The World and the Word

                                                       Freedom versus Tyranny

Jesus taught in John 8:32: "And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." While Jesus' statement has mainly a spiritual meaning: that is, if a person comes to know Jesus, who embodies truth, repents of one's sins and puts one's trust in Him as one's Savior, then that person will become "born again" and forever saved by God's grace. John 3:3; John 14:6. But Jesus' teaching also has a wider application in that it demonstrates the method by which people can obtain physical and political liberty. In order to obtain freedom, people must know the actual events that take place in life. Only in this way, can people make informed decisions based on their ability to distinguish between truth and lies. Truth liberates. Lies enslave.

This truth can be illustrated by that which happens in honest and fair courts of law. While no court can be perfect, as a general rule, a fair court can often obtain a close approximation of the truth by allowing a defendant the presumption of innocence, a disinterested judge who strictly rules according to the law, a trial by a jury of one's peers, oaths to tell the truth, examination and cross-examination of witnesses, and a fair presentation of all evidence. When courts of law do not employ these fair methods to find the truth, then many an innocent person loses their liberty.

Tyrants often employ dishonest courts to enslave innocent people. The judge presumes the defendant to be guilty, and false witnesses and false evidences are used to falsely convict an innocent person of a crime when that person actually only criticized the tyrant.

Tyrants often employ lies to keep their people under their control. For example, a typical tyrant will tell his people that physical, mental, and political freedoms are mere illusions, that people are really only free when they obey the tyrant. Lies control. Truth liberates.