Theology of Nuance; Struggling with God and Man and Overcoming

This one goes out to indigenous people all over the world.

lyrics:

We don’t serve your country
don’t serve your king
Know your custom don’t speak your tongue
White man came took everyone

We don’t serve your country
We don’t serve your king
White man listen to the songs we sing
White man came took everything

We carry in our hearts the true country
And that cannot be stolen
We follow in the steps of our ancestry
And that cannot be broken

We don’t serve your country
We don’t serve your king
Know your custom don’t speak your tongue
White man came took everyone

We don’t need protection
don’t need your hand
just keep your promise on where we stand
We will listen- we’ll understand

We carry in our hearts the true country
And that cannot be stolen
We follow in the steps of our ancestry
And that cannot be broken
We carry in our hearts the true country
And that cannot be stolen
We follow in the steps of our ancestry
And that cannot be broken

Mining companies, pastoral companies
Uranium companies
Collected companies
Got more right than people
Got more say than people

Forty thousand years can make a difference to the state of things
The dead heart lives here

Here is one of the most powerful songs I’ve heard in a while. Hope it gives you a blessing. It made me shed tears.

Lyrics:

I then shall live
as one whose been forgiven
I’ll walk with with joy
to know my debts are paid
I know my name is clear before my Father
I am His child and I am nolt afraid
so greatly pardoned, I’ll forgive my brother
the law of love, I gladly will obey
I then shall live
as one whose learned compassion
I ‘ve been so loved, that I’ll risk loving too
I know how fear builds walls instead of bridges
I’ll dare to see another’s point of view
and when relationships demand commitment
then, I’ll be there to care and follow through
Your Kingdom come around and through and in me
Your power and glory let them shine through me
Your hallowed Name, O, may I bear with honor
and may your living Kingdom come, in me
the Bread of Life, O, may I share with others
and may You feed the hungry world through me
Amen!!!!

First- Take note of what proverbs Chapter 6 has to say:

16 There are six things the LORD hates,
seven that are detestable to him:

17 haughty eyes,
a lying tongue,
hands that shed innocent blood,

18 a heart that devises wicked schemes,
feet that are quick to rush into evil,

19 a false witness who pours out lies
and a man who stirs up dissension among brothers. __________________________________________________

I have it down that Ms. Coulter is guilty of at least four of these outright including the one at the very top of the list. One could make the case that she could be charged with all seven. Now enjoy the article and the further comments below:

Ann Coulter on CNBC Show: Jews Need ‘Perfecting’

By E&P Staff Published: October 11, 2007 12:15 AM ET updated 1:30 PM ET NEW YORK,
NEW YORK

Appearing on Donny Deutsch’s CNBC show, “The Big Idea,” on Monday night, columnist/author Ann Coulter suggested that the U.S. would be a better place if there weren’t any Jewish people and that they needed to “perfect” themselves into — Christians.

It led Deutsch to suggest that surely she couldn’t mean that, and when she insisted she did, he said this sounded “anti-Semitic.”

Asked by Deutsch whether she wanted to be like “the head of Iran” and “wipe Israel off the Earth,” Coulter stated: “No, we just want Jews to be perfected, as they say. … That’s what Christianity is. We believe the Old Testament.”

Deutsch told E&P’s sibling magazine, Adweek, today, “I was offended. And then, and this was interesting, she started to back off and seemed a little upset.”

Asked to gauge her reaction, Deutsch said, “I think she got frightened that maybe she had crossed a line, that this was maybe a faux pas of great proportions. I mean, did it show ignorance? Anti-Semitism? It wasn’t just one of those silly things.”

A transcript, provided by Media Matters, follows.
*

DEUTSCH: Let me ask you a question. We’re going to get off strengths and weakness for a second. If you had your way, and all of your — forget that any of them –

COULTER: I like this.

DEUTSCH: — are calculated marketing teases, and your dreams, which are genuine, came true having to do with immigration, having to do with women’s — with abortion — what would this country look like?

COULTER: It would look like New York City during the Republican National Convention. In fact, that’s what I think heaven is going to look like. (EGADS!!!!!- S.S.)

DEUTSCH: And what did that look like?

COULTER: Happy, joyful Republicans in the greatest city in the world.

DEUTSCH: No, no, no, no, but I’m talking about this country. You don’t want to make this country — it’s not about Republicans. I’m saying, what would the fabric of this country look like? Forget that the Republicans would be running the show.

COULTER: Well, everyone would root for America, the Democratic Party would look like [Sen.] Joe Lieberman [I-CT], the Republican Party would look like [Rep.] Duncan Hunter [R-CA] –

DEUTSCH: No, no, no, I don’t want — I’m not talking about politically the landscape. What would our — would we be safer? Would people be happier? Would they be more –

COULTER: We would be a lot safer.

DEUTSCH: Would there be more tolerance? Would there be — would women be happier, would the races get along better? The Ann Coulter subscription — prescription. What — tell me what would be different in our fabric of country, because —

COULTER: Well, all of those things.

DEUTSCH: — I can give — I can give you an argument there would be more divisiveness, that there would be more hate –

COULTER: Oh, no.

DEUTSCH: — that there would be a bigger difference between the rich and the poor, a lot of other — tell me what — why this would be a better world? Let’s give you — I’m going to give you — say this is your show.

COULTER: Well, OK, take the Republican National Convention. People were happy. They’re Christian. They’re tolerant. They defend America, they –

DEUTSCH: Christian — so we should be Christian? It would be better if we were all Christian?

