The Original Tree
Diamond Member
What can the Cost of Free Speech, & Freedom of Religion Be?
Consider The Following:
John The Baptist, arguably the last Old Testament Prophet, for preaching against sin, and unrighteousness, and for advocating a personal relationship with God outside of Organized Religion, and for prophesying the coming of The Messiah and The Kingdom of God, was imprisoned, beaten, and beheaded. This was done by The Roman Empire under Pilate, in conjunction with Temple Priests and the local Tetrach, Herod Antipas.
Judas Iscariot was bribed by Temple Officials and the Local Government to betray Jesus for 30 pieces of Silver. Some say he wanted to pressure Jesus to fulfill one part of prophecy that discusses the coming of Messiah Ben David, the conquering Messiah, while others say that he was simply tempted, or angered because he felt Jesus was far too generous with the group's finances. What we now know is that Jesus came to fulfill part of a two part prophesy and came to Earth to serve as Messiah Ben Joseph, the Suffering Savior. We will never know what motivations though, Judas had for betraying Jesus, but what we do know is that when he learned of Jesus' Crucifixion, he threw the 30 pieces of silver back at the Temple Officials feet, who not wanting to take the tainted blood money back in to The Temple as this was unlawful, they instead bought Aceldama (the field of blood) or "the potter's field" that was used to bury travelers and strangers in. Judas after fleeing the temple was overcome with grief or guilt and hung himself to death, the rope broke however, and he fell to his death is a gruesome manner his bowels and organs bursting from his body in a bloody mess.
What Did Judas Do with the Money?
Jesus The Christ whom many call The Messiah, The Lamb Of God, The 2nd Adam, Messiah Ben Joseph, for preaching love, salvation, and advocating a personal relationship with God, was arrested, beaten, spit upon, scourged with the whip, publicly humiliated & mocked, then crucified. Because he had been both God and Man, The Son of God, and Son of Man, "the wages of sin are death" did not apply to Him. He passed every test and every temptation and since there was no sin in Him, therefore being the perfect sacrifice, His sacrifice was worth the price to pay the Sin Debt of all Mankind, and Death could not hold him, and he was Resurrected Lawfully on what we now call Easter.
His sentencing, phony trial, and Kangaroo Court was carried out under the Authority of The Roman Empire under Pilate, in conjunction with The Temple Priests and the local Tetrarch Herod Antipas.
Peter for preaching the gospel, exercising his God Given Right to Free Speech, and for preaching love and forgiveness, was arrested and condemned to Crucifixion. The Roman Empire granted his last request that he be crucified upside down so that his death would not be equal to that of Jesus The Christ. This sentence like all others was passed upon Peter by The Government.
Stephen was stoned to death by local village and religious officials, for preaching Salvation through Faith.
James for preaching the gospel, preaching forgiveness, redemption, and love, and for challenging the authority of organized religion when he advocated The Law of Grace over ritual sacrifices in the temple, was stoned to death, ordered by The Temple Priests, Sadducees and Pharisees, and with the consent of The Roman Government.
Andrew was arrested, sentenced and condemned to Crucifixion in Greece by local authorities, for preaching of a Resurrected Christ, Salvation, and of The Kingdom of God that was to come. This was done under the authority of The Roman Government.
Thomas was arrested, convicted, and sentenced by courts in Persia to be Speared to Death for preaching the gospel, and was condemned to this sentence by local Persian government officials there.
Simon was arrested in India for preaching forgiveness, virtue, salvation, and teaching about The Messiah and The Law of Grace.
Matthew was murdered in Ethiopia according to Apocryphal texts because his preaching of The Kingdom of God was a threat to the government there.
John was arrested by Roman Soldiers, and Sentenced by a Roman Court to be exiled and imprisoned for life, for preaching of Faith, Salvation through the Death, Crucifixion and Resurrection of Christ, and for preaching on the 2nd Coming of Christ. He lived out his life in Exile on Patmos where he wrote The Book of Revelations before dying at Age 90 a condemned man.
