Nothing is Permissible and Everything is Permissible

There once was a land where nothing was permitted and everything was punished. It didn’t just SEEM like everything was punished or taxed, everything WAS punished or taxed. You walked outside with the realization that the EPA was taxing every breath you take and the Road Commission charged you for each step along the sidewalk you walked. At work you paid your SS tax, FICA, and a plethora of others taking home a fraction where you stop at the grocery store to buy food where sales tax takes another large portion. Then the Fairness Police take a look at your grocery bag and determine that you bought MORE than enough for your family and you need to give up that portion and put it into a basket for those who don’t have as much. You finally make it home to check your taxed internet connection or watch your advertisement saturated TV. In the end all is fair and we are all equal and mediocre.

There once was a land in which everything was permitted and nothing was punished. It didn’t just SEEM like everything was permitted, not only permitted but encouraged. You walked outside and on were accosted by a few people who demanded your money. You had none on you so they punched you down a bit, knocking the breath out of you and finally you could make it down the potholed sidewalk and street. You went to work only to realize it was closed again today because not enough people showed up to run the machines. On the way home you stopped by the food line and got your stale bread and cheese only to have it taken from you 5 times before you made it all the way home. Your generator didn’t have gas again because either it was stolen or someone syphoned the gas station again. So you had nothing to do but stare at your family and the 3 other people squatting in your house. In the end it was fair we are all equal and mediocre.

Everything is permissible is the same as nothing is permissible! Read that sentence again. They both lead down the same path to equality, fairness, and mediocrity.

If we eliminate all marriages it would have the same result as making all marriages legal: equality, fairness, and mediocrity in our relationships.

If we had no government it would be the same as having an oppressive, overbearing government: equality, fairness, and mediocrity in the form of anarchy and apathy.

If we outlawed all religion it would have the same effect of permitting all religions: equality, fairness, and mediocrity in our faith and beliefs.

If I seem to be bringing you kind of a downer message that is not my intent. My intent here is to let you know that the extremes are bad, no matter which end you go to … both will take you to the same place. We have laws so that we can have relationships, without laws; there would be no ability to form relationships. With too many laws there would be no ability to form relationships. There is a balance, it is a tough one to walk, but we must do it. There will be many casualties that will seem to be UN-equal and UN-fair, but they will happen to maintain this balance and if we try to eliminate them, we have again thrown out the baby with the bathwater.

A ruler and a plumb line are there, not to punish the unruly and un-straight, but they are there to make sure we stay true and loved and in a relationship: faithful. Don’t fear rules, fear anarchy; don’t fear rules, fear tyranny. Rules rule.