Blog | Reproach of Men

A Common Approach

This post is the first in a series on the LORD God dealing with His people, the Jews. This series particularly focuses on the LORD’s dealing with them in the 20^th century. This series takes a scriptural view of God’s judgement and how He views Judaism, which is a deviation from the truth of the word of God. This post is continued with the post A Departure.

I don’t generally watch documentaries any more. However, when it was expressed to me that a documentary existed concerning the Holocaust and what happened in Eastern Europe, particularly the Ukraine, I wanted to see it. My interest was moved by two things:

First: what happened in Eastern Europe is not well known as that was Soviet territory for the longest time. The destruction of the peoples of Eastern Europe, particularly the Jews was not allowed to be told by the Soviet Union, and thus was almost lost. It is essential that we remember that man is a brutal, evil creature, and this does remind us of that.

Second: The documentary focused on the particular sect of Judaism which was predominate in this region — Hasidic Judaism and its effect upon the people. It was an opportunity to understand the mindset of a people that did not seem to grasp the danger of the Nazi regime.

After being told about the documentary, I watched it. Fading Traces is an eye-opener on a level that I find hard to describe, except to say that I now know why certain events took place in history. However, this understanding is only realizable through the Scripture and understanding the judgement of God, and why it comes. For that, a study of the Old Testament is essential. It is in the Old Testament where we learn how the LORD God deals with nations.

However, before going further into that, which I will in later articles, I discovered a commonality between several different religions. Now, I knew that a common logic exists between Mormonism, Taoism, and Dialectal Materialism, but I was surprised to find another religion having that same common basis — Hasidic Judaism.

What is presented hereafter are quotes from each of the above named religions (yes, dialectical materialism is a religion) and their core logic. Please understand, this is NOT what the Bible teaches about LORD God and His intrinsic righteousness. Rather, all these religions make God no better than man, and are blasphemous.

Mormonism
2 Nephi 2:10-12
10 And because of the intercession for all, all men come unto God; wherefore, they stand in the presence of him to be judged of him according to the truth and holiness which is in him. Wherefore, the ends of the law which the Holy One hath given, unto the inflicting of the punishment which is affixed, which punishment that is affixed is in opposition to that of the happiness which is affixed, to answer the ends of the atonement—

11 For it must needs be, that there is an opposition in all things. If not so, my first-born in the wilderness, righteousness could not be brought to pass, neither wickedness, neither holiness nor misery, neither good nor bad. Wherefore, all things must needs be a compound in one; wherefore, if it should be one body it must needs remain as dead, having no life neither death, nor corruption nor incorruption, happiness nor misery, neither sense nor insensibility.

12 Wherefore, it must needs have been created for a thing of naught; wherefore there would have been no purpose in the end of its creation. Wherefore, this thing must needs destroy the wisdom of God and his eternal purposes, and also the power, and the mercy, and the justice of God.

Hasidic Judaism (Founded by Baal Shem Tov)
4. Having no [divine] source, evil does not come down from heaven. Nevertheless, evil that exists has an inner power giving it life. And this [inner power] is total goodness. So if you look at the inner aspect of evil, you will only see the good in it. ((The Ten Principles Of The Baal Shem Tov))

In all that is in the world dwell holy sparks, no thing is empty of them. In the actions of men also, indeed even in the sins that a man does, dwell holy sparks of the Glory of God. ((The Baal Shem Tov))

(2) In the story of creation it says, “Indeed, it was very good.” But in the exhortation of Moses it says, “See, I have placed before you this day life and good, death and evil.” But from where has evil come? The answer: evil, too, is good; it is the lowest rung of perfect goodness. If one does good, then evil too becomes good; but if one sins, then it becomes really evil

[INTERPRETATION: God is the creator of all things, and in all things is trapped a Holy Spark, yearning to return to its unity with Him. As with the Tao — in which there is Yin in Yang, and Yang in Yin — there is good in evil and evil in good, and only the preponderance of one over the other differentiates them. Therefore, one cannot perform a “good” act without liberating from it the “evil” it also contains; similarly, one cannot turn from evil without liberating the good trapped within it.] ((The Baal Shem Tov page))

Dialectical Materialism (the root of Communism)
Fredrick Engels — Dialectics of Nature
“Motion is the mode of existence of matter. Never anywhere has there been matter without motion, or motion without matter, nor can there be.”

“Change of form of motion is always a process that takes place between at least two bodies, of which one loses a definite quantity of motion of one quality (e.g. heat), while the other gains a corresponding quantity of motion of another quality (mechanical motion, electricity, chemical decomposition).

“Dialectics, so-called objective dialectics, prevails throughout nature, and so-called subjective dialectics (dialectical thought), is only the reflection of the motion through opposites which asserts itself everywhere in nature, and which by the continual conflict of the opposites and their final passage into one another, or into higher forms, determines the life of nature.” ((Dialectical Materialism))

Taoism
The Yin Yang symbol:
This is a well known Taoist symbol. “It represents the balance of opposites in the universe. When they are equally present, all is calm. When one is outweighed by the other, there is confusion and disarray.” 4 One source explains that it was derived from astronomical observations which recorded the shadow of the sun throughout a full year. 5 The two swirling shapes inside the symbol give the impression of change — the only constant factor in the universe. One tradition states that Yin (or Ying; the dark side) represents the breath that formed the earth. Yang (the light side) symbolizes the breath that formed the heavens.

However, since nothing in nature is purely black or purely white, the symbol includes a small black spot in the white swirl, and a corresponding white spot in the black swirl.