COULTER: Yes.

DEUTSCH: We should all be Christian?

COULTER: Yes. Would you like to come to church with me, Donny?

DEUTSCH: So I should not be a Jew, I should be a Christian, and this would be a better place?

COULTER: Well, you could be a practicing Jew, but you’re not.

DEUTSCH: I actually am. That’s not true. I really am. But — so we would be better if we were - if people — if there were no Jews, no Buddhists –

COULTER: Whenever I’m harangued by –

DEUTSCH: — in this country? You can’t believe that.

COULTER: — you know, liberals on diversity –

DEUTSCH: Here you go again.

COULTER: No, it’s true. I give all of these speeches at megachurches across America, and the one thing that’s really striking about it is how utterly, completely diverse they are, and completely unself-consciously. You walk past a mixed-race couple in New York, and it’s like they have a chip on their shoulder. They’re just waiting for somebody to say something, as if anybody would. And –

DEUTSCH: I don’t agree with that. I don’t agree with that at all. Maybe you have the chip looking at them. I see a lot of interracial couples, and I don’t see any more or less chips there either way. That’s erroneous.

COULTER: No. In fact, there was an entire Seinfeld episode about Elaine and her boyfriend dating because they wanted to be a mixed-race couple, so you’re lying.

DEUTSCH: Oh, because of some Seinfeld episode? OK.

COULTER: But yeah, I think that’s reflective of what’s going on in the culture, but it is completely striking that at these huge megachurches — the idea that, you know, the more Christian you are, the less tolerant you would be is preposterous.

DEUTSCH: That isn’t what I said, but you said I should not — we should just throw Judaism away and we should all be Christians, then, or –

COULTER: Yeah.

DEUTSCH: Really?

COULTER: Well, it’s a lot easier. It’s kind of a fast track.

DEUTSCH: Really?

COULTER: Yeah. You have to obey.

DEUTSCH: You can’t possibly believe that.

COULTER: Yes.

DEUTSCH: You can’t possibly — you’re too educated, you can’t — you’re like my friend in –

COULTER: Do you know what Christianity is? We believe your religion, but you have to obey.

DEUTSCH: No, no, no, but I mean –

COULTER: We have the fast-track program.

DEUTSCH: Why don’t I put you with the head of Iran? I mean, come on. You can’t believe that.

COULTER: The head of Iran is not a Christian.

DEUTSCH: No, but in fact, “Let’s wipe Israel” –

COULTER: I don’t know if you’ve been paying attention.

DEUTSCH: “Let’s wipe Israel off the earth.” I mean, what, no Jews?

COULTER: No, we think — we just want Jews to be perfected, as they say.

DEUTSCH: Wow, you didn’t really say that, did you?

COULTER: Yes. That is what Christianity is. We believe the Old Testament, but ours is more like Federal Express. You have to obey laws. We know we’re all sinners —

DEUTSCH: In my old days, I would have argued — when you say something absurd like that, there’s no –

COULTER: What’s absurd?

DEUTSCH: Jews are going to be perfected. I’m going to go off and try to perfect myself –

COULTER: Well, that’s what the New Testament says.

DEUTSCH: Ann Coulter, author of If Democrats Had Any Brains, They’d Be Republicans, and if Ann Coulter had any brains, she would not say Jews need to be perfected. I’m offended by that personally. And we’ll have more Big Idea when we come back.

[...]

DEUTSCH: Welcome back to The Big Idea. During the break, Ann said she wanted to explain her last comment. So I’m going to give her a chance. So you don’t think that was offensive?

COULTER: No. I’m sorry. It is not intended to be. I don’t think you should take it that way, but that is what Christians consider themselves: perfected Jews. We believe the Old Testament. As you know from the Old Testament, God was constantly getting fed up with humans for not being able to, you know, live up to all the laws. What Christians believe — this is just a statement of what the New Testament is — is that that’s why Christ came and died for our sins. Christians believe the Old Testament. You don’t believe our testament.

DEUTSCH: You said — your exact words were, “Jews need to be perfected.” Those are the words out of your mouth.

COULTER: No, I’m saying that’s what a Christian is.

DEUTSCH: But that’s what you said — don’t you see how hateful, how anti-Semitic –

COULTER: No!

DEUTSCH: How do you not see? You’re an educated woman. How do you not see that?

COULTER: That isn’t hateful at all.

DEUTSCH: But that’s even a scarier thought. OK –

COULTER: No, no, no, no, no. I don’t want you being offended by this. This is what Christians consider themselves, because our testament is the continuation of your testament. You know that. So we think Jews go to heaven. I mean, [Rev. Jerry] Falwell himself said that, but you have to follow laws. Ours is “Christ died for our sins.” We consider ourselves perfected Christians. For me to say that for you to become a Christian is to become a perfected Christian is not offensive at all.

DEUTSCH: We will let the audience decide then, won’t we? Ann Coulter. New book. More Big Idea straight ahead.

See the exchange HERE.

——————————————————————————————–

S.S. says,

I have no idea whether Ann Coulter is an anti- semite or not although its pretty clear that she offended someone with her rude and mouthy style. I will say that Ann Coulter should not be speaking at all about Christian virtue because she is about as Christian as the toaster oven on my kitchen counter. Just because somebody claims to be a Christian means nothing. What matters is what they do. By the way, I do love Ann Coulter as my enemy. I am not judging or condemning her. I am simply stating that she is not a real Christian. Her own words demonstrate that quite clearly.

