Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas to all! Blessings!

On Hanukkah

Happy Hanukkah to all. Yes, tonight is the first night of eight. I am a unity kind of guy. Hence, the name of this blog. I believe everyone can celebrate Hanukkah. I think Jesus, who was a Jew, was also a unity and inclusive guy. After all, Jesus did say: "And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people[a] to myself (John 12:32).” Of course, this idea has sometimes been taken out of context. The story of Hanukkah can be found in the deuterocanonical books (which some Protestant denominations refer to as the Apocrypha) of First and Second Maccabees. But, enough about my views. In this post I am sharing an article on aish.com by Rabbi Ken Spiro. The article is titled: What Hanukkah Is Really About. I hope you enjoy reading. Click on the following link.

What Hanukkah Is Really About - Aish.com

References:

Bible, NRSVUE

https://aish.com/what-hanukkah-is-really-about/

South Sudan's education challenge

A recent feature story from the World Council of Churches caught my attention. It was about a current challenge in the education system in South Sudan. The article states "South Sudan churches are playing a significant role in the country’s education, but food shortages are keeping millions of children out of school.” The story gets more in-depth when the following stats are provided:

The situation is critical in the world’s youngest nation, where more than 2.8 million or more than 72 percent of the children are not in school. For those who attend school, three-quarters start morning classes with empty stomachs, while a quarter find no food when they return home. More than 4.5 million children in the country are in need of humanitarian assistance, according to UNICEF (oikoumene.org).

Humanitarian assistance is needed. Read more at the following link. Blessings!

South Sudan education gets a boost, even as food shortages keep children out of school | World Council of Churches

Reference:

https://www.oikoumene.org/news/south-sudan-education-gets-a-boost-even-as-food-shortages-keep-children-out-of-school

The empathy alarms

Yes, there are many who did the soup kitchen thing 5 years ago and are still sounding the empathy alarm. Of course, that's fine if you don't use it to judge others. Jesus, however, supposedly said the following.

“So whenever you give alms, do not sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, so that they may be praised by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward. But when you give alms, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, (Matthew 6:2-3) ….

I would assume we all catch Jesus’ drift on this. Obviously, keeping it quite on acts of charity is probably the best route. This isn’t saying not to be charitable, but it is saying don’t be like hypocrites when doing so. 

Hope you enjoyed reading. Blessings!

 

 

Reference:

New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition

On American resilience

We often hear that Americans are very resilient. The most catastrophic thing could perhaps happen to us, and we seem to shake it off, and move on soon after. That's seemingly true; however, I think there are other possible factors which create that appearance.

Americans, also, work very hard. We are always on the go. In a way, this fact justifies our economic prosperity. The thing is we seem to barely have time for much. Sometimes I think that podcasts and audio books are so popular these days because it's something we can do or cram while commuting to and from places of work or school. I am not saying we don't read, but we probably don't have much time. And reading is exceedingly important. I believe reading more really well written material helps us write better ourselves, plus it's a very much needed brain exercise, especially as one ages. A close friend says that a person who doesn't write well, probably can't think well either. Back to resilience, however.

I don't doubt we are really that much resilient. I believe we just don't leave much time in our day for much else. Sometimes we barely get enough sleep, and sleep deprivation isn't good for our health. Of course, pharmaceutical companies and those who work for them probably don't mind. I am just writing down my thoughts, but I think we may need to slow down a little bit. Perhaps we should, as they say, stop and smell the flowers, or at least look at them. Maybe we should try to attend church, mosque, or temple, at least once a week, if we don't have that practice. I am just tossing out ideas. You can go to the park or beach and meditate...whatever works for you. I am done here, but think about it. Blessings!

On prayer requests

Don't think you are sometimes asking for too much when you pray. Joshua once asked for the Sun to stand still at Gibeon, and for the Moon to stop in the valley of Aijalon, and it says it happened. Some say he got a solar eclipse, but I don't know, he probably got what he asked for.

Holodomor?

 

Now a new king arose over Egypt who did not know Joseph

- Exodus 1: 8

 

I've always been fascinated by this foregoing verse. Why? It's amazing how quickly people forget, seemingly. Even forgetting that if it wasn't for that certain someone (Joseph), they would have all starved to death from a seven-year famine, but instead were able to prepare. Of course, we are not told in Scriptures exactly how much time passed since the last chapter in the Book of Genesis, and this first chapter in the Book of Exodus where this verse is found. However, and regardless, this small fact, a new king arose over Egypt who did not know Joseph, was the main reason for 500 years of slavery and oppression which followed. This becomes very clear when one reads further on in the chapter and book. My point is simply that as time goes by, people seem to forget, and thus eventually not know.

