I’m guessing that many of you have heard the saying, Thinking outside the box. For those that haven’t, what it basically means is: to explore ideas that are creative and unusual and that are not limited or controlled by rules or tradition. Those who think outside the box are not limited to, or confined by, traditional thoughts and beliefs. What I find ironic about thinking outside the box is the fact that those who are able to do it effortlessly are often praised and admired; except when it comes to politics and government. I am of the firm belief that the biggest obstacle that prevents us from solving the problems we face as a nation is our refusal to think outside the box.

The mindset of many in this country is that we can vote our way out of all the problems we face. What I mean by that is the fact that people tend to think that if they elect the right group of people, then those they elect will be able to enact laws, or establish programs, that will solve all of our problems. That, and I’m sorry to burst anyone’s bubble, is not thinking outside the box; it is being trapped within the box!

Republican voters like to blame the policies of the Democrats for a good many of the problems we face as a country, and Democratic voters like to blame the policies of the Republican Party for them. That is why you see, if you are paying attention, the pattern of the Republicans controlling the system for a period of time, then power being transferred to the Democrats; back and forth, over and over, in an endless cycle of voting one group out, and another group in; all while our problems never seem to go away.

That’s the traditional way of looking at things; the way most have been indoctrinated to believe is the only way to go about solving this country’s problems. That is why you hear phrases like, Your vote matters, or If you don’t vote you can’t complain about how bad things are. Those phrases, and others like them, exist for one reason; to keep the minds of the American people firmly trapped within the box. What they do not want is the people to break out of their conditioning and start entertaining the question of; What if the problem isn’t the ideology of the other party, what if the problem is the system itself?

I cannot count the times I have asked people, both Democrats and Republicans, to show me where the Constitution authorizes their party to do any of the things they think it ought to be doing; only to have them say asinine things like, I don’t know, but it’s got to be in there somewhere; otherwise they wouldn’t be doing those things. To me, that is no less asinine than saying, It must be legal to rape and murder people; for it if weren’t, people wouldn’t be doing those things. Entertaining the possibility that the system may be seriously flawed is a line that many people cannot (mentally) cross; to do so causes so much distress, so much mental confusion, that they avoid asking that of themselves at all cost.

I have found that a significant number of those who vote have never even read the Constitution; let alone undertaken an in depth study of it. Yet that doesn’t stop them from accusing the other party of doing things that are unconstitutional; while turning a blind eye the instances when their party does the exact same thing. If one has not read, or studied, the Constitution, then how in the hell can they make statements like that?

Far too many people seem to be content to live their lives believing what they were taught in school about our system of government; how inspired its framers were, and how awesome the document they produced is. Those beliefs are so deeply embedded in people’s minds that anyone who challenges them is treated as a blasphemer; someone whose opinions are not even worthy of consideration. It does not seem to matter how many facts one presents to support their position, if you question the integrity of the system, you are a heretic; someone who is deserving of being burnt at the stake.

The obvious question ought to be; At what point in time did speaking the truth and pointing out lies become something worthy of such condemnation? Keep that question in mind; for it will come into play later.

People often accuse me of being smart. I’m not smart, I’m merely dedicated to the pursuit of knowledge and truth; and there is a difference between the two. If a subject interests me I do not simply dip my pinky toe into it, I dive in head first; reading as much as I can about it until I have a relatively firm grasp of the subject matter. When I have asked people why they don’t read any of the books I have read on history and governance they often reply with, ‘Oh, I don’t have the time for that; I’m too busy with other things.’ Other things is right; for they don’t seem to have any problem setting aside time to watch TV, or scroll through hours of senseless bullshit on Facebook, Twitter, or Tik Tok. Time isn’t the problem, people’s priorities being out of whack is the problem. If the pursuit of knowledge was important enough people would find the time to pursue it. End of story; stop making excuses for your ignorance!

