How the government manipulates your "choice"

I just read a terrifying article in the most recent issue of Voice of the Martyrs. While the magazine often details bloody attacks and gruesome persecution, the unlikely replication in my life ease my fear for my own life and children. But this article described a situation in Laos that hit too close to home.

The Laos government is withholding vital paperwork from Christians.

Without this paperwork, the Christians cannot buy or sell, or register for government services; nor can the children attend school or attain employment.

It took my breath away.

Last week, I found out that a close friend of mine needed to replace a social security card for her youngest child. She had misplaced it in a move. When she took the legal birth certificate and the certificate of live birth to the office of Social Security for a replacement card, they refused to accept it. They said they would require a vaccination record.

Vaccination records aren't standardized. They can be forged from a home computer and a word-processing program. A legal birth certificate, on the other hand, proves the citizenship of a child through a variety of confirmation points. (I struggled to obtain one for my youngest child born at home.)

I'm not arguing for or against vaccines here. The issue of vaccination is just a symptom of a much greater, much scarier problem. The American government is taking away our choice. "Sure, you can choose to not vaccinate your children," they say, "but you cannot register for government services unless you do."

"Sure, you can choose to not have health insurance, but you'll have to pay 6.5% of your gross income if you do." (This will take effect in 2016.)

"Sure, you can home school. But your children won't receive diplomas or be eligible for college scholarships." (This hasn't happened in America.)

"Sure, you can express freedom of speech about guns or homosexuality or terrorists. But we will take your kids away to 'protect' them." (This hasn't happened yet, but I see it on the horizon.)

"Sure, you can worship Jesus. You just can't buy or sell anything if you do." (This hasn't happened. Yet.)

Eerily similar to the situation in Laos.

I fear this is just the tip of the iceberg. I've never been a conspiracy theorist, but I'm not conspiring here. I'm simply observing the facts.