“Any single man must judge for himself whether circumstances warrant obedience or resistance to the commands of the civil magistrate; we are all qualified, entitled, and morally obliged to evaluate the conduct of our rulers. This political judgment, moreover, is not simply or primarily a right, but like self-preservation, a duty to God. As such it is a judgment that men cannot part with according to the God of Nature. It is the first and foremost of our inalienable rights without which we can preserve no other.”
– John Locke
Conclusion to the essay above by Bill Buppert:
Freedom cannot exist if an opt-out of the system is unavailable. It makes no logical sense whatsoever that one can assume you are free unless you can opt out or choose not to participate in those activities you as an individual find objectionable or untenable from a freedom perspective. A man is a slave otherwise no matter how fanciful or exigent the explanation for the denial or abridgement of individual liberty.
So, in the end, we can question authority as an academic exercise as often as you wish but it does not amount to much. The only way to weaponize questioning authority is to question obedience and act on it.
Einstein remarked when discussing totalitarian states:
“Unthinking respect for authority is the greatest enemy of truth.”
What can “we” not opt out of?
Is it hard to opt out?
How often do we “opt out?” Or do we usually ‘join in?
The Bible speaks of being in the world yet not of the world. No one, said this was an easy road.
“The only way to weaponize questioning authority is to question obedience and act on it.”
Obedience, and blind obedience should be distinguished.
As it is right now our ’employees’ (many) think they are our “authorities.” They are not!