“The price of apathy towards public affairs is to be ruled by evil men.” (Plato, Ancient Greek Philosopher, 428 BC - 348 BC)
“The ability to stand by one's
principles, to live with integrity and faith according to one's belief-- that
is what matters, that is the difference between a contribution and a
commitment. That devotion ... is what God is ultimately requesting of us.” Howard
W. Hunter
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Victor Davis Hanson
The Midterm is Not the Endterm
It is too soon to calibrate the direction of the post midterm Democratic and Republican Parties.
But if the first 72 hours are any indication—and despite the soon to be Speaker’s denials—the Left is already bragging about subpoenas, and it is intoxicated by the notion of investigations and impeachments.
Heady Democrats have entirely forgotten the politically suicidal fashion of the 2021-4 five civil and criminal courtroom circuses, the Mar-a-Lago raid, and the blue state deballoting efforts.
All that and more fueled the Trump recovery.
Wild talk of multi-trillion-dollar new agendas grows, like socializing the health care system, a renewed Green New Deal, student loan forgiveness, and illegal alien amnesties, along with new punitive income and estate regulations and taxes.
This socialist dream is reminiscent of the 2021 giddy splurging that gave the country a 9.1% inflation rate by midterm year 2022.
Along with the Afghanistan disaster (the Left’s correction for a Middle East ‘forever war”) the inflation would ensure Biden a 40% popularity.
The idea that the Left, which cannot do much real lawmaking without a veto-proof Congress, will try to reach deals with the White House, adopt a 1995 Clinton-like realist agenda, simply claim credit for the growing Trump economy, or moderate its rhetoric is highly unlikely.
Instead, we hear crazy talk of confiscations, new billionaire and millionaire punitive taxes, imprisonments, changing the Constitution—all in full suicidal 1972 McGovern style.
Republicans are blame-gaming each other, which can be constructive if over issues and reforms rather than social media ad hominem. But they need to message far better, about both the administration’s successes and the dangers of a socialist future.
There will be likely be no planned presidential succession, or gentlemanly agreement on a front runner. That’s likely good news. More likely as of now a triangular race between front-runners De Santis, Rubio, and Vance emerges—all of whom are far preferable to any ticket with a Newsom, Harris, AOC, Mamdani, or el-Sayed.
If the Republicans can stay reasonably united, they can ensure permanent presidential vetoes of crazy leftwing legislation, fight back on the Democratic committee inquisitions, and see the economy in the final two years become an asset in recovering their popularity.
Absent in all conversations is that there is increasing evidence that the economy is actually expanding and has the potential to boom in 2027, or at least the data indicate such potential.
The jobs report came out yesterday with a stunning 165,000 jobs created in October (accompanied by the usual journalists’ adverb “unexpectantly”), dropping unemployment to 4.1%.
Revised 3rd GDP stats now show a robust 3.4% growth—likely ensuring at least 3%+ growth for the year.
Third Quarter consumer spending soared 3.8%.
Private domestic investment surged with 19.4% growth.
Just reported last week: median family income in 2025 hit a new record ($87,460)—the highest in 60 years adjusted for inflation. And poverty dipped to its lowest rate (ever 10.2%).
In October manufacturing activity grew faster than at any time in the past five years.
Yes, prices are too high, and final 2026 inflation, given gas hikes, is scheduled to increase by one point (3.7%) from last year’s (2.7%). But it is still lower than the pan-European average (ca. 4+%)—and much lower than the Biden average over four years of 5.1%.
Gas prices are already falling. On November 6 prices fell to a $4.06 average—as global oil transit is mostly back to prewar levels and refineries scramble to handle the increased deliveries.
U.S. companies are dominating all the top 10 rankings in market capitalization/usage in key area such as software, AI, digital media, space, satellite launches, and bio/genetic engineering.
Note that today gas prices are not that much higher than 4 years ago at the 2022 midterm time ($4.06 vs. ca. $3.80) and haven’t once spiked to $5 a gallon as they did in 2022, just four months before the Biden midterms.
Yet oddly, the red wave sputtered in 2022 when the U.S. was in far worse economic shape than this week when the blue wave became a tsunami.
Messaging, media, and communication count, so note:
Four years ago, GDP growth was lower than today—even though the pandemic was about over and there was a dramatic return to work and spending.
The inflation rate was almost three times higher in 2022 than now.
Median family income was $14,000 lower than now. The poverty rate was higher in 2022.