Note these:

* Ann Coulter stated in her December 21 column that “I think the government
should be spying on all Arabs, engaging in torture as a televised spectator sport, dropping daisy cutters wantonly throughout the Middle East and sending liberals to Guantanamo.” (this is about as un-Christian as it gets- but wait there’s more)

* Commenting on radio host Melanie Morgan’s assertion that if New York Times executive editor Bill Keller were convicted of treason she “would have no problem with him being sent to the gas chamber,” Coulter said, “I prefer a firing squad, but I’m open to a debate on the method of execution.” She later suggested that Times staff members should be “executed.”

(Suspicion must always fall on those who attempt to silence their opponents.
~Ian Buckley)

* Coulter said of the media: “Would that it were so! … That the American military were targeting journalists.”

* Coulter suggested that Rep. John P. Murtha (D-PA) is “the reason soldiers invented fragging,” — military slang meaning the intentional killing of a member of one’s own unit.

* Coulter argued that the national debate during the Monica Lewinsky controversy should not have focused on whether former President Bill Clinton “did it,” but rather “whether to impeach or assassinate” him.

* Coulter said of Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens: “We need somebody to put rat poison in Justice Stevens’s créme brulée.’’

* Fox News host Sean Hannity* asked right-wing pundit Ann Coulter how she would propose to end Iran’s nuclear activities if she “were president.” Coulter replied: “How about we just … carpet-bomb them so they can’t build a transistor radio?” As Media Matters for America recently noted, Fox News host Neil Cavuto similarly wondered how a “President Ann Coulter” would view certain diplomatic overtures toward Israel from Hezbollah’s leadership. Coulter noted that her “first act in office … would be to deport all liberals” and then “deal with Israel.”

* Hannity’s response to this was jocular.

There are literally dozens if not hundreds of similar quotes in Ann Coulter’s media resume’. And yet she has the gaul to talk about Heaven looking like the Republican National Convention in New York- packed with happy, TOLERANT Republicans. Sadly, a lot of people are in synch with this garbage she spews. I call it blasphemy and heresy.

Now, here is what Jesus had to say in juxtaposition to Ann Coulter’s style so as to back up what I just said:

Luke 6:27- 49;

Love for Enemies

27“But I tell you who hear me: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, 28bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. 29If someone strikes you on one cheek, turn to him the other also. If someone takes your cloak, do not stop him from taking your tunic. 30Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back. 31Do to others as you would have them do to you.

32“If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even ’sinners’ love those who love them. 33And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even ’sinners’ do that. 34And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even ’sinners’ lend to ’sinners,’ expecting to be repaid in full. 35But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. 36Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.

Judging Others

37“Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. 38Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”

39He also told them this parable: “Can a blind man lead a blind man? Will they not both fall into a pit? 40A student is not above his teacher, but everyone who is fully trained will be like his teacher.

41“Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? 42How can you say to your brother, ‘Brother, let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when you yourself fail to see the plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.

A Tree and Its Fruit

43“No good tree bears bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit. 44Each tree is recognized by its own fruit. People do not pick figs from thornbushes, or grapes from briers. 45The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks.

The Wise and Foolish Builders

46“Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say? 47I will show you what he is like who comes to me and hears my words and puts them into practice. 48He is like a man building a house, who dug down deep and laid the foundation on rock. When a flood came, the torrent struck that house but could not shake it, because it was well built. 49But the one who hears my words and does not put them into practice is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. The moment the torrent struck that house, it collapsed and its destruction was complete.”

Footnotes:

1. Luke 6:18 Greek unclean

Now take a look at these verses from Proverbs 8:

12 “I, wisdom, dwell together with prudence;
I possess knowledge and discretion.

13 To fear the LORD is to hate evil;
I hate pride and arrogance,
evil behavior and perverse speech.

14 Counsel and sound judgment are mine;
I have understanding and power.

So… I she a Christian and a godly person or is he something else?

Link.

I want to write a response to this e-mail propaganda that I have gotten in my inbox several times in the last 7 years. First read the “Tampa” article and then be sure to read my response to it further down:

Think about this: If you don’t want to forward this for fear of offending someone—–YOU’RE PART OF THE PROBLEM !!!!

Subject: THIS WAS IN A TAMPA NEWSPAPER

Will we still be the Country of choice and still be America if we continue to make the changes forced on us by the people from other countries that came to live in America because it is the Country of Choice??????

Think about it! All we have to say is, when will they do something about MY RIGHTS?

I celebrate Christmas………..but because it isn’t celebrated by everyone…………..we can no longer say Merry Christmas. Now it has to be Season’s Greetings.

It’s not Christmas vacation, it’s Winter Break. Isn’t it amazing how this winter break ALWAYS occurs over the Christmas holiday?

We’ve gone so far the other way, bent over backwards to not offend anyone, that I am now being offended. But it seems that no one has a problem with that. This says it all!

This is an editorial written by an
American citizen, published in a
Tampa, FL Newspaper. He did quite a job; didn’t he? Read on, please!

IMMIGRANTS,
NOT AMERICANS,
MUST ADAPT.
I am tired of this nation worrying about whether we
are offending some individual or their culture. Since the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11,
we have experienced a surge
in patriotism by the majority
of Americans. However…… the dust from the attacks had
barely settled when the “politically correct! ” crowd began complaining about
the possibility that our patriotism was offending others.

