Welcome back to Outlaw Faith — it’s midweek, so let’s talk freedom. Not the bumper sticker kind. Not “I can do whatever I want, dude.” I mean the kind of freedom that shakes empires and makes tyrants lose sleep. The kind Paine fought for — and the kind God actually designed you for.
Freedom Ain’t a Gift — It’s a Job
Paine wasn’t passing out participation trophies. He made it clear:
“Government, even in its best state, is but a necessary evil; in its worst state, an intolerable one.”
Translation? If you’re waiting for politicians to “give you” freedom, you already lost. Real freedom isn’t a gift from Washington — it’s a job description for you.
Paine’s Time vs. Our Time
1776: “We’re sick of King George making decisions for us from across the ocean.” 2025: “We’re sick of people who never met us deciding what’s ‘safe,’ ‘fair,’ or ‘correct’ for us from a marble building.”
Different century, same scam.
What Freedom Actually Means (Spoiler: It’s Harder Than It Looks)
Real freedom means: ✅ Governing yourself so nobody else has to. ✅ Taking responsibility when you screw up — not blaming society, your parents, or Mercury retrograde. ✅ Defending your faith — even when it’s awkward at work or costs you followers.
This is why Scripture ties freedom to responsibility, not endless choices. Galatians 5:13 hits it hard:
“Do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love.”
See that? Freedom isn’t license — it’s stewardship. You’re free for a purpose — to honor God, protect others, and build something worth leaving behind.
Modern Examples: Are We Free or Just Distracted?
You can “choose your truth,” but if you can’t pay rent without government help, are you really free?
You can scroll social media for hours, but if you need an app to remind you to pray, is that freedom?
You can buy organic non-GMO Himalayan water, but if your marriage is falling apart because you’re addicted to your phone, how free are you really?
The Freedom/Faith Connection Nobody Talks About
Here’s the kicker:
“It is for freedom that Christ has set us free.” — Galatians 5:1
The deepest freedom isn’t political, it’s spiritual. Freedom from sin. Freedom from fear. Freedom from lies about who you are and why you’re here. Without that, political freedom is just rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic.
Paine’s 2025 To-Do List (If He Had WiFi)
Stop asking permission to live like a free man.
Question every expert who says they know better than you.
Plant deep roots — in Scripture, in your family, in your work — so no one can yank you around.
That’s real freedom. It’s hard. It’s costly. But it’s the only kind worth having.
Tomorrow: Fighting for the Future — What It Costs & Why It’s Worth It.
Welcome back to Outlaw Faith — day two of Common Sense week. Today, we’re talking about fake power — the kind that looks official but has no real legitimacy. Thomas Paine had a question for the people of 1776 that still slaps today:
“A king hath little more to do than to make war and give away places; which in plain terms, is to impoverish the nation, and set it together by the ears.”
Translation: Kings don’t actually do much. They burn through money, start fights, and keep themselves in power by handing out favors to their friends. Sound familiar? Now swap “king” for “career politician” or “unelected bureaucrat,” and you’ve basically got 2025 in a nutshell.
Paine’s Beef with Monarchs (and Why It Still Hits Today)
Paine wasn’t just mad at King George because the guy wore funny hats. His real issue was that the whole concept of inherited power is ridiculous. Why should a man’s bloodline — not his character or competence — decide whether he rules over millions of people?
That’s a joke. And Paine’s solution was simple: Stop pretending these people are special. They aren’t. Real authority comes from the consent of the governed — not from birthright, legacy, or political favors.
Modern Paper Crowns
Fast forward to 2025 — how much of your life is controlled by people you never voted for?
Unelected federal agencies writing rules that act like laws.
Global NGOs influencing policies while answering to no one.
Billionaire “philanthropists” funding social experiments that affect your town — without ever asking you.
That’s monarchy dressed up in paperwork. It’s the same scam Paine called out, just with better PR.
The Christian Layer Paine Didn’t Say Out Loud
Here’s where I add what Paine only hinted at — real authority comes from God. Romans 13 says government exists to serve justice under God’s law. When governments abandon that purpose and start serving themselves (or their donors), they forfeit their moral authority.
At that point, resisting them isn’t rebellion — it’s obedience to a higher King.
What Do We Do With That?
Paine’s advice was clear: Don’t just grumble — ditch the fake system and build something better. For us, that means: ✅ Question every authority demanding your obedience — from the federal government to your social media overlords. ✅ Ask: Who gave them power? Who holds them accountable? ✅ Refuse blind allegiance to anyone who’s not honoring God’s design for justice, freedom, and truth.
Tomorrow — we talk about claiming real freedom, the kind no government can give or take away.
Hey, welcome back to Outlaw Faith! Today, we’re cracking open Thomas Paine’s Common Sense—but not as a dusty old text. We’re giving it a fresh spin so you can see why it still matters in 2025.
Rejecting Tyranny: A 250-Year-Old Wake-Up Call Paine’s central message? Don’t put up with oppressive rule! He argued that inherited power and distant monarchies had no place in a society striving for freedom. Sound familiar? Today’s bloated bureaucracies and overreaching government can feel eerily similar.
Reframing for Today: Imagine Paine with a Twitter account: “Why let distant powers dictate your future? #TakeBackControl.” He was all about empowering individuals to stand up for themselves, a message that’s just as relevant now.
A New Vision: Paine believed that a society built on self-governance and mutual respect was not only possible but necessary. In 2025, we can channel that spirit to reclaim a sense of personal responsibility and faith-driven living.
The Challenge: Don’t just accept the status quo. Whether it’s an overbearing government or a culture that’s lost its way, Paine’s words challenge us to rethink, rebuild, and reclaim our path.
Ready for the next step? Tomorrow, we’ll break down Paine’s call to action and see how it maps onto our world today.
Hey there, welcome to Outlaw Faith! I’m Ryan, and this blog is all about pushing back against what’s broken in our world while standing firm in faith. It’s a call to live with honor, integrity, and a healthy dose of rebellion against the status quo.
What’s the Point? Here, we’re diving into historical texts like Common Sense and the Federalist Papers, translating them into something fresh and relevant. I want to show you why these ideas still matter in 2025 and how they connect to a life of faith.
How We’ll Do It: This isn’t just a history lesson—we’ll weave in humor, personal insights, and a challenge to step up and live boldly. Think of it as a roadmap for reclaiming freedom and faith, one step at a time.
What to Expect: So, starting Monday mornings, we’ll dive into these incredible documents together and see what they mean for us today. It’ll be fun, thought-provoking, and hopefully spark something new in you.