The Dow was 20,000 points lower. Foreign investment will likely end the year 30-40% higher than in 2022.
Real wage growth (nominal wages minus inflation) while not great in 2026 is likely to end the year far better than in 2022 (when real wage growth fell 2-3%).
So why would “affordability” have been decisive in the 2026 midterms when it was not in 2022?
The 21% aggregate inflation rate Trump inherited force-multiplied the average 3.15% Trump inflation rate of 2025-6— yet in a way the aggregate first-term Trump inflation rate (7.7% just a third of the Biden total) did not exaggerate all that much the 9.1% inflation rate in 2022.
Messaging, however, matters. The administration did not explain adequately that a 21% rise in prices cannot be lowered without radical deflation or recession, but only ameliorated by medium family income growth and lowering the inflation rate from the Biden 2021-5 averages, both of which occurred in 2025-6, but were forgotten.
Media coverage of the Biden 2022 weak economy were muted, while Trump’s 2-year inflation rate was exaggerated during 2026.
The Iran war became the culprit as a war of choice that made the inherited Biden 21% high prices and the inability to lower were them solely Trump’s fault. Again, there was inadequate explanation of either the economic reality or why the gamble to denuclearize Iran was defensible–with the caveat that stopping the bombing at day 38 and talking with theocrats for seven months was an unfortunate mistake.
The domestic and foreign policy activism of the lame-duck Clinton (1998-2000} and Obama (2014-2016) presidencies increased after their loss of Congress. Indeed, their popularity climbed from a once nadir of below forty to sixty percent approval or above.
There is no reason why the Trump administration cannot have a successful last two years. The economy is growing.
The crime rate is at historic lows.
The border is closed shut. The radical pro-Western political transformation of South and Central America has remade the entire Western Hemisphere.
European NATO is rearming.
Oil and gas production is at highest levels of any nation in history.
The bloated federal work force has been trimmed by over 270,000 jobs.
There is no longer a 40,000-50,000 shortfall in military recruitment. The forced reforms in higher education were long overdue.
The verdict on Iran is still out.
If it is denuclearized, the crippling sanctions continued, the Strait kept open, the provincial opposition armed—and our military gone home— the regime will face an increasingly restive population
2026 was an unequivocal defeat, but 2028 need not be.
If the administration and Congress
stay disciplined and united, and can message better, while the Left goes
utterly berserk, drunk on their midterm successes, socialism/Islamism, and
Trump Derangement Syndrome 2.0, the tide will soon radically turn— as the
economy already has.
November 5, 2026
Our Duty to Stand for Truth
By Richard G. Medlock
“After we have done all we could do for the cause of truth, and withstood the evil that men have brought upon us, and we have been overwhelmed by their wrongs, it is still our duty to stand.” Joseph F. Smith
The counsel from President Joseph F. Smith is a powerful reminder that standing for truth, righteousness, and freedom is not merely a choice we make when circumstances are favorable; it is a responsibility that remains with us even when the opposition becomes overwhelming. There is an important lesson in the opening words: “After we have done all we could do for the cause of truth.”
Doing all we can requires more than simply expressing an opinion or declaring what we believe. It requires courage, conviction, personal integrity, and a willingness to act upon our principles. Truth is not something we should defend only when it is convenient, popular, or politically acceptable. It must be defended when doing so is difficult, when others disagree, and even when the consequences of standing for it may be uncomfortable. A person's character is often revealed not by what he professes to believe during peaceful times, but by what he is willing to defend when those beliefs are challenged.
Another important observation is the recognition that evil exists and that individuals, institutions, and governments can bring considerable suffering upon others through dishonesty, corruption, oppression, and the abuse of power. We should never be so naive as to believe that good intentions alone will overcome evil.
History repeatedly demonstrates what happens when people become indifferent to truth, surrender their convictions, or allow wrongdoing to continue without opposition. Yet this counsel also reminds us that even when our efforts appear unsuccessful, our responsibility does not disappear. We cannot always control the actions of others, the direction of society, or the outcome of a particular struggle. However, we can control our own character, our decisions, and our willingness to remain faithful to what we know is right. We may not always win the immediate battle, but we must never willingly surrender the principles that make the battle worth fighting.
There is also a profound connection between this counsel and the teachings of Jesus Christ. In Ephesians 6:13, the Apostle Paul counsels us to take upon ourselves the whole armor of God, so that after having done all we can, we may be able to stand. Notice that Paul does not promise that standing for righteousness will eliminate opposition or guarantee an easy victory. Rather, he teaches us to prepare ourselves spiritually so that opposition does not destroy our faith or weaken our commitment.
