Sunday afternoon. The next day, everyone in my school gathered in the auditorium and together, we listened as President Roosevelt's declaration of war was announced to the nation, the world and us.

The sleeping giant, that was the USA, was awakened by the attack on Pearl Harbor. We went to war. Then, with the attack on 9/11, the sleeping giant was re-awakened. President Bush immediately declared war on terrorism. As we knew in 1941, and again in 2001, as one nation under God, we have a worldwide responsibility to fight for and defend the freedom of people everywhere...or else.

Back in WW2, and in today's 9/11, lives were both lost and changed. As Americans we will always enthusiastically rise to the challenge to: pray, work and support the God-given rights of all people, everywhere to live in freedom. This means, as citizens, we must enthusiastically vow to support patriotism, our troops, and our leaders.

The Yoke's On You - Freedom In Christ Or Slavery To Sin?

God has really been speaking to me lately. Yes, really. Amazing as it sounds for a man who has been a Christian for 31 years, I am just now learning that God still speaks to us, if we will only listen. For years, I don't think I fully believed this.....that we could really hear the Lord's voice. I just thought that God only spoke through the scripture....an attitude that results from being raised in "the age of reason" where anything of the heart is portrayed as naive at best and, at worst, a trick of the devil. It never dawned on me, until recently, that this attitude does not fit the God portrayed in those very scriptures. A God that actually states, when choosing David as king, that He looks MOST to the heart, while man looks at the externals. A God who continued to speak to and through the disciples even after Christ ascended to His throne.

The question I never asked myself is, "why would He stop now"? Well, I'm not sure why it took me so long (I guess I'm a little slow on the uptake) but I'm overjoyed that God is showing me that He does continue to speak to us, if we will learn to listen. I thank God for the writings of men who really knew Him and walked with Him. Men like Tozer, Lewis, Thomas a Kempis, and others. It is so refreshing to begin to really know God....not just know about God. I can see why God told Moses that nobody could look fully at Him or they would die because just going into a deeper walk with Him and hearing His voice has been almost overwhelming to me at times. How awesome that He is available to us!

One of the areas that He has really been working with me on is what it really means to be free in Christ. As a therapist, I see Christian men and women every day that truly are still slaves to their anger, their habits, their vices......to their sins. I look at the church in general and I still see so many people who look as if their yokes are truly heavy, not light as Jesus promised His yoke was. I even look at my own life and history and wonder why even my life has felt like such a heavy burden over the past few years. If Jesus' yoke is light, if we are to truly experience freedom in Him, why is it that many Christians seem to lack that freedom?

Well, God is still working on me in understanding all of this more fully but I'll tell you what He has shown me so far...

It is simply about where our focus is. I have written previously about my opinion that much of the church's teaching focuses on behavior control, or of how we can overcome certain sins we struggle with. I cannot tell you how many messages I have heard over the years on "3 steps to overcome sexual temptation" or "4 ways to tame the tongue" or "the 5 practices that enable us to be more obedient servants to God" or things like that.

We certainly mention that Christ wants a personal relationship with us but even that teaching is intertwined with making sure we have devotions every morning (and we all know that God is more present early in the morning J ) and that we read a certain amount of scripture each year and other "behavior-oriented" teachings. But what I'm hearing from God is that this preoccupation with behavior is why we are remaining slaves to sin. It's the focus. The tunnel-vision. I really cannot think of a better word than, once again, PREOCCUPATION. When we focus our hearts and our eyes on our behavior, on how we mess up, or even on trying NOT to mess up, this enables Satan to keep us shackled to sin. Even focusing on NOT sinning keeps us in slavery to it.

Can we deny this, really? On one hand, if we are focused on our sin because we are indulging in it, then we know that we are allowing ourselves to be chained to that behavior. Few would argue with me on that point, I'm sure. We see this in those who are stuck in the addictive cycle, whether it is to alcohol, drugs, pornography, or sexual affairs. Much of their lives revolve around where they will get their next "fix". It is blatant slavery to that sin. But, my friends, listen to me. When most of our focus is on how we will NOT sin, it still enslaves us. The truth is that we can only stop sinning through sheer willpower for so long. No matter how hard we try, we will eventually mess up. This is why the world needed Christ, because we were hopeless in ever trying to live up to the standards of the Law.

