The other evening, my wife and I were discussing the original “Bewitched” series. You know the one, Samantha & Darren? It was a series we both enjoyed when we were kids. With our Netflix membership, we decided to order it so we could watch it again and share it with our children.

We were both surprised at how non-wholesome in many ways that series was. It really epitomized the culture of the era:

1.Wives stayed home, cleaned and cooked. Period.
2.Men worked and did nothing at home.
3.Wives supported their husbands in their ambitions but should have none of their own.

It also showed things such as:

1.It was okay to harass women who worked.
2.Cheating on your wife was easy to do.
3.Women were supposed to dress a certain way for men.
4.Husbands could look at edgy magazines, in front of their wives, without a problem.

Truly many positive changes have been made over time which make the “good old days” not quite so good – just old. During the discussion I stated, “Evil succeeds most when it is made to appear perfectly normal.” That epiphany has been said in other words. Isaiah said it this way, “Men shall call evil good and good evil.”

As you think about those two statements, you will come to realize the truth of them. People generally repulse evil because of their nature. Evil, when put in stark contrast with good, is easily detected and mostly not accepted. It is when that evil is made to appear good that it is chosen.

Think of it this way:

Could slavery have persisted for so long, and a war wherein over half a million people died, had not the institution of slavery been accepted by many as good and normal?

Could there be such a huge drug using community if, to them, it didn’t seem right or normal to do so?

Could women have been denied their equal political rights for so long had it not seemed right and normal to do so?

Could Robin Hood have stolen from the rich to feed the poor had it not seemed right and normal for him to do so?

Could the bigotry against the Jews have been so deadly had it not seemed right to be prejudiced against them?

Could discriminating in employment decisions against people because of their gender, race, religion, age, disability or sexual preference take place if it didn’t seem normal and right?

Could the harassment of women by men have happened on such a regular basis if it wasn’t acceptable?

Could the wars fought by aggressors have happened wherein sovereign peoples were enslaved and oppressed, had it not seemed right and normal on the part of the oppressor nations to do so?

Could immoral laws be signed into law if the majority of people did not find them right?

The answer to all of these questions is a resounding NO. These evils could not have been if the people did not think them right or normal. Because all of these evils have or do now exist, we can see how successful evil has been in the past as it has prevailed many, many times – and will ever try to succeed and oppress the freedoms of mankind. It has cost the lives, dignity, and potential of billions of our brothers and sisters.

All of mankind has a conscience and knows the difference between right and wrong. However, evil will conceal itself under the disguise of good. It makes it easier for people to accept. People also have a remarkable ability to convince themselves that what they do is right – even when it isn't.

To be Free is to know what is Right, Good and True and to live thus circumscribed. It is to be an agent for one's self – free to act, and not to be acted upon. Evil entangles, strangles, and eventually destroys according to the degree it is indulge in; whereas Freedom increases the capacities of those who abide in it to bless, care for, and contribute to the welfare of themselves and those around them. Those who abide in Freedom are never content with blessing themselves only but roam their communities, cities and world to bless all humanity.

Because of this reality, there lies on our shoulders, the shoulders of a Free people, to do all we can to not be deceived by what appears to be right and normal. President Lincoln said that “freedom (is) the last best hope of earth.” It is. Therefore, you and I should do all we can to protect our Freedom – at all costs.

It is up to us to seek truth and live accordingly, and, above all, to beware of those who call evil good, and good evil.