The Lord also teaches in Doctrine and Covenants 98:4–10 about patiently enduring opposition while upholding the principles of righteousness and the constitutional law of the land. These teachings remind us that faithfulness is not measured solely by the circumstances surrounding us, but by the principles we refuse to abandon.
This principle applies equally to our responsibilities as citizens of a free nation. The American Founders understood that liberty requires an informed, courageous, and morally responsible people. The Constitution established a framework of limited government, separated powers, individual liberties, and the rule of law.
However, no written document can preserve freedom if the people themselves become unwilling to defend its principles. Freedom is never permanently secured simply because previous generations sacrificed to establish it. Each generation inherits a responsibility to understand, protect, and preserve the blessings of liberty.
When truth is replaced by deception, accountability by corruption, and constitutional restraint by the unchecked exercise of power, citizens must have the courage to speak, teach, question, and stand for the principles upon which freedom depends. Silence in the face of wrongdoing can gradually become an invitation for wrongdoing to continue.
Perhaps the most inspiring lesson is that standing for truth does not mean standing with anger, hatred, or a desire for revenge. It means standing with courage, patience, wisdom, faith, love, and an unwavering commitment to righteousness. We can disagree without becoming hateful. We can oppose injustice without becoming unjust ourselves. We can defend our convictions without abandoning charity toward those who disagree with us.
The Savior demonstrated this perfectly. He never compromised truth to gain popularity, nor did He abandon righteousness to avoid opposition. His example teaches us that conviction and love are not opposing qualities; they must work together.
Ultimately, I believe this counsel speaks to something fundamental about the human spirit: there are principles more important than personal comfort, public approval, or temporary success. Truth is one of them. Faith is another. Freedom is another. When we have done everything within our power to defend these principles and still find ourselves confronted by opposition, we must not mistake difficulty for defeat. Our responsibility is to remain faithful, continue doing what is right, and refuse to become participants in the very wrongdoing we oppose.
We may not always have the power to change the world around us, but we always have the responsibility to determine what kind of people we will be in that world.
I would close with this thought:
Truth must never be surrendered because it is unpopular. Faith must never be abandoned because the road becomes difficult. Freedom must never be taken for granted because others have sacrificed to secure it. And righteousness must never be compromised simply because evil appears to be winning.
When we have done all we can do, when we have spoken the truth, defended what is right, and endured the opposition, we must still stand. Not because standing is easy, but because some principles are too sacred, too valuable, and too important to surrender.
"Your personal behavior must be impeccable. You must be a man of integrity, above reproach of any kind. Your example will set the tone for the direction your people follow. You must be fearless in denouncing evil, willing to take a stand for the right, uncompromising in your defense of truth. While all of this requires firmness, it must be done with kindness and love." President Gordon B. Hinkley
That is the Responsibility of Faith. That is the Responsibility of Citizenship. And that is the Responsibility of Character. May God Bless America!
November 5, 2026
Free to Choose: There Is No Middle Ground
By Richard G. Medlock
There is either Freedom or Slavery. There is no middle ground. Once freedom is lost, surrendered, or taken for granted, slavery eventually becomes the master. Freedom is not self-sustaining; it requires vigilance, responsibility, courage, and a willingness to defend the principles upon which it rests.
The same principle applies to the Rule of Law. Either the Rule of Law prevails, where laws govern those who govern and justice is applied equally, or Ruler's Law takes its place, where those in power determine which laws apply, to whom they apply, and when they may be ignored. When the rule of law disappears, tyranny, injustice, and ultimately anarchy threaten the foundations of a free society.
Good decisions are made through reason, common sense, moral agency, and a willingness to listen to the promptings of the Holy Spirit. Emotions have their place in our lives, but they must never become substitutes for reason, truth, and sound judgment. Bad decisions often begin when we allow uncontrolled emotions, pride, fear, or deception to influence our thinking. We must learn to recognize the difference between truth and falsehood. We should never participate in spreading lies, accepting falsehoods as facts, or bearing false witness against another.
We have a choice: Love thy neighbor as thyself, or allow hatred, resentment, and bitterness to govern our relationships. We can worship God and follow His commandments, or turn toward idols, false gods, and the distractions of the world. We can place our trust in God and Jesus Christ, or follow the natural man, surrender to worldly pride, and place our confidence in the things of this world. Scripture reminds us that pride goeth before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall (Proverbs 16:18).