All of these men were innocent. All these men did nothing more than exercise their right of Free Speech, which is a Natural Right, based on Natural Law endowed on us by Our Creator.
All these innocent men were condemned, sentenced and punished for exercising their Right of Freedom of Religion, and Free Will to follow their conscience in serving God as they believed, not as they were mandated to.
The Government of Rome hunted this new Christian Sect from one end of the Earth to the other. They fed the followers of Christ to lions and set them ablaze in The Roman Coliseums as Human Torches for Entertainment at night to provide lighting for the gory spectacles and carnage that could be seen for the price of a loaf of bread in their "Bread and Circuses Campaigns in many a Roman Arena, designed to keep the locals pacified and amused. They enslaved Christians, persecuted them, burned down their homes, brutalized them, drew and quartered them, tormented tortured and imprisoned them, and put them to death trying to stamp them out, and silence their voices. Such is The Government of Men when they feel threatened, and fear that their power is being usurped by the mere threat of Free Speech., persecuted them, burned down their homes, brutalized them, drew and quartered them, tormented tortured and imprisoned them, and put them to death trying to stamp them out, and silence their voices. Such is The Government of Men when they feel threatened, and fear that their power is being usurped by the mere threat of Free Speech.
Lest we forget why they died, let me remind you again:
They died for believing in The Creator, for Believing in God, and for Freely stating what they believed in Public under the Rights of Natural Law, The Natural Law of Free Speech, Freedom of Thought and Action, Freedom of Religion and Freedom to pursue Life, Liberty and Happiness as they saw fit, and for believing that Rights come From God, and Not The Governments of Men!
The Declaration of Independence: Full text
When in the Course of human events it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. —
That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, —
That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness.
Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed.
But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security. —
Think upon this as you Celebrate your Easter Holiday. Think upon your freedoms won for you through the inspiration of such men, and whom or Forefathers revered and followed, and then through that inspiration, and faith, built for us upon such principles the first Government in the History of Man, A Government For We The People, that was built upon the simple concept that Human Rights do not come from The Governments of Men, but that they are Endowed upon us By a Living Creator who wants us to be Free and Happy.
Consider The Following:
John The Baptist, arguably the last Old Testament Prophet, for preaching against sin, and unrighteousness, and for advocating a personal relationship with God outside of Organized Religion, and for prophesying the coming of The Messiah and The Kingdom of God, was imprisoned, beaten, and beheaded. This was done by The Roman Empire under Pilate, in conjunction with Temple Priests and the local Tetrach, Herod Antipas.
Judas Iscariot was bribed by Temple Officials and the Local Government to betray Jesus for 30 pieces of Silver. Some say he wanted to pressure Jesus to fulfill one part of prophecy that discusses the coming of Messiah Ben David, the conquering Messiah, while others say that he was simply tempted, or angered because he felt Jesus was far too generous with the group's finances. What we now know is that Jesus came to fulfill part of a two part prophesy and came to Earth to serve as Messiah Ben Joseph, the Suffering Savior. We will never know what motivations though, Judas had for betraying Jesus, but what we do know is that when he learned of Jesus' Crucifixion, he threw the 30 pieces of silver back at the Temple Officials feet, who not wanting to take the tainted blood money back in to The Temple as this was unlawful, they instead bought Aceldama (the field of blood) or "the potter's field" that was used to bury travelers and strangers in. Judas after fleeing the temple was overcome with grief or guilt and hung himself to death, the rope broke however, and he fell to his death is a gruesome manner his bowels and organs bursting from his body in a bloody mess.
What Did Judas Do with the Money?
Jesus The Christ whom many call The Messiah, The Lamb Of God, The 2nd Adam, Messiah Ben Joseph, for preaching love, salvation, and advocating a personal relationship with God, was arrested, beaten, spit upon, scourged with the whip, publicly humiliated & mocked, then crucified. Because he had been both God and Man, The Son of God, and Son of Man, "the wages of sin are death" did not apply to Him. He passed every test and every temptation and since there was no sin in Him, therefore being the perfect sacrifice, His sacrifice was worth the price to pay the Sin Debt of all Mankind, and Death could not hold him, and he was Resurrected Lawfully on what we now call Easter.