Ultimately, the ‘yin’ and ‘yang’ can symbolize any two polarized forces in nature. Taosts believe that humans often intervene in nature and upset the balance of Yin and Yang. ((Taoism))

Chapter 1
The Tao that can be spoken is not the eternal Tao. The name that can be named is not the eternal name. The nameless is the origin of Heaven and Earth. The named is the mother of myriad things. Thus, constantly without desire, one observes its essence. Constantly with desire, one observes its manifestations. These two emerge together but differ in name. The unity is said to be the mystery. Mystery of mysteries, the door to all wonders. ((Tao Te Ching))

Surely one must be moved to question why such supposedly different religions would all have the same common basis for their belief. After all, on the surface, each of these religions seem quite at odds with each other. Perhaps I will leave it with this admonition from Scripture:

There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death. (Proverbs 14:12, 16:25)

Agony

Today, the Associated Press reported on the flood conditions in Eastern Arkansas and the Delta areas of Mississippi and Louisiana. ((Mississippi River flood dooms promising year for farmers)) This really is no surprise to me as where I live are the headwaters of the White River that flows into Missouri and then back into Eastern Arkansas before joining the Mississippi River. In the past month and a half, we have had three or four major rainstorms and some tornados. The tornados didn’t do near the damage the rain did. All three branches of the White River, the Main, Middle and West forks of the White river all went out of their banks in every storm. The worst was about three weeks ago.

However bad it was here, our problems were only temporary as the rivers were back down within 24 hours of the end of the storm. Yes, pretty severe damage was done to some areas. Roads were closed and bridges had to be checked. We lost a couple of individuals in the storms due to the combination of high water and a low water bridge.

It is downstream that the problems magnified. First they had to open the floodgates of Beaver Dam. That caused severe flooding downstream of the dam. However, it was either that, or watch the water top the dam, which would not be good at all. Worse yet, the storms we received, the areas North and East of us got as well. So it is that North Central and Northeast Arkansas and Missouri received several inches of rain in the space of a day or so, and then received all the downstream runoff from both the White and Arkansas Rivers. (The Arkansas River journeys from Northeast Oklahoma down to Fort Smith and then travels the valley through Little Rock and on into the Delta area of Eastern Arkansas before joining the Mississippi) With both rivers in flood stage from the repeated storms, combined with the runoff from the upstream Mississippi River, the Delta is experiencing a severe flood.

Now, this is really not a new thing. Over the years this happens pretty regularly. According to the report:

“Bradway has farmed the same 1,000 acres for three decades. He’s had floods big and small in 14 of those 30 years.”

So that means that it really is not all that unusual to have floods in the Delta area. What makes it bad is the extent and timing of the flood. To begin, this is the worst flooding since 1973. The report states that the Mississippi is seven feet above flood stage:

“The river has not reached this level—about 7 feet above flood stage—since 1973.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers says a total of 855,750 acres are under either Mississippi floodwater or backwater from the Yazoo River, which drains much of the board-flat Mississippi Delta into the Mississippi River. About 273,000 of those flooded acres are cleared for wheat, cotton, soybeans, corn and other crops.”

Moreover, the first of the flood hit just when the winter wheat crop was supposed to be harvested:

The flood hit just as farmers were preparing to harvest wheat and plant corn, soybeans and cotton. Some, like farmer Brad Bradway, were forced to watch as water crept inch by inch over his 110 acres of wheat until his fields sat under 8 feet of water.”

And it has caused other farmers to delay planting crops:

“Others are now stuck waiting for the water to recede and the ground to dry before they can plant, guaranteeing a shortened growing season, yield reductions and lower returns. This comes after a drought has left much of the region parched for several years.

“At one point I had 300 acres under water and 240 acres too dry to plant,” Bradway said. “What’s wrong with this picture?”“

Add to this the following:

“Input costs such as fuel and fertilizer have risen dramatically in just a few months. Diesel around Vicksburg costs more than $4 a gallon—or more than $100 per tank for the ubiquitous diesel pickup—and fertilizer that went for $68 an acre last season now runs $100.”

And this bit of gamble:

“He’s not alone. The flood has taken not only money farmers invested in the field, but much of the profit they expected. Worse, most sold their crops in advance to take advantage of prices so high few could resist.

Bradway sold 1,000 bushels of winter wheat to a distributor for $7 a bushel. When the flood took his crop, he was still on the hook. So he paid $10.50 a bushel to another distributor for wheat to satisfy his contract. He hopes to turn a profit on soybeans this summer.”

Considering last year’s bad Easter weekend freeze that destroyed crops and forced replanting (which cost even more money) this is the second year in a row that we will see shortfalls in crops from areas that normally produce in abundance.

Wonder why?

For starters, we could take into account who it is that actually controls the weather — you know, the LORD God.

You don’t suppose the LORD would be trying to get our attention do you? I think so, and in a major way. Yet, we do not see any sign of acknowledgement this is the case. Neither do we see any sign of repentance.

Now, it should be understood that the way the LORD dealt with Israel is an example of how the LORD deals with all nations. Indeed, we can see in Leviticus, chapter 18 and Deuteronomy, chapter 18 how the LORD warned Israel about taking up the customs of the heathen nations they were to drive out of Canaan. The LORD applied the very same standard to Israel that He applied to the heathen nations. He expressly told them that if they did the same things the heathen nations did, they to would be driven out of Canaan.