The truly frustrating thing about all this is the fact that these same people are often quite outspoken when it comes to defending their beliefs; even when they are unable to defend (support) them with anything resembling facts and evidence. Unless one has experienced that for themselves they cannot begin to imagine how utterly frustrating, and demoralizing, it is to debate someone who believes that their ignorance ought to carry the same weight in a debate as facts and evidence.

To prove that logic, reasoning, and facts do not matter, I have asked people if they would support a proposal to amend the Constitution in such a way as to make it impossible for the party they oppose to do the things they do not like. Almost 100% of those I ask that question of wholeheartedly support the idea…until I tell them that if that were to happen their party would lose the power to do all the things they think government ought to be doing. Then they say things like, ‘Oh, we can’t let that happen. We just need to stop the other party from being able to do all the terrible things it does.’

That is why I mentioned that entertaining the possibility that the system itself is flawed is a mental line people are unwilling to cross; for the problem is much larger than the policies of the other political party; it is a system that gives that party the power to do things that they do not like. You can’t have it both ways; if you want to deprive the other party of the power to do bad things, then your party will lose the power to do all the things the other party disagrees with.

I don’t think people truly realize that bad is a subjective word; with people’s definitions of good and bad being biased by their respective political ideologies. The mentality of a large swath of the voting public could be stated as, Republicans good, Democrats bad; or vice versa. The thing is, the Constitution is the reason both parties have the power to do the things they do.

That is why people get so befuddled when I ask them to comment on something Lysander Spooner said back in 1870, “But whether the Constitution really be one thing, or another, this much is certain – that it has either authorized such a government as we have had, or has been powerless to prevent it. In either case it is unfit to exist.” To answer that question people would have to shed their partisan bias and examine the system carefully, and honestly; something most people seem unwilling to do; for to do so would threaten their entire belief system.

So, if people refuse to question the sanctity of the system, then their faith and trust in the system is the box they are trapped in; and their refusal to think outside of that box is why our problems will never be solved; they will only get worse.

Sadly, politics and governance are not the only areas where people refuse to think outside of the box, refuse to consider that what they’ve been told to believe isn’t always true; you also find that in people’s religious beliefs as well. That is one of the reasons why I sometimes say that politics has become people’s religion today. Think of the similarities; you have different denominations (political parties); you have a sacred text (Constitution); you have temples (capital building); and you have high priests (President, or Supreme Court Justices).

Every Christian denomination you encounter in this country will tell you that they are preaching the Gospel of Christ. If that is so, then why the need for so many different denominations; why not just one? The Mormons (Latter Day Saints) claim that they are Christ’s true church on earth; with the story of how they were founded being told in The Pearl of Great Price. The Roman Catholics claim that they are Christ’s true church; with the Pope being the latest in an unbroken line of Popes going all the way back to the Apostle Peter. It seems like anyone can take a certain aspect of Scripture and build a church upon it. And don’t even get me started on the shysters like Joel Osteen; who fleece their followers so they can buy mansions and live lavish lifestyles!

So, with all these different denominations, which of them preach the Gospel in its purity; the same way it would have been preached had it come from the lips of Peter, or Paul? I would truly like to go into some churches and ask the pastor to read, and comment upon, Galatians 1:8, where it states, “But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.” The sad thing about it is they probably believe that the gospel message they preach in their Sunday Sermons is pure; that it is the one Christ gave to us; the one found in the Bible.

If there is but one true Gospel, then how do you explain the fact that some churches preach the Rapture Theory, while others don’t? How do you explain why some churches perform same sex marriages in their churches (Episcopalians) and others don’t? How do you explain how some churches have their followers praying to idols and confessing their sins to men (Catholics)? How is it that some churches build temples all over the place (Mormons) when temples are no longer required; with us becoming living temples where the Holy Spirit resides? (1 Corinthians 6:19-20) How do you explain that fact that there are some churches who preach dispensationalism; the theory that the laws found in the Old Testament were done away with at the cross; that they do not apply to us today?