Yet, what God is showing me is that, much like the Galatian church, we are still trying to do our best to live up to the "standards" of both the Old Testament Law (the Ten Commandments) and a new law we have set up, based on New Testament principles of behavior. So much of our focus, both in and out of the church, is on how we can obey those commands. Even the world places this pressure on us. For instance, if a high-profile minister is caught in sin, the world jumps on his inability to live up to the very standards he teaches about. But that's the point!

We cannot live up to those standards. By trying to do so we are emulating the Galatian Christians, who were trying to get new converts to obey the Law even after accepting Christ. Even worse, by focusing on how we can keep these standards and by teaching others the same (and that it is actually possible) we mirror the very leaders that Christ was the most harsh with, the Pharisees. Christ said they placed a HEAVY yoke on the people, one that they were unable to bear. Without meaning to, I believe that many of us as leaders, preachers, teachers, elders, and laymen are doing the same. By focusing on behavior, we are placing a yoke on people; a yoke of shame (believing they are bad at their very core) caused by an emphasis on standards that we will never be able to live up to. This is slavery, pure and simple, because we are teaching people to either focus on what they are doing or we are teaching them that they are shameful beings, incapable of ever being who God wants them to be. This is a focus of bondage, and it is why most Christians have no clue about what it means to be free in Christ.

The Freedom of Traveling Light

My wife and I just returned from a mini vacation. This vacation was not like any other because we decided to travel light. What I mean by traveling light is that we decided to use regular backpacks only to put our clothes and travel items in. I have been doing a lot of research on simple traveling and wanted to put it in action to see how we would do for an 8 day trip to central America. Well it turns out it that using one bag was a huge success. We both managed to bring what we needed and never felt dirty or tired with what we were wearing or with our activities on our leisure time.

I discovered for myself so much freedom in traveling light. The airport was a breeze with all the security checks and customs. Anytime that we needed something it was very easy to find because all of the things we brought with us were between our feet when on the plane or in a bus. I did not worry if I forgot something because I had way less to keep track of.

To also keep with the traveling light idea we had very few plans on what we were going to do while on the trip. This was a first for myself because I tend to always want an itinerary and have things set up in advance to make sure we get the tickets needed for an event or whatever. This time it was different. We just made sure we had a place to stay and had our plane tickets. We then just took it as it came, and it was great.

We ended up meeting great people and we were invited to multiple trips to different areas of the country which we would not have been able to go if I had everything all mapped out in advanced. It was impossible for the weather to spoil our trip because we had nothing set up to do. So when it rained, which it did, we were able to enjoy it and sit inside a bar talking with the locals with out a care or sitting inside reading and relaxing with no stress. Without having an agenda we were able to be less stressed and could really enjoy our surroundings and each other much more.

Now since this was the first time traveling light we were a little unprepared for some things. So we decided to make a list of everything that we brought so that way we could take notes about what we would add or subtract from the list. We each have one and so next time we travel light we can have a reference.

Relationship Freedom - Can it Be Found in Our Shadow?

You're looking for true relationship freedom along with your commitments, if you are like most practitioners of enlightened sex and relating. You pour energy and creativity into your relationship. You strive for sacred merging in sex. You get more connected, safe, trusting, intimate and loving the more time you spend together. You negotiate the stuffs of daily life and domestic living to create life partnership. Often all this works true wonders: relationship freedom of the sacred kind; sustainable, hot, loving life partnerships.

But what about when it doesn't work? What about when we experience dulling passion, boredom and frustration rather than relationship freedom? Why is it that so often where there is the intimacy, love and familiarity of long-term and life partnership, the sexual spark seems to dim, flicker and perhaps fade altogether? What gives?