These are not merely philosophical differences or matters of personal preference. They are choices that shape our character, determine our actions, influence our relationships, and ultimately affect our eternal destiny.
The Book of Mormon teaches this
principle with remarkable clarity. In 2 Nephi 10:23, Jacob reminds us:
"Therefore, cheer up your hearts, and remember that ye are free to act for yourselves—to choose the way of everlasting death or the way of eternal life."
What a remarkable declaration! We are free to act for ourselves. God has given us the gift of moral agency. He does not force us to follow Him, nor does He compel us to reject Him. We are accountable for the choices we make and the consequences that follow. Our freedom is a gift, but how we exercise that freedom is our responsibility.
In 2 Nephi 2:27, Lehi further
explains:
"Wherefore, men are free according to the flesh; and all things are given them which are expedient unto man. And they are free to choose liberty and eternal life, through the great Mediator of all men, or to choose captivity and death, according to the captivity and power of the devil; for he seeketh that all men might be miserable like unto himself."
Here we find one of the great eternal principles of the Gospel: We are free to choose liberty and eternal life through Jesus Christ, or captivity and death through the adversary. The Savior offers freedom through truth, repentance, obedience, and His Atonement. The adversary offers the illusion of freedom while leading us toward bondage through sin, deception, pride, and disobedience.
The Apostle Paul reinforces this truth
in 1 Timothy 2:5–6:
"For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time."
Jesus Christ is the great Mediator. Through His sacrifice and Atonement, He provides the way for us to overcome sin and death. True freedom is not simply the ability to do whatever we desire. It is the ability, through Christ, to choose what is right, to overcome our weaknesses, and to become what our Heavenly Father intends us to become.
In 2 Nephi 2:11, Lehi teaches another
essential principle:
“For it must needs be, that there is an opposition in all things. If not so, my firstborn in the wilderness, righteousness could not be brought to pass, neither wickedness, neither holiness nor misery, neither good nor bad. Wherefore, all things must needs be a compound in one; wherefore, if it should be one body it must needs remain as dead, having no life neither death, nor corruption nor incorruption, happiness nor misery, neither sense nor insensibility.”
Without opposition, we could not fully understand righteousness or wickedness, happiness or misery, good or evil. There must be choices, alternatives, and consequences. Without opposition, moral agency would have no meaningful application. We cannot appreciate light without understanding darkness, nor can we fully recognize the value of freedom without understanding the consequences of captivity.
This principle applies not only to our individual lives but also to families, communities, and nations. Freedom requires people who understand the difference between right and wrong, truth and falsehood, responsibility and entitlement. A free society cannot remain free when its citizens abandon reason, surrender their moral convictions, or become indifferent to the principles that protect liberty.
Ultimately, freedom is a choice, and every choice carries consequences. We can choose truth or deception, responsibility or entitlement, humility or pride, liberty or captivity, and eternal life or spiritual death.
God has given us the gift of agency. He has provided His commandments, His teachings, and the example of His Son, Jesus Christ. The choice remains ours.
There is either freedom or slavery. There is either truth or falsehood. There is either the rule of law or the rule of those who seek power over others. And there is either a willingness to follow Jesus Christ or a decision to follow the natural man.
We are free to choose, but we are not free to choose the consequences of our choices.
That is the responsibility of freedom. That is the power of moral agency. And that is why there is no middle ground when it comes to the eternal principles of truth, righteousness, and liberty.
Part II
Understanding the Principles of Freedom and Moral Agency
There are several important principles that help us understand why freedom is so valuable and why it must be protected.
First, freedom is more than the absence of restraint. Freedom is the ability to exercise moral agency responsibly. In the Gospel of Jesus Christ, liberty does not mean simply doing whatever we desire, without regard for consequences. It means having the opportunity and responsibility to choose righteousness, exercise self-discipline, and become more like our Savior. There is an important difference between freedom and license. Freedom recognizes responsibility; license disregards it. True liberty requires self-government, personal accountability, and an understanding of right and wrong.
Second, the Rule of Law protects freedom. A constitutional republic depends upon the principle that no individual, elected official, or government institution is above the law. Government must operate within the boundaries of the law, not become the source of unlimited authority. When those entrusted with power place themselves above the law, individual liberty becomes vulnerable. The Rule of Law protects the rights of citizens, limits the power of government, and establishes the foundation upon which a free society can endure. Without it, freedom becomes dependent upon the wishes of those who hold power rather than the rights of the people.
