Freedom--A National Treasure

In the 2005 blockbuster hit, National Treasure, Benjamin Franklin Gates has his hands full. Along with his father, his assistant, Riley Poole, and Dr. Abigail Chase, Ben has the task of protecting the Declaration of Independence. Though there were ulterior motives for doing so, Ben and his friends were willing to go down creepy tunnels inside the tomb, jump off the U.S.S. Intrepid, be chased all through downtown Philadelphia, and get shot at, in order that the Declaration would not fall into the hands of Ian Howe. The good guys knew the significance, the history, and the importance of keeping the document protected.

Two hundred and thirty-two years ago, a group of men met to protect something even more valuable than the Declaration of Independence—their freedoms. John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Samuel Adams, and John Hancock were fed up with the state of affairs in the colonies. Taxes had been legislated across the pond and enforced at home. The only problem was that the colonists had absolutely no say about the whole thing. Their homes and lives were being violated; what their ancestors on the Mayflower had fled from was happening all over again. Just like the men of the 17th Century, the men of the 18th century had to do something in order to preserve their homeland for their children. John and Samuel Adams, Benjamin Franklin and John Hancock also knew the significance of freedom and the importance of protecting those rights—regardless of the price tag.

Today, protecting seems to be a lost art. Freedom is a word we use flippantly. The terms “freedom in Christ” or “freedom of speech” are common excuses people give for their actions. Yet, because people desire things to be easier for themselves, freedoms are given over more and more to the government each and every day. Now, it is expected that education and education funding are to be under government control; if you have a problem, the government will bail you out; social security has replaced children taking care of their aged parents; medicare is something the government pays for. The list could go on and on. What people do not seem to realize, is that once you have a taste of power, you want more and more. The government is no exception.

The right to live as we choose is a blessing from the Lord. The United States still does allow basic freedoms, as stated in the 1st Amendment to the Constitution; life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness still exists. Yet, there may come a time when those freedoms are violated and removed. It is not a pleasant thought, but we must ask ourselves what would we be willing to do in order to keep them. Christ gave us freedom over sin by dying in our place; many of the signers of the Declaration were persecuted for what they had done. Perhaps we will experience the same one day.

Freedom is something that cannot be easily taken away from us (or rather, it shouldn’t be.) In National Treasure, Ben Gates did not regard the Declaration of Independence as a bargaining chip to get him out of trouble. That old piece of paper meant much more to him. Our Founding Fathers believed in a nation that was safe and free not only for their children but also for those who wanted a safe haven from tyranny, oppression, and religious persecution. The ability to have that was not a bargaining chip for them. The signers would not lay freedom on the table in order to get back into King George III’s good graces.

The same should be true of us. This Fourth of July, remember what a blessing the Founding Fathers, the Declaration of Independence, and freedom are. They are some of the greatest “national treasures” we will ever possess.