Riding high in my own partnership, I am neither blind nor impervious, however, to the dismal track record of most long-term relationships - a sort of anti-relationship-freedom. I set off on a preemptive search in the most light-filled and shadowy places for some guidance for keeping both the erotic zest and the sacred intimacy flourishing in sacred sex and life partnership.

Freedom Tower Will Highlight The New York Skyline

Construction has begun on the Freedom Tower in Lower Manhattan in New York City. The Freedom Tower will be built to attain a height of 1776 feet and would be the tallest building in the world if it was completed today. The Tower is the centerpiece of the new World Trade Center complex and is scheduled for completion in the year 2010.

The tower will have a cubic base that is designed for safety from car or truck bombs. The base will be covered in thirteen foot tall glass prisms that will refract light into color. This will make the cubic base more interesting to the naked eye. The concern for safety also is incorporated into the vertical core which will run through the center of the building. The core will contain many of the structure's essential safety systems. It will have 3 foot thick walls made from extra-strong concrete. The core will also contain emergency communication cables, exhaust and ventilation shafts, water pipes, and stairs and lifts to enter or exit the building. Overall, the unique architectural design of the Freedom Tower will make it look like it twists as it get higher.

The new Freedom Tower will honor the Twin Towers in several ways. The base of the Freedom Tower will be two hundred feet square. Two hundred square feet was the exact dimension of the original towers. The observation deck will be at 1,362 feet, the height of World Trade Center Tower Two. The glass parapet will be at 1,368 feet, the height of World Trade Center Tower One. A spire will emit an intense beam of light at night that will be visible over a thousand feet into the air above the tower. The light will represent a beacon of freedom in the night sky over New York City.

Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama on Freedom

Hillary Clinton recently gave a speech on freedom during her current tour through Europe. She was lamenting the fact that in many countries, the opportunity to live in a free society was being shut down by oppressive governments such as Zimbabwe, the Congo, Ethiopia, Cuba, Egypt, Iran, China, and Russia. According to a July 3, 2010 Associated Press article, her speech included the following concepts and quotes:

In some countries, "the walls are closing in" on unions, religious groups, and other non government organizations that press for social changes and shine a light on governments' shortcomings.

She states that "democracies don't fear their own people. They recognize that citizens must be free to come together, to advocate, and agitate."

She felt that some governments are "slowly crushing civil society and the human spirit."

In a related statement, President Obama declared that he is concerned about "the spread of restrictions on civil society, the growing use of laws to curb rather than enhance freedom and widespread corruption that is undermining the faith of citizens in their governments."

However, before we start criticizing how other countries deal with the concepts of freedom and liberty, maybe Obama, Clinton, and the rest of the American political class should consider how these very concepts are in conflict with what is happening to freedom in America today.

From Restriction to Freedom

I have really had freedom on my mind a lot lately, so I want to ask you: How free do you feel in your life right now? Do you feel a sense of freedom as you look around at your life or do you feel restricted? Do you feel free to be yourself? Do you feel free to live life "your way"?

Looking back, in the past I experienced way more restriction than freedom. This showed up in how I approached new experiences, how I expressed myself and it especially showed up in my career as I had suppressed my true desire of doing the work I love by choosing an "acceptable" career.

The thing is, when you have patterns around restriction, it tends to show up in many different areas of your life. Take a moment to ask yourself, what situations in your life do you feel restricted in? In what ways do you hold your true self and desires back? Even noticing that there is restriction there in the first place is a great start towards creating freedom.

In spite of all of this self-restriction I experienced along my journey, I always felt a deep and strong desire to be free. The one thing that I loved about University as I pursued my previous Engineering Career was that you were free in a lot of ways. You created your schedule, you chose if you showed up or not. Of course I did, but I didn't have to, I chose to.

And the one thing I had the hardest time with in regular jobs were that you had to show up at a certain time and leave at a certain time. Maybe it's not a big deal to everyone but it always bugged me. What if I wanted to stay up and watch my favorite show? What if I wanted to sleep in? Too bad, no freedom here.

Now I look around at my life and I am so pleased to see that I have created my life to be based in freedom. This was always one of my most important values. I love that I can go to sleep when I want, I love that I can wake up when my body just wakes up. I love that I make my schedule. I love that my work is a true, authentic, free expression of who I really am. I love to experience this true freedom every single day.

