This month in the United States, we celebrate an event that would forever change the course of our history—the signing of the Declaration of Independence.  After years of tyranny under British rule, American colonists renounced the authority of King George III and declared themselves to be a sovereign nation.  After a long and costly war, the colonists prevailed and were determined to make America a place where people could be truly free.  The concept of freedom is something deeply ingrained in our society to this day.  But in recent years, much of the unravelling of our nation appears to come from a misunderstanding of what freedom actually is.

Freedom is the right to make responsible, virtuous life choices that uphold the common good.  Because we were created as rational beings with free will, we have the power to control our actions and shape our own lives by our choices.  This makes us responsible for the decisions we make, which requires us to exercise restraint and set healthy limitations to protect ourselves and those around us.  We can choose to do whatever we want, but in reality, we will only be free to the extent that we cooperate with what is true and good. 

In modern society, this sense of responsibility and regard for the common good—both of which are necessary for true freedom—have been greatly diminished.  As a result, our understanding of freedom has become more akin to “license”—believing that we should be able to do whatever we want without any hindrances or limitations whatsoever.  Instead of embracing responsibility for their lives, some have gone so far as to demand change to societal structures and norms in order to eliminate the negative consequences of their actions and opinions.  Rather than conforming themselves to truth, these people seek to redefine truth to make it conform to them.

It’s no wonder why so many people have turned their back on religion.  By design, it has a strict moral system and code of conduct that keeps people from doing whatever they want.  Those boundaries are there for our freedom—they free us from selfishness and vice so we can live fuller, happier lives.  But people in our society have been trained to see these limitations as unjust infringements on their freedom.  If people view God’s law as oppression, then there’s only one thing to do to be truly free—renounce the King and declare independence.  That’s what many people in this country have done, and I don’t think anyone is any better off for it.

The freedoms we have in this country today are because of the sacrifices of those who came before us.  This is certainly something to appreciate and give thanks for.  But if we want to give future generations any chance of enjoying these freedoms, we must make sacrifices to preserve and pass them on.  This may cost us our livelihoods, our reputations, or even our very lives, but the stakes are too high to give anything less than everything.