In The News

Nine - Eleven

Lucky Seven

Today is Patriot Day, the memorial of Nine-Eleven, when a few thousand Americans lost their lives in a terroist attack seven years ago to date. We could never claim we really saw it coming; we were deceived, we would all agree - and yet on this we would not agree, that it was the greatest strategic hit upon a nation to date - and though many knew something like this was up, in no way did we consider the horrific outcome of that memorable day. Caught by surprise we became as vigilant as the Jews - "never again" - and yet, somehow, seven years later, we still cannot read the simple significance of this event.

We've become immune to the facts right before our very eyes. In the midst of mourning loved ones, in the guise of keeping a memorial for a photo-shoot during the present campaign, we have either become spiritually blinded or a little numb to recognize the basic things: nine-eleven, rendered 911 numerically, is a call for help; and number 2: the planes that were hijacked were from the airplanes labeled United and American. These things were brought to pass before our eyes previously - and we ridiculed it, but now after all the furor has died in prosecuting terrorists and on the verge of having a proper memorial at Ground Zero, can we not reflect at how these two things converged? So, let's say - could we? - that we Americans, of the United States - not Central Americans, Mexicans or even the Canadians - are in need of help? Could it be possible that we are being told something here? Yet, dismissing some of the biblically-guessed or apocalyptic themes which have come out of this terrorisit attack, whereby the collapse of the Twin Towers was somehow prophesied by, let's say, Nostradamus, let's all agree on one thing: Americans, unitedly, don't need help! We believe that whatever we do need, we can do ourselves.

That, of course, is our flaw. This is not an essay on resisting the help of people from the outside or from other nations. One thing we, in the form of our govenment, are good at is getting or requesting the help of others in our pursuits. However, when it comes to the inward strength that we need in order to persevere, the type our soldiers call upon when in the heat of battle, we don't wish to have that kind of help. We are a stubbon people, not willing to negotiate, pursuing our own agenda up to the point where it will, how should we say....kill us? Suppose, in all of our works, as a nation, that God is not with us. That should be pretty frightening to a people.If indeed, we don't need help, why would we even depend upon him? We have protected the borders, we have kept our enemies at bay and believe we are safe. No, we are not safe from someone who comes in from the outside and catches us by surprise. As Americans , we are united in saying, "Well, anything can happen." We all agree that it's the outside world that is after us, whereby we can at last, today, trust one another. Perhaps it might be better to get out before the implosion occurs?

An abominnable thing was seen the other day: drivers loading into a gas station to fill up, 3 out of four of them parked their car at the first pump they came to. Now, it used to be that when you came up to the pumps you park at the one right in front of you; this way, you could pull out faster and others could park and fill up at the pump behind you. Not here; somehow, these observed drivers felt that they should stop at the first pump they came to, forcing other drivers to go around and back into the pump in front of them. Also, when the same drivers wanted to leave, they too had to back up. Where's the wisdom, even in the simple matters? Where is the self-lessness inside the nation that we boast of so proudly upon the streets of Baghdad? When three out of four drivers think of themselves, are we not united in our selfishness? No wonder people are blind to the simple significance of Nine-Eleven!

 

LABOR DAY

Flip-Flopping Away

With the end of the summer under way, and that being the nearing of Labor Day, there are a few things we look forward to when all is said and done. The first is, who shall the predominant political parties nominate for their respective presidential contenders, along with who their respective running mates will be. Secondly, the end of seeing men in the city, wearing flip-flops. How apropos!

The first one is a given - this nation has had over 200 years of peaceful, or rather unhindered success in the nominations of their presidential candidates. We've gone back and forth from one party to the other in this regard and though we're always enamored by the new it would be a good choice to stick here with the old guard. If Senator Barak Obama had chosen a more noticeable or incredulous pick for his running mate instead of the predictable and same-school Mr. Joe Biden, we might all have been perusaded to vote for him - yes, we would have been suckered in and made ourselves a laughing stock. Instead, since many are now "convinced" that the new senator from Illinois is a true contender, everything goes back to what we are used to - history repeats itselfs, and the Republicans regain office.

Men wearing flip-flops is not a totally different story, it is just so openly trans-sexual and reeks more of statement-making than comfortability. This apparel, amongst women, worn on city streets has a lot to do with them being cool, whether inwardly or outwardly. Upon men, it has the affect of being like women - not like men, but of being on the same level as a woman. Men who wear flip-flops are therefore stating that they want to be viewed as equal to a woman. This is an attempt to take "political correctness" and turn it into "social correctness". The fact that there are two different sexes existing for different reasons - nature teaches you this- and each having a set of strengths and weaknesses to complement one another shows that these men are simply brainless sissies, clueless of survival. No woman wants to be around a man who wants to be like a woman.