I do not condemn/judge those who attend church services for any of those denominations; although I do fear that they have been misled in the same way people have been misled into placing their faith and trust in a 239 year old piece of parchment, and the system of government it outlines. It is people’s ignorance of what the Bible says that allows them to be deceived, misled, following churches that preach doctrines that conflict with what Christ taught us.

And before I go any further, just as I have said in my essays that dealt with politics and governance, I do not expect, nor do I want, anyone to simply trust me at my word; for I may be misinformed and therefore guilty of misleading you. What I want is for people to do their own research; to study the Bible for themselves to learn what it says; and more importantly, what the mindset of those who wrote it was.

Having said that, I’m going to pause right there for a moment and go off in another direction. In the first part of this essay I asked you to keep a thought in mind; the fact that the terms good and bad are subjective. All one has to do is to look at the two political parties, and how they define good and bad, to realize that is a true statement. Yet sadly, it also seems to be true in Christianity. Hopefully, most pastors are in agreement that only God is good; however there seems to be a lot of disagreement when it comes to what they define as evil.

Numerous passages in the Bible state that only God can define good; (2 Sam 10:12, Mark 10:18, Luke 18:19), right behavior (Gen 18:25), or just (Job 34:12). The Bible also states that God cannot do anything evil, nor can He tolerate it; (Job 34:10, Psalm 5:6, Habakkuk 1:13). Finally, the Bile also tells us that God is the avenging judge who punishes those who practice evil (Isaiah 31:2, Micah 2:1)

So if only God is good, and if only God can define what is good, then anyone who does anything contrary to what God has commanded is, by nature, evil; and I hope we all know where evil comes from. Therefore, the terms good and evil are not subjective; they are defined by God; and cannot be changed, or amended, by man.

Now there is a passage that all Christians should familiarize themselves with; that passage being Ephesians 5:6; where we read, “Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. Therefore do not become partners with them; for at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light (for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true), and try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord. Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them.”

There are a couple of things from that passage that I would like to discuss. The first is the part where it says, “Let no one deceive you with empty words…” As that was written over 2,000 years ago one can presuppose that Paul understood that there would come times when the faithful would be tempted with empty words; that they would fall away because they believed those empty words.

The next part I wish to discuss is where it says, “Therefore do not become partners with them…” That reminds me of what Ephesians 5:11 says, “And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.”

The final thing from that passage I wish to discuss is where Paul tells us, “…try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord.” How can one do that if they do not know what is pleasing to God? How can they know what is, and what isn’t, pleasing to God if they don’t read their Bibles daily; and pray for guidance from the Holy Spirit? Paul then follows that up with the same admonition found in Ephesians 5:11, “Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them.”

How can one know what is pleasing to God if they have not read God’s word, as found in the Bible? I did a web search to attempt to find the exact number of people who read from the Bible daily; only to find that there is no clear cut answer. Some say sources have the numbers ranging anywhere from 9% to 39%. Although 39% is certainly much better than 9%, it is also not 100%; meaning the probability is pretty high that there are many who do not know what the Bible says.

I’m not proud of this, but up until last year I had never read the entire Bible; cover to cover. Before I began studying the Bible I could never understand why there were so many different versions of it. As stupid as this makes me sound, I had never given any thought to the fact that the Bible was not written in English; therefore there might possibly be different meanings for the words being translated into English. Therefore, if you want to know God’s word, and I mean truly know it, you are going to have to do something most people seem to have a strong aversion to; they are going to have to study it as if their life depended upon them understanding it; and in a way, it does.

When I decided that I wanted to better understand what the Bible says I dove in head first; just like I did when I decided that I wanted to learn more about what the Constitution says. I now have four translations of the Bible; the King James, the New International Version, an English Standard Version, and a copy of the Greek Septuagint. I also use Bible Hub, an online research website, that allows me to see how, word for word, the text can be read. I also have a copy of Adam Clarke’s Commentaries on the Holy Bible that I keep handy while reading from the Bible. On top of all that I have read numerous books that deal with various aspects of Scripture; aspects that are not often talked about by most Christians today. The next book I intend to buy is a copy of Strong’s Concordance; a book that aids in cross referencing words, as well as understanding the context they are used in.

