March 28th Sermon
"Get on the Train"
*Turn with me if you will to page 16 in your Political Scriptures
Today’s readings come from
The Second book of James Madison
Chapters 4 & 5
Known as Federalist #10
First published in 1787 under the alias of Publius
The Federalist papers purpose was to explain
And interpret the newly created Constitution
To the early colonist
2 Madison 4:1-10
1Complaints are everywhere heard from our most considerate and virtuous citizens, 2equally the friends of public and private faith, and of public and personal liberty, 3that our governments are too unstable, 4that the public good is disregarded in the conflicts of rival parties, 5and that measures are too often decided, not according to the rules of justice and the rights of the minor party, 6but by the superior force of an interested and overbearing majority.
7By a faction, I understand a number of citizens, whether amounting to a majority or minority of the whole, 8who are united and actuated by some common impulse of passion, or of interest, 9adverse to the rights of other citizens, 10or to the permanent and aggregate interests of the community.
*2 Madison 5:1-15
1From this view of the subject it may be concluded that a pure democracy, 2by which I mean a society consisting of a small number of citizens, 3who assemble and administer the government in person, 4can admit of no cure for the mischiefs of faction. 5A common passion or interest will, in almost every case, be felt by a majority of the whole; 6a communication and concert result from the form of government itself; 7and there is nothing to check the inducements to sacrifice the weaker party or an obnoxious individual. 8Hence it is that such democracies have ever been spectacles of turbulence and contention; 9have ever been found incompatible with personal security or the rights of property; 10and have in general been as short in their lives as they have been violent in their deaths. 11Theoretic politicians, who have patronized this species of government, 12have erroneously supposed that by reducing mankind to a perfect equality in their political rights, 13they would at the same time, be perfectly equalized and assimilated in their possessions, their opinions, and their passions.
14A republic, by which I mean a government in which the scheme of representation takes place, 15opens a different prospect, and promises the cure for which we are seeking.
These are the words of Father Madison
BCG
Thank you Citizen Woods
*Praise the Constitution
How are you doing Citizens?
How was your day?
Was it a marvelous day?
Or was it
The Same ole shit, different day?
Or as my Friend Randy put it this morning
The more things change the more they stay the same
Now I’ve heard that phrase many a time
But what does it really mean
The more things change the more they stay the same
Usually I hear this from my elders
People with the experience of time
Myself a youngster of 31
I recognize these cycles in clothing
Recently to the pleasure of my teen fantasies
*The late 80’s are apparently making a come back
Now talk about repeating the mistakes of the past
I’m not a fashion expert
But I’m asking now
“Please Stop”
I know my parents were saying the same thing
When I was sneaking their bell bottoms
From the back of their closet
“Please Stop”
My parent’s advice came from experience
It was rooted in the knowledge of the past
Like most teenagers I ignored their advice
And despite what my sisters says
My poor clothing choices
Didn’t cause any irreparable damage
*However cycles can cause harm
Look at the cycles of abuse
Look at the cycles of drug use
Cycles can cause irreparable damage
And what’s one of the first steps
In stopping these cycles
Recognizing the problem
Recognizing them as cycles
As an American
As a Citizen of the United States of America
What cycles are holding you back?
What cycles are keeping you from the American dream?
What cycles are causing irreparable damage
To your American spirit?
*Father Madison begins today’s lesson by recognizing a problem
A problem that exposes a harmful cycle
2 Madison 4:1-4
1Complaints are everywhere heard from our most considerate and virtuous citizens
You, me, We the People
2equally the friends of public and private faith, and of public and personal liberty,
That’s an interesting concept, Liberty
We’ll look more into that later
3that our governments are too unstable, 4that the public good is disregarded in the conflicts of rival parties,
Now there’s a phrase that still rings true today
4that the public good is disregarded in the conflicts of rival parties,
The more things change the more they stay the same
And you thought our problems today were new
That politicians were more worried about being reelected
Than protecting us
The public good
It’s an old problem
It’s a continual problem
It’s a problem of oversight
In recent years oversight
Has basically become non-existent
And I’m not just talking about Congress
In the early republic
If a representative didn’t obey their constituents
Or looked after the public good
They were recalled
They didn’t even wait for elections
Before he became president
*John Quincy Adams
Learned that lesson the hard way
He sided with the President and not his constituents
When he voted for Jefferson’s Embargo Act of 1807
“The president has recommended the measure on his high responsibility. I would not consider, I would not deliberate; I would act!''