Relationships - The Balance Between Love and Freedom

Love is not an exclusive relationship; love is a quality and depth of being. Our outer relationships are a mirror of our basic inner relationship with ourselves. Relationships are a balance, a development and a dance between our male and female qualities. All people seek love, joy and harmony in their own way. We all want to be loved for who we are. We all want to be acknowledged and accepted for the unique individual we are. The problem in relationships arises when we seek our own center, our own source of love, in another person. We seek a source of love outside of ourselves.

The problem in relationships is that the other person also seeks after his own center, his own source of love, in the other person. In this way both persons will sooner or later feel disappointed and cheated, because of their expectation on the other person. It is first when we let go of the idea and expectation that the other person will give us the love that we do not have inside ourselves, that the base for a really loving, satisfying and meaningful relationship is possible. It is first when the relationship becomes a giving of love, instead of a taking of love, that the relationship becomes really nourishing and satisfying. As long as we look for the source of love outside of ourselves, we will eventually become disappointed and disillusioned.

It is first when we can relate from our inner being, from our inner center, from our inner source of love and truth, that relationships becomes really loving, creative and satisfying. It is first when we discover the source of love within ourselves, which is our true nature, that we can become really happy and satisfied. As long as we need another person to cover up our inner feeling of emptiness, to cover up our inner darkness and loneliness, the relationship will sooner or later end up in disappointment frustration and disillusioned expectations. It is first when we no longer need the other person to fill our inner emptiness, that we consciously can relate from our inner being, from the authentic self, from our overflowing inner source of love.

When relationships are based on the expectation that a partner should fill our inner emptiness, it is like offering an empty cup to our partner with the expectation that the partner should fill our empty cup - instead of overflowing from our inner being and filling our cup from within ourselves. The difference between acting out of our inner being, from our inner source of love, and acting out of our inner emptiness, is like the difference between acting out of light and darkness. I have noticed how much of my professional life - as a therapist and a course leader - that has been a way to fill my own inner emptiness and a way to receive love, acknowledgement and acceptance. I notice what a difference it is to be in contact with another person from a desire to get love from the other person or to be in contact with another person without any desire to receive anything from the other person.

Angels - Nisroc Is the Angel of Freedom

In all things, all situations there is the freedom of choice. Perhaps you may not be able to choose each moment to your liking. You can choose how to react and how to interact with all that is happening around you and even within you.

Nisroc, whose name means, Great Eagle, is ready to assist you along the path before you. He will, when asked, help you see and feel clearly, which in turn allows you to release all that your shoulders carry. If you are constantly juggling so many things, situations, experiences and memories of what is now behind you, how can you possibly be free?

What is freedom exactly? In my way of understand, freedom is the gift of choice. The choice to remain in the past, to remain in pain and sorrow or to remain stuck in energy that no longer serves you. What does that mean when someone says "release all that no longer serves you"? It means if you are always looking backwards, finding fault with what you did or did not do or said how can you possibly move forward in your life towards all you truly desire to manifest into physical form.

There is much which faces you. Each moment, day, and night unfold with great mystery before you. How shall you choose to express your inner-Self that which is of love and light? How shall you choose to walk upon the path before you? Imagine you are on the back of a great bird, a bird with great strength and gentleness. Allow your Spirit to release all earthly worries and concerns as you soar on the back of a great Eagle Breathe deeply, for there is only the joy of simply Be-ing upon the back of this great bird. There is nothing to fear dear one for there is much to celebrate, much to be thankful for. Embrace the freedom to be who you truly are. Embrace the light, embrace the magnificence of this great bird as it wraps you in its majestic wings with tenderness and strength. Love is all there is. Truth is all there is. Allow you the freedom to experience all that is before you. Choose to listen to your inner guidance. Reality is that which you create from within. Begin within you this moment, know your truth, live your truth, speak your truth. The truth shall set you free to be your authentic Self, created in love, radiating light for all to see. Walk in the light beloved child. Fear cannot hold you in the darkness of lack. Fear cannot hold you from your good. Fear cannot withhold that which you desire most. Walk in the light beloved child, for the light shall cast out darkness and shadow before you, behind you, above you and from below your feet. Walk in the light; allow your inner light to shine with grace and ease. We are many who guide you, love you, and protect you. Do not be afraid for the light of the Lord shall go before you. Do not be afraid, for the love of the Lord shall embrace you all your days. Allow your inner spirit the freedom to simply Be.

