Testimony ministries
Exhomosexual
2016.08.20 08:43 ManOfTheInBetween Exhomosexual
We believe that sexuality is a behavior that can change! You don't have to live with an attraction that you don't want to have.
2024.05.19 21:30 lizatethecigarettes [Christians only] How do I gain the courage to share my testimony?
I have many testimonies because I'm 42 yo. But I came to Christ at a very young age, which is a testimony in and of itself but I still had times in my life where I willingly made choices to sin against God. Most of it was related to sexual sin. And it wasn't a time where I rejected God or walked away from Him or doubted Him. And it was obviously after I came to Christ. But it was pockets of time of this rebellion, followed by repentance.
How can I share that? Most of the time it was happening, I was in leadership in ministry. It's shameful. I've been married for many years now. It no longer has a place in my life. But I'm so ashamed. And even my friends and family do not know this part of my life. Only my husband.
So how can I share?
Also, part of my testimony is how God taught me forgiveness at a young age when a family member sexually abused me. I really want to share this testimony. I will be at a ministry with teens soon, where there will be opportunities for the leaders to share testimonies. Many of them have been sexually abused and are struggling with forgiveness. But no one in my family knows this happened to me except my parents and my husband. (FYI, I told my parents soon after it happened when I was a child and they immediately delt with it and protected me. It never happened again. The person who did it to me is now dead.) But even though my family won't be at this teen ministry I'll be at, I'm still scared my brothers will some day find out, also my cousins and my aunts. But I think it's important to share what God has done.
So how do I do this? My past sexual sin was surrounded by secrets and darkness. Should I share? Or do I just FEEL like I should, but I shouldn't?
submitted by lizatethecigarettes to TrueChristian [link] [comments]
How can I share that? Most of the time it was happening, I was in leadership in ministry. It's shameful. I've been married for many years now. It no longer has a place in my life. But I'm so ashamed. And even my friends and family do not know this part of my life. Only my husband.
So how can I share?
Also, part of my testimony is how God taught me forgiveness at a young age when a family member sexually abused me. I really want to share this testimony. I will be at a ministry with teens soon, where there will be opportunities for the leaders to share testimonies. Many of them have been sexually abused and are struggling with forgiveness. But no one in my family knows this happened to me except my parents and my husband. (FYI, I told my parents soon after it happened when I was a child and they immediately delt with it and protected me. It never happened again. The person who did it to me is now dead.) But even though my family won't be at this teen ministry I'll be at, I'm still scared my brothers will some day find out, also my cousins and my aunts. But I think it's important to share what God has done.
So how do I do this? My past sexual sin was surrounded by secrets and darkness. Should I share? Or do I just FEEL like I should, but I shouldn't?
2024.05.18 11:41 LawsickP Furina and the Prodigal Son: How Genshin Impact Led Me Back Home to the Catholic Church
Hello. I posted a meme in the Catholic Memes subreddit with a Genshin Impact meme template, and I felt moved when I shared a testimony, and it was taken well. So, I want to share a more in-depth story as someone who used to simply just be a lukewarm cultural Catholic, because having played Genshin Impact and meeting Furina moved me in a way no other fictional character ever had. It was a time when I started to notice God’s love more clearly. I did not expect to feel God’s love over a Chinese anime gacha game. I did not expect to be so moved to the point it served as a road for me to return to the One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church that I drifted apart from for almost a decade.
I will only enter a Church if I am convinced with reason, and because I learned Catholic theology and am convinced by apologetics (by listening to and reading the works of different Catholic apologists, from Saint Thomas Aquinas to Trent Horn), I was already won over by the Catholic Church in the battle for reason. This time, I want to share another aspect of my faith journey, not focusing too much on apologetics.
Spoiler warning: Particularly, major story details regarding the Fontaine Archon Quest (Archon Quest, Chapter 4) and Act 1 of Furina’s story quest, all from Genshin Impact, are present.
Part I: The World as Theater
I was the type to be convinced through reason, and I always thought faith and reason must be intertwined. With how Catholicism handles truth (including morality) rigorously, I knew that the Church is beautiful for that: in fact, many of the greatest Western scientists in history are Catholic. Yet even as I learned Catholic theology, I still felt separate from the Church even though I had a great deal of respect for it.
I found Furina to have lived virtually her entire life as an "actor," and the entire world was a stage to her. To save the nation of Fontaine (based on France), her nation, from destruction, she had to deceive her own people into believing her to be the Hydro Archon, a god who rules over that water nation. This is part of a plan to subvert a prophecy that will engulf Fontaine in a flood of Primordial Seawater that kills all Fontainians who touch it, but the full details are beyond the scope of this post. And as such, she lived for 500 years building her image as a "perfect goddess." Virtually Furina's entire life involves her putting up a mask. However, regardless of intent, having to live a lie is a painful experience to behold, and Furina would cry herself to sleep over her loneliness.
The masquerade worked on the player, as throughout the beginning of the Fontaine Archon Quest (Archon Quest, Chapter 4, Act 1), we see Furina as bratty, flamboyant mascot of the nation. A superstar that citizens would pay to see. However, we eventually learn Furina to be a flawed human, and not the perfect archon as what is conveyed in her public image. The citizens also found out about it in her court trial, where she was tried by her own people to check if she’s the Hydro Archon.
Though the prophecy was subverted in a way that the citizens were still saved anyway, Furina nevertheless was disheartened as she went through years and years of failure, where she felt she didn’t do enough to save the citizens of Fontaine. After all, there were still those whose lives were claimed by the Primordial Seawater, most notably in the flooding incident at Poisson Village. After Fontaine was saved, she felt she no longer had any use, for in her eyes, the Fontainians are angry at her because their beloved “Hydro Archon” did nothing. But Furina felt liberated in the sense that she can now live her life again in a way that she does not have to please the world.
Furina as depicted in the music video “End of All” by Aimer. In that scene (Archon Quest, Chapter 4, Act 5), the player “watches” the daily life of Furina in the form of a stage play. By day, she plays the role of a superstar. By night, she feels powerless in her attempt to stop the prophecy, and because she cannot tell anyone about the truth, she cries herself to sleep. A daily cycle that goes for 500 years. Before going to sleep, Furina ends each day with the following words: “So interminable… so lonely… how much longer?” When I played through this scene in the game, I felt this to be one of the most painful I have ever went through in fiction. And that's because I can see myself in Furina.
Part II: Walking With the Little Oceanid
What pushed away from the Church was that I suffered from scrupulosity over sin. In fact, it was only this year that I learned there is a word for that. I had a period of contemplating about the Catholic faith last March, and I felt deeply conscious about the sins I have made over the past years. I took a visit to my school’s local campus ministry one day, and I had a conversation with a minister there. At that time, I felt a longing to return to God and a desire to be loved. The minister had me read The Parable of the Prodigal Son (Luke 15:11-32), and it was a very familiar parable to me, but it made me remember when one of my past theology instructors would love to talk about this parable to remind us that God loved us first, even if we don’t love Him back, and even if we do not love ourselves. When I cried reading that parable again, I felt similar feelings to what I felt when playing through Furina’s story.
At some point earlier in my life, I studied the teachings of Saint Ignatius of Loyola, including that we can find God in all things. Thus, I wonder if introducing me to Furina was God’s way of comforting me and attempting me to bring me home. How God exactly worked behind the scenes, I admit that I have no answer to that, but I nevertheless appreciate the talents of the artists and writers at Hoyoverse to make this possible. It is interesting because I have sidelined God from my life for years and could not remember the last time I fully enjoyed praying before then. What is amazing is how Furina was also that one character I anticipated the longest for her release, as I saved almost an entire year’s worth of Primogems (in-game currency used to get characters) patiently waiting for her release because I was excited ever since her design was revealed. At the time of this writing, she’s my most-invested character in terms of Primogems.
A lot of Genshin Impact players would point out various Biblical references in the Fontaine Archon Quest (like original sin and salvation), and some would say Furina and Focalors are a reference to the Holy Trinity. However, when I walked with Furina, she also reminded me of the Prodigal Son. Furina may be resilient, but she also desires to be loved despite her imperfections, just like I do. So for a time, I had Furina keeping me company while I play.
Part III: The Return Home
On the fourth week last March, I went to confession for the first time in seven years: it was one scheduled after my confessor had presided in a Mass. I felt deterred at first to go to confession, especially since I had bad experiences of confiding in people who will just betray my trust. And that’s why I sympathize with Furina when she was secretive about her own faults. Perhaps it made me appreciate the Seal of the Confessional even more: when you enter the confessional and mention your sins out loud, you are not speaking to the priest directly; you are speaking to Christ who is acting through the priest. The priest is In Persona Christi, and it’s something a lot of lukewarm Catholics forget about. If ever we are lonely like Furina, we have a place to feel safe in God’s embrace. The seal exists to ensure that our loving relationship with God is respected, and that we no longer have to fear like Furina did. I was in the confessional for about half an hour, but that day was the day I knew I was back at home, the same home I ran away from even though I have claimed to belong there. I was lost, but now I was found.
The Church is a hospital for sinners, and not a club for saints. I fell out of the Church when I treated it like a club for saints when I was younger.
Epilogue
I now go to confession monthly (at minimum), attend Mass weekly, and I also pray the rosary daily. I also started to appreciate receiving the Eucharist by the tongue. A few people I talk to have said that my faith in God and my prayer habits have helped me be more optimistic and mentally resilient. I think they’re right, and I hardly feel lonely anymore. Living without God (and my Heavenly Family, which includes Mary and the saints) felt like Hell on Earth.
As a disclaimer, the only god I worship is our Lord, and I don’t use fictional characters as a substitute for a relationship with God, haha. But I hope I have enlightened you on why I appreciate Furina a lot, for no fictional character has ever touched my heart as she did. I felt like I was sailing in a lost ship, and God just placed a lighthouse in the middle of the ocean to help me navigate the fog and return to Him. I will be forever grateful to God for setting up the stage to get me to know Furina because she reminds me a lot about myself and the Prodigal Son. I felt like reflecting as I walk with Furina was very helpful in softening my heart to receive God’s love and mercy.
I always had doubts being initiated into a church I am hesitant to commit to. And now those doubts are gone, I am happy to say that I hope to be confirmed into the Catholic Church this year.
submitted by LawsickP to Catholicism [link] [comments]
I will only enter a Church if I am convinced with reason, and because I learned Catholic theology and am convinced by apologetics (by listening to and reading the works of different Catholic apologists, from Saint Thomas Aquinas to Trent Horn), I was already won over by the Catholic Church in the battle for reason. This time, I want to share another aspect of my faith journey, not focusing too much on apologetics.
Spoiler warning: Particularly, major story details regarding the Fontaine Archon Quest (Archon Quest, Chapter 4) and Act 1 of Furina’s story quest, all from Genshin Impact, are present.
Part I: The World as Theater
I was the type to be convinced through reason, and I always thought faith and reason must be intertwined. With how Catholicism handles truth (including morality) rigorously, I knew that the Church is beautiful for that: in fact, many of the greatest Western scientists in history are Catholic. Yet even as I learned Catholic theology, I still felt separate from the Church even though I had a great deal of respect for it.
I found Furina to have lived virtually her entire life as an "actor," and the entire world was a stage to her. To save the nation of Fontaine (based on France), her nation, from destruction, she had to deceive her own people into believing her to be the Hydro Archon, a god who rules over that water nation. This is part of a plan to subvert a prophecy that will engulf Fontaine in a flood of Primordial Seawater that kills all Fontainians who touch it, but the full details are beyond the scope of this post. And as such, she lived for 500 years building her image as a "perfect goddess." Virtually Furina's entire life involves her putting up a mask. However, regardless of intent, having to live a lie is a painful experience to behold, and Furina would cry herself to sleep over her loneliness.
The masquerade worked on the player, as throughout the beginning of the Fontaine Archon Quest (Archon Quest, Chapter 4, Act 1), we see Furina as bratty, flamboyant mascot of the nation. A superstar that citizens would pay to see. However, we eventually learn Furina to be a flawed human, and not the perfect archon as what is conveyed in her public image. The citizens also found out about it in her court trial, where she was tried by her own people to check if she’s the Hydro Archon.
Though the prophecy was subverted in a way that the citizens were still saved anyway, Furina nevertheless was disheartened as she went through years and years of failure, where she felt she didn’t do enough to save the citizens of Fontaine. After all, there were still those whose lives were claimed by the Primordial Seawater, most notably in the flooding incident at Poisson Village. After Fontaine was saved, she felt she no longer had any use, for in her eyes, the Fontainians are angry at her because their beloved “Hydro Archon” did nothing. But Furina felt liberated in the sense that she can now live her life again in a way that she does not have to please the world.
Furina as depicted in the music video “End of All” by Aimer. In that scene (Archon Quest, Chapter 4, Act 5), the player “watches” the daily life of Furina in the form of a stage play. By day, she plays the role of a superstar. By night, she feels powerless in her attempt to stop the prophecy, and because she cannot tell anyone about the truth, she cries herself to sleep. A daily cycle that goes for 500 years. Before going to sleep, Furina ends each day with the following words: “So interminable… so lonely… how much longer?” When I played through this scene in the game, I felt this to be one of the most painful I have ever went through in fiction. And that's because I can see myself in Furina.
Part II: Walking With the Little Oceanid
“If you become human, you can reveal your secret to no one. You will face suffering and loneliness. Is this what you truly want?” (Animula Choragi Chapter, Act 1: The Little Oceanid)I was excited when the Fontaine region came out, and even knew I wanted to get Furina as soon as news of her character design was made public. I hardly cry for a fictional character, but when I do, it was merely crying for said character. But when I witnessed Furina’s antics in the events of the game, and eventually walked with her through her struggles, my experience was different because I cried together with her and sharing the same pain. Furina is someone I could relate to a lot as someone who felt imperfect and broken. As a student who experienced Impostor Syndrome, I felt like I had to meet societal expectations in the discipline I am specializing in (I study math), or that I am not doing enough. Furina and I chased for a desire to be simultaneously honest and be loved. That was why I felt so happy getting to know Furina, and why I regard her as a comfort character. It significantly helped that I liked her design and other fun aspects of her personality, particularly her cuteness and her wit. At that time, and even as I played Genshin Impact especially since I have Furina in my party, I had a great feeling of inner peace and comfort. When I finished the final act of the Fontaine Archon Quest, I fondly remember that Sunday last November because although I was not a weekly mass-goer yet, I felt so moved to attend Mass that day. Yet back then, I did not understand exactly what made me go.
What pushed away from the Church was that I suffered from scrupulosity over sin. In fact, it was only this year that I learned there is a word for that. I had a period of contemplating about the Catholic faith last March, and I felt deeply conscious about the sins I have made over the past years. I took a visit to my school’s local campus ministry one day, and I had a conversation with a minister there. At that time, I felt a longing to return to God and a desire to be loved. The minister had me read The Parable of the Prodigal Son (Luke 15:11-32), and it was a very familiar parable to me, but it made me remember when one of my past theology instructors would love to talk about this parable to remind us that God loved us first, even if we don’t love Him back, and even if we do not love ourselves. When I cried reading that parable again, I felt similar feelings to what I felt when playing through Furina’s story.
At some point earlier in my life, I studied the teachings of Saint Ignatius of Loyola, including that we can find God in all things. Thus, I wonder if introducing me to Furina was God’s way of comforting me and attempting me to bring me home. How God exactly worked behind the scenes, I admit that I have no answer to that, but I nevertheless appreciate the talents of the artists and writers at Hoyoverse to make this possible. It is interesting because I have sidelined God from my life for years and could not remember the last time I fully enjoyed praying before then. What is amazing is how Furina was also that one character I anticipated the longest for her release, as I saved almost an entire year’s worth of Primogems (in-game currency used to get characters) patiently waiting for her release because I was excited ever since her design was revealed. At the time of this writing, she’s my most-invested character in terms of Primogems.
A lot of Genshin Impact players would point out various Biblical references in the Fontaine Archon Quest (like original sin and salvation), and some would say Furina and Focalors are a reference to the Holy Trinity. However, when I walked with Furina, she also reminded me of the Prodigal Son. Furina may be resilient, but she also desires to be loved despite her imperfections, just like I do. So for a time, I had Furina keeping me company while I play.
Part III: The Return Home
“God loves us; we need only to summon up the humility to allow ourselves to be loved.”I believe that if there is one thing to be learned from Furina, it is humility, the mother of all virtues. C.S. Lewis describes humility as “not thinking less of yourself; it is thinking of yourself less.” I am amazed by Furina’s character arc and how much she grows even at the conclusion of the Fontaine Archon Quest. Throughout her character arc, she opens up to the Traveler (player character). She opens herself up to love. And that to be a recipient of love, you must humble yourself to receive.
– Pope Benedict XVI
On the fourth week last March, I went to confession for the first time in seven years: it was one scheduled after my confessor had presided in a Mass. I felt deterred at first to go to confession, especially since I had bad experiences of confiding in people who will just betray my trust. And that’s why I sympathize with Furina when she was secretive about her own faults. Perhaps it made me appreciate the Seal of the Confessional even more: when you enter the confessional and mention your sins out loud, you are not speaking to the priest directly; you are speaking to Christ who is acting through the priest. The priest is In Persona Christi, and it’s something a lot of lukewarm Catholics forget about. If ever we are lonely like Furina, we have a place to feel safe in God’s embrace. The seal exists to ensure that our loving relationship with God is respected, and that we no longer have to fear like Furina did. I was in the confessional for about half an hour, but that day was the day I knew I was back at home, the same home I ran away from even though I have claimed to belong there. I was lost, but now I was found.
The Church is a hospital for sinners, and not a club for saints. I fell out of the Church when I treated it like a club for saints when I was younger.
Epilogue
I now go to confession monthly (at minimum), attend Mass weekly, and I also pray the rosary daily. I also started to appreciate receiving the Eucharist by the tongue. A few people I talk to have said that my faith in God and my prayer habits have helped me be more optimistic and mentally resilient. I think they’re right, and I hardly feel lonely anymore. Living without God (and my Heavenly Family, which includes Mary and the saints) felt like Hell on Earth.
As a disclaimer, the only god I worship is our Lord, and I don’t use fictional characters as a substitute for a relationship with God, haha. But I hope I have enlightened you on why I appreciate Furina a lot, for no fictional character has ever touched my heart as she did. I felt like I was sailing in a lost ship, and God just placed a lighthouse in the middle of the ocean to help me navigate the fog and return to Him. I will be forever grateful to God for setting up the stage to get me to know Furina because she reminds me a lot about myself and the Prodigal Son. I felt like reflecting as I walk with Furina was very helpful in softening my heart to receive God’s love and mercy.
I always had doubts being initiated into a church I am hesitant to commit to. And now those doubts are gone, I am happy to say that I hope to be confirmed into the Catholic Church this year.
2024.05.17 06:57 RadishSubject4279 The Holy Spirit shall give you utterance
The Holy Spirit shall give you utterance
Many times people are afraid to open their mouths and share the good news with others. They are afraid of not having something to say to people. The truth is, we have the assurance that the Holy Spirit will give us utterance.
He will enable you to share your testimony with boldness to the glory of Jesus Christ our Lord. The Lord taught us about this very important aspect .
Read here; Luke 21:13 -15 “This will lead you to be a witness. So make up your minds not to prepare ahead of time to defend yourselves— for I Myself will give you speech and wisdom that none of your opponents will be able to resist or refute.” Remember preaching the word of God requires so much insight, you cannot use your own wisdom.
Some times doing the work of God invites all kinds of trouble and persecution. Remember the Holy Spirit will guide you into all truth and the Lord is the Spirit of Truth. People will hate you for telling the truth as it will expose them.
The Lord Jesus warns us about the coming time of persecution for being faithful to Him. Read here; Luke 12:11 “When they bring you before the synagogues, the rulers, and the authorities, don’t be anxious how or what you will answer, or what you will say; for the Holy Spirit will teach you in that same hour what you must say.”
Please take note that the Holy Spirit will not prevent you from being persecuted by people, He did not stop those killed His disciples in the first church and He will not prevent your persecution. He will however give you the correct responses to your oppressors.
Minister T.D Mkana Godly Thoughts Ministries Prayerline: +263773572786
submitted by RadishSubject4279 to GateToSalvationJESUS [link] [comments]
Many times people are afraid to open their mouths and share the good news with others. They are afraid of not having something to say to people. The truth is, we have the assurance that the Holy Spirit will give us utterance.
He will enable you to share your testimony with boldness to the glory of Jesus Christ our Lord. The Lord taught us about this very important aspect .
Read here; Luke 21:13 -15 “This will lead you to be a witness. So make up your minds not to prepare ahead of time to defend yourselves— for I Myself will give you speech and wisdom that none of your opponents will be able to resist or refute.” Remember preaching the word of God requires so much insight, you cannot use your own wisdom.
Some times doing the work of God invites all kinds of trouble and persecution. Remember the Holy Spirit will guide you into all truth and the Lord is the Spirit of Truth. People will hate you for telling the truth as it will expose them.
The Lord Jesus warns us about the coming time of persecution for being faithful to Him. Read here; Luke 12:11 “When they bring you before the synagogues, the rulers, and the authorities, don’t be anxious how or what you will answer, or what you will say; for the Holy Spirit will teach you in that same hour what you must say.”
Please take note that the Holy Spirit will not prevent you from being persecuted by people, He did not stop those killed His disciples in the first church and He will not prevent your persecution. He will however give you the correct responses to your oppressors.
Minister T.D Mkana Godly Thoughts Ministries Prayerline: +263773572786
bible#bibleverse #jesuschrist #bible #bibleverse
2024.05.17 06:56 RadishSubject4279 The Holy Spirit shall give you utterance
The Holy Spirit shall give you utterance
Many times people are afraid to open their mouths and share the good news with others. They are afraid of not having something to say to people. The truth is, we have the assurance that the Holy Spirit will give us utterance.
He will enable you to share your testimony with boldness to the glory of Jesus Christ our Lord. The Lord taught us about this very important aspect .
Read here; Luke 21:13 -15 “This will lead you to be a witness. So make up your minds not to prepare ahead of time to defend yourselves— for I Myself will give you speech and wisdom that none of your opponents will be able to resist or refute.” Remember preaching the word of God requires so much insight, you cannot use your own wisdom.
Some times doing the work of God invites all kinds of trouble and persecution. Remember the Holy Spirit will guide you into all truth and the Lord is the Spirit of Truth. People will hate you for telling the truth as it will expose them.
The Lord Jesus warns us about the coming time of persecution for being faithful to Him. Read here; Luke 12:11 “When they bring you before the synagogues, the rulers, and the authorities, don’t be anxious how or what you will answer, or what you will say; for the Holy Spirit will teach you in that same hour what you must say.”
Please take note that the Holy Spirit will not prevent you from being persecuted by people, He did not stop those killed His disciples in the first church and He will not prevent your persecution. He will however give you the correct responses to your oppressors.
Minister T.D Mkana Godly Thoughts Ministries Prayerline: +263773572786
submitted by RadishSubject4279 to Testimony4Christ [link] [comments]
Many times people are afraid to open their mouths and share the good news with others. They are afraid of not having something to say to people. The truth is, we have the assurance that the Holy Spirit will give us utterance.
He will enable you to share your testimony with boldness to the glory of Jesus Christ our Lord. The Lord taught us about this very important aspect .
Read here; Luke 21:13 -15 “This will lead you to be a witness. So make up your minds not to prepare ahead of time to defend yourselves— for I Myself will give you speech and wisdom that none of your opponents will be able to resist or refute.” Remember preaching the word of God requires so much insight, you cannot use your own wisdom.
Some times doing the work of God invites all kinds of trouble and persecution. Remember the Holy Spirit will guide you into all truth and the Lord is the Spirit of Truth. People will hate you for telling the truth as it will expose them.
The Lord Jesus warns us about the coming time of persecution for being faithful to Him. Read here; Luke 12:11 “When they bring you before the synagogues, the rulers, and the authorities, don’t be anxious how or what you will answer, or what you will say; for the Holy Spirit will teach you in that same hour what you must say.”
Please take note that the Holy Spirit will not prevent you from being persecuted by people, He did not stop those killed His disciples in the first church and He will not prevent your persecution. He will however give you the correct responses to your oppressors.
Minister T.D Mkana Godly Thoughts Ministries Prayerline: +263773572786
bible#bibleverse #jesuschrist #bible #bibleverse
2024.05.17 06:55 RadishSubject4279 The Holy Spirit shall give you utterance
The Holy Spirit shall give you utterance
Many times people are afraid to open their mouths and share the good news with others. They are afraid of not having something to say to people. The truth is, we have the assurance that the Holy Spirit will give us utterance.
He will enable you to share your testimony with boldness to the glory of Jesus Christ our Lord. The Lord taught us about this very important aspect .
Read here; Luke 21:13 -15 “This will lead you to be a witness. So make up your minds not to prepare ahead of time to defend yourselves— for I Myself will give you speech and wisdom that none of your opponents will be able to resist or refute.” Remember preaching the word of God requires so much insight, you cannot use your own wisdom.
Some times doing the work of God invites all kinds of trouble and persecution. Remember the Holy Spirit will guide you into all truth and the Lord is the Spirit of Truth. People will hate you for telling the truth as it will expose them.
The Lord Jesus warns us about the coming time of persecution for being faithful to Him. Read here; Luke 12:11 “When they bring you before the synagogues, the rulers, and the authorities, don’t be anxious how or what you will answer, or what you will say; for the Holy Spirit will teach you in that same hour what you must say.”
Please take note that the Holy Spirit will not prevent you from being persecuted by people, He did not stop those killed His disciples in the first church and He will not prevent your persecution. He will however give you the correct responses to your oppressors.
Minister T.D Mkana Godly Thoughts Ministries Prayerline: +263773572786
submitted by RadishSubject4279 to Christianity [link] [comments]
Many times people are afraid to open their mouths and share the good news with others. They are afraid of not having something to say to people. The truth is, we have the assurance that the Holy Spirit will give us utterance.
He will enable you to share your testimony with boldness to the glory of Jesus Christ our Lord. The Lord taught us about this very important aspect .
Read here; Luke 21:13 -15 “This will lead you to be a witness. So make up your minds not to prepare ahead of time to defend yourselves— for I Myself will give you speech and wisdom that none of your opponents will be able to resist or refute.” Remember preaching the word of God requires so much insight, you cannot use your own wisdom.
Some times doing the work of God invites all kinds of trouble and persecution. Remember the Holy Spirit will guide you into all truth and the Lord is the Spirit of Truth. People will hate you for telling the truth as it will expose them.
The Lord Jesus warns us about the coming time of persecution for being faithful to Him. Read here; Luke 12:11 “When they bring you before the synagogues, the rulers, and the authorities, don’t be anxious how or what you will answer, or what you will say; for the Holy Spirit will teach you in that same hour what you must say.”
Please take note that the Holy Spirit will not prevent you from being persecuted by people, He did not stop those killed His disciples in the first church and He will not prevent your persecution. He will however give you the correct responses to your oppressors.
Minister T.D Mkana Godly Thoughts Ministries Prayerline: +263773572786
bible#bibleverse #jesuschrist #bible #bibleverse
2024.05.15 22:29 HealthyYard6559 Revelation 1:4-6
,, From John to the seven churches that are in Asia: grace and peace to you from Him who is, and who was, and who is to come; and of the seven spirits which are before His throne; And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful Witness, and the Firstborn from the dead, and the Prince of earthly kings, who loves us, and washes us from our sins with his own blood; And makes us kings and priests to God and his Father; to that glory and country for ever and ever. Amen."
Rev. 1:4-6
John is a witness of Jesus Christ who testifies to the word of God. the testimony of Jesus Christ, and everything that Jesus showed him and he is now sending the testimony, i.e. the Revelation to seven churches in Asia Minor. We can read who John is sending to in verse 11, where we have written the names of the churches to whom John needed the Revelation to be sent.
"And write what you see in a book, and send it to the churches that are in Asia: to Ephesus, and to Smyrna, and to Pergamum, and to Thyatira, and to Sardis, and to Philadelphia, and to Laodicea"
Rev. 1:11
Apart from these churches that are mentioned here, there were other local churches, but the Lord Jesus chose seven representative churches that had different problems that symbolize and represent the period of the church until the coming of the Lord Jesus for it.
In addition to these churches, the Revelation was given to all people, especially the church throughout history, and of course also to us in order to learn the details of the events that will soon begin to unfold, because the signs of the times indicate that... the end times" are near.
"Whoever has an ear should hear what the Spirit is saying to the churches."
Rev. 3:22
Jovan continues with the greeting, "Grace to you and peace" and this greeting is not from him because he cannot give grace and peace, true grace and peace can only be given by God and here practically as if he said, "Grace to you and peace from Lord Jesus Christ" the savior, because salvation and everything we receive from God is at the expense of the Lord Jesus Christ and it is a gift, because none of what we receive is a free gift. How important this word is in the New Testament is also evidenced by the fact that the great many books of the New Testament begin with the words "blessing you and peace" in the greeting sentences.
If there was no grace, practically no one would be alive today because all we deserved was death, but we are alive because of the grace and grace of God and not based on any of our merits or actions.
Everything we have in our physical, physical life is God's grace, and also all spiritual life and salvation is by grace from God whom Peter calls the God of grace.
"And the God of all grace, who calls you to his eternal glory in Christ Jesus"
1 Peter 5:10
"Because you are saved by grace through faith, and it is not from you, it is a gift from God. Not from works, so that no one can boast."
Eph. 2:8-9
We see that we are saved by grace, but that is not the end, we need to continue to grow in grace and in the knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ.
"But progress in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and the salvation of Jesus Christ."
2 Peter 3:18
"Because the grace of God that saves all people has been shown, teaching us to renounce the impiety and desires of this world, and to live honestly and righteously and devoutly in this world."
Titus 2:11-12
Here we have advice for an honest worldly life, and we also have a promise that we will receive grace if we find ourselves in some kind of trouble or perhaps illness.
"My grace is enough for you; for my strength is made perfect in weakness."
2 Cor. 12:9
"Let us therefore approach freely to the throne of grace, to receive grace and find grace for the time when we need help"
Hebrews 4:16
In the context of those advices for an honest life, there is also a Record about to whom God gives grace.
"...for God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble."
1 Peter 5:5
and in Jacob, God adds and says that he gives greater grace than problems
"And He gives a greater grace. Because he says: The Lord opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble."
James 4:6
"Grace to you and peace" here is first grace and then peace, and that is because peace is the result of grace. We get peace when we are in a good relationship with God, which means that we are born again and live according to God's will.
"Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ."
Rom. 5:1
When we have this peace with God, we are safe in God's hands and God will never throw us into hell because of our sins because the Lord Jesus died on the cross to redeem us and make us righteous, it is up to us to trust God, confess our sins and live according to the will of God.
"And I will give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand."
John 10:28
Now that we are this safe and reconciled with God, God gives us another blessing Peace from God and this is something that someone who is not at peace with God will never get, and we need this peace every day in our lives, and we don't think and worry about the daily problems, we already enjoy communion with God who is close to us and who cares for us, we see from the whole verse that we just need to ask in prayer and finally give thanks.
"And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, to guard your hearts and your thoughts in the Lord Jesus."
Phil. 4:7
"The Lord is near. Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving that your requests may be answered by God."
Phil. 4:6
,,...Grace and peace to you from Him who is, and who was, and who is to come; and of the seven spirits which are before His throne; And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful Witness, and the Firstborn from the dead, and the Prince of earthly kings, who loves us, and washes us from our sins with his own blood; And makes us kings and priests to God and his Father; to that glory and country for ever and ever. Amen."
Rev. 1:4-6
Below we see where grace and peace come from. Grace and peace is not a human creation as many try to portray or try to bring peace in some way through various activities or actions. We saw that grace and then peace come from God, and here we see that three times it is written that they come "from" the Father, from the Son and from the Holy Spirit.
Also in these verses we see that God is eternal because it is written, from Him who is, and who was, and who is to come" and similarly it is written in 4:8
"Holy, holy, holy Lord God Almighty, Who was, and who is, and who is to come."
Rev. 4:8
And now we could say this differently, God who has always been God until now, God who is God now and God who will always be, therefore, eternal God.
Here is another confirmed confirmation of what we said with a slight difference, it does not say "which will come" because here in the 11th chapter events from the future are described which are already here, therefore "future" is at this moment "present" and here we see the confirmation that in the Revelation the future events are still described for us, but John saw them as the present or even the past when they were shown to him, that's why it says "you will be" and not "which will come."
"We praise you, Lord God Almighty, who are, and were, and will be"
Rev. 11:17
Here is something else from the 16th chapter where we see something similar but it is written even in the past tense, that you judged this "so these are events from the time;; when the Lord Jesus came" for us it is still a perspective of the future but for John it was a perspective of the present, this is what today's modern reporters would say, "a report from the scene"
"You are righteous, Lord, who are, and who were, and holy, that you judged this"
Rev. 16:5
It goes on to say,,, and of the seven spirits that are before His throne"
This refers to the Holy Spirit, but it says "seven spirits" because seven is the number of perfection, fullness and completeness. Here, in fact, the fullness of the Holy Spirit is described because in Isaiah it is written about Jesus:
"And the Spirit of the Lord will rest on Him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and power, the spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord."
Isa 11:2
In several other places, the number seven is mentioned in relation to the Holy Spirit.
"And he said to me: What do you see? And I said: I see, behold, a candlestick all of gold, and a cup above it, and its seven jars on it, and seven funnels for the seven jars that are above it, and two olive trees by it, one on the right side of the cup and one from the left. And I spoke to the angel who spoke with me, and I said: What is it, my lord? And the angel who spoke with me answered and said to me: Don't you know what it is? And I said: No, my lord. And he answered and said to me, saying: This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel: not by force or by virtue, but by my Spirit, says the Lord of hosts. What are you, great woe, before Zerubbabel? Ravnica; and he will bring out the highest stone, with exclamations: Mercy, mercy to him. And the word of the Lord came to me, saying: Zerubbabel's hands founded this house, his hands will finish it, and you will know that the Lord of hosts has sent me to you. For who has despised the day of small things? Because he will rejoice when he sees the measuring stone in the hand of Zerubbabel, those seven eyes of the Lord that cross the whole earth"
Zechariah 4:2-10
Here, from the sixth verse, we conclude that it is about the Holy Spirit, "not by power or virtue, but by my Spirit, says the Lord of hosts."
"And I saw, and behold, in the middle of the throne and four animals, and in the middle of the elders the Lamb stood as if it had been slain, and it had seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent throughout the world."
Rev. 5:6
Here we have seven spirits and seven eyes that refer to seven aspects of the work of the Holy Spirit that brings us God's graces, that is why Paul could write in the first Corinthians:
"The gifts are different, but the Spirit is one. And there are different ministries, but the Lord is one. And there are different forces, but there is one God who does everything in everything. And in everyone the Spirit appears for the benefit; For once the word of wisdom is given by the Spirit; and to another the word of understanding by the same Spirit; And to another faith, by that same Spirit; and to another the gift of healing, by that same Spirit; And to another to work miracles, and to another to prophesy, and to another to discern spirits, and to another different languages, and to another to speak in tongues. and he has many members, and all the members of one body, although they are many, they are one body: so is Christ"
1 Cor.12:4-12
"And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful Witness, and the Firstborn from the dead, and the Prince of the kings of the earth"
We have seen the entire Revelation that it is from the Lord Jesus to the church for encouragement, and here it says, "Faithful witness," and that is what the prophet Isaiah prophesied many years before
"Behold, I have given him as a witness to the nations, as a leader and commander to the nations."
Isaiah 55:4
and faithful because God is faithful and he can be unfaithful
,,,, God is not a man to lie, nor a son of man to repent. What does he say he won't do, and what he says he won't do?"
Numb. 23:19
"And so know that the Lord God is your God, a faithful God, who keeps his covenant and his mercy to a thousand knees to those who love him and keep his commandments."
Deut. 7:9
"And he raises the horn of salvation for us in the house of David his servant, as he says through the mouth of his holy prophets from the ages that he will deliver us from our enemies and from the hands of all who hate us; To show mercy to our fathers, and to remind ourselves of our holy covenant, the Curse with which he swore to Abraham our father that he would give us"
Luke 1:69-73
"God is faithful who has called you into the community of his Son Jesus Christ, our Lord."
1 Cor. 1:9
"No other temptation shall come upon you but that of man; but God is faithful, who will not let you be tempted beyond what you are able, but will also make an end with the temptation, so that you can bear it"
1 Cor. 10:13
"He who called you is faithful, and he will do it."
1 Sol. 5:24
And in Revelation it says more
"Thus says Amen, the Faithful and True Witness, the Beginning of God's creation"
Rev. 3:14
The Lord himself practically confirmed that he is faithful and that he came to testify to the truth
"I was born for that, and that's why I came into the world to bear witness to the truth. And everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice"
John 18:37
"and the Firstborn from the dead" here this does not mean that Jesus was the first to be resurrected because we read that there were people who were resurrected before Him but they later died again. Jesus was the first to be resurrected in a glorified body and He more he never did nor will he die, this part of the verse refers to these facts.
,, And this one, since he remains forever, has an eternal priesthood. That is why he can forever save those who come to God through him, when he always lives to be able to pray for them."
Hebrews 7:24-25
"and Prince over earthly kings" prince means ruler. Lord Jesus is ruler and prince from the beginning to the end, from creation to eternity, He is the faithful and true one from eternity, He is the firstborn in the glorified body and He is the eternal ruler and prince , He is King of kings and Lord of lords because he writes.
