Law vs Freedom

   Recently I’ve been watching a TV show that grapples with the issue of law and liberty in an interesting way.  The show is called The 100 and follows a community of humans living in space after a nuclear battle has made the Earth uninhabitable.  They have made it the 100 of the 200 years needed to make the earth habitable again; however, the place they are living (called the ark) is failing, and they only have a matter of months.  So they send 100 of their under -18 convicts (crimes committed by those over 18 are punishable immediately by death) to Earth to see if they can live there when the ark fails. 

   These 100 teenagers are sent to earth and a thought-provoking contrast of government is played out.  On the ark, the law is rigid and harsh.  People hate the law and the leadership, though they mostly submit because they understand the law’s purpose is to protect the human race.  On earth, the teenagers, finding themselves with no communication with the ark, decide they want a society where they can do whatever they want (which they chant at various times).  However, they find that this kind of anarchy is unsustainable.  When a murder is committed, the teens demand “justice” but a justice that isn’t backed up with evidence.  After a tumultuous and intense series of events (and the death and banishment of two characters), the two main leaders of the group basically say they need to have laws.  There have to be consequences for actions.  They feel inept at being the ones to administer law and justice, but they see it is necessary. 

   We’ve seen this same scenario played out in real history as well.  What ends up coming to the head is the basic question:  what defines law?  Or better yet:  who defines law?  Just as they concluded in the TV show, life cannot work without law and without consequences.  But the idea of arbitrary rules given by just anyone is naturally repugnant to us.  Who really has the authority to determine what is right or wrong? 

   For many, the only solution can be the rule by majority.  Let’s have a democratic vote on it.  What is dangerous about this was discussed in my last blog and even highlighted in the TV show when the mob demanded their vigilante justice—what if what the group wants is wrong?  There must be something bigger and greater than the group to decide morality, or we will forever be in the grips of every passing emotion or idea.

   However, we learn on the show that even this isn’t enough; they do have a codified law on the ark, but its enforcement is fierce and tyrannical even.  On the ship, there seems to be no freedom.  On Earth, there seems to be too much. 

   If the law isn’t the complete answer, what is?

   This is demonstrated in the TV show in a unique way.  The fact that the ark is dying is being withheld from the community for fear of the people rioting.  However, one character finally reveals the truth to them and calls on the people to use this as an opportunity to bring out the best in humanity.  Furthermore, the character who reveals the message also explains that oxygen is running out.  For them to buy time to save all the inhabitants on the ark, about three hundred people need to die.  Leadership had planned to do this deceptively, and had picked out a group of people to die in their sleep.

   Obviously, leadership expected the people to respond to this news with anger and rioting.  What happens is surprising.  A delegate from the people steps forth.  He turns in his tags and says he volunteers to be one of the three hundred to die so that his daughter might live.  He walks out, and another person comes in and does the same.  And so on until there are even more than three hundred needed. 

   The leadership is flabbergasted.  They never expected this overwhelming response of self-sacrifice.  They are humbled and ashamed even.  We see in this one act something that transcends the rigid law they were enforcing.  Love.  Sacrifice. 

   It is in this intersection of law and love that true morality is fleshed out.  It’s not just about meeting the requirements of a relentless code of law.  It’s about giving of ourselves.  It’s about loving others. 

   It’s about living out in plain view the balance of God’s own perfect nature. 

   True freedom then becomes not the ability to do “whatever the hell we want” (as broadcasted by the rebellious teens).  It isn’t escape from the law as demonstrated on the ship.   

   Freedom instead becomes the ability and right to choose to do the right thing.  The moral thing.  And so we learn that morality isn’t the restriction that many fear it is.  It is the freedom to become better people.  It is the freedom to learn what love really means. 

   Although we live in a culture that simultaneously believes that we need more laws and less moral constraints, we can look to Scripture to understand the true nature of things.   “For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.”  (Galatians 5:13)