Interestingly enough, today we make sure no one forgets the holocaust, which is another horrific historical event involving the same demographic group (the Jewish people). I suppose "fool me once shame on you, fool me twice shame on me." The aforementioned being said, I wonder how many today know about the Holodomor, and has it already been erased by the global left? Will it eventually not be known? It seems to be in obscurity, like the Armenian genocide. Who knows how many other historical events are no longer known because admission of them taking place would diminish another agenda from being promoted succesfully?

There was even another famine before the previously mentioned, as well. The question one should be asking is why not so long after the 1917 Revolution were they managing the economy, so badly. Millions died! Although, the elite and communist aristocracy was eating quite well, and had abundance. I recommend watching the 2019 film about Welsh journalist Gareth Jones titled: Mr. Jones. I am certain many who have been deceived by the left already probably think the phrase communist aristocracy sounds like an oxymoron. If that’s you or someone you know, I recommend reading Milovan Djilas’ book, The New Class, to get informed about the sad reality from someone who was in the higher ranks of the party at one time. His biography alone may surprise. Blessings!

 

 

References:

Holy Bible, NRSV

https://westendfilms.com/screeners/mr_jones.html

Milovan Đjilas. The New Class: An Analysis of the Communist System. Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1957.

Early Art Restored

After a five-year, $12 million restoration effort, one of the most elaborate and expansive mosaic floors ever discovered in the Holy Land is once again accessible to the public.

The foregoing excerpt is from an article on BIBLICAL ARCHAEOLOGY SOCIETY titled: Facelift: Revealing the Beauty of Early Islamic Art. Discovered during the 1930s, the author, Robert Bronder, describes the subject as “one of the world’s finest examples of early Islamic art—was largely inaccessible to local communities, scholars, and tourists.” Read the full article at the following link.

Facelift: Revealing the Beauty of Early Islamic Art - Biblical Archaeology Society

Reference:

https://www.biblicalarchaeology.org/exhibits-events/facelift-revealing-the-beauty-of-early-islamic-art/?mqsc=E4145562&dk=ZE2270ZF0&utm_source=WhatCountsEmail&utm_medium=BHDA%20Week%20in%20Review&utm_campaign=7_16_22_WIR_Publish_or_Perish

In this post it may seem like I am writing about abortion, but it is really about the Constitution

“The Constitution makes no reference to abortion, and no such right is implicitly protected by any constitutional provision,”

- Justice Samuel Alito

 

The word abortion is truly not mentioned or referenced in the United States Constitution, but don’t take my word for it, read the document yourself. This is a good quick link here: https://constitution.congress.gov/constitution/. The word abortion originates from the latin words aboriri and aborto. Aboriri means to miscarry in English. Aborto in English is to abort. Miscarry is to have a miscarriage, which is not a premeditated act. Abortion is a deliberate termination of a human pregnancy. I simply wanted to explain this, but this post is still about the Constitution.

The United States Constitution basically establishes the structure to the United States in writing (a legal formation). There are seven articles in the Constitution, and without them there is no such thing as the United States, as we know it or have known it. There are 27 amendments in the Constitution which establish the rights of the citizens of the United States. For example: the 14th Amendment reads as follows in section 1:

All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside. No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property. . . (constitution.congress.gov).

The foregoing is extremely important. Imagine if one did not have the foregoing Constitutional right? Things could be chaotic! Of course, these Amendments have been added to the Constitution over time. The Constitution itself provides for the process, thus making it possible. How is it done?

The Constitution of the United States provides two methods for making amendments. Only one has ever been used. The United States Congress can pass a bill setting out a proposed amendment by a vote of two thirds in each body. Or a constitutional convention can be convened by a vote of two thirds of the state legislatures, which will propose one or more amendments. This has never happened and its unclear exactly how such a constitutional convention would operate. In either case, the amendments to the U.S. Constitution only become effective after being ratified by 3/4 of the states (www.u-s-history.com).

The process for amending and ratifying is indeed Constitutional. Interestingly, however, the word abortion is not in any of the 27 Amendments. Could the word abortion ever appear in the Constitution? Well, it could appear in a possible 28^th Amendment, or any other henceforth, or if the method for creating them which I previously mentioned is followed. If one reads the Constitution, one should understand that the Judicial Branch (Supreme Court) interprets the meaning of the laws, but they do not make the laws.

I hope you enjoyed reading this. Blessings!

 

 

 

 

References:

https://constitution.congress.gov/constitution/

https://www.u-s-history.com/pages/h926.html

 

 

 

This time it was in Uvalde

Uvalde, Texas is a small town. Perhaps many didn’t even know it existed until this week. I knew it did because when I lived in San Antonio, Texas for a portion of my life, I would sometimes visit Garner State Park in Uvalde around 90 miles away to enjoy nature and spend time with friends relaxing. After this week, the way I remember this town will change henceforth. We know about the mass shooting that took place there this week in a school and have also seen the pictures of the children who probably had no idea that day would be their last in our world. Adults were also killed by the shooter, but mostly children. I usually try to explain things in my own mind from a spiritual perspective. I thought about the following hymn written a long time ago.