"And he has his name written on his robe and on his bosom: King of kings and Lord of lords."
Rev. 19:16
"He will rule from sea to sea, and from the river to the ends of the earth."
Psalm 72:8
"All kings will bow down to him, all nations will be submissive to him."
Psalm 72:11
"Who loves us" Jovan continues and says that God loves us permanently and does not say that he loved us, because then that would mean that he once loved us but that he may not love us now for some reason. we would not have permanent security of salvation because it might happen that Jesus returns and God returns at that very moment and we are left behind as they say, "we were unlucky". "so all the time, not sometimes or sometimes. He loves us all the time and that's because of the grace we talked about, we didn't deserve anything, neither salvation, nor the forgiveness of sins, nor life by grace, the only thing we deserved was to throw us into hell and that would be deserved because we do mostly what we shouldn't do. And not only does he not punish us, but makes us emperors and priests.
,, And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful Witness, and the Firstborn from the dead, and the Prince of earthly kings, who loves us, and washes us from our sins with his blood; And makes us kings and priests to God and his Father; to that glory and country for ever and ever. Amen."
Rev. 1:5-6
Jesus loved his own even in the most difficult moments before going to the cross, we read in John:
"And before the Passover, Jesus knowing that the hour had come for Him to pass from this world to the Father, as He loved His own who were in the world, He loves them to the end."
John 13:1
and this greatly impressed Paul, so he wrote:
"That you may understand with all the saints what is the breadth and length and depth and height, And know the love of Christ that surpasses reason, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God."
Eph. 3:18-19
and this love of Jesus cannot be understood by human thinking, this is God's love that surpasses every mind.
"Because I know for sure that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor present, nor future, nor height, nor depth, nor any other substance can separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus , to our Lord."
Rom. 8:28-39
"And wash us from our sins in your blood" unlike a while ago where it is written in permanent time, now we have a part that has been completed in the past and that is finally there are no more new washings, once all the work Jesus finished and that happened on the cross of Golgotha where we are redeemed once and for all by the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. Of course, we need daily cleansing in the form of confession of sin, but not complete washing.
,, Jesus said to him: He who has been washed should not wash only his feet, because he is all clean; and you are clean, ..."
John 13:10
"And the blood of Jesus Christ, His Son, cleanses us from all sin."
1 John 1:7
So the blood of Jesus cleanses us from every sin and God will never mention what he cleansed again.
"And their sins and their iniquities I will no longer mention."
Hebrews 10:17
"And make us kings and priests to God and our Father" of course this is also by grace because this is unimaginable for us humans. We know what we are like and what we like to do, but still God does not deal with us according to our mistakes but makes us kings and priests.
"And you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy people, a people of gain, to announce the benefactors of the One who called you out of darkness to his strange light"
1 Peter 2:9
We therefore became the emperor's priests and now we all have direct access to God based on the merits of the Lord Jesus, unlike the people in the Old Testament where only the high priest had access to God once a year in the Holy of Holies and he did not have that access without a sacrifice that he had to make sacrifices.
For us, that sacrifice is the Lord Jesus Christ, and based on that sacrifice, we have constant access to God.
"To him glory and the country forever and ever." Amen." And now at the end, John wants to say that eternal glory, praise and power belong to Him who has given us so much grace and grace.
submitted by HealthyYard6559 to u/HealthyYard6559 [link] [comments]
Rev. 1:4-6
John is a witness of Jesus Christ who testifies to the word of God. the testimony of Jesus Christ, and everything that Jesus showed him and he is now sending the testimony, i.e. the Revelation to seven churches in Asia Minor. We can read who John is sending to in verse 11, where we have written the names of the churches to whom John needed the Revelation to be sent.
"And write what you see in a book, and send it to the churches that are in Asia: to Ephesus, and to Smyrna, and to Pergamum, and to Thyatira, and to Sardis, and to Philadelphia, and to Laodicea"
Rev. 1:11
Apart from these churches that are mentioned here, there were other local churches, but the Lord Jesus chose seven representative churches that had different problems that symbolize and represent the period of the church until the coming of the Lord Jesus for it.
In addition to these churches, the Revelation was given to all people, especially the church throughout history, and of course also to us in order to learn the details of the events that will soon begin to unfold, because the signs of the times indicate that... the end times" are near.
"Whoever has an ear should hear what the Spirit is saying to the churches."
Rev. 3:22
Jovan continues with the greeting, "Grace to you and peace" and this greeting is not from him because he cannot give grace and peace, true grace and peace can only be given by God and here practically as if he said, "Grace to you and peace from Lord Jesus Christ" the savior, because salvation and everything we receive from God is at the expense of the Lord Jesus Christ and it is a gift, because none of what we receive is a free gift. How important this word is in the New Testament is also evidenced by the fact that the great many books of the New Testament begin with the words "blessing you and peace" in the greeting sentences.
If there was no grace, practically no one would be alive today because all we deserved was death, but we are alive because of the grace and grace of God and not based on any of our merits or actions.
Everything we have in our physical, physical life is God's grace, and also all spiritual life and salvation is by grace from God whom Peter calls the God of grace.
"And the God of all grace, who calls you to his eternal glory in Christ Jesus"
1 Peter 5:10
"Because you are saved by grace through faith, and it is not from you, it is a gift from God. Not from works, so that no one can boast."
Eph. 2:8-9
We see that we are saved by grace, but that is not the end, we need to continue to grow in grace and in the knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ.
"But progress in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and the salvation of Jesus Christ."
2 Peter 3:18
"Because the grace of God that saves all people has been shown, teaching us to renounce the impiety and desires of this world, and to live honestly and righteously and devoutly in this world."
Titus 2:11-12
Here we have advice for an honest worldly life, and we also have a promise that we will receive grace if we find ourselves in some kind of trouble or perhaps illness.
"My grace is enough for you; for my strength is made perfect in weakness."
2 Cor. 12:9
"Let us therefore approach freely to the throne of grace, to receive grace and find grace for the time when we need help"
Hebrews 4:16
In the context of those advices for an honest life, there is also a Record about to whom God gives grace.
"...for God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble."
1 Peter 5:5
and in Jacob, God adds and says that he gives greater grace than problems
"And He gives a greater grace. Because he says: The Lord opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble."
James 4:6
"Grace to you and peace" here is first grace and then peace, and that is because peace is the result of grace. We get peace when we are in a good relationship with God, which means that we are born again and live according to God's will.
"Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ."
Rom. 5:1
When we have this peace with God, we are safe in God's hands and God will never throw us into hell because of our sins because the Lord Jesus died on the cross to redeem us and make us righteous, it is up to us to trust God, confess our sins and live according to the will of God.
"And I will give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand."
John 10:28
Now that we are this safe and reconciled with God, God gives us another blessing Peace from God and this is something that someone who is not at peace with God will never get, and we need this peace every day in our lives, and we don't think and worry about the daily problems, we already enjoy communion with God who is close to us and who cares for us, we see from the whole verse that we just need to ask in prayer and finally give thanks.
"And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, to guard your hearts and your thoughts in the Lord Jesus."
Phil. 4:7
"The Lord is near. Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving that your requests may be answered by God."
Phil. 4:6
,,...Grace and peace to you from Him who is, and who was, and who is to come; and of the seven spirits which are before His throne; And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful Witness, and the Firstborn from the dead, and the Prince of earthly kings, who loves us, and washes us from our sins with his own blood; And makes us kings and priests to God and his Father; to that glory and country for ever and ever. Amen."
Rev. 1:4-6
Below we see where grace and peace come from. Grace and peace is not a human creation as many try to portray or try to bring peace in some way through various activities or actions. We saw that grace and then peace come from God, and here we see that three times it is written that they come "from" the Father, from the Son and from the Holy Spirit.
Also in these verses we see that God is eternal because it is written, from Him who is, and who was, and who is to come" and similarly it is written in 4:8
"Holy, holy, holy Lord God Almighty, Who was, and who is, and who is to come."
Rev. 4:8
And now we could say this differently, God who has always been God until now, God who is God now and God who will always be, therefore, eternal God.
Here is another confirmed confirmation of what we said with a slight difference, it does not say "which will come" because here in the 11th chapter events from the future are described which are already here, therefore "future" is at this moment "present" and here we see the confirmation that in the Revelation the future events are still described for us, but John saw them as the present or even the past when they were shown to him, that's why it says "you will be" and not "which will come."
"We praise you, Lord God Almighty, who are, and were, and will be"
Rev. 11:17
Here is something else from the 16th chapter where we see something similar but it is written even in the past tense, that you judged this "so these are events from the time;; when the Lord Jesus came" for us it is still a perspective of the future but for John it was a perspective of the present, this is what today's modern reporters would say, "a report from the scene"
"You are righteous, Lord, who are, and who were, and holy, that you judged this"
Rev. 16:5
It goes on to say,,, and of the seven spirits that are before His throne"
This refers to the Holy Spirit, but it says "seven spirits" because seven is the number of perfection, fullness and completeness. Here, in fact, the fullness of the Holy Spirit is described because in Isaiah it is written about Jesus:
"And the Spirit of the Lord will rest on Him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and power, the spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord."
Isa 11:2
In several other places, the number seven is mentioned in relation to the Holy Spirit.
"And he said to me: What do you see? And I said: I see, behold, a candlestick all of gold, and a cup above it, and its seven jars on it, and seven funnels for the seven jars that are above it, and two olive trees by it, one on the right side of the cup and one from the left. And I spoke to the angel who spoke with me, and I said: What is it, my lord? And the angel who spoke with me answered and said to me: Don't you know what it is? And I said: No, my lord. And he answered and said to me, saying: This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel: not by force or by virtue, but by my Spirit, says the Lord of hosts. What are you, great woe, before Zerubbabel? Ravnica; and he will bring out the highest stone, with exclamations: Mercy, mercy to him. And the word of the Lord came to me, saying: Zerubbabel's hands founded this house, his hands will finish it, and you will know that the Lord of hosts has sent me to you. For who has despised the day of small things? Because he will rejoice when he sees the measuring stone in the hand of Zerubbabel, those seven eyes of the Lord that cross the whole earth"
Zechariah 4:2-10
Here, from the sixth verse, we conclude that it is about the Holy Spirit, "not by power or virtue, but by my Spirit, says the Lord of hosts."
"And I saw, and behold, in the middle of the throne and four animals, and in the middle of the elders the Lamb stood as if it had been slain, and it had seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent throughout the world."
Rev. 5:6
Here we have seven spirits and seven eyes that refer to seven aspects of the work of the Holy Spirit that brings us God's graces, that is why Paul could write in the first Corinthians:
"The gifts are different, but the Spirit is one. And there are different ministries, but the Lord is one. And there are different forces, but there is one God who does everything in everything. And in everyone the Spirit appears for the benefit; For once the word of wisdom is given by the Spirit; and to another the word of understanding by the same Spirit; And to another faith, by that same Spirit; and to another the gift of healing, by that same Spirit; And to another to work miracles, and to another to prophesy, and to another to discern spirits, and to another different languages, and to another to speak in tongues. and he has many members, and all the members of one body, although they are many, they are one body: so is Christ"
1 Cor.12:4-12
"And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful Witness, and the Firstborn from the dead, and the Prince of the kings of the earth"
We have seen the entire Revelation that it is from the Lord Jesus to the church for encouragement, and here it says, "Faithful witness," and that is what the prophet Isaiah prophesied many years before
"Behold, I have given him as a witness to the nations, as a leader and commander to the nations."
Isaiah 55:4
and faithful because God is faithful and he can be unfaithful
,,,, God is not a man to lie, nor a son of man to repent. What does he say he won't do, and what he says he won't do?"
Numb. 23:19
"And so know that the Lord God is your God, a faithful God, who keeps his covenant and his mercy to a thousand knees to those who love him and keep his commandments."
Deut. 7:9
"And he raises the horn of salvation for us in the house of David his servant, as he says through the mouth of his holy prophets from the ages that he will deliver us from our enemies and from the hands of all who hate us; To show mercy to our fathers, and to remind ourselves of our holy covenant, the Curse with which he swore to Abraham our father that he would give us"
Luke 1:69-73
"God is faithful who has called you into the community of his Son Jesus Christ, our Lord."
1 Cor. 1:9
"No other temptation shall come upon you but that of man; but God is faithful, who will not let you be tempted beyond what you are able, but will also make an end with the temptation, so that you can bear it"
1 Cor. 10:13
"He who called you is faithful, and he will do it."
1 Sol. 5:24
And in Revelation it says more
"Thus says Amen, the Faithful and True Witness, the Beginning of God's creation"
Rev. 3:14
The Lord himself practically confirmed that he is faithful and that he came to testify to the truth
"I was born for that, and that's why I came into the world to bear witness to the truth. And everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice"
John 18:37
"and the Firstborn from the dead" here this does not mean that Jesus was the first to be resurrected because we read that there were people who were resurrected before Him but they later died again. Jesus was the first to be resurrected in a glorified body and He more he never did nor will he die, this part of the verse refers to these facts.
,, And this one, since he remains forever, has an eternal priesthood. That is why he can forever save those who come to God through him, when he always lives to be able to pray for them."
Hebrews 7:24-25
"and Prince over earthly kings" prince means ruler. Lord Jesus is ruler and prince from the beginning to the end, from creation to eternity, He is the faithful and true one from eternity, He is the firstborn in the glorified body and He is the eternal ruler and prince , He is King of kings and Lord of lords because he writes.
"And he has his name written on his robe and on his bosom: King of kings and Lord of lords."
Rev. 19:16
"He will rule from sea to sea, and from the river to the ends of the earth."
Psalm 72:8
"All kings will bow down to him, all nations will be submissive to him."
Psalm 72:11
"Who loves us" Jovan continues and says that God loves us permanently and does not say that he loved us, because then that would mean that he once loved us but that he may not love us now for some reason. we would not have permanent security of salvation because it might happen that Jesus returns and God returns at that very moment and we are left behind as they say, "we were unlucky". "so all the time, not sometimes or sometimes. He loves us all the time and that's because of the grace we talked about, we didn't deserve anything, neither salvation, nor the forgiveness of sins, nor life by grace, the only thing we deserved was to throw us into hell and that would be deserved because we do mostly what we shouldn't do. And not only does he not punish us, but makes us emperors and priests.
,, And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful Witness, and the Firstborn from the dead, and the Prince of earthly kings, who loves us, and washes us from our sins with his blood; And makes us kings and priests to God and his Father; to that glory and country for ever and ever. Amen."
Rev. 1:5-6
Jesus loved his own even in the most difficult moments before going to the cross, we read in John:
"And before the Passover, Jesus knowing that the hour had come for Him to pass from this world to the Father, as He loved His own who were in the world, He loves them to the end."
John 13:1
and this greatly impressed Paul, so he wrote:
"That you may understand with all the saints what is the breadth and length and depth and height, And know the love of Christ that surpasses reason, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God."
Eph. 3:18-19
and this love of Jesus cannot be understood by human thinking, this is God's love that surpasses every mind.
"Because I know for sure that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor present, nor future, nor height, nor depth, nor any other substance can separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus , to our Lord."
Rom. 8:28-39
"And wash us from our sins in your blood" unlike a while ago where it is written in permanent time, now we have a part that has been completed in the past and that is finally there are no more new washings, once all the work Jesus finished and that happened on the cross of Golgotha where we are redeemed once and for all by the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. Of course, we need daily cleansing in the form of confession of sin, but not complete washing.
,, Jesus said to him: He who has been washed should not wash only his feet, because he is all clean; and you are clean, ..."
John 13:10
"And the blood of Jesus Christ, His Son, cleanses us from all sin."
1 John 1:7
So the blood of Jesus cleanses us from every sin and God will never mention what he cleansed again.
"And their sins and their iniquities I will no longer mention."
Hebrews 10:17
"And make us kings and priests to God and our Father" of course this is also by grace because this is unimaginable for us humans. We know what we are like and what we like to do, but still God does not deal with us according to our mistakes but makes us kings and priests.
"And you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy people, a people of gain, to announce the benefactors of the One who called you out of darkness to his strange light"
1 Peter 2:9
We therefore became the emperor's priests and now we all have direct access to God based on the merits of the Lord Jesus, unlike the people in the Old Testament where only the high priest had access to God once a year in the Holy of Holies and he did not have that access without a sacrifice that he had to make sacrifices.
For us, that sacrifice is the Lord Jesus Christ, and based on that sacrifice, we have constant access to God.
"To him glory and the country forever and ever." Amen." And now at the end, John wants to say that eternal glory, praise and power belong to Him who has given us so much grace and grace.
2024.05.15 21:27 ar_david_hh North-South funds coming \\ EBRD wants Armenia to connect EU to Asia \\ Russia leaves Karabakh \\ New big TUMO center \\ AM-FR expand cooperation: aviation, infrastructure \\ AM-US agriculture \\ Edmon's curiosity \\ Day 7 of anti-Nikol Crusade: business forum, bribes \\ AM-GE consultations \\ ...
6-minute read.
The demarcation of the AM-GE border will remain a priority on the agenda.
Regional developments were also discussed. The parties reiterated univocal support to each other’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
The discussion also included the role of Armenia and Georgia in supporting peace and regional development, as well as adherence to European values.
In other news. Armenia's foreign ministry says they held discussions with Georgian colleagues regarding the recent decision by Tbilisi to require all tourists visiting Georgia to have health insurance. Armenia says the June 1 deadline reported earlier has been postponed.
source, source,
The loan agreement was signed today between the Finance Ministry and EBRD during the latter's annual business forum held in Yerevan.
source,
source,
The events in Ukraine have increased the need for stable connectivity between Europe and Asia, making the South Caucasus region and Armenia in particular an attractive area for international trade and investment. //
source,
Yesterday the co-organizer Archbishop Bagrat Galstanyan invited everyone to join a "big rally" near the opera building on Wednesday, the area where the EBRD is holding the international business forum attended by over 3,000 international and local officials. The police brought a large number of forces to protect the area.
GALSTANYAN (yesterday): At 5 pm on Wednesday there will be an international forum in our opera hall. Numerous international economic organizations will be present, and the leader of this government will give a speech there. Each one of you has the opportunity to be there and express your disagreement towards this illegal demarcation of our border. Come in big numbers. Tomorrow we must express our peaceful but strong dissent. //
The aerial view of Galstanyan's rally near the opera building on Wednesday: video
Galstanyan's followers attempted to block the movement of buses serving the EBRD economic forum attendees. video
CHAPTER 2
5 protesters + 4 trash cans = 9 video,
CHAPTER 3
A group of low-income residents from Vanadzor, who were registered with humanitarian organizations as aid recipients, reported to police that someone bribed and duped them to join the ongoing protests.
AUTHORITIES: On April 24, the suspect used vehicles to transport 7 people to join the protests in Voskepar, Tavush, in exchange for cash. The residents joined the protests and shut down roads until late evening. Upon return, the participants received the promised ֏3,000 ($8).
On May 9, the same suspect organized the transfer of several low-income food bank recipients to Yerevan's Republic Square to take part in "Տավուշը հանուն հայրենիքի" protest. They received ֏3,000 ($8) on the spot and were taken home to Vanadzor in late evening. //
Authorities published the audio of testimony by participants. Some of them were duped; they were told it was going to be a simple "road trip". One witness said there were 3 GAZelle vans transporting several participants. audio
CHAPTER 4
The protest organizers are in touch with former Ambassador-At-Large Edmon Marukyan's party LHK, Ruben Vardanyan's party Aprelu Yerkir, and "Hayaqve". These parties joined the Archbishop/ARF-led protest on May 9 and held political discussions with Galstanyan on Wednesday morning. Galstanyan urged his followers to ramp up the strikes and road closures starting tomorrow.
source, source, source, source, source, video, source,
Pashinyan recently asked Putin to withdraw Russian agents from the Zvartnots airport and the AM-AZ border. After that meeting, Russia released a statement that included a phrase stating that Pashinyan asked Putin to preserve the troops along the border with Turkey and Iran.
Edmon Marukyan released a video in which he was simply "asking questions" to the pro-West figures. He wanted them to explain what exactly happened that Pashinyan "asked" Russia to preserve its forces on the borders with Turkey and Iran. Marukyan's video could be perceived as an attempt to incite a conflict between Pashinyan and pro-West figures by presenting Pashinyan as a "pro-Russian" figure who was supposedly given an opportunity to withdraw ALL Russian forces but "asked" them to stay.
Russia's foreign ministry was asked to comment on Wednesday.
REPORTER: The official statement reads that the Armenian side asked for the Russian guards to remain on the TR and IR borders. At the same time, we know that the Russian guards on TR and IR borders were installed under a different - bilateral state agreement. Does this mean that during the Pashinyan-Putin meeting, Putin offered to withdraw forces from TR and IR borders as well and that Pashinyan asked them to stay?
RUSSIAN MFA: No, Russia did not offer a complete withdrawal of all border guards from Armenia. Some other outlets claimed that the withdrawal is a result of an AM-AZ agreement not to deploy 3rd party forces on the border; these are all false. In reality, the Armenian side wanted to discuss the withdrawal of Russian border guards from several regions near the AM-AZ border as a result of the completion of their duties.
source, source,
PASHINYAN: We highly appreciate the cooperation with the FDA and we hope to expand it to new areas. Armenia is interested in expanding cooperation with France in all fields.
WALCKENAER: We plan to expand the directions of cooperation and the scope of programs for the development of various infrastructures in Armenia. //
They discussed the ongoing construction of the large Vedi reservoir.
source,
source,
source,
DEFENSE MINISTRY: This is within the framework of ongoing army reforms in connection with the approval of the new statutes and structure of the Ministry of Defense and the Armed Forces of Armenia.
source, source, source, source, source, source, source,
source,
In other news. The pro-Azerbaijan Prime Minister of Slovakia Robert Fico was shot by a left-wing activist and is in a life-threatening condition. The assailant was detained by police. A crowd was waiting outside a cultural centre when one of them started shooting. He was reportedly shot in the arm and abdomen.
source, source, source, video,
submitted by ar_david_hh to armenia [link] [comments]
political consultations were held between foreign ministries of Armenia and Georgia about "adherence to European values" and regional issues
It was the first bilateral consultation after the recent signing of the AM-GE Strategic Partnership agreement. Economy, trade, transport, energy, tourism, culture, and education were noted as the main pillars of this cooperation.The demarcation of the AM-GE border will remain a priority on the agenda.
Regional developments were also discussed. The parties reiterated univocal support to each other’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
The discussion also included the role of Armenia and Georgia in supporting peace and regional development, as well as adherence to European values.
In other news. Armenia's foreign ministry says they held discussions with Georgian colleagues regarding the recent decision by Tbilisi to require all tourists visiting Georgia to have health insurance. Armenia says the June 1 deadline reported earlier has been postponed.
source, source,
EU reportedly plans to freeze Georgia's membership bid to EU if "foreign agent" bill becomes law
Financial Times, citing a person briefed on the discussions between Georgian and EU officials in recent dayssource, source,
EBRD's international forum was held in Yerevan: Day 2
TLDR video, full video in English, other video, Pashinyan's speech in English, sanctions compliance by banks,EBRD bank funds its largest-ever road project in Armenia
The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development is lending €236 million to Armenia to build the southern section of the Sisian-Kajaran road. Details and how much faster the road will get in May 8 news digest.The loan agreement was signed today between the Finance Ministry and EBRD during the latter's annual business forum held in Yerevan.
This important infrastructure project, part of Armenia's international North-South, is aligned with EU flagship initiatives for improved land transport connectivity and building resilience in the southern regions of Armenia.EBRD: We appreciate Armenia’s aspiration to develop a transport and logistics infrastructure that will enhance its regional connectivity and integration with external markets. We support this project because it meets our strategic objectives in Armenia and the region.
source,
EBRD and InecoBank will co-finance the development of a new TUMO Convergence Centre for Engineering and Applied Science in Yerevan
See the architectural design and details about the new TUMO tech/science/innovation/education center here: TUMO.is a unique STEM hub in Yerevan, focused on sparking innovation. It is where academia and industry come together and where Armenia connects to the world. Designed by the world-renowned Dutch architecture firm MVRDV, the Convergence Center’s flagship building will be an innovative horizontal skyscraper. Only six stories tall but stretched over 200 meters at the edge of the Hrazdan Gorge, the building occupies 17,000 square meters. It is made up of 300 modular spaces arranged inside a giant hall that creates a unique interior ecosystem.EBRD and InecoBank will chip in €7.25 million each. The EU Delegation to Armenia will also contribute.
The goal of the Convergence Center project is to create a self-sustaining ecosystem that will accelerate the growth of high tech, engineering and applied sciences in Armenia.
source,
EBRD plans to invest €500 million in Armenia this year
EBRD: This is a historic figure and it shows that we are working closely with public and private sectors. We have already invested €640 million over the past 5 years, half of which is in the private sector.The events in Ukraine have increased the need for stable connectivity between Europe and Asia, making the South Caucasus region and Armenia in particular an attractive area for international trade and investment. //
source,
Day 7 of anti-Pashinyan protests organized by pro-Russian opposition forces
CHAPTER 1Yesterday the co-organizer Archbishop Bagrat Galstanyan invited everyone to join a "big rally" near the opera building on Wednesday, the area where the EBRD is holding the international business forum attended by over 3,000 international and local officials. The police brought a large number of forces to protect the area.
GALSTANYAN (yesterday): At 5 pm on Wednesday there will be an international forum in our opera hall. Numerous international economic organizations will be present, and the leader of this government will give a speech there. Each one of you has the opportunity to be there and express your disagreement towards this illegal demarcation of our border. Come in big numbers. Tomorrow we must express our peaceful but strong dissent. //
The aerial view of Galstanyan's rally near the opera building on Wednesday: video
Galstanyan's followers attempted to block the movement of buses serving the EBRD economic forum attendees. video
CHAPTER 2
5 protesters + 4 trash cans = 9 video,
CHAPTER 3
A group of low-income residents from Vanadzor, who were registered with humanitarian organizations as aid recipients, reported to police that someone bribed and duped them to join the ongoing protests.
AUTHORITIES: On April 24, the suspect used vehicles to transport 7 people to join the protests in Voskepar, Tavush, in exchange for cash. The residents joined the protests and shut down roads until late evening. Upon return, the participants received the promised ֏3,000 ($8).
On May 9, the same suspect organized the transfer of several low-income food bank recipients to Yerevan's Republic Square to take part in "Տավուշը հանուն հայրենիքի" protest. They received ֏3,000 ($8) on the spot and were taken home to Vanadzor in late evening. //
Authorities published the audio of testimony by participants. Some of them were duped; they were told it was going to be a simple "road trip". One witness said there were 3 GAZelle vans transporting several participants. audio
CHAPTER 4
The protest organizers are in touch with former Ambassador-At-Large Edmon Marukyan's party LHK, Ruben Vardanyan's party Aprelu Yerkir, and "Hayaqve". These parties joined the Archbishop/ARF-led protest on May 9 and held political discussions with Galstanyan on Wednesday morning. Galstanyan urged his followers to ramp up the strikes and road closures starting tomorrow.
source, source, source, source, source, video, source,
Russia's foreign ministry responds to speculations and conspiracy theories that began after Pashinyan's recent meeting with Putin
Backstory: Former Ambassador-At-Large Edmon Marukyan has strained relations with several pro-West figures. The pro-West figures had accused Marukyan of serving the interests of Russia by providing pro-Russian advisory to Pashinyan. In turn, Marukyan accused the pro-West figures of unprofessionalism.Pashinyan recently asked Putin to withdraw Russian agents from the Zvartnots airport and the AM-AZ border. After that meeting, Russia released a statement that included a phrase stating that Pashinyan asked Putin to preserve the troops along the border with Turkey and Iran.
Edmon Marukyan released a video in which he was simply "asking questions" to the pro-West figures. He wanted them to explain what exactly happened that Pashinyan "asked" Russia to preserve its forces on the borders with Turkey and Iran. Marukyan's video could be perceived as an attempt to incite a conflict between Pashinyan and pro-West figures by presenting Pashinyan as a "pro-Russian" figure who was supposedly given an opportunity to withdraw ALL Russian forces but "asked" them to stay.
Russia's foreign ministry was asked to comment on Wednesday.
REPORTER: The official statement reads that the Armenian side asked for the Russian guards to remain on the TR and IR borders. At the same time, we know that the Russian guards on TR and IR borders were installed under a different - bilateral state agreement. Does this mean that during the Pashinyan-Putin meeting, Putin offered to withdraw forces from TR and IR borders as well and that Pashinyan asked them to stay?
RUSSIAN MFA: No, Russia did not offer a complete withdrawal of all border guards from Armenia. Some other outlets claimed that the withdrawal is a result of an AM-AZ agreement not to deploy 3rd party forces on the border; these are all false. In reality, the Armenian side wanted to discuss the withdrawal of Russian border guards from several regions near the AM-AZ border as a result of the completion of their duties.
source, source,
Armenia and French Development Agency will expand cooperation
PM Pashinyan hosted Bertrand Walckenaer, the representative of the French Development Agency.PASHINYAN: We highly appreciate the cooperation with the FDA and we hope to expand it to new areas. Armenia is interested in expanding cooperation with France in all fields.
WALCKENAER: We plan to expand the directions of cooperation and the scope of programs for the development of various infrastructures in Armenia. //
They discussed the ongoing construction of the large Vedi reservoir.
source,
Armenia and France expand partnership in civil aviation
The countries signed a technical agreement this week to exchange knowledge and experience.source,
Armenia's Economy Minister and U.S. Department of Agriculture discussed the possibility of increasing agricultural exports to U.S.
Minister Papoyan's U.S. trip continues. They also discussed providing technical assistance in the field of agriculture.source,
second round of major army leadership appointments and rotation in Armenia
Seven new appointments to various army departments, including Territorial Defense Forces.DEFENSE MINISTRY: This is within the framework of ongoing army reforms in connection with the approval of the new statutes and structure of the Ministry of Defense and the Armed Forces of Armenia.
source, source, source, source, source, source, source,
the ceremony of the withdrawal of Russian soldiers from Nagorno-Karabakh was marked in Ivanyan on Wednesday
Ranking army officials from Russia and Azerbaijan participated in the ceremony. The decision to withdraw without waiting for the 5-year term to end was made on April 17.source,
Armenia and Slovakia discuss expansion of defense cooperation
Deputy MOD Brutyan visited the IDEB-2024 defense exhibition in Bratislava where he met Slovak MOD Kaliňák and representatives of their military industry. The talks touched upon defense and technical cooperation between Armenia and Slovakia and resulted in a number of agreements.In other news. The pro-Azerbaijan Prime Minister of Slovakia Robert Fico was shot by a left-wing activist and is in a life-threatening condition. The assailant was detained by police. A crowd was waiting outside a cultural centre when one of them started shooting. He was reportedly shot in the arm and abdomen.
source, source, source, video,
2024.05.15 20:42 dwredbaker Jesus before the Sanhedrin
J. C. Ryle
MATTHEW 26: 57-68~And they that had laid hold on Jesus led him away to Caiaphas the high priest, where the scribes and the elders were assembled. But Peter followed him afar off unto the high priest's palace, and went in, and sat with the servants, to see the end. Now the chief priests, and elders, and all the council, sought false witness against Jesus, to put him to death; But found none: yea, though many false witnesses came, yet found they none. At the last came two false witnesses, And said, This fellow said, I am able to destroy the temple of God, and to build it in three days. And the high priest arose, and said unto him, Answerest thou nothing? what is it which these witness against thee? But Jesus held his peace. And the high priest answered and said unto him, I adjure thee by the living God, that thou tell us whether thou be the Christ, the Son of God. Jesus saith unto him, Thou hast said: nevertheless I say unto you, Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven. Then the high priest rent his clothes, saying, He hath spoken blasphemy; what further need have we of witnesses? behold, now ye have heard his blasphemy. What think ye? They answered and said, He is guilty of death. Then did they spit in his face, and buffeted him; and others smote him with the palms of their hands, Saying, Prophesy unto us, thou Christ, Who is he that smote thee?"
We read in these verses how our Lord Jesus Christ was brought before Caiaphas the high priest, and solemnly pronounced guilty. It was fitting that it should be so. The great day of atonement was come. The wondrous type of the scapegoat was about to be completely fulfilled. It was only suitable that the Jewish high priest should do his part, and declare sin to be upon the head of the victim, before he was led forth to be crucified. May we ponder these things and understand them. There was a deep meaning in every step of our Lord's passion.
Let us observe in these verses, that the chief priests were the principal agents in bringing about our Lord's death. It was not so much the Jewish people, we must remember, who pushed forward this wicked deed, as Caiaphas and his companions, the chief priests.
This is an instructive fact, and deserves notice. It is a clear proof that high ecclesiastical office exempts no man from gross errors in doctrine, and tremendous sins in practice. The Jewish priests could trace up their pedigree to Aaron, and were his lineal successors. Their office was one of peculiar sanctity, and entailed peculiar responsibilities. And yet these very men were the murderers of Christ!
Let us beware of regarding any minister of religion as infallible. His orders, however regularly conferred, are no guarantee that he may not lead us astray, and even ruin our souls. The teaching and conduct of all ministers must be tried by the Word of God. They are to be followed so long as they follow the Bible, but no longer. The maxim laid down in Isaiah must be our guide "To the law and the testimony — if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them." (Isaiah. 8:20.)
Let us observe, in the second place, how fully our Lord declared to the Jewish council His own Messiahship, and His future coming in glory.
The unconverted Jew can never tell us at the present day, that his forefathers were left in ignorance that Jesus was the Messiah. Our Lord's answer to the solemn adjuration of the high priest is a sufficient reply. He tells the council plainly that He is "the Christ, the Son of God." He goes on to warn them that though He had not yet appeared in glory, as they expected Messiah would have done, a day would come when he would do so. "Hereafter you shall see the Son of Man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven." They would yet see that very Jesus of Nazareth, whom they had arraigned at their bar, appear in all majesty as King of kings. (Rev. 1:7.)
It is a striking fact which we should not fail to notice, that almost the last word spoken by our Lord to the Jews, was a warning prediction about His own second advent. He tells them plainly that they would yet see Him in glory. No doubt he referred to the seventh chapter of Daniel, in the language that he used. But He spoke to deaf ears. Unbelief, prejudice, self-righteousness covered them like a thick cloud. Never was there such an instance of spiritual blindness. Well may the Church of England litany contain the prayer, "From all blindness — and from hardness of heart, good Lord deliver us."
Let us observe, in the last place, how much our Lord endured before the council, from false witness and mockery.
Falsehood and ridicule are old and favorite weapons of the devil. "He is a liar, and the father of it." (John 8:44.) All through our Lord's earthly ministry we see these weapons continually employed against Him. He was called a glutton, a wine-bibber, and a friend of publicans and sinners. He was held up to contempt as a Samaritan. The closing scene of His life was only in keeping with all the past tenor of it. Satan stirred up his enemies to add insult to injury. No sooner was He pronounced guilty, than every sort of mean indignity was heaped upon Him. "They spit in his face, and buffeted him." "They smote him with the palms of their hands." They said, mockingly, "Prophesy unto us, you Christ, who is he that smote you?"
How astonishing and strange it all sounds! How astonishing that the Holy Son of God should have voluntarily submitted to such indignities, to redeem such miserable sinners as we are! How wonderful, not least, that every tittle of these insults was foretold seven hundred years before they were inflicted! Seven hundred years before, Isaiah had written down the words, "I hid not my face from shame and spitting." (Isaiah. 50:6.)
Let us draw from the passage one practical conclusion. Let it never surprise us, if we have to endure mockery, and ridicule, and false reports, because we belong to Christ. The disciple is not greater than His Master, nor the servant than His Lord. If lies and insults were heaped upon our Savior, we need not wonder if the same weapons are constantly used against His people. It is one of Satan's great devices to blacken the characters of godly men, and bring them into contempt. The lives of Luther, Cranmer, Calvin, and Wesley supply abundant examples of this. If we are ever called upon to suffer in this way, let us bear it patiently. We drink the same cup that was drunk by our beloved Lord. But there is one great difference. At the worst, we only drink a few bitter drops. He drank the cup to the very dregs.
submitted by dwredbaker to OldPaths [link] [comments]
MATTHEW 26: 57-68~And they that had laid hold on Jesus led him away to Caiaphas the high priest, where the scribes and the elders were assembled. But Peter followed him afar off unto the high priest's palace, and went in, and sat with the servants, to see the end. Now the chief priests, and elders, and all the council, sought false witness against Jesus, to put him to death; But found none: yea, though many false witnesses came, yet found they none. At the last came two false witnesses, And said, This fellow said, I am able to destroy the temple of God, and to build it in three days. And the high priest arose, and said unto him, Answerest thou nothing? what is it which these witness against thee? But Jesus held his peace. And the high priest answered and said unto him, I adjure thee by the living God, that thou tell us whether thou be the Christ, the Son of God. Jesus saith unto him, Thou hast said: nevertheless I say unto you, Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven. Then the high priest rent his clothes, saying, He hath spoken blasphemy; what further need have we of witnesses? behold, now ye have heard his blasphemy. What think ye? They answered and said, He is guilty of death. Then did they spit in his face, and buffeted him; and others smote him with the palms of their hands, Saying, Prophesy unto us, thou Christ, Who is he that smote thee?"
