George Orwell’s line, “If you control the language, you control the people” is chilling but true.

If you’ve read the book you will remember that 1984 suggests, “The main purpose of the Thought Police is to eradicate the problem of “thought crime.”

A “thought crime” consists of an individual and independent thought that does not follow party doctrine… Power, is “power over human beings”, but “above all over the mind…” Amazingly, Orwell’s words are no longer fiction, they are reality in some parts of the world today.
Just a few days ago in Europe, Vice President of the United States JD Vance referred to the freedom of conscience at the Munich Security Conference in Germany. The Washington Stand’s Ben Johnson discussed these observations from the Vice President’s speech, “The threat that I worry the most about vis-à-vis Europe is not Russia; it’s not China; it’s not any other external actor. What I worry about is the threat from within: the retreat of Europe from some of its most fundamental values, values shared with the United States of America,” said Vance… The vice president placed two unalienable rights at the heart of his critique: the right to life and freedom of religion.

“Perhaps most concerningly, I look to our very dear friends, the United Kingdom, where the backslide away from conscience rights has placed the basic liberties of religious Britons, in particular, in the crosshairs,” said Vance. “A little over two years ago, the British government charged Adam Smith-Connor, a 51-year-old physiotherapist and an Army veteran, with the heinous crime of standing 50 meters from an abortion clinic and silently praying for three minutes, not obstructing anyone, not interacting with anyone, just silently praying on his own.”

Vance proceeded to highlight yet more cases of European nations stifling free speech and religious liberty. “I look to Sweden, where two weeks ago, the government convicted a Christian activist for participating in Quran burnings that resulted in his friend’s murder. And as the judge in his case chillingly noted, Sweden’s laws to supposedly protect free expression do not, in fact, grant — and I’m quoting — a ‘free pass’ to do or say anything without risking offending the group that holds that belief,” he said… end quote.

Remember, we here in America are endowed by our creator with certain rights… not because of the group we come from, but because God created us with these rights. “Without our common faith in the equal right of every individual American to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, authoritarian visions of government and society could become increasingly alluring alternatives to self-government based on the consent of the people,”

Taking a stand for truth and righteousness is and has never been an easy path. In fact, it’s the most difficult and challenging of ways; however, it is worth it! A small group of believers facing the threat of losing their lives for their beliefs were encouraged by Paul’s letter “And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.” This still encourages us today.

In a recent Washington Times article online editor Cheryl Crumley writes… “The United Nations has long lusted to tear down America’s religious freedom for many, many reasons — not the least of which is it’s the basis of American Exceptionalism, that is, that individuals are endowed by the Creator with certain unalienable rights, including life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, and that government is only instituted as a protector of those God-given rights. If individuals get their rights from God, after all, what need for government except to serve — right? That’s a fearful scenario for tyrants, for globalists, for elitists…”

All this points to the spiritual battle that rages each and every day of our lives. If you are a Christ follower, you have one objective and that is to become more and more like Christ every day. When you come to accept and believe this it will change drastically the way you view your life. The apostle Paul in his letter to the Ephesian church reminded them of this battle and how they were to face it. He writes, “Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.” There has never been a more important moment in history for the people of God to be fully equipped to stand for Biblical truth. It appears that the voice of liberty is at stake.

The good news, God never loses a battle!

Tim Throckmorton is the president of Lifepointe Ministries.