Theology of Nuance; Struggling with God and Man and Overcoming

The theme is the temptation to internalize ones focus of “spiritual good”, rather than externalizing selfless love (Agapē). Demons may bend ones thoughts in, towards ourselves and nulify the power of the Holy Spirit.
A very difficult temptation to battle, because it seems that you are attempting to align your thoughts with spiritual matters, however, the focus is always “self”; as in ’self-analysis’.

Our love is not expressed in deeds, therefore, an unexpressed love becomes an aborted love, dead to the needs of others.

The theme of Screwtape’s second letter to Wormwood is a focus of the carnal characteristics of the Church.
The true nature of the Church is spiritual, yet it exists in a material realm, just as humanity does, therefore demons will attempt to direct human focus to these carnal characteristics, and it is in this way, that the carnal representation of the Church may be turned to the advantage of Satan. Mr. Lewis is warning faithful believers to beware of carnal distractions and remain true to God’s holy nature, which is known only by His Holy Spirit.

The first letter from Screwtape, a “senior tempter” or demon, to his nephew and protege, Wormwood.

The theme is “Real life”. Satan directs our attentions to the carnal or “real life” issues.

Mt 19:21 Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me. 22 But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful: for he had great possessions.23 Then said Jesus unto his disciples, Verily I say unto you, That a rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven. 24 And again I say unto you, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.
Is he eternally lost?

Did he die in his sins?

Many folks will tell me that this fellow is lost.
Many folks will say that Jesus has condemned all rich people.
But, I differ fundamentally with the faulty hermeneutics used to put this stake through the souls of so many people.
Look again, at the the passage about the Rich young ruler. Verse 22 says that he went away sorrowful or “sad” because he had great wealth.

Is he sad because he’s rich?
This is not the typical response to having great wealth. Is it?

‘John Doe wins the multi-million dollar lotto, so he goes away sad because he has excessive wealth.’
You just don’t hear this.
My take on this passage is that, the rich man recognizes his deep Spiritual need. In-fact this exchange is the same in all of the synoptic gospel accounts. The man asks Jesus what “he” personally, must do to have eternal life. So, the fellow has a recognition of his need.

Consider this in the context of Mt 5:3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” The young ruler meets this criterion by simply asking the question of Jesus.

Look further, Mt 5:4. “Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.” The young ruler meets this criterion by going away “sad”. He was not sad because he was rich, but rather, because he knew that there was “one thing” that was coming between himself and God.

Jesus has good news for people who are able to recognize such a sad personal state of affairs, “They will be comforted.”

Look at Mt 5:6 “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.” This young man appears to be getting a lot of good news (gospel) from Christ. The rich man clearly, has a deep hunger and thirst for righteousness, because after Jesus tells him a list of things, which he had followed “religiously” the young man didn’t celebrate and hoop-it-up, but instead he recognized he was still lacking something.

This issue could be expanded further by talking about the impossibility of any rich man’s salvation…on his own merits, versus any rich man’s salvation on God’s merits. But, I am hoping you are getting the idea by now, that this young man met Jesus’ stated criteria for being blessed in Mt 5.

Okay, if you still follow me on this. And if you too have felt “sad” that you have not achieved God’s level of excellence, then I am also hoping that you might recognize that your very deep and earnest desire for perfection is the exact same thing to Christ from Mt 5. If you didn’t care, then there would be a problem. But, that’s not the case. The only thing lacking for you, is the answer to yourself of some important questions:

1. Just How Powerful is this Jesus?
2. Is he really able to forgive anything?
3. Can he heal me, personally, for any & all faults?
4. Can He create, in me, a holy and sanctified soul? Despite my failings.

God bless,
DSM

My kids are currently obsessed with the animated movie Robots. If you are familiar with the story I will be brief with my summary.

The lead character, Rodney, grows up at his father’s knee, being encouraged to “follow your dream”. Through the ensuing story we learn that the father had not been so encouraged as a young robot, and therefore, he had compromised his skills and talents to utilitarian expediencies of supporting his wife and son.
The story is generally good and it is very encouraging to young kids.

