What is Freedom?

Jul 05, 1998 by Rev. Christine

This is 4th of July weekend, and yesterday we celebrated the victory of our founding fathers of 1776. The day this country declared its independence from oppression. The Bill of Rights guaranteed our freedom in speech, freedom in worship, freedom in our pursuit of happiness. These men had great vision, and understanding of spiritual law. The foundation of this country is based upon spiritual Truth principle. Its no wonder that the New Thought movement began in America.

Thomas Jefferson, in 1779, said "The legitimate powers of government extend to such acts only as are injurious to others. But it does me no injury for my neighbor to say there are twenty Gods, or no God."

John Adams our 2nd president said, "Our constitution was designed only for moral and religious people."

I have to remind myself that the government is an institution for operating the business of the country, but is not the soul of our country - we are! Through our visions and adherence to truth principle we can and do make change in our worldly affairs.

Many people of today are wanting freedom from something rather than in something. True freedom isn't running from something, but rather being free right where we are in whatever we are doing. Many of today's youth want freedom from work, from education, from responsibility and moral ethics. Instead they are looking for a system that will take care of them - complete dependency rather than independence.

Freedom in something gives independence in thought, action, and feeling. Self responsibility, self-authority, self-realized are qualities of the free. Many of today have forgotten that with freedom comes responsibility to live as a free person. We can exercise our free choice to the point where we lose our of freedom. When we believe in lack, or illness are we free? When we run up large bills, credit cards and loans are we free? When we believe in dooms day world disasters are we free?

I remember back in early 1972 I moved to Reno, Nevada to avoid California falling into the ocean based upon Edgar Cayce's predictions. I came back in late 1977 after coming to the conclusion that I had nothing to run from, but had to face my own fears of death, and stand in my truth of eternal life.

When we make any choices out of fear we are no longer free. Instead our emotions are ruling and we give power to appearances. I have heard the saying that one must learn how to die before they can truly live life. I take this to mean that we must get over our fears before we can truly live life and become all that we have the potential to be.

The Bible begins with the story of Adam and Eve falling out of grace and exiled from the Garden of Eden into a world to be conquered. What changed everything? Adam ate of the apple and blamed Eve for tempting him. Eve would represent his desires. Adam allowed his desires to over rule that which he knew to be right. And, then denied his participation. Adam chose freedom from responsibility, and fell victim to circumstances. The rest of the Bible is a road map back to our God Self, and taking back our responsibility for our creations.

In the book of John 8:31-32: "Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, ‘If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.'" What is his word, that we are all the son of God, an all loving Father, Mother, God - that we love one another as He has loved us - that nothing of this world has power over our true Self. That we too can do these works and even greater works than these.

I thought I'd share with you today from Emmet Fox's booklet "The Historical Destiny of the United States and The Mystery of the American Money." I shared this in my talk of July 1995, Al and I were talking earlier this month when he suggested that I do it again.

Symbolism is the language of hidden truth. It is a living language that speaks through eternity. Remember the saying "A picture is worth a 1,000 words." The Bible is filled with symbolism and codes for hidden deeper esoteric meanings - one can reveal these through study and contemplation.

Our money, both currency and coin, is printed with many spiritual many symbols to remind us of our rights, our freedom, our potential, and the Truth. What better way to make sure that everyone would have the symbols in their everyday life. Its interesting that the more we use checks and credit cards, the further we are from the symbols of freedom that our country was founded on.

Emmet fox explains the symbols for us using a 25 cent piece back in 1933. He speaks of the female figure with a shield. This figure indicates an upstanding and confident bearing soul; it is a figure of poise. She also grasps an olive branch which is the symbol of peace and good-will. Here the soul is armed, not with the sword of war, but with the sword of Spirit which is the Word of God. Over her head is written the word Liberty.

Then we have the slogan "In God We Trust." We trust in God for our good, not the coin, currency, check book, bank, employer, or government - but In God I Trust. Trusting in spirit, the invisible God substance made manifest as form. We are reminded every time we look, touch, and exchange our money to start from the casual power of God. The money just represents a medium of exchange for God energy.

On the other side of the coin is the cosmic law itself condensed into three words "E Pluribus Unum"; meaning "one out of many." Next we have the flying eagle which is the symbol of victory. An ancient legend concerning the eagle tells us that he is remarkable among birds. When a severe storm occurs, all other birds do one of two things; either they hide from the storm, or they try to fight it as long as their strength will hold out. The eagle, however, does neither of these things - he soars above the storm.

This is as we practice in prayer treatment - we soar above the appearance to the spiritual consciousness of peace and harmony - to our oneness. All else falls away in the heights of consciousness.

We are reminded that our symbol of an eagle is different from all others; our's is the bald-headed eagle, and wears no crown. This represents the power of direct contact with the Divine, or as we say, "The practice of the Presence of God." The top of the head has always been used to signify the faculty of direct contact with God, such as our crown chakra. There being no crown means our own Divinity. Our own Self-realization and true dominion over our own life.

We also have the lady liberty holding the torch of knowledge, and her foot placed upon the rock of Truth, and behind her the sun of righteousness is arising. We also have the 13 stars. The number 13 spiritually is an expansion of the number 4; meaning a foundation completed and a new beginning, or a new order of things has commenced. It also stands for the Christ Consciousness. We see 13 feathers in the eagle's wing, 13 arrows in his claw, 13 leaves and 13 fruit on the olive branch, and 13 steps to the pyramid.

Then we have the pyramid with a capstone not yet lowered into place, and above it and within a triangle appears the ancient symbol of the all-seeing eye. This is the "Single Eye" of which Jesus Christ spoke. He said, "When the eye is single the whole body is full of light." This means that when we individually and on a national level put God first, everything else second, then the whole body, the whole life of that person and nation will be healthy, free and prosperous.

The triangle is the symbol of the human soul and Divine understanding of the principle of creation. The capstone of the pyramid is still removed to indicate that man cannot accomplish any real work of himself, but only as the instrument of God by having a Single Eye.

The pyramid is the geometrical form that symbolizes Spirit, as it is taken to be the permanent expression of a living flame - the fire principle. The pyramid also represents stability because of its solid shape and most difficult to overturn.

I'll close with the following quote by Emmet Fox: "Unless you are seeking to embody the American Spirit in your own personal life and conduct, you are no true American, even though you may have authentic Mayflower ancestry.

If you allow yourself to judge the worth of a man by anything except his character, if you discriminate against him for any reason that is outside of his own control, you are no true American. If you judge him by his parents, or his connections, or his external conditions, instead of by himself, you are no true American.

If you allow yourself to be hampered by any question of precedents or traditions, you are no true American. If you think that any kind of honest work can be degrading, you are no true American. If you would not rather be independent in plain surroundings, than dependent in luxury, you are no true American.

If you allow yourself to be dazzled by any exalted Office, or intimidated or hypnotized by pretentious titles or gorgeous uniforms of any kind, you are no true American.

And, unless you believe that the poorest boy or girl doing chores around the farm, or playing on the sidewalk of a great city is just as likely - given the opportunity - to turn out to be the greatest soul in the nation, as the child who is reared in the lap of luxury, you are no true American."

Now I would like to hear from those present in what Freedom means to you.

Affirmation:
"Today I live in freedom: freedom in love, in prosperity, in health, in knowledge, and in truth."

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