We read in these verses how our Lord Jesus Christ was brought before Caiaphas the high priest, and solemnly pronounced guilty. It was fitting that it should be so. The great day of atonement was come. The wondrous type of the scapegoat was about to be completely fulfilled. It was only suitable that the Jewish high priest should do his part, and declare sin to be upon the head of the victim, before he was led forth to be crucified. May we ponder these things and understand them. There was a deep meaning in every step of our Lord's passion.
Let us observe in these verses, that the chief priests were the principal agents in bringing about our Lord's death. It was not so much the Jewish people, we must remember, who pushed forward this wicked deed, as Caiaphas and his companions, the chief priests.
This is an instructive fact, and deserves notice. It is a clear proof that high ecclesiastical office exempts no man from gross errors in doctrine, and tremendous sins in practice. The Jewish priests could trace up their pedigree to Aaron, and were his lineal successors. Their office was one of peculiar sanctity, and entailed peculiar responsibilities. And yet these very men were the murderers of Christ!
Let us beware of regarding any minister of religion as infallible. His orders, however regularly conferred, are no guarantee that he may not lead us astray, and even ruin our souls. The teaching and conduct of all ministers must be tried by the Word of God. They are to be followed so long as they follow the Bible, but no longer. The maxim laid down in Isaiah must be our guide "To the law and the testimony — if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them." (Isaiah. 8:20.)
Let us observe, in the second place, how fully our Lord declared to the Jewish council His own Messiahship, and His future coming in glory.
The unconverted Jew can never tell us at the present day, that his forefathers were left in ignorance that Jesus was the Messiah. Our Lord's answer to the solemn adjuration of the high priest is a sufficient reply. He tells the council plainly that He is "the Christ, the Son of God." He goes on to warn them that though He had not yet appeared in glory, as they expected Messiah would have done, a day would come when he would do so. "Hereafter you shall see the Son of Man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven." They would yet see that very Jesus of Nazareth, whom they had arraigned at their bar, appear in all majesty as King of kings. (Rev. 1:7.)
It is a striking fact which we should not fail to notice, that almost the last word spoken by our Lord to the Jews, was a warning prediction about His own second advent. He tells them plainly that they would yet see Him in glory. No doubt he referred to the seventh chapter of Daniel, in the language that he used. But He spoke to deaf ears. Unbelief, prejudice, self-righteousness covered them like a thick cloud. Never was there such an instance of spiritual blindness. Well may the Church of England litany contain the prayer, "From all blindness — and from hardness of heart, good Lord deliver us."
Let us observe, in the last place, how much our Lord endured before the council, from false witness and mockery.
Falsehood and ridicule are old and favorite weapons of the devil. "He is a liar, and the father of it." (John 8:44.) All through our Lord's earthly ministry we see these weapons continually employed against Him. He was called a glutton, a wine-bibber, and a friend of publicans and sinners. He was held up to contempt as a Samaritan. The closing scene of His life was only in keeping with all the past tenor of it. Satan stirred up his enemies to add insult to injury. No sooner was He pronounced guilty, than every sort of mean indignity was heaped upon Him. "They spit in his face, and buffeted him." "They smote him with the palms of their hands." They said, mockingly, "Prophesy unto us, you Christ, who is he that smote you?"
How astonishing and strange it all sounds! How astonishing that the Holy Son of God should have voluntarily submitted to such indignities, to redeem such miserable sinners as we are! How wonderful, not least, that every tittle of these insults was foretold seven hundred years before they were inflicted! Seven hundred years before, Isaiah had written down the words, "I hid not my face from shame and spitting." (Isaiah. 50:6.)
Let us draw from the passage one practical conclusion. Let it never surprise us, if we have to endure mockery, and ridicule, and false reports, because we belong to Christ. The disciple is not greater than His Master, nor the servant than His Lord. If lies and insults were heaped upon our Savior, we need not wonder if the same weapons are constantly used against His people. It is one of Satan's great devices to blacken the characters of godly men, and bring them into contempt. The lives of Luther, Cranmer, Calvin, and Wesley supply abundant examples of this. If we are ever called upon to suffer in this way, let us bear it patiently. We drink the same cup that was drunk by our beloved Lord. But there is one great difference. At the worst, we only drink a few bitter drops. He drank the cup to the very dregs.
2024.05.15 12:39 New-Age3409 Thoughts on Abinadi's story in Mosiah 11-17
Just spent the last several hours writing this for myself in preparation for teaching Sunday School this upcoming Sunday. Thought I'd share it here too for anyone interested. (I didn't cite my outside sources, besides scriptures, because I was just writing these notes for myself. But it pulls from various places of research that I can point you to if interested, especially from Scripture Central.)
In the order it is presented (shortly after Mosiah 1-6), we see a direct parallel between:
Note that the emphasis of "one fifth part" in v. 3 is repeated five times: an instance of "thematic repetition", a Hebraism that is meant to emphasize a specific theme. In this case, it emphasizes the heaviness of the burden placed on the people that this 20% net worth tax represented.
According to the Law of Moses, there was only supposed to be one high priest (Leviticus 21:10). However, v. 11 says that Noah had consecrated "high priests"; he was abusing and corrupting the Law of Moses for his benefit and the benefit of his friends.
We start by illustrating more parallels between Moses and Abinadi:
Again, this language is filled with strong prophetic speech forms, this time a Hebraism known as the "simile curse": * "the life of king Noah shall be valued even as a garment in a hot furnace" (v. 3) * "thou shalt be as a stalk, even as a dry stalk of the field, which is run over by the beasts and trodden under foot" (v. 11) * "thou shalt be as the blossoms of a thistle, which, when it is fully ripe, if the wind bloweth, it is driven forth upon the face of the land" (v. 12)
When the people bind Abinadi and take him before the king, they tell King Noah about all of the curses–including a prophesy of their future bondage–Abinadi has placed upon King Noah and the people if they do not repent. In justifying their iniquities and dismissing Abinadi's charges, they say, "And now, O king, behold, we are guiltless, and thou, O king, hast not sinned; this man has lied concerning you, and he has prophesied in vain. And behold, we are strong, we shall not come into bondage, or be taken captive by our enemies; yea, and thou has prospered in the land, and thou shalt also prosper" (Mosiah 12:15).
They are citing (and misapplying) as justification the promise that Lehi received from the Lord: "Inasmuch as those whom the Lord God shall bring out of the land of Jerusalem shall keep his commandments, they shall prosper upon the face of this land; and they shall be kept from all other nations, that they may possess this land unto themselves. And if it so be that they shall keep his commandments they shall be blessed upon the face of this land, and there shall be none to molest them, nor to take away the land of their inheritance; and they shall dwell safely forever" (2 Nephi 1:9). Remember, the people of Limhi (this people living in Shilom) left Zarahemla and returned to the land of the first inheritance, where Nephi landed–they see themselves as the inheritors of Lehi's promise.
The Lord's promise is that if the people together are righteous, then they as a people together shall prosper. However, these people speaking to Noah apply it individually to Noah, essentially saying, "If you personally have prospered, according to this promise of the Lord, then you personally must be righteous. Thus, according to the previous promises of the Lord, there is no way we can be led into bondage and Abinadi must be lying." Not only is this a misapplication of logic (A implying B does not necessarily mean that B implies A), it is a misunderstanding of the blessing: the Lord's promise was not about individuals (since sometimes righteous individuals are poor), but about societies that will be collectively righteous.
(Note that I'm not saying the Lord doesn't also prosper righteous individuals; this happens sometimes too. I'm saying that Lehi's promise was to his descendants as a people, to the Nephites and/or Lamanites as a society, not to Lehi or Nephi specifically.)
In contrast, extreme wealth inequality and the prospering of only a few individuals in a society–like that seen under King Noah–is actually a sign of wickedness (as preached by many Old Testament, Book of Mormon, and New Testament prophets).
The ordeal is started when, after being imprisoned for his prophecies against the people, the priests of King Noah tell the king to bring Abinadi before him so that they may question him. Their questioning starts by quoting Isaiah 52:7-10 to Abinadi, and asking him what those words mean:
"How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings; that publisheth peace; that bringeth good tidings of good; that publisheth salvation; that saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth;
Thy watchmen shall lift up the voice; with the voice together shall they sing; for they shall see eye to eye when the Lord shall bring again Zion;
Break forth into joy; sing together ye waste places of Jerusalem; for the Lord hath comforted his people, he hath redeemed Jerusalem;
The Lord hath made bare his holy arm in the eyes of all the nations, and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God?"
Why these words? The people of Zeniff (the generation before the people of King Noah) left the land of Zarahemla to return back up to the land of Nephi – Shilom was in the mountains and hills, as compared to where they had lived before. In essence, these wicked priests were saying, "Why are you preaching that we are a wicked people when the scriptures call our feet beautiful? We are preaching good tidings unto the people – we teach them the law of Moses. Why all of this doom-and-gloom that you preach? You are clearly in the wrong for calling us to repentance."
Abinadi then begins his challenge: "Are you priests, and pretend to teach this people, and to understand the spirit of prophesying, and yet desire to know of me what these things mean?" (12:25). This then becomes the theme of his challenge to them: the priests do not understand the scriptures, especially the Law of Moses, and Abinadi is going to explain the scriptures and the law of Moses to them.
He asks them, "What teach ye this people?" (12:27).
They answer, "The Law of Moses" (12:28). Again, Moses and the law given to him are a theme of this interaction between Abinadi and the priests of King Noah. In total, the name "Moses" is used 16 times from Mosiah 12:28-16:15, 15 of which are by Abinadi and 1 of which is by the abridger, Mormon.
Abinadi replies, "If ye teach the law of Moses, why do ye not keep it?" (12:29) and then proceeds to list their sins, especially pride, wealth-seeking, sexual immorality, and leading the people astray.
Abinadi then challenges them again: "And what know ye concerning the law of Moses? Doth salvation come by the law of Moses? What say ye?" (12:31).
The priests respond that salvation does come by the law of Moses.
Abinadi then says, "I know if ye keep the commandments of God ye shall be saved; yea, if ye keep the commandments which the Lord delivered unto Moses in the mount of Sinai, saying..." (12:33) and then quotes two of the Ten Commandments. If Abinadi came at the time of Pentecost, then this is the exact occasion these people are celebrating: the time when the Lord delivered unto Moses the commandments at Sinai. Thus, Abinadi would be referencing the festival, in essence, saying, "Don't you remember the whole point of this party you are throwing right now? You are forgetting why we have this festival in the first place."
The king then, being angry with Abinadi, tells his priests to slay Abinadi, but Abinadi withstands them, saying, "Touch me not, for God shall smite you if ye lay your hands upon me, for I have not delivered the message which the Lord sent me to deliver; neither have I told you that which ye requested that I should tell [referring to the requested interpretation of Isaiah 52:7-10]; therefore, God will not suffer that I shall be destroyed at this time" (13:3).
Then, Mormon records that "the people of king Noah durst not lay their hands on [Abinadi], for the Spirit of the Lord was upon him; and his face shone with exceeding luster, even as Moses' did while in the mount of Sinai, while speaking with the Lord" (13:5). (Again, this is a powerful and divine reference to the events being celebrated at the Pentecost festival. Now, it isn't just Abinadi or Mormon drawing the parallels to Moses: God Himself, by resting that light upon Abinadi, is writing the parallel.)
And with power and authority, he then reads to them "the remainder of the [ten] commandments of God". The Ten Commandments "are not written in [the priests'] hearts", because instead of studying and teaching the scriptures as they ought to have been, they "have studied and taught iniquity the most part of [their] lives" (13:11).
Once more, we see more parallels between Moses and Abinadi:
Abinadi finishes delivering the Ten Commandments by saying, "Have ye taught this people that they should observe to do all these things for to keep these commandments? I say unto you, Nay" (13:25-26).
"And now ye have said that salvation cometh by the law of Moses [part of which he just read to them]; I say unto you that it is expedient that ye should keep the law of Moses as yet; but I say unto you that the time shall come when it shall no more be expedient to keep the law of Moses.
And moreover, I say unto you, that salvation doth not come by the law alone; and were it not for the atonement which God himself shall make for the sins and iniquities of his people that they must unavoidably perish, notwithstanding the law of Moses" (13:27-28)
In addition to the Ten Commandments, the Law of Moses required a series of strict ordinances, rituals, and observances that had to be kept strictly. One of these was the atonement sacrifice: a person would present a sacrificial animal, one without blemish, to be killed; the animal symbolically took the sins of the person and was killed on their behalf, reconciling the individual back to Jehovah. The person made an atonement sacrifice.
Therefore, Abinadi is saying that this strict law means nothing, unless God Himself offers an atoning sacrifice, something that is so great it will cover the sins of all his people, not just one person and not just for one sin but for all sins.
In Abinadi's words, the law of Moses and all its ordinances "were types of things to come" (13:31): they were a symbol pointing forward to the great atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ.
He then says that the children of Israel and the Jews in Jerusalem did also not understand the law "and this because of the hardness of their hearts" (13:32), implying that the priests of King Noah also do not understand the Law of Moses.
"For behold, did not Moses prophecy unto them concerning the coming of the Messiah, and that God should redeem his people? Yea, and even all the prophets who have prophesied ever since the world began–have they not spoken more or less concerning these things?
Have they not said that God himself should come down amng the children of men, and take upon him the form of man, and go forth in mighty power upon the face of the earth?
Yea, and have they not said also that he should bring to pass the resurrection of the dead, and that he, himself, should be oppressed and afflicted?" (13:33-35).
"Yea, even doth not Isaiah say: Who hath believed our report, and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed?
For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of dry ground; he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him there is no beauty that we should desire him.
He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief; and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.
Surely he has borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows; yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.
But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.
All we, like sheep, have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquities of us all.
He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth; he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb so he opened not his mouth.
He was taken from prison and from judgment; and who shall declare his generation? For he was cut off out of the land of the living; for the transgressions of my people was he stricken.
And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no evil, neither was any deceit in his mouth.
Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him; he hath put him to grief; when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand.
He shall see the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied; by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities.
Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death; and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bore the sins of many, and made intercession for the transgressors." (Mosiah 14)
He then, in beautiful language, explains Isaiah 53 by:
"All the holy prophets who have prophesied concerning the coming of the Lord... all those who have hearkened unto their words, and beleived that the Lord would redeem his people, and have looked forward to that day for a remission of their sins... the prophets, every one that has opened his mouth to prophesy, that has not fallen into transgression, I mean all the holy prophets ever since the world began...
These are they who have published peace, who have brought good tidings of good, who have published salvation; and said unto Zion: Thy God reigneth!
And O how beautiful upon the mountains were their feet!
And again, how beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of those that are still publishing peace!
And again, how beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of those who shall hereafter publish peace, yea, from this time henceforth and forever!
And behold, I say unto you, this is not all. For O how beautiful upon the mountains are **the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that is the founder of peace, yea, even the Lord, who has redeemed his people; yea, him who has granted salvation unto his people" (Mosiah 15:11-18).
In other words, Abinadi is refuting their interpretation of Isaiah 52: these verses aren't about them; they are about Christ and all those who preach and follow Christ.
He then expounds on what "the salvation of our God" (Isaiah 52:10) actually is: that Christ "has broken the bands of death" (Mosiah 15:23) and "all those that have believed in [the words of the prophets], or all those that have kept the commandments of God, shall come forth in the first resurrection" (Mosiah 15:22).
But, salvation does not come to those "that rebel against him and die in their sins", those "that have wilfully rebelled against God, that have known the commandments of God, and would not keep them; these are they that have no part int the first resurrection" (15:26); in other words, the exact type of people that King Noah and his priests are: people who know the law and who should know better. This is why Abinadi then challenges them and says, "Therefore ought ye not to tremble?" because they know, as he does, that they are wilfully rebelling against God.
Then, to tie it all back together, he connects his words to Isaiah 52:8-10:
"...the time shall come that the salvation of the Lord shall be declared to every nation, kindred, tongue, and people.
Yea, Lord, thy watchmen shall lift up their voice; with the voice together shall they sing; for they shall see eye to eye, when the Lord shall bring again Zion.
Break forth into joy, sing together, ye waste places of Jerusalem; for the Lord hath comforted his people, he hath redeemed Jerusalem.
The Lord hath made bare his holy arm in the eyes of all the nations; and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God." (Mosiah 15:28-31)
"The time shall come when all shall see the salvation of the Lord; when every nation, kindred, tongue, and people shall see eye to eye and shall confess before God that his judgments are just." (16:2)
He then expounds upon the state of the wicked after death, teaches the Fall of Adam and Eve, and the necessity of the Redemption and Resurrection of Christ; that is, he concludes his challenge and sermon to the priests by teaching them the Plan of Salvation.
A defining feature of this sermon is that Abinadi speaks "of things to come as though they had already come" (16:6); that is, he speaks in the present or past tense about future events (e.g., the redemption, the resurrection, etc.). This is another powerful Hebraic prophetic speech form, known as the "prophetic perfect tense"; it is used by many Old Testament prophets when they speak of future events. Why? Because having received revelation concerning those events, their faith and knowledge of such events is as plain as if it already has happened to them. To them, Jesus might as well have already come, that is how real His Atonement is to them. That aspect of the future is just as matter of fact as the present or past.
Finally, Abinadi ties it all back together to the big theme: the priests do not understand, teach, or live according to the Law of Moses, and unless they repent, they will not be saved by the redemption of Christ.
"And now, ought ye not to tremble and repent of your sins, and remember that only in and through Christ ye can be saved?
Therefore, if ye teach the law of Moses, also teach that it is a shadow of those things which are to come–
Teach them that redemption cometh through Christ the Lord, who is the very Eternal Father. Amen." (16:13-15)
King Noah casts out Alma, who flees so that he will not be slain. It is because of Alma that we have this record of Abinadi at all, as he is the one who "did write all the words which Abinadi had spoken" (17:4).
King Noah then casts Abinadi into prison (seeing as how he had finished his message) for three days. (Notably, the length of the Pentecost Festival is also three days.)
After counseling with his priests, King Noah has Abinadi brought before them to stand trial. The priests have found a way, under the Law of Moses, to condemn Abinadi to death: they accuse him of blasphemy, which, under the Law of Moses, is punishable by death (Leviticus 24:11-16).
"Abinadi, we have found an accusation against thee, and thou art worthy of death. For thou hast said that God himself should come down among the children of men; and now, for this cause thou shalt be put to death unless thou wilt recall all the words which thou hast spoken evil concerning me and my people." (17:7-8)
Notice that the condition of Abinadi's acquittal is not that he repeal the words he said about God; the priests don't actually care about that trumped up charge. They instead care about the curses he has placed on them and prophesied of them, that they will be scourged, and plagued, and burned, etc. The ancient people took curses very seriously, and if Abinadi had the power to place a curse, only he could repeal it.
He refutes them once more: "I will not recall the words which I have spoken unto you, concerning this people, for they are true; and that ye may know of their surety I have suffered myself that I have fallen into your hands. Yea, and I will suffer even until death, and I will not recall my words, and they shall stand as a testimony against you. And if ye slay me ye will shed innocent blood, and this shall also stand as a testimony against you at the last day" (17:9-10).
This strikes fear into the heart of King Noah. He knows that the charges of blasphemy are false, and that if he goes through with this, it will be murder, "for he feared that the judgments of God would come upon him" (17:11).
However, the priests then quickly come up with another charge: "He has reviled the king" (17:12). This is the charge they will put him to death for, for speaking ill of the king. And King Noah acquiesces, is stirred up in anger against Abinadi and orders him to be killed.
The priests then take Abinadi, bind him, scourge him with faggots (bundles of wood to be burned), and scorch him with fire. Notice here, once more, the references to the story of Moses: because Abinadi preached to them using the Law of Moses, and shone like Moses, and spoke of Moses to testify of their iniquities, (and all possibly during the Pentecost celebration) they place him in a burning bush.
As the flames scorch him, Abinadi solidifies the curse and prophesies that, just as he is killed, so will the king die too: "And in that day ye shall be hunted, and ye shall be taken by the hand of your enemies, and then ye shall suffer, as I suffer, the pains of death by fire" (17:18). This prophesy later comes true, as King Noah is hunted and burned "unto death by fire" (Mosiah 19:20). This represents the final comparison between Moses' story and Abinadi's story:
Abinadi then exclaims, "O God, receive my soul," and dies, "because he would not deny the commandments of God, having sealed the truth of his words by his death" (Mosiah 17:20).
submitted by New-Age3409 to latterdaysaints [link] [comments]
Mosiah 11-17: Abinadi
Abinadi has a tremendous impact on the rest of the Book of Mormon and the religious history of the Nephites and Lamanites. He converted Alma the Elder, whose personal ministry and the ministries of his descendants (Alma the Younger, Helaman, Shiblon, Corianton, Helaman II, Nephi II, Lehi, Nephi III, Timothy, Jonas, Nephi IV, Amos the Elder, Amos the Younger, Ammaron) convert 1000s to the gospel, and lead the Church all the way to the visitation of Christ to the Americas and afterwards until Mormon.In the order it is presented (shortly after Mosiah 1-6), we see a direct parallel between:
- King Benjamin (reign ended in 130 BC) of Zarahemla as a righteous king who labored with his own hands (and not off the work of his people) and taught them in the ways of righteousness; and
- King Noah (died sometime between 145-122 BC) of Shilom as a wicked king who exploited labor and wealth from his people and taught them wickedness.
Mosiah 11:1-19
| Pharaoh & Moses | Noah & Abinadi |
|---|---|
| Pharaoh, as a new king, moves away from the traditions of his father (Ex. 1:8) | King Noah does not walk in the ways of his father (Mosiah 11:1-2) |
| Pharaoh subjects the Jews (Ex. 1:13-14) | King Noah subjects his people (Mosiah 11:1-15) |
| Pharaoh installs wise men and sorcerers (Ex. 7:11) | King Noah installs wicked priests (Mosiah 11:5) |
According to the Law of Moses, there was only supposed to be one high priest (Leviticus 21:10). However, v. 11 says that Noah had consecrated "high priests"; he was abusing and corrupting the Law of Moses for his benefit and the benefit of his friends.
Mosiah 11:20-25
Abinadi, "a man among them" (someone who lived among them), then comes forth to prophesy and preach against the people. He has clearly, with direction from the Lord, prepared a specific statement that is supposed to preached. This preparation is evident in its chiasmic form:- A. Behold, thus saith the Lord, and thus hath he commanded me, saying, Go forth, and say unto this people, thus saith the Lord—Wo be unto this people,
- B. for I have seen their abominations, and their wickedness, and their whoredoms;
- C. and except they repent I will visit them in mine anger.
- D. And except they repent and turn to the Lord their God,
- E. behold, I will deliver them into the hands of their enemies;
- E. and none shall deliver them,
- E. behold, I will deliver them into the hands of their enemies;
- D. except it be the Lord the Almighty God.
- D. And except they repent and turn to the Lord their God,
- C. Yea, and it shall come to pass that when they shall cry unto me I will be slow to hear their cries; yea, and I will suffer them that they be smitten by their enemies. And except they repent in sackcloth and ashes, and cry mightily to the Lord their God,
- C. and except they repent I will visit them in mine anger.
- B. I will not hear their prayers, neither will I deliver them out of their afflictions;
- B. for I have seen their abominations, and their wickedness, and their whoredoms;
- A. and thus saith the Lord, and thus hath he commanded me.
- "Thus saith the Lord" (Messenger Form)
- "Thus hath he commanded me, saying" (Revelation Form)
- "Go forth, and say unto this people, thus saith the Lord" (Messenger Form)
- "Wo be unto this people" (Woe Oracle)
| Pharaoh & Moses | Noah & Abinadi |
|---|---|
| Moses initially flees for his life since Pharaoh seeks to slay him (Ex. 2:15) | Abinadi initially escapes when the people and King Noah seek to slay him (Ex. Mosiah 11:26,28) |
| Pharaoh rejects the Lord's authority, saying, "Who is the Lord..." (Ex. 5:2) | King Noah rejects the Lord's authority, saying, "Who is the Lord..." |
| Pharaoh hardens his heart (Ex. 7:13, JST) | King Noah hardens his heart (Mosiah 11:29) |
| Moses is commanded by the Lord to return from exile and preach to Pharaoh (Ex. 7:1-2) | Abinadi is commanded to return from exile and preach to the people (Mosiah 12:1) |
Mosiah 12:1-17
After two years, Abinadi returns to the city by commandment of the Lord to preach unto the people. There is a possibility that he returned to preach specifically at the celebration of Pentecost. The Pentecost was, prior to the New Testament, a Jewish yearly celebration of the giving of the Ten Commandments to Moses and the chidlren of Israel. Such a gathering would have given Abinadi an audience for his preaching, and its themes align with the themes of Abinadi's message (as we will see).We start by illustrating more parallels between Moses and Abinadi:
| Pharaoh & Moses | Noah & Abinadi |
|---|---|
| Upon returning to Pharoah, Moses prophesies of and delivers a series of plagues (including famine, pestilence, hail, fire, insects) unless Pharaoh repents (Ex. 7-10) | Upon returning to Shilom, Abinadi prophesies of a series of plagues (including famine, pestilence, hail, fire, insects) unless the people repent (Mosiah 12:1-8) |
| Because of the afflictions, Pharoah will eventually acknowledge the Lord (Ex. 7:5,17) | Because of the afflictions, King Noah will eventually acknowledge the Lord (Mosiah 12:3) |
| Moses challenges the wise men and sorcerers of Pharaoh (Ex. 7:8-12) | Abinadi challenges the wicked priests of King Noah (Mosiah 12:25-29) |
When the people bind Abinadi and take him before the king, they tell King Noah about all of the curses–including a prophesy of their future bondage–Abinadi has placed upon King Noah and the people if they do not repent. In justifying their iniquities and dismissing Abinadi's charges, they say, "And now, O king, behold, we are guiltless, and thou, O king, hast not sinned; this man has lied concerning you, and he has prophesied in vain. And behold, we are strong, we shall not come into bondage, or be taken captive by our enemies; yea, and thou has prospered in the land, and thou shalt also prosper" (Mosiah 12:15).
They are citing (and misapplying) as justification the promise that Lehi received from the Lord: "Inasmuch as those whom the Lord God shall bring out of the land of Jerusalem shall keep his commandments, they shall prosper upon the face of this land; and they shall be kept from all other nations, that they may possess this land unto themselves. And if it so be that they shall keep his commandments they shall be blessed upon the face of this land, and there shall be none to molest them, nor to take away the land of their inheritance; and they shall dwell safely forever" (2 Nephi 1:9). Remember, the people of Limhi (this people living in Shilom) left Zarahemla and returned to the land of the first inheritance, where Nephi landed–they see themselves as the inheritors of Lehi's promise.
The Lord's promise is that if the people together are righteous, then they as a people together shall prosper. However, these people speaking to Noah apply it individually to Noah, essentially saying, "If you personally have prospered, according to this promise of the Lord, then you personally must be righteous. Thus, according to the previous promises of the Lord, there is no way we can be led into bondage and Abinadi must be lying." Not only is this a misapplication of logic (A implying B does not necessarily mean that B implies A), it is a misunderstanding of the blessing: the Lord's promise was not about individuals (since sometimes righteous individuals are poor), but about societies that will be collectively righteous.
(Note that I'm not saying the Lord doesn't also prosper righteous individuals; this happens sometimes too. I'm saying that Lehi's promise was to his descendants as a people, to the Nephites and/or Lamanites as a society, not to Lehi or Nephi specifically.)
In contrast, extreme wealth inequality and the prospering of only a few individuals in a society–like that seen under King Noah–is actually a sign of wickedness (as preached by many Old Testament, Book of Mormon, and New Testament prophets).
Mosiah 12:18 - 13:26
Just as Moses challenged the power, knowledge, and authority of the wise men and sorcerers of Pharaoh, Abinadi directly challenges the power, knowledge, and authority of the wicked priests of King Noah.The ordeal is started when, after being imprisoned for his prophecies against the people, the priests of King Noah tell the king to bring Abinadi before him so that they may question him. Their questioning starts by quoting Isaiah 52:7-10 to Abinadi, and asking him what those words mean:
"How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings; that publisheth peace; that bringeth good tidings of good; that publisheth salvation; that saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth;
Thy watchmen shall lift up the voice; with the voice together shall they sing; for they shall see eye to eye when the Lord shall bring again Zion;
Break forth into joy; sing together ye waste places of Jerusalem; for the Lord hath comforted his people, he hath redeemed Jerusalem;
The Lord hath made bare his holy arm in the eyes of all the nations, and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God?"
Why these words? The people of Zeniff (the generation before the people of King Noah) left the land of Zarahemla to return back up to the land of Nephi – Shilom was in the mountains and hills, as compared to where they had lived before. In essence, these wicked priests were saying, "Why are you preaching that we are a wicked people when the scriptures call our feet beautiful? We are preaching good tidings unto the people – we teach them the law of Moses. Why all of this doom-and-gloom that you preach? You are clearly in the wrong for calling us to repentance."
Abinadi then begins his challenge: "Are you priests, and pretend to teach this people, and to understand the spirit of prophesying, and yet desire to know of me what these things mean?" (12:25). This then becomes the theme of his challenge to them: the priests do not understand the scriptures, especially the Law of Moses, and Abinadi is going to explain the scriptures and the law of Moses to them.
He asks them, "What teach ye this people?" (12:27).
They answer, "The Law of Moses" (12:28). Again, Moses and the law given to him are a theme of this interaction between Abinadi and the priests of King Noah. In total, the name "Moses" is used 16 times from Mosiah 12:28-16:15, 15 of which are by Abinadi and 1 of which is by the abridger, Mormon.
Abinadi replies, "If ye teach the law of Moses, why do ye not keep it?" (12:29) and then proceeds to list their sins, especially pride, wealth-seeking, sexual immorality, and leading the people astray.
Abinadi then challenges them again: "And what know ye concerning the law of Moses? Doth salvation come by the law of Moses? What say ye?" (12:31).
The priests respond that salvation does come by the law of Moses.
Abinadi then says, "I know if ye keep the commandments of God ye shall be saved; yea, if ye keep the commandments which the Lord delivered unto Moses in the mount of Sinai, saying..." (12:33) and then quotes two of the Ten Commandments. If Abinadi came at the time of Pentecost, then this is the exact occasion these people are celebrating: the time when the Lord delivered unto Moses the commandments at Sinai. Thus, Abinadi would be referencing the festival, in essence, saying, "Don't you remember the whole point of this party you are throwing right now? You are forgetting why we have this festival in the first place."
The king then, being angry with Abinadi, tells his priests to slay Abinadi, but Abinadi withstands them, saying, "Touch me not, for God shall smite you if ye lay your hands upon me, for I have not delivered the message which the Lord sent me to deliver; neither have I told you that which ye requested that I should tell [referring to the requested interpretation of Isaiah 52:7-10]; therefore, God will not suffer that I shall be destroyed at this time" (13:3).
Then, Mormon records that "the people of king Noah durst not lay their hands on [Abinadi], for the Spirit of the Lord was upon him; and his face shone with exceeding luster, even as Moses' did while in the mount of Sinai, while speaking with the Lord" (13:5). (Again, this is a powerful and divine reference to the events being celebrated at the Pentecost festival. Now, it isn't just Abinadi or Mormon drawing the parallels to Moses: God Himself, by resting that light upon Abinadi, is writing the parallel.)
And with power and authority, he then reads to them "the remainder of the [ten] commandments of God". The Ten Commandments "are not written in [the priests'] hearts", because instead of studying and teaching the scriptures as they ought to have been, they "have studied and taught iniquity the most part of [their] lives" (13:11).
Once more, we see more parallels between Moses and Abinadi:
| Pharaoh & Moses | Noah & Abinadi |
|---|---|
| Moses' face shines when he came down from Sinai with the two tables of testimony from the Lord for the people of Israel (Ex. 34:29-30) | Abinadi's face shines as he delivers his message to King Noah and his priests (Mosiah 13:5) |
| The people of Israel are afraid to approach Moses because his face shines (Ex. 34:30) | The priests of King Noah are afraid to lay their hands on him because of his words and because his face shines (Mosiah 13:5) |
| Moses delivers the Ten Commandments (Ex. 20, 34) | Abinadi delivers the Ten Commandments (Mosiah 12:35-36, 13:12-24) |
| Moses speaks to a stiff-necked people (Ex. 32:9) | Abinadi speaks to a stiff-necked people (Mosiah 13:29) |
Mosiah 13:27-35
Abinadi then starts to lay the seeds that connect the law of Moses (and perhaps the Pentecost festival) and the passages from Isaiah he was asked about earlier. After reciting to them the Law of Moses, he reminds the priests of their earlier statement that salvation comes by the law of Moses:"And now ye have said that salvation cometh by the law of Moses [part of which he just read to them]; I say unto you that it is expedient that ye should keep the law of Moses as yet; but I say unto you that the time shall come when it shall no more be expedient to keep the law of Moses.
And moreover, I say unto you, that salvation doth not come by the law alone; and were it not for the atonement which God himself shall make for the sins and iniquities of his people that they must unavoidably perish, notwithstanding the law of Moses" (13:27-28)
In addition to the Ten Commandments, the Law of Moses required a series of strict ordinances, rituals, and observances that had to be kept strictly. One of these was the atonement sacrifice: a person would present a sacrificial animal, one without blemish, to be killed; the animal symbolically took the sins of the person and was killed on their behalf, reconciling the individual back to Jehovah. The person made an atonement sacrifice.
Therefore, Abinadi is saying that this strict law means nothing, unless God Himself offers an atoning sacrifice, something that is so great it will cover the sins of all his people, not just one person and not just for one sin but for all sins.
In Abinadi's words, the law of Moses and all its ordinances "were types of things to come" (13:31): they were a symbol pointing forward to the great atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ.
He then says that the children of Israel and the Jews in Jerusalem did also not understand the law "and this because of the hardness of their hearts" (13:32), implying that the priests of King Noah also do not understand the Law of Moses.
"For behold, did not Moses prophecy unto them concerning the coming of the Messiah, and that God should redeem his people? Yea, and even all the prophets who have prophesied ever since the world began–have they not spoken more or less concerning these things?
Have they not said that God himself should come down amng the children of men, and take upon him the form of man, and go forth in mighty power upon the face of the earth?
Yea, and have they not said also that he should bring to pass the resurrection of the dead, and that he, himself, should be oppressed and afflicted?" (13:33-35).
Mosiah 14 - 15:31
Now Abinadi starts to turn back more directly to answer the previous question posed by the priests concerning the meaning of Isaiah 52:7-10. Of course, what is a great technique for understanding a passage? You look at its context. So, what does Abinadi do to explain the meaning of Isaiah 52? He recites to them the content of Isaiah 53, a Messianic prophecy:"Yea, even doth not Isaiah say: Who hath believed our report, and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed?
For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of dry ground; he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him there is no beauty that we should desire him.
He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief; and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.
Surely he has borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows; yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.
But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.
All we, like sheep, have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquities of us all.
He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth; he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb so he opened not his mouth.
He was taken from prison and from judgment; and who shall declare his generation? For he was cut off out of the land of the living; for the transgressions of my people was he stricken.
And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no evil, neither was any deceit in his mouth.
Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him; he hath put him to grief; when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand.
He shall see the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied; by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities.
Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death; and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bore the sins of many, and made intercession for the transgressors." (Mosiah 14)
He then, in beautiful language, explains Isaiah 53 by:
- expounding on the relationship between the Father and the Son (15:1-5);
- explaining that the Son will be, as Isaiah said, oppressed and afflicted (15:5) and led "as a sheep before the shearer is dumb so he opened not his mouth" (15:6) and slain (15:7) so that death and iniquity may be defeated.
"All the holy prophets who have prophesied concerning the coming of the Lord... all those who have hearkened unto their words, and beleived that the Lord would redeem his people, and have looked forward to that day for a remission of their sins... the prophets, every one that has opened his mouth to prophesy, that has not fallen into transgression, I mean all the holy prophets ever since the world began...
These are they who have published peace, who have brought good tidings of good, who have published salvation; and said unto Zion: Thy God reigneth!
And O how beautiful upon the mountains were their feet!
And again, how beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of those that are still publishing peace!
And again, how beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of those who shall hereafter publish peace, yea, from this time henceforth and forever!
And behold, I say unto you, this is not all. For O how beautiful upon the mountains are **the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that is the founder of peace, yea, even the Lord, who has redeemed his people; yea, him who has granted salvation unto his people" (Mosiah 15:11-18).
In other words, Abinadi is refuting their interpretation of Isaiah 52: these verses aren't about them; they are about Christ and all those who preach and follow Christ.
He then expounds on what "the salvation of our God" (Isaiah 52:10) actually is: that Christ "has broken the bands of death" (Mosiah 15:23) and "all those that have believed in [the words of the prophets], or all those that have kept the commandments of God, shall come forth in the first resurrection" (Mosiah 15:22).
But, salvation does not come to those "that rebel against him and die in their sins", those "that have wilfully rebelled against God, that have known the commandments of God, and would not keep them; these are they that have no part int the first resurrection" (15:26); in other words, the exact type of people that King Noah and his priests are: people who know the law and who should know better. This is why Abinadi then challenges them and says, "Therefore ought ye not to tremble?" because they know, as he does, that they are wilfully rebelling against God.
Then, to tie it all back together, he connects his words to Isaiah 52:8-10:
"...the time shall come that the salvation of the Lord shall be declared to every nation, kindred, tongue, and people.
