My sentiments exactly
Disciplines and constraints liberate us only when they fit with the reality of our nature and capacities. A fish is only free if it is restricted and limited to water. If we put it out on the grass, its freedom to move and even live is not enhanced, but destroyed. The fish dies if we do not honor the reality of its nature.
In many areas of life, freedom is not so much the absence of restrictions as finding the right ones, the liberating restrictions.

-Timothy Keller, The Reason For God

Keller continues with the analogy of someone who gets piano lessons.  They’ve removed freedoms by imposing the structure & discipline of the lessons, but they gain a new freedom; the freedom to explore joy in playing beautiful music. Now, am I FREE to play beautiful music without lessons?   I suppose so, but I am INCAPABLE of doing so without the lessons.  So loosing freedom, imposing the right restrictions, does limit us in a way, but has potential to open up avenues of being more fully and completely ourselves.

Am I FREE to live a virtuous, joyful, soul-satisfying life?  Technically, sure, but I am INCAPABLE of doing so without the restrictions and guidelines of He who created me and knows best what limitations will set me free to REALLY live, and be the best human-being I can be.

In this way, we can see how “freedom” has become a buzzword and idol of Western culture.  Each individual is FREE to determine truth for his- or herself, but that freedom will not necessarily set you free.

  1. squashed reblogged this from sds and added:
    Timothy Keller wrote, in...Davereed, SDS (who is fortunately back from hiatus) and hilker...
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    Wow, great discussion
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