However, the underlying point that must be taken for granted, is that people will have a clearly defined “dream” or “vision” for their service to their fellow ‘bots’, and by implication to the Creator.
This assumption is not true for most humans; maybe it is different for Robots.

Please consider the following.

When an engineer creates a machine or tool, the tool will reflect a clearly defined “design intent”, this physical appearance will reveal for what the tool is supposed to be used.
For example, an archeologist can easily discern designed intent for an unearthed cup, the same is true for a hand saw or a ladle or spoon.

But, how, specifically, does an individual human reflect the Creator’s design intent?
Any answers?

We are talking about a spiritual element of the Human creation, therefore, any attempts to look for the equivilent of a coffee mug’s handle or a saw blades teeth, simply won’t work.

Robots is a cute movie, but our physical lives as homo-sapiens does not so easily reveal God’s will or “vision/dream” function.
Therefore, the overarching role, which we are to play in God’s scheme, must always be subjectively discerned, so long as God refuses to reveal specific details to us directly, e.g. by speaking via burning bushes or by speaking from bright lights that surround us.

It is always the case that people look for signs of God’s plan for us, personally or individually. And it is from the various signs we see, that we will be shaken to the core periodically, because we attempt to apply our interpretation of events to God’s eternal plan.

So here is an all too common scenario…;

I have a “vision” of God’s purpose for me. My interpretation of “God’s Plan” for me is confirmed by subsequent anecdotal evidence. Yet the dream suddenly becomes a “nightmare” and God’s purpose, which had been so clearly perceived just moments before, now becomes apparent chaos, and leaves me attempting to make new order out of the fragmentation of my vision.

Humans are utterly blind to the Father’s specific and detailed plans for each individual self. I am walking blindly into the future. I sometimes bump into walls of chaos, pain and confusion; and sometimes I slip comfortably down corridors of peace, pleasure and tranquility. Yet, neither the chaos nor the tranquility reveals anything about my true and detailed mission as an individual.

Jesus Christ said that many details are only known by the Father (Mark 13:32). So all the conjecture about detailed “vision” of my purpose will only create faith struggles when a new ‘wall of chaos’ jumps out of my future and smacks me squarely in the middle of my“dream”.
The scriptures tell us the beginning of the story is “Here” and the end of the story is “There”, but only this one thing matters, between the “Here and There”; TRUST God the Father through the valley of the shadow of death. He will see you safely through to the other side, PERIOD

Good advice is good advice, but so far as I can tell my purpose is to get a loaf of bread and a gallon of milk and to glorify Jesus to whomever I meet along the way.

What I am attempting to say, is that I need not know the Father’s detailed and specific will for my life.

I have not read The Purpose Driven Life by Dr. Rick Warren, so I am not commenting on his view per se. But rather, I am saying that our “Purpose” is a simple one that does not require that we find some new and innovative way to discern the will of the Father, e.g. high powered tea leaves for divining God’s mind.

We can pick-up trash laying on the ground at the filling station, while we fill up our automobile, and in so doing bring high honor to Jesus. Its just that simple. Anytime we humble ourselves in service to someone else, we have fulfilled our Purpose.
Nothing here, in my opinion, requires more ‘how to’ books by T.D. Jakes, Joel Olstien, Dr. Joyce Meyers or ________ _____ (fill-in the blank).
Just study the life of Christ and His early disciples and then put into practice what you find, voilà you have fulfilled God’s vision and His will.

Knowledge has value.

However, being tempted by the desire to possess knowledge of God’s will & purpose is a trap for me.

I have already been snared by the devil’s scheme. This trap is the same pitfall that captured the hearts of Adam & Eve.

Remember that episode; the serpent tells us to partake of the fruit of knowledge and then we can be like God, by knowing His will.
Being aware of the Father’s detailed plans is irrelevant; it is enough for me to know that God has given His Word to me and for me.

