WHY GOD SAYS HELP THE POOR
Copyright 2007
By Mason Emerson
The Bible says help those who are poor. (Ac 2:44-45; 4:34-37;
Ac 11:27-30; 2Co 8:1-4) Paul said do so (Ga 2:9-10) and even
told Christian friends how to collect helpful items. (1 Co 16:14) Paul himself took a collection to needy Christians in
Jerusalem. (Ro 15:25-26)
The idea that all who ask for help are lazy or liars is countered
by logic, close observation and how the Bible clearly says the
poor are blessed. (Lu 6:20, Jas 2:5) Poor people have little to
nothing such as money or property, (Mk 12:41-44) but include
saintly people such as with Jesus himself who was materially
poor (Luke 9:57-58) and also the apostles. (Mk 10:28; 2 Cor
6:10)
Poverty may come from being a drunk ora glutton and
ignoring good advice, (Pr 21:17; Pr 23:21) but it can also come
from other people’s greed, unfair working conditions and
extortion (Is 3:14, 15; Jer 22:13; Amos 4:1), persecution from
people opposed to Christian or godly values (2Co 8:1-2; Heb
10:32-34) As with Ruth it can come from drought, or events
such as wars, diseases, economic depression and earthquakes.
Since the poor are among us (Deu 15:11; Mat 26:11); God not
only hears their pleas (Ps 69:33) but directs us to give food and
relief. (Ex 22:25, 23:10; Lev 19:9-10, 25: 35-38; Deu 14:28-29;
23:24-25; 24:19-22) Ancient Israelites had to cancel debts
every seven years (Deu 15:1-4), watch how they regarded the
poor (Deu 15:7-11) and free their slaves – who were also to
have been well taken care of - at the end of every six years.
(Deu 15:12-15)
Solomon said to show mercy to the poor, (Pr 14:21) and God
blesses those who do. (Pr 19:17; 22:9; 28:27) Those pleasing
God do help the needy. (Pr 31:20) Doing so shows you to be
wise and doing His will. (Pr 29:7) Those who harm, make fun
of or ignore pleas from the poor are shameful to God, (Pr
14:31, 17:5; 21:13; 28:27)
Christ spoke well of the poor (Mt 5:42; Lk 6:34-36; Lk 14:1214), and Paul, James and John said to (Ro 12:13; 1 Ti 6:17-19;
Heb 13:16; Jas 1:27; 1 Jn 3:16-19. For example, Christians at
Corinthians were told to collect weekly for the needy (1 Co
16:1-2), willingly and cheerfully. (2 Co 9:1, 7) We need to
show kindness to all, especially those who are also lovers of
God. (Ga 6:10)
SAINTLY APOSTLE TO THE DELAWARE
NATION
wikipedia.org
Copyright 2007
By Mason Emerson
David Zeisberger was born in Moravia, now the eastern part of the Czech Republic,
in 1721 and joined the Church of the Unity of the Brethren or Moravian Church.
Inspired by Christ and the apostles, he bravely left Europe for North America in the
1740s and by the 1760s had gone to live among Native Americans of the Delaware
nation in Pennsylvania. By stressing the practicality of Christianity he won many
converts.
In 1772 he moved with Delaware into Ohio after Whites greedy for land pushed
them west. There he helped to successfully establish a village called Schoenbrunn
where Delaware who became Christians received Christians names used by Whites
and lived as the Whites. He later helped them build Gnadenhutten and Lichtenau,
much supported by chief Netawatwees who however died in 1776.
The Christian Delawares, had to worry about attacks from non-Christian Delaware
and the warring Whites, and in 1776 Hurons removed them from Schoenbrunn. In
1781 the British arrested David Zeisberger and an assistant until convinced they
actually were pacifist neutrals. When about 140 Christian Delaware returned for
corn around Schoenbrunn they were massacred by Whites who also burnt their
villages.
David Zeisberger led them north to Canada where they built Fairfield. After
invading American Whites burnt them out during the War of 1812, they moved to
near Oxford in Ontario province. Today 11,000 live in Oklahoma.
David went on to spearhead more villages for Christian Native Americans in
northern Ohio and Michigan before dying in 1808. His efforts not only brought
many Delaware to Christianity but also many of the Munsee and Mahican peoples.
Other Moravian missionaries converted many Cherokee to Christianity.
WHY "MARRY ONLY IN THE LORD" MAY MEAN YOU
SHOULD BUT NOT ALWAYS MUST
Copyright 2007
By Mason Emerson
Paul said a widow could marry someone "only in the Lord" (1Cor 7:39)
which some think means you MUST not marry a person of different
beliefs while others say it means usually we SHOULD but there are
exceptions. God did not oppose Joseph's marrying Asenath (Ge 41:45),
daughter of Potphera the priest of On or Beth Shemesh (House of the
Sun), Egypt, (Jer. 43:13) so-called because of sun worship. Asenath
bore Mannaseh and Ephraim (Ge 41:50-52, 46:20) who founded
Israelite tribes. Moses married Zipporah who bore Gershom and
Eliezer (Ex 2:16-12, 18:2-4). Her father was Jethro also called Reul, an
Arabic priest in Midian. Jehtro was not originally a worshipper of the
true God because after Moses returned over the Red Sea only then did
he say Moses' God was greater than all other gods. (Ex 18:10)
Esther's marriage to King Ahasuerus of Persia was approved of by God
who guided her to save the Jews from genocide. Some may say Moses
and Joseph's wives likely converted to being worshippers of their
husbands' God, but this cannot be argued with Esther. In ancient Israel
God said to not marry members of seven idol-worshipping nations, at
least on their entering the Promised Land, so as not to be turned to
worshipping false gods. (Deu 7:1-3) Those nations no longer exist and
besides at Deuteronomy 21:19-14 God says an Israelite could marry a
captured foreigner after letting her mourn a month for her lost parents.