For safety sakes, here are several reasons why few, if any people should wear flip-flops in the city: crossing the street and striving to make sure you don't get run over requires sturdier foot-wear. Do you take the train to work? Imagine an emergency and walking the tracks in flip-flops. What about getting out of a building in case of an emergency and having to use the stairs for 40 or fifty floors - with 200 people pushing down on your back? Well then - welcome Senator John McCain as your next president.

Dark Knight, The

The Other Side of the Ledger

Many of us know that the new "Batman" movie is out - but we may not be able to call it by that simple name anymore. Surnamed "The Dark Knight", it is a rare movie that conveys immediately what type of film it really is; in fact, there are no surprises here. From all of the night scenes and shadowy images revealed in the trailer alone, there doesn't seem to be any light in this movie at all. Yet, above all, it is ironic, or it is hoped that there would be some irony here, that many who go to see this film are seeing it not to take a look at a super-hero done over or to cheer him on in his next bout with a super-villain, but instead to focus on his nemesis, the Joker, re-formulated by the young, and drug-overdosed actor, Heath Ledger. A hanging, anyone?

The Dark Knight, based on the Batman character, whom many of us have known since the day it became a television series, is a new take on an old idea -  that the original superhero is actually more "human" than crime-fighting machine and that his super-human acrobatic-like skills are disposed only against perceived enemies of the state. His nemesis, like him, have been either half-machine like-men who display the same super-human skills - but used against the law, not for it - until now. With the introducton of the "new and improved" Joker, played by Heath Ledger, we see that Batman is now faced only with a truely cruel person, to whom we gather even the word "villain" does not apply - because "villain", as mentioned is someone like Batman but who works contrari-wise. Ledger, in playing this Joker, is our beloved prankster turned into a lower human controlled by a demon - not unlike some of the demons that possessed men as noted in the Bible. That brings to the fore the first complaint against this film.

People are really ignorant of the spirit world. Hypothetical question: what happens when you take a man with a drug problem, a relationship that produces a child out of wedlock, and a job requiring that you become a demonically inspired character? Death. No need to be scientific about it - "As a man thinks in his heart so is he". While some of Ledger's fellow actors on the Batman set contradicted what they saw of him - some said they really admired how he took on the part in order to "bring the character out", others said that Mr. Ledger was quite normal in between breaks - it was also reported on this blogging service that even the Old Joker - not "that old joker" - Jake Nicholson, cautioned Heath Ledger to watch what he was getting into. Why? Ho-ho - who's afraid of the flesh here? Simply, Heath Ledger's life had turned from bad to worse when he took the part of the Joker; no longer a sane man acting only, he was an insane man that saw his life only as a joke.

Secondly, it's all about the money - the other side of the ledger. This is an indictment against directors who forsake their responsibility and production companies that profit off of the work of their stars - whether dead or alive. Like in any well-managed firm, a good director directs his stars to perform pre-conceived and structured parts so that everything comes out according to plan. Good film directors, you see, have ideas about how they want the parts in the film they are directing played - and to bring it out of the actors! They are great encouragers - but bad directors let their charges determine the part and even to "re-create" it, because they are too lazy or cheap to have the right instruments around to make the thing run smoothly. In the case of The Dark Knight, director and production company leaned upon the actor Ledger to make the character "real". Instead of being a super-villain, which we can fantasize about, the Joker via Ledger was brought down to earth - where greed and every evil thing exists.

Do your own soul a favor - boycott this film.

Independence Day

THE FINAL FRONTIER

As Americans, today we celebrate our nation's independence and since the fireworks in most locations has yet to begun, it behooves this writer to bring to mind the deeper points of what this celebration stands for. We indeed consider it a time to get away from our homes and frequent locations and if not to see something special - well, the extraordinary fireworks, lifted high above our cities - then it is a chance to use this day, before the official weekend, to get away from our ordinary pursuits and dwell in some quieter or peaceful locale. Whereever you tend to be, do remember that this day is surely about liberty, but consider as well that without space there truly is no lilberty. In other-words, freedom without space is an illusion.