That’s what Adams said
I would not consider, I would not deliberate; I would act!''
As his senate vote helped pass the act into law
A law that had to be repealed 15 months later
Because of the damage it caused to the American Economy
But Adams didn’t even last the 15 months
The Massachusetts Legislature held a special session
To remove him from his senate seat
So John Quincy Adams resigned
He had broken his loyalties
By siding with the president
And not the people
In the early republic
The relationship between constituent and representative
Was respected
The Will of the People counted
But there were some problems
That this relationship couldn’t fix
That democracy couldn’t solve
*And Father Madison recognized them
2 Madison 4:5&6
5and that measures are too often decided, not according to the rules of justice and the rights of the minor party, 6but by the superior force of an interested and overbearing majority.
Father Madison wasn’t worried about the tyranny of a minority
He was worried about the tyranny of the majority
an interested and overbearing majority.
But that’s the opposite of what I hear
From dad and many others
They are more worried about the tyranny of a minority
Than
an interested and overbearing majority.
We’re a Democracy they say
Majority rule trumps Minority rights
That’s what I learned in School
That’s what my dad tells me
That’s what his emails proclaim
But then again I can understand
He’s a Conservative
Upper Middle Class
White Caucasian
Which have recently become
The most persecuted people in America
My dad’s last email
Depicting the latest in Christian Persecution
*Proclaimed
86% of Americans believe in God
Why don’t the other 14% just sit down and shut up
Majority Rule trumps Minority rights
“Just sit down and shut up!!”
We’re a Democracy
That’s the way it works
That’s the function of our Government
Democracy
Get over it
But Father Madison wasn’t going to “Get over it”
Father Madison was interested in that 14%’s voice
Father Madison was worried about the minority
*He saw things differently
2 Madison 5:1-4
1From this view of the subject it may be concluded that a pure democracy, 2by which I mean a society consisting of a small number of citizens, 3who assemble and administer the government in person, 4can admit of no cure for the mischiefs of faction.
According to Father Madison Democracy wasn’t the cure
4can admit of no cure for the mischiefs of faction.
Democracy couldn’t solve the problem
Democracy wouldn’t stop the cycle
Democracy wasn’t the cure
Wasn’t the cure for faction
*The problem of faction
2 Madison 4: 7-10
7By a faction, I understand a number of citizens, whether amounting to a majority or minority of the whole, 8who are united and actuated by some common impulse of passion, or of interest,
But that’s the American way
We unite under common impulses
We unite under common passions
We unite under common interests
And we are actuated by them
We fight for what we believe is right
And we oppose what we think is wrong
As Americans
That’s our right
That’s our liberty
That’s what make us
The United States of America
But father Madison said whoa
Whoa
Hold up
Yes you have that right
But if you cross the line
If you cross the line of liberty
If you disregard the public good
If your actions are adverse to the rights of others
Then you have become a faction
*Madison Continues in verses 8-10
8who are united and actuated by some common impulse of passion, or of interest, 9adverse to the rights of other citizens, 10or to the permanent and aggregate interests of the community.
Those passions
Those interests
Those impulses
Once they affect the rights of others
Once they affect the liberty of others
Once they affect the property of others
They start to affect the interests of society
Minority rights count
Because how we treat our minorities
Reflects on us
*Our society as a whole
During my freshman year in High School
I joined the R.O.T.C.
My goal was to become an Air force pilot
I was obsessed with jets
And flying them
My bedroom ceiling was covered
Covered with model airplanes and jets
Thanks to the encouragement of my parents
Who I respect and love dearly
Thanks to their support
I ended up getting my pilot’s licenses
Before I got my driver’s licenses
See I was so obsessed
I would skip school to fly
I almost didn’t graduate
Because I missed so many classes
Luckily the final approach for runway 12L
For San Antonio International
My second home
Happened to take me right over my high school
So I was able to drop notes to my teachers
Explaining why I wouldn’t be in class
Anyway
I learned a valuable lesson
While I was in R.O.T.C.