Isaac and Rebecca's being bothered by Esau's Hittite wives is assumed
to mean it was due to their being Hittite non-worshippers but we can as
easily assume it was simply because they were annoying.
Paul said there is only "one faith," meaning the general Christian faith,
not some branch such as at Jerusalem or Corinth. Today its branches
still form but one faith. In fact at 1 Timothy 4:1-5 Paul calls it anti-God
to tell persons they MUST not be marrying, and this would apply with
inter-church marriages today. Though usually best for a Christian to
marry another Christian, Solomon said there is a time and a place for
everything. The Bible allows reasonable exceptions. Christians naturally
consider much about potential mates, but the choice stays theirs, not
pressuring busybodies standing between them and God.
ARBOR (TREE) DAY
Copyright 2007
By Mason Emerson
After becoming an elected official, journalist J Sterling
Morgan he began Arbor Day in the 1800s to encourage tree
planting in the USA state of Nebraska which had relatively few
trees.
The first unofficial day was April 10, 1872 when some 1 million
trees were planted. It was made an official holiday in
Nebraska and observed April 8, 1874.
Other states began observing the day usually the last Friday in
April. Some USA presidents have proclaimed national Arbor
Days, and many other nations now also observe it, often calling
it Arbor Day or Tree Day.
There never were any pagan origins to the date and there is
absolutely no reason why Christians cannot observe the day in
good conscience.
THOSE ANOINTED BY GOD TO SERVE WITH
CHRIST FROM HEAVEN
Copyright 2007
By Mason Emerson
Since Revelation is symbolic and Revelation 19:1 clearly says "a great
crowd" go to heaven, the 144,000 number (Re 7:4, 14:1) for those whom
God anoints (choses) for service with Christ in heaven may also be a
symbolic number just as are many other numbers in Revelation.
So God may be taking exactly 144,000, fewer than that number, or a far
greater number. The plain truth is the Bible does not clearly say. We are told
though that those anointed to go to heaven, when on earth are known by the
fruits of God's Spirit like great love, joy and peace. They put service to
humanity and God Almighty Himself above any fleshly desires like
prominence and money, are orderly but Spirited people; not egotistical,
jealous or stirring up competitions (Ga 5:22-6).
God chooses them for heaven with Jesus Christ because, as true of His
beloved Son, the faith in their hearts in Himself is greater than their faith in
human organizations, friends or family. They are well-balanced people who
strongly believe in what is right regarding the treatment of others, even
willing to lose their lives to do what's
right and loving, including for persons they have never before met.
After all, Christ died so that ALL might enjoy the hope of
resurrection. And also like the Christ those who serve with him from heaven
enjoy working to heal, comfort and build up other people. They are taken in
a twinkle of the eye to heaven not to vacation but to inherit kingdom service
from there with Christ unto the many meek ones who will inherit the earth
(Mt 5:5, 6:10). The faithful apostles are among them.
BABYLON THE GREAT, WHO SHE
REALLY IS
Copyright 2007
By Mason Emerson
Let's look at both the Bible itself and also what we see going on around us
today. Revelation 16:19 says God turns His fury on Babylon the Great, 17:
1-5 says she sits on many waters, and Re 14:8 speaks of her making all
nations drunk with her adulteries. Revelation 16:19 and following verse also
note that she makes earth's kings commit immorality with her, has made
earth's dwellers drunk with her immorality, is rich as shown by her clothing
and jewelry, is the mother of harlots and abominations, is drunk with the
blood of saints and witnesses of Jesus. Revelation 18:2 indicates that she
descends into demonic doings and all kinds of evils until her end comes
suddenly (Re 18:10), indeed violently (Re 18:21). And significantly, 18:23
indicates she is religious, speaking of how couples marry in churches, and
noting the use of magic or spiritistic practices: "The light of a lamp will
never shine in you again. The voice of bridegroom and bride will never be
heard in you again. Your merchants were the world's great men. By your
magic spell all the nations were led astray."
Altogether, then, the Bible shows that Babylon the Great is abusive religion
in general worldwide, corrupt, greedy, oppressive and deadly although liked
by many powerful wealthy people and rulers. So clearly Babylon the Great
is all abusive religion, and all too many such cults still exist. In fact there are
now various useful lists and books that target no certain group but
Babylonish cults in general and list major points for identifying them.
These include "The Subtle Power of Spiritual Abuse" by David Johnson and
Jeff VanVonderen and various works by Steve Hassan. By examining these
anyone can quickly see if their own group or a group which loved ones
attend are among the cults of Babylon the Great. Traits of cults are that
they are:
1. Control-oriented, arrogantly assertive, power-posturing leadership 2.
Authoritarian and legalistic with dictatorial, dogmatic doctrines that are
proclaimed to be "the Truth." 3. Claim to be the channel of communication
between God and humankind with unique knowledge that makes them
special. If members do not submit to its dictatorial rule, the leaders
emphasize that any waver of support to the organization or church is
evidence of waver of faith in God. 4. Manipulation of members by guilt,
shame, blame, and fear.