Yea, Lord, thy watchmen shall lift up their voice; with the voice together shall they sing; for they shall see eye to eye, when the Lord shall bring again Zion.
Break forth into joy, sing together, ye waste places of Jerusalem; for the Lord hath comforted his people, he hath redeemed Jerusalem.
The Lord hath made bare his holy arm in the eyes of all the nations; and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God." (Mosiah 15:28-31)
Mosiah 16:1-15
After quoting to them again the words of Isaiah 52, he repeats the last idea of Isaiah's words to them:"The time shall come when all shall see the salvation of the Lord; when every nation, kindred, tongue, and people shall see eye to eye and shall confess before God that his judgments are just." (16:2)
He then expounds upon the state of the wicked after death, teaches the Fall of Adam and Eve, and the necessity of the Redemption and Resurrection of Christ; that is, he concludes his challenge and sermon to the priests by teaching them the Plan of Salvation.
A defining feature of this sermon is that Abinadi speaks "of things to come as though they had already come" (16:6); that is, he speaks in the present or past tense about future events (e.g., the redemption, the resurrection, etc.). This is another powerful Hebraic prophetic speech form, known as the "prophetic perfect tense"; it is used by many Old Testament prophets when they speak of future events. Why? Because having received revelation concerning those events, their faith and knowledge of such events is as plain as if it already has happened to them. To them, Jesus might as well have already come, that is how real His Atonement is to them. That aspect of the future is just as matter of fact as the present or past.
Finally, Abinadi ties it all back together to the big theme: the priests do not understand, teach, or live according to the Law of Moses, and unless they repent, they will not be saved by the redemption of Christ.
"And now, ought ye not to tremble and repent of your sins, and remember that only in and through Christ ye can be saved?
Therefore, if ye teach the law of Moses, also teach that it is a shadow of those things which are to come–
Teach them that redemption cometh through Christ the Lord, who is the very Eternal Father. Amen." (16:13-15)
Mosiah 17:1-20
Abinadi's sermon has a lasting impact on one of the high priests, Alma, who believes Abinadi's words and pleads with the king to not be angry with Abinadi and let him depart in peace. (Again, the impact of Abinadi's sermon cannot be understated: Alma becomes the righteous leader of the Church, authorized with the priesthood to perform ordinances and set apart other leaders in the Church. His descendants are consistently those that lead the Nephites in the ways of the Lord until and after the coming of Christ.)King Noah casts out Alma, who flees so that he will not be slain. It is because of Alma that we have this record of Abinadi at all, as he is the one who "did write all the words which Abinadi had spoken" (17:4).
King Noah then casts Abinadi into prison (seeing as how he had finished his message) for three days. (Notably, the length of the Pentecost Festival is also three days.)
After counseling with his priests, King Noah has Abinadi brought before them to stand trial. The priests have found a way, under the Law of Moses, to condemn Abinadi to death: they accuse him of blasphemy, which, under the Law of Moses, is punishable by death (Leviticus 24:11-16).
"Abinadi, we have found an accusation against thee, and thou art worthy of death. For thou hast said that God himself should come down among the children of men; and now, for this cause thou shalt be put to death unless thou wilt recall all the words which thou hast spoken evil concerning me and my people." (17:7-8)
Notice that the condition of Abinadi's acquittal is not that he repeal the words he said about God; the priests don't actually care about that trumped up charge. They instead care about the curses he has placed on them and prophesied of them, that they will be scourged, and plagued, and burned, etc. The ancient people took curses very seriously, and if Abinadi had the power to place a curse, only he could repeal it.
He refutes them once more: "I will not recall the words which I have spoken unto you, concerning this people, for they are true; and that ye may know of their surety I have suffered myself that I have fallen into your hands. Yea, and I will suffer even until death, and I will not recall my words, and they shall stand as a testimony against you. And if ye slay me ye will shed innocent blood, and this shall also stand as a testimony against you at the last day" (17:9-10).
This strikes fear into the heart of King Noah. He knows that the charges of blasphemy are false, and that if he goes through with this, it will be murder, "for he feared that the judgments of God would come upon him" (17:11).
However, the priests then quickly come up with another charge: "He has reviled the king" (17:12). This is the charge they will put him to death for, for speaking ill of the king. And King Noah acquiesces, is stirred up in anger against Abinadi and orders him to be killed.
The priests then take Abinadi, bind him, scourge him with faggots (bundles of wood to be burned), and scorch him with fire. Notice here, once more, the references to the story of Moses: because Abinadi preached to them using the Law of Moses, and shone like Moses, and spoke of Moses to testify of their iniquities, (and all possibly during the Pentecost celebration) they place him in a burning bush.
As the flames scorch him, Abinadi solidifies the curse and prophesies that, just as he is killed, so will the king die too: "And in that day ye shall be hunted, and ye shall be taken by the hand of your enemies, and then ye shall suffer, as I suffer, the pains of death by fire" (17:18). This prophesy later comes true, as King Noah is hunted and burned "unto death by fire" (Mosiah 19:20). This represents the final comparison between Moses' story and Abinadi's story:
| Pharaoh & Moses | Noah & Abinadi |
|---|---|
| Just as Pharaoh had the sons of the Hebrews cast into the river to drown (Ex. 1:22), he and his army drowned in the depths of the Red Sea (Ex. 14:27-8). | Just as King Noah burned Abinadi alive (Mosiah 17:14-20), he was killed through death by fire (Mosiah 19:20). |
Abinadi: A Type and Shadow himself of Christ
Abinadi preached that the Law of Moses was a type and shadow of Christ. It's not hard to see that Abinadi's own death was also a type and shadow of Christ:| Abinadi's death | Christ's death |
|---|---|
| Abinadi testified to the wicked high priests of Shilom of their iniquities. | Christ testified to the wicked priests of the Jews of their iniqiuities. |
| Abinadi is placed on trial and accused of blasphemy for preaching that God would come down among the children of men. | Christ is placed on trial and accused of blapshemy for preaching that He is God, and He came down among the children of men. |
| Abinadi is almost released by King Noah, out of fear of the consequences. | Christ is almost released by Pilate, out of fear of the consequences. |
| The priests convinced King Noah to kill him anyways. | The people (and priests in particular) convinced Pilate to deliver Christ to be killed. |
| Abinadi is scourged and beaten prior to his death. | Christ is scourged and beaten prior to his death. |
| Abinadi seals the truth of his words by his death. | Christ seals the truth of his words by his death (Hebrews 9:16-17). |
2024.05.14 06:24 WideTimothy Stuff to know about MIT protest demands, research freedom, and military contracts
A week ago, someone asked why “divestment from IDF contracts is so difficult.” After the actions, suspensions, and arrests of last week, I have also wondered why protestors and MIT’s administration did not reach an agreement. Here’s an effort to explain it.
I’m looking to read the protest demands carefully and generously, then consider MIT’s constraints generously. My conclusion is that if the core demands had broad support on campus—and I can't say whether they do or do not—MIT could not agree to them for principled, consistent reasons.
Please add anything I’ve missed about the SAGE and MIT positions in the comments. Factual corrections or additional details are appreciated.
(If you’re here for hot takes, you’re in the wrong thread. I’m not saying what MIT should do about the demands, I'm not sharing opinions about Israel's military, and I'm not sharing opinions about student protests or MIT's response. Please feel welcome to share your opinions about these separate topics in other posts about these topics.)
The demands
The core demands of the Scientists against the Genocide Encampment (SAGE) are:
Two facts about these contracts have been widely misreported. First, the contracts appear to be funded by the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD), not IMoD.[4] As the “direct sponsor,” IMoD chooses which academic research projects to fund. DoD involvement does not appear to be an important consideration to SAGE. I suspect, but don't know for certain, that ending contracts with a primary government funder could add complications for MIT.
Second, SAGE has said that “more than $11M” has been funded through DoD/IMoD since 2015.[1][3] But the data SAGE has published duplicates balances for many multi-year awards. Once deduplicated, the amount allocated by DoD since 2015 is closer to $3.4 million*, of which $3.2 million has been spent.[4] The demands do not address spent research funds, only the unspent balance of the two active grants.Neither SAGE nor MIT have publicly said how much that is, but it's not likely the cost is a material issue for either side. On 5/14, MIT said the unspent balance is $265,000.[13] However, the cost of the demands is not a material issue for either side.
*$3.4M reflects my clean up of obvious accounting errors in the second-hand SAGE data. MIT now says the amount is "just under $4 million dollars."[13] Since fixing SAGE's data shows a lower number, I am inclined to trust MIT's first-hand estimate.
Conflicts between the demands and MIT’s research policy
Meeting protestors’ core demands would require MIT to do something it has not done before: electively ban faculty from working with a specific sponsor. Doing this would conflict with the MIT faculty’s longstanding position on “research freedom,” which A) lets faculty freely choose collaborators and topics and B) limits university intervention when their research faces criticism.[5][6]
Consistent with research freedom, MIT has not previously banned sponsors or ended research contracts except when required by U.S. law. For example, when many MIT faculty said that MIT should sever all ties with the Saudi kingdom after the murder of Jamal Khashoggi, MIT did not terminate any Saudi-affiliated research contracts.[5] MIT has similarly rejected calls to stop faculty research contracts with fossil fuel industry partners.
MIT’s faculty and administration have taken related public positions favoring “research openness,” including research in host countries criticized for human rights concerns like Russia and China.[5][6] These positions assert that science requires open collaboration even during foreign policy conflicts. MIT recently reaffirmed its position on openness as Congress considered new limits on U.S.-China research collaboration.[7]
SAGE argues that research freedom was disregarded in February 2022, when MIT terminated a $100M/year collaboration agreement with Russia’s Skoltech after the Russian military invaded Ukraine.[1][8] However, as a broad university-level partnership between MIT and Skoltech, it did not implicate faculty research freedom as SAGE’s demands do.[8] MIT continues to allow faculty to work with Russian sponsors and collaborators, although U.S. State Department sanctions now restrict research collaborations with many Russian institutions, including Skoltech.[9]
The Saudi and Skoltech decisions show MIT's inflexible position on faculty research freedom, even when human rights concerns are broadly held in the MIT community. MIT exercises more discretion over non-research funding, like direct partnerships and gifts. But unless required by U.S. law or foreign policy, MIT seems unlikely to create a tailored ban on one faculty research sponsor.
Other policy limits on military-sponsored campus research
MIT’s existing rules for campus research limit how military-sponsored research can be conducted, but not the collaborators or subjects faculty can choose. Research projects:
Why "elevated risk review" wouldn't resolve the stated demands (Partially addressing an insightful comment from last week)
For sponsors in some countries, MIT applies an “elevated-risk project review” to faculty research proposals when the content could present risks to human rights, U.S. national security, or U.S. economic competitiveness.[12] These reviews involve both an MIT-wide faculty committee and senior administrators. They can result in project modifications, contract changes, or a refusal of MIT support.[4][12] Elevated-risk reviews are not done for approved research contracts because “the bar for administrative intervention to terminate such projects should be set very high.”[4]
There are at least two reasons an elevated-risk review would not satisfy SAGE's stated demands. First, SAGE seeks a content-independent ban on contracts with IMoD, which does not fit a review process for content-specific risks.
Second, expanding these reviews would limit faculty research freedom, so MIT would normally involve faculty in a decision that affects them. But getting faculty involved means that changes could not happen immediately, something SAGE has said it cannot accept.
Addendum: On "robotic swarms" research at MIT
As I have stressed, the demands listed by SAGE do not seek to end any particular project, only to sever two projects from their sponsor. However, their public statements give a lot of attention to a research project on "autonomous robotic swarms". As someone who doesn't do any work in this area, the name does give some "Black Mirror" vibes.
But after looking around, I find it hard to distinguish the title or outputs of the project from at least a half-dozen other MIT projects on UAV swarms and distributed control. The papers from these projects cite broad commercial and military applications. Unclassified projects on this topic have been ongoing at MIT for at least ten years, in several departments, with a lot of different sponsors.
Given that all these projects are basic research under MIT's rules, i.e. openly published and nonproprietary, I have yet to see an objection to the one IMoD project that wouldn't apply to all the others. Which doubly affirms that the SAGE demands focus only on the sponsor, not project-specific human rights risks.
Sources and further reading
[1] SAGE website
[2] SAGE final proposal to MIT administration
[3] MIT Graduate Students for Palestine, “No more MIT research for Israel’s Ministry of Defense,” The Tech, 10 May 2024
[4] SAGE data extracts of MIT Brown Book research contracts
[5] Richard Lester, "Review and Reassessment of MIT’s Relationship to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia" (2019)
[6] MIT Faculty, "MIT Statement on Freedom of Expression and Academic Freedom" (2022)
[7] Maria Zuber, “Written Testimony to House Committee on Science, Space and Technology” (2021)
[8] Phillip Martin, “MIT abandons Russian high-tech campus partnership in light of Ukraine invasion” WGBH News (2022)
[9] “Information Regarding Informal Research Collaborations with Peers at Russian Institutions” MIT VPR website (2022)
[10] MIT Policy & Procedures 14.2 (“Open Research and Free Interchange of Information”)
[11] Harvey Brooks on research freedom, protests, and military contracts at MIT (1973)
[12] MIT VPR, “Elevated risk project review process” (2019)
[13] MIT Chancellor, "FAQ: Campus Events in Challenging Times" (May 14, 2024)
EDIT 1: Since posting I've fixed typos, made formatting adjustments for reading clarity, and corrected a few statements based on comments below (see my in-thread responses).
EDIT 2: Added a section on "robotic swarms."
EDIT 3: Added new IMoD grant data information published by MIT.
submitted by WideTimothy to mit [link] [comments]
I’m looking to read the protest demands carefully and generously, then consider MIT’s constraints generously. My conclusion is that if the core demands had broad support on campus—and I can't say whether they do or do not—MIT could not agree to them for principled, consistent reasons.
Please add anything I’ve missed about the SAGE and MIT positions in the comments. Factual corrections or additional details are appreciated.
(If you’re here for hot takes, you’re in the wrong thread. I’m not saying what MIT should do about the demands, I'm not sharing opinions about Israel's military, and I'm not sharing opinions about student protests or MIT's response. Please feel welcome to share your opinions about these separate topics in other posts about these topics.)
The demands
The core demands of the Scientists against the Genocide Encampment (SAGE) are:
- The immediate termination of two active faculty contracts with the Israel Ministry of Defense (IMoD)
- A ban on future faculty contracts with IMoD.[1]
- “Autonomous Robotic Swarms: Distributed Coordination and Perception.” SAGE alleges this project can be used to “target Gazan citizens or American protestors.”[1]
- “Field-capable Bacterial Biosensors with Hyperspectral Reporters for Remote Detection of Analytes of Interest." I have not seen any specifically alleged concerns about this project. [3]
Two facts about these contracts have been widely misreported. First, the contracts appear to be funded by the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD), not IMoD.[4] As the “direct sponsor,” IMoD chooses which academic research projects to fund. DoD involvement does not appear to be an important consideration to SAGE. I suspect, but don't know for certain, that ending contracts with a primary government funder could add complications for MIT.
Second, SAGE has said that “more than $11M” has been funded through DoD/IMoD since 2015.[1][3] But the data SAGE has published duplicates balances for many multi-year awards. Once deduplicated, the amount allocated by DoD since 2015 is closer to $3.4 million*, of which $3.2 million has been spent.[4] The demands do not address spent research funds, only the unspent balance of the two active grants.
*$3.4M reflects my clean up of obvious accounting errors in the second-hand SAGE data. MIT now says the amount is "just under $4 million dollars."[13] Since fixing SAGE's data shows a lower number, I am inclined to trust MIT's first-hand estimate.
Conflicts between the demands and MIT’s research policy
Meeting protestors’ core demands would require MIT to do something it has not done before: electively ban faculty from working with a specific sponsor. Doing this would conflict with the MIT faculty’s longstanding position on “research freedom,” which A) lets faculty freely choose collaborators and topics and B) limits university intervention when their research faces criticism.[5][6]
Consistent with research freedom, MIT has not previously banned sponsors or ended research contracts except when required by U.S. law. For example, when many MIT faculty said that MIT should sever all ties with the Saudi kingdom after the murder of Jamal Khashoggi, MIT did not terminate any Saudi-affiliated research contracts.[5] MIT has similarly rejected calls to stop faculty research contracts with fossil fuel industry partners.
MIT’s faculty and administration have taken related public positions favoring “research openness,” including research in host countries criticized for human rights concerns like Russia and China.[5][6] These positions assert that science requires open collaboration even during foreign policy conflicts. MIT recently reaffirmed its position on openness as Congress considered new limits on U.S.-China research collaboration.[7]
SAGE argues that research freedom was disregarded in February 2022, when MIT terminated a $100M/year collaboration agreement with Russia’s Skoltech after the Russian military invaded Ukraine.[1][8] However, as a broad university-level partnership between MIT and Skoltech, it did not implicate faculty research freedom as SAGE’s demands do.[8] MIT continues to allow faculty to work with Russian sponsors and collaborators, although U.S. State Department sanctions now restrict research collaborations with many Russian institutions, including Skoltech.[9]
The Saudi and Skoltech decisions show MIT's inflexible position on faculty research freedom, even when human rights concerns are broadly held in the MIT community. MIT exercises more discretion over non-research funding, like direct partnerships and gifts. But unless required by U.S. law or foreign policy, MIT seems unlikely to create a tailored ban on one faculty research sponsor.
Other policy limits on military-sponsored campus research
MIT’s existing rules for campus research limit how military-sponsored research can be conducted, but not the collaborators or subjects faculty can choose. Research projects:
- must be publishable without restriction.
- cannot require students to work on classified topics.
- cannot exclude researchers by country of origin.[10]
Why "elevated risk review" wouldn't resolve the stated demands (Partially addressing an insightful comment from last week)
For sponsors in some countries, MIT applies an “elevated-risk project review” to faculty research proposals when the content could present risks to human rights, U.S. national security, or U.S. economic competitiveness.[12] These reviews involve both an MIT-wide faculty committee and senior administrators. They can result in project modifications, contract changes, or a refusal of MIT support.[4][12] Elevated-risk reviews are not done for approved research contracts because “the bar for administrative intervention to terminate such projects should be set very high.”[4]
There are at least two reasons an elevated-risk review would not satisfy SAGE's stated demands. First, SAGE seeks a content-independent ban on contracts with IMoD, which does not fit a review process for content-specific risks.
Second, expanding these reviews would limit faculty research freedom, so MIT would normally involve faculty in a decision that affects them. But getting faculty involved means that changes could not happen immediately, something SAGE has said it cannot accept.
Addendum: On "robotic swarms" research at MIT
As I have stressed, the demands listed by SAGE do not seek to end any particular project, only to sever two projects from their sponsor. However, their public statements give a lot of attention to a research project on "autonomous robotic swarms". As someone who doesn't do any work in this area, the name does give some "Black Mirror" vibes.
But after looking around, I find it hard to distinguish the title or outputs of the project from at least a half-dozen other MIT projects on UAV swarms and distributed control. The papers from these projects cite broad commercial and military applications. Unclassified projects on this topic have been ongoing at MIT for at least ten years, in several departments, with a lot of different sponsors.
Given that all these projects are basic research under MIT's rules, i.e. openly published and nonproprietary, I have yet to see an objection to the one IMoD project that wouldn't apply to all the others. Which doubly affirms that the SAGE demands focus only on the sponsor, not project-specific human rights risks.
Sources and further reading
[1] SAGE website
[2] SAGE final proposal to MIT administration
[3] MIT Graduate Students for Palestine, “No more MIT research for Israel’s Ministry of Defense,” The Tech, 10 May 2024
[4] SAGE data extracts of MIT Brown Book research contracts
[5] Richard Lester, "Review and Reassessment of MIT’s Relationship to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia" (2019)
[6] MIT Faculty, "MIT Statement on Freedom of Expression and Academic Freedom" (2022)
[7] Maria Zuber, “Written Testimony to House Committee on Science, Space and Technology” (2021)
[8] Phillip Martin, “MIT abandons Russian high-tech campus partnership in light of Ukraine invasion” WGBH News (2022)
[9] “Information Regarding Informal Research Collaborations with Peers at Russian Institutions” MIT VPR website (2022)
[10] MIT Policy & Procedures 14.2 (“Open Research and Free Interchange of Information”)
[11] Harvey Brooks on research freedom, protests, and military contracts at MIT (1973)
[12] MIT VPR, “Elevated risk project review process” (2019)
[13] MIT Chancellor, "FAQ: Campus Events in Challenging Times" (May 14, 2024)
EDIT 1: Since posting I've fixed typos, made formatting adjustments for reading clarity, and corrected a few statements based on comments below (see my in-thread responses).
EDIT 2: Added a section on "robotic swarms."
EDIT 3: Added new IMoD grant data information published by MIT.
2024.05.14 04:33 Bishop-Boomer Bible Studies From The Daily Office Tuesday May 14, 2024
The Collect
O God, the King of glory, you have exalted your only Son Jesus Christ with great triumph to your kingdom in heaven: Do not leave us comfortless, but send us your Holy Spirit to strengthen us, and exalt us to that place where our Savior Christ has gone before; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, in glory everlasting. Amen.
Readings:
Psalm 97; 99; 100 Reading I Samuel 16:1–13a
Gospel: Matthew 8:18–27
18 Now when Jesus saw great multitudes about him, he gave commandment to depart unto the other side.
19 And a certain scribe came, and said unto him, Master, I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest
20 And Jesus saith unto him,The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head
21 And another of his disciples said unto him, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father.
22 But Jesus said unto him,Follow me; and let the dead bury their dead.
23 And when he was entered into a ship, his disciples followed him.
24 And, behold, there arose a great tempest in the sea, insomuch that the ship was covered with the waves: but he was asleep.
25 And his disciples came to him, and awoke him, saying, Lord, save us: we perish.
26 And he saith unto them,Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith?Then he arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm.
27 But the men marvelled, saying, What manner of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him!
Commentary:
Our study for today encompasses a collection of seemingly unrelated passages, but when viewed as a whole we find a great lesson in the cost of discipleship; not only for those who made up the first century church but for us today as well.
Although the verses recommended for this day begin with verse 18, by looking back at the rest of the chapter we find information which establishes the scene and gives us context for our understanding. Rather than to take a single verse at its face value, we must always look at the preceding verses as well as those that follow so as to thoroughly understand.
Assuming Matthews recollections of the events of chapter 8 are reflective of works of Christ that hapopened on the same day—and not events from throughout his ministry and lumped together here as Matthew wrote this Gospel years after the fact—we could conclude that our Lord had a busy day.
The chapter begins as Jesus is coming down off of the mountain where he preached the Sermon on the Mount, a great multitude of people following his every step, and a leper comes to worship him, he heals the man and tells him, “See thou tell no man; but go thy way, shew thyself to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses commanded, for a testimony unto them.” Then after entering Capernium a Roman Centurion comes to him asking Jesus to heal his servant. Impressed by the faith of a man who was not a Jew, but a Roman Gentile, Jesus healed the man’s slave by the authority of his word without even going to the slave’s bedside.
Matthew tells us that Jesus continued to heal many that day, beginning with Peter’s mother-in-law, then many others who were sick or possess by demons.
Our Lord had no qualms about healing the sick, but throughout the Gospels we can detect a note of concern on his part in that many were coming to him, apparently for the sole purpose of the healing of physical ailments, and not for the healing of spiritual illness. We find in more than one place, Jesus making the decision to cross over the Sea of Galilee, presumably so that he could teach away from the crowds that seemed to only want physical cures.
“Now when Jesus saw great multitudes about him, he gave commandment to depart unto the other side. And a certain scribe came, and said unto him, Master, I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest And Jesus saith unto him,The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head” (vs. 18-20)
In a time when most were illiterate and few could even write, Scribes held an important position. Scribes had knowledge of the law and could draft legal documents (contracts for marriage, divorce, loans, inheritance, mortgages, the sale of land, and the like). Every village had at least one scribe, and we can surmise that scribes enjoyed a certain degree of wealth due to the need of their services.
Jesus lived a very simple life, traveling about teaching the people of his plan for salvation, a life that was not glamorous and one without financial compensation. Jesus didn’t tell the man “No, you can’t follow Me.” But He told him the truth, without painting a glamorized version of what it was like to follow Him. This is the opposite of techniques used by many evangelists today, but Jesus wanted the man to know what it would really be like.
“And another of his disciples said unto him, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father. But Jesus said unto him,Follow me; and let the dead bury their dead.” (vs. 21-22)
“Actually, this man did not ask for permission to dig a grave for his deceased father. He wanted to remain in his father’s house and care for him until the father died. This was obviously an indefinite period, which could drag on and on. This man was another of His disciples; yet he did not follow Jesus as he should have, nor as the 12 disciples did. This shows us that the term disciples has a somewhat broad meaning in the Gospel of Matthew, and must be understood in its context. The man wanted to follow Jesus, but not just yet. He knew it was good and that he should do it, but he felt there was a good reason why he could not do it now.” (Guzik)
“The excuse that this disciple made, to defer an immediate attendance on Christ (v. 21); "Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father. Before I come to be a close and constant follower of thee, let me be allowed to perform this last office of respect to my father; and in the mean time, let it suffice to be a hearer of thee now and then, when I can spare time." His father (some think) was now sick, or dying, or dead; others think, he was only aged, and not likely in a course of nature, to continue long; and he desired leave to attend upon him in his sickness, at his death, and to his grave, and then he would be at Christ's service. This seemed a reasonable request, and yet it was not right. He had not the zeal he should have had for the work, and therefore pleaded this, because it seemed a plausible plea.” (Henry)
“And when he was entered into a ship, his disciples followed him. And, behold, there arose a great tempest in the sea, insomuch that the ship was covered with the waves: but he was asleep. And his disciples came to him, and awoke him, saying, Lord, save us: we perish. And he saith unto them,Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith? Then he arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm. But the men marvelled, saying, What manner of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him!” (vs. 23-27)
“He does not chide them for disturbing him with their prayers, but for disturbing themselves with their fears.” (Henry)
Here we have three great lessons in discipleship. The scribe would have been accustomed to receiving remuneration for his services, a disciple of Christ in those days as well as today must be prepared for hardship. Scribes such as this man enjoyed a certain degree of celebrity, an important man in the community who provided a service that was often needed. Disciples seldom gain celebrity, and the ones that do, frequently experience a downfall. Jesus said; “No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.” (Mt. 6:24) Jesus knew that this man would find it difficult to leave that which he was used to and to take up the cross and follow him.
The second lesson involves a disciple—a follower but not of the 12—who would have Jesus wait on him, until the man’s father had died and his affairs settled. Jesus knew his time on Earth was short, his appointment with destiny was just months away, but this man expected Jesus to wait for him.
We have to remember that at this point in his ministry, even the 12 seemed to think that when he established the Kingdom of God, they would enjoy high ranking positions in his administration. So many failed to realize that Jesus was speaking of a spiritual kingdom, a heavenly kingdom, and not a worldly political subdivision. Although Matthew does not make this point clear, we might surmise that this man wanted to be part of what he erroneously perceived to be a glorious worldly kingdom that rivaled that of King David’s era. Whatever the case may be in this man’s situation, when we consider the rebuke Jesus gave him “Follow me; and let the dead bury their dead.” We can learn of another great cost in discipleship, the need to serve Jesus versus the need to serve our own agenda.
Finally we come to the third lesson. “Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith?” We, as disciples of Christ, must always have faith, even in the face of danger.
Matthew Henry wrote: “His disciples followed him; the twelve kept close to him, when others staid behind upon the terra firma, where there was sure footing. Note, They, and they only, will be found the true disciples of Christ, that are willing to go to sea with him, to follow him into dangers and difficulties. Many would be content to go the land-way to heaven, that will rather stand still, or go back, than venture upon a dangerous sea; but those that would rest with Christ hereafter must follow him now wherever he leads them, into a ship or into a prison, as well as into a palace.”
Benediction
Almighty and most merciful God, grant that by the indwelling of your Holy Spirit we may be enlightened and strengthened for your service; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
Thought for the Day:
The best thing to give to your enemy is forgiveness; to an opponent, tolerance; to a friend, your heart; to your child, a good example; to a father, deference; to your mother, conduct that will make her proud of you; to yourself, respect; to all others, charity.
Benjamin Franklin
submitted by Bishop-Boomer to ChristianityUnfilter [link] [comments]
O God, the King of glory, you have exalted your only Son Jesus Christ with great triumph to your kingdom in heaven: Do not leave us comfortless, but send us your Holy Spirit to strengthen us, and exalt us to that place where our Savior Christ has gone before; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, in glory everlasting. Amen.
Readings:
Psalm 97; 99; 100 Reading I Samuel 16:1–13a
Gospel: Matthew 8:18–27
18 Now when Jesus saw great multitudes about him, he gave commandment to depart unto the other side.
19 And a certain scribe came, and said unto him, Master, I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest
20 And Jesus saith unto him,The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head
21 And another of his disciples said unto him, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father.
22 But Jesus said unto him,Follow me; and let the dead bury their dead.
23 And when he was entered into a ship, his disciples followed him.
24 And, behold, there arose a great tempest in the sea, insomuch that the ship was covered with the waves: but he was asleep.
25 And his disciples came to him, and awoke him, saying, Lord, save us: we perish.
26 And he saith unto them,Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith?Then he arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm.
27 But the men marvelled, saying, What manner of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him!
Commentary:
Our study for today encompasses a collection of seemingly unrelated passages, but when viewed as a whole we find a great lesson in the cost of discipleship; not only for those who made up the first century church but for us today as well.
Although the verses recommended for this day begin with verse 18, by looking back at the rest of the chapter we find information which establishes the scene and gives us context for our understanding. Rather than to take a single verse at its face value, we must always look at the preceding verses as well as those that follow so as to thoroughly understand.
Assuming Matthews recollections of the events of chapter 8 are reflective of works of Christ that hapopened on the same day—and not events from throughout his ministry and lumped together here as Matthew wrote this Gospel years after the fact—we could conclude that our Lord had a busy day.
The chapter begins as Jesus is coming down off of the mountain where he preached the Sermon on the Mount, a great multitude of people following his every step, and a leper comes to worship him, he heals the man and tells him, “See thou tell no man; but go thy way, shew thyself to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses commanded, for a testimony unto them.” Then after entering Capernium a Roman Centurion comes to him asking Jesus to heal his servant. Impressed by the faith of a man who was not a Jew, but a Roman Gentile, Jesus healed the man’s slave by the authority of his word without even going to the slave’s bedside.
Matthew tells us that Jesus continued to heal many that day, beginning with Peter’s mother-in-law, then many others who were sick or possess by demons.
Our Lord had no qualms about healing the sick, but throughout the Gospels we can detect a note of concern on his part in that many were coming to him, apparently for the sole purpose of the healing of physical ailments, and not for the healing of spiritual illness. We find in more than one place, Jesus making the decision to cross over the Sea of Galilee, presumably so that he could teach away from the crowds that seemed to only want physical cures.
“Now when Jesus saw great multitudes about him, he gave commandment to depart unto the other side. And a certain scribe came, and said unto him, Master, I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest And Jesus saith unto him,The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head” (vs. 18-20)
In a time when most were illiterate and few could even write, Scribes held an important position. Scribes had knowledge of the law and could draft legal documents (contracts for marriage, divorce, loans, inheritance, mortgages, the sale of land, and the like). Every village had at least one scribe, and we can surmise that scribes enjoyed a certain degree of wealth due to the need of their services.
Jesus lived a very simple life, traveling about teaching the people of his plan for salvation, a life that was not glamorous and one without financial compensation. Jesus didn’t tell the man “No, you can’t follow Me.” But He told him the truth, without painting a glamorized version of what it was like to follow Him. This is the opposite of techniques used by many evangelists today, but Jesus wanted the man to know what it would really be like.
“And another of his disciples said unto him, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father. But Jesus said unto him,Follow me; and let the dead bury their dead.” (vs. 21-22)
“Actually, this man did not ask for permission to dig a grave for his deceased father. He wanted to remain in his father’s house and care for him until the father died. This was obviously an indefinite period, which could drag on and on. This man was another of His disciples; yet he did not follow Jesus as he should have, nor as the 12 disciples did. This shows us that the term disciples has a somewhat broad meaning in the Gospel of Matthew, and must be understood in its context. The man wanted to follow Jesus, but not just yet. He knew it was good and that he should do it, but he felt there was a good reason why he could not do it now.” (Guzik)
“The excuse that this disciple made, to defer an immediate attendance on Christ (v. 21); "Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father. Before I come to be a close and constant follower of thee, let me be allowed to perform this last office of respect to my father; and in the mean time, let it suffice to be a hearer of thee now and then, when I can spare time." His father (some think) was now sick, or dying, or dead; others think, he was only aged, and not likely in a course of nature, to continue long; and he desired leave to attend upon him in his sickness, at his death, and to his grave, and then he would be at Christ's service. This seemed a reasonable request, and yet it was not right. He had not the zeal he should have had for the work, and therefore pleaded this, because it seemed a plausible plea.” (Henry)
“And when he was entered into a ship, his disciples followed him. And, behold, there arose a great tempest in the sea, insomuch that the ship was covered with the waves: but he was asleep. And his disciples came to him, and awoke him, saying, Lord, save us: we perish. And he saith unto them,Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith? Then he arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm. But the men marvelled, saying, What manner of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him!” (vs. 23-27)
“He does not chide them for disturbing him with their prayers, but for disturbing themselves with their fears.” (Henry)
Here we have three great lessons in discipleship. The scribe would have been accustomed to receiving remuneration for his services, a disciple of Christ in those days as well as today must be prepared for hardship. Scribes such as this man enjoyed a certain degree of celebrity, an important man in the community who provided a service that was often needed. Disciples seldom gain celebrity, and the ones that do, frequently experience a downfall. Jesus said; “No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.” (Mt. 6:24) Jesus knew that this man would find it difficult to leave that which he was used to and to take up the cross and follow him.
The second lesson involves a disciple—a follower but not of the 12—who would have Jesus wait on him, until the man’s father had died and his affairs settled. Jesus knew his time on Earth was short, his appointment with destiny was just months away, but this man expected Jesus to wait for him.
We have to remember that at this point in his ministry, even the 12 seemed to think that when he established the Kingdom of God, they would enjoy high ranking positions in his administration. So many failed to realize that Jesus was speaking of a spiritual kingdom, a heavenly kingdom, and not a worldly political subdivision. Although Matthew does not make this point clear, we might surmise that this man wanted to be part of what he erroneously perceived to be a glorious worldly kingdom that rivaled that of King David’s era. Whatever the case may be in this man’s situation, when we consider the rebuke Jesus gave him “Follow me; and let the dead bury their dead.” We can learn of another great cost in discipleship, the need to serve Jesus versus the need to serve our own agenda.
Finally we come to the third lesson. “Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith?” We, as disciples of Christ, must always have faith, even in the face of danger.
Matthew Henry wrote: “His disciples followed him; the twelve kept close to him, when others staid behind upon the terra firma, where there was sure footing. Note, They, and they only, will be found the true disciples of Christ, that are willing to go to sea with him, to follow him into dangers and difficulties. Many would be content to go the land-way to heaven, that will rather stand still, or go back, than venture upon a dangerous sea; but those that would rest with Christ hereafter must follow him now wherever he leads them, into a ship or into a prison, as well as into a palace.”
Benediction
Almighty and most merciful God, grant that by the indwelling of your Holy Spirit we may be enlightened and strengthened for your service; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
Thought for the Day:
The best thing to give to your enemy is forgiveness; to an opponent, tolerance; to a friend, your heart; to your child, a good example; to a father, deference; to your mother, conduct that will make her proud of you; to yourself, respect; to all others, charity.
Benjamin Franklin
2024.05.14 04:32 Bishop-Boomer Bible Studies From The Daily Office Tuesday May 14, 2024
The Collect
O God, the King of glory, you have exalted your only Son Jesus Christ with great triumph to your kingdom in heaven: Do not leave us comfortless, but send us your Holy Spirit to strengthen us, and exalt us to that place where our Savior Christ has gone before; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, in glory everlasting. Amen.
Readings:
Psalm 97; 99; 100 Reading I Samuel 16:1–13a
Gospel: Matthew 8:18–27
18 Now when Jesus saw great multitudes about him, he gave commandment to depart unto the other side.
19 And a certain scribe came, and said unto him, Master, I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest
20 And Jesus saith unto him,The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head
21 And another of his disciples said unto him, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father.
22 But Jesus said unto him,Follow me; and let the dead bury their dead.
23 And when he was entered into a ship, his disciples followed him.
24 And, behold, there arose a great tempest in the sea, insomuch that the ship was covered with the waves: but he was asleep.
25 And his disciples came to him, and awoke him, saying, Lord, save us: we perish.
26 And he saith unto them,Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith?Then he arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm.
27 But the men marvelled, saying, What manner of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him!
Commentary:
Our study for today encompasses a collection of seemingly unrelated passages, but when viewed as a whole we find a great lesson in the cost of discipleship; not only for those who made up the first century church but for us today as well.
Although the verses recommended for this day begin with verse 18, by looking back at the rest of the chapter we find information which establishes the scene and gives us context for our understanding. Rather than to take a single verse at its face value, we must always look at the preceding verses as well as those that follow so as to thoroughly understand.
Assuming Matthews recollections of the events of chapter 8 are reflective of works of Christ that hapopened on the same day—and not events from throughout his ministry and lumped together here as Matthew wrote this Gospel years after the fact—we could conclude that our Lord had a busy day.