Ben Franklin and the Real Meaning of Freedom

During the Bush administration, liberals often brought out one of Ben Franklin's more notable quotes "Those who are willing to give up a little freedom for a little security, wind up with neither freedom, nor security".

Whether they were referring to "illegal phone taps", the monitoring of money transfers, or the detainment of prisoners at Guantanamo Bay, they said that the President had overstepped his authority and sacrificed our freedom for our security. Did people on the left truly believe that President Bush sacrificed freedom for security by dealing with an unprecedented threat in this manner? Did they bring out Ben Franklin's words to conveniently advance their agenda and try to frame President Bush as a human rights abuser? In either case, liberals showed a remarkable lack of understanding about what freedom means.

Not understanding freedom, liberals are helpless in comprehending the constitution. There was another quote of Ben Franklin's. When Franklin got out of the constitutional convention, he was asked "what kind of government have you created a Republic or a Monarchy?" His response was "A Republic, IF YOU CAN KEEP IT".

The words "IF YOU CAN KEEP IT" mean that there is vigilance and work involved in maintaining the republic and the individual freedoms that the constitution looked at as something that was a natural right, not as something that had to be "given" to anyone. So, what exactly is freedom? Try looking it up on Dictionary.com and you'll get 17 different definitions. Freedom is a concept, not a word.

Every time I'm stopped at a traffic light, my right of movement is obstructed. Is this a restriction on my freedom? Take away traffic lights and we'd have chaos on the roads. Road anarchy would rule the day. Driving on the Brooklyn Queens Expressway, it's obvious that road anarchy already rules the day. Without traffic lights, freedom of movement would be more restricted, not less, because the lack of organization means that no one would get anywhere. Is freedom being sacrificed for security by installing traffic lights? Of course not --laws in a society are for everyone's benefit. There are situations where one person's freedom conflicts with another person's freedom and we need common sense laws so that everyone's freedoms are protected.

Unveiling the Unending Story of the Fight For Freedom From the Underground Railroad Freedom Center

The grand opening celebration of the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center, on Monday, August 23 2004 significantly coinciding with the United Nations' annual International Day of Commemoration for the Abolition of Slavery was itself a landmark event in the history of the struggles for freedom worldwide. The festivities to mark the occasion were most significant in not only recognizing the abolition of slavery in the past, but also for today's struggle to free over 27 million people currently enslaved all around the world.

The national Underground Railroad Freedom Centre therefore in the grandeur of its opening was drawing attention to the odiousness of the act of trading in human beings and all the other accompanying inhumanities involved.  It was as well an opportunity for us to rejoice in its abolition and immortalize the valiant men and women who stood up against it often selflessly in the past so that those of us in the present will emulate their acts of courage in defending humanity and human values wherever we see them been trampled upon.

The opening of the Freedom Centre which was the culmination of 10 years of planning and collaboration with Underground Railroad communities, universities, and cultural groups from across the United States included a "Grounds for Freedom" procession of freedom sites, an inter-ethnic Festival of Freedom, lighting the Flame of Freedom, exhibitions, amongst other activities.

Activities began with a live broadcast from the Freedom Center grounds by CBS Early Show. The NBA, ABC Good Morning America, MTV, Chat the Planet, C-Span as well as WCPO-9 live news and web cast were amongst other special broadcasts and taping that enlivened the occasion. A live satellite feed was broadcast to the Harriet Beecher Stowe House in Rochester, Connecticut, where a dedication party was being hosted. The History Channel added to the glory of the event when it broadcast a special documentary on the Underground Railroad.