Third, truth is essential to moral agency.
We cannot make sound decisions when our understanding is built upon deception.
Reason, education, honesty, common sense, and the influence of the Holy Spirit
help us recognize truth and distinguish it from falsehood. The Savior taught
this eternal principle in John 8:31–32:
"And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free."
Notice that the Savior connects truth with freedom. Truth enlightens our understanding, strengthens our convictions, and helps us recognize the difference between righteousness and wickedness. When we abandon truth, we become vulnerable to deception, manipulation, and the loss of our moral independence. A person who cannot distinguish truth from falsehood cannot exercise moral agency to its fullest potential.
Fourth, opposition makes meaningful choice possible. As Lehi taught in 2 Nephi 2:11, there must be opposition in all things. Without alternatives, there can be no meaningful choice. Without meaningful choice, there can be no genuine exercise of moral agency. We must have the opportunity to choose between good and evil, righteousness and wickedness, liberty and captivity. These opposing principles allow us to understand the consequences of our decisions and recognize the eternal value of choosing righteousness.
These principles apply not only to our individual lives but also to our families, communities, and nations. A free society requires citizens who understand truth, accept responsibility, respect the law, and recognize that liberty cannot survive without personal virtue and accountability.
Part III
Freedom Is Both a Blessing and a Responsibility
God gave us agency, not so that we might become servants to our appetites, our pride, our fears, or the demands of others, but so that we might freely choose righteousness. The same principles that protect our eternal liberty must also guide our earthly liberty: Truth must prevail, responsibility must be exercised, and freedom must be defended.
The central message is simple but profound: We are free to choose our path, but we must never forget where that path leads. Every decision has consequences, and every choice helps shape the person we become.
There is either freedom or slavery. There is either truth or deception. There is either the Rule of Law or the rule of those who seek power over others. And there is either a willingness to follow Jesus Christ or a decision to follow the natural man.
God has given us the gift of agency. Jesus Christ has shown us the way. The Holy Spirit can guide us, the scriptures can teach us, and truth can enlighten our understanding.
We are free to choose, but we are not free to choose the consequences of our choices.
That is the responsibility of freedom. That is the power of moral agency. And that is why there is no middle ground when it comes to the eternal principles of truth, righteousness, and liberty.
I believe this addition gives greater
depth and meaning. It now establishes four connected foundations:
1. Personal freedom — the
responsible exercise of moral agency.
2. Constitutional freedom — the
protection of liberty through the Rule of Law.
3. Intellectual freedom — the
pursuit, embrace, and defense of truth.
4. Spiritual freedom — choosing
Jesus Christ and the path of eternal life.
Together, these make a compelling argument that freedom is not simply something we possess. It is something we must understand, exercise responsibly, and defend.
One thought worth emphasizing
throughout this message: A person cannot remain truly free while willingly
surrendering truth, personal responsibility, and moral agency.
We live in "The Best of Times and The Worst of Times". The decisions we make going forward are critical to personal, family, and community peace and survival. Now is the time for serious Reflection on our part as individuals and as a Nation.
The Invisible Prison: When We Believe
We Are Free
By Richard G. Medlock
“The victim of mind-manipulation does
not know that he is a victim. To him, the walls of his prison are invisible,
and he believes himself to be free.”
Aldous Huxley
Aldous Huxley’s observation is powerful because it identifies one of the most dangerous forms of captivity: captivity that the prisoner does not recognize. A physical prison has bars, locks, walls, and guards; intellectual and psychological prisons can be far more difficult to see because they are built inside the mind. A person can sincerely believe he is thinking freely while his assumptions, fears, desires, loyalties, and even his definition of reality have been shaped by others. Mind manipulation does not necessarily look like obvious propaganda. It can occur gradually through repetition, selective information, social pressure, emotional conditioning, censorship, fear, ridicule, or the constant presentation of one particular worldview as the only reasonable one. Eventually, the individual may defend the very ideas that limit his freedom because he has come to regard those ideas as his own.
The great danger is that freedom requires more than the absence of physical restraints; it requires the capacity to think, reason, question, and choose. Socrates understood this when he challenged people to examine their assumptions rather than simply accept the opinions of the crowd. His famous principle, “The unexamined life is not worth living,” points toward intellectual self-government. Aristotle likewise emphasized the importance of reason in human flourishing. If we surrender our capacity to reason to the crowd, the state, the media, an institution, a political movement, or even our own passions, we may retain the appearance of freedom while gradually surrendering the substance of it.
