America and Freedom

America and Freedom

We cannot set people free. They can only set themselves free – one individual at a time. We can make space in a political system for freedom to grow, in the same way that we can clear land and plant a seed; but we cannot make it grow. Freedom – the spirit of freedom – can be caught, recognized, discovered, cultivated, offered; and it can be ignored, thrown away, lost, feared and oppressed.

Democracy only works in a spiritually mature population. If government is “by” the people, then the people have to be mature enough to work for the common good rather than selfishly accumulate power and wealth. Education is not enough to insure the survival of a democracy; spiritual maturity is an absolute necessity. Sociopaths can be very intelligent and have many degrees. But perhaps even sociopaths can be converted!

In America we have a great opportunity to grow beyond the never-ending desire for more, bigger and better “stuff”. We have a great opportunity to overcome our addictions to pleasure, entertainment and comfort. We will enjoy our “stuff” and our pleasures so much more if we are not addicted to them – if we are sharing ourselves compassionately with others in the human family [which Martin Luther King, Jr. called, the “beloved community”]. We have perhaps the greatest opportunity in history to rise above our lower selves, embrace our “shadow” without being determined by it, confess our sins and receive forgiveness, be empowered by the Holy Spirit, follow in the Way of Christ, receive the best gifts from all religions, traditions and denominations. We have the great opportunity to become very sincere in our efforts to move beyond preoccupation with the material world, while working peacefully and thankfully to make it better for the next generation and for ourselves. In short, we now have the great opportunity to move into the next level of inner freedom, understanding and compassion. The Truth that we need is all around us, but if we do not stop, be still, listen, pray, meditate, seek; we will miss it. We will miss the Main Thing. Jesus said it this way: “Seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all the other things will be added to you.” [Mt.6:33]


Robert Hutchins was dean of Yale Law School and then president and chancellor of the University of Chicago.  He warned, "The death of democracy is not likely to be an assassination from ambush.  It will be a slow extinction from apathy, indifference, and undernourishment."  Abraham Lincoln was more optimistic, claiming that "the ballot is stronger than the bullet."  The survival of our democracy after his assassination proved his point. Jim Denison