Independence Day to us and to the world connotes but one thing: freedom. Freedom is the hallmark of independence, and without it independence is pretty shallow. We in fact, with admissions take our freedoms for granted; we accuse ourselves of taking advantage of the freedoms we have: to be free actually means to be linked to something that is of great value and to be freed from the things that keep us from going onto that higher level. Yet, our freedom of, let's say, religion, to us probably connotes freedom from religion; our freedom of the press connotes freedom to insult, to shoot down with the pen or the lips. We would say that running down the street naked connotes no real freedom, but too some Americans that too could be a freedom - and it shouldn't be bashed, because then we supposedly encroach upon these advocates' freedoms to express themselves.Freedom has always been conditioned on one thing:space. Without space there really isn't any freedom Space, taken generically, means too have enough room, whether it's living space whereby we take the space given to us and fill it up, with an increase in possessions or a "larger" family; or it can mean to be given enough "leeway" or time in order to accomplish a goal and without being hassled by parents or friends. When we're given space we really appreciate it and set our hearts on the very things we consider to be good for us and in which we look forward to accomplishing. Space, you'll find, has a connotation of freedom: we truly envy those who have a lot of it, and it's usually the rich, or even the poor who possess the greatest portion. The rich amongst us can buy space, or they can buy more of it: with greater wealth we presume also comes the availability of more time, but time is coveted by the poor, not the rich. It is the very poor, however, who have little money but seem to have a lot of time on their hands; if they had a little wisdon they could sell that time and use the revenue to buy space.

For the balance of mankind - uh, Americans - space requires of us to purchase it. That's exactly what the Founding Fathers did wtih this nation. Whoa, no surprise: in their escapade to acquire more space they sought to be liberated from bondage to the Crown of Great Britain. In doing so they became national heroes - well, there wasn't a nation yet, but we were becoming one. It wasn't enough that we were separated by an ocean - it was the ceiling of liberty that needed to be raised. In our quest for space today we are found to be incredibly lazy; though space requires money - money answers everything- the quest for space can also ask of us to make sacrifices. A sacrifice today assures space tomorrow. This is also the Christian ethic: you've heard "my kingdom is not of this world" - and a kingdom, as you can guess, has lots of space but to get into that kingdom a Christian makes sacrifices. This is not unlike the sacrifices made by our Founding Fathers, who gave of themselves and were willing to give more - for the sake of space. This space, which we see manifested in the great and glorious courntry we behold each holiday, belongs to the nation - it is communal. Liberty - space - is only yours if you can purchase it - and whoever can't purchase it is in no way free. Dont' kid yourself - the heritage of a people is not in space - space is above us. Space, the mantra of freedom, must be bought. Anyone who claims otherwise is a fool or a thief.

Everybody is entitled to some space. We are not born to purposely live on top of each other; to do so is strictly voluntary. Yet, more and more the only space we seem to relish is the presumed space of thinking - surely we can be crunched together and even get used to it, but you'll never get into my mind - and once I'm out of here my mind shall simply expand and they'll be plenty of space. Space, the word, connotes either an area unobstructed to movement or an interval of time. Any space that one finds in the solitude of his thinking is empty. Without space there is no freedom. Freedom without space is just words, like on a page, even on a web-page, read in between all of the things that chain you down.

Ol Man River

American Pie

The Mississipi River - 2,340 miles of pure river and hauler of billions of dollars worth of commerce per year; the demarcation line of 10 states in the American Midwest and -  well, Ol' Miss is once again in the news because she has dared to spill her banks, has torn into the levees that were made to reign her in and with her hosts of trbutaries has caused havoc in the floodplains. The inhabitants and businesses that jut in and out along her banks are humbled, but soon, as we come to terms with "monetary damage", the whole nation shall be too. Why is it that Ol Miss keeps on causing us problems? The Army Corp of Engineers has said these levees were not built to withstand "unusual" amounts of flooding, but the municipalities and counties bordering her banks must also be blamed because they have allowed buildings and farms to be built along the same floodplains - which they know cannot withstand the Mighty Mississippi during her pernicious years. Since 1993, in which we had the last great flood, 30,000 homes have been built in the same area. Trees and natural drainage areas have been uprooted and man-made levees have taken their place. Are taller and stronger levees, therefore, the answer?

In that we are buildng in the same area where we've built before and have suffered loss, have we not become like drunkards - taking a drive down to the levee only to see if it's dry? Nature has overwhelmed us and we have only become confused and now tend to wonder if there is anybody above us who cares. "What has God wrought?" - this used to be the question we were prone to ask. All the effort that goes into fighting the flood as it encroaches upon homes, the time and effort and money spent to keep the levees dry and now the two dozen deaths we have heard about - donot be surprise at the answer. Is it a small thing that we should build houses in flood plains and not get wet? These broken levees are going to lead to the following: more federal aid to the affected area, which means more money going out of the government while less continues to come in; a loss of farmland, which means, whether justified or not, higher prices in your grocery bills, and then, of course, less availability of staple food items - which means you'll have to live on peanuts. Rivers spill their banks all the time - what's the problem? The bigger story is that we are leading lives more focused on these types of floods than the issues that are really killing us. Nature has caught us with our pants down, but we're convinced that we're well-buckled in other areas of our lives. If we can make condoms that keep us "safe", why can't we build better levees to keep us dry?

