On this Independence Day, most will celebrate Freedom - and I believe there are many who cannot see beyond their own choices; in religion and love, and I guess politics. They want to color the whole world so it reflects their own choices.
Many never have practiced freedom and yet celebrate it like it is something they know intimately.
I wasn't able to know freedom until I knew what not being free was.
Freedom begins in the mind.
With our thoughts and beliefs.
For so many years I believed that others needed to change.
Others needed to do things differently
Love different,
Be different,
Believe different,
Act different.
Coming from sameness of being in a conservative cult like religion, I wanted everyone to be the same.
Same felt right. Different felt wrong.
When so many wave their freedom flags, what they really want is sameness. They don't want US to be free, they want us to be like them. Often many have minds and thoughts/beliefs that will not allow those unlike them to be free.
It wasn't until I was unlike my old church, that I understood this.
I was now one that wasn't okay.
I didn't belong
I didn't think or make the same choices.
I was different.
They don't celebrate different or embrace and love different.
Freedom isn't conditional - just as many love with conditions, they 'grant' freedom with conditions.
It feels most awkward this year to be celebrating freedom - when choices are constricted.
At best it is half freedom day.
Where males are more free than women in our country.
Christians want their religion to be free - while they put constraints on other beliefs.
I am pretty certain, the more certain you are about your religion and your beliefs - the less you allow others the freedom to believe differently.
So many of us were born into conservative thinking and beliefs, in a male dominated home. Born in captivity and celebrating freedom. Freedom few truly know the meaning of.
The cage is invisible - yet like an iron curtain in their minds.
Practicing freedom means you allow everyone to be free to be themselves, the freedom of choice, voice and action. Freedom is an individualize way of being. Where power is on the individual - not overruled by a group.
I had to look up the definition
"the power or right to act, speak, or think as one wants without hindrance or restraint."
So often the ones who are screaming freedom and my body - my choice are the ones trying to restrain others from being free.
The flags many are waving are restraint bands.
They want to take away rights from others - so their beliefs and religions appear more right.
The more freedom of choice we have, the more awkward their religion.
While their freedom of religion and freedom of independence seems to be what they want - what they really want is for us NOT to be free.
They want us to fall into line step behind them. To be and do as they do.
If only Independence Day was about independent individuals.
I have to look up independent.
": not subject to control by others : self-governing."
This is freedom.
Those outside of the church and religions, want the freedom from being controlled - we don't want your beliefs. And yet those inside beliefs are trickling outside - and restraining freedoms.
We don't want to be under the same controls that you all are.
We want self-governing.
That is freedom.
If you are in conservative, cult-like, overreaching religion. You don't know freedom at the root level.
Perhaps what you are cheering for is your church and beliefs.
But you are not cheering for those outside of it - to be allowed the same.
Freedom isn't just one way. One right way. One right Church. One right love. One right freedom.
Freedom includes everything.
I wish we were really celebrating everyone and all choices.
That is an Independence Day I could celebrate.
I truly want total freedom for all.
Individuals who are free - are peaceful, loving and kind.
For they want for everyone the rights to be themselves.
No matter how it appears.
The more we allow everyone their freedom, the more empowered each individual would be.
When you take away someone's power you are making them less.
What seems like an oxymoron, the more freedoms you give someone, the more powerful they become.
Today I would love to celebrate the freedoms of everyone - but we are not all free.
Our country may be free from outside rule; but within the country we are losing individual rule. We cannot be a free country when our individuals are not free.
They speak of separation of church and state. We actually need separation from other individuals.
We need total empowerment on the individual level.
America is only as free as the one who has the least amount of rights.
The strength of any group is as strong as its weakest member.
My freedom allowed the rest of my house to be free.
We are strong by our individual strengths.
I celebrate individual freedom.
