Then they came for me...

I've had an interesting train of thought tonight (im in one of those moods). I was thinking about the City of Houston getting subpoenas for pastors sermons and it fit perfectly with something I heard on a podcast the other day:

http://kfor.com/2014/10/17/houston-files-subpoenas-for-documents-from-pastors/
http:// www.noagendashow.com
and on The Porch podcast as well.

We have this idea that government's job is to do what's best for society. Duh, right? I mean the president is constantly saying his number 1 priority is the security/safety of America, which is sort of the same thing. But we have forgotten something.  That's not the point of government at all.

The point and purpose of government is to protect the natural rights of the people.

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.--That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, 

Yet, we allow government to overstep. 

This whole Houston thing reminded me of a quote from Martin Niemoller, a Protestant pastor living in Nazi Germany.  He said:

"First they came for the Socialists, and I did not speak out—

Because I was not a Socialist.

Then they came for the Trade Unionists, and I did not speak out—

Because I was not a Trade Unionist.

Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out—

Because I was not a Jew.

Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak for me."

The Nazis took power and stripped rights through taxes, good arguments, legally, faking disasters and threats, and most importantly incrementally. Jews weren't really being rounded up and sent to the infamous camps until the early 1940s, and Hitler came to power in 1933. He brought change and made life better and gave the people what they had been dreaming of! History rhymes, and we ought to know better.

This Houston case is targeting one opposing group through questioning their tax exempt status and their political activities.  Calling for sermons is being changed and is a detail in a greater problem. You see, they shouldn't even think they have any legal cause or a bit of a right to be restricting public speech or activity about political expression.  Every one is suddenly up in arms, and for good reason, but this is really all everyone has been asking for, how are you so shocked that such a thing could happen?

We can't have a double standard.  Rule of law is for all.  Because it's about gay marriage, it must be restricted.  But when government officials want a say or their hands on what we say in church, how dare they restrict!  Either they can regulate society, or they can protect basic liberties. The more you let those with power have unrestricted power, the more you want them to use that power (birth control, healthcare, hate speech), the more you invite them into your church or work or bedroom, the more they will corrupt and abuse.  This happened because we have been asking for it to happen.

We must ask ourselves, if we do the same thing over and over again and expect a different result, is that not insanity?  So Bush/Clinton/Obama/Perry/Davis whatever.  When will you see that it doesn't matter?  When will you realize that they will eventually come for you, and there will be no one there to speak up for you.