Focusing on these floodwaters keeps our minds of our far deeper spiritual problems. There is a far greater flood out there that's been lurking around for sometime and which hasn't crested yet. Its called the flood of sexual immorality and it's spilling over the levees that protect out social and health institutions. Cast in the deceitful light as "freedom", a term used to denote how two people - or even one person - qualified as adults, can do whatever they wish with their own bodies, whether decent or not, in the belief that they are not hurting anyone. Yet, the flood has broken out in three horrific floodplains: a) the Aids Crisis - still here and the majority of Aids infections in the US continues to stem from sexually immoral and homosexual behaviuor, in the end costing billions of dollars to treat and lost productivity - along with an emotional toll that cannot be fathomed; b) Veneral Disease - millions of dollars are spent fighting diseases which fall into this category, for both sexes; good for the pharmacies and drug companies, bad for national productivity, as you don't work well when you hurt; finally, c) Divorce - sexual immorality leads to divorce, whether through illicit affairs or addiction to pornography, which in turn leads to broken homes; this in turn affects children from such homes, who do poorly in school, get poor grades, become stupid adults, lessening the gross national product - wallah! Sex is good - don't kid yourself. Sexually immorality and abominable sexual practices, disguised as liberty, is deceitful - and it maims lives, spread disease and eventually kills; it's like building a home in the floodplains. Yet, these are the stories that flood our lives and which we need to continually see on the front pages until sucessfully dealt with.

Some 6,500+ miles away, and way way further than 1993, a prophet in the Holy scriptures called Jeremiah wrote about a people who were always caught doing things they should not have been doing. They busied themselves with things that were not profitable in the long term. Ancient Israel, his audience, pursued poor habits and gave in to false securities but only in the hopes of forstallng time. In the end, they forsook God; what's worse, they looked for help elsewhere. Yea, a time is coming when prayers will be lifted up and not answered, where our own poets have said, "God is not answering prayers tonight", but alas - that quote cannot be found. And Don McClean, back in the news, still reminds us that the three men he "admired most" - well, you could say, as Midwesterners pick up the debris from another flood, and as our national governments gets ready to dish out more aid, that they're no longer picking banjos along the Mighty Mississippi.

The Passover et al

A Witness Against Pride

It is the custom of some Christians, at this time of year, to keep the Biblically-based days known to many as the Passover, and also as The Feast of Unleavened Bread. This festival is 7 days long, typifying perfection - as everything - from creating something, even to enjoying it, took but 7 days. These days, in which leaven and products with leaven are put out of the house, as Polycrates, a disciple of John once spoke, "it is the time of year in which the leaven is put out" - these days have great significance in the realm of our calling. For our calling, which is from above, is a calling in which we are to mimic our Saviour, both in word and deed - and as he died for our sins, we too are to die, as willing participants of a life that is free from sin.

Pride, the outward form of sin, is typified by leaven. Leaven, we know, makes dough rise; so too does sin. Sin is manifest in the world, where displays of sin are pridefully displayed. LIke fresh bread, put out for all to see, sin can be very enticing, because it comes across as innocence, that is, without harm. Yet, we know, from the Holy Scriptures, that sin can be very harmful - so harmful that it has lead to three deaths already. If you will - remember the scripture - "that by the word or two or three witnesses let a thing be established". During these days of Unleavened Bread, days of self-examination for the "Jew inward", let us remember how powerful the temption to be prideful is - and how God has dealt with it each time.

The first scripture to consider is one found in the very beginning of your Bible - Genesis 1:2. Here we are told that water covered the entire face of the earth prior to the creation of man. How is that so? What caused this beautiful creation to be covered with water - everything we see, yes, everything we've come to appreciate in the physical realm was at one time covered with water. In fact, since we, as humans, live on the earth, and not under the water, it behooves us to consider that all that we have - in fact, our very attitude - are fashioned by what is above the water and not so by what is below it. From this you might surmise that leaven, which causes dough products to rise and become so tempting and desirous to eat, cannot exist under water. The water, in this sense, represents death; read it again: "The earth was without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters." Since water first covered the earth, there was nothing here - nothing worth saving, that is, because all of the earth was covered with water - and water does not allow leaven to do it's work - yes, leaven cannot operate in water, because it replaces air, and thus at this time, at least in the history of the earth, pride was resoundingly dealt with, because water, covering the earth, didnot allow leaven - pride - to operate.