Scripture gives this principle an even deeper dimension. The Savior declared, “Ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free” (John 8:32). Notice the connection: truth and freedom belong together. Christ did not say that whatever we happen to believe will make us free. He connected freedom to knowing truth. Likewise, Paul warned, “Be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind” (Romans 12:2). The command to renew the mind implies that our minds require continual examination and correction. The Book of Mormon gives a similar warning when Alma teaches that we should “experiment upon the word” and discover for ourselves whether something is true (Alma 32:27–28). Faith is not intellectual surrender; it is an invitation to seek, test, experience, and discover.
This is also where moral agency becomes essential. The restored gospel teaches that agency is a divine gift. Doctrine and Covenants 93:31 declares, “Behold, here is the agency of man.” But agency becomes meaningful only when we can distinguish among alternatives and make informed moral choices. A person who has been persuaded that he has no alternatives may possess legal freedom while experiencing very little actual intellectual freedom. This is why the Lord repeatedly commands His children to seek knowledge, study, and exercise judgment. Doctrine and Covenants 88:118 says, “Seek ye out of the best books words of wisdom; seek learning, even by study and also by faith.” That is a remarkably balanced philosophy: study and faith, reason and revelation, investigation and spiritual discernment.
Huxley’s metaphor also helps us understand why confirmation bias and intellectual tribalism are so powerful. Once we identify ourselves with an ideology, group, political party, institution, or social movement, we can become emotionally invested in protecting its worldview. We begin accepting information that confirms our beliefs and automatically rejecting information that challenges them. At that point, we are no longer asking, “Is this true?” We are asking, “Does this support what I already believe?” That is a subtle but profound transformation. Truth becomes subordinate to identity. The person may think he is defending freedom when, in reality, he is defending the walls of his own intellectual prison.
The Founders of America understood something similar when they placed such extraordinary emphasis upon an educated and informed citizenry. Self-government requires self-governing people. A constitutional republic cannot remain free if its citizens become incapable or unwilling to distinguish truth from falsehood, evidence from assertion, principle from propaganda, or legitimate authority from mere power. Thomas Jefferson famously emphasized the importance of an educated citizenry to the preservation of liberty. The underlying principle is simple: a people who cannot think critically cannot remain politically free for very long.
But there is another prison Huxley’s statement should cause us to examine: the prison of our own prejudices. It is easy to recognize manipulation when someone else is being manipulated. It is much harder to ask, “Where might I be wrong?” Intellectual humility therefore becomes a form of freedom. James wrote, “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God” (James 1:5). The willingness to admit that we do not know everything is not weakness; it is the beginning of wisdom. Proverbs teaches, “The simple believeth every word: but the prudent man looketh well to his going” (Proverbs 14:15). The prudent person does not automatically believe everything—but neither does he automatically reject everything. He investigates.
Ultimately, Huxley’s insight is a
warning about invisible chains. The most effective manipulation does not always
command us what to think; sometimes it determines what we are permitted to
think about. It can establish the assumptions, vocabulary, fears, and
boundaries within which our thinking occurs. True intellectual freedom
therefore requires us to step outside those boundaries occasionally and ask
fundamental questions:
And perhaps that is the deeper lesson for a Sensible Truth discussion: freedom is not merely the right to speak; it is the ability and courage to think. The free person does not blindly believe authority, but neither does he blindly distrust authority. He examines. He studies. He questions. He listens. He prays. He reasons. He tests ideas against evidence and eternal principles. Most importantly, he seeks truth even when truth is inconvenient.
The strongest prison may be the one we cannot see. And the first step toward escaping it is simply having the courage to ask: “What if I am wrong?”
Sensible Truth — Truth • Faith •
Freedom
Sensible Truth Ep. 49: On Living in an Atomic Age
A “Sensible Truth” principle:
The world does not need more
frightened people staring at the storm. It needs men and women who, while fully
aware of the storm, continue to build the house, teach the children, love their
neighbors, worship God, seek truth, and do the good that is within their power.
Sensible Truth Ep. 48: The Mighty Tree Hidden Within the Seed
What if the greatest version of yourself is still hidden inside you?
What if your failures are not the end of your story? What if your struggles are not evidence of your weakness, but opportunities to discover strength you never knew you possessed? And what if the person you are today is only a small glimpse of the person you were created to become?
Consider this question from the Sufi mystic Shams Tabrizi:
“How can the seed believe that there is a mighty tree hidden inside it?”