So, in the here and now, I must trust.

It’s not so romantic to think that God’s will is for me to pick up garbage beside a gas pump.
I’d rather dream about having some grand and noble purpose that will set me in a spotlight of creative history, but that is simply not God’s way.

If I want to fulfill my mission and purpose I must set aside those carnal desires for greatness in “my vision”, and instead become humble like the Lord.

And by the way, this doesn’t mean that I have to like the Father’s plan either. Take note that Jesus Christ, the very Son of God and Creator, prayed “let this cup pass from me”, which necessarily implies, that even the Son of God didn’t like the Fathers plan.

My purpose is not discernable.

That is my conclusion of the matter.

God bless,

DSM

(Francisco de Goya. St. Peter Repentant. c. 1823-25.)

(I am posting this for a fellow follower of Christ, who has been forsaken by God. I know that your questions will not be answered in this post, however, I believe that each follower of Christ should ask this question and not just pretend to be a superman or wonder-woman, when it comes to trusting God. At some time in our lives, we will each come face to face with our break-point. The adversary will ask the Father for permission to sift us as wheat. We must remember that Jesus is praying for us, just as He did for Simon Peter; “But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren.” So to my dear friend and the one to whom I have spoken about the trial that you are currently facing, please consider the following words from Luke 22:32, “when you have repented and turned to me again, strengthen and build up your brothers.” I do not know why God does the things He does, but the ultimate purpose must be from Jesus exhortation to Peter. We must prepare to ’strengthen and build up our brothers and sisters in faith.’)

You may be able to tell by recent posts, the past several weeks have been difficult for my faith.
As I write, my father-in-law is still in a coma from the auto accident of April 29. God has preserved Gary and has sustained him and our family, thus far.

I will not give any further details of my personal pain, however, I will confess that I am aware that my struggles are surely not worth comparing to those struggles of many, who read this post.

Pain & grief is relative to each person, so there is not a quantitative standard to measure what should be categorized as “big” or “small” pain & grief.

And to this point, we should consider that many “small” griefs, which are placed on a person will build stress until a “break-point” may be reached, and when the day comes, it seems that the collapse of ones faith came over “nothing”.

With this single little grief that may push us past our break-point, it may seem insignificant to our own heart. Therefore, we tend to feel guilty or foolish. Thus, we may not allow ourselves to admit that we are facing our personal ‘Crossing of the Rubicon’, as regards our faith.

The purpose for this essay is to encourage each reader to take hold of all opportunities to face personal griefs and suffering. God will be glorified and the adversary will be weakened when we continue the struggle in faith.

The question that is the title of this post, exposes the value, which our adversary sees within pain, grief, and suffering. Satan sees these small sufferings and big griefs, through a single lens, that purpose is; “Does this grief move D.S. Martin closer to giving up his faith?”

There is nothing painful in life that cannot be seen with the understanding, that the adversary wishes to use it for driving a wedge between us and God. (Genesis 3:5 “God knows that your eyes will be opened when you eat it. You will become just like God, knowing everything, both good and evil.”
Holy Bible : New Living Translation. 1997 . Tyndale House: Wheaton, Ill.)

From the above passage we can paraphrase the adversary by saying ‘God’s heart is not good. Men & Women shouldn’t trust I Am.’ And God is portrayed as an enemy of Man, because of a very attractive fruit tree in the Garden of Eden.

The fall of mankind and all subsequent pain, murders, wars, child abuse, etc. are all brought about by the simple fruit tree in the middle of the garden. Seems like a petty thing, yet Eve and Adam distrusted God’s will and holy nature, because of that tree, which had implied meaning to them, that He was keeping the “good stuff” from them. They were too presumptive, for their own good!

Also however, there is nothing difficult in life that cannot be seen with I Am’s sole purpose of building perseverance in faith. We might paraphrase this as God saying; “Don’t give up. Just stay with me David Martin, and you will see how much I love you. Trust me with more than your heart, and I will give you more than life.”

