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July 27, 2015 Jesus said "a house divided cannot stand.” But that’s what we are witnessing in our nation right now! The cry of "Racism" is an attempt to divide us. It’s also an attempt to bring “income equality.” Our country was formed on the premise that all people are created equal. That doesn’t mean we’re all the same. Each of us has unique gifts/talents and that makes us different. In a free society, it’s how we use/apply these God-given gifts that determine the outcome. Outcomes aren’t guaranteed, opportunity must be! Over the last seven years we have seen a major change in our country. From Ferguson to Baltimore we have seen the fires of racism stoked by people like Al Sharpton and the current administration. Where white police officers have shot blacks, people have jumped to conclusions not waiting for the evidence. Meanwhile black on black shootings sadly go virtually unnoticed. Both should be a concern. Now we discover the Administration has a secret database with personal racial-profiling demographics. The purpose is to force communities to integrate low income housing into a mold acceptable to the Administration. We’re not against multicultural neighborhoods, in fact the Three Musketeers live in just such neighborhoods. What we object to is the government forcing its views upon people. We fought a Civil War to rid ourselves of slavery. It was a Republican President (Lincoln) who led the charge to free the slaves. In the late 1860s Republican Congresses worked to pass the 14th Amendment ensuring states couldn’t re-enslave people. The Republicans fought against the Jim Crow laws and pole taxes that kept Black people from voting. Even the Texas Republican Party was founded by 150 blacks and 20 whites on Independence Day two years after the end of the Civil War! Slavery and discrimination based on color is abhorrent to the three of us. To us, freedom belongs to ALL people. Freedom should bring us together. But what we’re seeing is a concerted effort by those currently in power to categorize people and to pit one group against another. Today there is also another form of enslavement – a growing dependence on the Government. Over 3,000 years ago God freed His people from slavery in Egypt. But when things got tough many Israelites longed for the familiar (enslaved) life in Egypt where the government supplied their needs. But there’s one thing Pharaoh’s government didn’t provide -- freedom! In 2012 we learned 47% of the people in the U.S. are receiving government benefits without contributing to the revenue stream and this number is growing. Freedom isn’t relying upon the government for handouts. It’s making our own choices and being responsible for the consequences of those choices. The reality is that dependence on the government is a type of slavery. It’s time for all to stand for freedom by applying ourselves; letting go of relying upon others -- through government handouts. Relying upon the government will always end in failure and discontentment! So don’t let us be divided. Stand together! John, Mark, and Bill
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