In the past few months, Ive been reading through Quaker history, books, and articles that have been demonstrating to me How Quakerism invented America. While in seminary in 1987, one of my church history Professors, Dr. Elizabeth Norbeck, shared early on in the development of America Quakers were a major force. However, although they no longer large in number or in influence today, their values as a faith community went up into and are a part of major values held as sacred within American culture. This thought has remained present in my thoughts over the years. Then in 2007, while working on my doctoral class work, my favorite professor of all time, Dr. Leonard Sweet, made this observation. He said, “George Fox and Quakerism will be rediscovered in the 21st century and may be the best answer in presenting Christ to the postmodern mind.” So this moved me forward in beginning an indepth study over the last few years into learning about the history of Quakerism and how Dr. Norbeck and Dr. Sweet's observations might be valid. Honestly, even though I have earned a Master's degree in Church History I had never spent much time studying the Quakers and their important contribution to inventing America. I'm concluding that both of my professors, who are major church historians, are not only right in their opinion but I have also have found and returned to my own family's faith roots in The Religious Society Friends story right here along the Chesapeake Bay where I live today. As a result of my initial gleanings of Quaker history, I have concluded that there are two major values that the early Quaker communities were committed to - "Freedom Of Worship and Liberty of Conscience. In this article, I would like to explore the idea behind "Liberty Of Conscience" and why it is such an important value in American Culture today. I believe that the whole notion is being threatened and is worth our taking the time to understand it and fight for it to remain as a part of our national identity.
As many of you already know, North Korea has launched a cyber-war upon our nation in an attempt to curb our commitment to "free speech" by hacking into Japanese owned, Sony Pictures. Kim Jong-un demanded that a movie called "The Interview" should not be released unless Sony and America wanted to face the dire consequences of further cyber-attacks - including the possibly shutting down of our nation's electrical grid. Many Believe North Korea's launch of a new kind of war against America should be compared to the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbour and 911. Immediately, after this cyber attack, President Obama went on the defensive and stated that our nation was a nation committed to free speech and that no dictator or other nation outside our republic should even think they will be able to undermine our commitment as a nation to "Free Speech." Then just a few days ago, Islamic Extremist launched an attack against a "French Publication" for what they saw as a desecrating image and mockery of their founder's faith. Immediately, The French people began to publically demonstrate for their support to the same right for "Freedom of thought and freedom of expression." For those outside our country, let me briefly explain why we as Americans believe anyone (good or bad) has a right to express their view publically even if we disagree with those views. One Of Harvard University's former professors, Dr. John Rawls, defends in his book, "A Theory Of Justice," that one of the basic principles of liberty underlying our cultural heritage has been defined as "freedom of thought and conscience." He rightly defends our American right to "Freedom of Expression", (under our constitutional social contract as a nation) as a basic freedom as well as other public liberties which cannot be infringed upon under any circumstances since it is our fundamental right guaranteed under the "Bill Of Rights." Our founding fathers committed us to these rights. In fact, thoughout our history as Americans, we have given our lives on the Battle fields of the world to defend the right for humanity's basic right for freedom. This includes the notion of "Liberty Of Conscience." My own father ( Korean War/Vietnam) and Great-grandfather (World War I and II) gave themselves for this cause. But as you know, there have been tyrants all through history who have been committed to denying these rights to their own nations and those of us in the free world. So where did this idea of "Liberty Of Conscience" come from?