Please remember the Lord’s words to Peter (Luke22:31-32 And the Lord said, “Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat: 32 But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren.”Emphasis added.)

So if you have not thought about the question, you may be sure of this, your adversary has considered it, and he will ask the Father on some day when you think, as did Peter; “Lord, I am ready to go with thee, both into prison, and to death.”

Peter had only considered two possible negative outcomes for faith in I Am; loss of freedom and death.

Have you given up everything as Peter had done?

1. Have you left your home and business for plans of glory in service to God?
2. Have you spent years in preparation for the work of the Creator of heaven and earth?
3. Have you betrayed the expectations of your father and mother, by declining to take up the family business and carry on the name your parents gave you at birth?
4. And finally, have you had everything, everything, everything, crash in on your very soul and crush your hopes and dreams?

Well, don’t forget that this all happened to Peter.

• Matthew 4, 18 One day as Jesus was walking along the shore beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers—Simon, also called Peter, and Andrew—fishing with a net, for they were commercial fishermen. 19 Jesus called out to them, “Come, be my disciples, and I will show you how to fish for people!” 20 And they left their nets at once and went with him. Jesus called him from his home, from his parents, from his business, from his whole life. It was all given up because of Simon’s unwavering faith in Jesus the Messiah.
• 17 Jesus replied, “You are blessed, Simon son of John, because my Father in heaven has revealed this to you. You did not learn this from any human being. 18 Now I say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church, and all the powers of hell will not conquer it. 19 And I will give you the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven. Whatever you lock on earth will be locked in heaven, and whatever you open on earth will be opened in heaven.” Jesus took Simon’s name. The proud name that was ‘Simon’, which came from his parents, now becomes “Peter”. When translated, Simon’s new name is “Stone/boulder”.
• Simon and brother Andrew are the first disciples to sign-on with the Messiah. They spend the next three years in training to do exactly what Jesus told them in the above passage from Matthew 4:19 “…and I will make you fishers of men.”
• Matthew 26:50 Jesus said, “My friend, go ahead and do what you have come for.” Then the others grabbed Jesus and arrested him…. 56 But this is all happening to fulfill the words of the prophets as recorded in the Scriptures.” At that point, all the disciples deserted him and fled. …66 What is your verdict?” “Guilty!” they shouted. “He must die!” 67 Then they spit in Jesus’ face and hit him with their fists. And some slapped him, 68 saying, “Prophesy to us, you Messiah! Who hit you that time?”…
  69 Meanwhile, as Peter was sitting outside in the courtyard, a servant girl came over and said to him, “You were one of those with Jesus the Galilean.”
  70 But Peter denied it in front of everyone. “I don’t know what you are talking about,” he said.
  71 Later, out by the gate, another servant girl noticed him and said to those standing around, “This man was with Jesus of Nazareth.”
  72 Again Peter denied it, this time with an oath. “I don’t even know the man,” he said.
  73 A little later some other bystanders came over to him and said, “You must be one of them; we can tell by your Galilean accent.”
  74 Peter said, “I swear by God, I don’t know the man.” And immediately the rooster crowed. 75 Suddenly, Jesus’ words flashed through Peter’s mind: “Before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times.” And he went away, crying bitterly…Matthew 27:21 So when the governor asked again, “Which of these two do you want me to release to you?” the crowd shouted back their reply: “Barabbas!” 22 “But if I release Barabbas,” Pilate asked them, “what should I do with Jesus who is called the Messiah?”
  And they all shouted, “Crucify him!” 23 “Why?” Pilate demanded. “What crime has he committed?” But the crowd only roared the louder, “Crucify him!”.

I should probably keep going with the brutal beating that Peter’s “Messiah” took. I might tell you about Peter’s Rabbi being treated with contempt as he is spat upon. I could recite the mocking that was bestowed upon Peter’s “King”, with a crown of thorns. Is it necessary to tell you about the torturous death that Peter’s God suffered at the hands of Roman/”gentile dogs”? Does anyone not know about Peter’s master receiving a Roman lance through his heart?