5. An "Us-versus-Them" view, a perception of being under persecution.
6. Demanding, rigid lifestyles and overwhelming service requirements.
Members' lives are controlled by both spoken and unspoken rules. 7. Loss of
focus on God, replaced by a complicated process of furthering the church or
organization and its rules. 8. Followers "in pain", hiding real feelings that
oppose or disagree with the religious system. 9. Intolerance of individual
thinking, and of criticism of the religious system by its members. Fosters an
unhealthy dependency by focusing on themes of submission, loyalty, and
obedience to those in authority. 10. Severe discipline of members.
11. The religious system puts down other religions. 12. Closed
communication: Information is only valid if it comes from the top of the
religious system down, and from inside the system to the outside of it. 13.
Leaving the religious system is painful and difficult. 14. Labeling: a
technique used to discount a person who opposes the beliefs of the religious
system, i.e., "apostates." 15. What you do is more important that who you
are. 16. Love and acceptance are earned by doing certain things. 17.
Scripture-twisting. 18. Scare tactics; focus on demons that may actually be
other wiretapping, sound-noise making cultists.
19. Threats to remove members from the group. 20. Members misled into
thinking the only safety is in the religious system. 21. A view that education
is bad or unnecessary. Other books dealing with Babylonish cults include
"Toxic Faith" by Stephen Arterburn and Jack Felton, "Churches That
Abuse" by Ronald M. Enroth, and VanVonderen's "Tired of Trying to
Measure Up."
Revelation 18:4 says that God Himself wants people to exit such abusive
religion. Scripture says the best way to liberate people caught up in such
religion is via lovingly telling them the truth and darkness flees from light.
All too often cults claim they are the only source of "the Truth" while the
outsiders they oppose are evil "Babylon the Great." It is a tactic we should
not be surprised at coming from the daughter harlots or cults of Babylon the
Great, for as scripture also says Satan likes to make himself appear as an
angel of light.
It's often an unpleasant shock when people see the mask fall away and
discover they have unwittingly fallen into her lap, and then they must cope
with trying to get themselves and loved ones out of her clutches. Why not
consider educating people with this publication so that they will be
forewarned.
BIBLE DETRACTORS ANSWERED
Hershel Shanks has defended the Bible as opposed to Herzog who
attacked it for example at http://www.bibarch.org/bswbBreakingIllSpecial2.html Here we seek to
summarize and add to some of what Shanks has said.
To begin, it is said there is no documentation or archaeological
proof the Israelites were ever in Egypt, and also no documentation
or archaeological proof that 2 million of them ever wandered about
in the desert before entering Canaan despite Exodus 12:37. Are
such allegations true?
Interestingly the Bible detractors admit that "many [Egyptian]
documents do mention the custom of nomadic shepherds to enter
Egypt during periods of drought and hunger and to camp at the
edges of the Nile Delta." Also, the Egyptians say these shepherds
and others came from Asia and settled in the very area the Bible
says the Israelites settled.
In fact an Austrian archaeologist found a 4-room house commonly
associated with Israelites in Goshen in the Nile Delta where the
Bible says the Israelites settled. And an English Egyptologist noted
that the price at which Joseph's brothers sold him was the price at
the time when the sale is believed to have occurred instead of the
much higher price for a slave when Bible opponents have alleged
the story was written.
At that, even the Bible detractors admit that in the mid-second
millennium B.C. some Asiatic interlopers called Hyksos ruled
Egypt. Interestingly when people make up stories about their
ancestors they claim they were members of royalty or gods, so
when the Bible says the descendents of Israel after Joseph were
slaves in Egypt, this has the definite ring of truth.
Israelite settlement of Canaan is accepted as being in Iron Age I,
1200-1000 B.C.) when "hundreds of small settlements were
established in the area of the central hill region of the Land of
Israel" but detractors say the settlers Ancient Israel developed from
many groups. In fact the Bible itself says when exiting Egypt there
were not only the 12 tribes of Israel with Moses but also a vast
mixed throng of peoples.
Some tribes like Asher and Dan were associated with ships (Judges
5:17), Ezekiel 16:3 says "By origin and birth you are from the land
of the Canaanites—your father was an Amorite and your mother a
Hittite," the Shechemites were circumcised for acceptance into
Israel (Ge 34), and Gideonites were also of the Canaanites, and
sometimes non-Israelites such as Uriah the Hittite converted and
attained high rank.
Opposers say archaeology does not show a sudden conquest of
Canaan by Israelites. In reality, although Joshua says that some
cities were attacked and taken suddenly, the book of Judges shows
that otherwise there was a slow continual series of efforts needed
to take and hold the land, which thus backs up the archaeology.
Excavations at Jericho and Ai do not show cities there when it is
believed the Bible indicates Joshua conquered them, but on the
other hand Hebrew University archaeologist Amnon Ben-Tor notes
that Hazor was likely destroyed and burned by Israelite attackers
just as Joshua 11:1-11 says. Also Jericho's destruction supports the
Bible including as to the time of year and fallen walls, although the
date for its fall so far has not agreed with when the Israelites
supposedly appeared. Detractors denied that the United Kingdom
under David and Solomon had ever existed and also denied that
kings of those names ever existed. But later reference to the House
(Dynasty) of David was found upon a huge stele excavated by
Avraham Biran at Tel Dan.
Detractors claimed that Yahweh, the God of Israel, had a consort
and ancient Israel had more than one god until very late in its
history. In fact the Bible itself says some of the Israelites did
indeed sometimes revert to worshipping other gods although the
one Almighty God was Yahweh. The detractors also say thousands
of clay figurines found, especially in Jerusalem, prove that the
Israelites worshipped numerous gods instead of Yahweh as the
Bible says.