Just guess how that applies to us in America? The reality is that God has never held a different standard for one nation versus another. Even Israel was not, and is not exempt from The LORD God’s standards for behavior and conduct of a nation and society. The only difference for Israel was that they would never be wiped off the face of the earth (like so many other nations have been). However, the reason for this is not that Israel is special in the sense of being exempt from the LORD’s judgement. Rather it is due to the covenant the LORD God made with Abraham. Hence, Israel and the Jews have nothing to feel special about.

So then, we can take certain statements the LORD God made to Israel concerning their judgement when they departed from following Him, and apply them to us in modern day America. The only thing we cannot say is exactly how events will fall. However, we can rest assured, if we continue to violate the will of God, we will, as a nation, be destroyed.

Fair warning.

Personally, I don’t really care to be around when the LORD finally lowers the boom on America. I’d really rather not see that happen. In Amos, the LORD God gave warning to Israel about their continued unwillingness to listen to Him. I really don’t like the last statement the LORD makes through Amos. It’s quite scary.

And I also have given you cleanness of teeth in all your cities, and want of bread in all your places: yet have ye not returned unto me, saith the LORD. And also I have withholden the rain from you, when there were yet three months to the harvest: and I caused it to rain upon one city, and caused it not to rain upon another city: one piece was rained upon, and the piece whereupon it rained not withered. So two or three cities wandered unto one city, to drink water; but they were not satisfied: yet have ye not returned unto me, saith the LORD. I have smitten you with blasting and mildew: when your gardens and your vineyards and your fig trees and your olive trees increased, the palmerworm devoured them: yet have ye not returned unto me, saith the LORD. I have sent among you the pestilence after the manner of Egypt: your young men have I slain with the sword, and have taken away your horses; and I have made the stink of your camps to come up unto your nostrils: yet have ye not returned unto me, saith the LORD. I have overthrown some of you, as God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah, and ye were as a firebrand plucked out of the burning: yet have ye not returned unto me, saith the LORD. Therefore thus will I do unto thee, O Israel: and because I will do this unto thee, prepare to meet thy God, O Israel. (Amos 4:6-12)

Hello, is anybody home, America? Or do you just want the agony of God’s judgement to continue?

Arrgh!!! – An Upgrade

This is one of those very rare times I actually use exclamation points.

Well, it was not the fun thing to do. However, according to the release notes the upgrade would fix a critical security flaw and various other issues. Okay. I guess I’d better do it — and soon.

Should I mention that disasters always seem to happen at the most inopportune time? I performed the steps for an upgrade of the blog software. Went to upgrade the database and everything looked okay, except all the special characters (those beyond ASCII’s 128 standard characters) were all strange when I looked at the front page of the blog. In short, it was not displaying UTF-8 encoding correctly.

Uh, not good. That means lots of work to correct the improper encoding after I log in.

I try (notice I said “try”) to log in. It takes the username and password, and then the screen goes blank, that is, white with nothing displayed. The url shows that I am still on the login page. This is really not good. I try other pages, Nope — nothing. Nada. No dice. I now have no access to the Administration of the blog.

I hate this.

Try to troubleshoot. Dump the files. Reload. Rerun the upgrade. Nope — no fix.

Change the parameters for accessing the database in the configuration file. Does it connect — Yes, it connects because with invalid parameters it won’t connect.

Okay, change the password, maybe it got scrambled during the upgrade. Okay, it changes, but still can’t login.

Get into MySQL and use phpMyAdmin and check the database. It says the database has broken links in the indexed fields — not good.

By this time, due to reading, researching, and trying different things, it’s now 0300 hrs Saturday morning, and I have to prepare for a presentation on Sunday.

Bye — it’s broke.

I’m going to bed.

Get up at 0800 hrs. Try again. Read and research some more.

By now it is 1100 hrs, and I have gotten nowhere. I even tried rolling back the upgrade. No dice. Nothing works. By now I am worried that I may have to completely reload each and every post and page — plus all the comments. In prep for this I access phpMyAdmin and backup and download the database.

I also run the repair and optimize options on the database. It says everything is good.

Strange.

How can my database be good, yet not return back the calls by the php script in the blog software. And, why am I hanging on login?

Okay, try deleting unnecessary (certain plugin) tables in the database. Still no workee. Time to quit. Got too many other things to do. Will have to wait until Monday.

Monday Morning

Can’t work on it now, other things pressing.

Finally start at about 1300 hrs. Have a thought — what if the problem lies in the way the database got upgraded? Like — maybe some of the plugin fields in the tables are causing the problem? Also, what if, since the database is already setup as UTF-8, the [define] statement in the configuration file is conflicting with the database setup? After all, all my UTF-8 encoded characters do not display correctly.

So I access phpMyAdmin again in the MySQL administration portion of the host control panel. The [Options] table has a LOT, and I mean a LOT of old plugin entries that were never deleted when I deactivated and removed them.

Clean-up time.

I get it cleaned up and reset the software version number and database version to the pre-upgrade numbers.

Get back out and change the configuration file to remove the [define] statement.

Load all new and clean files for 2.5.1

Rerun the upgrade. Look at the front page of the blog. Hey, all my extended characters look normal.

Try to log in. It takes. The page title appears at the top of the browser screen and it very nicely says [Dashboard – WordPress].

Success. Thank the LORD!

So, what went wrong?

This one line:

define(‘DB_CHARSET’, ‘utf8’);

This line created a conflict with the database setup and content and would hang the scripting software and not allow the characters to display correctly. It also wouldn’t allow access to the admin functions of the blog.

How many hours consumed by this one little line?

About eight.

