Freedom of Religion

We live in a society today where people want what they can't have, hence why our country is so far in debt.  People swim in credit card debt because they give themselves the false idea that they have money when really all they have is a line of credit on a plastic card.  Some even more predominant things are illegal things. High schoolers think it's "cool" to smoke, especially before you turn 18.  Partying and getting drunk is also huge, especially when you are only 18 and not yet legally old enough to drink.  I guess some people get a rush when they are able to get around the law and do illegal things without getting caught.

What if we didn't have freedom of religion?  Would people find that same rush in meeting together and getting away with it?  What if the Bible was illegal?  Would we all just leave one of the many copies that we have on a shelf to collect dust, or would we diligently study it and put it to memory so that if it was ever taken away from us that we would still have God's word in our hearts?  Sometimes I feel guilty about going several days with not even opening my Bible, when there are people who would love to have even just one page of it.   Would we find every opportunity to meet together and study the Bible?  Would we say that we are having a "super bowl party" this upcoming Sunday night and really just study the Bible all night long because we find that to more fulfilling?

A year ago, in my Sunday School class on superbowl Sunday, our topic happened to be on idols. Our Sunday School teacher asked us if we could think of any idols that Americans worship. A man responded with "I think there's a big worship service for one tonight".  That one comment really stuck with me since he said that.  Not that I'm a big football fan, but why do we get more excited about worshipping a football game that nobody will remember in years to come than we do about worshipping our Lord?  If meeting together to worship was illegal, would we even care about the superbowl this Sunday night if it conflicted with a weekly underground worship service?  Let's not take our freedom of religion for granted and shove that freedom to the side when it comes to earthly idols.