I am not against immigration, nor do I hold a grudge against anyone who is seeking a better life by coming to America.
Our population is almost entirely made up of descendants of immigrants.
However, there
are a few things that those
who have recently come to
our country, and apparently some born here, need to understand.
This idea of America being a
multicultural community
has served only to dilute our sovereignty and our national idenitity. As Americans……
we have our own culture, our
own society, our own language and our own lifestyle. This culture has been developed over centuries of struggles, trials, and victories by millions of men and women who have sought freedom.

We speak ENGLISH, not Spanish, Portuguese, Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, Russian, or any other language.
Therefore, if you wish to become part of our society, learn the language!

“In God We Trust” is our national motto. This is not some Christian, right wing, political slogan.. We adopted this motto because Christian men and women…….on Christian principles………….
founded this nation….. and this is clearly documented.
It is certainly appropriate to display it
on the walls of our schools
If God offends you, then I suggest you consider another part of the world as
your new home………because
God is part of our culture.

If Stars and Stripes offend you, or
you don’t like Uncle Sam, then you
should s eriously consider a move
to another part of this planet.
We
are happy with our culture and have
no desire to change, and we really
don’t care how you did things where
you came from.
This is
OUR COUNTRY,
our land, and our lifestyle.
Our First Amendment gives every citizen the
right to express his opinion and we
will allow you every opportunity to do so!
But once you are done complaining……. whining…… and griping……. about our flag…….
our pledge…… our national motto……..or our
way of life….I highly encourage you to
take advantage of one other Great American Freedom…….

THE RIGHT TO LEAVE.

It is Time for America to Speak up
If you agree — pass this along;
if you don’t agree — delete it - You are in the WRONG Country!

AMEN

I figure if we all keep passing this to our friends (and enemies) it will also, sooner or later
get back to the complainers, lets all try,
please!

Here is my response, I actually wrote this in probably 2003:

Man, I wish that they would have held this philosophy in 1492 or in any of the five centuries of conquest since then- because it has a little ethical merit. Unfortunately however, most of it happens to be in contradiction to human nature and natural order…especially the eurocentric/ ethnocentric approach to reality. It’s never too late to start learning some of the many languages and customs of the First Nations of the “Americas”- like say Iroquoiian, to prove these points by example though! Its the best way to live…by example! Even the social Darwinists know that.
Consider this. In Northern California, there was once over a hundred Native language families. They were often as different as Russian is from Hebrew. Yet, these autonomous communities of people were able to relatively peacefully coexist in co-operative networks for millenia …. that is until immigrants from another worldview came along and sought to homogenize everything into their own way of thinking. Natural law does not require homogeneity. In fact natural law is dependant on networks of diversity to operate in any kind of balance at all. Nature organizes itself into ecosystems of interdependance. Although I agree that when people migrate to new territory they should look for ways to integrate into the existing order out of ethical courtesy and pragmatic economics- it must be admitted that infinite diversity in infinite combinations does not lend itself easily to homogeneity. That is the reailty we must acknowledge and begin to work with. Did you know that wherever in the world you find the most diversity of human communities and human languages- there you also find the most ecological balance, the most species of surviving plants and animals and the most harmony among men? When death and destruction comes to these areas- it comes not because of the networks of diversity, but at the heels of the land and resource speculators and the colonial empire builders… those who seek to dominate, control and exploit…and assimilate. Think about it. Its not natural and human diversity that is the enemy. Its selfishness in the heart of Man plain and simple. Its the “Golden Rule” that we should be fighting for. If this had been observed from the inception of the “United States”, we would not have some of these social problems we have now and you would not be hearing me challenge the now existing order.
Good on ya!

In response to these “words of wisdom” by Teddy Roosevelt;

(”But this is predicated upon the man’s becoming in every facet an American, and nothing but an American…There can be no divided allegiance here. Any man who says he is an American, but something else also, isn’t an American at all. We have room for but one flag, the American flag, and this excludes the red flag, which symbolizes all wars against liberty and civilization, just as much as it excludes any foreign flag of a nation to which we are hostile…We have room for but one language here, and that is the English language…and we have room for but one sole loyalty and that is a loyalty to the American people.”)

S.S. says:

In one very small area of what is now called “Northern California” there once existed at least 110 different “language families”. These “families” were as different and distinct as Italian is from Vietnamese in nearly every case. Yet these diverse groups found a way to co-exist in relative peace and harmony for thousands, if not tens of thousands of years. This is just one example from Native America that disproves the thesis that a collective continental grouping of people must homogenize language and culture to survive or function smoothly. In fact, this xenophobic drive for homogenization only leads to “genocide of the mind” (if not actual genocides of human groups) and a culture that devours everything in its path. The natural state of God’s good, nurturing creation is in fact one of diversity…infinite diversity in infinite combinations…not of homogenization, mechanization and industrialization.

With James Dobson and major conservative evangelical leaders threatening to bolt the Republican Party if Rudy Giuliani is nominated for president, conventional wisdom about God and politics has been turned on its head. For the last 25 years, conservative evangelicals could reliably count on the Republicans to choose a candidate acceptable to their version of Christian politics. This year, however, the leading Republican candidates seem unable to articulate any convincing religious message, much less a strongly biblical perspective on issues. All the while, the three leading Democratic candidates can testify to personal faith, possess robust theological views, and ground many policies in broadly biblical principles.

posted by God’s Politics

Luke 6 (Amplified version for emphasis)

Blessings and Woes

17And Jesus came down with them and took His stand on a level spot, with a great crowd of His disciples and a vast throng of people from all over Judea and Jerusalem and the seacoast of Tyre and Sidon, who came to listen to Him and to be cured of their diseases–

18Even those who were disturbed and troubled with unclean spirits, and they were being healed [also].