But, again, the Bible itself says some ancient Israelites reverted to
worshipping many gods, and besides such figurines were
sometimes not used for worship in the Middle East but were used
as tangible proof that their possessors were the rightful heirs of
family properties. Why should it be surprising that Jerusalem had
many such primary inheritors.
It has been noted that little has been found from the time of the
United Monarchy even at Jerusalem, also called the City of David
despites years of digging south of the Temple Mount even after
years of efforts by archaeological greats like Dame Kathleen
Kenyon and Yigal Shiloh. Their work failed to discover a major
city wall but it was found by Ronny Reich and Eli Shukron near
the Spring Gihon as well as 2-3 major towers protecting the spring
in about 1800 B.C. So sometimes items, even a high wall and
towers go undetected despite the best of efforts.
A famous Egyptian stele refers to "Israel" as a people in Canaan in
1208 B.C. and no scholar questions it, but detractors like Herzog
have ignored it or argued it refers only to a geographic location,
not a people, maybe refers to some other Israel but surely not the
Israel noted in the Bible. Why? It would appear that, unfortuantely
they are sometimes less interested in truth for its own sake than in
trying to promote a view that fits their own agenda, be it political,
philosophical, religious or otherwise.
BLOOD-LINE SECRETS OF
SOME CULTS
Copyright 2007
By Mason Emerson
Any organization may come to have both darkness and light.
For example unknown even to its kindliest members, Masonry
too has its angelic lights but also darkness. To its credit
Masonry offers attractions such as George Washington's
having been a member and good deeds such as the well-known
Shriners' hospital care for children.
Less well known are the mind-and-word games or
psychological warfare tactics sometimes directed against others
members and the fact that Masonry has drawn for example
Gerald B Garner the founder of the modern Wiccans or White
Witchcraft, Manly P. Hall the Rosicrucian adept, author and
founder of the Philosophical Research Society, Alice Bailey
founder of the New Age's Lucis Trust formerly called the
Lucifer Trust, Aleister Crowley the master Satanist and
founder of the anti-Christ Thelema religion, Theodore Reuss
head of the occult/satanic OTO Society in Germany, Arthur
Edward Waite writer of Masonic history and the occult, Alex
Sander self-styled "King of the Witches" in London and major
Wiccans leader, Annie Besant leader of the occult
Theosophical Society and Co-Masonic hierarch (yes, females
have also been Masons) Wynn Westcott of the Societas
Rosicuciana in Anglia and founding member of the occult
Order of the Golden Dawn, SL MacGregor Mathews who
founded the Golden Dawn. (Battle Cry, Mar-Apr 1997)
Millennial Dawn Bible Students Association was founded by
Charles Taze Russell whose father Joseph and his wife Maria's
father were both Knights Templar Masons. A major legal
apparatus for Dawn was the Watchtower Bible and Tract
Society. After Russell's death the Society split into what are
now Dawn Bible Students and Jehovah's Witnesses.
Watchtower Society publications included the Watchtower and
Golden Age magazines of which the latter was renamed
Awake! At Rosemont Cemetery Russell's small tombstone
adjoins his huge pyramid memorial bearing the Masonic crossand-crown symbol and these are directly across the road from
the enormous Greater Pittsburgh Masonic Center buildings
complex.
Some say Russell was strongly influenced by Masons but not
an official member or perhaps a secret member while others
say he was and there is even a Masons’ history book with a
picture of him wearing the Masonic apron. As with Mormon
founder Joseph Smith, Russell was listed as a Mason in the
1933 book Occult Theocracy (page 737) by "Lady
Queensborough." Masonry's winged sungod Ra symbols are
on his 1911-16 books and for example the front of an early
Assembly Hall at Queens -- this symbol never ever a Chrstian
symbol. Pictures in the JW study book during 1999-2000 called
the Daniel book (page 302) and the history Proclaimers (pages
88 and 651) show Masonry's crown-with-cross and Templar
swords.
Most regular JWs, especially the female members and males
never appointed Watchtower elders, are not told of Masonry's
influence on their religion although leaders among the
worldwide brotherhood or Watchtower Society, as with the
Masons, have used "theocratic warfare tactics" involving
mind-and-word testing (sometimes also physical actions) for
testing and disciplining, and spoken of the coming New World
Order. Some of the regular JWs have complained they believe
due to information repeated back to them, unusual telephone
interruptions and sometimes voices fed back of other JWs
talking, that appointed members use hook-switch by-pass on
telephones and infinity microphones to invade privacy
including the sanctity of the bedroom.
Naturally leaders speak against and deny such tactics and
indeed some of those leaders in local kingdom halls as with
most of the regular members know little to nothing of such
doings, don't believe they occur and would quit or go inactive
rather than do such. Mormon founder Joseph Smith had also
been a Mason and various branches of modern Mormonism
are said to still use Masonic tactics. Some say internal
dissidents in at least some Mormon groups are still subject to
possible murder which is called Blood Atonement. Unity uses
the Ra sun-god symbol, and Christian Science is also said to
have Masonic influence.
BUDDHISM, HINDUISM, GRECO-ROMAN
AND CHRISTIAN CONNECTIONS
Copyright 2007
By Mason Emerson
Now as he (Jesus Christ) was passing along he saw a man blind
from birth. And his disciples asked him 'Rabbi, who sinned,
this man or his parents so that he was born blind?'" Possibly
the disciples wondered if the man had sinned before being
born while an embryo, but others have speculated that perhaps
the disciples were influenced by the idea of Reincarnation, that
is that maybe the blind man had been born blind because he
was punished for having done wrong things in a previous life.
