When Do We Give Up Our Rights? (Part 1)

Here in America we make many of our own laws.  It is something we are proud of and boost about.  Unfortunately, sometimes this can lead to problems.  I was looking the other day at particularly laws in California.  And as I was doing so, I came across some very interesting ones.  For example, in Hollywood, it is illegal to drive more than two thousand sheep down  Hollywood Boulevard at one time.  In Baldwin Park, nobody is allowed to ride a bicycle in a swimming pool.  In Chico, anyone detonating a nuclear device within the city limits results in a $500 fine.  In San Francisco, it is illegal to wipe one’s car with used underwear.  Also in San Francisco, a person classified as “ugly” may not walk down any street.  Did you also know in California that it is illegal to have caller ID.  Not only that, you may not set a mouse trap without a hunting license.  And if you are into gaming, it is a misdemeanor to shoot at any kind of game from a moving vehicle, unless the target is a whale.  And last, no vehicle without a driver may exceed 60 miles per hour.

Yes, we Californians are brilliant law makers.  But fortunately for us, when this country was formed, our forefathers were much brighter than current lawmakers.  Not only did they set up how a democracy was to run, but they also included a “Bill of Rights”.  A statement of rights that the government cannot take away.  In the Declaration of Independence, Thomas Jefferson wrote to the British monoarchy declaring this rights.  He said, “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.”  Powerful words.  But each one of us would agree with them.  We love talking about our rights.  And if someone tries to take them away, we are the first to stand up and say, “You can’t stop me, it’s my right!”  Let’s just quickly look at a few of our rights.

The first let’s look at our right to free speech.  We have the right to speak our minds.  We can talk about whether we think the war in Iraq is just or not.  We can talk about whether or not the government is making the right choice.  We, as Christian, can even go and preach the Gospel.  We have the right to go out into a public place, like a mall, a court house, a park, and preach the Gospel.  We have this right to say what we believe in even if people disagree.  Whether you are a gay activist, a liberal, a conservative, a Muslim, a Buddhist, or a Christian, we all of us have a right to the freedom of speech.

How about our right to be paid for work?  If you work at a job, you have a right to be paid a fair wage.  Or how about our right to freedom of expression?  We can dress anyway we want in America or dye our hair any color and now one can stop us.  All of us have a right to privacy too.  No one can come into our home without a search warrant and no one can tap our phones without permission.   

But is there a time when we might give up these rights?  When should these rights be put aside? When might we, as Christians, give up our rights?

Check out my next post in a few days for the answer. . .