A random thought struck me as I was reading through a few articles on right-wing extremists - thanks mostly to the recent news about a rather good-looking and mild-mannered 32 year-old Norwegian committing acts of terrorism in the name of God.
Ironically enough, that was the same kind of reasoning given by the Islam-based terrorists who believed they were waging a holy war and doing jihad for righteous reasons.
Upon reading through an analysis of the potential harms right-wing extremists can cause to the U.S government and country itself, one word kept popping up in their line of reasoning - Freedom.
Makes me wonder - What kind of freedom are they talking about here? Freedom from sin, or freedom from "oppressive measures by the government" and from "a land of infidels"?
Anders Behring Breivik seemed to fall into the latter category, what with his 1500-page manifesto and his admittance to doing it due to his dissatisfaction (too mild a word, perhaps) at multiculturalism and Muslim immigration. Not that I am one to judge, but his actions certainly spoke really loud - literally with a bang.
Now, what I can't understand is how he, in the name of freedom, deigned it appropriate and justifiable that he should serve the role of a judge to decide that. That he should take a bomb and a gun and proceed to ROB 90+ victims of their freedom to live.
The same could be said of the right-wing party in U.S politics right now, whereby they seem to be arguing simply just to oppose a president they think should never have been. I'd like to see how those arguments help with the freedom of the people, thank you.
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But more than all that, it gets me to think that everyone has their own freedom of choice.
"Wait just a minute here! I was born into poverty, I live in a run-down apartment with no lighting, inconsistent water supply, crazy neighbours who come back drunk or beaten up every other night and am forced to work as a trash collector. What do you mean I have freedom?"
"Listen, smarty pants, these bills are taking away my rights as a citizen. Can't a man get some protection for his house and his pet with just one or two lil' firearms? You don't live in America. You don't understand, dumbass."
I certainly don't, since I have never truly experienced either scenario (both excerpts from conversations I've experienced or seen online). However, I do know one thing.
We are STILL free to make our own decisions, just as God made us.
Sometimes others would argue that the circumstances force them to make but that one or two choices, and sometimes I think they are right. But ultimately, we still make our own choices. At most, circumstances influence those choices, but never truly force us to do so.
Like when a person walks away and shuns everyone who has done practically nothing wrong to him/her. Like when you shout at your boss under heavy stress. Like when you decided that your abilities are enough and that you don't need God.
Feel free to interpret this whatever way you like, since all I'm doing is illustrate a few examples I've seen or experienced thus far in life....Some of which has hurt me bad enough to leave a permanent scar.
And at that point, I too had a choice - Turn my back on God because what He promised didn't come to pass, or reflect and evaluate on my own actions and get back to Him despite the crap I went through.
There was no better answer than reading the story of the Prodigal Son.
We all still make bad decisions, of course...But the important thing is to always grab hold of autonomy and make choices rather than blame the circumstances and people for 'forcing' you to do certain things. That makes us all irresponsible and immature, no matter how old or self-sufficient we think we are.
So, what do YOU believe?
What is YOUR choice?
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