Then at Matthew 17:12-13 Jesus speaks of Elijah's having
come and suffered such that his disciples knew he was
speaking about John the Baptist. Too, the reputable Jewish
historian Josephus in Wars of the Jews, book II, Chapter VIII,
paragraph 14 says the Pharisees, who were a Jewish sect
opposed to Jesus and from whom the highly influential apostle
Paul came, believed "the souls of only good people are
removed into other bodies.
It is also know that before Christ's own birth Buddhism, which
like Hinduism promotes belief in reincarnation, had penetrated
at least as far west as Egypt. Articles in Biblical Archaeology
Society for 2001 tell that Greek Hellenistic or Greco-Roman
culture had gone as far east as the Gandhara region of
Afghanistan and Pakistan where its influences are seen in
statues of Hercules, a Buddhist temple with Corinthian
columns, and Buddha-images with Roman-like togas. These
influences came about after Alexander the Great (356-323
B.C.) defeated Persia's king Darius III, marched his army
through the deserts and mountains of Afghanistan's Hindu
Kush into northern India to fight elephant-mounted troops
before returning west and dying in Babylon.
Too, support for cultural exchanges between Christian and
Buddhist areas came with the apostle Thomas's founding of at
least 7 churches in western India beginning 52 AD, his
activities attested to by not only local churches groups of
"Thomas Christians," many traditions and buildings but also
by Coptic, Mesopotamian, Greek and Latin church writing
including by writers such as St Jerome and Eusebius. Thomas
converted many who were Brahmins and quite possibly
Dravidians as well. Trade between the Holy Land and India
predated Thomas almost 1,000 years to at least the days of
Solomon. Pliny (23-79 AD) noted abundant two-way trade and
so did Ptolemy (100-160 AD).
So, although there is no proof that the earliest Christian
disciples and apostles taught belief in reincarnation, there are
indications that they likely knew of it and theoretically it could
have colored some of their musings. Resurrection instead of
reincarnation is the belief which dominates Christianity and
has done so for some 2,000 years since Christ as proved by
many historical records. This belief is that when good people
die either of two things happens. Their spirits or souls do not
transfer to another life-form such as newly born animals or
other humans. Instead human spirits go to God who can
instantly reward them with life in heaven, or else God reviews
dead peoples' lives and decides if to bring them back to life as
spirits in heaven or later return them to live again upon earth
after it has been made into paradise.
The two ideas of reincarnation and resurrection are somewhat
similar and can be seen to draw still closer. For example, if
God returns people to live again upon earth not "later" after
earth has been made into paradise but resurrects them "at
once" as newly born humans who may or may not perfectly
remember their previous life, then would this not be both a
form of resurrection and reincarnation?
Of course regardless of whether with the Reincarnation idea of
the East or the Resurrection idea of the West, the realization of
a reward with continuing life depends upon the people having
been good enough during their lives so that God will reward
them. Happily, the criteria for doing goodness overlaps in that
Christians, Buddhists and Hindus are all encouraged to
actively show love by helping and showing respect for other
humans and living creatures in general.
CHRISTIAN WAR ON CRIME
Copyright 2007
By Mason Emerson
James says that to be approved by God we must not have "friendship
with the world" by which he means not the world in the sense suffering
humanity in general, including victims of crime, but rather that we
must not be friends of the world in the sense of wicked violent people.
Now surely complaining, even preaching about crime does only limited
good compared to carefully but surely fighting it!
And so why not consider practical methods for doing so. You might try
and do some things like these: get yourself, family or friends to meet
and do some of the following regularly: after an in-the-home Bible
reading go pick up area street or roadside trash; erase or paint over
grafitti; drive seniors to shop so they can avoid thugs; work with a PTA
to get children safely escorted to and from schools, or to get "safe
houses" set up for them to go to if bothered; strategically post or
distribute the police department's phone number about the
neighborhood; report suspicious activities to police; discreetly camcord
high crime areas and post that it's being done; support and work with
the police. (Ro 13:1)
We can post or leave about leaflets with scriptures teaching honest
work, supporting one's family, faithfulness, other virtues working
against criminal sexual conduct; read in the papers, call the library
reference people or city hall to find out whom to present with a petition
that calls for curfew enforcement; surf the net to find other useful ideas.
COMFORTING THOUGHTS
Copyright 2007
By Mason Emerson
A little girl was lost from her parents deep inside a vast forest. Night
came and the winter wind was biting. She asked God what to do and in
her mind's eye came the picture of a squirrel which had lost its leafy
tree house. What would a squirrel do if there were no other tree homes
to enter? She made a pile of leafs, burrowed beneath them, prayed more
to her heavenly Father, and soon fell asleep. Yes, she survived to rejoice
with her human parents who found her the next morning.
One hot summer night in 1905 a coal-miner's wife suddenly had to get
help for her husband whom she had just put to bed in great pain. He
had been injured near their house when a wagon slid off a steep hillside
killing the horses pulling it. The woman, Grace, ran as fast as possible
through a steady drenching rain for a doctor's home five miles away
though the land still had wolves and cut-throats roamed about.
Once she stumbled and lay praying, feeling exhausted and all alone.
Suddenly a friendly bark sounded and her pet dog, Yeller, was there
licking her face. She hadn't been alone after all. Within a couple
minutes she made it to the bright light of the home where the doctor was
and he came at once to save her husband's life.
