I’ve been talking recently about Faith, finding it, having it and having it work for you. Importantly, what is it? What does it mean to you?
I have spoken about some of my own experience with faith and posed, I hope, some questions for all of us to ponder.
One other very important experience in all of our lives is Hope. The Dictionary defines Hope as ‘expectation and desire’, hope of receiving is just one example. Without hope of being something or hope of attaining something where does that leave us?
We have all heard the wise old saying ‘where there is Life there is Hope. So in keeping with the principle of keeping all in balance, we could say that ‘where there is Hope there is Life, couldn’t we?
Some say and I do not disagree, that a life without hope is not only a lonely old life but a life with no real purpose. The question is then, that without hopes and dreams what is there left to strive for?
We all need to dream of something ; a better life for ourselves, a better life for those we love and value, a better life for our fellow man, a world free of poverty, a world where no nations hunt whales, a world where humanity is revered above corporate profit, where paedophiles are taken to an island and left there, with only their own kind as company and with no way to communicate with the outside world…oops my thoughts, not those of the editor, although he/she may agree.
But I digress.
I have Faith; faith that I can travel through this life and not be crushed by its disappointments but learn from them; faith that if I strive to do good myself and for my brothers and sisters I will reap the good that I sow; faith that the whole ‘good and bad’ thing is truly worth every tear, every time you get your heart broken and your dreams are dashed.
I have hope that we can, together, make this a better world to leave to our children; hope that right will prevail and eventually triumph over evil; hope that humanity will rise to its feet and embrace its finest hour by freeing the oppressed and feeding the starving.
Fear. The dictionary defines Fear as ‘an unpleasant emotion caused by exposure to danger, expectation of pain, a state of alarm’ therefore I am experiencing Fear.
What I fear the most these days is the ever growing feeling that we are losing our freedom; our rights; our very way of life. I fear we are losing our Democracy, our democratic rights, the right to live in a democratic society.
The dictionary defines democracy as ’a system of government by the whole population, through elected representatives; based on the Greek ‘demos’, meaning ‘the people’.
We have seen just lately, the ugly head of fear raising itself to leer menacingly at those of us who still hold our Democratic right to freedom of speech, dear and close to our hearts. This is a fundamental right and must be protected and preserved at all costs.
There was a visit to our country recently from a politician from Europe who came here to express his concerns over the growth and influence of the Australian Islamic community. I was personally appalled at the treatment he received from our Immigration officials and all concerned who tried to hinder his entry into Australia and his stay here. But that is not what I want to talk about here and now.
What I am most concerned about was the attempts by certain parties, to silence his right to freedom of speech. The hotels that refused him accommodation or access to speaking forums and those so called Australians who were complicit in trying to ‘censor’ his right to freedom of speech ought to be thoroughly ashamed of themselves.
Freedom of speech is the greatest tool the common man has to fight tyranny and oppression wherever he may find it.
Political correctness is to those who have eyes to see, the thin part of a wedge that is being driven into our way of life. It seeks to silence dissent and to deny we, the people any voice against what we perceive to be unjust or morally repugnant.
There is that great old saying that I quote from time to time, ‘when injustice becomes law, resistance becomes duty. This can only be used as a weapon if we retain our freedom of speech.
Freedom of speech is one of the cornerstones of our Democracy.
Take away our freedom of speech and ‘they’ will be able to get away with anything they want. Take away out right to assembly and the freedom to speak freely, the truth as we see it and we are reduced to nothing more than slaves in our own country and servants to masters we fear.
What alarmed me most was not what this man had to say but that so many people were afraid to let him speak. They were afraid of what he had come here to say. The question was asked on talk back radio and in the press as well, just what was it that people were so afraid of hearing? What was it that this man had to say that was so frightening that people were afraid to listen, afraid just to hear his words?
Was he here to tell lies, to purposely deceive to further his own lot? Was he here to mislead us in an effort to benefit himself in any way?
Whether he was or was not is not irrelevant and the purpose of his visit can and should be debated openly and without fear but the most alarming aspect for me was that in this, our Democracy, there were some of our country men and women that would work purposely to not allow him and therefore anyone, his right to freedom of speech.
Either we have a Democracy or we don’t. Either we have freedom of assembly or we don’t. Either we have freedom of speech or we don’t. We can’t have it both ways. We have to protect the right for anyone to have their say. I am often offended by what someone might say or do but I will defend their right to say it.
When I have seen people burning the Australian flag and denigrating our history I have been deeply offended but in a real Democracy those people have the right to peaceful assembly and the right to freedom of speech and if I believe in that Democracy and I do, then I must stand back and allow them that freedom of expression no matter how distasteful it may be to me personally.
There are none so blind as those that will not see.
There is nothing to fear but fear itself.
The Truth sets us all free.
Until next time we are together go with your God, go in Peace.
Your friend Angry