Rev Franklin Graham, son of prominent evangelist Billy Graham, urged his followers to be cautious about accepting every proposed ban in the fight against coronavirus, saying it’s not just about saving lives to some individuals in the government, it’s about control.
In a Facebook post published on Tuesday, the reverend warned what we do today, in response to the coronavirus pandemic could have a great impact on our future and our freedoms.
“It’s becoming more obvious to people that the response of some in the government is not just about protecting lives, but it’s about control,” Rev Graham said.
“Never before in our history have those who are well been quarantined rather than those who are sick!
“I don’t want to minimize the fact that the coronavirus is dangerous. We need to take precautions and we need to exercise personal responsibility. But we also need to be cautious before we say yes to every ban proposed and agree to anything that we think might help protect us from the virus, to make sure that we’re not letting go of some of our constitutional rights.
“Our response to the coronavirus pandemic could greatly affect our future and our freedoms,” Rev Graham added.
The reverend is correct! It was Ronald Reagan who once said, “Government has an inborn tendency to grow. And, left to itself, it will grow beyond the control of the people. Only constant complaint by the people will inhibit its growth.”
But we’re not seeing many complaints either. People seem quite happy to go along with whatever bans the government proposes because, after all, it’s for our own good and safety. But that’s exactly the sort of government that C.S. Lewis warned may be the most oppressive of all.
“Of all tyrannies, a tyranny exercised for the good of its victims may be the most oppressive,” Lewis wrote. “It may be better to live under robber barons than under omnipotent moral busybodies.
“The robber barons cruelty may sometimes sleep, his cupidity may at some point be satiated; but those who torment us for our own good will torment us without end, for they do so with the approval of their own conscience.”
It’s no wonder Reagan went on to identify the nine most terrifying words in the English language to be: “I’m from the government and I’m here to help.”
