1776 - The Nature of Freedom

There is some confusion on this planet regarding the difference between Free Will and Freedom. Too often it seems people mistake Free Will as carte blanche to dominate, manipulate and distort purpose, effectiveness, harmony and understanding.

In the era 1776, a concept such as Free Will was not bandied about in coffee houses or art clubs, as that and other esoterica are today. Such conversation was generally restricted to Masons and other Initiates who were carefully selected, cultivated, and trained to adhere to certain responsibilities regarding the Secret Paths.

On one hand it is good that Free Will (among other esoteric concepts) is bandied about today, in the sense that education and higher knowledge is so accessible. On the other hand, sacred concepts, becoming available to the masses without any sense of moral, ethical, or intellectual discipline or discernment, tends to leave the field wide open for ignorance, foolishness, or charlatanism.

Freedom, rather than Free Will, was the primary lynchpin of Thought the Founding Fathers wanted to secure as the foundation for democracy in America. It was necessary to secure and establish Freedom as a fundamental right and way of life before society could even begin to evolve into the higher stratosphere of responsibility that comes with Free Will.

Freedom, then, is simply the lack of restraint to individualism, the right to exist in harmony without harm to other individuals. Free Will is, or should be, the ability, without restraint, to have more personal choice of individual direction.

Freedom - the ability to Go.

Free Will - the ability to choose How, Where and When to arrive at one's ultimate spiritual and intellectual destination.

Both have grave responsibilities, but the first is to understand that Freedom must be mastered before Free Will can even be undertaken. Freedom, in the physical plane, is prerequisite to guiding one's Soul through necessary evolutionary transformations.

This evolutionary process, also known as Lesson, is why we're here. But, just like a poor classroom or school, one can find one's self involved in Lesson that has no valid application to the student. The rampant abuse of Free Will is having the same effect - causing many people to have to "study" for Lessons that were never part of their "master soul curriculum."

Too many Souls are having to fight too many battles that have already been won; it's like running a race when someone else already won, or joining a search party to look for something that's already been found. Why bother?

Freedom must be better understood - and applied - before it can really live up to its purpose for being.  Freedom, and specifically the rights claimed in the Declaration of Independence, is an on-going, self-paced process of earning liberty. The liberty is guaranteed in our "contract" with American government, chiefly in the form of the U.S. Constitution and the Bill of Rights, but there is also the implied understanding that as long as we adhere to some basic fundamental principles - most of which are generally common-sense, we will be protected and not subject to whimsical law and tyrannical exploitation.

Part of our responsibility, as Americans, but also as humans and as galactic souls, is to defend the ideas expressed within these documents. This is not because the documents are sacred, and it's not because the men who authored them are sacred. It's not even because America is sacred. Even the ideas embodied within the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution and the Bill of Rights are not sacred.

What is sacred is the INTENT behind the ideas... to preserve liberty and freedom through the establishment of a revolving, mutable blueprint that can be adapted and modified according to the outstanding needs of the Body Politic.

The current possibilities regarding adaptation and modification concern us; the possibility of mutation alarms us. It all goes back to INTENT.

As they stand, these documents are insulated from too much lateral damage from shifting personalities within the Course of Human Events; they were designed to withstand a great deal of structural stress. If the Declaration of Independence was a blueprint, then the U.S. Constitution and the Bill of Rights were a schematic diagram.

The purpose of a schematic diagram is to retain a foundation of purpose, and a map for structural direction. But the architect must know - when he takes pen to paper - whether one is building a castle, or a prison. Shape, or form, can often take the same appearance; it is the true Essence that defines the nature of a Dwelling.

The Dwelling we refer to, then, is America. What sort of house will enclose its citizens?

At this time, we perceive (at least) two very real threats to the architectural foundation of American Freedom. Many are concerned about what price people will pay for what they perceive to be security or liberty; the second concern would be the intrusion of religion as a guide of policy.

It must be understood that the men of 1776 understood very well the dangers of imperialism, and for that very reason were hesitant - even in their struggle with Great Britain - to form alliances beyond mere diplomacy with the great nations of their time... namely Spain, France, Russia, or Germany.

The men of 1776 were extremely skeptical - and anxious - about making alliances with any nation who had a history of "gobbling up" independent countries, territories, rebellious states, and the like. There was simply no reason - no historic precedent - to think that the colonies - even all thirteen aligned - wouldn't get gobbled up by the first opportunistic whale of a country to come along.

Thus, America was established with as close to an idealistic "Laissez Faire" policy as possible; we'll mind our business - you mind yours. (And leave us alone.) The Monroe Doctrine was the first to state this - internationally - in such blunt terms. This policy remained intact in spirit until the early third of the 1800's. (It was not officially contradicted until the 20th century, through Teddy Roosevelt.)

The issue of religion was simply not debated; it wasn't necessary. It was agreed without conflict, and without opinion, as a matter of mere sense, that any man was free to believe what he wished in private, and it was taken for granted that as sensible, educated people, there would be no confusion regarding the separation of Church and State.

For these men, there simply was no conflict, and there was no apparent need to "trade hats"; that is to say, to experience another man's belief for "why we are here" because the more important issue - which confused no one - was to understand that we are all here for the same reasons. Namely, to get the job done.

The problem, at present, seems to be that people are forgetting what the job is, and they are not getting the job done. The job is keep Freedom intact so that the parameters of Free Will will remain intact. Without that, we remain slaves of Chaos.

The People of the United States of America know they are in danger; the question becomes a matter of defining their enemy. The following are paraphrases, but accurately attributed.

* Is their enemy within, or without? (Abraham Lincoln)

* Is their enemy overt, or disguised? (Machiavelli)

* Does their enemy come to their presence with favors, or with wrath? (Disraeli)

* Doth the enemy bear the clothing of sheep, or of wolves? (Solomon)

* A man who does not know his history is doomed to repeat it. (Aristotle)

Consider then, your own motivations, for the choices you make; at the least, it will make it easier for you to consider the motivations of others - before your choices are made for you.

Love, Galadriel
06/02/2003
Revolution/rhlee.htm