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Dear Random Recipients,
Hello. Uh . . . a big, very random welcome to Lisa Hibbert and Jonny! I haven't much else
to say, so lets get on with the show. ...or something like that. Oh, Jonny, don't expect this to be especially organised or
anything. It comes as it is. Sometimes Randomness looks like a well-thought-out essay, sometimes it is the wild, emotional
flights, thoughts and ideas of a wild, emotional teenage boy.
I was about to write something horribly profound,
but I noticed something. I have a feeling that my legacy will be a whole lot of papers on which will be scrawled quotes, notes,
doodles, stories, writings, etc. That thought passed by because I was just examining what I'm goin to talk about, and it is
found on two pieces of paper, which lack all semblance of orderly thought, and contain everything from quotes and my ideas
to lists of names and a groovy doodle of a face I did while on the phone with Tim Ferrey.
"The only freedom
which deserves the name, is that of pursuing our own good in our own way, so long as we do not attempt to deprive others of
theirs, or impede their efforts to obtain it." --John Stuart Mill
I disagree. What good can that sort of freedom
do you? It can help you get all the stuff you want I guess--"He who dies with the most toys wins." I like the bumper
sticker: "He who dies with the most toys still dies." Or you can get all the power you want in Mill's freedom. Or
we can get as many drugs, as much Buddha, or as much anything as we want. But what good does any of it do? Before I go any
further, I must explain that I understand what Mill is talking about. I understand that he speaks of society, plain and simple.
And for a society to be free, in human, physical, worldly, material terms, I guess that's the freest we really can see it
as getting (until the Millennium, at which point we will have the rule of Christ on earth and all that jazz, thus giving us
the true freedom I plan to discuss here--but we're not diverging into the Millennium, that's something completely different).
But Mill says, "so long as we do not attempt to deprive others of theirs, or impede their efforts to obtain it."
Hm. I think he's kind of wrong here. I mean, what if I were to go up and tell someone that he's going about salvation all
wrong? (And by someone I mean a non-Christian.) What if I tell someone that he's wrong in thinking that Buddha's the goods,
or that "all religions are the same" and that the only way he's gonna find true happiness, freedom, Eternity, love,
peace, salvation is through Jesus the Christ? Am I not then trying to deprive him of pursuing his own good in his own way?
But then, if I find myself compelled to tell people about Jesus because He is the biggest and best in the Universe, would
my liberty not be impeded by someone telling me to not "force Jesus" on him? And then, would I no longer be free?
But, with Jesus comes morality. Luckily, although we cannot talk to Mr. Mill in person, he has provided an answer.
"But
the engines of moral repression have been wielded more strenuously against divergence from reigning public opinion."
And by "engines of moral repression" he refers to organised religious and popular morality. Mill is here saying
that the Church has been fighting against true freedom. Well, well.
I must say, if this is the case, I may as well
be branded as an enemy of freedom. I may as well be ostracised from society. Too bad John Stuart Mill, whose ideas parallel
those of many people I know and have read and read about whether they like or know it or not, is WRONG. That's right my friends,
Mill is wrong. Before we go any further, allow me to show you the reaction I had after reading John Stuart Mill's essay on
freedom (let it be known that I react only to that which really hit me or affected me--he talks about other stuff and isn't
entirely or necessarily wrong, but as far as the root of all mankind, as far as religion, morality . . . well . . . ):
"Therefore we can create our own morality. It is all subjective, and to tell anyone TRUTH is going against freedom
and liberty, so we'd best keep to ourselves lest we become 'engines of moral represssion.' I guess the modern world believes
it is too great for Jesus. Too bad." [I actually scrawled those words on a piece of looseleaf.]
Let me tell
you what the only true freedom is. The only true freedom is Jesus. He is all that matters. Jesus is the way the true and the
life. Without Him, we are blind, dead, asleep. With Him, we can see, live, awaken. Jesus offers us freedom, truth, eternal
life. He says, "Whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has
crossed over from death to life." (John 5:24, NIV) He says, "Iam the way and the truth and the life. No one comes
to the Father except through me." (John 14:6) True freedom is a relationship with Jesus. True freedom is having Jesus
in your heart. True freedom is escaping sin and death. True freedom is living in a Godly man.
"Now the dwelling
of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God.
he will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things
has passed away." (Revelation 21:3-4) We are free. We no longer have to fear death; no longer are we slaves to sin. We
have the greatest freedom ever afforded. I know, just like Audio Adrenaline, "for that day the man i met paid the full
price now i ride the train for free the train to paradise."
I have lots to say, such as 1 Peter 2:16, and the
reminder found in Ecclesiastes 12:13-14. I suggest you all pull out your Bibles and test your memories as to where exactly
1 Peter and Ecclesiastes are and look those verses up. They are very good. Please comment on them, and please comment on this.
In closing:
"To yield and give in to our sinful desires is the lowest form of slavery. To rule over such desires
is the only true freedom." --Justin Martyr
Peace, Be God's,
Matthew Hoskin
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