Bad situations occur, making us feel alone or indeed totally isolated. But
this reminds us that even if we find ourselves in similar situations, there
is still hope and sometimes friends, even unseen ones, who can show up
to offer comfort. Maybe we just need to call out to them or wait a little
longer. Minutes can help. See? Please think about it. Light always
overcomes darkness though it may take a while. And a good shepherd
does look for lost sheep. (Lu 15:4)
EARTH, WHAT IS ITS
FUTURE?
Copyright 2007
By Mason Emerson
There are a variety of views about Earth’s future from religion
and science. One is that Earth will be destroyed 100% forever.
A second is that it will be destroyed 100% and remain thus
destroyed for a long time such as a thousand years but then be
restored to paradise-like or Edenic condition at some unknown
time. A third is that it will be only partly destroyed but then
restored to paradise or Edenic conditions and remain in
existence forever or at least for a long time, possibly billions of
years.
Some note that Matthew 6:9-10 says pray for God's Kingdom
to come on Earth, Matthew 5:5 speaks of the meek inheriting
Earth, and Ecclesiastes 1:4 says a generation comes and goes
but Earth remains forever. Still others note that at Isaiah 51:6
God says "the earth itself will wear out, and its inhabitants will
die like a mere gnat." Jesus Christ says at Matthew 24:35,
"Heaven and earth will pass away." And John says at
Revelation 21:1 that he saw "a new heaven and a NEW earth,
for the former heaven and the FORMER earth had passed
away, and the sea is no more."
Interestingly those of opposing views especially use 2 Peter 3:57 which says "But they deliberately forget that long ago by
God's word the heavens existed and the earth was formed out
of water and by water. By these waters also the world of that
time was deluged and destroyed. By the same word the present
heavens and earth are reserved for fire, being kept for the day
of judgment and destruction of ungodly men." For example
some emphasize that 2 Peter 3 says Earth will be destroyed.
But others emphasize it says that in Noah's day Earth was
obviously not 100% destroyed for we are still walking and
breathing on the same planet, and therefore even though Earth
and the heavens, which can mean high parts of the
atmosphere, will be devastated some of Earth will survive for it
to be restored and inhabited.
The view of science has been that possibly billions of years in
the future the planet would be destroyed 100% and forever by
an expanding sun and even if humans were eventually able to
move Earth farther from the sun, the universe itself would
eventually collapse upon itself and crush all matter including
Earth. But now other scenarios are offered. One is that this
material universe is only one among other simultaneously
existing universes, and that more appropriately we should call
all that exists "the Multiverse," the material reality which
incorporates the various different universes including our own.
Conceivably the total number of universes may even be infinite
and the number of "Earths" correspondingly infinite, which
would mean that even if one Earth with ourselves were 100%
destroyed, other Earths with "ourselves" or persons identical
to or virtually identical to ourselves would exist.
Another possibility for an eternal Earth would be that if we
exist in the one and only material universe with the one and
only planet Earth, then even if the universe collapses crushing
Earth nevertheless later the universe may again expand and
Earth then be recreated, or if the Earth is not recreated in that
particular expansion of the universe it may be recreated then
during some still future expansion. Thus Earth might be
created or rather recreated an infinite number of times. Many
find it belief in any infinite difficult although the Bible says
God Himself is eternal, that is of infinite existence. Yet the
number 1/3 can also be shown as .3 or .33 or .333 or .3333 or
.33333 etc with an infinite number of 3's, the concept of "Pi" is
in reality an infinite number of digits, and beyond numbers if a
person looks into a mirror with a mirror he will see a reflection
of himself within a reflection of himself within a reflection of
himself numerous times linked in a chain that is in fact infinite
although his eye cannot discern the continuing chain of
infinite reflections past its human limits.
So, what can we glean from the preceding about Earth's
future? Probably the main thing is that we need to be more
tolerant of different views besides our own about this and other
subjects especially too since Romans 14:1-5 grants us freedom
to hold different views. We can be sure that when God is ready,
whether we are then in heaven or on Earth, He will give us full
clarification on such things. Meanwhile we can be pleasing
Him by doing what He wants most. Christ said to love God
completely and likewise be kind toward our fellow humans.
(Mt 22:37-39)
EARTH, WHY AND HOW TO
NOT RUIN IT! (Re 11:18)
Copyright 2007
By Mason Emerson
Besides hurricanes, quakes and tsunamis and hurricanes,
another concern has been when the ozone hole over Antartica
has expanded to cover cities as distant as Punta Arenas in
Argentina, caused people to tan in just 7 minutes, endangered
ocean plankton and threaten tourism.
Also alarming is that an estimated 26% percent of earth's coral
reefs, vital for many sea creatures, are dead and all are
threatened as the oceans warm up. Some 40% of the ice sheets
had melted up to 2000 and continue to melt as also had 40% of
the polar ice.
In 1900 rain forests covered 12% of earth but now they cover
5% or less. Plants that could provide cures for on-rushing
diseases are being wiped out! Ice in mountains that long
supplied major cities is also vanishing. The rosy periwinkle
used for leukemia is being destroyed. And the list continues.
James 4:4 says to not be friends of the world of wickedness
which would include those deliberately trying to ruin our
planet, and whom God Himself will instead bring to ruin. Our
planet deserves much greater respect. (Read 2Pe 3:1-13, Ec
1:4, Re 11:18, 21:1) and we need to battle against the abuses
and the abusers.
How? We, our family or friends can beautify our own
properties, landscape for neighbors or community, pick up
road litter, paint over graffitti, report polluters and illegal
dumpers.