His sentencing, phony trial, and Kangaroo Court was carried out under the Authority of The Roman Empire under Pilate, in conjunction with The Temple Priests and the local Tetrarch Herod Antipas.
Peter for preaching the gospel, exercising his God Given Right to Free Speech, and for preaching love and forgiveness, was arrested and condemned to Crucifixion. The Roman Empire granted his last request that he be crucified upside down so that his death would not be equal to that of Jesus The Christ. This sentence like all others was passed upon Peter by The Government.
Stephen was stoned to death by local village and religious officials, for preaching Salvation through Faith.
James for preaching the gospel, preaching forgiveness, redemption, and love, and for challenging the authority of organized religion when he advocated The Law of Grace over ritual sacrifices in the temple, was stoned to death, ordered by The Temple Priests, Sadducees and Pharisees, and with the consent of The Roman Government.
Andrew was arrested, sentenced and condemned to Crucifixion in Greece by local authorities, for preaching of a Resurrected Christ, Salvation, and of The Kingdom of God that was to come. This was done under the authority of The Roman Government.
Thomas was arrested, convicted, and sentenced by courts in Persia to be Speared to Death for preaching the gospel, and was condemned to this sentence by local Persian government officials there.
Simon was arrested in India for preaching forgiveness, virtue, salvation, and teaching about The Messiah and The Law of Grace.
Matthew was murdered in Ethiopia according to Apocryphal texts because his preaching of The Kingdom of God was a threat to the government there.
John was arrested by Roman Soldiers, and Sentenced by a Roman Court to be exiled and imprisoned for life, for preaching of Faith, Salvation through the Death, Crucifixion and Resurrection of Christ, and for preaching on the 2nd Coming of Christ. He lived out his life in Exile on Patmos where he wrote The Book of Revelations before dying at Age 90 a condemned man.
All of these men were innocent. All these men did nothing more than exercise their right of Free Speech, which is a Natural Right, based on Natural Law endowed on us by Our Creator.
All these innocent men were condemned, sentenced and punished for exercising their Right of Freedom of Religion, and Free Will to follow their conscience in serving God as they believed, not as they were mandated to.
The Government of Rome hunted this new Christian Sect from one end of the Earth to the other. They fed the followers of Christ to lions and set them ablaze in The Roman Coliseums as Human Torches for Entertainment at night to provide lighting for the gory spectacles and carnage that could be seen for the price of a loaf of bread in their "Bread and Circuses Campaigns in many a Roman Arena, designed to keep the locals pacified and amused. They enslaved Christians, persecuted them, burned down their homes, brutalized them, drew and quartered them, tormented tortured and imprisoned them, and put them to death trying to stamp them out, and silence their voices. Such is The Government of Men when they feel threatened, and fear that their power is being usurped by the mere threat of Free Speech., persecuted them, burned down their homes, brutalized them, drew and quartered them, tormented tortured and imprisoned them, and put them to death trying to stamp them out, and silence their voices. Such is The Government of Men when they feel threatened, and fear that their power is being usurped by the mere threat of Free Speech.
Lest we forget why they died, let me remind you again:
They died for believing in The Creator, for Believing in God, and for Freely stating what they believed in Public under the Rights of Natural Law, The Natural Law of Free Speech, Freedom of Thought and Action, Freedom of Religion and Freedom to pursue Life, Liberty and Happiness as they saw fit, and for believing that Rights come From God, and Not The Governments of Men!
The Declaration of Independence: Full text
When in the Course of human events it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. —
That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, —
That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness.
Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed.
But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security. —
Think upon this as you Celebrate your Easter Holiday. Think upon your freedoms won for you through the inspiration of such men, and whom or Forefathers revered and followed, and then through that inspiration, and faith, built for us upon such principles the first Government in the History of Man, A Government For We The People, that was built upon the simple concept that Human Rights do not come from The Governments of Men, but that they are Endowed upon us By a Living Creator who wants us to be Free and Happy.
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