In today’s episode we’ll be diving into our American family history, learning about some of the people who came to North America in the mid-1600’s. In learning about them, we also learn something of what it means to be American.

The history called, “Of Plimoth Plantation,” written by the second governor of Plimoth (Plymouth) Plantation, William Bradford, tells the story of the people who came to America on the Mayflower. Some of those on the boat called themselves “Saints,” while others were called by the Saints, Strangers. Although the story Of Plimoth Plantation eventually becomes the story of both groups, it starts out in the broader context of Christian warfare, namely, of multiple groups seeking to worship God as they saw fit, and of Christians fighting against Christians in a decidedly unChristian way.

Jesus of Nazareth, whose name Christians take upon themselves, taught that the two greatest commandments were to love God and to love others. As recorded in the Bible’s book of John, He said, “A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.” (John 13:34-35). The Book of Mormon, Another Testament of Jesus Christ, records Jesus as teaching, “For verily, verily I say unto you, he that hath the spirit of contention is not of me, but is of the devil, who is the father of contention, and he stirreth up the hearts of men to contend with anger, one with another.” (3 Nephi 11:29).

In spite of Jesus’ clear teaching, in too much of history, Christian denomination fought against Christian denomination, treating those who dared practice their religion differently as though they were criminals worthy of torture, persecution, and death.

Thus, chapter 1 of Governor Bradford’s history begins like this:

More than just an enjoyable hobby, knowing our personal family history can give us a sense of identity and of belonging. We need that in this crazy, deep-fake, Instagram world where traditional values have eroded, truth seems to change constantly, and people communicate more often with strangers on the other side of the country, or the world, than with their neighbor three houses down.

Everybody goes through hardships. I do. You do. And the perfect family on social media does.

Learning about the hardships that our ancestors experienced and how they handled them has the power to strengthen our own emotional resilience and our ability to handle the trials and challenges of life. ...

As knowing our ancestry can give us courage, identity, and direction, so too, knowing the history of our country can give us an idea of what it means to be American.

Let me share a few examples of family history from the life of my great grandfather, John LeRoy Lee, taken from a history about him.

In today’s episode, I want us to think about economic policies. To help in that, I’ll share two parables.

One reason that parables are powerful is that they can teach different lessons to different people, and even teach different lessons to the same people when considered at different times. A parable can have a primary meaning or lesson but may also teach or convey additional lessons.

The two parables I am about to share are from the New Testament portion of the Bible, specifically, the Book of Matthew. The primary topic of the parables is the Kingdom of Heaven. But the parables also teach important lessons about business, labor, rights, money, and contracts.

Whether you are religious or not, Christian or not, they can help frame principles that can be used to decide what government should and should not do.

Today we’ll be discussing self-governance, the right of contract, and the inalienable right to work. Our context will be a supreme court case from 1905, which is an example of the government appearing to be compassionate, purporting to take care of those who cannot take care of themselves, but in reality, at least in part if not in whole, protecting some businesses at the expense of others. In other words, the case involves a law that was anti-competitive. Just as some of today’s regulations are anti-competitive.

In today’s episode we'll be hearing the words of an American founding father who was killed in a duel, and of a Democratic president who served near the end of the 19th century.

We at times make choices and support policies that as a past United States president wrote, “indulge our charitable sentiments” but do not bring about true public welfare or individual good. In other words, in a desire to help others, we may trample the rights of some or many, including those we wish to help. Efforts made in good will may not only weaken freedom but can also injure character.

In today’s episode we’ll continue learning about just and free government, with a primary focus on lessons from the Declaration’s presentation of facts which were meant to prove to the world the tyranny of Great Britain’s King.

Reasons 1,2,6: Government is essential to public and individual well-being. Laws and their enforcement are critical to maintaining the public good.

In the first episode on the Declaration of Independence, I mentioned that a key criterion for a choosing a president of the United States is whether or not he or she knows and will uphold the principles, limitations, and governmental structure of the Constitution and of the Declaration of Independence. Today we’ll begin discussing what some of those are. These lessons are essential in this time of choosing those who will run our government and in knowing which laws are good and which are bad.

These lessons are drawn from the Declaration of Independence and include other truths and knowledge.

Welcome to the Fire of Freedom Podcast where I’ll be discussing the principles of liberty and responsibility. In today’s episode I’ll be presenting an open letter to RFK Jr, Donald J. Trump, Congress, and the American people, regarding the federal administrative and regulatory agencies.

RFK Jr. has said he wants to uncapture the federal regulatory agencies. If he is successful, it would mean that the agencies are no longer controlled by the groups or people they are supposed to regulate and who instead, they favor. That’s a start. And he can constitutionally do better than that.

In this open letter, I’ll explain why he or Donald Trump should do more, and explain a path to follow.

Welcome to the Fire of Freedom Podcast where I’ll be discussing the principles of liberty and responsibility. In today’s episode you’ll hear the final sections of the Declaration of Independence wherein the colonists justify their forming a new nation and conclude their declaration that through obedience to duty they “are, and of Right ought to be Free and independent”.

In today’s episode you’ll hear the body of the Declaration of Independence wherein the list of King George’s despotic offenses are offered to the world as evidence of the moral obligation the American people had to form a new government that would secure their God-given rights as human beings.

From these listed offenses you can distill principles of both good and bad government that will assist you in knowing who to vote for and what laws to support or oppose. They help teach what makes a person or group of people tyrannical and despotic.

What were those crimes and abuses? Listen now.