During The English civil war period (1642-1651) The Religious Society of Friends emerged from an experience that, founding Quaker, George Fox had with the Holy Spirit. Fox, who was raised as a puritan with Presbyterian leanings by background, began seeking the Lord for his own personal salvation experience. After many conversations with the Church Of England's clergy of his day, George Fox began a spiritual journey that began in 1643 that resulted in his personal encounter with Jesus Christ in 1646. To shorten our story, he went on to lead a movement of young people in an attempt to reform the very government of his nation. Several prominent young men like Robert Barclay, Isaac Pennington, and William Penn joined the movement and worked with him in his endeavors. One of the main problems facing the group in England was the Church Of England's resistance to change. In fact, as a result of it's papal influences a "puritan" movement began to reform both the church and English culture leading up to the civil war. One of center of controversies within the puritan fight was "to rid the Church of England of all of it's catholic tendencies and being under the tyranny of both the king and Roman popes." They believed in the priesthood of all believers and their direct access to God. Any group who broke away or expressed views outside orthodoxy of the Church Of England were forbidden. As a result thousands of young people who had joined the Quakers were thrown into jail, beaten, and died while demanding a right to "Freedom of Worship and Liberty Of Conscience." The Official position of the King Of England and his government was conformity to the Church Of England and any expression otherwise was considered a threat toward the King. This eventually led to the founding of the major colonies in the Mid-Atlantic - Maryland, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Delaware. It became a Quaker stronghold for 100 years. (1649-1750)
Shortly after this period, as the American Revolution began, our founding father's gathered in Philadelphia to explore William Penn's government. First born Americans, who had no conscious memory or loyalty to England began to understand The Quaker's Holy Experiment notions of "Freedom or Worship and Liberty of Conscience" as the underlying urpose for which they needed to form an independant nation. After much fermentation and debate, a "Declaration Of Independence" was issued and Americans began embracing, not only Penn's way of governance, but adopted many of the Qauker values that we hold so dear today. It can be rightly asserted that William Penn was the architect of our nation and saw his colony as the "Seed of a Nation." This is what made America great place. But these values have been put under tremendous threat not by the "Islamic extremist" of the middle east... Our fundemental rights have been under threat by "Academic Extremist" indoctrinating a whole generation in Political Correctness.
Recently, when asked what the number 1 core value people are giving up because of political correctness - Dr. Ben Carson replied, "Honesty." "People are giving up "honesty" because they are afraid to speak the truth because they will be ostracized." One of the major values of our nation has is the right to exercise "free speech." This is why what happened with Korea and the Paris incidents should be our wake up call to preserve our Right of Free speech and stop this non-sense called political correctness. The bible exhorts us to Speak the truth in love! (Eph. 4:15) Political Correctness which was originally intended to develop "inclusiveness" has become a means of censorship in America. It has become the silencing of "Freedom Of Thought, Freedom Of Conscience, and Freedom of Expression.
Even though, Kim Jong-un and the militants behind the attacks in Paris, probably didn't have this "Freedom Of Thought" foremost on their mind when they attacked us and France, the attacks only serve as warning shots to those of us who are face the cencorship of thought and public expressions. Even if I don't like the perspectives of those who embrace cultures of suppression- they should be allowed to voice their opinions. I think that it took murders at a Paris newspaper to awaken our sensibilities. It was good to see world leaders, minus the United States, to march with more than a million people in Paris to rally together for "freedom Of Speech. I am against "The Home Of The Brave" becoming tongued tied... and wonder if our political leadership deliberately missed the rally in Paris because they are those within our government who are opposed to the ideas of "freedom of speech." Too many people including our president hold to the "seduction" of political correctness which is seeking to silencing the soul of who were are as American people. It would be heartening to see our national leaders, churches, and ordinary people rally together to support "freedom of worship, freedom of thought, and freedom of conscience" like those who demonstrated in Paris.
It seems "Dissent", whether from a republican or democrat position is no longer valued by post-modern America. This is why our government is stagnated and divided. Our government was established with underlying principles brought to our shores by George Fox and the early Quakers. Early Quakers valued and honored, "dissent." They understood it as a prompting of the Holy Spirit to stop, to listen and evaluate an idea. They wanted to know if it was God saying no? Or, was it God saying wait? Or was it just a value to give others an opportunity to work through the ideas presented? The idea of "Liberty and Justice for all" equally having the same civil liberties that they wanted to enjoy - was a right denied in 17th Century England. That's why our nation was founded. The unfortunate thing about Post-modern America is that it has become entrenched in narcissism and solipsism which prohibits honoring "dissenting" view points. Political Correctness, as taught on American University Campuses is increasingly becoming embedded into our legal systems. Word crafting in the service of too many leftist ideologies has been seeking to undermine the freedom of speech and honest inquiry. Anyone who questions extreme environmentalism, sharia law being protected under our constitution, feminism, homosexual marriage or Marxist economic orthodoxy or even being a part of a religious advocacy group are now faced with harassment or outright silencing. If there is one thing I have learned about the early Quakers, they gave their lives to stand against this kind new American Tyranny griping our national discussions. I've begun to wonder if "political correction" and those who espouse it are the real terrorist and if we are being given a wake up call to stand up what for our fundamental rights as a people are. Rev. Patrick Henry, pulled off his clergy robe and revealed his military uniform, and proclaimed in his Baptist Church, "Give Me Liberty or Give Me death!" God is speaking are you listening?