However, it wasn’t all bad. I learned a lot in a hurry about MySQL database administration and phpMyAdmin. I also learned a lot about what makes WordPress tick.

I couldn’t have posted on Saturday or Sunday anyway. Saturday I was preparing for Sunday. Sunday I was two hours away at my home church in Missouri presenting the mission and ministry.

See, not a total loss. In fact, I could look at it as no loss at all – just a learning experience.

His Unspeakable Gift?

Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift. (II Corinthians 9:15)

Judging from the way a lot of folks behave when asked about serving the LORD, you would never know the above statement is true. After all, they refuse to change their lifestyle, they refuse to serve in a proper church, and they refuse to continue learning about the things of God along with changing their way of thinking to the LORD’s way of thinking. Now, I am not talking about those who are very young in Christ and are learning what the LORD desires of them in some of the more elementary things, who continue to follow after Christ. Rather, what I refer to are those who, after they are saved, begin to rebel against putting things out of their lives, and submitting themselves to the will of God in service to Him in His church. It is as if they are not at all cognizant of what the LORD has done for them in Christ, and what it means to owe everything to the Lord Jesus Christ for the saving of their soul.

That is what brings one to consider what the apostle Paul meant when he, under the inspiration of the Holy Ghost, penned the statement above. For instance, what does make this gift “unspeakable?” Moreover, why should we thank God for it? And, Just what are we thanking God for?

I think it is lost on so many people who claim Christ, precisely what He has done for them, and what the gravity of the entire situation is when one is without Christ, and dead in trespasses and sins. After all, they still walked around on this earth. They still breathed air, worked a job, etc. etc.. In brief, physically, nothing changed at all. What did, or should have changed was their spiritual life. They should have experienced a radical change in their relationship with the LORD God. They should have gone from having the unease and tension of being in constant conflict with the LORD God, to having peace in their soul. Moreover, that terrible fear of death and the dread of it should also have passed away. However, since most people shove the very thought of dying out of their minds totally, I suspect this was not particularly noticed when it happened. Nonetheless, what everyone who is saved should have been well aware of, is an absolute change in where they were headed upon passing form this life to the next. Undoubtably, those who are lost do know that hell awaits them upon drawing their last breath. Even so, one who is saved ought to remember that dread and fear, and know the Lord Jesus Christ saved them from that, and their eternal destiny is with the Lord in heaven. These things alone make the gift “unspeakable.”

However, those things are not all. It was not man that was able to reach to the righteousness of God. No, only God Himself is and was capable and willing to stoop down to bring man back from the abyss, the pit that all men were destined to enter. No, all we could do is dread the day of our death. In man’s feeble attempts to appease God and make himself righteous and acceptable to God, we erred all the more. Man’s ideas of what pleases God were and are utterly skewed and far from the mark. For this alone, those who are saved by the grace of God in Christ, ought to be fully cognizant and utterly appreciative.

So then, what are we thanking God for? It is not merely that we have eternal life. It is not merely that we get to go to heaven. And, it is not merely that we allowed to fellowship with God. Don’t get me wrong, those are not “mere” things at all. Nonetheless, so many professed “believers” act as if they are, and that their salvation is a light thing. No, it is none of the above things in and of themselves, rather, it is that we are actually alive.

You see, before we came to know the Lord Jesus Christ as our personal Lord and Savior, we were dead. Yes, we walked around, talked, ate, slept, and did all those thinks that we associate with living. However, that which we do in the physical is not life, but a shadow of life. Why? Because real life is spiritual.

If we remember, it was the Lord Jesus Christ who stated specifically:

Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. (John 14:6)

As an aside, grammatically, the three things Christ mentions above (way, truth, life) are all addressed as singular. Plainly, it is conveyed that only one way exists to come to the Father, only one truth exists, and there is only one source of and for life — the Lord Jesus Christ Himself. Thus, to physically cease to function without Christ is to be sealed forever in a state of death. Moreover, this state is not a state of unfeeling and unconsciousness in which one rests. No, the LORD God intends for everyone leaving this life without Christ to understand they have utterly disregarded His express commandment to repent and believe the Gospel. Hence, the LORD designed a place of eternal torment in which the suffering is unimaginable. Those who elect to go there will know and experience pain and agony beyond anything that can be inflicted on this earth. Moreover, it is inescapable and unending. For those who elect death, and to remain dead and without Christ, this is their expected end.

For those who have chosen to trust Christ, life is given. One is made spiritually alive and able to personally communicate with the LORD God on a one on one level without any intermediary. Moreover, this life gives access to understanding and wisdom that the world cannot know, and cannot see. Whereas those without Christ do not know, and cannot be assured of the future, the believer can be, and is assured the LORD God has all well in hand and the end will be what He states it to be. Not only this, but a promise is given to the child of God in Christ — that we can come to God anytime, anywhere, and ask whatsoever we need to know, and He will answer. In addition, we can look forward to an everlasting time of constantly learning about the things God has done. It is indeed the comfort and joy of being with the source of all life, for all eternity. On considering this, I am reminded of the passage from Colossians, chapter 2:

For I would that ye knew what great conflict I have for you, and for them at Laodicea, and for as many as have not seen my face in the flesh; That their hearts might be comforted, being knit together in love, and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgement of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ; In whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. (Colossians 2:1-3)

That alone is such a gift — to have access to all the wisdom and knowledge that exists. However, the gift the child of God in Christ has been given is indescribable. As the Apostle Paul put it:

Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift. (II Corinthians 9:15)

This being the case, why is it some who claim to be children of God in Christ, cannot seem to appreciate it? Why is it they seem to be utterly unwilling to submit themselves to serving the LORD who has done so very much for them?