19And all the multitude were seeking to touch Him, for healing power was all the while going forth from Him and curing them all [^[d]saving them from severe illnesses or calamities].

20And solemnly lifting up His eyes on His disciples, He said: Blessed (happy–^[e]with life-joy and satisfaction in God’s favor and salvation, apart from your outward condition–and ^[f]to be envied) are you poor and ^[g]lowly and afflicted (destitute of wealth, influence, position, and honor), for the kingdom of God is yours!

21Blessed (happy–^[h]with life-joy and satisfaction in God’s favor and salvation, apart from your outward condition–and ^[i]to be envied) are you who hunger and seek with eager desire now, for you shall be filled and completely satisfied! Blessed (happy–^[j]with life-joy and satisfaction in God’s favor and salvation, apart from your outward condition–and ^[k]to be envied) are you who weep and sob now, for you shall laugh!

22Blessed (happy–^[l]with life-joy and satisfaction in God’s favor and salvation, apart from your outward condition–and ^[m]to be envied) are you when people despise (hate) you, and when they exclude and excommunicate you [as disreputable] and revile and denounce you and defame and cast out and spurn your name as evil (wicked) on account of the Son of Man.

23Rejoice and be glad at such a time and exult and leap for joy, for behold, your reward is rich and great and strong and intense and abundant in heaven; for even so their forefathers treated the prophets.

24But woe to (alas for) you who are rich (^[n]abounding in material resources), for you already are receiving your consolation (the solace and sense of strengthening and cheer that come from prosperity) and have taken and enjoyed your comfort in full [having nothing left to be awarded you].

25Woe to (alas for) you who are full now (completely filled, luxuriously gorged and satiated), for you shall hunger and suffer want! Woe to (alas for) you who laugh now, for you shall mourn and weep and wail!

26Woe to (alas for) you when everyone speaks fairly and handsomely of you and praises you, for even so their forefathers did to the false prophets.

Love for Enemies

27But I say to you who are listening now to Me: [^[o]in order to heed, make it a practice to] love your enemies, treat well (do good to, act nobly toward) those who detest you and pursue you with hatred,

28Invoke blessings upon and pray for the happiness of those who curse you, implore God’s blessing (favor) upon those who abuse you [who revile, reproach, disparage, and high-handedly misuse you].

29To the one who strikes you on the ^[p]jaw or cheek, offer the other ^[q]jaw or cheek also; and from him who takes away your outer garment, do not withhold your undergarment as well.

30Give away to everyone who begs of you [who is ^[r]in want of necessities], and of him who takes away from you your goods, do not demand or require them back again.

31And as you would like and desire that men would do to you, do exactly so to them.

32If you [merely] love those who love you, what ^[s]quality of credit and thanks is that to you? For even ^[t]the [very] sinners love their lovers (those who love them).

33And if you are kind and good and do favors to and benefit those who are kind and good and do favors to and benefit you, what ^[u]quality of credit and thanks is that to you? For even ^[v]the preeminently sinful do the same.

34And if you lend money ^[w]at interest to those from whom you hope to receive, what ^[x]quality of credit and thanks is that to you? Even notorious sinners lend money ^[y]at interest to sinners, so as to recover as much again.

35But love your enemies and be kind and do good [doing favors ^[z]so that someone derives benefit from them] and lend, expecting and hoping for nothing in return but ^[aa]considering nothing as lost and despairing of no one; and then your recompense (your reward) will be great (rich, strong, intense, and abundant), and you will be sons of the Most High, for He is kind and charitable and good to the ungrateful and the selfish and wicked.

36So be merciful (sympathetic, tender, responsive, and compassionate) even as your Father is [all these].

Judging Others

37Judge not [neither pronouncing judgment nor subjecting to censure], and you will not be judged; do not condemn and pronounce guilty, and you will not be condemned and pronounced guilty; acquit and forgive and ^[ab]release (give up resentment, let it drop), and you will be acquitted and forgiven and ^[ac]released.

38Give, and [gifts] will be given to you; good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over, will they pour ^[ad]into [the pouch formed by] the bosom [of your robe and used as a bag]. For with the measure you deal out [with the measure you use when you confer benefits on others], it will be measured back to you.

39He further told them ^[ae]a proverb: Can a blind [man] guide and direct a blind [man]? Will they not both stumble into a ditch or a ^[af]hole in the ground?

40A pupil is not superior to his teacher, but everyone [when he is] completely trained (readjusted, restored, set to rights, and perfected) will be like his teacher.

41Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye but do not notice or consider the beam [of timber] that is in your own eye?

42Or how can you say to your brother, Brother, allow me to take out the speck that is in your eye, when you yourself do not see the beam that is in your own eye? You actor (pretender, hypocrite)! First take the beam out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take out the speck that is in your brother’s eye.

A Tree and Its Fruit

43For there is no good (healthy) tree that bears decayed (worthless, stale) fruit, nor on the other hand does a decayed (worthless, sickly) tree bear good fruit.

44For each tree is known and identified by its own fruit; for figs are not gathered from thornbushes, nor is a cluster of grapes picked from a bramblebush.

45The upright (honorable, intrinsically good) man out of the good treasure [stored] in his heart produces what is upright (honorable and intrinsically good), and the evil man out of the evil storehouse brings forth that which is depraved (wicked and intrinsically evil); for out of the abundance (overflow) of the heart his mouth speaks.