I learned
I learned that your squad was only as good
As your weakest member
Yes this concept led to several push-ups
Because you were punished as a group
Not as individuals
But what this mentality led to
Wasn’t a selfish me attitude
But a selfless we attitude
You looked after the group as a whole
If an individual was falling down
You helped them up
So that the group could succeed
The minority counted
By assisting the weakest link
The most needful link
The least represented link
We made the entire chain stronger
*2 Madison 5:5
5A common passion or interest will, in almost every case, be felt by a majority of the whole;
Just look back at racial segregation in the South
A majority
A majority of the whole
Was held by a common passion
A common interest
A common impulse
That was adverse to the rights of other citizens
The Rule of the Majority crossed the line of liberty
And it became a problem
It became a cycle
A cycle that needed to be stopped
But cycles have a nasty tendency of coming back
That’s why their cycles
That’s why we have to learn to recognize them
And the cycle of Majority Rule
Is making one of those come backs
5A common passion or interest will, in almost every case, be felt by a majority of the whole;
Let’s just look at one recent example
Gay Marriage
A majority of the whole
Guided by a common passion
Guided by a common interest
Guided by a common impulse
Which has united and actuated them
To fight for what they believe is right
And oppose what they believe is wrong
Has caused them to cross the line of liberty
And the movement against Gay Marriage has become a faction
They became a faction
The moment they United against a minority
The moment they United against the right of other citizens
The moment they United through the idea of Majority Rule
Father Madison talks about this idea of Majority Rule
*In verse 6
Father Madison says Majority Rule is
6a communication and concert result from the form of government itself;
6a communication and concert result from the form of government itself;
The Form of Government being Democracy
Which communicates the idea of Majority Rule
And the concerted result being
an interested and overbearing majority
And because of this communication
Many citizens believe Majority Rule Trumps Minority Rights
They believe America is a Democracy
Father Madison warns where this logic leads
*As he continues in verse 7
7and there is nothing to check the inducements to sacrifice the weaker party or an obnoxious individual.
So if the Majority Rules without Minority Rights
What is to keep society
From breaking the chain
And turning it into a whip
What is keeping us from the cycle of minority abuse
7and there is nothing to check the inducements to sacrifice the weaker party or an obnoxious individual.
Because who are you protecting
When you protect minority rights
What is the greatest minority?
What is it?
It’s you, me, him, her
Or as Father Madison refers to us
*The obnoxious individual
When you protect the minority
You are protecting yourself
When you protect the minority
You are protecting yourself
Let me hear you citizen
When you protect the minority
Who are you protecting?
Who are you protecting?
Because someday you may be
That obnoxious individual
And you’re going to need some protection
Aren’t you
It comes down to the heart of our Freedom
But what is Freedom?
There’s a term that been that been abused
It gets thrown out there all the time
What is it to you?
How about you?
Studying our Founding Fathers
I’ve acquired a new definition of Freedom
To me Freedom now means
Allowing that obnoxious individual over there
To do something I absolutely hate
That goes against everything I believe
As long as it doesn’t affect
My Life, Liberty, or Property
You see Freedom exists outside yourself
You’re only as Free
As you allow that obnoxious individual over there to be
Because if you have the right
To interfere with that persons liberty
What is to stop them
*From interfering with yours
“Freedom is everybody’s Job”
In 1948 that was the motto of the Freedom Train
After the Second World War
The last Good War
Americans understood what they had fought for
It wasn’t democracy
It wasn’t Free Elections
It was liberty
Our Rights
Our Freedom
They understood that our freedoms
Were rooted in our rights
Our Liberty
And our rights were outlined in our founding Documents
The Constitution
the Bill of rights
These along with 126 other documents were exhibited
On the longest train trip in American History
The Freedom Train
The Freedom Train toured 326 cities
And approximately 50 million Americans
Visited the train or participated in related events
That was back when there was only a 140 million of us
And these events helped crack open a door
In expanding America’s Freedom
Jim Crow wasn’t allowed on the Freedom Train
It was one of America’s first
Nationally desegregated events
Only two cities pressed the issue
Baltimore and Memphis
And the result
They missed the Freedom Train
The Freedom Train passed them by
“Freedom is everybody’s job”
After World War II
Many Americans had personally witnessed
The effects of a tyrannical majority
They recognized the problem
They recognized a vicious cycle
They recognized what made America special
And they wanted to hold on to it
They wanted to celebrate it
They wanted to protect it
Our Freedoms
Our Rights
Our Liberty
They wanted to protect ‘em
They wanted to protect ‘em
By sharing ‘em
By sharing ‘em with all of America
Rise Citizens
Rise and stand with me
As visitors exited the Freedom Train
The were given the opportunity
The opportunity to take a pledge
*A Freedom pledge
This pledge is as relevant today as it was back then
Citizens Tonight I am giving you that same opportunity
To recite the Freedom Pledge
If will grab the hands of the people next to you
Let’s link together
Let’s create a chain
Let’s form our own Freedom Train
Repeat after me
I am an American
A Free American
Free to speak – without Fear
Free to worship God in my own way
Free to stand for what I think right
Free to oppose what I think wrong
Free to choose those who govern my country
This heritage of Freedom I pledge to uphold
For myself and all mankind
Citizens
We need to get on the Train
We need to get on the Freedom Train
Because
*“Freedom is everybody’s job”
Let me hear you citizens
What is Freedom?