Perhaps they cannot understand how wonderful the gift is, as they have never really received it?

But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. (Romans 8:9)

Lawful and Unlawful

Yesterday, while out and about, I observed a bumper sticker on a car that stated the following:

“Why do we kill people who kill people to show that killing people is wrong”

Now, it should not surprise anyone that I saw this in Fayetteville, and immediately outside the confines of the University. Immediately I thought of the lack of understanding that accompanies this question as framed. I would expect this from a child with no background in history, or knowledge of society. Particularly, I would expect this of a child who had never read the Scripture.

In addressing this, first the rather simple logic of the deterrent effect of the death penalty, and the respect of the rights of others will be touched on. After that, we shall see what the LORD God has to say about the death penalty.

I did a Google search on this question as that would likely yield the best results. After all, if it’s on a bumper sticker, its probably on the internet too. I was not surprised to find that it was indeed on the web. What I was surprised to find were sites that had this question, and the answers given in response to it. To say the least, the answers reveal a lack of depth in the thought processes of the respondents. Need I say this does not (more…)

Moving Forward (I think)

After some time of neglect (I really cannot put it any other way) I returned my attention to my website — Reproach of Men and began to deal with some of the issues created by the browser wars (primarily IE6 and below). I finally gave up on trying to have a decent fluid layout for IE6 and below and set everything for IE (up to version 6), to a fixed-width of 800 pixels. I hate that as I like liquid and elastic layouts ((Yes I know, this theme is fixed-width — I didn’t catch that when I first looked at it. However, I like the theme, but cannot find the author to talk about changing it — so I am in the process of making it liquid.)). However, I cannot tolerate the quirks and weirdness of IE6, and so I am forced to do something I don’t like.

For the rest of the standards-compliant browsers out there ((if you don’t have one, please get one — they’re usually free to download and use — besides, your web experience will be so much better)), the layout remains liquid from 400 to 1200 pixels (there is a limit you know). After that the page is a column in the middle of the screen with a black background. I know, kinda stark, but it draws your attention to the content, and only the content.

I am also in the middle of revising the coding for all the hymns pages, which ought to be done in the near future. Then, LORD willing, I will rework and actually properly format the rest of the articles on the site. I really do not want to do content management for the site, but may be forced into it if things ramp up considerably.

However, before I quit this post, I would like to say one last time how very much I hate IE. In fact, I really don’t care for Microsoft either. Particularly since Bill Gates is such a liberal and donates a considerable sum to causes that are destroying America and its people. Unfortunately, time is the most precious commodity I have, and it takes time to learn a new OS like Ubuntu Linux. For now, I am kind of stuck – just like having to code for IE.

That’s really not moving forward is it?

Oprobio de los Hombres blog

After considerable delays, the Español page has information directing those who speak Spanish, or who are acquainted with Spanish speakers, to the blog for the Oprobio de los Hombres website. The blog is not complete as the Spanish language version of WordPress is not entirely in Spanish. However, I expect that to change in the not too distant future. Along with that, the theme of Oprobio de los Hombres blog will change as well.

Anti-Christ

Throughout most of the last 20 centuries, separate, independent, groups of Christians, generally labeled “ana-baptist” and specifically called Paulicans, Novatians, Donatists, Henricans, Waldenses, Albigenses, Bogomils, Lollards, and many other less complimentary names, have been persecuted for holding fast the specific teachings of the New Testament. They consistently held the New Testament church to be a local, visible, autonomous body of believers covenanted together to serve their Lord and Savior. For this, they were horribly persecuted by their opponents. The fiercest of these opponents was not the pagans that they invariably lived among. Rather, it was a church that called itself “Christian” — the Catholic Church. Its head, the Pope, was declared to be the vicar of Christ by their own councils. In so doing, he became Anti-Christ. They shut up the Bible to the “common” man declaring that it would “only cause confusion,” and then proceeded to warp and twist the doctrines to insure that their followers have no chance for salvation. The list of the sins of this horrid institution are so numerous as to almost defy cataloging. Yet, the Pope is honored by the governments of today.

My how we have forgotten history!

So we will remember, the following is from J.M. Carroll’s Trail of Blood. This excerpt briefly details the falling away that led to the formation of the Catholic Church and it’s ungodly head. Many more works, such as The Martyrs Mirror, and A History of the Baptists detail it more completely.

From The Trail of Blood . . .

“During the first three centuries, congregations all over the East subsisted in separate independent bodies, unsupported by government and consequently without any secular power over one another. All this time they were baptized churches, and though all the fathers of the first four ages, down to Jerome (A.D. 370), were of Greece, Syria and Africa, and though they give great numbers of histories of the baptism of adults, yet there is not one of the baptism of a child till the year 370.” (Compendium of Baptist History, Shackelford, p. 43; Vedder, p. 50; Christian, p, 31; Orchard, p. 50, etc.)

7. Let it be remembered that changes like these here mentioned were not made in a day, nor even within a year. They came about slowly and never within all the churches. Some of the churches vigorously repudiated them. So much so that in A.D. 251, the loyal churches declared non-fellowship for those churches which accepted and practiced these errors. And thus came about the first real official separation among the churches.

8. Thus it will be noted that during the first three centuries three important and vital changes from the teachings of Christ and His Apostles had their beginnings. And one significant event took place, Note this summary and recapitulation:

(1) The change from the New Testament idea of bishop and church government. This change grew rapidly, more pronounced, and complete and hurtful.