We see, therefore, that leaven must have air to operate - and of course, we, students of the scriptures and very much human, understand that leaven typifies pride; leaven, in that it causes dough to rise makes out also the human who explemplifies pride, causes that one to rise also. We see it everyday in our news - the one who is prideful is noticed; the humble are noticed only afterwards, after their deeds are cleary known. To take it a step further, let's consider what the Apostle Peter wrote in 2 Peter 2.5; here we begin to consider that God has a way of dealing with sin, by making those faithful to him rise above it: "And did not spare the ancient world, but saved Noah, one of eight people, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood on the world of the ungodly;"

In this portion of scripture, we can see several things: the world that then was, filled with wickedness and violence, was destroyed by water. Water again covered the whole earth, destroying the ungodly - yet God is not compelled to begin from scratch. In his work to redeem man from pride - the temption of which he succumbed to - he brings his faithful servant Noah, with his family, to rise above it, while at the same time destroying it's harmful effects. Everything which leaven touched, every prideful thing, was completely destroyed - wiped out by water. In that only Noah and his family were spared, because they did what God commanded of them, we see that water destroys leaven and it's harmful effects. Leaven, the Christian knows, typefies sin - a sin most recognizable as pride; neither pride nor leaven can exist under water.

A third, and last example, of how God is dealing with sin, typified by leaven, is made most obvious to us in our own calling. We were called to come out of sin. During the Days of Unleavened Bread we sometimes figure that we must strive in this effort to put sin out - but that is not what we need to figure in our understanding of these special days. No - sin must not have any attraction to us, as leaven has no affect under water. When we were called we began to put away any and everything that stood in our obedience, worship and faithfulness to God. We put down anything that lifted up our own flesh and made ourselves greater- in our own eyes at least - than he whom we praised. Therefore we did what very few do: we were baptized - not spinkled, not bathed; no, not at all! We were fully immersed in the water, so that our sins, manifested by pride, would be buried - just like the earth was, when it too was covered with water. The three times in which God dealt with leaven, with pride, is therefore established.

There are many scriptural passages which show us how God has dealt with sin before, especially as it concerns his servants; we can feel, inwardly, at times, that we have done something wrong and need to repent, yet it behooves the Christian to consider that sin, typified by leaven, can only successfully dealt with through water. Water, shown in the scriptures, from the very foundation of the world, destroys leaven; leaven typifies sin. When reviewing God's word from the very beginning, we see that water covered the face of the whole earth. Nothing living survived - or, you could say, existed. Following mankind's fall into sin, the whole earth became filled with violence and wickedness, which is the very end-result of sin, of pride. God dealt with that too - by saving only a few and condemning everything else under water. Today, as we focus on the days following the Passover, known to but a few as the Days of Unleavened Bread, we are to hearken back to our baptism, where we put under the water the very nature we have since come to know as pride. Pride is typified as leaven in the scriptures - and leaven cannot exist under water.

New Years'

No Longer A Mystery

Presently, some of us will go about our weekly or monthly business and get down to seeing what national holidays are upcoming in the months of Januray or February; we'll take a look at the calendar and see, perhaps, if we are off from work on MLK Day or Presidents' Day. From there we'll plan what type of mini-vacation or get-away we can accomplish for that set period of time. We will, of course, be missing the biggest celebration of the year, and that would be New Years, which, we're told, is the end of one year and the beginning of another. Some of us, of course, being the few; to many, especially in the Western Hemisphere, New Years has a significance that surpasses the transition from one year to the next. You can say the significance is "spiritual"; it is, but of what spirit? New Year's Day, though a day off for many of us, is not only "spiritual", but mysterious. However, like Christmas which preceded it, New Years Day remains enscounced in a mysterious pagan practice for which many participants are ignorant.