• So, let me ask the question again; At what point will you abandon your faith?
• If your husband or wife leaves you; will that turn you against God?
• If your son or daughter is harmed; will that turn your heart against the Father?
• If your mother or father abandons you; would that push you over the break-point?
• If you lost your job, money, family, purpose, & hope; would you then, tell God to shove-off?

In my opinion, it is better to ask the questions when things are going well, rather than to wait and deal with it on the adversary’s terms.

God bless,

DSM

(Part Two)

The family, and how it is a symbol for the unity of God.
There is so very much in this thesis.
If…, this is true, it could help us to understand why the family is threatened by so many temptations.

Consider just a few things that the world can offer us to break the husband’s unity with his wife.

• workaholic/careers threaten it
• pornography threatens it
• blogging threatens it
• infidelity threatens it
• Sports and Recreation threatens it
• Alcohol and chemical dependency threatens it
• Motorcycles threaten it
• Hotrod cars threaten it
• Anything that we can imagine threatens the unity of the Wife and Husband

As a symbol, Satan might see the family as a physical representation of God’s nature.
Therefore, when Satan succeeds in breaking the unity of families, he might view this as a victory over his enemy, God.
It explains Jesus’ words against divorce in Matthew 19

• ·3 Some Pharisees came and tried to trap him with this question: “Should a man be allowed to divorce his wife for any reason?”
• ·4 “Haven’t you read the Scriptures?” Jesus replied. “They record that from the beginning ‘God made them male and female.’
• ·5 And he said, ‘This explains why a man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two are united into one.’
• ·6 Since they are no longer two but one, let no one separate them, for God has joined them together.”

Note that Jesus does, in-fact, make use of the same language that is recorded in Deuteronomy 6 about Yahweh being One.

This passage in Deuteronomy is difficult for many Christians to understand or explain. But, in the context of a family, we may see a clearer picture of what the Lord intended by the statement found in this Old Testament passage. Look again, and compare/contrast the wording from the old 1901 American Standard Version to the King James Version.

• ·4Hear, O Israel: Jehovah our God is one Jehovah: ASV
• ·4 Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD: KJV

ASV is a more accurate interpretation of the Hebrew text. The name “Jehovah” that is used by the American Standard Version is carried over from the original German translation, instead of spelling it phonetically.

Therefore, just as the spelled name “John” in Dutch or German is pronounced “Yon” and “William” is pronounced “Villhelm”, we see why Jehovah could alternately be pronounced “Yahweh”. With these differences understood, the ASV is far more accurate in showing that ‘Yahweh is one Yahweh’ or ‘Jehovah is one Jehovah’.

There are three individuals (Holy Spirit, Father, and Son) but only One Yahweh.
The Family of Yahweh may be the most simple way to understand & explain the nature of God.

As an analogy, we might consider personal examples of very strong, even “unified” families. If one is insulted then all are insulted. If you honor one family member then all are honored.

My wife often teaches a weekly Ladies Bible class, people will approach me at worship and tell me how “wonderful” and “inspiring” she is to them. This is an honor to me. I feel 10′ tall, when people tell me about Molly’s gift and the encouragement that she is to them. Molly is an extension of David, therefore I am being complimented, when I receive praise for my wife.

This is not so difficult for us to understand. How many mothers & fathers will beam with pride, as they see their son throw a game-winning touchdown pass or hear their daughter play a flawless piano recital.

We, as parents, know that when our daughters and sons are recognized for special honor, we ourselves are honored.

The underlying Unity between the wife-mother, husband-father, & son/daughter is present in the Trinity. When we accept God’s Holy Spirit, offered by Jesus Christ, we obtain the power to overcome the devil’s scheme to break up the unity of family.

We must accept our role in the symbol of Marriage & Family, however, because when we accept this mission, we have the unique position of fighting the devil on God’s terms, i.e. the terms of Holy Unity, instead of fighting him on his terms, i.e. self-gratification (a.k.a. pride).