I don’t say any of this to brag, I have friends who have read far more than I have; I only say this to show you what I mean when I say that one needs to study a subject as opposed to simply reading about it.

One of the things I have learned from my study of the Bible is that there was more to Christ’s mission than merely His redemptive sacrifice on the cross; He was openly declaring war against the forces of darkness that ruled over the earth; He was reclaiming what was rightfully His. When Jesus asked the Apostles who they thought He was, it is important to note where he asked them that question; Caesarea Philippi; which is ground zero for the forces of darkness back then. Caesarea Philippi was not only the location where many pagan worshipers practice their evil, it was also a location thought to have an gateway into the underworld; a gateway into hell itself. It also lies at the foot of Mt. Hermon; which if you have read from 1 Enoch, is the location the fallen angels made a compact to go into the daughters of men and defile themselves; as mentioned in Genesis 6:4.

It is there that Christ told Peter, ‘Upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.’ (Matthew 16:18) Immediately following that, Christ takes Peter, James, and John up a high mountain, (most likely Mt. Hermon) and is transfigured before them. If you were the devil, and hopefully you are not, the significance of what Christ said and did, and the location He did those things, would be impossible to miss. If you had paid attention to the chronology of the Gospels, you would also see that after those events the final days of Christ’s life quickly approached; culminating in His death upon the cross, and subsequent resurrection.

Although He did not use the precise words, Christ Himself stated that He was declaring war against the forces of darkness that ruled over the earth. John 12:31 is a good example of that, “Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out.”

Now this is where it gets dicey. When we accept Christ as our Lord and Savior, we are not doing so simply to save our souls; pardon the pun; we are enlisting to become foot soldiers in His war against the forces of darkness. As these forces of darkness are spiritual beings, (along with those who serve them in the flesh) we can’t just grab our guns, our swords, and to to war against them like we would an invading army. No, we battling them by refusing to succumb to their temptations; we battle against them by evangelizing; making new converts who then follow Christ; and finally, and this is where the cowardice mentioned in the title of this essay comes into play, we speak out openly, and without fear, against evil; WHEREVER it may raise its ugly head.

When Jesus is conversing with Nicodemus in John 3, He tells him, “Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” When Nicodemus questions Him as to what that means, Christ tells him, “That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.” When we become followers (disciples) of Christ, we shed our earthly concerns and become members of Christ’s heavenly kingdom; which if you recall what Christ tells Pilate, ‘My kingdom is not of this world.’

I am not going to get into the argument of whether or not Romans 13 commands us to obey the existing powers; ie, government. I will, however, state that we should not concern ourselves with participating in the process of choosing who will rule over us. I say that because government, and I’m talking about government in general, not a specific political party, does evil things; things that are contrary to what God commands us to do. Therefore, if you are participating in choosing who will rule over you, you are, in effect, living your life contrary to what Ephesians 5:11 states, “Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them.”

I hear people talk about voting for the lesser of two evils. Yet evil, no matter what degree one finds it, is still evil; and God commands us to take no part in it; to speak out against it. Yet how many Christians, not only vote, but support the system with their heart and soul; often more so than they obey the commandments of their God?

If people fear speaking out against the evil that permeates society today because they are afraid of what others will think about them, or do to them, then they fear man more than they fear God. Matthew 10:28 tells us, “And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.” While that does not openly say that we will die a martyrs death if we follow Christ, or speak out against evil, it does not rule that possibility out either. Yet we are promised, “But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.” (Matthew 24:13)

I think a lot of people think that by confessing that they believe in Christ, and attending church weekly, that ensures their salvation. No man comes to God except by confessing that Christ is the literal Son of God, that He died on the cross for our sins, and rose on the third day. That much is a given, but did Christ not also say, “If you love me, keep my commandments.” (John 14:15)

One look at the world we live in is enough to prove that we aren’t keeping with that commandment; nor are we keeping the commandment to love one another as we love ourselves. Yet we pray for God to bless us, bless our country, while we remain silent in the face of evil?