The chapter begins as Jesus is coming down off of the mountain where he preached the Sermon on the Mount, a great multitude of people following his every step, and a leper comes to worship him, he heals the man and tells him, “See thou tell no man; but go thy way, shew thyself to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses commanded, for a testimony unto them.” Then after entering Capernium a Roman Centurion comes to him asking Jesus to heal his servant. Impressed by the faith of a man who was not a Jew, but a Roman Gentile, Jesus healed the man’s slave by the authority of his word without even going to the slave’s bedside.
Matthew tells us that Jesus continued to heal many that day, beginning with Peter’s mother-in-law, then many others who were sick or possess by demons.
Our Lord had no qualms about healing the sick, but throughout the Gospels we can detect a note of concern on his part in that many were coming to him, apparently for the sole purpose of the healing of physical ailments, and not for the healing of spiritual illness. We find in more than one place, Jesus making the decision to cross over the Sea of Galilee, presumably so that he could teach away from the crowds that seemed to only want physical cures.
“Now when Jesus saw great multitudes about him, he gave commandment to depart unto the other side. And a certain scribe came, and said unto him, Master, I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest And Jesus saith unto him,The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head” (vs. 18-20)
In a time when most were illiterate and few could even write, Scribes held an important position. Scribes had knowledge of the law and could draft legal documents (contracts for marriage, divorce, loans, inheritance, mortgages, the sale of land, and the like). Every village had at least one scribe, and we can surmise that scribes enjoyed a certain degree of wealth due to the need of their services.
Jesus lived a very simple life, traveling about teaching the people of his plan for salvation, a life that was not glamorous and one without financial compensation. Jesus didn’t tell the man “No, you can’t follow Me.” But He told him the truth, without painting a glamorized version of what it was like to follow Him. This is the opposite of techniques used by many evangelists today, but Jesus wanted the man to know what it would really be like.
“And another of his disciples said unto him, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father. But Jesus said unto him,Follow me; and let the dead bury their dead.” (vs. 21-22)
“Actually, this man did not ask for permission to dig a grave for his deceased father. He wanted to remain in his father’s house and care for him until the father died. This was obviously an indefinite period, which could drag on and on. This man was another of His disciples; yet he did not follow Jesus as he should have, nor as the 12 disciples did. This shows us that the term disciples has a somewhat broad meaning in the Gospel of Matthew, and must be understood in its context. The man wanted to follow Jesus, but not just yet. He knew it was good and that he should do it, but he felt there was a good reason why he could not do it now.” (Guzik)
“The excuse that this disciple made, to defer an immediate attendance on Christ (v. 21); "Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father. Before I come to be a close and constant follower of thee, let me be allowed to perform this last office of respect to my father; and in the mean time, let it suffice to be a hearer of thee now and then, when I can spare time." His father (some think) was now sick, or dying, or dead; others think, he was only aged, and not likely in a course of nature, to continue long; and he desired leave to attend upon him in his sickness, at his death, and to his grave, and then he would be at Christ's service. This seemed a reasonable request, and yet it was not right. He had not the zeal he should have had for the work, and therefore pleaded this, because it seemed a plausible plea.” (Henry)
“And when he was entered into a ship, his disciples followed him. And, behold, there arose a great tempest in the sea, insomuch that the ship was covered with the waves: but he was asleep. And his disciples came to him, and awoke him, saying, Lord, save us: we perish. And he saith unto them,Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith? Then he arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm. But the men marvelled, saying, What manner of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him!” (vs. 23-27)
“He does not chide them for disturbing him with their prayers, but for disturbing themselves with their fears.” (Henry)
Here we have three great lessons in discipleship. The scribe would have been accustomed to receiving remuneration for his services, a disciple of Christ in those days as well as today must be prepared for hardship. Scribes such as this man enjoyed a certain degree of celebrity, an important man in the community who provided a service that was often needed. Disciples seldom gain celebrity, and the ones that do, frequently experience a downfall. Jesus said; “No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.” (Mt. 6:24) Jesus knew that this man would find it difficult to leave that which he was used to and to take up the cross and follow him.
The second lesson involves a disciple—a follower but not of the 12—who would have Jesus wait on him, until the man’s father had died and his affairs settled. Jesus knew his time on Earth was short, his appointment with destiny was just months away, but this man expected Jesus to wait for him.
We have to remember that at this point in his ministry, even the 12 seemed to think that when he established the Kingdom of God, they would enjoy high ranking positions in his administration. So many failed to realize that Jesus was speaking of a spiritual kingdom, a heavenly kingdom, and not a worldly political subdivision. Although Matthew does not make this point clear, we might surmise that this man wanted to be part of what he erroneously perceived to be a glorious worldly kingdom that rivaled that of King David’s era. Whatever the case may be in this man’s situation, when we consider the rebuke Jesus gave him “Follow me; and let the dead bury their dead.” We can learn of another great cost in discipleship, the need to serve Jesus versus the need to serve our own agenda.
Finally we come to the third lesson. “Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith?” We, as disciples of Christ, must always have faith, even in the face of danger.
Matthew Henry wrote: “His disciples followed him; the twelve kept close to him, when others staid behind upon the terra firma, where there was sure footing. Note, They, and they only, will be found the true disciples of Christ, that are willing to go to sea with him, to follow him into dangers and difficulties. Many would be content to go the land-way to heaven, that will rather stand still, or go back, than venture upon a dangerous sea; but those that would rest with Christ hereafter must follow him now wherever he leads them, into a ship or into a prison, as well as into a palace.”
Benediction
Almighty and most merciful God, grant that by the indwelling of your Holy Spirit we may be enlightened and strengthened for your service; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
Thought for the Day:
The best thing to give to your enemy is forgiveness; to an opponent, tolerance; to a friend, your heart; to your child, a good example; to a father, deference; to your mother, conduct that will make her proud of you; to yourself, respect; to all others, charity.
Benjamin Franklin
submitted by Bishop-Boomer to Christianity [link] [comments]
O God, the King of glory, you have exalted your only Son Jesus Christ with great triumph to your kingdom in heaven: Do not leave us comfortless, but send us your Holy Spirit to strengthen us, and exalt us to that place where our Savior Christ has gone before; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, in glory everlasting. Amen.
Readings:
Psalm 97; 99; 100 Reading I Samuel 16:1–13a
Gospel: Matthew 8:18–27
18 Now when Jesus saw great multitudes about him, he gave commandment to depart unto the other side.
19 And a certain scribe came, and said unto him, Master, I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest
20 And Jesus saith unto him,The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head
21 And another of his disciples said unto him, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father.
22 But Jesus said unto him,Follow me; and let the dead bury their dead.
23 And when he was entered into a ship, his disciples followed him.
24 And, behold, there arose a great tempest in the sea, insomuch that the ship was covered with the waves: but he was asleep.
25 And his disciples came to him, and awoke him, saying, Lord, save us: we perish.
26 And he saith unto them,Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith?Then he arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm.
27 But the men marvelled, saying, What manner of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him!
Commentary:
Our study for today encompasses a collection of seemingly unrelated passages, but when viewed as a whole we find a great lesson in the cost of discipleship; not only for those who made up the first century church but for us today as well.
Although the verses recommended for this day begin with verse 18, by looking back at the rest of the chapter we find information which establishes the scene and gives us context for our understanding. Rather than to take a single verse at its face value, we must always look at the preceding verses as well as those that follow so as to thoroughly understand.
Assuming Matthews recollections of the events of chapter 8 are reflective of works of Christ that hapopened on the same day—and not events from throughout his ministry and lumped together here as Matthew wrote this Gospel years after the fact—we could conclude that our Lord had a busy day.
The chapter begins as Jesus is coming down off of the mountain where he preached the Sermon on the Mount, a great multitude of people following his every step, and a leper comes to worship him, he heals the man and tells him, “See thou tell no man; but go thy way, shew thyself to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses commanded, for a testimony unto them.” Then after entering Capernium a Roman Centurion comes to him asking Jesus to heal his servant. Impressed by the faith of a man who was not a Jew, but a Roman Gentile, Jesus healed the man’s slave by the authority of his word without even going to the slave’s bedside.
Matthew tells us that Jesus continued to heal many that day, beginning with Peter’s mother-in-law, then many others who were sick or possess by demons.
Our Lord had no qualms about healing the sick, but throughout the Gospels we can detect a note of concern on his part in that many were coming to him, apparently for the sole purpose of the healing of physical ailments, and not for the healing of spiritual illness. We find in more than one place, Jesus making the decision to cross over the Sea of Galilee, presumably so that he could teach away from the crowds that seemed to only want physical cures.
“Now when Jesus saw great multitudes about him, he gave commandment to depart unto the other side. And a certain scribe came, and said unto him, Master, I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest And Jesus saith unto him,The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head” (vs. 18-20)
In a time when most were illiterate and few could even write, Scribes held an important position. Scribes had knowledge of the law and could draft legal documents (contracts for marriage, divorce, loans, inheritance, mortgages, the sale of land, and the like). Every village had at least one scribe, and we can surmise that scribes enjoyed a certain degree of wealth due to the need of their services.
Jesus lived a very simple life, traveling about teaching the people of his plan for salvation, a life that was not glamorous and one without financial compensation. Jesus didn’t tell the man “No, you can’t follow Me.” But He told him the truth, without painting a glamorized version of what it was like to follow Him. This is the opposite of techniques used by many evangelists today, but Jesus wanted the man to know what it would really be like.
“And another of his disciples said unto him, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father. But Jesus said unto him,Follow me; and let the dead bury their dead.” (vs. 21-22)
“Actually, this man did not ask for permission to dig a grave for his deceased father. He wanted to remain in his father’s house and care for him until the father died. This was obviously an indefinite period, which could drag on and on. This man was another of His disciples; yet he did not follow Jesus as he should have, nor as the 12 disciples did. This shows us that the term disciples has a somewhat broad meaning in the Gospel of Matthew, and must be understood in its context. The man wanted to follow Jesus, but not just yet. He knew it was good and that he should do it, but he felt there was a good reason why he could not do it now.” (Guzik)
“The excuse that this disciple made, to defer an immediate attendance on Christ (v. 21); "Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father. Before I come to be a close and constant follower of thee, let me be allowed to perform this last office of respect to my father; and in the mean time, let it suffice to be a hearer of thee now and then, when I can spare time." His father (some think) was now sick, or dying, or dead; others think, he was only aged, and not likely in a course of nature, to continue long; and he desired leave to attend upon him in his sickness, at his death, and to his grave, and then he would be at Christ's service. This seemed a reasonable request, and yet it was not right. He had not the zeal he should have had for the work, and therefore pleaded this, because it seemed a plausible plea.” (Henry)
“And when he was entered into a ship, his disciples followed him. And, behold, there arose a great tempest in the sea, insomuch that the ship was covered with the waves: but he was asleep. And his disciples came to him, and awoke him, saying, Lord, save us: we perish. And he saith unto them,Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith? Then he arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm. But the men marvelled, saying, What manner of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him!” (vs. 23-27)
“He does not chide them for disturbing him with their prayers, but for disturbing themselves with their fears.” (Henry)
Here we have three great lessons in discipleship. The scribe would have been accustomed to receiving remuneration for his services, a disciple of Christ in those days as well as today must be prepared for hardship. Scribes such as this man enjoyed a certain degree of celebrity, an important man in the community who provided a service that was often needed. Disciples seldom gain celebrity, and the ones that do, frequently experience a downfall. Jesus said; “No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.” (Mt. 6:24) Jesus knew that this man would find it difficult to leave that which he was used to and to take up the cross and follow him.
The second lesson involves a disciple—a follower but not of the 12—who would have Jesus wait on him, until the man’s father had died and his affairs settled. Jesus knew his time on Earth was short, his appointment with destiny was just months away, but this man expected Jesus to wait for him.
We have to remember that at this point in his ministry, even the 12 seemed to think that when he established the Kingdom of God, they would enjoy high ranking positions in his administration. So many failed to realize that Jesus was speaking of a spiritual kingdom, a heavenly kingdom, and not a worldly political subdivision. Although Matthew does not make this point clear, we might surmise that this man wanted to be part of what he erroneously perceived to be a glorious worldly kingdom that rivaled that of King David’s era. Whatever the case may be in this man’s situation, when we consider the rebuke Jesus gave him “Follow me; and let the dead bury their dead.” We can learn of another great cost in discipleship, the need to serve Jesus versus the need to serve our own agenda.
Finally we come to the third lesson. “Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith?” We, as disciples of Christ, must always have faith, even in the face of danger.
Matthew Henry wrote: “His disciples followed him; the twelve kept close to him, when others staid behind upon the terra firma, where there was sure footing. Note, They, and they only, will be found the true disciples of Christ, that are willing to go to sea with him, to follow him into dangers and difficulties. Many would be content to go the land-way to heaven, that will rather stand still, or go back, than venture upon a dangerous sea; but those that would rest with Christ hereafter must follow him now wherever he leads them, into a ship or into a prison, as well as into a palace.”
Benediction
Almighty and most merciful God, grant that by the indwelling of your Holy Spirit we may be enlightened and strengthened for your service; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
Thought for the Day:
The best thing to give to your enemy is forgiveness; to an opponent, tolerance; to a friend, your heart; to your child, a good example; to a father, deference; to your mother, conduct that will make her proud of you; to yourself, respect; to all others, charity.
Benjamin Franklin
2024.05.14 04:31 Bishop-Boomer Bible Studies From The Daily Office Tuesday May 14, 2024
The Collect
O God, the King of glory, you have exalted your only Son Jesus Christ with great triumph to your kingdom in heaven: Do not leave us comfortless, but send us your Holy Spirit to strengthen us, and exalt us to that place where our Savior Christ has gone before; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, in glory everlasting. Amen.
Readings:
Psalm 97; 99; 100 Reading I Samuel 16:1–13a
Gospel: Matthew 8:18–27
18 Now when Jesus saw great multitudes about him, he gave commandment to depart unto the other side.
19 And a certain scribe came, and said unto him, Master, I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest
20 And Jesus saith unto him,The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head
21 And another of his disciples said unto him, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father.
22 But Jesus said unto him,Follow me; and let the dead bury their dead.
23 And when he was entered into a ship, his disciples followed him.
24 And, behold, there arose a great tempest in the sea, insomuch that the ship was covered with the waves: but he was asleep.
25 And his disciples came to him, and awoke him, saying, Lord, save us: we perish.
26 And he saith unto them,Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith?Then he arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm.
27 But the men marvelled, saying, What manner of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him!
Commentary:
Our study for today encompasses a collection of seemingly unrelated passages, but when viewed as a whole we find a great lesson in the cost of discipleship; not only for those who made up the first century church but for us today as well.
Although the verses recommended for this day begin with verse 18, by looking back at the rest of the chapter we find information which establishes the scene and gives us context for our understanding. Rather than to take a single verse at its face value, we must always look at the preceding verses as well as those that follow so as to thoroughly understand.
Assuming Matthews recollections of the events of chapter 8 are reflective of works of Christ that hapopened on the same day—and not events from throughout his ministry and lumped together here as Matthew wrote this Gospel years after the fact—we could conclude that our Lord had a busy day.
The chapter begins as Jesus is coming down off of the mountain where he preached the Sermon on the Mount, a great multitude of people following his every step, and a leper comes to worship him, he heals the man and tells him, “See thou tell no man; but go thy way, shew thyself to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses commanded, for a testimony unto them.” Then after entering Capernium a Roman Centurion comes to him asking Jesus to heal his servant. Impressed by the faith of a man who was not a Jew, but a Roman Gentile, Jesus healed the man’s slave by the authority of his word without even going to the slave’s bedside.
Matthew tells us that Jesus continued to heal many that day, beginning with Peter’s mother-in-law, then many others who were sick or possess by demons.
Our Lord had no qualms about healing the sick, but throughout the Gospels we can detect a note of concern on his part in that many were coming to him, apparently for the sole purpose of the healing of physical ailments, and not for the healing of spiritual illness. We find in more than one place, Jesus making the decision to cross over the Sea of Galilee, presumably so that he could teach away from the crowds that seemed to only want physical cures.
“Now when Jesus saw great multitudes about him, he gave commandment to depart unto the other side. And a certain scribe came, and said unto him, Master, I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest And Jesus saith unto him,The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head” (vs. 18-20)
In a time when most were illiterate and few could even write, Scribes held an important position. Scribes had knowledge of the law and could draft legal documents (contracts for marriage, divorce, loans, inheritance, mortgages, the sale of land, and the like). Every village had at least one scribe, and we can surmise that scribes enjoyed a certain degree of wealth due to the need of their services.
Jesus lived a very simple life, traveling about teaching the people of his plan for salvation, a life that was not glamorous and one without financial compensation. Jesus didn’t tell the man “No, you can’t follow Me.” But He told him the truth, without painting a glamorized version of what it was like to follow Him. This is the opposite of techniques used by many evangelists today, but Jesus wanted the man to know what it would really be like.
“And another of his disciples said unto him, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father. But Jesus said unto him,Follow me; and let the dead bury their dead.” (vs. 21-22)
“Actually, this man did not ask for permission to dig a grave for his deceased father. He wanted to remain in his father’s house and care for him until the father died. This was obviously an indefinite period, which could drag on and on. This man was another of His disciples; yet he did not follow Jesus as he should have, nor as the 12 disciples did. This shows us that the term disciples has a somewhat broad meaning in the Gospel of Matthew, and must be understood in its context. The man wanted to follow Jesus, but not just yet. He knew it was good and that he should do it, but he felt there was a good reason why he could not do it now.” (Guzik)
“The excuse that this disciple made, to defer an immediate attendance on Christ (v. 21); "Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father. Before I come to be a close and constant follower of thee, let me be allowed to perform this last office of respect to my father; and in the mean time, let it suffice to be a hearer of thee now and then, when I can spare time." His father (some think) was now sick, or dying, or dead; others think, he was only aged, and not likely in a course of nature, to continue long; and he desired leave to attend upon him in his sickness, at his death, and to his grave, and then he would be at Christ's service. This seemed a reasonable request, and yet it was not right. He had not the zeal he should have had for the work, and therefore pleaded this, because it seemed a plausible plea.” (Henry)
“And when he was entered into a ship, his disciples followed him. And, behold, there arose a great tempest in the sea, insomuch that the ship was covered with the waves: but he was asleep. And his disciples came to him, and awoke him, saying, Lord, save us: we perish. And he saith unto them,Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith? Then he arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm. But the men marvelled, saying, What manner of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him!” (vs. 23-27)
“He does not chide them for disturbing him with their prayers, but for disturbing themselves with their fears.” (Henry)
Here we have three great lessons in discipleship. The scribe would have been accustomed to receiving remuneration for his services, a disciple of Christ in those days as well as today must be prepared for hardship. Scribes such as this man enjoyed a certain degree of celebrity, an important man in the community who provided a service that was often needed. Disciples seldom gain celebrity, and the ones that do, frequently experience a downfall. Jesus said; “No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.” (Mt. 6:24) Jesus knew that this man would find it difficult to leave that which he was used to and to take up the cross and follow him.
The second lesson involves a disciple—a follower but not of the 12—who would have Jesus wait on him, until the man’s father had died and his affairs settled. Jesus knew his time on Earth was short, his appointment with destiny was just months away, but this man expected Jesus to wait for him.
We have to remember that at this point in his ministry, even the 12 seemed to think that when he established the Kingdom of God, they would enjoy high ranking positions in his administration. So many failed to realize that Jesus was speaking of a spiritual kingdom, a heavenly kingdom, and not a worldly political subdivision. Although Matthew does not make this point clear, we might surmise that this man wanted to be part of what he erroneously perceived to be a glorious worldly kingdom that rivaled that of King David’s era. Whatever the case may be in this man’s situation, when we consider the rebuke Jesus gave him “Follow me; and let the dead bury their dead.” We can learn of another great cost in discipleship, the need to serve Jesus versus the need to serve our own agenda.
Finally we come to the third lesson. “Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith?” We, as disciples of Christ, must always have faith, even in the face of danger.
Matthew Henry wrote: “His disciples followed him; the twelve kept close to him, when others staid behind upon the terra firma, where there was sure footing. Note, They, and they only, will be found the true disciples of Christ, that are willing to go to sea with him, to follow him into dangers and difficulties. Many would be content to go the land-way to heaven, that will rather stand still, or go back, than venture upon a dangerous sea; but those that would rest with Christ hereafter must follow him now wherever he leads them, into a ship or into a prison, as well as into a palace.”
Benediction
Almighty and most merciful God, grant that by the indwelling of your Holy Spirit we may be enlightened and strengthened for your service; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
Thought for the Day:
The best thing to give to your enemy is forgiveness; to an opponent, tolerance; to a friend, your heart; to your child, a good example; to a father, deference; to your mother, conduct that will make her proud of you; to yourself, respect; to all others, charity.
Benjamin Franklin
submitted by Bishop-Boomer to BreakBreadYESHUA [link] [comments]
O God, the King of glory, you have exalted your only Son Jesus Christ with great triumph to your kingdom in heaven: Do not leave us comfortless, but send us your Holy Spirit to strengthen us, and exalt us to that place where our Savior Christ has gone before; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, in glory everlasting. Amen.
Readings:
Psalm 97; 99; 100 Reading I Samuel 16:1–13a
Gospel: Matthew 8:18–27
18 Now when Jesus saw great multitudes about him, he gave commandment to depart unto the other side.
19 And a certain scribe came, and said unto him, Master, I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest
20 And Jesus saith unto him,The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head
21 And another of his disciples said unto him, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father.
22 But Jesus said unto him,Follow me; and let the dead bury their dead.
23 And when he was entered into a ship, his disciples followed him.
24 And, behold, there arose a great tempest in the sea, insomuch that the ship was covered with the waves: but he was asleep.
25 And his disciples came to him, and awoke him, saying, Lord, save us: we perish.
26 And he saith unto them,Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith?Then he arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm.
27 But the men marvelled, saying, What manner of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him!
Commentary:
Our study for today encompasses a collection of seemingly unrelated passages, but when viewed as a whole we find a great lesson in the cost of discipleship; not only for those who made up the first century church but for us today as well.
Although the verses recommended for this day begin with verse 18, by looking back at the rest of the chapter we find information which establishes the scene and gives us context for our understanding. Rather than to take a single verse at its face value, we must always look at the preceding verses as well as those that follow so as to thoroughly understand.
Assuming Matthews recollections of the events of chapter 8 are reflective of works of Christ that hapopened on the same day—and not events from throughout his ministry and lumped together here as Matthew wrote this Gospel years after the fact—we could conclude that our Lord had a busy day.
The chapter begins as Jesus is coming down off of the mountain where he preached the Sermon on the Mount, a great multitude of people following his every step, and a leper comes to worship him, he heals the man and tells him, “See thou tell no man; but go thy way, shew thyself to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses commanded, for a testimony unto them.” Then after entering Capernium a Roman Centurion comes to him asking Jesus to heal his servant. Impressed by the faith of a man who was not a Jew, but a Roman Gentile, Jesus healed the man’s slave by the authority of his word without even going to the slave’s bedside.
Matthew tells us that Jesus continued to heal many that day, beginning with Peter’s mother-in-law, then many others who were sick or possess by demons.
Our Lord had no qualms about healing the sick, but throughout the Gospels we can detect a note of concern on his part in that many were coming to him, apparently for the sole purpose of the healing of physical ailments, and not for the healing of spiritual illness. We find in more than one place, Jesus making the decision to cross over the Sea of Galilee, presumably so that he could teach away from the crowds that seemed to only want physical cures.
“Now when Jesus saw great multitudes about him, he gave commandment to depart unto the other side. And a certain scribe came, and said unto him, Master, I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest And Jesus saith unto him,The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head” (vs. 18-20)
In a time when most were illiterate and few could even write, Scribes held an important position. Scribes had knowledge of the law and could draft legal documents (contracts for marriage, divorce, loans, inheritance, mortgages, the sale of land, and the like). Every village had at least one scribe, and we can surmise that scribes enjoyed a certain degree of wealth due to the need of their services.
Jesus lived a very simple life, traveling about teaching the people of his plan for salvation, a life that was not glamorous and one without financial compensation. Jesus didn’t tell the man “No, you can’t follow Me.” But He told him the truth, without painting a glamorized version of what it was like to follow Him. This is the opposite of techniques used by many evangelists today, but Jesus wanted the man to know what it would really be like.
“And another of his disciples said unto him, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father. But Jesus said unto him,Follow me; and let the dead bury their dead.” (vs. 21-22)
“Actually, this man did not ask for permission to dig a grave for his deceased father. He wanted to remain in his father’s house and care for him until the father died. This was obviously an indefinite period, which could drag on and on. This man was another of His disciples; yet he did not follow Jesus as he should have, nor as the 12 disciples did. This shows us that the term disciples has a somewhat broad meaning in the Gospel of Matthew, and must be understood in its context. The man wanted to follow Jesus, but not just yet. He knew it was good and that he should do it, but he felt there was a good reason why he could not do it now.” (Guzik)
“The excuse that this disciple made, to defer an immediate attendance on Christ (v. 21); "Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father. Before I come to be a close and constant follower of thee, let me be allowed to perform this last office of respect to my father; and in the mean time, let it suffice to be a hearer of thee now and then, when I can spare time." His father (some think) was now sick, or dying, or dead; others think, he was only aged, and not likely in a course of nature, to continue long; and he desired leave to attend upon him in his sickness, at his death, and to his grave, and then he would be at Christ's service. This seemed a reasonable request, and yet it was not right. He had not the zeal he should have had for the work, and therefore pleaded this, because it seemed a plausible plea.” (Henry)
“And when he was entered into a ship, his disciples followed him. And, behold, there arose a great tempest in the sea, insomuch that the ship was covered with the waves: but he was asleep. And his disciples came to him, and awoke him, saying, Lord, save us: we perish. And he saith unto them,Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith? Then he arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm. But the men marvelled, saying, What manner of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him!” (vs. 23-27)
“He does not chide them for disturbing him with their prayers, but for disturbing themselves with their fears.” (Henry)
Here we have three great lessons in discipleship. The scribe would have been accustomed to receiving remuneration for his services, a disciple of Christ in those days as well as today must be prepared for hardship. Scribes such as this man enjoyed a certain degree of celebrity, an important man in the community who provided a service that was often needed. Disciples seldom gain celebrity, and the ones that do, frequently experience a downfall. Jesus said; “No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.” (Mt. 6:24) Jesus knew that this man would find it difficult to leave that which he was used to and to take up the cross and follow him.
The second lesson involves a disciple—a follower but not of the 12—who would have Jesus wait on him, until the man’s father had died and his affairs settled. Jesus knew his time on Earth was short, his appointment with destiny was just months away, but this man expected Jesus to wait for him.
We have to remember that at this point in his ministry, even the 12 seemed to think that when he established the Kingdom of God, they would enjoy high ranking positions in his administration. So many failed to realize that Jesus was speaking of a spiritual kingdom, a heavenly kingdom, and not a worldly political subdivision. Although Matthew does not make this point clear, we might surmise that this man wanted to be part of what he erroneously perceived to be a glorious worldly kingdom that rivaled that of King David’s era. Whatever the case may be in this man’s situation, when we consider the rebuke Jesus gave him “Follow me; and let the dead bury their dead.” We can learn of another great cost in discipleship, the need to serve Jesus versus the need to serve our own agenda.
Finally we come to the third lesson. “Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith?” We, as disciples of Christ, must always have faith, even in the face of danger.
Matthew Henry wrote: “His disciples followed him; the twelve kept close to him, when others staid behind upon the terra firma, where there was sure footing. Note, They, and they only, will be found the true disciples of Christ, that are willing to go to sea with him, to follow him into dangers and difficulties. Many would be content to go the land-way to heaven, that will rather stand still, or go back, than venture upon a dangerous sea; but those that would rest with Christ hereafter must follow him now wherever he leads them, into a ship or into a prison, as well as into a palace.”
Benediction
Almighty and most merciful God, grant that by the indwelling of your Holy Spirit we may be enlightened and strengthened for your service; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
Thought for the Day:
The best thing to give to your enemy is forgiveness; to an opponent, tolerance; to a friend, your heart; to your child, a good example; to a father, deference; to your mother, conduct that will make her proud of you; to yourself, respect; to all others, charity.
Benjamin Franklin
2024.05.14 04:31 Bishop-Boomer Bible Studies From The Daily Office Tuesday May 14, 2024
The Collect
O God, the King of glory, you have exalted your only Son Jesus Christ with great triumph to your kingdom in heaven: Do not leave us comfortless, but send us your Holy Spirit to strengthen us, and exalt us to that place where our Savior Christ has gone before; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, in glory everlasting. Amen.
Readings:
Psalm 97; 99; 100 Reading I Samuel 16:1–13a
Gospel: Matthew 8:18–27
18 Now when Jesus saw great multitudes about him, he gave commandment to depart unto the other side.
19 And a certain scribe came, and said unto him, Master, I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest
20 And Jesus saith unto him,The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head
21 And another of his disciples said unto him, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father.
22 But Jesus said unto him,Follow me; and let the dead bury their dead.
23 And when he was entered into a ship, his disciples followed him.
24 And, behold, there arose a great tempest in the sea, insomuch that the ship was covered with the waves: but he was asleep.
25 And his disciples came to him, and awoke him, saying, Lord, save us: we perish.
26 And he saith unto them,Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith?Then he arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm.
27 But the men marvelled, saying, What manner of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him!
Commentary:
Our study for today encompasses a collection of seemingly unrelated passages, but when viewed as a whole we find a great lesson in the cost of discipleship; not only for those who made up the first century church but for us today as well.
Although the verses recommended for this day begin with verse 18, by looking back at the rest of the chapter we find information which establishes the scene and gives us context for our understanding. Rather than to take a single verse at its face value, we must always look at the preceding verses as well as those that follow so as to thoroughly understand.
Assuming Matthews recollections of the events of chapter 8 are reflective of works of Christ that hapopened on the same day—and not events from throughout his ministry and lumped together here as Matthew wrote this Gospel years after the fact—we could conclude that our Lord had a busy day.
The chapter begins as Jesus is coming down off of the mountain where he preached the Sermon on the Mount, a great multitude of people following his every step, and a leper comes to worship him, he heals the man and tells him, “See thou tell no man; but go thy way, shew thyself to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses commanded, for a testimony unto them.” Then after entering Capernium a Roman Centurion comes to him asking Jesus to heal his servant. Impressed by the faith of a man who was not a Jew, but a Roman Gentile, Jesus healed the man’s slave by the authority of his word without even going to the slave’s bedside.
Matthew tells us that Jesus continued to heal many that day, beginning with Peter’s mother-in-law, then many others who were sick or possess by demons.
Our Lord had no qualms about healing the sick, but throughout the Gospels we can detect a note of concern on his part in that many were coming to him, apparently for the sole purpose of the healing of physical ailments, and not for the healing of spiritual illness. We find in more than one place, Jesus making the decision to cross over the Sea of Galilee, presumably so that he could teach away from the crowds that seemed to only want physical cures.
“Now when Jesus saw great multitudes about him, he gave commandment to depart unto the other side. And a certain scribe came, and said unto him, Master, I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest And Jesus saith unto him,The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head” (vs. 18-20)
In a time when most were illiterate and few could even write, Scribes held an important position. Scribes had knowledge of the law and could draft legal documents (contracts for marriage, divorce, loans, inheritance, mortgages, the sale of land, and the like). Every village had at least one scribe, and we can surmise that scribes enjoyed a certain degree of wealth due to the need of their services.
Jesus lived a very simple life, traveling about teaching the people of his plan for salvation, a life that was not glamorous and one without financial compensation. Jesus didn’t tell the man “No, you can’t follow Me.” But He told him the truth, without painting a glamorized version of what it was like to follow Him. This is the opposite of techniques used by many evangelists today, but Jesus wanted the man to know what it would really be like.
“And another of his disciples said unto him, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father. But Jesus said unto him,Follow me; and let the dead bury their dead.” (vs. 21-22)
“Actually, this man did not ask for permission to dig a grave for his deceased father. He wanted to remain in his father’s house and care for him until the father died. This was obviously an indefinite period, which could drag on and on. This man was another of His disciples; yet he did not follow Jesus as he should have, nor as the 12 disciples did. This shows us that the term disciples has a somewhat broad meaning in the Gospel of Matthew, and must be understood in its context. The man wanted to follow Jesus, but not just yet. He knew it was good and that he should do it, but he felt there was a good reason why he could not do it now.” (Guzik)
“The excuse that this disciple made, to defer an immediate attendance on Christ (v. 21); "Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father. Before I come to be a close and constant follower of thee, let me be allowed to perform this last office of respect to my father; and in the mean time, let it suffice to be a hearer of thee now and then, when I can spare time." His father (some think) was now sick, or dying, or dead; others think, he was only aged, and not likely in a course of nature, to continue long; and he desired leave to attend upon him in his sickness, at his death, and to his grave, and then he would be at Christ's service. This seemed a reasonable request, and yet it was not right. He had not the zeal he should have had for the work, and therefore pleaded this, because it seemed a plausible plea.” (Henry)
“And when he was entered into a ship, his disciples followed him. And, behold, there arose a great tempest in the sea, insomuch that the ship was covered with the waves: but he was asleep. And his disciples came to him, and awoke him, saying, Lord, save us: we perish. And he saith unto them,Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith? Then he arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm. But the men marvelled, saying, What manner of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him!” (vs. 23-27)
“He does not chide them for disturbing him with their prayers, but for disturbing themselves with their fears.” (Henry)
Here we have three great lessons in discipleship. The scribe would have been accustomed to receiving remuneration for his services, a disciple of Christ in those days as well as today must be prepared for hardship. Scribes such as this man enjoyed a certain degree of celebrity, an important man in the community who provided a service that was often needed. Disciples seldom gain celebrity, and the ones that do, frequently experience a downfall. Jesus said; “No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.” (Mt. 6:24) Jesus knew that this man would find it difficult to leave that which he was used to and to take up the cross and follow him.
The second lesson involves a disciple—a follower but not of the 12—who would have Jesus wait on him, until the man’s father had died and his affairs settled. Jesus knew his time on Earth was short, his appointment with destiny was just months away, but this man expected Jesus to wait for him.
We have to remember that at this point in his ministry, even the 12 seemed to think that when he established the Kingdom of God, they would enjoy high ranking positions in his administration. So many failed to realize that Jesus was speaking of a spiritual kingdom, a heavenly kingdom, and not a worldly political subdivision. Although Matthew does not make this point clear, we might surmise that this man wanted to be part of what he erroneously perceived to be a glorious worldly kingdom that rivaled that of King David’s era. Whatever the case may be in this man’s situation, when we consider the rebuke Jesus gave him “Follow me; and let the dead bury their dead.” We can learn of another great cost in discipleship, the need to serve Jesus versus the need to serve our own agenda.
Finally we come to the third lesson. “Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith?” We, as disciples of Christ, must always have faith, even in the face of danger.
Matthew Henry wrote: “His disciples followed him; the twelve kept close to him, when others staid behind upon the terra firma, where there was sure footing. Note, They, and they only, will be found the true disciples of Christ, that are willing to go to sea with him, to follow him into dangers and difficulties. Many would be content to go the land-way to heaven, that will rather stand still, or go back, than venture upon a dangerous sea; but those that would rest with Christ hereafter must follow him now wherever he leads them, into a ship or into a prison, as well as into a palace.”
Benediction
Almighty and most merciful God, grant that by the indwelling of your Holy Spirit we may be enlightened and strengthened for your service; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
Thought for the Day:
The best thing to give to your enemy is forgiveness; to an opponent, tolerance; to a friend, your heart; to your child, a good example; to a father, deference; to your mother, conduct that will make her proud of you; to yourself, respect; to all others, charity.
Benjamin Franklin
submitted by Bishop-Boomer to AngloCatholicism [link] [comments]
O God, the King of glory, you have exalted your only Son Jesus Christ with great triumph to your kingdom in heaven: Do not leave us comfortless, but send us your Holy Spirit to strengthen us, and exalt us to that place where our Savior Christ has gone before; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, in glory everlasting. Amen.
Readings:
Psalm 97; 99; 100 Reading I Samuel 16:1–13a
Gospel: Matthew 8:18–27
18 Now when Jesus saw great multitudes about him, he gave commandment to depart unto the other side.
19 And a certain scribe came, and said unto him, Master, I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest
20 And Jesus saith unto him,The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head
21 And another of his disciples said unto him, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father.
22 But Jesus said unto him,Follow me; and let the dead bury their dead.
23 And when he was entered into a ship, his disciples followed him.
24 And, behold, there arose a great tempest in the sea, insomuch that the ship was covered with the waves: but he was asleep.
25 And his disciples came to him, and awoke him, saying, Lord, save us: we perish.
26 And he saith unto them,Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith?Then he arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm.
27 But the men marvelled, saying, What manner of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him!
Commentary:
Our study for today encompasses a collection of seemingly unrelated passages, but when viewed as a whole we find a great lesson in the cost of discipleship; not only for those who made up the first century church but for us today as well.
Although the verses recommended for this day begin with verse 18, by looking back at the rest of the chapter we find information which establishes the scene and gives us context for our understanding. Rather than to take a single verse at its face value, we must always look at the preceding verses as well as those that follow so as to thoroughly understand.
Assuming Matthews recollections of the events of chapter 8 are reflective of works of Christ that hapopened on the same day—and not events from throughout his ministry and lumped together here as Matthew wrote this Gospel years after the fact—we could conclude that our Lord had a busy day.