(2) The change from the New Testament teachings as to Regeneration to “baptismal regeneration.”

(3) The change from “believers’ baptism” to “infant baptism.” (This last, however, did not become general nor even very frequent for more than another century.)

9. “Baptismal regeneration” and “infant baptism.” These two errors have, according to the testimony of well-established history, caused the shedding of more Christian blood, as the centuries have gone by, than all other errors combined, or than possibly have all wars, not connected with persecution, if you will leave out the recent “World War.” Over 50,000,000 Christians died martyr deaths, mainly because of their rejection of these two errors during the period of the “dark ages” alone–about twelve or thirteen centuries.

10. Three significant facts, for a large majority of the many churches, are clearly shown by history during these first three centuries.

(1) The separateness and independence of the Churches.

(2) The subordinate character of bishops or pastors.

(3) The baptism of believers only.

I quote now from Mosheim–the greatest of all Lutheran church historians. Vol., 1, pages 71 and 72: “But whoever supposes that the bishops of this golden age of the church correspond with the bishops of the following centuries must blend and confound characters that are very different, for in this century and the next, a bishop had charge of a single church, which might ordinarily be contained in a private house; nor was he its Lord, but was in reality its minister or servant. . . All the churches in those primitive times were independent bodies, or none of them subject to the jurisdiction of any other. For though the churches which were founded by the Apostles themselves frequently had the honor shown them to be consulted in doubtful cases, yet they had no judicial authority, no control, no power of giving laws. On the contrary, it is as clear as the noonday that all Christian churches had equal rights, and were in all respects on a footing of equality.”

11. Up to this period, notwithstanding much and serious persecutions, Christianity has had a marvelous growth. It has covered and even gone beyond the great Roman Empire. Almost, if not all the inhabited world has heard the gospel. And, according to some of the church historians, many of the original churches organized by the Apostles are yet intact, and yet loyal to Apostolic teachings. However, as already shown, a number of very marked and hurtful errors have crept in and gotten a permanent hold among many of the churches. Some have become very irregular.

12. Persecutions have become increasingly bitter. Near the beginning of the fourth century comes possibly the first definite government edict of persecution. The wonderful growth of Christianity has alarmed the pagan leaders of the Roman Empire. Hence Galerius, the emperor, sent out a direct edict of more savage persecution. This occurred Feb. 24, 303 A.D. Up to this time Paganism seems to have persecuted without any definite laws to that effect.

13. But this edict failed so utterly in its purpose of stopping the growth of Christianity, that this same emperor, Galerius, just eight years thereafter (A.D. 311) passed another edict recalling the first and actually granting toleration–permission to live the religion of Jesus Christ. This was probably its first favorable law.

14. By the beginning of the year A.D. 313, Christianity has won a mighty victory over paganism. A new emperor has come to the throne of the Roman Empire. He evidently recognized something of the mysterious power of this religion that continued to grow in spite of persecution. History says that this new emperor who was none other than Constantinehad a wonderful realistic vision. He saw in the skies a fiery red cross and on that cross written in fiery letters these words–“By this thou shalt conquer.” He interpreted it to mean that he should become a Christian. And that by giving up paganism and that by attaching the spiritual power of the Christian religion onto the temporal power of the Roman Empire the world could be easily conquered. Thus the Christian religion would in fact become a whole world religion, and the Roman Empire a whole world empire.

15. So under the leadership of Emperor Constantine there comes a truce, a courtship and a proposal of marriage. The Roman Empire through its emperor seeks a marriage with Christianity. Give us your spiritual power and we will give you of our temporal power.

16. To effectually bring about and consummate this unholy union, a council was called. In A. D. 313, a call was made for a coming together of the Christian churches or their representatives . Many but not all came. The alliance was consummated. A Hierarchy was formed. In the organization of the Hierarchy, Christ was dethroned as head of the churches and Emperor Constantine enthroned (only temporarily, however) as head of the church.

17. The Hierarchy was the definite beginning of a development which finally resulted into what is now known as the Catholic, or “universal” church. It might be said that its indefinite beginnings were near the close of the second and beginning of the third century, when the new ideas concerning bishops and preacher-church government began to take shape.

18. Let it be definitely remembered that when Constantine made his call for the council, there were very many of the Christians (Baptists) and of the churches, which declined to respond. They wanted no marriage with the state, and no centralized religious government, and no higher ecclesiastical government of any kind, than the individual church. These Christians (Baptists) nor the churches ever at that time or later, entered the hierarchy of the Catholic denomination.

And the head of the Catholic Church is honored by the rulers and governments of today. How very shameful.

A Political Solution?

A couple of weeks back my attention was drawn to some charges leveled against a gentleman I know, and a column he writes for a gun magazine. Now, knowing someone through the internet is a difficult proposition at best, and one can never really be certain if a person is who they say they are. Even when one knows someone face to face, frequently their true character is not known. Thus, the only real evaluation one can go by is the consistency of statements made and the consistency of the positions held. If a person is consistent time and again, it can be reasonably inferred that they are indeed what they claim to be. If not, then we know the answer to that one don’t we?

However, this article is not about a particular individual, but about appearances, misconceptions and underlying causes. The preface above is necessary as the following quotes illustrate a common problem today among individuals who say they support this or that, yet do not put enough effort in to really understanding the root cause of the problems of our day. This is particularly true of evangelicals and fundamentalists and their approach to resolving the problems of this nation.

