WHAT DOES FREEDOM MEAN?
Freedom
By Zion Michan
Biblical Perspective
"Remember this day, on which you went free from Egypt, the house of bondage, how Adonai freed you from it with a mighty hand." - Exodus 13:3
In terms of the Bible, Freedom was literally granted to us through G-d's divine power. The Jewish people were being oppressed in ancient Egypt. They were forced to work endless hours for years and had no freedom of religion. Jewish workers were whipped, babies were thrown into rivers infested with crocodiles, and people were forced to bow down to Egyptian G-ds. Assimilation was a reality, but freedom was out of reach and seemed like an abstract concept. When G-d decided to appear in a cave in form of a bush in front of Moses, Freedom suddenly became tangible. With the help of Moses as a representation for the Lord, the Jewish people were able to escape slavery through a serious of miraculous events.
Modern Perspective
"Emancipate yourselves from mental slavery, none but ourselves can free our minds!" - Bob Marley
Today, the definition of freedom has changed. Traditionally, freedom is the capacity to be your own master after you have been a slave of society. Today, what it means to be free has evolved and expanded. In the modern world, freedom can mean a variety of different things. From freedom of speech to freedom of religion, freedom is ultimately the ability to be your true, unique self. Today, the concept of freedom is granted primarily through the government, because the government has a duty to the individual.
Personal Perspective
"Man is born free, and everywhere he is in chains. One man thinks himself the master of others, but remains more of a slave than they are." Jean-Jacques Rousseau
In my opinion, you are your own oppressor until you allow yourself to be free in all aspects of life. Today, we tend to care a lot about what other people think and say about us. Those thoughts are both negative and powerful in the sense that they can limit the things we do and say. As you can see, you need to be free in thought, action, and spirit because if not you are allowing your mind to be an absolute ruler to your uniqueness. I think it is very true that in today's world we tend you tend to be your own arch nemesis. At the very core, what I am suggesting is that the human condition has the tendency to enslave itself. So, it is time to break the chains that oppress who you truly are.
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