It is everybody’s job
One more time
What is Freedom?
Everybody’s job
Do I have a Witness?
Amen
Praise the Constitution
We the People need to get on the Train
I challenge you tonight citizens
As members of the UCA
*The United Church of America
As you stand here with me
Spread Freedom
Spread Liberty
Make every obnoxious individual you run into Free
Because by protecting their liberty
You are securing your rights
Your freedom
Because Freedom exists outside yourself
Get on the Train
And Spread Freedom
Get on the Train
And Spread Liberty
We the People
Need to get on the Freedom Train
Who here wants to get on the train?
Let me hear ya
Who here wants to get on the Freedom Train?
Amen
Praise the Constitution
“Freedom is Everybody’s Job”
Please be seated
*In 2 Madison 5:8-10
Father Madison continues his warning
His warning about spreading the ideas of Democracy
8Hence it is that such democracies have ever been spectacles of turbulence and contention; 9have ever been found incompatible with personal security or the rights of property; 10and have in general been as short in their lives as they have been violent in their deaths.
According to Father Madison
Democracies are one of the worst forms of government
9have ever been found incompatible with personal security or the rights of property;
That’s why I challenged you to spread freedom
That’s why I challenged you to spread liberty
But I didn’t ask you
To spread Democracy
But there are those that are advancing
These dangerous doctrines of democracy
They point to free election
They wave their flags
As the spout the latest talking point
“Building Democracy”
“Delivering Democracy”
“Spreading Democracy to the World”
They can’t say Democracy enough
Democracy, Democracy, Democracy
It’s their favorite phrase
Second only to their all time fav
The terrorist attacks of September 11th
I’m not saying this to demoralize our troops
But to moralize our leaders
Democracy isn’t a ruby slipper
Democracy, Democracy, Democracy
It a wolf in sheep’s clothing
And Father Madison talks about
These wolves
These pushers of Democracy
These patriotic politicians
*2 Madison 5:11-13
11Theoretic politicians, who have patronized this species of government, 12have erroneously supposed that by reducing mankind to a perfect equality in their political rights,
Free Elections
13they would at the same time, be perfectly equalized and assimilated in their possessions, their opinions, and their passions.
They claim that Free elections make people Free
12have erroneously supposed that by reducing mankind to a perfect equality in their political rights, 13they would at the same time, be perfectly equalized and assimilated in their possessions, their opinions, and their passions.
Let’s look at Afghanistan
Where we have
“Delivered Democracy”
Where time and time again
Their Free Elections
Have been touted as
A Policy success
Their Free Elections
Have made them Free
*Let’s ask Abdul Rahman
How Free Afghanistan’s
Free Election
Have made him
Until just Yesterday
Abdul Rahman was being held in an Afghan prison
For a Capital Crime
He could have received a death sentence
It was a crime he committed 16 years ago
It was so bad
His own parents turned him in
What heinous crime did he commit?
He converted
He converted from Islam
*To Christianity
Now there’s some true Christian percecution
Unlike the American version
in my dad’s emails
They took the God Bless America out of the post Office
I’m being persecuted
But can you believe it?
In the new Free Afghanistan
Converting to Christianity
Is punishable by death
Now that’s progress
Go Democracy
Yeah for Free Elections
Luckily the court ruled
Abdul Rahman was unfit for trial
You know what his defense was?
Mental Incompetence
Mental Incompetence
I know a few people
A few politicians who
Oh never mind
It too easy
*Free elections don’t secure rights
Free elections don’t secure property
Free elections don’t protect the obnoxious individual
Democracy doesn’t equal freedom
And these false prophets of Democracy
Are repeating a dangerous cycle
An abusive cycle
The abusive cycle of Majority Rule
It is up to us to stop this cycle
And expose these false prophets
Pulling away the mask of Democracy
To reveal the ugly face of Majority Rule
Or we will suffer the consequences
Of their Mental Incompetence
So
How do we stop this cycle?
How do we solve the problem of minority abuse?
How do we get the obnoxious individual back her feet?
The Goddess of liberty has fallen to her knees
And we need to help her up
How do we help her up?