Why do many citizens, the world over, put an emphasis on New Years'? What does it mean to them? If it were not listed in a calendar - in fact, many calendars today go straight through to January, especially day planners, or digital calendars, yea even the free calendar from your favorite Chinese restaurant - would any stop for it? It, however, has become or has been made special for a reason - and this reason didn't happen 20, or 30, or even 100 or more years ago. No. The "sanctifying" of New Year's happened, as the saying goes, in "ancient history". Did you know that New Year's Day was put aside by the Catholic Church as one of 6 festivals of obligation? In this case, to celebrate, the circumcision of our Saviour, Jesus the Christ? http://www.newadvent.org/cathe n/11019a.htm That's right, count it: if, supposedly, Christ Jesus was born on the "25th" of December, then a week or more later would be his customary circumcsion. Why a day of obligation? To Catholics, it is the first time Christ "bled for mankind". Notwithstanding the silliness of having a day for such - was he not a boy, prone to bruising his knee? can you not count - the day of circumcision would be the 2nd, not the 1st -  the primary reason why this day is kept by the majority of Westerners is because of it's spiritual significance, a significance that is hid from the majority of mankind and New Year Day celebrators, yes, even many Bible readers. Without making this mysteriousness seem mundane, turn to your Bible, the last book, chapter 17 and verse 5: here it is written the why and how New Years, even the festival preceding it, Christmas, has such a profound grip on the Western psyche; here it written why the day does not go unnoticed: "MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH".

What is this Mystery - this Babylon the Great? Why, also the fuss about it during this early winter season? The scriptures show that a great religion exists, and exists all the way to the end time, right before the return of Jesus Christ, a religion which came out of Ancient Babylon. This religion not only prevails today but it's doctrines continue to be cloaked in mysteries so that even it's adherents remain ignorant of the origin of what they profess to believe. Many persons profess unexplainable doctrines that are grounded in lies. Take, for example, the Trinity. This doctrine cannnot be proven in the Bible and is described as a concept that cannot be fully explained. http://www.gotquestions.org/Trinity-Bible.html Yet, many people, on both the Protestant and especially the Catholic religions, believe and profess it. No need to marvel there- the doctrine of the Trinity comes from Babylon. http://www.thunderministries.com/history/triad/trichrt1.html The Trinity, you see, remains an old concept; it didnot originate at the time of Jesus's walk on earth - instead, it preceded his incarnation. New Years', though much younger, is from the same realm of thought: "Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be." That's from Romans 8.7; New Year's is simply not one month ending and another beginning: otherwise, why would we not celebrate the beginning of each new month - at midnight? New Years, because of it's programmed "spiritual" significance, a spirit that is older than Rome, which is older than Jesus, has convinced the heart of many to celebrate the day, rather the evening, because of a "spiritual" significance that many cannot fathom. This is the result of the mystery: this Ancient Babylonian religion has become GREAT because it has crept into every Western household - "Happy New Years!" or "What are you doing New Years?" It would not be so bad if it was the girl in the gyro store wishing you good health, being up with the times, but if your pastor or your priest or your theologically-entwined friends wishes you a Happy New Year, you know that BABYLON has arrived.

Furthermore, Babylon the Great will continue right up until the end times - New Years will continue to be kept, so too Christmas, Easter too - all the traditional Christian celebrations which have no root in the Bible, but in pagan, or "Babylonian" origins. The mystery is that many persons keep these days, yea, even some Jews, who should know better, being willfully or sadly, plainly ignorant of the origins and significance of the days in question. What is worst is that Protestants, who pride themselves in their uppity opinions of proper Christian worship are no closer to the worship of the one true God than Catholics, who, if being the mother of false Babylonian concepts, the former are her daughters. In a nutshell, both mother and daughter will be punished by God because of the promulgation of false or irreligions concepts that keep men ignorant of God's way. Here you can read verse 14 of chapter 17 in Revelation.

To Americans, at least, it is not New Year's that seems to be special, but New Year's Eve, but don't kid yourself: the eve has just become an excuse to celebrate the morrow.The important issue here is that as much as great punishment will fall upon the originators of the Babylonian Mysteries, there is a warning to those who are caught up in keeping these holidays, though even not on theological grounds but rather because you were raised in this fashion. Are you one who would just like to forget all about this "New Years' Stuff" and all that ancient or religious stuff and tomorrow night, the 31st of December, keep your plans and go out and "have a couple"? Our young folk will do such believing their celebrations have nothing to do with history. So too, many a Westerner would not consider themselves to be celebrants of the "circumcision of Christ". Before leaving, consider what is written in the 18th chapter of Revelation, verse 4: "And I heard another voice from heaven saying, Come out of her, my people, lest you share in her sins, and lest you receive of her plagues." Babylon will continue to remain a mystery to many, right to the end. To some of us, she is a mystery no longer.

Thanksgiving

The Art of Giving Thanks

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving Day, a national day of ...giving thanks? That of course is the presumption; we, Americans, will, in some way, give thanks - and not to any particular person, no, we shall just think, for a moment, and of course this is for the majority of us, for one moment, why we should give thanks and then, wallah, presume it to be done and go about our business in eating, drinking, footballing - that of course would be American football. For the rest of the world, they have their own days of giving thanks and yet, it doesn't seem to compare to ours - because, as most believe, there is a "spiritual" or religious element to the American day of giving thanks, a day that transcends time and with the advent of the United States as the premier world power, distance.