We can surf the internet for others who are also concerned,
methods and information, lobby to peacefully help save the
life-giving vanishing rain-forests and coral reefs, do any
hunting and harvesting of food in balanced ways instead of
wantonly killing for so-called sport.
We can insist on the humane treatment of animals used in any
actually necessary medical experiments, push to preserve and
maintain more of God's natural temples of beauty.
FOODS AND BIBLE HEALTH TIPS
Copyright 2007
By Mason Emerson
From reading the Bible it's clear that we're to treat the body
like a marvelous temple, moderately exercise, especially guard
the heart, avoid anger, dangerous sex etc but can enjoy events
like weddings, birthdays like Job's children had (Job 1 & 3),
Christian parties (love feasts), singing at get-togethers etc. We
learn wholesome foods help more than rich ones (Da 12:1), but
to avoid fat and the over-eating of meat although a little bit of
meat was eaten as shown by the fact that Christ himself ate
some fish. The first foods that God gave humanity were seedbearing vegetations (cereals, etc) and fruits (Ge 1:29).
In Genesis God Almighty ordered that blood not be eaten and
although Acts 15:19-20 etc re-confirmed what He said. 1
Samuel 14:32-35 clearly says that God forgave an entire army
of men who ate unbled meat in order not to die from
starvation. They only had to build an altar to Him to show
repentance. Therefore, we do best to not eat blood puddings
for example but in an emergency situation such as a modern
auto accident, this does not forbid the use of blood as in
transfusions. Read Matthew 12 carefully if still in doubt that
He puts principles such as love and mercy above rules or laws,
even His own, in order to preserve life.
The Bible mentions foods such as honey, dates, figs, apples,
grapes, leeks, onions, olives, stuffed cucumbers, beans, lentil
stew, flour porridge, beef, bread, fish, quail, partridge, pigeons,
locusts fried without limbs and heads, eggs, wheat, barley,
millet, spelt, dill, cumin, coriander, mint, salt, garlic, rue,
mustard leaves, wine
vinegar, wheat beer, a little wine, water, milk, cheese, a
pomegranate fruit drink, a little wine, sweet cakes, fig cakes,
almonds, pistachios. This doesn't mean, of course, that anyone
today has to eat just those foods. In fact, the Bible counsels
allowing each person his own convictions on matters which it
does not directly address.
THE BIBLE AND LANGUAGE
ORIGINS
Copyright 2007
By Mason Emerson
The Bible says the ark landed in the mountains of Ararat which may
indicate modern Turkey or Iran, and later the people with only one
language came out of the “east” and settled the valley plain of Shinar,
that is between the Tigris and Euphrate Rivers in what is now Iraq.
This may indicate that survivors of the Flood at first stayed in the
mountains then spread out, and finally at least those who are here
discussed wound up descending onto the fertile plains of Shinar.
Here they learned to make bricks mortared with bitumen, then began
building a high tower hoping it would make them famous and out of
concern they might get scattered if they didn’t. Although possible that
they wished to be famous to themselves or their descendants, it is also
possible they wished to be famous to others not on the plains of Shinar.
In any case, their wishing to be famous and retain power but staying
concentrated in one area did not please God.
Why, one can only speculate. Perhaps He was concerned that the power
from being concentrated in one area would enable the quicker
spreading of epidemics. Perhaps such power would have enabled them
to develop and resort to deadly weapons of mass destruction many
centuries ahead of 20tth Century which saw the coming of A-bombs. We
simply don’t know. Another thing wondered about is if, although there
had not yet been different languages among the people in Shinar, there
might have been dialects even in the one region.
We are only told that God Almighty and at least one other spirit
(emergy) being such as one of his created angels decided to confuse
Shinar’s language and thus scatter the people over “all” the earth (Ge
11:7), again either planet-wide as some allege or else all over the
Mediterranean world or region of the earth. Genesis 11:8 says the
people “gradually” stopped building their tower which was at a city
named Babel. Perhaps very different languages did begin at once or
overnight but only gradually led to their scattering and stopping the
tower building.
The two primary possible changes in language would be have affected
pronunciation and grammar. Of these two how words are pronunced
would cause the greater confusion. We are not told if God caused words
to change in a blink of the eye, if the people began developing different
vocabularies due to the fact that they had parted just enough due to
natural land-holding and farming needs to start new vocabulary, the
imposition of caste or social discrimination, or due to some other events
that caused the hands of God, that is His Spirit, to move into action.
Since the Bible speaks of Shinar’s people having both one set
of words and one language, it can also be possible that grammar
changed significantly. And indeed linguists do find that if they use the
Middle East as a center, then to the West of center most languages have
a word order or grammar in which there are prepostions, words
indicating time or place and which go before nouns, while to the East
are mostly languages with postpositions, that is words like prepositions
except that they go after the nouns that they refer to.
Just to touch upon a few other scattered but interesting points, the Bible
does not speak of accompanying wars when the language was divided,
which might indicate that the people separated peaceably, simply
spreading out over then vast and uninhabited sections of land. Some
have said Babylon comes from Bab- and –ilu which means “Gate
(from/of the) God’s” or Confusion/Babeling (from/of the) God’s, which
could indicate the tower of Babel was a kind of tall monument for
religious purposes. This is not unfeasible, and Jewish tradition backs it,
but it should also be noted that the word origin might also be from the
Hebrew Be- and –abel which mean In/At (a) Plain. A Sumerian
cuniform state that at Eridu, where the earliest known ziggurat tower
exists, “the gods” confounded the languages. Eridu or Erech is 177
kilometers southeast of Babylon and Genesis 10:6-10 includes it among
cities ruled by Nimrod whose father was Ham, one of Noah’s sons.
