Sunday Sermon

Last week I said that I was for Gay Marriage, which wasn't exactly accurate. More correct would be that I'm not against Gay Marriage.

What I am for is Personal Freedom.

Freedom is the very basis of America.

The United States' Declaration of Independence states pretty clearly that our Forefather's believed that People are born with certain Rights, including "Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness".

Following the Revolutionary War, there was a controversy over the ratifying of the Constitution of the United States because the Writers of the Constitution intended for it to be like a Government Rules & Regs paper.

They intended that the Constitution outline the Powers of Congress, and that any Powers not granted to Congress belonged to the People.  To include a Bill of Rights would be redundant, and even dangerous, ie. limiting the Rights of the People.

(Here's a good article talking more about the Constitution and the Bill of Rights.)

However several of the Statesmen weren't convinced, and too deeply mistrusted large Government.  They felt that the Constitution gave Congress too much power by listing what it could do, but not specifying what it could not do. They wanted a more solid guarantee of the People and States' Rights and the Limitations of the Government.

A compromise was made, and a Bill of Rights was passed.

The 1st Amendment appears to be a conglomeration of all the Rights they felt people were born with: Freedom of Religion, Freedom of Speech, Freedom of Press, the Right to Peacefully Assemble, and the Right to Petition the Government with grievances.

Amendments 3 - 8 appear to have probably derived from their troubles with their ex-Monarchy that ultimately led to the American Revolution and War.
In reading the list of grievances in the Declaration of Independence, you see a complaint of Citizens being forced to quarter soldiers even in times of peace.

Judging by Amendments 4 - 8, all dealing with Searches and Seizures and the Taking of Property and Due Process and Trials and Juries...these people were obviously hard used by their former Monarchy (Government).

Amendments 9 reiterates the protection of any Rights not enumerated in the Constitution.
Amendment 10, again, assures the Limited Powers of the Federal Government.

Our Forefathers lived under the thumb of Tyranny, and they really, really, really wished to ensure that this kind of thing didn't happen again, to them or their future generations.

"...and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity..." - Preamble of the Constitution of the United States.

Thomas Paine said, "What we obtain too cheap, we esteem too lightly; it is dearness only that gives everything its value."

We are a couple hundred years removed from the Tyranny our Forefathers (and Mothers) suffered and the battle they fought to free themselves - and us. 
Sadly, it seems many people take Liberty and our Freedom too lightly.

When anyone - Liberal/ Progressive/Conservative/Democrat/Republican/Left-Right/Neo - whatever label fits at the moment - distorts the meaning of "We the People" to "Me the People, and I want the Government to tell you that it's going to be my way", it puts all of us on a very slippery slope.

The issue of Gay, or Same-sex Marriage is a real hot button in America these days, and it really shouldn't be.

Mainly being the only real reason(s) anyone can give for being against it are Religious reason(s).
Which is a big no-no.

When Christian-Conservatives support things like the Defense of Marriage Act, they feel like they are doing what God wants them to be doing, when it actuality, they are unthinkingly opening doors to Government Tyranny.

If the Government can be allowed to use Religion to make Laws to control others, then that same Government can be allowed to use Religion to control THEM.

I've read that Christian-Conservatives fear that in allowing Gay/Same-sex Marriage, the Government will force Churches to perform Gay/Same-sex Marriages.

Well, if Christian-Conservatives set precedents of allowing the Government to make Laws "respecting (regarding) an establishment of religion (a Church)", then that fear might not be unfounded.

The best way to try to keep the Government out of Church, is to keep Church out of the Government.

In order to do that, every person needs to read, learn, understand, and Uphold our Constitution/Bill of Rights to the letter.

That means not allowing - much less demanding! - the Government to make Laws that doesn't treat Everyone as Equal, even if they are Black or Gay.

"He that would make his own liberty secure, must guard even his enemy from oppression; for if he violates this duty, he establishes a precedent that will reach to himself." - Thomas Paine