Real Men Defend Freedom

In 1863 talented sculptor Thomas Crawford was commissioned by the United States government to create several statues for the Nation's capitol. He created a statue called Freedom Triumphant in War and Peace. This is the embodiment of freedom as a woman. It stands atop the Capitol Dome in Washington D.C.

In the photos below you can see what she looks like.

Official photo from the Architect of the Capitol  taken during the 1993 restoration of the Capitol Building, where the statue was taken down for a time.

http://www.aoc.gov/cc/photo-gallery/statue_of_freedom.cfm - page of thumbnails.

The statue of freedom crowns the dome of the Capitol building in Washington D.C. This statue was created by Thomas Crawford. This is the full-sized plaster model that stands in Emancipation Hall.

Why is freedom personified as a woman?

In classical sculpture, virtuous ideals and concepts are personified as women. Take the nine Muses of Greek mythology, and more recently, the statues of History and Justice as examples.  

Man is not complete without Woman. Man looks to woman for beauty, inspiration and fulfillment. No good man will stand idly by and allow a woman to be injured when he himself can do something about it. A man will defend a good woman to his dying breath because it is the right thing to do.

Notice the sculpture. Freedom has on her head a helmet, in her left hand the shield of the United States. Her right hand rests on the hilt of her sword. I think it significant that Freedom does not have her sword drawn. Freedom is not a tyrant ruling by the sword, but rather a beautiful woman who owns the tools of defense.

Freedom and her sister Liberty do not impose themselves on others. They stand waiting for good men and women to recognize their virtue, and like a light on a hill, all are drawn to it.

  

Neither of these symbolic women personify vengeance or tyranny. It is notable that the symbolic elements that we hold so dear are personified as women. As stated earlier, Man looks to Freedom and Liberty for beauty, inspiration and fulfillment. No good man will stand idly by and allow Freedom and Liberty be injured when he himself can do something about it. A man will defend a Freedom and Liberty, and, by extension, all virtues, to his dying breath because it is the right thing to do. 

Real Men defend Freedom. Always.

The Second Coming of Lazarus, part 1

America was born into a world waiting for freedom. The history of civilization has been slavery and oppression. There never had been a place like America. This great American Experiment revolutionized the world. Such power and wealth had never before been amassed by one people. The spark of freedom ignited a fire that lit the entire earth.
For a time, everything was good. Then the serpents, with their subtle whisperings, insinuated themselves into positions of power and lulled the populace into a false sense of security. Because it had always been free, it would always be so. This is similar to the story of Lazarus, in the New Testament. Each person take life, and each other's lives, for granted. Life has always been here - we don't remember anything different - and so it seems like it always will be.
Lazarus was a friend to Jesus. But even he died. His sisters mourned and wept. The voice of Lazarus could no longer be heard. When Jesus heard that Lazarus was sick, still he stayed in the town where he was for two days. He knew that the sickness of Lazarus was to illustrate the glory of God. Lazarus and his sisters were in an unfriendly town called Judea. When Jesus said that he was going back to Judea, his disciples tried to warn him away, reminding him that the Jews there tried to stone him. Jesus said that Lazarus was sleeping, and his disciples, not understanding the figurative language, thought that was good for him.

"Then said Jesus unto them plainly, Lazarus is dead." (John 11:14)

Despite the dangerous circumstances, and knowing that their lives could very well be in danger, Thomas Didymus (who would later be called Doubting Thomas for refusing to believe in the resurrected Lord until he saw for himself), expressed great faith in the Savior by saying, "Let us go also, that we may die with him." (John 11:16)
When Jesus and the disciples came near to the town of Bethany, the body of Lazarus had been in the tomb four days already. Martha, the sister of Lazarus, heard that Jesus was coming and went to meet him. She told of the situation, and Jesus assured her that her brother would live.

Let us compare the story thus far with the current state of the United States of America.
America has been infected with a deadly sickness. The aforementioned serpents have inserted poisons of all kinds into our society. What was once a prosperous, moral nation, has sickened, and in a very real sense, died. Moral decay, corruption at all levels, including the highest levels of power, pride and idol worship have killed the America that once was. Our Founding Fathers knew that this was a risk in establishing this nation under God. Freedom always comes with a price. When lulled into false security, sickness infects and slowly kills. But there was no other way to establish the purposes of God, except to establish a land of liberty and freedom, where the gospel could go forth to all corners of the world.
There are those who hear the voice of freedom and walk in the Light. These re-founders are much like Thomas Didymus, mentioned above, who know that there are those who will mock, persecute and even try to kill them. Nevertheless, they go with the Light, the Lord Jesus, who is the God of this Land. No matter the faith or creed, there are noble patriots rising up in these days who proclaim liberty, no matter the personal cost. These are noble and great souls, saved for these last days, when the gates of hell pour forth blackness, to stand as bulwarks against the raging storm, that freedom may awaken again in the hearts of men.
America has been placed in a tomb by those who do not understand. Life goes on, progresses, and so the dead must be laid to rest. The dead has been bound, hand and foot, and has their jaw bound, so they cannot speak. They have been immobilized and silenced. But this is not permanent, for as we will see in the next segment, the Lord Jesus Christ can command, and even the dead come forth.
In the next post, we will complete the story of Lazarus and compare the awakening of America.