The Wise and Foolish Builders

46Why do you call Me, Lord, Lord, and do not [practice] what I tell you?

47For everyone who comes to Me and listens to My words [in order to heed their teaching] and does them, I will show you what he is like:

48He is like a man building a house, who dug and went down deep and laid a foundation upon the rock; and when a flood arose, the torrent broke against that house and could not shake or move it, because it had been securely built or ^[ag]founded on a rock.

49But he who merely hears and does not practice doing My words is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation, against which the torrent burst, and immediately it collapsed and fell, and the breaking and ruin of that house was great.

________________________________________________________

S.S. Says,

These words are some of the most powerful and paradigm changing words that Jesus ever spoke. In one sermon he turned the World, the system of domination and revenge and the value systems associated with it upside down. In Christian circles today we hear a lot about the Ten Commandments and the fight to hang them on our walls. We hear a lot of condemnation of them that do not adhere or accept our own particular brands of belief. We have too often shunned the even-the-enemy loving, grace filled Jesus of the gospels and clung to the image of Christ the avenger from the book of Revelation. Instead of only scrapping to hang the Ten Commandments in our public places, would we not, could we not better serve Jesus and our World by living as Jesus lived- speaking as he spoke- loving as he loved instead of shoveling dirt on those we perceive as our enemies? I acknowledge that there is a time to fight- to stand up for what is right. There is a right and wrong way to do that however. My question is why is no-one pushing to hang the Beatitudes in the public places? Another question… wouldn’t living as Christ like disciples and servants… living by humble example be better than hanging plaques on the walls?

When Jesus asks in Luke 6:46, “Why do you call Me, Lord, Lord, and do not [practice] what I tell you?”-what is your answer?

Too many that wear the name “Christian” today are not true disciples of Christ.

Mark and remember this from Luke 6:49:

“But he who merely hears and does not practice doing My words is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation, against which the torrent burst, and immediately it collapsed and fell, and the breaking and ruin of that house was great.”

Selah!

Footnotes:

1. Luke 6:9 Hermann Cremer, Biblico-Theological Lexicon.
2. Luke 6:9 John Wycliffe, The Wycliffe Bible.
3. Luke 6:10 Some manuscripts add this phrase.
4. Luke 6:19 Marvin Vincent, Word Studies.
5. Luke 6:20 Hermann Cremer, Biblico-Theological Lexicon.
6. Luke 6:20 Alexander Souter, Pocket Lexicon.
7. Luke 6:20 Joseph Thayer, A Greek-English Lexicon.
8. Luke 6:21 Hermann Cremer, Biblico-Theological Lexicon.
9. Luke 6:21 Alexander Souter, Pocket Lexicon.
10. Luke 6:21 Hermann Cremer, Biblico-Theological Lexicon.
11. Luke 6:21 Alexander Souter, Pocket Lexicon.
12. Luke 6:22 Hermann Cremer, Biblico-Theological Lexicon.
13. Luke 6:22 Alexander Souter, Pocket Lexicon.
14. Luke 6:24 Joseph Thayer, A Greek-English Lexicon.
15. Luke 6:27 Marvin Vincent, Word Studies.
16. Luke 6:29 Joseph Thayer, A Greek-English Lexicon.
17. Luke 6:29 Joseph Thayer, A Greek-English Lexicon.
18. Luke 6:30 Joseph Thayer, A Greek-English Lexicon.
19. Luke 6:32 Marvin Vincent, Word Studies.
20. Luke 6:32 William Tyndale, The Tyndale Bible.
21. Luke 6:33 Marvin Vincent, Word Studies.
22. Luke 6:33 Joseph Thayer, A Greek-English Lexicon.
23. Luke 6:34 Marvin Vincent, Word Studies.
24. Luke 6:34 Marvin Vincent, Word Studies.
25. Luke 6:34 Marvin Vincent, Word Studies.
26. Luke 6:35 Hermann Cremer, Biblico-Theological Lexicon.
27. Luke 6:35 Marvin Vincent, Word Studies.
28. Luke 6:37 Literal translation.
29. Luke 6:37 Literal meaning.
30. Luke 6:38 Marvin Vincent, Word Studies.
31. Luke 6:39 G. Abbott-Smith, Manual Greek Lexicon.
32. Luke 6:39 Alexander Souter, Pocket Lexicon.
33. Luke 6:48 Some manuscripts so read.

Cross references:

1. Luke 6:1 : Deut 23:25
2. Luke 6:2 : Exod 20:10; 23:12; Deut 5:14
3. Luke 6:4 : Lev 24:9

I have decided to post some of the e-mails from the expansive archives of the ongoing conversation between D.S. Martin and other friends and myself. Here is the next installment of: Quantum Contemplations: Deus Ex Paradoxon

>—–Original Message—–
> >From: “S. Starr”
> >To: D.S. Martin
> >CC: Chuck
> >Subject: reductio ad absurdum Date: Tue, 02 May 2006 19:54:57 -0500

Theodicy (adjectival form “theodicean”) is a specific branch of theology and philosophy that attempts to reconcile the existence of evil or suffering in the world with the assumption of a benevolent God —ie. the problem of evil. Theodiceans use this to reconcile the co-existence of evil and God may thus be called “a theodicy”.