In the following quotes, Mr. Codrea is David Codrea of War on Guns blog, and the quotes are excerpted from some Letters to the Editor concerning a column he wrote in which he contended that the Second Amendment did not grant the right to keep and bear arms.

I’d like to comment on Mr. Codrea and his recent article about the second amendment not guaranteeing the right to bear arms. My thought is maybe it does, maybe it doesn’t. The fact of the matter is we don’t need clowns like this idiot pointing this out to the antigun crowd.

I would suggest you take a long, hard look at what Codrea writes in the future, because in my opinion he could very well be a Trojan horse. ((http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0BQY/is_4_54/ai_n24358964))

David Codrea’s article “Privileges” ought not to have been written. What’s wrong with this guy? He sounds like an anti-gunner. What he said may totally confuse some people. ((ibid))

Aside from the fact that the comments of the letter writers are ugly and unwarranted in their tone, they reveal an ignorance of where the Founders of this nation determined that all our individual rights come from. To be blunt, one has to be utterly ignorant and devoid of knowledge of the English language and its construction to not understand the plain text of the Declaration of Independence. Moreover, one would also have to ignore the documents that form the foundation of our constitutional form of government. One of the texts used was John Locke’s Second Treatise of Government, in which Locke’s entire thesis is predicated upon the fact that God created man, and man exists in this world to fulfill the will and purpose God has for him. Hence, our individual rights existed long before the Constitution or Bill of Rights. Thus, the Second Amendment did not and does not “grant” anything. Rather, it only recognizes a pre-existing right God gave to man. Being that man is evil, and ever given to acts of evil, the right to keep and bear arms is essential for the control of man’s propensity for wickedness.

Now, how does this apply to fundamentalists and evangelicals today?

In Scripture, which is supposed to be the beginning and ending of everything a child of God does, it is very apparent — plain even, that all the problems of man spring from our wicked and unregenerate hearts. The Lord Jesus Christ was very plain and clear in explaining this:

And he said, That which cometh out of the man, that defileth the man. For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness: All these evil things come from within, and defile the man. (Mark 7:20-23)

Now, it should not be necessary to recount all the references in Scripture that speak to this very thing and prove that it is our individual hearts which are the problem. Moreover, it should also not be necessary to prove that a man thinks and conceives of something prior to doing it. These things ought to be self-evident (like the statement in the Declaration of Independence), and need no explanation or proof by repeated citation of evidence.

So then, why is it that so many fundamentalist and evangelicals always want to seek the solution to America’s egregious moral and political problems through the vehicle of politics? Why is it that they want to hang their hats (so to speak) on the likes of Mike Huckabee, et al, instead of applying themselves to the task of setting forth Christ in every aspect of their lives? Is it that being a witness for Christ is not glamourous enough, or that it puts people off and makes them uncomfortable? Is it that playing politics is “fun,” whereas teaching the word of God isn’t? Or, it is really that you get to meet the “important, influential people” in government and society, and you don’t have to deal with “ordinary” people of you community?

You know, I have to ask: Whenever did politics change the heart of an individual?

If the statement of the Lord Jesus Christ is true and all problems spring from the heart, isn’t it also true that if the heart is made right so that it is not evil, those very problems would go away? Isn’t it true if you change the heart of an individual, you would also change the way they think about things, and thus the decisions they make would indeed be different? Didn’t Christ state that “evil thoughts” proceed out of the heart? Isn’t it true that, if we think well of our neighbor and fellow man, we would never do anything to harm them, or infringe upon their rights? Moreover, if we have Christ’s thinking in our hearts, wouldn’t we love our countrymen and respect the boundaries drawn by the Constitutions, State and Federal?

Beyond doubt, our “political leaders,” judges and such like do not come from Mars. No, they come from among us. They are our neighbors, members of our respective communities across the land. Our elected and appointed officials come from among us and our society, which is made up of — individuals.

Perhaps if fundamentalists and evangelicals put far more effort into reaching the INDIVIDUALS in our society, and less effort into politics, we would change the very character of those running for office in the first place. It is inarguable: if a society consists of predominantly good individuals, then those standing for political office are also going to be predominantly good as well. However, if all that is done is a continual chasing after political influence, then those standing for political office are more than happy to pander to another “special interest” group so that they can garner the votes needed to be elected. And, as we have seen, turn out to be not at all what they claimed to be.

No, I am afraid that the vast majority of fundamentalists and evangelicals are like the letter writers quoted at the beginning of this post — blind to the truth of the matter. Like the letter writers, fundamentalists and evangelicals cast away a solid foundation in favor of the whim of man. After all, if the right to keep and bear arms comes from Almighty God, who can take it from us? Instead, we would have to give it up by abdicating our responsibility. Even so, should a child of God cast away the most powerful, influential message ever to reach the heart of man — the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ, in favor of a political solution?

For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts. For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater: So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it. (Isaiah 55:8-11)

Fighting Crime? – Pt. 2

Yesterday, I discussed the logic behind abortion and how abortion itself reduces our respect for the rights of others, particularly the right to life. I also demonstrated that abortion condemned the innocent and allowed the guilty to go free, and that we, as a nation, had codified it into law. The last statement I made was “I wonder what the LORD has to say about that . . .”

There really is no need to wonder. If we can figure out logically that abortion condemns the innocent, does not respect the right to life, and destroys the most defenseless among us, it is not difficult to know what the LORD thinks about abortion and allowing it to exist under legal protection. Nonetheless, we would do well to look into the word of God so that we can understand why we are being judged as a nation, and what our end will be.