The chapter begins as Jesus is coming down off of the mountain where he preached the Sermon on the Mount, a great multitude of people following his every step, and a leper comes to worship him, he heals the man and tells him, “See thou tell no man; but go thy way, shew thyself to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses commanded, for a testimony unto them.” Then after entering Capernium a Roman Centurion comes to him asking Jesus to heal his servant. Impressed by the faith of a man who was not a Jew, but a Roman Gentile, Jesus healed the man’s slave by the authority of his word without even going to the slave’s bedside.
Matthew tells us that Jesus continued to heal many that day, beginning with Peter’s mother-in-law, then many others who were sick or possess by demons.
Our Lord had no qualms about healing the sick, but throughout the Gospels we can detect a note of concern on his part in that many were coming to him, apparently for the sole purpose of the healing of physical ailments, and not for the healing of spiritual illness. We find in more than one place, Jesus making the decision to cross over the Sea of Galilee, presumably so that he could teach away from the crowds that seemed to only want physical cures.
“Now when Jesus saw great multitudes about him, he gave commandment to depart unto the other side. And a certain scribe came, and said unto him, Master, I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest And Jesus saith unto him,The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head” (vs. 18-20)
In a time when most were illiterate and few could even write, Scribes held an important position. Scribes had knowledge of the law and could draft legal documents (contracts for marriage, divorce, loans, inheritance, mortgages, the sale of land, and the like). Every village had at least one scribe, and we can surmise that scribes enjoyed a certain degree of wealth due to the need of their services.
Jesus lived a very simple life, traveling about teaching the people of his plan for salvation, a life that was not glamorous and one without financial compensation. Jesus didn’t tell the man “No, you can’t follow Me.” But He told him the truth, without painting a glamorized version of what it was like to follow Him. This is the opposite of techniques used by many evangelists today, but Jesus wanted the man to know what it would really be like.
“And another of his disciples said unto him, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father. But Jesus said unto him,Follow me; and let the dead bury their dead.” (vs. 21-22)
“Actually, this man did not ask for permission to dig a grave for his deceased father. He wanted to remain in his father’s house and care for him until the father died. This was obviously an indefinite period, which could drag on and on. This man was another of His disciples; yet he did not follow Jesus as he should have, nor as the 12 disciples did. This shows us that the term disciples has a somewhat broad meaning in the Gospel of Matthew, and must be understood in its context. The man wanted to follow Jesus, but not just yet. He knew it was good and that he should do it, but he felt there was a good reason why he could not do it now.” (Guzik)
“The excuse that this disciple made, to defer an immediate attendance on Christ (v. 21); "Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father. Before I come to be a close and constant follower of thee, let me be allowed to perform this last office of respect to my father; and in the mean time, let it suffice to be a hearer of thee now and then, when I can spare time." His father (some think) was now sick, or dying, or dead; others think, he was only aged, and not likely in a course of nature, to continue long; and he desired leave to attend upon him in his sickness, at his death, and to his grave, and then he would be at Christ's service. This seemed a reasonable request, and yet it was not right. He had not the zeal he should have had for the work, and therefore pleaded this, because it seemed a plausible plea.” (Henry)
“And when he was entered into a ship, his disciples followed him. And, behold, there arose a great tempest in the sea, insomuch that the ship was covered with the waves: but he was asleep. And his disciples came to him, and awoke him, saying, Lord, save us: we perish. And he saith unto them,Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith? Then he arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm. But the men marvelled, saying, What manner of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him!” (vs. 23-27)
“He does not chide them for disturbing him with their prayers, but for disturbing themselves with their fears.” (Henry)
Here we have three great lessons in discipleship. The scribe would have been accustomed to receiving remuneration for his services, a disciple of Christ in those days as well as today must be prepared for hardship. Scribes such as this man enjoyed a certain degree of celebrity, an important man in the community who provided a service that was often needed. Disciples seldom gain celebrity, and the ones that do, frequently experience a downfall. Jesus said; “No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.” (Mt. 6:24) Jesus knew that this man would find it difficult to leave that which he was used to and to take up the cross and follow him.
The second lesson involves a disciple—a follower but not of the 12—who would have Jesus wait on him, until the man’s father had died and his affairs settled. Jesus knew his time on Earth was short, his appointment with destiny was just months away, but this man expected Jesus to wait for him.
We have to remember that at this point in his ministry, even the 12 seemed to think that when he established the Kingdom of God, they would enjoy high ranking positions in his administration. So many failed to realize that Jesus was speaking of a spiritual kingdom, a heavenly kingdom, and not a worldly political subdivision. Although Matthew does not make this point clear, we might surmise that this man wanted to be part of what he erroneously perceived to be a glorious worldly kingdom that rivaled that of King David’s era. Whatever the case may be in this man’s situation, when we consider the rebuke Jesus gave him “Follow me; and let the dead bury their dead.” We can learn of another great cost in discipleship, the need to serve Jesus versus the need to serve our own agenda.
Finally we come to the third lesson. “Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith?” We, as disciples of Christ, must always have faith, even in the face of danger.
Matthew Henry wrote: “His disciples followed him; the twelve kept close to him, when others staid behind upon the terra firma, where there was sure footing. Note, They, and they only, will be found the true disciples of Christ, that are willing to go to sea with him, to follow him into dangers and difficulties. Many would be content to go the land-way to heaven, that will rather stand still, or go back, than venture upon a dangerous sea; but those that would rest with Christ hereafter must follow him now wherever he leads them, into a ship or into a prison, as well as into a palace.”
Benediction
Almighty and most merciful God, grant that by the indwelling of your Holy Spirit we may be enlightened and strengthened for your service; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
Thought for the Day:
The best thing to give to your enemy is forgiveness; to an opponent, tolerance; to a friend, your heart; to your child, a good example; to a father, deference; to your mother, conduct that will make her proud of you; to yourself, respect; to all others, charity.
Benjamin Franklin
2024.05.14 04:30 Bishop-Boomer Bible Studies From The Daily Office Tuesday May 14, 2024
The Collect
O God, the King of glory, you have exalted your only Son Jesus Christ with great triumph to your kingdom in heaven: Do not leave us comfortless, but send us your Holy Spirit to strengthen us, and exalt us to that place where our Savior Christ has gone before; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, in glory everlasting. Amen.
Readings:
Psalm 97; 99; 100 Reading I Samuel 16:1–13a
Gospel: Matthew 8:18–27
18 Now when Jesus saw great multitudes about him, he gave commandment to depart unto the other side.
19 And a certain scribe came, and said unto him, Master, I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest
20 And Jesus saith unto him,The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head
21 And another of his disciples said unto him, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father.
22 But Jesus said unto him,Follow me; and let the dead bury their dead.
23 And when he was entered into a ship, his disciples followed him.
24 And, behold, there arose a great tempest in the sea, insomuch that the ship was covered with the waves: but he was asleep.
25 And his disciples came to him, and awoke him, saying, Lord, save us: we perish.
26 And he saith unto them,Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith?Then he arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm.
27 But the men marvelled, saying, What manner of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him!
Commentary:
Our study for today encompasses a collection of seemingly unrelated passages, but when viewed as a whole we find a great lesson in the cost of discipleship; not only for those who made up the first century church but for us today as well.
Although the verses recommended for this day begin with verse 18, by looking back at the rest of the chapter we find information which establishes the scene and gives us context for our understanding. Rather than to take a single verse at its face value, we must always look at the preceding verses as well as those that follow so as to thoroughly understand.
Assuming Matthews recollections of the events of chapter 8 are reflective of works of Christ that hapopened on the same day—and not events from throughout his ministry and lumped together here as Matthew wrote this Gospel years after the fact—we could conclude that our Lord had a busy day.
The chapter begins as Jesus is coming down off of the mountain where he preached the Sermon on the Mount, a great multitude of people following his every step, and a leper comes to worship him, he heals the man and tells him, “See thou tell no man; but go thy way, shew thyself to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses commanded, for a testimony unto them.” Then after entering Capernium a Roman Centurion comes to him asking Jesus to heal his servant. Impressed by the faith of a man who was not a Jew, but a Roman Gentile, Jesus healed the man’s slave by the authority of his word without even going to the slave’s bedside.
Matthew tells us that Jesus continued to heal many that day, beginning with Peter’s mother-in-law, then many others who were sick or possess by demons.
Our Lord had no qualms about healing the sick, but throughout the Gospels we can detect a note of concern on his part in that many were coming to him, apparently for the sole purpose of the healing of physical ailments, and not for the healing of spiritual illness. We find in more than one place, Jesus making the decision to cross over the Sea of Galilee, presumably so that he could teach away from the crowds that seemed to only want physical cures.
“Now when Jesus saw great multitudes about him, he gave commandment to depart unto the other side. And a certain scribe came, and said unto him, Master, I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest And Jesus saith unto him,The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head” (vs. 18-20)
In a time when most were illiterate and few could even write, Scribes held an important position. Scribes had knowledge of the law and could draft legal documents (contracts for marriage, divorce, loans, inheritance, mortgages, the sale of land, and the like). Every village had at least one scribe, and we can surmise that scribes enjoyed a certain degree of wealth due to the need of their services.
Jesus lived a very simple life, traveling about teaching the people of his plan for salvation, a life that was not glamorous and one without financial compensation. Jesus didn’t tell the man “No, you can’t follow Me.” But He told him the truth, without painting a glamorized version of what it was like to follow Him. This is the opposite of techniques used by many evangelists today, but Jesus wanted the man to know what it would really be like.
“And another of his disciples said unto him, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father. But Jesus said unto him,Follow me; and let the dead bury their dead.” (vs. 21-22)
“Actually, this man did not ask for permission to dig a grave for his deceased father. He wanted to remain in his father’s house and care for him until the father died. This was obviously an indefinite period, which could drag on and on. This man was another of His disciples; yet he did not follow Jesus as he should have, nor as the 12 disciples did. This shows us that the term disciples has a somewhat broad meaning in the Gospel of Matthew, and must be understood in its context. The man wanted to follow Jesus, but not just yet. He knew it was good and that he should do it, but he felt there was a good reason why he could not do it now.” (Guzik)
“The excuse that this disciple made, to defer an immediate attendance on Christ (v. 21); "Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father. Before I come to be a close and constant follower of thee, let me be allowed to perform this last office of respect to my father; and in the mean time, let it suffice to be a hearer of thee now and then, when I can spare time." His father (some think) was now sick, or dying, or dead; others think, he was only aged, and not likely in a course of nature, to continue long; and he desired leave to attend upon him in his sickness, at his death, and to his grave, and then he would be at Christ's service. This seemed a reasonable request, and yet it was not right. He had not the zeal he should have had for the work, and therefore pleaded this, because it seemed a plausible plea.” (Henry)
“And when he was entered into a ship, his disciples followed him. And, behold, there arose a great tempest in the sea, insomuch that the ship was covered with the waves: but he was asleep. And his disciples came to him, and awoke him, saying, Lord, save us: we perish. And he saith unto them,Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith? Then he arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm. But the men marvelled, saying, What manner of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him!” (vs. 23-27)
“He does not chide them for disturbing him with their prayers, but for disturbing themselves with their fears.” (Henry)
Here we have three great lessons in discipleship. The scribe would have been accustomed to receiving remuneration for his services, a disciple of Christ in those days as well as today must be prepared for hardship. Scribes such as this man enjoyed a certain degree of celebrity, an important man in the community who provided a service that was often needed. Disciples seldom gain celebrity, and the ones that do, frequently experience a downfall. Jesus said; “No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.” (Mt. 6:24) Jesus knew that this man would find it difficult to leave that which he was used to and to take up the cross and follow him.
The second lesson involves a disciple—a follower but not of the 12—who would have Jesus wait on him, until the man’s father had died and his affairs settled. Jesus knew his time on Earth was short, his appointment with destiny was just months away, but this man expected Jesus to wait for him.
We have to remember that at this point in his ministry, even the 12 seemed to think that when he established the Kingdom of God, they would enjoy high ranking positions in his administration. So many failed to realize that Jesus was speaking of a spiritual kingdom, a heavenly kingdom, and not a worldly political subdivision. Although Matthew does not make this point clear, we might surmise that this man wanted to be part of what he erroneously perceived to be a glorious worldly kingdom that rivaled that of King David’s era. Whatever the case may be in this man’s situation, when we consider the rebuke Jesus gave him “Follow me; and let the dead bury their dead.” We can learn of another great cost in discipleship, the need to serve Jesus versus the need to serve our own agenda.
Finally we come to the third lesson. “Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith?” We, as disciples of Christ, must always have faith, even in the face of danger.
Matthew Henry wrote: “His disciples followed him; the twelve kept close to him, when others staid behind upon the terra firma, where there was sure footing. Note, They, and they only, will be found the true disciples of Christ, that are willing to go to sea with him, to follow him into dangers and difficulties. Many would be content to go the land-way to heaven, that will rather stand still, or go back, than venture upon a dangerous sea; but those that would rest with Christ hereafter must follow him now wherever he leads them, into a ship or into a prison, as well as into a palace.”
Benediction
Almighty and most merciful God, grant that by the indwelling of your Holy Spirit we may be enlightened and strengthened for your service; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
Thought for the Day:
The best thing to give to your enemy is forgiveness; to an opponent, tolerance; to a friend, your heart; to your child, a good example; to a father, deference; to your mother, conduct that will make her proud of you; to yourself, respect; to all others, charity.
Benjamin Franklin
submitted by Bishop-Boomer to All_About_Him [link] [comments]
O God, the King of glory, you have exalted your only Son Jesus Christ with great triumph to your kingdom in heaven: Do not leave us comfortless, but send us your Holy Spirit to strengthen us, and exalt us to that place where our Savior Christ has gone before; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, in glory everlasting. Amen.
Readings:
Psalm 97; 99; 100 Reading I Samuel 16:1–13a
Gospel: Matthew 8:18–27
18 Now when Jesus saw great multitudes about him, he gave commandment to depart unto the other side.
19 And a certain scribe came, and said unto him, Master, I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest
20 And Jesus saith unto him,The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head
21 And another of his disciples said unto him, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father.
22 But Jesus said unto him,Follow me; and let the dead bury their dead.
23 And when he was entered into a ship, his disciples followed him.
24 And, behold, there arose a great tempest in the sea, insomuch that the ship was covered with the waves: but he was asleep.
25 And his disciples came to him, and awoke him, saying, Lord, save us: we perish.
26 And he saith unto them,Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith?Then he arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm.
27 But the men marvelled, saying, What manner of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him!
Commentary:
Our study for today encompasses a collection of seemingly unrelated passages, but when viewed as a whole we find a great lesson in the cost of discipleship; not only for those who made up the first century church but for us today as well.
Although the verses recommended for this day begin with verse 18, by looking back at the rest of the chapter we find information which establishes the scene and gives us context for our understanding. Rather than to take a single verse at its face value, we must always look at the preceding verses as well as those that follow so as to thoroughly understand.
Assuming Matthews recollections of the events of chapter 8 are reflective of works of Christ that hapopened on the same day—and not events from throughout his ministry and lumped together here as Matthew wrote this Gospel years after the fact—we could conclude that our Lord had a busy day.
The chapter begins as Jesus is coming down off of the mountain where he preached the Sermon on the Mount, a great multitude of people following his every step, and a leper comes to worship him, he heals the man and tells him, “See thou tell no man; but go thy way, shew thyself to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses commanded, for a testimony unto them.” Then after entering Capernium a Roman Centurion comes to him asking Jesus to heal his servant. Impressed by the faith of a man who was not a Jew, but a Roman Gentile, Jesus healed the man’s slave by the authority of his word without even going to the slave’s bedside.
Matthew tells us that Jesus continued to heal many that day, beginning with Peter’s mother-in-law, then many others who were sick or possess by demons.
Our Lord had no qualms about healing the sick, but throughout the Gospels we can detect a note of concern on his part in that many were coming to him, apparently for the sole purpose of the healing of physical ailments, and not for the healing of spiritual illness. We find in more than one place, Jesus making the decision to cross over the Sea of Galilee, presumably so that he could teach away from the crowds that seemed to only want physical cures.
“Now when Jesus saw great multitudes about him, he gave commandment to depart unto the other side. And a certain scribe came, and said unto him, Master, I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest And Jesus saith unto him,The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head” (vs. 18-20)
In a time when most were illiterate and few could even write, Scribes held an important position. Scribes had knowledge of the law and could draft legal documents (contracts for marriage, divorce, loans, inheritance, mortgages, the sale of land, and the like). Every village had at least one scribe, and we can surmise that scribes enjoyed a certain degree of wealth due to the need of their services.
Jesus lived a very simple life, traveling about teaching the people of his plan for salvation, a life that was not glamorous and one without financial compensation. Jesus didn’t tell the man “No, you can’t follow Me.” But He told him the truth, without painting a glamorized version of what it was like to follow Him. This is the opposite of techniques used by many evangelists today, but Jesus wanted the man to know what it would really be like.
“And another of his disciples said unto him, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father. But Jesus said unto him,Follow me; and let the dead bury their dead.” (vs. 21-22)
“Actually, this man did not ask for permission to dig a grave for his deceased father. He wanted to remain in his father’s house and care for him until the father died. This was obviously an indefinite period, which could drag on and on. This man was another of His disciples; yet he did not follow Jesus as he should have, nor as the 12 disciples did. This shows us that the term disciples has a somewhat broad meaning in the Gospel of Matthew, and must be understood in its context. The man wanted to follow Jesus, but not just yet. He knew it was good and that he should do it, but he felt there was a good reason why he could not do it now.” (Guzik)
“The excuse that this disciple made, to defer an immediate attendance on Christ (v. 21); "Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father. Before I come to be a close and constant follower of thee, let me be allowed to perform this last office of respect to my father; and in the mean time, let it suffice to be a hearer of thee now and then, when I can spare time." His father (some think) was now sick, or dying, or dead; others think, he was only aged, and not likely in a course of nature, to continue long; and he desired leave to attend upon him in his sickness, at his death, and to his grave, and then he would be at Christ's service. This seemed a reasonable request, and yet it was not right. He had not the zeal he should have had for the work, and therefore pleaded this, because it seemed a plausible plea.” (Henry)
“And when he was entered into a ship, his disciples followed him. And, behold, there arose a great tempest in the sea, insomuch that the ship was covered with the waves: but he was asleep. And his disciples came to him, and awoke him, saying, Lord, save us: we perish. And he saith unto them,Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith? Then he arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm. But the men marvelled, saying, What manner of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him!” (vs. 23-27)
“He does not chide them for disturbing him with their prayers, but for disturbing themselves with their fears.” (Henry)
Here we have three great lessons in discipleship. The scribe would have been accustomed to receiving remuneration for his services, a disciple of Christ in those days as well as today must be prepared for hardship. Scribes such as this man enjoyed a certain degree of celebrity, an important man in the community who provided a service that was often needed. Disciples seldom gain celebrity, and the ones that do, frequently experience a downfall. Jesus said; “No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.” (Mt. 6:24) Jesus knew that this man would find it difficult to leave that which he was used to and to take up the cross and follow him.
The second lesson involves a disciple—a follower but not of the 12—who would have Jesus wait on him, until the man’s father had died and his affairs settled. Jesus knew his time on Earth was short, his appointment with destiny was just months away, but this man expected Jesus to wait for him.
We have to remember that at this point in his ministry, even the 12 seemed to think that when he established the Kingdom of God, they would enjoy high ranking positions in his administration. So many failed to realize that Jesus was speaking of a spiritual kingdom, a heavenly kingdom, and not a worldly political subdivision. Although Matthew does not make this point clear, we might surmise that this man wanted to be part of what he erroneously perceived to be a glorious worldly kingdom that rivaled that of King David’s era. Whatever the case may be in this man’s situation, when we consider the rebuke Jesus gave him “Follow me; and let the dead bury their dead.” We can learn of another great cost in discipleship, the need to serve Jesus versus the need to serve our own agenda.
Finally we come to the third lesson. “Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith?” We, as disciples of Christ, must always have faith, even in the face of danger.
Matthew Henry wrote: “His disciples followed him; the twelve kept close to him, when others staid behind upon the terra firma, where there was sure footing. Note, They, and they only, will be found the true disciples of Christ, that are willing to go to sea with him, to follow him into dangers and difficulties. Many would be content to go the land-way to heaven, that will rather stand still, or go back, than venture upon a dangerous sea; but those that would rest with Christ hereafter must follow him now wherever he leads them, into a ship or into a prison, as well as into a palace.”
Benediction
Almighty and most merciful God, grant that by the indwelling of your Holy Spirit we may be enlightened and strengthened for your service; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
Thought for the Day:
The best thing to give to your enemy is forgiveness; to an opponent, tolerance; to a friend, your heart; to your child, a good example; to a father, deference; to your mother, conduct that will make her proud of you; to yourself, respect; to all others, charity.
Benjamin Franklin
2024.05.13 23:52 Tricky-Bit-1865 Best version I’ve ever found of Umbridge’s arrest and trial
Aurors blasted their way into Umbridge's house and found her hiding in a small, hidden room by using the spell Homenum Revelio.
She was surrounded by dozens of plates featuring cats and had rows of neatly stacked tins of cat food, which she appeared to have been eating for sustenance. In the corner of the room was a litter box. Oddly enough, however, there were no actual cats to be found.
The Aurors quickly disarmed her, magically bound her, and hauled her off to the Ministry of Magic to be placed in a holding cell until she could be arraigned.
Two days later, she was brought before the Minister of Magic, Kingsley Shackelbolt, looking slightly unkempt and tired. The entire Wizengamot, which had been noticeably thinned out since Shacklebolt had removed several members for their own crimes and/or bribery, was also in attendance.
She looked around the room and tried to find somebody who could be either an ally or someone to whom she could shift the focus, and therefore, possibly, the blame. Finding no one to fit such a criteria, she fixed her face into a contrite image and looked around at the people who were there and pled for mercy. When it became apparent that mercy was in very short supply for those in her position, she immediately claimed to have been under the Imperius Curse.
In an instant, Minister Shacklebolt's composed disposition shifted from being reserved to completely unfriendly. In a short, clipped tone, completely opposite of his typical warm, soothing, deep voice, he gave her the option to either take Veritaserum right then and there or she could go for a psychological evaluation, which was to be conducted at the Janus Thicky Ward at St. Mungo's.
Umbridge balked at the thought of being stuck in "lunatic land". That was, of course, until the Minister mentioned that being stuck under the Imperius Curse for such a prolonged time, as she was claiming, could have some serious effects on her mind. She quickly decided to keep up her pretenses and immediately agreed that she should "at least be checked out by a professional healer."
Shacklebolt issued a two week recess for the Wizengamot in relation to her case. She began to argue the time frame when he gave her a sharp look and she furiously shut her mouth. He reiterated the two week time frame and continued on to say that when they reconvened, they would hear the Healer's testimony regarding her claims and mental status.
Two Aurors, Savage and Williamson, had taken post on either side of her. Savage held her by her left arm while Williamson pulled out a white handkerchief. He secured her right hand in his and then Savage took hold of the other end of the handkerchief. As soon as he did, the portkey activated and deposited the three of them into a secure room in the Janus Thickey Ward.
After a brief intake, Healer Ashborn entered the room to remove the newest resident's personal clothing and effects and to have her put on hospital issued clothes, which were a drab, dingy grey colour. Umbridge pinched the material between her forefinger and thumb before raising it up to eye level and informing the Healer that she refused to put on something so colorless and disgusting. Healer Ashborn donned a nonchalant smirk and informed her that if it was not done willingly and swiftly that she would have no other choice but to Evanesco her personal belongings to the hospital rubbish bin and charm the hospital clothes on with a sticking spell for good measure.
Less than 2 minutes later, she was dressed and being escorted by the Aurors to her bed, which was surrounded by silver framed dividers with pale blue cloth to block the view of the neighboring beds.
As the Aurors turned their attention to make some notes on their paperwork, Umbridge made a sickly sweet noise as she cleared her throat. "Hem-hem. Am I not being given a private room?" She let out a childish giggle.
The Aurors looked at her incredulously, then at each other. Finally, Auror Savage spoke up, "Private rooms are not given to possible war criminals."
Scowling, Umbridge scoffed loudly and said, "Well, I never! I will be writing a letter to the Minister of Magic about this."
Auror Williamson spoke up then, "You think we don't take our orders from the Minister regarding this? You writing a letter won't change anything."
"How dare you! I am Dolores Umbridge, Senior Undersecretary to the Minister -"
"Not anymore, you're not " Auror Savage said coldly, effectively cutting her off. "You are a person on trial for war crimes and a provisional resident of the Janus Thicky Ward due to your claim of being cursed. Now, you have been magically bound to be within 5 feet of your bed, meals will be brought to you, and a member of the staff will escort you to the lavatory. You are not permitted to have a wand and that cuff on your wrist is a magic binder. Since we have completed our duties, we shall now take our leave. The Chief Healer will see you tomorrow morning. Good day, Ms. Umbridge."
She pointed a finger at them while trying to maintain her calm and hissed "Now see here. You cannot just leave me here with all these crazy people, especially while bound with no magic." Her right eye twitched.
Auror Williamson raised his eyebrow at her while he took out the white handkerchief. He held it out to his partner, and, after Savage had taken hold, he activated the portkey without saying another word and they disappeared.
Umbridge sat down onto the rather thin mattress and listened as the springs shrieked as though in agony.
Well, at least I'll be using a real toilet instead of that litterbox, she thought to herself. This will be like a nice vacation. I can order my favorite meals and have some nice wine while I relax.
At that moment, Gilderoy Lockhart popped his head around the partition. "Hello," he said with a big smile and in his shmooziest of voices. "I see you're new. Nice bracelet...." he trailed off for a moment. Coming back around, he added, "Don't mind the bed. They all shriek a bit. Well, not mine, of course. I just had to smile at it a couple of times, aheh. Now it sings to me."
She narrowed her eyes while feeling even more flustered than before. "Why are you here," she spat.
"What a stupendous question. Eh...," he started but clearly began to mentally wander again.
"Can't you manage a simple straight answer," she snapped.
"Well, you see... I simply can't remember." He let out a light chuckle and pulled his eyebrows slightly together while pasting on his best grin. Why not? After all, it worked for his bed.
"Yes, well, be sure to maintain your distance. I won't have you loitering about my space. Move along." She waved him off.
She promptly learned that her stay was going to be nothing like a vacation; no favorite meals, no wine, and certainly no relaxing.
As the days wore on, Lockhart managed to finagle his way into her area for most of the day - everyday. One day he was particularly on her nerves after having rambled on and on about a dream of a very large snake and falling rocks.
Umbridge, losing control of the situation with such an utter nitwit, suddenly burst out in her annoyance. "Enough, Mr. Lockhart!" Later that day, she ended up scratching herself nearly raw due to a mild case of hives.
As hard as she tried to keep her sanity about her, he just seemed to suck it away from her. It was almost as though the more insane she felt, the saner he seemed. Could it be that he had devised a way to steal her sanity and replace it with his insanity? She became more and more leery of him as the days went by until, at one point, a near frantic paranoia set in. She spent the rest of that day completely sedated.
She begged the staff to be moved, but Cheif Healer Pye said they could not due to the restrictions placed by the Auror Department. She ordered for Lockhart to be switched to a different location. In that instance, Healer Pye said that he would not as it could disrupt Mr. Lockhart's frame of mind and treatment, causing him to relapse. She pulled her hair, stomped her feet like a petulant child, and screamed until she was Silenced and magically bound to the bed to keep her from hurting herself.
At the end of the two weeks, Umbridge found herself magically shackled and standing in front of the Minister and the Wizengamot once more. The Chief Healer was also in attendance and reported to the court that while he found absolutely zero proof of her ever having been under the Imperius Curse, he felt it was best that she remained in custody whether at St. Mungo's or Azkaban, as she was a danger to herself and others due to her mental instability.
Umbridge let out a small giggle as the Cheif Healer finished speaking. Minister Shacklebolt turned his head back to face her, catching her smile before she could mask her face. He narrowed his eyes at her and asked if she had anything to say. She quickly donned her saccharine smile.
"Thank you, Minister. While it may be difficult for some people to understand all the hard work and pressure of working at the Ministry, I, for one, am ready to stay the task to get the job done. I shall be ready to resume my official post as Senior Undersecretary to the Minister of Magic in two days time. Of course, I will need to completely redecorate my office as I'm certain that whomever has been occupying it has completely destroyed -"
"Madam." Shacklebolt had cut her off. He was done hearing her rubbish as she tried to take control of the situation. "You will not be reinstated in any sense to any position in the Ministry. You will, however, be able to enjoy your cell at the now dementor-free portion of Azkaban."
"How dare you!" Her fake smile and childish voice dropped away.
Any members of the Wizengamot who were not completely sure of her guilt nearly got whiplash with how fast she changed her demeanor. Many people began to whisper to each other about rumors they had heard that they now believed to be most likely true. She continued to glare at Shacklebolt.
"After everything I have done and sacrificed for the Ministry. After all the lying, magic-stealing mudbloods I sentenced for the sake of our world. How dare you think for one minute that you can just send me off to that dilapidated cesspool; that disgusting hell hole?!" She had began in a directed, hushed yell and finished in an irritated, huffing screech.
As the court witnessed her continued outburst, they whispered even more to each other. Shacklebolt patiently waited as she further unraveled while admitting to more crimes.
She finally cracked and shrieked out to the room. "Quit your whispering about me! I have done nothing but rid these disgusting mudbloods and blood traitors from among us! ORDER! Listen to me! I will have order!" She began pointing at different Wizengamot members who had opposed the corrupt Ministry while it was ran by Voldemort's puppets.
Having heard enough, Shacklebolt banged his gavel on the podium. The Wizengamot became completely silent as Umbridge continued to screech "I will have order! I will have order!"
Shacklebolt then picked up his wand and cast a Silencing charm in her direction. Umbridge's right eye twitched away as she continued screaming her Silenced "I will have order" chant.
The Minister looked to the Chief Healer and asked if Azkaban had a mental ward that was suitable for Ms. Umbridge. He responded to the affirmative. Umbridge was henceforth sentenced and taken to the mental ward of Azkaban.
Within a week, she had lost her privileges to use utensils, as she had used one to draw a rudimentary cat on her wall to which she was often observed speaking.
"Cordelia, you must bathe yourself. I refuse to have you in my presence whilst unkempt. I will have order." Her eyes glassed over and she stared at the wall without really seeing it as she continued to repeat, "I will have order. I will have order. I will... have......order."
submitted by Tricky-Bit-1865 to HPfanfiction [link] [comments]
She was surrounded by dozens of plates featuring cats and had rows of neatly stacked tins of cat food, which she appeared to have been eating for sustenance. In the corner of the room was a litter box. Oddly enough, however, there were no actual cats to be found.
The Aurors quickly disarmed her, magically bound her, and hauled her off to the Ministry of Magic to be placed in a holding cell until she could be arraigned.
Two days later, she was brought before the Minister of Magic, Kingsley Shackelbolt, looking slightly unkempt and tired. The entire Wizengamot, which had been noticeably thinned out since Shacklebolt had removed several members for their own crimes and/or bribery, was also in attendance.
She looked around the room and tried to find somebody who could be either an ally or someone to whom she could shift the focus, and therefore, possibly, the blame. Finding no one to fit such a criteria, she fixed her face into a contrite image and looked around at the people who were there and pled for mercy. When it became apparent that mercy was in very short supply for those in her position, she immediately claimed to have been under the Imperius Curse.
In an instant, Minister Shacklebolt's composed disposition shifted from being reserved to completely unfriendly. In a short, clipped tone, completely opposite of his typical warm, soothing, deep voice, he gave her the option to either take Veritaserum right then and there or she could go for a psychological evaluation, which was to be conducted at the Janus Thicky Ward at St. Mungo's.
Umbridge balked at the thought of being stuck in "lunatic land". That was, of course, until the Minister mentioned that being stuck under the Imperius Curse for such a prolonged time, as she was claiming, could have some serious effects on her mind. She quickly decided to keep up her pretenses and immediately agreed that she should "at least be checked out by a professional healer."
Shacklebolt issued a two week recess for the Wizengamot in relation to her case. She began to argue the time frame when he gave her a sharp look and she furiously shut her mouth. He reiterated the two week time frame and continued on to say that when they reconvened, they would hear the Healer's testimony regarding her claims and mental status.
Two Aurors, Savage and Williamson, had taken post on either side of her. Savage held her by her left arm while Williamson pulled out a white handkerchief. He secured her right hand in his and then Savage took hold of the other end of the handkerchief. As soon as he did, the portkey activated and deposited the three of them into a secure room in the Janus Thickey Ward.
After a brief intake, Healer Ashborn entered the room to remove the newest resident's personal clothing and effects and to have her put on hospital issued clothes, which were a drab, dingy grey colour. Umbridge pinched the material between her forefinger and thumb before raising it up to eye level and informing the Healer that she refused to put on something so colorless and disgusting. Healer Ashborn donned a nonchalant smirk and informed her that if it was not done willingly and swiftly that she would have no other choice but to Evanesco her personal belongings to the hospital rubbish bin and charm the hospital clothes on with a sticking spell for good measure.
Less than 2 minutes later, she was dressed and being escorted by the Aurors to her bed, which was surrounded by silver framed dividers with pale blue cloth to block the view of the neighboring beds.
As the Aurors turned their attention to make some notes on their paperwork, Umbridge made a sickly sweet noise as she cleared her throat. "Hem-hem. Am I not being given a private room?" She let out a childish giggle.
The Aurors looked at her incredulously, then at each other. Finally, Auror Savage spoke up, "Private rooms are not given to possible war criminals."
Scowling, Umbridge scoffed loudly and said, "Well, I never! I will be writing a letter to the Minister of Magic about this."
Auror Williamson spoke up then, "You think we don't take our orders from the Minister regarding this? You writing a letter won't change anything."
"How dare you! I am Dolores Umbridge, Senior Undersecretary to the Minister -"
"Not anymore, you're not " Auror Savage said coldly, effectively cutting her off. "You are a person on trial for war crimes and a provisional resident of the Janus Thicky Ward due to your claim of being cursed. Now, you have been magically bound to be within 5 feet of your bed, meals will be brought to you, and a member of the staff will escort you to the lavatory. You are not permitted to have a wand and that cuff on your wrist is a magic binder. Since we have completed our duties, we shall now take our leave. The Chief Healer will see you tomorrow morning. Good day, Ms. Umbridge."
She pointed a finger at them while trying to maintain her calm and hissed "Now see here. You cannot just leave me here with all these crazy people, especially while bound with no magic." Her right eye twitched.
Auror Williamson raised his eyebrow at her while he took out the white handkerchief. He held it out to his partner, and, after Savage had taken hold, he activated the portkey without saying another word and they disappeared.
Umbridge sat down onto the rather thin mattress and listened as the springs shrieked as though in agony.
Well, at least I'll be using a real toilet instead of that litterbox, she thought to herself. This will be like a nice vacation. I can order my favorite meals and have some nice wine while I relax.
At that moment, Gilderoy Lockhart popped his head around the partition. "Hello," he said with a big smile and in his shmooziest of voices. "I see you're new. Nice bracelet...." he trailed off for a moment. Coming back around, he added, "Don't mind the bed. They all shriek a bit. Well, not mine, of course. I just had to smile at it a couple of times, aheh. Now it sings to me."
She narrowed her eyes while feeling even more flustered than before. "Why are you here," she spat.
"What a stupendous question. Eh...," he started but clearly began to mentally wander again.
"Can't you manage a simple straight answer," she snapped.
"Well, you see... I simply can't remember." He let out a light chuckle and pulled his eyebrows slightly together while pasting on his best grin. Why not? After all, it worked for his bed.
"Yes, well, be sure to maintain your distance. I won't have you loitering about my space. Move along." She waved him off.
She promptly learned that her stay was going to be nothing like a vacation; no favorite meals, no wine, and certainly no relaxing.
As the days wore on, Lockhart managed to finagle his way into her area for most of the day - everyday. One day he was particularly on her nerves after having rambled on and on about a dream of a very large snake and falling rocks.
Umbridge, losing control of the situation with such an utter nitwit, suddenly burst out in her annoyance. "Enough, Mr. Lockhart!" Later that day, she ended up scratching herself nearly raw due to a mild case of hives.
As hard as she tried to keep her sanity about her, he just seemed to suck it away from her. It was almost as though the more insane she felt, the saner he seemed. Could it be that he had devised a way to steal her sanity and replace it with his insanity? She became more and more leery of him as the days went by until, at one point, a near frantic paranoia set in. She spent the rest of that day completely sedated.
She begged the staff to be moved, but Cheif Healer Pye said they could not due to the restrictions placed by the Auror Department. She ordered for Lockhart to be switched to a different location. In that instance, Healer Pye said that he would not as it could disrupt Mr. Lockhart's frame of mind and treatment, causing him to relapse. She pulled her hair, stomped her feet like a petulant child, and screamed until she was Silenced and magically bound to the bed to keep her from hurting herself.
At the end of the two weeks, Umbridge found herself magically shackled and standing in front of the Minister and the Wizengamot once more. The Chief Healer was also in attendance and reported to the court that while he found absolutely zero proof of her ever having been under the Imperius Curse, he felt it was best that she remained in custody whether at St. Mungo's or Azkaban, as she was a danger to herself and others due to her mental instability.