The simplest possible explanation which merges the Bibles account with
science comes when we note that linguists do affirm that some 5-6,000
years ago a huge language family called Indo-European developed with
branches extending east into India and west into Europe giving birth to
tongues as diverse as Hindi and English. And these experts also say the
Proto- or Early Indo-Europeans, sometimes called the Barrows Culture
due to their burial practices, probably first lived in the steppes north of
the Black Sea or just south of it in mountains such as those of the
Ararat area.
Some Bible scholars believe Peleg whose name means Division and in
whose day or life “the earth was divided” lived 2,269-2030 B.C., i.e. up
to some 4,600 years ago. So 5-6,000 years ago Indo-European nations
began migrating and developing different languages but then later
around 4,300 years ago one or more such nations came into the that
part of the Semitic-speaking Mediterranean world or earth most
connected to Bible history.
Archaeology says the Indo-European nation called the Hittites who
had wandered from the somewhere around or north of the Black Sea
into Europe suddenly returned east into what is now Turkey and
extended their power southward into Palestine. Thus the “earth” indeed
now had at least two different language families, that is the Semitic and
the Indo-European families. Today Hittite is no longer spoken but in
the Middle East besides Arabic, which is Semitic, there are still millions
of indigenous speakers of Kurdish, still another Indo-European
language.
THE “FATHER” OF MODERN MISSIONARIES
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:CareyEngraving.jpg
Copyright 2007
By Mason Emerson
William Carey was born into poverty in England, became a Baptist
preacher who believed in sending missionaries to India though others
didn’t. It cost a lot but he published a book in 1792 and gave a talk
including Isaiah 54:2-3 to his peers on this. His persistence worked and
he and John Thomas were sent. His wife Dorothy refused to go with
their children but he persisted so she did.
They lived in Malda seven years where he worked in an indigo factory
and persisted in learning native languages although unable to convert
any natives. Dorothy’s mental and physical health fell after their son
Peter died in 1794, but they persisted. Carey moved them to
Serampore near Calcutta to help newly arrived missionaries, persisting
the next 34 years. There 10 missionaries and 9 children happily kept
things in common largely due to Carey’s kind demeanor and ability to
see good more than imperfections.
The group set up schools, printed and Carey persisted in translating
Bible books into Bengali, Sanskrit and other languages. Self-educated,
his spelling was bad so he often re-wrote entire works and was even
made Professor of Oriental Languages at Ft William College in
Calcutta. He used the income to help his peers who in a year had a first
convert. He urged training natives to preach to others so by 1818 there
were 600 converts and thousands attending.
In 1807 Dorothy died and despite objections from peers, he married
bright Lady Charlotte Rumohr of Danish royalty who brought him
great happiness. In 1812 much material he had translated burnt in a
fire, but he persisted and re-did it. In 1819 Carey founded Serampore
College for native church planters and evangelists. After Charlotte
died he married younger Grace Hughes who cared for him during
frequent sicknesses.
Missionaries came who opposed communal living so in 1826 Carey’s
group seceded till the Baptist Committee in England refused to finance
Carey’s group, so they swallow their pride and re-affiliated. At death in
1834 his ministerial and educational efforts had decreased the natives’
burning of widows alive and killing infants, also inspired similar
missions to many other lands. Carey said his secret to success was not
wealth, power or money but what anyone can have if they just will....
yes, persistence.
BRENDAN’S CHRISTIAN MISSION TO
NORTH AMERICA
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Saint_brendan_german_manuscript.jpg
Copyright 2007
By Mason Emerson
As Ireland became Christianized, those natives who sailed to
minister and convert others included Brendan of Ardfert and
Clonfert born in 484 near what is now Tralee, baptized by Erc,
educated and ordained in 512 by Ita. In 512-530 Brendan
built monastic cells by Brandon Hill from which he was gone 7
years with 18-150 other monks west or southwestwards to what
may have been the southeastern USA.
The Latin Navigatio Sancti Brendani (St. Brendan’s
Navigations) of the 10th or 11th century details his travels.
Heading west or southwest Brendan found other monks on an
island then sailed on perhaps with some of them via Greenland
and icebergs. St Aengus the Culdee near the end of the 8th
century mentioned 60 men who went with Brendan to find “the
Land of Promise."
Brendan returned, founded the See of Ardfert, a monastery at
Coney Island, Clare County in 550, went on to Wales and then
Iona. After 3 years in Britain, he returned to Dysart or
Kilkenny County, Killiney (Tubberboe), and Brandon Hill. He
founded the Sees of Ardfert and Annaghdown, set up churches
in the counties of Galway and Mayo. In 557 he founded
Clonfert and after dying at Annaghdown in 577 was buried at
Clonfert.
Later the Vikings found an area south of Vinland and
Chesapeake Bay called "Hvitramamaland" “Land of the
White Men” or Greater Ireland, and Shawnee noted Florida
had been inhabited by whites with iron implements. The story
of Brendan’s trip details animals and plants of North America.
In 1976 Tim Severin used 6th Century sailing and technology
to duplicate the trip in a small leather boat, and in 1982
experts translated ancient Irish rock writings at two separate
sites in the 1960s in West Virginia. Written in the Ogham
alphabet of 6th Century Ireland they tell of Christmas, one
writing including the expression “Glad tidings” in Algonquian,
Native American.
So at least 1000 years before missionary John Elliot, Brendan
and other Irish missionaries may have witnessed about Christ
to appreciative Native Americans, taking Matthew 28:19 truly
to heart.