Exchanging 30 pieces for humanity

THESE are the times that try men’s souls. The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of their country; but he that stands it now, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman.

Tyranny, like hell, is not easily conquered; yet we have this consolation with us, that the harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph.

What we obtain too cheap, we esteem too lightly: it is dearness only that gives every thing its value. Heaven knows how to put a proper price upon its goods; and it would be strange indeed if so celestial an article as FREEDOM should not be highly rated.

Thomas Paine, The Crisis No. I (written 19 December 1776, published 23 December 1776)

The immortal words of one of America’s most insightful founding fathers that brought about the birth of one of the world’s most illustrious nations. Yet today, with the condition of man’s greed and deviousness to rob and destroy his fellow humanity may make these words seem rather “dated” and possibly “irrelevant”, nonetheless, as surely as the sun rises tomorrow, its reality will again fight another day to keep the most basic of human need and rights – freedom… alive.

And though honour, sacrifice and “doing right” may seem foolish in a chaotic spiraling chasm of hollow, meaningless, conceited selves that would more than readily slice and dice up their fellow men, right has to persevere because it is an intrinsic essence that comes preinstalled in our beings.

For a short while that men are more than willing to sell off their humanity for 30 pieces of silver, it is a terrible price to pay in exchange to kill off their own humanity. Paper in exchange for a God-given essence that ought to be cherished and nurtured instead of scorned at and labeled “dated” or “irrelevant”. A the end of it all, you really can’t take your dollars with you to the grave nor the afterlife. The only, only things that holds up as legitimate “currency” is your humanity.

It’s time to really consider not trading off your birthright for those 30 pieces of silver.