By Getting on the Train
And Spreading Knowledge
Knowledge of our Constitution
By Getting on the Train
And Spreading the lessons of History
Recognizing the cycles of our past
By Getting on the Train
And Spreading Liberty
Knowing what our Rights are
By Getting on the Train
And Spreading Freedom
Freedom just not for ourselves
But an unselfish Freedom
A freedom that exists outside of you
“Freedom is everybody’s Job”
There are two components that have propelled
The United States of America
In its continual journey towards Freedom
Because Freedom will always be on our horizon
America’s quest for the ultimate perfection
Mankind’s Holy Grail
America’s Tracks
Our Nation’s Railway towards Freedom
Is laid down in Our Bill of Rights
And the Amendments that have followed
These railway spikes
Secure Our Lives
Secure Our Liberties
Secure Our Property
Secure Our Rights
They have laid out our tracks
Veering us onto the Line of Liberty
Racial Rights
Women’s Rights
Voting Rights
Navigating the Tyrannical Terrain of injustice
Making Corrections
Adding Liberties
Only once have these rails been used to deny liberty
And the derailment of Prohibition was Corrected
*Turn with me to Page 16
2 Madison 4:19-21
19It is in vain to say enlightened statesmen will be able to adjust these clashing interests, 20and render them all subservient to the public good. 21Enlightened statesmen will not always be at the helm.
Once again there appears
To be misguided conductors at America’s helm
Led by the beautiful siren of Majority Rule
Calling them from the path of liberty
Onto the Rocky Railways of popular prejudices
Minority Rights are thrown into the furnace
As the obnoxious individual is tied to the tracks
21Enlightened statesmen will not always be at the helm.
Who will be our Dudley Do Rights?
America is on the verge of becoming a Runaway Train
Unless we can switch ourselves
Back onto the line of Liberty
And avoid the cycle of Minority abuse
*America will derail
Our Bill of Rights and Our Amendments
Work best when they perform as providers
Not when they are directed to be dividers
Amen
Praise the Constitution
We need to get on the train
Who wants to get on the train
Let me hear ya
Which brings us to our engine
What drives our Country
The Articles of the Constitution
The Articles that empower our government
Not through the mechanics of Democracy’s Majority Rule
But through the repairs of a Republic
Which seeks to protect minority rights
*Turn if you will to Page 17
2 Madison 5:14&15
14A republic, by which I mean a government in which the scheme of representation takes place, 15opens a different prospect, and promises the cure for which we are seeking.
America is not a Democracy
The United States of America
Is a Republic
A Republic which seeks to protect the minority
Not a Democracy
Where Majority Rule trumps Minority Rights
But a Republic
It is this combination
Of our Bill of Rights
America’s Tracks
And
Our Nation’s Engine
The Republic
That has kept our Country moving forward
Forward towards Freedom
And we still have a long ways to go
15opens a different prospect, and promises the cure for which we are seeking.
A Republic is not a guarantee
A Republic can only promise the cure
Because the cure lies within us
We the people
*“Freedom is everybody’s job”
And We the People need to remember this most
When we are the majority
When we are the top dog
Because anybody can commit the sins of Majority Rule
The “We’re in charge now” attitude
The cycle of power
We need to remember our Nations original Motto
E Pluribus Unum
One from Many
Which if you noticed
Is above the Threshold of this
Our Constitutional Hall
Because America begins with us
The many
E Pluribus Unum
One from Many
We the People
We The People need remember
How to get on the train
And help the Goddess of Liberty back on her Feet
By looking after our least represented links
Making America’s chain stronger
By stopping the cycle of minority abuse
And saving America’s spirit of liberty
From the evils of Majority Rule
We need to remember that our freedom
Is rooted in the liberty
Of the Obnoxious individual
We need to remember that our freedom
Exists outside of ourselves
We need to remember to Spread Freedom
So that we may be Free
And maybe then
We’ll remember
We’ll remember what it truly means
To be an American
A citizen of the United States of America
A Citizen of the United States of America
Rise Citizens
Rise and Pray with me
Thank you Father Madison
Thank you for opening our eyes
Thank you for showing us the key
May we not keep these unlocked secrets to ourselves
But share them with our fellow citizens
We as members of the UCA
The United Church of America
Hold a great responsibility
Father Madison
Father Jefferson
Father Paine
Well call upon your strength
Help us on our journey
Help us through these days of trials and tribulations
As we strive to reintroduce your words
Your wisdom
To the whole world
In the Constitution we pray
Amen