How can we expect God to bless us, bless this country, when people hate one another simply because of their political ideologies? How can we expect God to bless a country that permits over 1 million innocent unborn children to be slaughtered in their mother’s womb? That is a fitting sacrifice to the pagan god Moloch; not the God Most High! How can we expect God to bless us when we allow our school systems to preach tolerance for behavior that God has deemed and abomination (homosexuality)?

Yet people remain silent in the face of this evil, and if they remain silent now, they will remain silent when the antichrist comes; when they are forced to make a choice between renouncing Christ and living, or professing their faith; and paying the ultimate sacrifice for it.

I think that is why Christ said, “Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.” (Matthew 7:14) In the same chapter, different verse, Christ also said, “Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.” (Matthew 7:21) I take that to be directly addressed to those who are pious and reverent while attending church on Sunday, but do not not keep God’s commandments for the remaining 6 days of the week. I once heard that type Christian referred to as Weekend Warrior Christians; a fitting title if you ask me.

Christ died for our sins; providing us the pathway to salvation. However, it is not a one time deal; something you sign up for, then are done with. Taking up your cross and following Christ is a lifetime commitment that comes with certain obligations. To be a Christian one must repent (abandon) all the evil that used to permeate their life prior to being born again. That is not to say that we are expected to suddenly become perfect, as Christ was, but we are expected to strive for that perfection.

It also means that, when we see evil, we speak out against it; which is where many Christians fail; simply for fear of having a spotlight shone upon them. Well, if they think its bad now, it’s not going to get any better. So knuckle up, put on the armor of God, and let’s get into this fight; for there is no room for cowards who run away from a confrontation with evil in this battle. This battle is already won; Christ accomplished that on the cross. The only thing left to be determined is the number of casualties; those who will be cast into the lake of fire because they feared what others would think of them for standing up for what they claimed to believe.

I’d like to share with you something from the film Nefarious; a poignant scene that sadly, is representative of a large swath of Christianity today. The scene unfolds after the demon Nefarious has shown how Dr. James Martin is already guilty of having committed one murder. The transcript of this scene is short, and goes as follows:

Nefarious: Ready for Round 2?

Dr. Martin: I didn’t know this was a fight.

Nefarious: That’s why you’re losing.

I’m praying that people recognize the enemy that has infiltrated every aspect of society today; including the clergy. The Bible warns us to beware of false prophets and teachers; false Christs even. We can only do that if we are steadfast in our devotion to studying what the Bible says, what God commands. Although bullets are not flying, bombs are not being dropped, the war is real and it is a war for your soul. Be on the lookout for those who will deceive you; and that includes me.

Proverbs 3:5-7 tells us what we must do if we want to be on the winning side of this war, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord, and turn away from evil.”

If you are trusting government to solve the mess we’re in, you’re on the losing side. If you believe preachers who preach doctrines that go against what Scripture says, you’re on the losing side. If you fear speaking out against evil because of what may happen to you, or what others will say about you, you are on the losing side.

The only way to come out of this smelling like roses is through the truth, and the truth is found in the word of God; not what others say the word of God is, but the word as it is written in Scripture. However, reading the word is not enough; we must study it, ponder it, pray for discernment.

The truth is in there; it is up to each of us as to whether or not we will apply it to our lives. Just beware, the choice you make has eternal consequences; so choose wisely.

January 10, 2026

 ~ The Author ~
Neal Ross is a student of history, politics, patriot and staunch supporter of the 2nd Amendment. Life continues to expand for this prolific writer and guardian of TRUE American history. Neal has been a long-time contributor to the family of Kettle Moraine Productions and its various websites.

Send all comments to: NealHRoss@outlook.com.