> >{cut and pasted…wow is this stuff requires some real thinking ..but
>in these links is the riddle of “paragraph 1″…all dreadfully on topic}
> >
> >I find myself to be only safe in my theodicy of freewill…all else
> >is…well…puzzling to say the least…
> >
> >digest and then comment…
> >
> >There are a great many variants of the problem of evil, including
>inductive variants, logical variants, evidential variants, soteriological
>variants, arguments from natural law, pain and pleasure, and more.
> >
> >Epicurus is credited with first expounding this problem, and it is
> >sometimes called the Epicurean paradox (or the riddle of Epicurus) -
> >although the argument is not really a paradox or a riddle, but rather a
>
> >reductio ad absurdum of the premises. Epicurus drew the conclusion that
>the existence of evil is incompatible with the existence of the gods. More
> >generally, no paradox or problem exists for those who do not accept the
>
> >premises, in particular the existence of a god or gods (or their
> >benevolence if they do exist).
> >
> > “Either God wants to abolish evil, and cannot; or he can, but does
>not want to. … If he wants to, but cannot, he is impotent. If he can, but
>does not want to, he is wicked. … If, as they say, God can abolish
>evil,and God really wants to do it, why is there evil in the world?”
>(Epicurus,
> as quoted in 2000 Years of Disbelief)
> >
> >
> >http://www.class.uidaho.edu/mickelsen/texts/Leibniz%20-%20Theodicy.htm
(this one is a real brain teaser)
> >
> >http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Omnipotence_paradox
> >
> >http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Problem_of_evil
> >
> >http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theodicy
> >
> >
S. Starr
Sent : Tuesday, May 2, 2006 8:44 PM
To : D.S. Martin
Subject :RE: reductio ad absurdum

check this weblog:

http://joveiaphilosopher.blogspot.com/

“The free will defense is offered to show that there is a viable way in which God can
co-exist with moral evil….”

>From: Chuck
>To: S. Starr
>Subject: RE: reductio ad absurdum
>Date: Mon, 17 Jul 2006 09:38:31 -0500
>
>As you insinuate in your other missive, freewill is the answer to the
>question of pain and suffering. If we didn’t have the prerogative to
>do idiotic things, there would be very little suffering in the world.
>But we do, and there is. This is unsatisfying to many, but it is the
>only answer that makes sense.

>From: “D. S. Martin”
To: “S. Starr”
Subject: RE: RE:The Augustinian Theodicy
Date: Tue, 16 May 2006 19:21:45 -0500

So, what was your opinion of the questions listed, to Augustine’s Theodicy?
http://www.philosophyonline.co.uk/pages/augustine.htm#

1. If Satan and his angels led Man astray, how can we account for the fact
   that Satan himself exists? Isn’t God here responsible for creating an evil
   being?
   This is what I have been asking you. What is the solution?
   And Why can’t satan repent and no longer do those mean things that got us into this pickle? Why is it “slanderous” to denounce satan (Jude 8-10)?
2. Are well-behaved robots better than ill-behaved free agents? Yes, well-behaved robots are better than ill-behaved free agents, if you “need” some work done around the Creation. And no, well-behaved robots are not better than ill-behaved free agents, if you “desire” freely given love, trust and devotion.
3. If God cannot intervene without harming free-will, does this mean that he cannot intervene at all? Would this then make him not as powerful? Again, yes, because “God cannot create a stone that he is unable to lift.” And again no. And I firmly believe, with all of my heart, that God cannot do nothing! He proved it by not doing nothing with France! I suspect that He will not do nothing with Palestine too, but there we get into prophecy.
   On this same point, it may be said, that God is limited by reason, which implies, that He is in fact, not a woman! Sorry, that’s just not right.
4. What would be the difference between a God who could not intervene and a God who did not exist? The difference would be a very ‘mean’ hanging curve ball. I really don’t see how a nonexistent God could measure up in the “Big leagues.” Therefore, my assessment is that a non-interventional God would beat a nonexistent God for the lead pitcher position… No contest! Steroid use notwithstanding. If we were to allow steroids into this argument it would be difficult to say, so emphatically. The nonexistent God on steroids could be a serious contender for the Cy Young Award. But, we would have to put an asterisk by His Holiness. The only real question is, if the salary caps would put either “God” out of reach, so to speak. My point is that this question is about as valid as my foray into baseball nonsense. We don’t have enough information to make any assessment.
5. Does the fact that God sends Christ to redeem the world make up for the existence of evil? Could God have expressed His love any other way? Yes. And yes. He shows us this in many “other ways.” However, the quintessential example of His Love is shown in Jesus.
6. Does the fact that evil exists still cause problems for these arguments? It does create difficulties, if it were otherwise, I think that faith would not be required; we would just calculate it with our Radio Shack calculator. But, at some point the answers must cease and faith must begin. Consider mathematicians; these poor fellows have to deal with “pi”, in faith.
   Critical mathematical formulas for understanding the physical universe hinge on a value that cannot be actually ascertained. It can only be approximated. “Close but no cigar” is just fine for figuring the area of a circle or the volume of a sphere. But, we don’t live in an approximation of reality. There is no digital universe, we live in an analog universe.
   We see, taste, touch, hear, smell, and touch in, good old fashioned, analog. Its seems absurd that minds which cannot define the three dimensional universe in “real” mathematical terms attempt to discount dimensions even beyond the ones they are eternally stumped by.