It is good to give thanks. We always appreciate it when a receiver of our attention or a gift we have given or a job we have done well and delivered - when the receiver comes to you face to face or over the phone and gives thanks. We are in fact very surprised when we do something for another and they don't give thanks. In this way, we are god-like: when we give, we expect thanks. When we receive - ah, there's the rub. We have lost the art of giving thanks.

The rub is that when we receive we are either compelled to give thanks to the giver or usually, give a fast thanks and really don't spend that much time on the matter. "What-uh-ya think, I'm gonna frame it?" Yet, by this day, this day of giving thanks, that is, we have confessed that there is a time and a proper way to give thanks. Giving thanks, proper thanks, require that we spend time on it - just like all you moms - is it only grandmoms now? Who, of course, spend time in the kitchen cooking and preparing the meal we all most remember this day for; yes - there is a time for giving thanks and a thanks well-done is something that requires time. There too, is an art to giving thanks; like an artist who takes time to create a piece - he, or she, doesn't rush it. Mary Baker says "Our society values busyness over artistic incubation, but you cannot create art without it." http://www.marybakerart.com/timeforart.html If we are too busy to give thanks, why is there a day set aside for it?

Thanks - what is it to give thanks? Thanks is "kindly or grateful thoughts or an expression of gratitude" http://merriamwebster.com/dictionary/thanks  which of course means that we first think of what the giver has done, become genuinely touched by it and then, if we want to go any further, give a verbal recognition to it. In fact, to go and give thanks, not just to be touched by it, is far more the better thing - 'It is more blessed to give than to receive' so said Paul the Apostle, quoting Jesus. http://www.biblegateway.com/quicksearch/?quicksearch=it+is+more+blessed+to+give+than+to+receive&qs_version=50 To give thanks is just as important as receiving the gift and requires two distinct elements: sincerity and respect.

Sincerity: here's what MW says - the quality or state of being sincere : honesty of mind : freedom from hypocrisy http://merriamwebster.com/dictionary/sincerity. This is to say, that our giving of thanks must be free from gameplaying and actually begin as an appreciative thought in the mind. The root word is "sincere", the etymology meaning "without wax" - pure, like the real thing. Thanks must be "for real", not fake and takes one's mind off of himself, focusing instead on the giver.

Respect: again, MW says - a relation or reference to a particular thing or situation http://merriamwebster.com/dictionary/respect. The key to understanding this word is to see it is from Latin respectus, literally, act of looking back, meaning, that we remember what the giver has done for us, thus giving thanks and also doing good to them in the future. This word is usually associated with honor, such as in "honor your father and mother". Why else would we spend time with them on this day?

Too many of our thanks is simply to pay back the giver a one-shot deal for what he or she has given us. Take time to give thanks. Take the day to think about it.

Thank You

HOLLOWEEN

Lights, Camera, Action!

In only a few days another traditional holiday will come up, which is a type of memorial of partying, dressing up in costumes, and the playing out of tricks. This day, which used to begin close to sunset on the 31^st of October and last into the wee hours of the following morning, we all know as Halloween. Coming into the knowledge of Christ, you may have of course skipped this annual night festival because it gloats on evil and is known for intolerable mischief. Have you considered the festival that follows it? A festival which honors saints?  November first is traditionally called All Saints’ Day.

According to the Catholic Encyclopedia, here is the lowdown on All Saints' Day: “Celebrated on the first of November. Instituted to honour all the saints, known and unknown, and, according to Urban IV, to supply any deficiencies in the faithful's celebration of saints' feasts during the year.” This of course means that if any “saint” was missed in celebrating his birthday, you could make up for it by celebrating this day set aside once a year on the first of November. The practice of keeping Halloween goes back to the CELTIC celebration of SAMHAIN. Samhain is a Gaelic festival celebrating the end of the Irish summer and the harvest associated with it, the beginning of “winter” and a hope of being visited by the dead. The festival has many religious undertones to it and through Church tradition eventually became the evening before All Saints’ Day. Halloween, in case you are challenged, is considered to be secular and practiced only if one wishes to. All Saints’ Day, is considered to be religious and therefore obligatory. Before preceding, let us consider what Christ Jesus tells us in Matthew 5.16: Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.

A question arises: Are Christians to keep either Halloween or All Saint’s day? Let’s take a look at what it is to be a saint by comparing the practices of this day with the work that God requires of us.