Before beginning, it ought to be understood that the LORD God used Israel as an example for all nations to look to pertaining to what He will tolerate, and what He will not. The LORD made this very plain in both Leviticus 18, verses 24-28, and Deuteronomy 18, verses 9-18, when He plainly told Israel what they could not do as the Canaanites did, as those were the reasons the Canaanites were being driven out of the land. In so doing, the LORD God lets us know that all nations are held to the same standard of conduct, whether they acknowledge the LORD or not. Indeed, we would do well to remember, the LORD God’s existence is not predicated upon whether anyone believes in Him. The LORD God is the I AM and nothing is going to change that.

In beginning, it is essential to understand that the LORD God is a God of judgement, and that plainly means that when someone is guilty, they are held accountable. Moreover, the innocent are never to be made to pay for the crimes of the guilty.

Keep thee far from a false matter; and the innocent and righteous slay thou not: for I will not justify the wicked. (Exodus 23:7)

Cursed be he that taketh reward to slay an innocent person. And all the people shall say, Amen. (Deuteronomy 27:25)

Thus saith the LORD; Execute ye judgment and righteousness, and deliver the spoiled out of the hand of the oppressor: and do no wrong, do no violence to the stranger, the fatherless, nor the widow, neither shed innocent blood in this place. (Jeremiah 22:3)

Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter! (Isaiah 5:20)

The above makes it very plain that the LORD God is not pleased with those who deem it necessary to destroy the innocent for the convenience of the guilty. But that is not all. It becomes even more egregious when it is a child who suffers for the sake of the parents. To the LORD, children hold a special place. In all His creation, a little child is a precious thing to the LORD:

Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones; for I say unto you, That in heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in heaven. (Matthew 18:10)

Even so it is not the will of your Father which is in heaven, that one of these little ones should perish. (Matthew 18:14)

Now the statements the Lord Jesus Christ made sit in the context of the salvation the LORD offers to all through the sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ on the cross. Such a comparison, being drawn by the LORD Himself, shows the gravity of looking down upon children, and the egregiousness of killing a little child for the convenience of the parents. When the LORD compares the despising and destruction of little children and that loss; to the loss of a soul, it is a clear picture of what the LORD thinks of those who despise and kill little children.

The why of this is also plain in the rest of the Scripture.

Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD: and the fruit of the womb is his reward. As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man; so are children of the youth. Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them: they shall not be ashamed, but they shall speak with the enemies in the gate. (Psalm 127:3-5)

This alone is enough to show what is wrong with abortion. After all, a child in the womb is a direct gift from God. It is a blessing he bestows. Yes, it is indeed a consequence of actions taken, but there are few consequences so full of joy and the potential for joy as this one is. Thus, to reject it — is to reject the LORD and is an affront to God. Moreover, as previously shown, it is to deny the responsibility for one’s actions.

However, that is compounded by the fact that children, particularly those in the womb, are the most innocent among us. No child in the womb has done anything to anyone, at any time. They did not ask to be there, and they have no choice in the matter. Hence, to kill them is to commit the most egregious of all crimes. The LORD condemned Israel for this — and they did not touch those in the womb. Instead they took their babies and sacrificed them to the “gods” of the heathen:

They did not destroy the nations, concerning whom the LORD commanded them: But were mingled among the heathen, and learned their works. And they served their idols: which were a snare unto them. Yea, they sacrificed their sons and their daughters unto devils, And shed innocent blood, even the blood of their sons and of their daughters, whom they sacrificed unto the idols of Canaan: and the land was polluted with blood. (Psalm 106:34-38)

Surely at the commandment of the LORD came this upon Judah, to remove them out of his sight, for the sins of Manasseh, according to all that he did; And also for the innocent blood that he shed: for he filled Jerusalem with innocent blood; which the LORD would not pardon. (II Kings 24:3-4)

What innocent blood did Manasseh shed? It was the sacrificing of little children to the heathen gods so that Manasseh could be absolved of his sin. ‘Ah,’ the advocates of abortion would say, ‘we are not sacrificing little children to gods, therefore we cannot be held to this.’ However, they miss a very important statement made by the Lord Jesus Christ to the scribes and Pharisees when challenged about being the Son of God:

Jesus answered them, Is it not written in your law, I said, Ye are gods? If he called them gods, unto whom the word of God came, and the scripture cannot be broken; Say ye of him, whom the Father hath sanctified, and sent into the world, Thou blasphemest; because I said, I am the Son of God? (John 10:34-36)

Of course, the law He spoke of was Psalm 82:

I have said, Ye are gods; and all of you are children of the most High. But ye shall die like men, and fall like one of the princes. (Psalm 82:6)

Thus, the “gods” the little children in the womb are sacrificed to, are none other than the parent(s) of the unborn child. Like “gods,” the parent(s) take upon themselves that which belongs to God only — the determination of who lives and who dies. Indeed, this is worse than the slave owners of old, who the LORD instructed they were not to take the life of their slave, nor were they to arbitrarily punish those under their power. Here, we have a child that has done nothing at all, and yet the parent(s), decide to usurp a prerogative of God only, and put the child to death. Not to justify Manasseh and the ancient Israelites, but at least they allowed the child to be born. As we can see, the LORD God destroyed them for their wickedness.

No, for this thing there is no excuse. Moreover, in our heart and soul we all, even those who perform the abortions and those who have them done, know that this is egregiously wrong. The LORD God is angry at America for this, if for nothing else. Moreover, like ancient Judah, we will not be pardoned either.

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