*_____*

Back to the scenario that I laid out in my preceding post, concerning God’s creation plan and Satan’s diabolical scheme, it involves some supposition from scripture and from life experiences.

I may be wrong or right.

But, one key debate that I faced was not addressed in the comments to the post. The issue was about Satan’s creation timing. The common supposition is always that Satan was created at the same time that the physical universe was created. But, this cannot be supported by scripture. It is not mentioned, when the devil was created.

The typical texts from Isaiah or Ezekiel or Revelation do not state anything about Satan’s origination. But, since no one has mentioned these passages I won’t go into them now.

But, if I am wrong please show my error, by writing and posting.

Nevertheless, the creation described in Genesis 1 and 2 is a physical creation of the Cosmos. And we needn’t presume that all spiritual beings were created at the same time as the physical Cosmos.

Furthermore, I might point out that the use of the term “time” is utterly useless prior to the physical Cosmos, because time is inextricably linked with space and matter, which are not spiritual, but rather, are carnal.

I will pick-up again later. The time is late for a physical being such as I am.

(TO BE CONTINUED)

God Bless,

DSM

There have been some issues, about which I have written, in many small snigglet-sized thoughts, through many of my essays, but have never addressed directly.
The nature of the family is one such issue.

All human cultures have at their basic civil organization (a.k.a civilization), the family.

The “family” is, in my opinion, the government of humankind, in its most elemental form, and is designed to be so, by the Creator.
God has imbued the institution of “family” with His holy nature of union.

I am convinced that the family is a holy & symbolic representation of the relationship, which exists in Yahweh our God. You may recall that I have written about this in other essays in the past.

While many disciples are reticent to say this, my wife among them, I am comfortable in saying the Trinity represents all positions in a loving and functional family.
Holy Spirit, Father and Son, are symbolically represented by mom, dad, and child, respectively.

I hope to receive opposing opinions on this.
And to the opposing argument, I recognize that Holy Spirit is never referenced as “mother”.
I further recognize that Holy Spirit is always referenced by the use of the masculine pronoun, “he”.
However, I am not saying that God is anything physical.
“Religious” people who think it wise to rewrite the bible, and thus remove all gender from the scriptures, which references God, bemuse me.
However, to be fair, those who think that God is a physical man (”He”) also bewilder me.

I should be clear on what I am saying.

Jesus the Messiah was a physical man, but he is no longer a physical man. (If you have questions about this look at 1 Corinthians 15:35-58, specifically note verses 49 - 50; “49 And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly. 50 Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.”)

If you are reading this, and you are reluctant to consider the notion that the “family” is a physical symbol, which represents the holy Spiritual relationship with and between the individuals who compose the Trinity of God, then imagine this scenario for a few minutes.

1. The almighty Creator, who is made up of three separate and distinct individuals, determines that “He” wants to share & participate in love (Agapē) with a created being.
2. However there are preexisting created beings, which are not invited to participate in this union between Creator and creation.
3. These preexisting created beings are spiritual, but are not participants inside the holy union of the Spiritual Creator.
4. As the Creator completes His plan for a new type of creation, which is not an exclusively spiritual nature, some of those beings, which were created before the new creation, become jealous about the interlopers, who are designed “in the image of the Creator” and for the purpose of union with the Creator.
5. The chief executive officer (CEO) of the created spiritual beings is given a responsibility for the new creation and the divine reflections, which inhabit it. This “prosecutor/constable” is also given the power to imbibe the physical creation, however this power is available only through the consent and will of the corporeal beings.
6. For an unknown price, a certain corporeal being agrees to grant the “constable” the use of its body and form, for the purpose of interacting directly with the divine copies.
7. The jealousy of the spiritual CEO comes to culmination, as the constable/prosecutor of the created spiritual realm actually encourages the divine images to forsake their betrothal with the Creator. The constable engages in an act of legal “entrapment”.
8. As the Man and Woman take the forbidden fruit, they fulfill the constables hope and dash the Creator’s great dream of a marriage between God and humanity, or more properly the Son of God and mankind.
9. The Almighty God & Host of Heaven, Yahweh, has been thwarted by an unholy alliance between a created spirit, Satan, and created corporeal, the Serpent.
10. All Humankind are dupes for the dope of the spiritual war that rages.
11. The dope of the spiritual war, is pride. And Adam and Eve took it in. They breathed these fowl emanations into their hearts and minds before the fruit ever touched their lips, even before the fruit was plucked from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. They doubted the love (Agapē) that was promised by the Creator.
12. The Creator, however, knew everything before it ever happened. And, He had a plan for the renewal of the marriage vow between humanity and Himself. (THE CREATOR CANNOT BE THWARTED. Because, LOVE NEVER FAILS. ·