Dr. Richard P. Buche in his topic Who are the Saints? (http://www.orlutheran.com/html/saintid.html) says, “One way to get at this question is to investigate which people the New Testament authors address as saints. When we do this, we discover that, overwhelmingly, living Christians on earth are called saints in the New Testament.” Christians are already saints, according to the writings of the Apostles and New Testament Church. Furthermore, in the writings of the Apostle John, Book 9 and verse 5, we read, “As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world." You could infer from this proclamation that once he, Christ Jesus, left the world through returning to heaven, the world therefore was devoid of light. It wasn’t too long after his departure that his own Church began to suffer persecution and following that perversions and distortions of scripture. Eventually, Christianity became prone to superstition and the veneration of the dead. Saints no longer were considered to be in the flesh, but somewhere in netherworld looking down upon the Church here on earth. Concerning All Saints Day, here is listed in Wikipedia:

“In the early Church, Christians would celebrate the anniversary of a martyr's death for Christ (known as the saint's "birth day") by serving an All-Night Vigil, and then celebrating the Eucharist over their tomb or place of martyrdom. In the fourth century, neighbouring dioceses began to transfer relics, and to celebrate the feast days of specific martyrs in common. Frequently, a number of Christians would suffer martyrdom on the same day, which naturally led to a joint commemoration. In the persecution of Diocletian the number of martyrs became so great that a separate day could not be assigned to each. But the Church, feeling that every martyr should be venerated, appointed a common day for all. A commemoration of "All Martyrs" began to be celebrated as early as the year 270, although no specific month or date are mentioned in existing records.” (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/All_Saints%27_Day)

The evening that precedes All Saint’s Day is called, commonly, HALLOWEEN. This is the “HALLOWED EVENING” of the day following it. See what Jack Santino, in his writing, Halloween and Other Festivals of Death and Life (1994) says about this secular but popular festival:

“... The customs associated with Halloween included representations of ghosts and human skeletons-symbols of the dead-and of the devil and other malevolent, evil creatures, such as witches.

"The first week of November is marked in many countries, especially those with a strong Catholic influence, with festivals concerned with death, in a playful but serious way. In Catholic countries we often find some cognate of Halloween associated with All Saints' or All Souls' days.

"... in

Mexico

people build home altars, adorned with religious icons and special breads and other food for the dead. The Day of the Dead incorporates recognition of death as a concept with rituals that remember the deaths of individuals".

The celebration of Halloween and the keeping of All Saint’s Day seems to be fun and at the same time to be a spiritual obligation on behalf of Christians. Should we therefore be participants to it? We are told, by Christ Jesus himself, that "You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden” (Mat 5:14) In that he, Jesus the Christ, left the world and we, his disciples, remain in it, it is now the obligation of every Christian to be the light, in the same way in which he was the light when he was here. Would Christ Jesus keep these days, Halloween and All Saint’s Day? The first festival delights in merrymaking with “evil” themes; the second is based purely upon superstition. Would he therefore keep either?

It is important for us to know how he, our saviour, wants us to act. We are, in fact, of the very source of light which he is; it is not as if he were of a different light. We, and he, are all of the same light, and because he is not on the earth – which is to infer he will be on the earth again – it is up to us as his disciples to shine forth as the light. Light has a two-fold property: it manifests darkness and also shows people the way to go. We must stand out as standing against these pagan practices, and in turn, show the same people the proper observances of God in which we must all follow.

It is recorded in (http://www.hauntedbay.com/features/daylightsavingsrant.shtml) that Daylight Savings time has been postponed one more week this year in order to allow the little “trick or treaters” an extra hour of candy-getting. That is a little funny; in order to practice darkness one needs light. How much more, therefore, is great light needed to show forth good works?  The light which we, Christians, are to be is not only lights of conscience, making plain to others by habit and opinion that Halloween is purely a charade of evil; we too must perform good works that help stamp in the impression we are trying to make. It is encumbent upon us as lights that we not only have a practice of avoiding these evil and misnamed holidays, but we must show by good works that our practices have greater value. This is why it is stated again, from Matthew 5.16: Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.

Are Christians to keep either Halloween or All Saint’s day? No. The first glorifies an ancient practice by people long dead; the second has the issue of sainthood on it’s head. God calls all of his people saints; it is a word that pertains to the living and the dead in God’s Church. Halloween, on the other hand, gloats over evil, diminishing the reality of it. Would anyone dress-up as Hitler and be considered harmless? Yet, everyday can and should be All Saint’s Day, where the lights of the world, Christians, continue to shine, manifesting the evils that exist and by good works thereby glorify our God and Father in Heaven.