“FREEEEEDOOOM!” Those of us who made it through Mel Gibson’s “historical” (hehe) film Braveheart will likely never forget that final one-word public speech delivered (and with amazing volume, I might add) by a dying William Wallace. Do you know what gave that one word its ability to stir the hearts of his listeners to patriotic fervor? Their first-hand knowledge of that burden they wished to be freed from–tyranny. It just wouldn’t have fit with the drama of it all to have William cry out “FREEEDOOOM FROM TYRANNYYYY!” But that’s what his audience understood when they heard it. The term “freedom” has no real meaning apart from an understanding of what the freed person or thing is to be freed from. Obvious, right? We talk about free lunches, free thinkers, drawing freehand, freedom of speech, free will....