1 Corinthians 13:7,8: Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance. Love will last forever,…

(TO BE CONTINUED)

God bless,

DSM

Masks have uses, but they are rarely for good, El Zorro, Spiderman & the Lone Ranger notwithstanding.

• In my experience, when a person needs a mask to hide his identity, it means one thing and one thing only; he is up to no good.

• I know that this is common now, and these avatars are offered everywhere you turn when online. But, when I first saw this in the mid ’90’s and attempted to use it, I began to see the dangers of chatting as an alter ego or more accurately as a pseudo-ego. I could step outside of myself and be anyone & say anything in anonymity.

• I quickly left the virtual chat room; because I recognized the potential for moral harm to myself, this was the only time that I have used the online ‘chat room’ forum. When one is hidden behind a façade, anything goes. People may take on the ego of a little boy, a little girl, a hypersexual femme fatale, or a big burly & muscular man. The only limits to a person’s avatar are the programming options that these various companies offer.

• I am sure some will say ‘It’s harmless fun.’ Or ‘they are just cartoons, so, what’s the big deal.’

• When these men are back in civilian life it happens occasionally, when a threat to a family member requires them to “switch on” in order to neutralize the threat. Family members will comment about the man, that he was ‘like a different person.’

• Police officers will often have difficulty moving from peaceful home life to the high stress of daily patrol. Police see us at our worst. If I am pulled over for speeding, it’s not a good experience for me and the officer is likely to hear things that is not me being my best. So, Police will “switch on” when on duty and be a different person when at home or with family.

• Finally, there is the life and times of Sacha Baron Cohen (a.k.a. Borat). Folks around the world are debating the good or bad of Borat. I am not going to debate about the fictional character. However, I will note something that Mr. Baron Cohen said in his interview with Rolling Stone Magazine. I will paraphrase Mr. Baron Cohen’s remarks. He said that he would not be able to do and say the things that Borat does and says. He indicated that he must get into character, so that he could behave boorishly and treat people with such contempt.

• Please note that Mr. Baron Cohen must “switch on” in order to do the things that he does. Actors such as Mr. Baron Cohen call it “getting into character.”

• If I must “get into character” or change my appearance & name to Borat in order to say things that are immoral, inappropriate, embarrassing, exploitive, and vulgar; then why is this a “good” thing? Why is this a skill that should be lauded? If I must hide behind a pseudo-ego to hurt people or “reveal” peoples ugly side, am I less ugly? Are those people made more noble by my masquerade?

• A mask rightly arouses suspicion for the person’s character, who hides his identity. And a prosecutor or law enforcement officer who surreptitiously encourages me to commit illegal acts will be guilty of entrapment, even if I am shown to be a lawbreaker.

• I submit to you, that Mr. Sasha Baron Cohen is that prosecutor. Therefore, even if the rest of the world is sullied, it is so sullied because Mr. Baron Cohen encouraged it for his pleasure as Borat, and his personal gain as Sasha Baron Cohen.
• Incidentally, the above right picture is a true representation of real Kazakhs, not the debased mythical ones that exist primarily in the mind of Mr. Sasha Baron Cohen.