Freedom From vs. Freedom To

The sermon on Sunday was titled, “Setting People Free,” and I discussed what it means to ignore bad rules in order to make people freer in their own lives; but what does it mean to be free?  What does freedom look like?  American Culture holds up FREEDOM as a cornerstone to its identity.  As nation, we use freedom as the reason we pass certain laws and uphold various policies.  Freedom is the banner we fly every national holiday including Independence Day, Memorial Day, and Labor Day.  We go to war on behalf of freedom, and we are told to be grateful for the freedoms we have in this country.  But what does freedom mean? Thinkers smarter than I have put forth that there is a dual nature to the idea of freedom: "freedom from" vs. "freedom to".

“Freedom to” is the easier idea to get our heads around because it is the one that is most often used when American Culture evokes a sense of freedom. "Freedom to" is the freedom to do whatever I want to.

• The freedom to choose what you want to do for a job
• The freedom to use one’s hard-earned money however one sees fit
• The freedom to live where you want and how you want
• The freedom to make your own medical decisions on what you are willing or not willing to do
• The freedom to make decisions, even if they are bad decisions
• The freedom to ride a motorcycle without a helmet even if it is dangerous
• The freedom to build a homemade hot tub with a kiddie pool and a propane tank on your own property

The idea of “the freedom to” is often guided by the idea that a person should have the freedom to choose their own destiny without interference or coercion from outside forces, including the government.  When people declare that the United States is “the freest country in the world,” what the speaker is often implying is that the US interferes the least with the actions of its citizenry.  When these same folks decry government overreach, they are often implying that the US government is impinging on their right to do whatever they want to do.

On the other hand, “freedom from” evokes a sense of collective freedom that is present in more collectivist cultures.  "Freedom from" evokes a standard of living where citizens are free from the worst outcomes of life.  

• Free school lunches provide children freedom from hunger.
• Free education provides freedom from ignorance and student loan debt.
• School vaccination standards provide freedom from potentially deadly diseases.
• Worker protects provides freedom from workplace abuse.
• Health and safety standards provide freedom from unsafe conditions.
• Environmental regulations provide freedom from toxic pollutants.
• Certain laws provide freedom from discrimination, racism, and sexism.
• Guaranteed housing provides freedom from the threat of homelessness
• Universal healthcare provides freedom from the threat of medical debt or death due to unaffordable healthcare or delayed healthcare.
• Social programs (are supposed to) provide freedom from poverty.

Part of the divide in our country that has polarized us is a different understanding of freedom. Many people are fighting for more “freedom to,” while others are fighting for more protections in “freedom from.”  In my personal opinion, both senses of freedom are necessary.  However, American culture has been weighted towards an idea of “freedom to,” and has often forgotten our obligations to protect each other by developing robust freedoms that protect us from the worst outcomes of life.  Unlike Cain, we are our brother’s keeper.  And if we are to lift the weight off of people’s backs, we need to develop more "freedom from"s.
​Blessings,
Pastor Chris