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Norwegian Treatment

Norway's government is considering withdrawing Norwegian citizenship from people taking part in terror activities and wars abroad. Plans to punish the potential threat of terrorist activity in Norway were announced on Monday. Minister of Children and Equality, Solveig Horne, said to the media: “This is a strong signal to people wanting to take part in terror operations and wars.” 

Governments around the world are having to make tough choices about who they allow to hold citizenship. This is interesting because a typical country has only two approaches to citizenship : (a) full citizenship with equal freedom; and (b) full citizens with diminished freedom (prison). Under (b) the state accepts you as its own despite all your imperfections, but it incarcerates you as corrective punishment, deterrence and rehabilitation.

Norway's government is saying : you are not one of us! As I was thinking about this, I couldn't help but thank God that he never says you are not one of mine, no matter how ugly our sins are! We all deserve the Norwegian treatment. But Jesus says to all who repent, 'my blood sets you free, go away and sin no more'!

Here is how Anne W. Waterman expressed it in 1920:

Come, ye sinners, lost and hopeless,
Jesus’ blood can make you free;
For He saved the worst among you,
When He saved a wretch like me.

And I know, yes, I know
Jesus’ blood can make the vilest sinner clean,
And I know, yes, I know
Jesus’ blood can make the vilest sinner clean.
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