Umbridge let out a small giggle as the Cheif Healer finished speaking. Minister Shacklebolt turned his head back to face her, catching her smile before she could mask her face. He narrowed his eyes at her and asked if she had anything to say. She quickly donned her saccharine smile.
"Thank you, Minister. While it may be difficult for some people to understand all the hard work and pressure of working at the Ministry, I, for one, am ready to stay the task to get the job done. I shall be ready to resume my official post as Senior Undersecretary to the Minister of Magic in two days time. Of course, I will need to completely redecorate my office as I'm certain that whomever has been occupying it has completely destroyed -"
"Madam." Shacklebolt had cut her off. He was done hearing her rubbish as she tried to take control of the situation. "You will not be reinstated in any sense to any position in the Ministry. You will, however, be able to enjoy your cell at the now dementor-free portion of Azkaban."
"How dare you!" Her fake smile and childish voice dropped away.
Any members of the Wizengamot who were not completely sure of her guilt nearly got whiplash with how fast she changed her demeanor. Many people began to whisper to each other about rumors they had heard that they now believed to be most likely true. She continued to glare at Shacklebolt.
"After everything I have done and sacrificed for the Ministry. After all the lying, magic-stealing mudbloods I sentenced for the sake of our world. How dare you think for one minute that you can just send me off to that dilapidated cesspool; that disgusting hell hole?!" She had began in a directed, hushed yell and finished in an irritated, huffing screech.
As the court witnessed her continued outburst, they whispered even more to each other. Shacklebolt patiently waited as she further unraveled while admitting to more crimes.
She finally cracked and shrieked out to the room. "Quit your whispering about me! I have done nothing but rid these disgusting mudbloods and blood traitors from among us! ORDER! Listen to me! I will have order!" She began pointing at different Wizengamot members who had opposed the corrupt Ministry while it was ran by Voldemort's puppets.
Having heard enough, Shacklebolt banged his gavel on the podium. The Wizengamot became completely silent as Umbridge continued to screech "I will have order! I will have order!"
Shacklebolt then picked up his wand and cast a Silencing charm in her direction. Umbridge's right eye twitched away as she continued screaming her Silenced "I will have order" chant.
The Minister looked to the Chief Healer and asked if Azkaban had a mental ward that was suitable for Ms. Umbridge. He responded to the affirmative. Umbridge was henceforth sentenced and taken to the mental ward of Azkaban.
Within a week, she had lost her privileges to use utensils, as she had used one to draw a rudimentary cat on her wall to which she was often observed speaking.
"Cordelia, you must bathe yourself. I refuse to have you in my presence whilst unkempt. I will have order." Her eyes glassed over and she stared at the wall without really seeing it as she continued to repeat, "I will have order. I will have order. I will... have......order."
2024.05.13 07:09 thinkingstranger May 10,2024
On October 31, 2020, former Trump White House advisor Steve Bannon—who had left Trump’s administration in 2017—explained to a group of people that, knowing that votes for Biden would accumulate throughout the evening as mail-in ballots were counted, Trump planned simply to declare victory on election night, seizing the presidency and claiming that any results to the contrary were an attempt to steal the election from him. “[A]t 10 or 11 o’clock Trump’s gonna walk in the Oval, tweet out, ‘I’m the winner. Game over. Suck on that,’” Bannon was recorded as saying.
That prediction was pretty much what happened, but Trump did not succeed in seizing the presidency. Next came plans to overturn the election results, and Bannon was also involved in those. Then, famously, on January 5, 2021, he predicted on his podcast that the next day, “all hell is going to break loose.”
Not surprisingly, the House select committee investigating the January 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol wanted to talk to Bannon. It subpoenaed him in September 2021 for testimony and documents. When he refused to comply, a jury found him guilty of contempt of Congress in October 2022. A judge sentenced him to four months in jail but allowed him to stay out of jail while he appealed.
Today a three-judge panel of the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit upheld his conviction. He will not be jailed immediately; he can still appeal to a higher court.
Another White House advisor, Peter Navarro, appealed all the way to the Supreme Court to overturn his own conviction for contempt of Congress after he, too, refused to answer a House subpoena for testimony and documents. The Supreme Court denied his appeal, and Navarro reported to prison on March 19, 2024. He has asked a federal judge to let him serve the remainder of his sentence on supervised release, so far without luck.
Former federal prosecutor and legal analyst Joyce White Vance wrote: “Bannon is effectively out of appeals. He can delay a little bit longer, asking for the full court to review the decision en banc & asking SCOTUS to hear his case on cert, but neither one of those things will happen. Bannon is going to prison.”
Lack of information was at the heart of Bannon and Navarro’s cases; it was also at the heart of the State Department’s report to Congress about whether Israel’s strikes on Gaza have complied with international and U.S. law. National Security Memorandum (NSM)-20, which Biden signed on February 8, 2024, was designed to make sure that there are adequate safeguards and accountability when countries who have access to U.S. weapons use them. The memo required the secretary of state “to obtain certain credible and reliable written assurances from foreign governments receiving defense articles” and transmit that information to Congress.
Issued today, the report covered seven countries in “active conflict”—Colombia, Iraq, Israel, Kenya, Nigeria, Somalia, and Ukraine—and explored whether they were using U.S. government-funded defense articles in accordance with international humanitarian law, and whether they were not “arbitrarily” denying, restricting, or otherwise impeding U.S.-backed humanitarian assistance in any areas where the country was using those U.S. defense articles.
The report noted that it’s hard to collect accurate information in a war zone. Often, the information has to come from participants or third parties, and sometimes that information comes only from the country the U.S. is supplying with weapons. It also noted that the human-rights-based Leahy Laws prohibit the U.S. from supplying weapons to a foreign military unit if the departments of state or defense have credible information that the unit has committed a gross violation of human rights, including torture, rape, extrajudicial killing, or enforced disappearance.
The report concluded that Colombia appears to be in compliance. Iraqi security forces have been credibly alleged to be violating international law, but the U.S. does not supply those units. Those it does supply have received U.S. training on compliance with international humanitarian law, and Iraqi leadership is working closely with the U.S. to professionalize. It has not restricted humanitarian aid.
Kenya has repeatedly violated international human rights law, but it is working to come into compliance and has not misused U.S. weapons. Nigerian forces routinely use excessive force and torture. They are expanding the legal advice in the professionalizing army, and there are no credible reports of U.S. matériel used in ways that are inconsistent with international law.
Somalia has violated humanitarian law and human rights law, arbitrarily killing and torturing people and committing sexual violence. The U.S. supplies the counterterrorism Danab Brigade of the Somali National Army and works closely with it. The State Department assesses that the brigade has not used U.S. weapons in any violations of humanitarian or human rights law.
That leaves Israel and Ukraine.
The report begins by noting that in the October 7 attack on Israel, Hamas and other Palestinian terrorists killed an estimated 1,200 individuals, wounded more than 5,400, and took 253 hostages, including U.S. citizens. Hamas, it notes, “does not follow any portion of and consistently violates” international humanitarian law.
Then it takes on the numbers of Palestinians killed and injured, saying that the Hamas-controlled Gaza Ministry of Health, “which international organizations generally deem credible,” estimates that 34,700 Palestinians have been killed. Another 78,200 have been wounded, “a significant percentage of whom are reported to be women and children.” The Gaza Ministry of Health does not differentiate between Hamas fighters and civilians, but Israel says that about half the 34,700 killed were Hamas fighters. The State Department says that “we do not have the ability to verify this estimate.” It also notes that “[t]he conflict has displaced the vast majority of Palestinians in Gaza and resulted in a severe humanitarian crisis.”
The State Department notes that the U.S. government has emphasized Israeli compliance with international humanitarian law and that Israel has “institutions and processes charged with upholding” those laws. Israel has been conducting assessments, including criminal investigations, into alleged violations of international humanitarian law.
The next paragraph, though, says that when asked, Israel shared some information that gave insight into Israel’s procedures and rules, but that information was incomplete. Among other things, “Israel has not shared complete information to verify whether U.S. defense articles covered under NSM-20 were specifically used in actions that have been alleged as violations of [international humanitarian law or international human rights law] in Gaza, or in the West Bank and East Jerusalem during the period of the report.” However, the authors concluded, because “certain Israeli-operated systems are entirely U.S.-origin (e.g., crewed attack aircraft),” they “are likely to have been involved in incidents that raise concerns about Israel’s [international humanitarian law] compliance.”
The report goes on to say that while it is difficult to determine whether specific U.S. weapons have been used improperly, “there have been sufficient reported incidents to raise serious concerns…. Given the nature of the conflict in Gaza, with Hamas seeking to hide behind civilian populations and infrastructure and expose them to Israeli military action, as well as the lack of [U.S. government] personnel on the ground in Gaza, it is difficult to assess or reach conclusive findings on individual incidents. Nevertheless, given Israel’s significant reliance on U.S.-made defense articles, it is reasonable to assess that defense articles covered under NSM-20 have been used by Israeli security forces since October 7 in instances inconsistent with its [international humanitarian law] obligations or with established best practices for mitigating civilian harm.”
The State Department says it is “not aware” of U.S. weaponry being misused. It also said that it “has had deep concerns…about action and inaction by Israel” that hampered humanitarian aid efforts and that, while that aid still is insufficient, “we do not currently assess that the Israeli government is prohibiting or otherwise restricting the transport or delivery of U.S. humanitarian assistance.”
The report also assessed that Ukraine had occasionally violated international humanitarian law and international human rights law, torturing those suspected of collaborating with Russia, for example. The Ukraine government has committed to adhere to the rule of law. It has apparently not used U.S. weapons in those violations and has facilitated U.S. humanitarian assistance.
—
Notes:
https://www.justice.gov/usao-dc/pstephen-k-bannon-sentenced-four-months-prison-two-counts-contempt-congress
https://www.npr.org/2024/05/10/1250504958/steve-bannon-contempt-upheld
https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.cadc.39203/gov.uscourts.cadc.39203.1208621523.0.pdf
https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2022/07/leaked-audio-steve-bannon-trump-2020-election-declare-victory/
https://www.cnn.com/2024/03/19/politics/peter-navarro-jail-contempt-of-congress/index.html
https://lawandcrime.com/high-profile/too-notorious-pointing-to-a-free-steve-bannon-imprisoned-peter-navarro-asks-court-for-supervised-release/
https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2024/02/08/national-security-memorandum-on-safeguards-and-accountability-with-respect-to-transferred-defense-articles-and-defense-services/
https://www.justsecurity.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Report-to-Congress-under-Section-2-of-the-National-Security-Memorandum-on-Safeguards-and-Accountability-with-Respect-to-Transferred-Defense.pdf
Twitter (X):
JoyceWhiteVance/status/1788946765355348418
https://heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/p/may-10-2024
submitted by thinkingstranger to HeatherCoxRichardson [link] [comments]
That prediction was pretty much what happened, but Trump did not succeed in seizing the presidency. Next came plans to overturn the election results, and Bannon was also involved in those. Then, famously, on January 5, 2021, he predicted on his podcast that the next day, “all hell is going to break loose.”
Not surprisingly, the House select committee investigating the January 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol wanted to talk to Bannon. It subpoenaed him in September 2021 for testimony and documents. When he refused to comply, a jury found him guilty of contempt of Congress in October 2022. A judge sentenced him to four months in jail but allowed him to stay out of jail while he appealed.
Today a three-judge panel of the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit upheld his conviction. He will not be jailed immediately; he can still appeal to a higher court.
Another White House advisor, Peter Navarro, appealed all the way to the Supreme Court to overturn his own conviction for contempt of Congress after he, too, refused to answer a House subpoena for testimony and documents. The Supreme Court denied his appeal, and Navarro reported to prison on March 19, 2024. He has asked a federal judge to let him serve the remainder of his sentence on supervised release, so far without luck.
Former federal prosecutor and legal analyst Joyce White Vance wrote: “Bannon is effectively out of appeals. He can delay a little bit longer, asking for the full court to review the decision en banc & asking SCOTUS to hear his case on cert, but neither one of those things will happen. Bannon is going to prison.”
Lack of information was at the heart of Bannon and Navarro’s cases; it was also at the heart of the State Department’s report to Congress about whether Israel’s strikes on Gaza have complied with international and U.S. law. National Security Memorandum (NSM)-20, which Biden signed on February 8, 2024, was designed to make sure that there are adequate safeguards and accountability when countries who have access to U.S. weapons use them. The memo required the secretary of state “to obtain certain credible and reliable written assurances from foreign governments receiving defense articles” and transmit that information to Congress.
Issued today, the report covered seven countries in “active conflict”—Colombia, Iraq, Israel, Kenya, Nigeria, Somalia, and Ukraine—and explored whether they were using U.S. government-funded defense articles in accordance with international humanitarian law, and whether they were not “arbitrarily” denying, restricting, or otherwise impeding U.S.-backed humanitarian assistance in any areas where the country was using those U.S. defense articles.
The report noted that it’s hard to collect accurate information in a war zone. Often, the information has to come from participants or third parties, and sometimes that information comes only from the country the U.S. is supplying with weapons. It also noted that the human-rights-based Leahy Laws prohibit the U.S. from supplying weapons to a foreign military unit if the departments of state or defense have credible information that the unit has committed a gross violation of human rights, including torture, rape, extrajudicial killing, or enforced disappearance.
The report concluded that Colombia appears to be in compliance. Iraqi security forces have been credibly alleged to be violating international law, but the U.S. does not supply those units. Those it does supply have received U.S. training on compliance with international humanitarian law, and Iraqi leadership is working closely with the U.S. to professionalize. It has not restricted humanitarian aid.
Kenya has repeatedly violated international human rights law, but it is working to come into compliance and has not misused U.S. weapons. Nigerian forces routinely use excessive force and torture. They are expanding the legal advice in the professionalizing army, and there are no credible reports of U.S. matériel used in ways that are inconsistent with international law.
Somalia has violated humanitarian law and human rights law, arbitrarily killing and torturing people and committing sexual violence. The U.S. supplies the counterterrorism Danab Brigade of the Somali National Army and works closely with it. The State Department assesses that the brigade has not used U.S. weapons in any violations of humanitarian or human rights law.
That leaves Israel and Ukraine.
The report begins by noting that in the October 7 attack on Israel, Hamas and other Palestinian terrorists killed an estimated 1,200 individuals, wounded more than 5,400, and took 253 hostages, including U.S. citizens. Hamas, it notes, “does not follow any portion of and consistently violates” international humanitarian law.
Then it takes on the numbers of Palestinians killed and injured, saying that the Hamas-controlled Gaza Ministry of Health, “which international organizations generally deem credible,” estimates that 34,700 Palestinians have been killed. Another 78,200 have been wounded, “a significant percentage of whom are reported to be women and children.” The Gaza Ministry of Health does not differentiate between Hamas fighters and civilians, but Israel says that about half the 34,700 killed were Hamas fighters. The State Department says that “we do not have the ability to verify this estimate.” It also notes that “[t]he conflict has displaced the vast majority of Palestinians in Gaza and resulted in a severe humanitarian crisis.”
The State Department notes that the U.S. government has emphasized Israeli compliance with international humanitarian law and that Israel has “institutions and processes charged with upholding” those laws. Israel has been conducting assessments, including criminal investigations, into alleged violations of international humanitarian law.
The next paragraph, though, says that when asked, Israel shared some information that gave insight into Israel’s procedures and rules, but that information was incomplete. Among other things, “Israel has not shared complete information to verify whether U.S. defense articles covered under NSM-20 were specifically used in actions that have been alleged as violations of [international humanitarian law or international human rights law] in Gaza, or in the West Bank and East Jerusalem during the period of the report.” However, the authors concluded, because “certain Israeli-operated systems are entirely U.S.-origin (e.g., crewed attack aircraft),” they “are likely to have been involved in incidents that raise concerns about Israel’s [international humanitarian law] compliance.”
The report goes on to say that while it is difficult to determine whether specific U.S. weapons have been used improperly, “there have been sufficient reported incidents to raise serious concerns…. Given the nature of the conflict in Gaza, with Hamas seeking to hide behind civilian populations and infrastructure and expose them to Israeli military action, as well as the lack of [U.S. government] personnel on the ground in Gaza, it is difficult to assess or reach conclusive findings on individual incidents. Nevertheless, given Israel’s significant reliance on U.S.-made defense articles, it is reasonable to assess that defense articles covered under NSM-20 have been used by Israeli security forces since October 7 in instances inconsistent with its [international humanitarian law] obligations or with established best practices for mitigating civilian harm.”
The State Department says it is “not aware” of U.S. weaponry being misused. It also said that it “has had deep concerns…about action and inaction by Israel” that hampered humanitarian aid efforts and that, while that aid still is insufficient, “we do not currently assess that the Israeli government is prohibiting or otherwise restricting the transport or delivery of U.S. humanitarian assistance.”
The report also assessed that Ukraine had occasionally violated international humanitarian law and international human rights law, torturing those suspected of collaborating with Russia, for example. The Ukraine government has committed to adhere to the rule of law. It has apparently not used U.S. weapons in those violations and has facilitated U.S. humanitarian assistance.
—
Notes:
https://www.justice.gov/usao-dc/pstephen-k-bannon-sentenced-four-months-prison-two-counts-contempt-congress
https://www.npr.org/2024/05/10/1250504958/steve-bannon-contempt-upheld
https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.cadc.39203/gov.uscourts.cadc.39203.1208621523.0.pdf
https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2022/07/leaked-audio-steve-bannon-trump-2020-election-declare-victory/
https://www.cnn.com/2024/03/19/politics/peter-navarro-jail-contempt-of-congress/index.html
https://lawandcrime.com/high-profile/too-notorious-pointing-to-a-free-steve-bannon-imprisoned-peter-navarro-asks-court-for-supervised-release/
https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2024/02/08/national-security-memorandum-on-safeguards-and-accountability-with-respect-to-transferred-defense-articles-and-defense-services/
https://www.justsecurity.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Report-to-Congress-under-Section-2-of-the-National-Security-Memorandum-on-Safeguards-and-Accountability-with-Respect-to-Transferred-Defense.pdf
Twitter (X):
JoyceWhiteVance/status/1788946765355348418
https://heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/p/may-10-2024
2024.05.13 03:33 JaneDoeThe33rd Lucien’s Latest Apology
He says: “An Apology
I often receive messages from people both inside and outside of The Satanic Temple who claim to find avenues for further involvement within our organization impenetrable and unwelcoming. Usually, the complainant will assume that there is an entrenched friend group operating for their own benefit, and sometimes it is claimed that some political disagreement or misunderstanding has rendered a member persona non grata. This has troubled me, but I have also assumed that there was little I could do. For one, it may be that the complaints came from genuinely undesirable candidates or, even if not, it was possible that the judgment of the various groups were guided by a system that was effective in weeding out most of the worst candidates most of the time, with some candidates being unintentionally wrongly disregarded, and maybe that is the best any of them can hope to do. In any case, I felt there was little I could do about it. For the good of the organization I intentionally put myself at a distance from our ministry and congregations, giving them the space to manage their activities themselves.
That distancing myself from the ministry and congregations could be for the overall good of the organization might be a counter-intuitive claim to some, but I arrived at that position after a history of failed local chapters and internal melt-downs that typically result in people decrying me personally, regardless of how little interaction with me they may have actually had. Regardless of what the situation may have actually been, it was always more attention-grabbing to claim that any problems were the result of some type of background personal battle with me. Though never having had contact with me at all never really prevented anybody from going this route, I assumed that if structurally it was all but certain that they needn’t have my permission to operate, and did not take instructions from me at all, at least internally people would be able to better recognize a lying opportunist making false claims, and lying opportunists making false claims would see less opportunity in creating false narratives at the expense of the organization. Committees of peers operating under pre-established organizational guidelines with my general non-intervention as known policy seemed the best way to go. In any case, I already have enough responsibilities that I attend to in service to The Satanic Temple, and it is hardly plausible that I take on more. And it is, I can say in complete confidence that I am not merely expressing a failure of nerves, a high-stress job. I do not think many people would do the work I do the way I do it. I do it because I believe in our cause, I believe in the value and values of Satanism, and I believe that efforts to advance theocratic interests in the United States and elsewhere pose an existential threat to democracy. Our lawsuits, tracking of legislation, strategy, structure, messaging, media, protocols, advocacy, testimony, etc, are all things I have a first-hand role in (along with a small team or teams), and it is often difficult for me to find the time to create the content for which I actually get paid. The ministry does not pay me, nor do we pay it. Ordained ministers have the potential to profit from their ordination by way of ministerial work, such as weddings and funerals, but beyond paying a nominal fee for ordination coursework, there is no buy-in and there are no dues or start-up fees.
The fact is that our ability to finance our projects waxes and wanes based upon our presence in the media, public support for our lawsuits, campaigns, and various publicly-facing efforts that drive support. Our ministry, and other branches of The Satanic Temple, have had their own internal schisms and breakdowns through time that are indicative of our polarized times, and not entirely unexpected in any social environment. However, somewhere along the line a narrative took hold among some: the narrative that myself, and the small team that composes the Executive Ministry, are not working on behalf of the organization while maintaining the relative autonomy of ministry and congregations, but that we are irrelevant to The Satanic Temple overall. Not only are we irrelevant, but counter-productive, preventing them from doing the things that they think The Satanic Temple should really be doing, almost always in reference to demands that we allow absolute political positions in our name, or allow them to sell merchandise bearing our name and/or imagery. These are not new standards, but there often seem to be fresh complaints.
This has been an irritating fact for some time, but again felt as though it was something I could do little about. People like to speak ill of the boss, apparently, even when that “boss” is making zero demands, and I assumed they might be mortified to learn just how often I actually do see them denigrating me and misrepresenting my work. And the sad fact is that it is impossible to not feel, to some degree, held hostage in an environment where any negative exchange is certain to be placed online, without context, with some constructed whistleblower narrative that claims to show my true colors, included with various accusations about my nefarious ways. But I have had a suspicion that a prevalent mood of hostility against the organization from within the organization was creating broader counter-productive social dynamics that go beyond disparaging Executive Ministry. Despite a clear majority of dedicated and reasonable ministers, disagreements between ministers amongst themselves or with other membership have sometimes revealed disregard for any sense of professional ministerial conduct, an unwillingness to engage in open non-judgmental dialogue or act as a judicious mediator, as one might hope a minister for any religion might. Over the past year, people — good people — have left feeling ostracized, attacked, and even betrayed by this behavior. In the meantime, still without intervention from myself or the rest of Executive Ministry, open contempt against us has grown, with some congregations taking to the practice placing bizarre disclaimers on their public-facing materials inappropriately advising that they are somehow not affiliated with the global organization. It seems to have all the makings of another schism, the likes of which people seem to work themselves up into regardless of the circumstances: if we intervene in any way and try to direct people’s work, the wannabe rebels cry that we are exercising inappropriate authority, we leave them to manage their affairs, they stir revolt against our somehow oppressive irrelevance.
But while I had grown despondent in thinking that such dynamics were an unfortunate expression of human nature, and that there was no point risking further damage by trying to mitigate an uncontrollable fire, growing silent internal support has let me know that they see the toxic dynamics, disagree with the positions propagated by the aimless malcontents, and wish to see changes that will open new avenues for participation. Some time ago, we began considering structural models to unify the Executive Ministry with the ministry, so that they are in collaboration with us. All of this is a slow process with minimal personnel and resources. In the meantime, we have seen politicians attempt to outlaw Satanism, ban The Satanic Temple specifically from public accommodations, we have been navigating threats to our safety, and experienced a bombing attempt upon our headquarters. In all that time, the people who habitually denigrate me and the Executive Ministry never seem to have changed their focus from drawing internal suspicion toward us and our worth to confronting the very real existential threats we face on the outside. The past number of months have been harrowing, and I have found myself having to choose between one high-priority item or another equal high-priority item at a time. Last week I had to miss going to court for our oral arguments in order to attend a meeting with the FBI. In consultation with security analysts, I am overhauling some aspects of my life in ways that are less than convenient, and all the while I am compelled to create content often enough to keep paying subscribers.
It was against this backdrop that I was sent a series of screenshots the other day of a group of our ministers complaining on Facebook. A minister had posted a series of memes generally conveying my perceived worthlessness and ineptitude, mostly decrying the fact that we canceled SatanCon this year. The same people who seem to have nothing to say when politicians openly try to render our religious practice and expression illegal, the same people who have nothing to say when somebody tries to kill us in our headquarters, have something to complain about when we fail to finance and organize our annual gathering for them. Further, I was mocked for apparently doing nothing more with my time than posting on Patreon while they congratulated themselves for neither subscribing to nor reading my work. A bizarre and delusional dialogue unfolded where it was suggested (again) that they have done all the work that is attributed to me. There was chatter about how they had “outgrown” TST. To be clear, this was a group consisting, in part, of TST ministers. Ministers, representatives of The Satanic Temple, on Facebook, presenting themselves this way. I sent an angry email to the minister responsible.
He had no apology in his reply. I fired him. I am not sorry about that. My apology is to those who have suffered in this toxic environment waiting far too long for action to be taken. You are heard, and we are going to build a better, unified TST.
There are, of course, others in TST who are outraged by my audacity in this. So far I have seen none of them consider that their conduct may have been unprofessional, counterproductive, or even worthy of mention. Some people have resigned.
My email to the minister, now of course posted publicly on Reddit, had the subject heading “Invitation To Leave.” (You can read it here: https://www.reddit.com/SatanicTemple_Reddit/comments/1cpqz4h/luciens_treatment_of_leadership_and_ministry/ ) It is meant to be a broad invitation. From now on, we are going to have the bare minimum standard of working with those who want to work with us, those who wish to represent and advocate for The Satanic Temple. People are free to disagree with The Satanic Temple. We are also free to insist that the people who we work with align with our mission and values, and seek to grow the organization with us, rather than undermine it and try to run off with some of its assets. Those for whom it is impossible to work with TST without disparaging other branches of the organization, the organization as a whole (“TST Global”), or individuals in the organization, it is not for them. There are a lot of people already working with us and willing to work with us, understand the gravity of this moment in the battle against theocracy, and wish to help and support us in our mission. This is for you.”
submitted by JaneDoeThe33rd to SatanicTemple_Reddit [link] [comments]
I often receive messages from people both inside and outside of The Satanic Temple who claim to find avenues for further involvement within our organization impenetrable and unwelcoming. Usually, the complainant will assume that there is an entrenched friend group operating for their own benefit, and sometimes it is claimed that some political disagreement or misunderstanding has rendered a member persona non grata. This has troubled me, but I have also assumed that there was little I could do. For one, it may be that the complaints came from genuinely undesirable candidates or, even if not, it was possible that the judgment of the various groups were guided by a system that was effective in weeding out most of the worst candidates most of the time, with some candidates being unintentionally wrongly disregarded, and maybe that is the best any of them can hope to do. In any case, I felt there was little I could do about it. For the good of the organization I intentionally put myself at a distance from our ministry and congregations, giving them the space to manage their activities themselves.
That distancing myself from the ministry and congregations could be for the overall good of the organization might be a counter-intuitive claim to some, but I arrived at that position after a history of failed local chapters and internal melt-downs that typically result in people decrying me personally, regardless of how little interaction with me they may have actually had. Regardless of what the situation may have actually been, it was always more attention-grabbing to claim that any problems were the result of some type of background personal battle with me. Though never having had contact with me at all never really prevented anybody from going this route, I assumed that if structurally it was all but certain that they needn’t have my permission to operate, and did not take instructions from me at all, at least internally people would be able to better recognize a lying opportunist making false claims, and lying opportunists making false claims would see less opportunity in creating false narratives at the expense of the organization. Committees of peers operating under pre-established organizational guidelines with my general non-intervention as known policy seemed the best way to go. In any case, I already have enough responsibilities that I attend to in service to The Satanic Temple, and it is hardly plausible that I take on more. And it is, I can say in complete confidence that I am not merely expressing a failure of nerves, a high-stress job. I do not think many people would do the work I do the way I do it. I do it because I believe in our cause, I believe in the value and values of Satanism, and I believe that efforts to advance theocratic interests in the United States and elsewhere pose an existential threat to democracy. Our lawsuits, tracking of legislation, strategy, structure, messaging, media, protocols, advocacy, testimony, etc, are all things I have a first-hand role in (along with a small team or teams), and it is often difficult for me to find the time to create the content for which I actually get paid. The ministry does not pay me, nor do we pay it. Ordained ministers have the potential to profit from their ordination by way of ministerial work, such as weddings and funerals, but beyond paying a nominal fee for ordination coursework, there is no buy-in and there are no dues or start-up fees.
The fact is that our ability to finance our projects waxes and wanes based upon our presence in the media, public support for our lawsuits, campaigns, and various publicly-facing efforts that drive support. Our ministry, and other branches of The Satanic Temple, have had their own internal schisms and breakdowns through time that are indicative of our polarized times, and not entirely unexpected in any social environment. However, somewhere along the line a narrative took hold among some: the narrative that myself, and the small team that composes the Executive Ministry, are not working on behalf of the organization while maintaining the relative autonomy of ministry and congregations, but that we are irrelevant to The Satanic Temple overall. Not only are we irrelevant, but counter-productive, preventing them from doing the things that they think The Satanic Temple should really be doing, almost always in reference to demands that we allow absolute political positions in our name, or allow them to sell merchandise bearing our name and/or imagery. These are not new standards, but there often seem to be fresh complaints.
This has been an irritating fact for some time, but again felt as though it was something I could do little about. People like to speak ill of the boss, apparently, even when that “boss” is making zero demands, and I assumed they might be mortified to learn just how often I actually do see them denigrating me and misrepresenting my work. And the sad fact is that it is impossible to not feel, to some degree, held hostage in an environment where any negative exchange is certain to be placed online, without context, with some constructed whistleblower narrative that claims to show my true colors, included with various accusations about my nefarious ways. But I have had a suspicion that a prevalent mood of hostility against the organization from within the organization was creating broader counter-productive social dynamics that go beyond disparaging Executive Ministry. Despite a clear majority of dedicated and reasonable ministers, disagreements between ministers amongst themselves or with other membership have sometimes revealed disregard for any sense of professional ministerial conduct, an unwillingness to engage in open non-judgmental dialogue or act as a judicious mediator, as one might hope a minister for any religion might. Over the past year, people — good people — have left feeling ostracized, attacked, and even betrayed by this behavior. In the meantime, still without intervention from myself or the rest of Executive Ministry, open contempt against us has grown, with some congregations taking to the practice placing bizarre disclaimers on their public-facing materials inappropriately advising that they are somehow not affiliated with the global organization. It seems to have all the makings of another schism, the likes of which people seem to work themselves up into regardless of the circumstances: if we intervene in any way and try to direct people’s work, the wannabe rebels cry that we are exercising inappropriate authority, we leave them to manage their affairs, they stir revolt against our somehow oppressive irrelevance.
But while I had grown despondent in thinking that such dynamics were an unfortunate expression of human nature, and that there was no point risking further damage by trying to mitigate an uncontrollable fire, growing silent internal support has let me know that they see the toxic dynamics, disagree with the positions propagated by the aimless malcontents, and wish to see changes that will open new avenues for participation. Some time ago, we began considering structural models to unify the Executive Ministry with the ministry, so that they are in collaboration with us. All of this is a slow process with minimal personnel and resources. In the meantime, we have seen politicians attempt to outlaw Satanism, ban The Satanic Temple specifically from public accommodations, we have been navigating threats to our safety, and experienced a bombing attempt upon our headquarters. In all that time, the people who habitually denigrate me and the Executive Ministry never seem to have changed their focus from drawing internal suspicion toward us and our worth to confronting the very real existential threats we face on the outside. The past number of months have been harrowing, and I have found myself having to choose between one high-priority item or another equal high-priority item at a time. Last week I had to miss going to court for our oral arguments in order to attend a meeting with the FBI. In consultation with security analysts, I am overhauling some aspects of my life in ways that are less than convenient, and all the while I am compelled to create content often enough to keep paying subscribers.
It was against this backdrop that I was sent a series of screenshots the other day of a group of our ministers complaining on Facebook. A minister had posted a series of memes generally conveying my perceived worthlessness and ineptitude, mostly decrying the fact that we canceled SatanCon this year. The same people who seem to have nothing to say when politicians openly try to render our religious practice and expression illegal, the same people who have nothing to say when somebody tries to kill us in our headquarters, have something to complain about when we fail to finance and organize our annual gathering for them. Further, I was mocked for apparently doing nothing more with my time than posting on Patreon while they congratulated themselves for neither subscribing to nor reading my work. A bizarre and delusional dialogue unfolded where it was suggested (again) that they have done all the work that is attributed to me. There was chatter about how they had “outgrown” TST. To be clear, this was a group consisting, in part, of TST ministers. Ministers, representatives of The Satanic Temple, on Facebook, presenting themselves this way. I sent an angry email to the minister responsible.
He had no apology in his reply. I fired him. I am not sorry about that. My apology is to those who have suffered in this toxic environment waiting far too long for action to be taken. You are heard, and we are going to build a better, unified TST.
There are, of course, others in TST who are outraged by my audacity in this. So far I have seen none of them consider that their conduct may have been unprofessional, counterproductive, or even worthy of mention. Some people have resigned.
My email to the minister, now of course posted publicly on Reddit, had the subject heading “Invitation To Leave.” (You can read it here: https://www.reddit.com/SatanicTemple_Reddit/comments/1cpqz4h/luciens_treatment_of_leadership_and_ministry/ ) It is meant to be a broad invitation. From now on, we are going to have the bare minimum standard of working with those who want to work with us, those who wish to represent and advocate for The Satanic Temple. People are free to disagree with The Satanic Temple. We are also free to insist that the people who we work with align with our mission and values, and seek to grow the organization with us, rather than undermine it and try to run off with some of its assets. Those for whom it is impossible to work with TST without disparaging other branches of the organization, the organization as a whole (“TST Global”), or individuals in the organization, it is not for them. There are a lot of people already working with us and willing to work with us, understand the gravity of this moment in the battle against theocracy, and wish to help and support us in our mission. This is for you.”
2024.05.12 14:28 amieretto99 …
I started walking outside again last week. I hadn’t done that since October of last year. I can’t say when I actually last felt joy doing it, certainly not since August of 2022, probably well before that. But I feel joy from it again. I can do it without intrusive thoughts and reminders of her, tainting the positives.
You once said that you lived a sheltered life, I don’t think that’s true at all. I definitely did, and wasn’t even aware of it. I can’t even say now that I had it bad, I just had some extreme eye opening experiences. Perhaps I said this to you before, perhaps in my own personal journal, but I’m simultaneously embarrassed & grateful for that. Some people want to make everything a comparison. You tell them something and they have to top you, let you know how they had it worse. My mom, who I am not criticizing because I do know her heart is in the right place, likes to remind you that it always could be worse. And that has recently began to infuriate me. I’m aware it could be worse. I’m usually not sharing something because I want something in return, I’m just sharing because I’m a person and that’s what people do. But hearing it could be worse minimizes whatever I’ve shared, like it doesn’t matter because it wasn’t bad enough. I’m not sure where the bad line is, where it becomes ok to share and not feel like you’re being silenced or being told to be grateful it wasn’t worse. Sometimes I just want to talk. I don’t want pity, I don’t want anything really besides some empathy and to feel heard. So as I type and share, I’m aware it could be worse. I’m aware in the scheme of the hardships of the world I have it easy. But that doesn’t mean that some things aren’t hard or painful or traumatic. I guess I feel the need to add this when speaking to you because I know you indeed had it worse.
Although I was well aware that the world was full of people who do things that are evil & wrong, although I was well aware of the saying wolf in sheep’s clothing, although I was aware that hurt people hurt people, I was unaware that sometimes it would be so difficult to see. I was aware that plenty of people were in abusive relationships, lived in abusive households, worked in environments where people would do anything to get ahead, I apparently was unaware that these things happened in friendships too. For no reason. Other than jealousy or pride or insecurity or never getting over personal problems from the past. That some people are so miserable inside that they get some sort of satisfaction out of hurting other people. Or at least they think they do, they really don’t. It’s this very thing that adds to keeping them miserable.
What I’m torn on is if they fully realize what they’re doing or not. If inside their confused mind they have justified their actions and see them as ok. If they’re so delusional that they see themselves as the victim in situations and the other person as wrong. As they go from situation to situation peddling their line of garbage, trying to convince others of their false narrative, if they themselves actually believe it. Deep down. If they paused and allowed themselves to really think about it. If they’re so emotionally immature the lies begin to sound real. If their narrative, that they’ve created, feels like truth to them.
She attacked so many elements of my life - my physical health, my mental health, my work, other friendships - it was like she infiltrated my life, thoughts, beliefs, and tried to rot it away with garbage. She succeeded some, but she didn’t win. It’s really her that loses when she keeps doing this with people. But sometimes I’m still really mad about her behaviors. To borrow your word, I felt subhuman. Like I didn’t feel things properly, couldn’t understand people properly, was selfish, and just unintentionally hurt people because I was such an inconsiderate unaware mess. And, in her opinion, whether someone intentionally hurts you or unintentionally hurts you it doesn’t matter, you’re still hurt. In my opinion there is a massive difference. But I felt like I couldn’t be trusted around others, that I shouldn’t really talk to people, that I needed to run things by M or B because I didn’t know how to act and didn’t want to hurt someone because I was such a harmful mess.