Jesus loves the little children,

All the children of the world.

Red and yellow, black and white,

All are precious in His sight,

Jesus loves the little children of the world.

- Root and Woolston

Many innocent children were killed. Why would someone do something so horrible? Jesus once said: “Let the children come to me, and do not stop them, for it is to such as these that the kingdom of heaven belongs.” I really can’t say that I fully understand the passage, especially from Jesus’ point of view, but I can easily assume the authors of the hymn were referencing it in their minds while writing. I can hear words spoken, but it doesn’t mean I always understand their meaning. Moreover, I don’t understand this evil act of murder. Recently, in Buffalo, NY many adults were killed by another young shooter. Both shootings, Uvalde, and Buffalo, were acts of evil and manifestations of evil. Tragic! Why? Why are so many of these types of incidents happening lately? What's wrong? These are just a few relevant questions we should be asking, and we are indeed asking them.

Both shooters were unhappy about something and decided to attack and kill others, perhaps blaming them for his condition or problems. If this was the case, one could argue that these young men were not very spiritual, but what does that really mean? If one Googles the definition of spirituality, the following definition might appear:  the quality of being concerned with the human spirit or soul as opposed to material or physical things…. This simple definition alone seems to justify that the problem we have in these types of cases may be mainly spiritual. A friend recently wrote something on social media in which he basically said something similar about this problem in our society. Bottom line, we have a spiritual problem. We can create all the policies we want with relevance to guns, but if we don’t take care of problems such as mental illness and having more spiritually based priorities in our lives, we will often allow and provide a venue for evil to perform. How do we become more spiritual? Prayer is often the best way to start. Jesus said: "...one who believes in me will also do the works that I do and, in fact, will do greater works...." If we can do greater things, we can start by loving more…loving all the little children and everyone (because little children become adults). It is as simple as that to start (just do it)! Going out to purchase an illegal weapon and scheming a mass shooting took a lot more effort for the shooter than making the decision to pray for all, including those who may have hurt him. However, was he ever taught this? Did he know about loving our neighbor as ourselves? Was he taught to pray for his enemies and those who perhaps persecuted him? Maybe these are some of the questions we should be asking as well if we want to fix the problems in our society. Blessings!

Christos Anesti (Χριστός Ανέστη)!

Christos Anesti (Χριστός Ανέστη)!

Happy Easter!

Happy Easter to all on the western side! He is risen!

Ukraine is at the center now

The center of attention right now is the Ukrainian crisis. The news of the war is bombarding us all from all media sources. The following excerpt is taken from an update article on the WCC webpage.

Hosting refugees, providing food, helping in hospitals, and ringing church bells as a warning when shelling starts—these are some of the many ways churches are responding in Ukraine and bordering countries as the war continues. More than two million people have poured out of Ukraine, and estimates from relief groups show that 18 million people—a third of the country’s population—will need humanitarian assistance (www.oikoumene.org).

 

Read more at the link below.

Churches respond to growing humanitarian needs in Ukraine and bordering countries | World Council of Churches

Reference:

https://www.oikoumene.org/news/churches-respond-to-growing-humanitarian-needs-in-ukraine-and-bordering-countries

Thoughts on Ecumenism from a Baptist Author

A Christianity united through ecumenism could bring guidance and healing to the cultural, political and environmental challenges confronting the U.S. and other nations, Baptist author and scholar Steven Harmon believes.

The forgoing excerpt is taken from an article by Jeff Brumley for Baptist News Global. Read the full article at the following link. Blessings!

Ecumenical dialogue could heal a world of problems, Baptist author says – Baptist News Global

Reference:

https://baptistnews.com/article/ecumenical-dialogue-could-heal-a-world-of-problems-baptist-author-says/#.YhoziujMLIU

Dire situation for Christians in Afghanistan

The group that helps persecuted Christians worldwide said that for them there no freedoms to lose as Afghanistan had been number two on the Open Doors World Watch List for several years.

"This is because it is impossible to live openly as a Christian in in the country. Leaving Islam is considered shameful, and Christian converts face dire consequences if their new faith is discovered. Either they have to flee the country or they will be killed," says Open Doors.

The above excerpt is from an article published in ECUMENICAL NEWS ecunews.com. The article by Peter Kenny is titled: After Taliban takeover, Afghanistan most dangerous country to be a Christian: Report. Obviously, the situation for Christians is dire. Read the full article at the link below.

After Taliban takeover, Afghanistan most dangerous country to be a Christian: Report

Reference:

https://www.ecumenicalnews.com/article/after-taliban-takeover-afghanistan-most-dangerous-country-to-be-a-christian-report/60966.htm

Happy 2022!

Happy New Year and blessings to all!