A little while ago, I finished the series, The Tudors on Netflix (originally from Showtime). Honestly, I think it is such a sad chapter of English history. Truly, I found it akin to Penthouse’s Caligula (something I watched a long time ago and I am NOT recommending). Caligula is another story of what happens when a human being makes oneself into a god and there is no accountability and no restrictions.

The Tudors, (as you may know) is the story of Henry the 8th and how he wanted a male heir. To get one he wanted a divorce from his wife, Catherine of Aragon since she could not give him one. However, the Pope would not give him one. Therefore, he declared himself the head of the church in England, divorced Catherine and married several others with no success in having a son. Actually, he did eventually have a male heir but the child died. That is the main source of my information for this article. Whether it is oversimplified or not, I am basing this article on it.

Now, I am not arguing devotion to the Pope or the Catholic church. I was raised and remain a Protestant. However, many at that time saw the King’s attempts to circumvent the church for what it was: an attempt to do whatever he could to have a son with some woman. One of these people who disagreed with this was the King’s trusted advisor, Sir Thomas More.

There were many reasons that Sir Thomas More was against this. For example, Sir Thomas More argued that the King being the head of the English church was a mixture of church and state, something the founding fathers of the United States were strictly against (200+ years later). However, the most important thing that he knew in his heart was that the King’s mistreatment of the woman who married him was not Biblically right. After spending time in jail and being accused of treason, his family pleaded with him to give in and say that the King’s divorce was acceptable. But he would not and then he was beheaded. Many others were as well. His obedience to the Word of God was more important to him than his own life.

Several years ago, under Barack Obama, we have seen some contemporary examples of what it means to disagree with the government and to be punished for it. Thankfully, no one has been beheaded. But, people were fired, publicly humiliated on TV shows, called “racist”, people have lost their businesses, and businesses have been attacked by the IRS all on their refusal to agree to call wrong, right. In the beginning of Biden’s time, there were similar responses from the media directed at those who disagreed with Joe Biden. I believe that the media has been too busy with covering up Biden’s gaffes and attacking Donald Trump in recent years. They have a solid case of the emperor’s new clothes. Sinead O’Connor said it best:

The Emperor’s New Clothes (2009 Remaster) – YouTube

Also, several years ago, Kim Davis was put in jail. Now as I have stated before, I don’t even agree with Kim Davis. However, I definitely agree with her decision to do what is right for her and her decision to live the Word of God in a way that is right for her. Just like Sir Thomas More, she was put in jail.

Will the future see more of these incidences? More than likely. Will believers be called to make decisions that will put them in harm’s way due to their beliefs, ALWAYS. Are you going to choose obeying the Lord over temporary, earthly comforts, even if it costs you your freedom or your life?

I die the king’s faithful servant, but God’s first.—- Thomas More

————————————————————-W.