Truth, Freedom

 To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” (John 8: 31-32) 

For certain individuals whose condemnation was written about long ago have secretly slipped in among you. They are ungodly people, who pervert the grace of our God into a license for immorality and deny Jesus Christ our only Sovereign and Lord. (Jude 1:4) 

          A little logic this morning, just to warm up our minds. According to Jesus, if we hold to His teaching – if we accept, live by, apply, function within His teaching, we know the truth because His teachings are truth. And dealing with the truth always frees one from the lies, though sometimes it takes work.

          But what does freedom mean? For some, it means the ability to do whatever they want to, often in excess. This is not freedom, it’s license. It’s privilege. And it doesn’t free, it addicts and enslaves.

          Yesterday, I was reintroduced to a philosopher and teacher: Herbert Marcuse. He developed an idea called Liberating Tolerance, about which he said,

“Liberating tolerance, then, would mean intolerance against movements from the Right and toleration of movements from the Left. Surely, no government can be expected to foster its own subversion, but in a democracy such a right is vested in the people (i.e. in the majority of the people). This means that the ways should not be blocked on which a subversive majority could develop, and if they are blocked by organized repression and indoctrination, their reopening may require apparently undemocratic means. They would include the withdrawal of toleration of speech and assembly from groups and movements that promote aggressive policies, armament, chauvinism, discrimination on the grounds of race and religion, or that oppose the extension of public services, social security, medical care, etc.”

Notice all that’s not allowed? Groups and movements that are not approved are forbidden. Ever heard of “Cancel Culture”? Conservative speakers aren’t allowed to speak on campus, even if no one is forced to go hear them? It’s not that they actually discriminate on the basis of race or religion, but they are perceived as doing so. Any one or anything that opposes the extension of “public services” must be opposed.

So what are public services? According to Merriam Webster, a public service is “a service provided by the government, such as hospitals, schools, or the police.” If it does not extend the power of the government, it must not be tolerated. If it does extend the power of the government, or if it holds to a truth that is not acceptable to Socialists, there is to be zero tolerance. That means that the truth with regard to Marcusian Socialism is that there is no freedom – only license.