   DSM
   >

   > > From: S. Starr To: D.S. Martin Subject: RE:

   >RE:The Augustinian Theodicy> Date: Fri, 12 May 2006 10:40:16 -0500> > > >

   >http://www.philosophyonline.co.uk/pages/augustine.htm> >

   From: S. Starr

   Sent : Friday, May 19, 2006 10:39 AM

   To : D.S. Martin

   CC :

   Subject : predestination and freewill

   Right now I am reading this book:

   http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0877845670/104-1749679-6615168?v=glance&n=283155

   The consensus seems to be that God does not assert and does limit the full range
   of his omniscient, omnipotent powers to create a situation whereby humans
   are morally responsible and liable for their own actions and in each moment
   a choice for good or evil is made as required by freewill theodicy.
   This then can resolve the questions of evil as to pre-destination or
   determinism or pre-ordination. That is what I believe.

   here is more on topic: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Free_will
   

I have decided to post some of the e-mails from the expansive archives of the ongoing conversation between D.S. Martin and other friends and myself. Here is the next installment of: Quantum Contemplations: The Root Connection

>From: “Scott Starr”
>>Subject: New Review, Connecting The Paradigms
>>Date: Tue, 13 Jan 2004 18:19:51 -0600

>>Ok, I don’t have the focus to write a thesis at the moment but here’s
>>something I offer you to think about in the vein of “new topic”.
>> I have been carrying this one in the sidepocket of my mind for a good
>>while. First, please forgive me for often referring to my ethnos when I
>>converse with you. All I can say is that it is in the warp and woof of
>>me. To surrender my place of who I am would be a terrifying loss of
>>identity. I think that is what is wrong with most of the world right
>>now…. Correct me if this is not a conservative view… If its not then
>>I really am lost. People don’t know who they are and where they came from
>>and just what it is they are suppose to be doing with themselves anymore.
>>They try to get it from tv and other media I suppose. People have lost
>>their context…their identity. The root connection for me is that when I
>>was lost too…I found the answer to who I was, where I came from and what
>>I am suppose to be doing not in a church pew (although that is where it
>>all starts), not in my family home in suburbia…but in my familiy’s
>>traditional culture and worldview….the one that stood for thousands of
>>years but has almost been erased from the face of God’s earth, and the
>>same one that men Like Newt Gingrich suggest be surrendered and
>>homogenized into pop culture once and for all now. I agree that America
>>must pull together as one nation if we wish to survive, however, this does
>>not mean surrenderring our individuality or diversity completely - but
>>creating a network of diverse, autonomous communities working towards a
>>common goal and common unity. If we remember this concept then we will
>>not always be dividing and sub dividing ourselves into seperated-
>>hyphenated false categories. Then, we can express our diversity and
>>cultural perspective without detracting from the goal of the whole. I
>>will always be a Native- American, A citizen of the United States and a
>>member of the human family and God’s Kingdom. Try to take away or harm
>>any of these parts of me and you will have a fight on your hands. I
>>imagine we all feel the same about this from our own perspective if we
>>have in fact devoted any thought to it. Getting in touch with this root
>>connection of who I am was a potent experience with real spiritual
>>occurances and huge realizations and paradigm shifts. All humanity points
>>toward this same set of truths regardless of the distractions and
>>tragedies of the dark side of human nature. I have something relevant to
>>say on my mind that many of my ancestors died trying to say
>>unsuccessfully.
>> At the moment I am not thinking of theology and metaphysics although I
>>do have a good deal to say about how Jesus reveals himself to my people
>>and the truth Jesus stands for. I am still thinking politics!!!
>> I know, as you do too…no question in my mind about that…that our
>>world is at a huge nexus right now…and in every phase of existence
>>too…especially spiritually. Politics!! Its well known that our
>>nation’s democracy was modeled after the Roman senate, Greek thought and
>>also after models of government exhibited by the Iroquois League of
>>Nations and other tribal governments. The model of government exhibited
>>in much of Native America was designed well enough to last eons. It was
>>more streamlined…more decentralized…more conservative…more
>>balanced…more in line with God’s Law- Natural Law…better suited to
>>humanity and the family structure as well as the food chain. It was also
>>more like what the founding fathers of the United States had in mind.
>>Forget about the fact that it was a long time ago (not really so long) and
>>dealt with fewer people (although in the tens of millions instead of the
>>hundreds of millions) and a different world stage. I’m just tallking about
>>the flow chart like exquisitely simple design of it. Never mind all that
>>other stuff right now. Think about the formula…the model. Its about
>>individual and community rights and responsibilities.
>> Thomas Paine I believe it was (Common Sense?), kind of touched on
>>where I am going with this on the States’ Rights tip. He was also talking
>>about a network of more autonomous communities like I am. Now before you
>>start thinking I’m talking about socialism or liberalism and dismiss it-
>>start thinking about how a system like this would have to be and could be
>>done. I am not such an idealist that I can honestly say that I think my
>>vision OR…the world as it is set up right now is salvagable. I beleive
>>that niether is salvagable without cataclysm to motivate some real
>>paradigm shifts. I also believe we are going to live to see that
>>cataclysm if we are not in fact watching it hatch right now. I am a BIG
>>picture thinker. I am so beyond all this crap we have been bantering
>>about. I am starting to worry less about how much damage Dubya can do
>>(most of his worse gaffes are either failing or are at least exposed) and
>>worry more about what comes about 5 years down the road. We can pull
>>America out of her decaying orbit if more people will get serious and
>>focus. To hell with all this right-left stuff…lets get back to the
>>center…the source. This is what I have been talking about the whole
>>time in a way. Can you see that model in your head? Think about that for
>>a new topic. Our generation’s turn to hold the reigns is coming right up.
>>