It’s difficult to look back on and not feel foolish. Like, why didn’t you see that? I’m aware it was the perfect storm of events. COVID, lockdown, me at the time just beginning to build a relationship with God, you - and if things had been different it wouldn’t have worked out the way it did. If I hadn’t have had those hundreds, probably thousands, of hours talking to her so much I wouldn’t have seen it. I’d possibly still be in her life, every once in a while getting attacked with something, and never fully understanding or realizing what was going on.
So I’m grateful it was quick and now it’s over.
I feel like I can trust myself again.
I am moving past the fear that someone is out to get me, or deceiving me, or has ulterior motives. Will that happen? Probably, but it’s no longer a fear with every person, new or old, that I encounter. I’ll be fooled again, I’ll live through it, I’ll choose what’s right (to the best of my abilities), and if someone is deceiving me that’s on them, not me for not figuring it out. If that’s what they want to feel proud of in life, their ability to lie and deceive, then the jokes on them.
I don’t know what she did to you. I have a bunch of theories, but I don’t really know. What I do know is that she doesn’t get to stop God’s plan. Whatever it is will come to be, and she’s more foolish than I thought if she thinks she has power over that. I know that you were a bright part of my life. I know that I frequently pray that I will get to do something good with you. That someday I will get to hear you teach, confidently, full of peace, being the funny, gentle, compassionate, insightful, inspirational man that you are.
There is a part of me that seems to be mentally preparing for an argument that hasn’t happened yet and I doubt ever will. But I find my mind preparing for the argument with someone and being able to prove how calculated, cruel, abusive, and diabolical her actions were. I’m probably having the argument with myself sometimes, like part of me is going are you sure? Do you have it wrong? But I am sure. It wasn’t one thing, it wasn’t a couple of things, it was dozens and dozens of things. There’s no way to add them all up and come to a different conclusion. And I would really like to. But the math just doesn’t math. Yet sometimes it’s still an imaginary argument. I guess because my brain can’t really comprehend how someone could be so close to me, pretending to be my friend, and in reality doing cruel things. What disturbs me most isn’t what she did to me, but to you. That someone could pretend to be a friend, pretend to want to help, and in reality be doing awful things to someone at their lowest point. That is what I cannot wrap my brain around. The wrongness of that breaks my heart into pieces. And I’m sorry.
What has occurred isn’t an argument, but other people with only partial knowledge immediately recognizing her behaviors as wrong, narcissistic, and one person said evil. I think for a reason that I don’t understand, is that I need to hear that from people, that the things I KNOW she did are wrong, because for some reason my brain can’t completely be trusted on this. Like I know, but I can’t fully compute it. Like I know, but it feels wrong to call these actions that were clearly wrong wrong. Like I’m also wrong for calling the behaviors out. And I’m not, I’d tell someone else they weren’t wrong, but there’s some missing connector in my brain, and I’m still messed up on this issue. And I don’t understand why. Like I can’t really believe she did things she did, because it’s just that wrong. I know that doesn’t make sense, but that girl genuinely messed me up, and there are some things I’m having difficulty healing from.
I can now, fortunately or unfortunately, spot it easier in others. Hearing their mouth say one thing, hearing their mouth tell you what a victim they are, but their actions showing something completely different. It’s disappointing. It’s frustrating. It’s maddening. But at least I can spot it and stay out of whatever web they’re trying to weave. I can listen and not argue. I can hear them and keep my mouth shut. I can wish them well, and mean it, but not partake in what they’re selling. I don’t need to enter their circular conversation and try to reason with them.
You’re a mystery to me. I’ve gone over it, more times than I can count, and I still only see good. I don’t see a twisted narcissist out to cause me harm. I don’t see a manipulative devil trying to mess with me. I see a hurting guy. Maybe some behaviors were wrong, but I don’t think it’s because you were some cruel person with ill intent, I think it’s more likely they were behaviors you learned, and didn’t know differently. Or because you were in such a bad place mentally you made some choices you wouldn’t normally have chosen. I see a lot of fear and darkness that probably lead choices. Or I’m wrong, and the jokes on me, and I’m a fool again.
I’m ok with that. I still don’t have regrets when it comes to you.
But the cold harsh reality is that you left. Without a word or an explanation. And what that feels like is that I didn’t matter at all. As more time passes that fact becomes more undeniable. I don’t have any understanding, so it makes it difficult to completely heal from it. Was I a stalker? Was I a fool? Was I frightening? Was I a friend? Did I matter at all? Was I just words on a screen, completely detached from the real human behind them? I really don’t know. I’d like to say I didn’t have expectations, but I guess I did because I didn’t expect this. Did I just insert myself where I wasn’t wanted & didn’t belong?
This healing is coming in stages, in waves, bringing up things that I didn’t expect and don’t really like. The only truths that I know, and this knowledge is what gives me peace, is that I know I had good intentions. I know I was actively seeking God and trying to follow. I know I did the best I could with the knowledge I had at the time. I know that I’d do it again, if it meant I was helping a hurting beautiful human. I probably do have some bitterness in my heart that I need to work on because I can say that about you, but I can’t say it about her. Even knowing that I could have planted good seeds in her life, even knowing that God loves her and she’s a hurting human, I can’t say that I’d do it again for her. Luckily I don’t get to choose. It’s done.
The hardest part is all of the unknowns. Those are what play tricks on my mind. Sometimes ignorance is bliss, so perhaps I should be grateful for it now. The fear that gets me the most (second most, I won’t vocalize in any way the biggest fear), is the fear that you think of me the same way I think of her.
Sometime last year I discovered that I had saved some of your old posts. Clearly at one point I knew that feature existed, and did it, but it was all new to me when I discovered them. Some were things I never care to read again. But one stood out to me, and it was still awful, but this part was touching (and awful). You said that you basically had one friend who talks to you. When I read this last year it was as though that sentence literally jumped off of the screen in gigantic letters at me. And I felt like you were talking about me. The thing that I so wanted to hear had been said, but I misunderstood it initially. Because why else would you have said it like that? One friend who talks to you. I mean, clearly I could be wrong, because I do hate making assumptions, but I feel like I’m right. Initially it never occurred to me that you meant me, because if you were talking about me it would have said two friends, because you would have included her too. But you didn’t. And I can only come up with up with two reasons why. One, you didn’t consider her a friend because she didn’t talk to you as much as I did, and therefore you just didn’t know her that well. Or, two, you saw who she was then, she’d shown you who she was then, and you knew she wasn’t a friend. If that’s true, kudos to you for seeing it, being aware of it, and knowing that’s not how any friend should act. I just wish you would have filled me in.
I mean, I do, and I don’t.
A whole lotta lessons and growth happened by what happened to me and because of her actions towards me. Although I most definitely didn’t enjoy the path getting to those lessons, I’ll accept and be grateful for them. It wasn’t all her, of course, there were other things adding to it. And I hope someday I get to talk to you about all of this. Although I am fine, although I am usually at peace with not having answers, they would be nice to have.
As I said, I found joy in walking outside again. I’ve found confidence in my job, workplace, and those that work with me. I’ve found security again in my friendships. I’ve held onto the ability to share things with others, even if there is shame attached to it, with the belief that it’s worth my embarrassment & discomfort if it can help someone. I’ve learned how to release my fears & anxieties & doubts to God, tell Him that He is in charge and to direct me as he wants. That applies to big things and the seemingly small choices that sometimes overwhelmed me each day. I let Him have it, and it’s easy. And peaceful. I mean, not always, but in general.
I’ve reached the point where I don’t fear running into her - which was a confusing fear to have. I mean, I didn’t do anything wrong to her, yet I’m sure she thinks I did, and the uncomfortableness of knowing that added to my not wanting to see her face again. That and the fact that her behaviors were literally diabolical and I don’t want to be near someone who behaves like that. That and she truly traumatized me and I’d like to remain clear of her, not remind her that I exist. I’m aware that I’m in control of myself and my actions and I can engage, or I can simply acknowledge and keep moving. She doesn’t get to control or dictate anymore, she no longer has that ability, I can do as I please.
I miss you. And everything about that is bizarre. I have no idea who you are today, you would be a completely new person. But it’s really painful to go from having someone be such a large part of each and every day to then being completely gone. Not knowing why, if I did something to push towards that happening, if she spoke lies that pushed towards that happening, or if it had nothing to do with me at all, and was all about you. I know the saying that what people do has nothing to do with you and everything to do with them. I get it, I see it in action, but I can’t figure out how to frame it properly when it comes to her. Because my choice to remove her from my life has plenty to do with her behaviors, her behaviors were the catalyst of that action, it basically has everything to do with her. So there is a fear there that similar reasoning is there when it comes to you going. And it hurts my heart to think I did something to a hurting person. I guess that’s where I wish I could have resolve. That is where I wish I had answers (don’t get me wrong, I have plenty of other questions, and i guarantee a lot of them aren’t what you expect), but I need to hear that I didn’t add pain to someone who was already hurting. And if I did, I want the opportunity to apologize and/or explain.
I say again that the two years after you left were probably the most difficult of my life, and not for the reasons you would assume, if you’re assuming anything. The second year I was literally making a choice of committing myself somewhere for mental evaluation because I was crazy, or hoping the Christian counselor could help. She helped. I’m not crazy. There are definitely things I don’t understand, but not because I’m crazy.
So here I sit, writing a message to a guy that I don’t really know, that may or may not read it (which really, was true all along), with the hope that someday you’ll choose to be a part of my life again. Or help me sort out some incredibly confusing periods of my life. I’m going to be fine, and am fine, whether I get answers or not. I’m not consumed with the need for answers, it would just be nice. But sometimes we don’t get them, and sometimes we’re probably better off not having them. I’m not seeking answers from her, I have all of the answers I need, and none of them are good, I don’t want to hear any more.
It saddens me greatly that there are people out there who devote so much time to making the lives of others miserable. That’s what they do, and they think (I guess), that brings them joy or satisfaction. It’s such a waste of life. You can’t talk to them, or reason with them, or help them see past their delusions, and honestly, sometimes the way they behave is so frightening you don’t even want to try. Knowing that this person has a purpose on earth, that there is a need for them, that there is something good they could be doing, and instead they’re peddling lies and listening to lies. Knowing that someday they’re possibly going to wake up and see a bunch of wasted time. And hopefully be able to embrace truth and make the most of the rest of their life. Or just continue what they’re doing, even though it’s not working for them and never has. It’s sad to know that some people are so insecure and scared and broken that their actions of perceived self protection, that they do to keep from getting hurt, really is causing more hurt. Pushing people away. And if they would just be open and honest their life could change dramatically.
I don’t have expectations. I don’t have any anger. I’m just a person. I’m teachable. I’m clam. I have a decent ability to control my mouth. I’m empathetic. I don’t hold onto anger. I usually have the desire to see things from the other person’s perspective, even if I’m positive they’re wrong, to have understanding (and ideally, help them see reality). I’m seeking God each and every day, praying to be changed and molded and be more like Him each day, and I mean that prayer. Not that I want to go around exclaiming who I am, because usually when people are doing that it’s because they need to convince you because their actions are about to show the opposite. I guess in this forum it’s ok, because you can’t see my present day actions.
I don’t know anything about where your head is today. If you wonder about anything, or if you’ve moved past it all and it’s a foggy distant memory. I think a lot of the time for me it is now a foggy memory that I’m removed from. That it no longer seems like happened. Writing this is bittersweet, because at least it all seems real again, but simultaneously- ugh, it all seems real again. Since I know at the time your mind was in a place of blame, I’d like to say to you that any cruel action she did towards you wasn’t your fault. Even if you opted to tell her off, not your fault. She was a button pusher, a provoker, and when she got a reaction she had an uncanny skill of seeming innocent, of being the victim, of being the martyr, of whatever it was being all your issue and she wasn’t to blame at all. I’d wager that you, in the state of mind you were in at the time, were an army full of red flags waving at her and she didn’t want to acknowledge any of them. And ignoring them was probably extremely difficult. What should have been happening was she should have seen you, this hurting guy, as where her son was headed if she didn’t change some things. But she didn’t do that. At all. Maybe she has now, but at the time she changed absolutely nothing. I think I was probably meant to be an example of what she should have been doing, and it’s uncomfortable to say that, but I think it’s true. And she wasn’t doing that either. So, understand that if you have any bad feelings over why she acted certain ways towards you, or hold onto any blame, release it. She behaved this way with absolutely everyone - her son, her husband, her other friends, acquaintances, people she didn’t even know. It was, maybe still is, how she behaves. It wasn’t you. It wasn’t me. It isn’t them. It’s her.
My friend, and fortunately my current employee, is going to school to be a pastor. She doesn’t want to lead a church, she wants to minister in other ways. But, one of her latest assignments was to write her ministry goal in 125 words. Then 35 words. And finally, one word. I didn’t attempt the whole assignment, but I have a lot of thought to the one word portion of it because that seemed the most challenging. The word I would choose is truth. I want people to see who they truly are - that was definitely my goal in talking to you. I wanted you to see past all of those lies and see truth.
There are a lot of people wandering around who are deceived by lies different from that, delusions, but they’re affecting their lives in significant ways. Freezing them. Keeping them stuck. And I want them to see truth, and sometimes reality. I know it’s not my place to always intervene, but when it is I would like to drop seeds of truth.
My ex friend believed some grandiose things. The only thing I can equate it to is a little kid declaring something like one day I’m going to be president. When it’s a child you encourage them, give them real life things they can do to work towards that dream. With her, she didn’t want real life things to do to work towards a dream, she wanted something to be handed to her. You couldn’t reason with her, if you tried she’d speak to you in a condescending tone like you were a moron. So it was a difficult position to be in. One, realizing that this grown adult believes something ludicrous, like seriously believes it, and is basing real life large choices on this dream that will probably never come into fruition. Two, wanting them to have tangible parts of that dream in the present day, but realizing they not only refuse to work towards any of it, but if you point out that they were making choices that were making this dream world a reality they would literally stop doing those things. Because she quite literally wanted it to be handed to her. Thirdly, feeling incredible sadness that this person you love is literally wasting their life, and negatively affecting the security of their future by believing in a dream. A literal wish and dream. I think she believed she was psychic to some degree, that she knew things. She’d tell you things, like a fact. You couldn’t tell her differently. We’re all like that sometimes. But with her it was to a higher truly concerning degree because her belief in her feelings on things and situations left zero room for reality. She had no ability to consider the other person’s perspective at all. She literally refused to hear it, or consider it. Like it didn’t exist. Sometimes I believed her too, because I was too close to her, because I wasn’t looking at the entire picture just a piece of it, because I didn’t know better, because I truly believed God was telling her some of these things.
I don’t believe any of it now. And I feel foolish for ever doing so.
But I want to help people identify lies that keep them stuck. Whether it’s a “normal” as a thought telling someone that they are ugly, or if it’s a grandiose as them believing they’re going to win hundreds of millions of dollars in the lottery. Either way they’re stuck. Either way a lie is affecting them negatively. Either way a lie is controlling their life. I say they, but throw me in there too. I’ve got a whopper. I can throw some different circumstances in there that make mine seem more worthy of believing, more difficult to discover, but it was still a lie. A life controlling, all consuming, life stopping lie. I guess the difference between she and I is that I’m teachable, so when someone told me it was a lie I was willing to hear.
I’m working on writing about my last few years. You’re part of it, a beautiful part of it, but it isn’t about you. It isn’t a way to find you, or out you, or embarrass you, or cause you to feel shame. I respect you. It’s really my testimony. I’m not going to believe the lie that I can’t write something because I have horrible grammar. There are tools to correct that, people that can correct that, and really, if someone understands what I’m saying that’s the point, not receiving a grade for grammar. For a while I thought I couldn’t write it because I didn’t have your input, your side of things, your voice, your answers, your permission. Although I would very much like those things, I don’t have them. Nor do I have a way to get them (besides this). So I’m working on it. Your story definitely matters, and deserves to be told, and I hope you’re telling it. But mine is completely different. And it deserves to be told for different reasons. I hope when it’s finished you read it, you are reading here to know about it, you stumble upon it, whatever. I just hope you get there.
The fact is you’re a stranger to me now. I don’t know anything about where your mind is or where your heart is. And although I’m not closed off, I’m open, I don’t trust you. I’m open to building trust with you. It’s a weird thing though, because it would probably be very easy for me to just allow you full access again, with minimal discussion. I’m not sure what that says about me. Maybe it’s a good thing, maybe it’s foolish. I can say that with her there is zero desire for that. I have zero desire to know her at all. Not because I’m mad, but because of how she behaved. I once told her my openness towards something was a vision of a million doors closing, slamming shut, one right after the other, and that is how I feel about my openness to her. Not that I need to worry about it. Sure, she could one day have a true change of heart and become a changed person, and I hope that for her. But that doesn’t mean I’m going to be part of it. I told a friend that I don’t need or seek or want an apology from her, the only good thing about hearing it would mean that she’s truly working on herself, and her heart, and getting right with God. And that’s the only reason I’d like to hear it.
As I reread this I’m unsure how it sounds. Probably like I have a lot of hurt still to recover from. I’m sure that’s true, but it isn’t an all consuming everyday dwelling on not moving forward hurt. It’s there, and it’s coming out in this because that’s the topic. I know parts of this don’t make sense, and are scattered, it’s a post, it is what it is.
It’s like there are two years of my life that are an utter mystery. They don’t make any sense, and the actions of the two other people that were a big part of some or all of that time don’t make any sense either. And there is a human out there who could shed some light on this time for me. I don’t think that’s wrong to hope for. It’s unbelievable how someone who I had so few direct conversations with has impacted my life so greatly.
submitted by amieretto99 to u/amieretto99 [link] [comments]
You once said that you lived a sheltered life, I don’t think that’s true at all. I definitely did, and wasn’t even aware of it. I can’t even say now that I had it bad, I just had some extreme eye opening experiences. Perhaps I said this to you before, perhaps in my own personal journal, but I’m simultaneously embarrassed & grateful for that. Some people want to make everything a comparison. You tell them something and they have to top you, let you know how they had it worse. My mom, who I am not criticizing because I do know her heart is in the right place, likes to remind you that it always could be worse. And that has recently began to infuriate me. I’m aware it could be worse. I’m usually not sharing something because I want something in return, I’m just sharing because I’m a person and that’s what people do. But hearing it could be worse minimizes whatever I’ve shared, like it doesn’t matter because it wasn’t bad enough. I’m not sure where the bad line is, where it becomes ok to share and not feel like you’re being silenced or being told to be grateful it wasn’t worse. Sometimes I just want to talk. I don’t want pity, I don’t want anything really besides some empathy and to feel heard. So as I type and share, I’m aware it could be worse. I’m aware in the scheme of the hardships of the world I have it easy. But that doesn’t mean that some things aren’t hard or painful or traumatic. I guess I feel the need to add this when speaking to you because I know you indeed had it worse.
Although I was well aware that the world was full of people who do things that are evil & wrong, although I was well aware of the saying wolf in sheep’s clothing, although I was aware that hurt people hurt people, I was unaware that sometimes it would be so difficult to see. I was aware that plenty of people were in abusive relationships, lived in abusive households, worked in environments where people would do anything to get ahead, I apparently was unaware that these things happened in friendships too. For no reason. Other than jealousy or pride or insecurity or never getting over personal problems from the past. That some people are so miserable inside that they get some sort of satisfaction out of hurting other people. Or at least they think they do, they really don’t. It’s this very thing that adds to keeping them miserable.
What I’m torn on is if they fully realize what they’re doing or not. If inside their confused mind they have justified their actions and see them as ok. If they’re so delusional that they see themselves as the victim in situations and the other person as wrong. As they go from situation to situation peddling their line of garbage, trying to convince others of their false narrative, if they themselves actually believe it. Deep down. If they paused and allowed themselves to really think about it. If they’re so emotionally immature the lies begin to sound real. If their narrative, that they’ve created, feels like truth to them.
She attacked so many elements of my life - my physical health, my mental health, my work, other friendships - it was like she infiltrated my life, thoughts, beliefs, and tried to rot it away with garbage. She succeeded some, but she didn’t win. It’s really her that loses when she keeps doing this with people. But sometimes I’m still really mad about her behaviors. To borrow your word, I felt subhuman. Like I didn’t feel things properly, couldn’t understand people properly, was selfish, and just unintentionally hurt people because I was such an inconsiderate unaware mess. And, in her opinion, whether someone intentionally hurts you or unintentionally hurts you it doesn’t matter, you’re still hurt. In my opinion there is a massive difference. But I felt like I couldn’t be trusted around others, that I shouldn’t really talk to people, that I needed to run things by M or B because I didn’t know how to act and didn’t want to hurt someone because I was such a harmful mess.
It’s difficult to look back on and not feel foolish. Like, why didn’t you see that? I’m aware it was the perfect storm of events. COVID, lockdown, me at the time just beginning to build a relationship with God, you - and if things had been different it wouldn’t have worked out the way it did. If I hadn’t have had those hundreds, probably thousands, of hours talking to her so much I wouldn’t have seen it. I’d possibly still be in her life, every once in a while getting attacked with something, and never fully understanding or realizing what was going on.
So I’m grateful it was quick and now it’s over.
I feel like I can trust myself again.
I am moving past the fear that someone is out to get me, or deceiving me, or has ulterior motives. Will that happen? Probably, but it’s no longer a fear with every person, new or old, that I encounter. I’ll be fooled again, I’ll live through it, I’ll choose what’s right (to the best of my abilities), and if someone is deceiving me that’s on them, not me for not figuring it out. If that’s what they want to feel proud of in life, their ability to lie and deceive, then the jokes on them.
I don’t know what she did to you. I have a bunch of theories, but I don’t really know. What I do know is that she doesn’t get to stop God’s plan. Whatever it is will come to be, and she’s more foolish than I thought if she thinks she has power over that. I know that you were a bright part of my life. I know that I frequently pray that I will get to do something good with you. That someday I will get to hear you teach, confidently, full of peace, being the funny, gentle, compassionate, insightful, inspirational man that you are.
There is a part of me that seems to be mentally preparing for an argument that hasn’t happened yet and I doubt ever will. But I find my mind preparing for the argument with someone and being able to prove how calculated, cruel, abusive, and diabolical her actions were. I’m probably having the argument with myself sometimes, like part of me is going are you sure? Do you have it wrong? But I am sure. It wasn’t one thing, it wasn’t a couple of things, it was dozens and dozens of things. There’s no way to add them all up and come to a different conclusion. And I would really like to. But the math just doesn’t math. Yet sometimes it’s still an imaginary argument. I guess because my brain can’t really comprehend how someone could be so close to me, pretending to be my friend, and in reality doing cruel things. What disturbs me most isn’t what she did to me, but to you. That someone could pretend to be a friend, pretend to want to help, and in reality be doing awful things to someone at their lowest point. That is what I cannot wrap my brain around. The wrongness of that breaks my heart into pieces. And I’m sorry.
What has occurred isn’t an argument, but other people with only partial knowledge immediately recognizing her behaviors as wrong, narcissistic, and one person said evil. I think for a reason that I don’t understand, is that I need to hear that from people, that the things I KNOW she did are wrong, because for some reason my brain can’t completely be trusted on this. Like I know, but I can’t fully compute it. Like I know, but it feels wrong to call these actions that were clearly wrong wrong. Like I’m also wrong for calling the behaviors out. And I’m not, I’d tell someone else they weren’t wrong, but there’s some missing connector in my brain, and I’m still messed up on this issue. And I don’t understand why. Like I can’t really believe she did things she did, because it’s just that wrong. I know that doesn’t make sense, but that girl genuinely messed me up, and there are some things I’m having difficulty healing from.
I can now, fortunately or unfortunately, spot it easier in others. Hearing their mouth say one thing, hearing their mouth tell you what a victim they are, but their actions showing something completely different. It’s disappointing. It’s frustrating. It’s maddening. But at least I can spot it and stay out of whatever web they’re trying to weave. I can listen and not argue. I can hear them and keep my mouth shut. I can wish them well, and mean it, but not partake in what they’re selling. I don’t need to enter their circular conversation and try to reason with them.
You’re a mystery to me. I’ve gone over it, more times than I can count, and I still only see good. I don’t see a twisted narcissist out to cause me harm. I don’t see a manipulative devil trying to mess with me. I see a hurting guy. Maybe some behaviors were wrong, but I don’t think it’s because you were some cruel person with ill intent, I think it’s more likely they were behaviors you learned, and didn’t know differently. Or because you were in such a bad place mentally you made some choices you wouldn’t normally have chosen. I see a lot of fear and darkness that probably lead choices. Or I’m wrong, and the jokes on me, and I’m a fool again.
I’m ok with that. I still don’t have regrets when it comes to you.
But the cold harsh reality is that you left. Without a word or an explanation. And what that feels like is that I didn’t matter at all. As more time passes that fact becomes more undeniable. I don’t have any understanding, so it makes it difficult to completely heal from it. Was I a stalker? Was I a fool? Was I frightening? Was I a friend? Did I matter at all? Was I just words on a screen, completely detached from the real human behind them? I really don’t know. I’d like to say I didn’t have expectations, but I guess I did because I didn’t expect this. Did I just insert myself where I wasn’t wanted & didn’t belong?
This healing is coming in stages, in waves, bringing up things that I didn’t expect and don’t really like. The only truths that I know, and this knowledge is what gives me peace, is that I know I had good intentions. I know I was actively seeking God and trying to follow. I know I did the best I could with the knowledge I had at the time. I know that I’d do it again, if it meant I was helping a hurting beautiful human. I probably do have some bitterness in my heart that I need to work on because I can say that about you, but I can’t say it about her. Even knowing that I could have planted good seeds in her life, even knowing that God loves her and she’s a hurting human, I can’t say that I’d do it again for her. Luckily I don’t get to choose. It’s done.
The hardest part is all of the unknowns. Those are what play tricks on my mind. Sometimes ignorance is bliss, so perhaps I should be grateful for it now. The fear that gets me the most (second most, I won’t vocalize in any way the biggest fear), is the fear that you think of me the same way I think of her.
Sometime last year I discovered that I had saved some of your old posts. Clearly at one point I knew that feature existed, and did it, but it was all new to me when I discovered them. Some were things I never care to read again. But one stood out to me, and it was still awful, but this part was touching (and awful). You said that you basically had one friend who talks to you. When I read this last year it was as though that sentence literally jumped off of the screen in gigantic letters at me. And I felt like you were talking about me. The thing that I so wanted to hear had been said, but I misunderstood it initially. Because why else would you have said it like that? One friend who talks to you. I mean, clearly I could be wrong, because I do hate making assumptions, but I feel like I’m right. Initially it never occurred to me that you meant me, because if you were talking about me it would have said two friends, because you would have included her too. But you didn’t. And I can only come up with up with two reasons why. One, you didn’t consider her a friend because she didn’t talk to you as much as I did, and therefore you just didn’t know her that well. Or, two, you saw who she was then, she’d shown you who she was then, and you knew she wasn’t a friend. If that’s true, kudos to you for seeing it, being aware of it, and knowing that’s not how any friend should act. I just wish you would have filled me in.
I mean, I do, and I don’t.
A whole lotta lessons and growth happened by what happened to me and because of her actions towards me. Although I most definitely didn’t enjoy the path getting to those lessons, I’ll accept and be grateful for them. It wasn’t all her, of course, there were other things adding to it. And I hope someday I get to talk to you about all of this. Although I am fine, although I am usually at peace with not having answers, they would be nice to have.
As I said, I found joy in walking outside again. I’ve found confidence in my job, workplace, and those that work with me. I’ve found security again in my friendships. I’ve held onto the ability to share things with others, even if there is shame attached to it, with the belief that it’s worth my embarrassment & discomfort if it can help someone. I’ve learned how to release my fears & anxieties & doubts to God, tell Him that He is in charge and to direct me as he wants. That applies to big things and the seemingly small choices that sometimes overwhelmed me each day. I let Him have it, and it’s easy. And peaceful. I mean, not always, but in general.
I’ve reached the point where I don’t fear running into her - which was a confusing fear to have. I mean, I didn’t do anything wrong to her, yet I’m sure she thinks I did, and the uncomfortableness of knowing that added to my not wanting to see her face again. That and the fact that her behaviors were literally diabolical and I don’t want to be near someone who behaves like that. That and she truly traumatized me and I’d like to remain clear of her, not remind her that I exist. I’m aware that I’m in control of myself and my actions and I can engage, or I can simply acknowledge and keep moving. She doesn’t get to control or dictate anymore, she no longer has that ability, I can do as I please.
I miss you. And everything about that is bizarre. I have no idea who you are today, you would be a completely new person. But it’s really painful to go from having someone be such a large part of each and every day to then being completely gone. Not knowing why, if I did something to push towards that happening, if she spoke lies that pushed towards that happening, or if it had nothing to do with me at all, and was all about you. I know the saying that what people do has nothing to do with you and everything to do with them. I get it, I see it in action, but I can’t figure out how to frame it properly when it comes to her. Because my choice to remove her from my life has plenty to do with her behaviors, her behaviors were the catalyst of that action, it basically has everything to do with her. So there is a fear there that similar reasoning is there when it comes to you going. And it hurts my heart to think I did something to a hurting person. I guess that’s where I wish I could have resolve. That is where I wish I had answers (don’t get me wrong, I have plenty of other questions, and i guarantee a lot of them aren’t what you expect), but I need to hear that I didn’t add pain to someone who was already hurting. And if I did, I want the opportunity to apologize and/or explain.
I say again that the two years after you left were probably the most difficult of my life, and not for the reasons you would assume, if you’re assuming anything. The second year I was literally making a choice of committing myself somewhere for mental evaluation because I was crazy, or hoping the Christian counselor could help. She helped. I’m not crazy. There are definitely things I don’t understand, but not because I’m crazy.
So here I sit, writing a message to a guy that I don’t really know, that may or may not read it (which really, was true all along), with the hope that someday you’ll choose to be a part of my life again. Or help me sort out some incredibly confusing periods of my life. I’m going to be fine, and am fine, whether I get answers or not. I’m not consumed with the need for answers, it would just be nice. But sometimes we don’t get them, and sometimes we’re probably better off not having them. I’m not seeking answers from her, I have all of the answers I need, and none of them are good, I don’t want to hear any more.
It saddens me greatly that there are people out there who devote so much time to making the lives of others miserable. That’s what they do, and they think (I guess), that brings them joy or satisfaction. It’s such a waste of life. You can’t talk to them, or reason with them, or help them see past their delusions, and honestly, sometimes the way they behave is so frightening you don’t even want to try. Knowing that this person has a purpose on earth, that there is a need for them, that there is something good they could be doing, and instead they’re peddling lies and listening to lies. Knowing that someday they’re possibly going to wake up and see a bunch of wasted time. And hopefully be able to embrace truth and make the most of the rest of their life. Or just continue what they’re doing, even though it’s not working for them and never has. It’s sad to know that some people are so insecure and scared and broken that their actions of perceived self protection, that they do to keep from getting hurt, really is causing more hurt. Pushing people away. And if they would just be open and honest their life could change dramatically.
I don’t have expectations. I don’t have any anger. I’m just a person. I’m teachable. I’m clam. I have a decent ability to control my mouth. I’m empathetic. I don’t hold onto anger. I usually have the desire to see things from the other person’s perspective, even if I’m positive they’re wrong, to have understanding (and ideally, help them see reality). I’m seeking God each and every day, praying to be changed and molded and be more like Him each day, and I mean that prayer. Not that I want to go around exclaiming who I am, because usually when people are doing that it’s because they need to convince you because their actions are about to show the opposite. I guess in this forum it’s ok, because you can’t see my present day actions.
I don’t know anything about where your head is today. If you wonder about anything, or if you’ve moved past it all and it’s a foggy distant memory. I think a lot of the time for me it is now a foggy memory that I’m removed from. That it no longer seems like happened. Writing this is bittersweet, because at least it all seems real again, but simultaneously- ugh, it all seems real again. Since I know at the time your mind was in a place of blame, I’d like to say to you that any cruel action she did towards you wasn’t your fault. Even if you opted to tell her off, not your fault. She was a button pusher, a provoker, and when she got a reaction she had an uncanny skill of seeming innocent, of being the victim, of being the martyr, of whatever it was being all your issue and she wasn’t to blame at all. I’d wager that you, in the state of mind you were in at the time, were an army full of red flags waving at her and she didn’t want to acknowledge any of them. And ignoring them was probably extremely difficult. What should have been happening was she should have seen you, this hurting guy, as where her son was headed if she didn’t change some things. But she didn’t do that. At all. Maybe she has now, but at the time she changed absolutely nothing. I think I was probably meant to be an example of what she should have been doing, and it’s uncomfortable to say that, but I think it’s true. And she wasn’t doing that either. So, understand that if you have any bad feelings over why she acted certain ways towards you, or hold onto any blame, release it. She behaved this way with absolutely everyone - her son, her husband, her other friends, acquaintances, people she didn’t even know. It was, maybe still is, how she behaves. It wasn’t you. It wasn’t me. It isn’t them. It’s her.
My friend, and fortunately my current employee, is going to school to be a pastor. She doesn’t want to lead a church, she wants to minister in other ways. But, one of her latest assignments was to write her ministry goal in 125 words. Then 35 words. And finally, one word. I didn’t attempt the whole assignment, but I have a lot of thought to the one word portion of it because that seemed the most challenging. The word I would choose is truth. I want people to see who they truly are - that was definitely my goal in talking to you. I wanted you to see past all of those lies and see truth.
There are a lot of people wandering around who are deceived by lies different from that, delusions, but they’re affecting their lives in significant ways. Freezing them. Keeping them stuck. And I want them to see truth, and sometimes reality. I know it’s not my place to always intervene, but when it is I would like to drop seeds of truth.
My ex friend believed some grandiose things. The only thing I can equate it to is a little kid declaring something like one day I’m going to be president. When it’s a child you encourage them, give them real life things they can do to work towards that dream. With her, she didn’t want real life things to do to work towards a dream, she wanted something to be handed to her. You couldn’t reason with her, if you tried she’d speak to you in a condescending tone like you were a moron. So it was a difficult position to be in. One, realizing that this grown adult believes something ludicrous, like seriously believes it, and is basing real life large choices on this dream that will probably never come into fruition. Two, wanting them to have tangible parts of that dream in the present day, but realizing they not only refuse to work towards any of it, but if you point out that they were making choices that were making this dream world a reality they would literally stop doing those things. Because she quite literally wanted it to be handed to her. Thirdly, feeling incredible sadness that this person you love is literally wasting their life, and negatively affecting the security of their future by believing in a dream. A literal wish and dream. I think she believed she was psychic to some degree, that she knew things. She’d tell you things, like a fact. You couldn’t tell her differently. We’re all like that sometimes. But with her it was to a higher truly concerning degree because her belief in her feelings on things and situations left zero room for reality. She had no ability to consider the other person’s perspective at all. She literally refused to hear it, or consider it. Like it didn’t exist. Sometimes I believed her too, because I was too close to her, because I wasn’t looking at the entire picture just a piece of it, because I didn’t know better, because I truly believed God was telling her some of these things.
I don’t believe any of it now. And I feel foolish for ever doing so.
But I want to help people identify lies that keep them stuck. Whether it’s a “normal” as a thought telling someone that they are ugly, or if it’s a grandiose as them believing they’re going to win hundreds of millions of dollars in the lottery. Either way they’re stuck. Either way a lie is affecting them negatively. Either way a lie is controlling their life. I say they, but throw me in there too. I’ve got a whopper. I can throw some different circumstances in there that make mine seem more worthy of believing, more difficult to discover, but it was still a lie. A life controlling, all consuming, life stopping lie. I guess the difference between she and I is that I’m teachable, so when someone told me it was a lie I was willing to hear.
I’m working on writing about my last few years. You’re part of it, a beautiful part of it, but it isn’t about you. It isn’t a way to find you, or out you, or embarrass you, or cause you to feel shame. I respect you. It’s really my testimony. I’m not going to believe the lie that I can’t write something because I have horrible grammar. There are tools to correct that, people that can correct that, and really, if someone understands what I’m saying that’s the point, not receiving a grade for grammar. For a while I thought I couldn’t write it because I didn’t have your input, your side of things, your voice, your answers, your permission. Although I would very much like those things, I don’t have them. Nor do I have a way to get them (besides this). So I’m working on it. Your story definitely matters, and deserves to be told, and I hope you’re telling it. But mine is completely different. And it deserves to be told for different reasons. I hope when it’s finished you read it, you are reading here to know about it, you stumble upon it, whatever. I just hope you get there.
The fact is you’re a stranger to me now. I don’t know anything about where your mind is or where your heart is. And although I’m not closed off, I’m open, I don’t trust you. I’m open to building trust with you. It’s a weird thing though, because it would probably be very easy for me to just allow you full access again, with minimal discussion. I’m not sure what that says about me. Maybe it’s a good thing, maybe it’s foolish. I can say that with her there is zero desire for that. I have zero desire to know her at all. Not because I’m mad, but because of how she behaved. I once told her my openness towards something was a vision of a million doors closing, slamming shut, one right after the other, and that is how I feel about my openness to her. Not that I need to worry about it. Sure, she could one day have a true change of heart and become a changed person, and I hope that for her. But that doesn’t mean I’m going to be part of it. I told a friend that I don’t need or seek or want an apology from her, the only good thing about hearing it would mean that she’s truly working on herself, and her heart, and getting right with God. And that’s the only reason I’d like to hear it.
As I reread this I’m unsure how it sounds. Probably like I have a lot of hurt still to recover from. I’m sure that’s true, but it isn’t an all consuming everyday dwelling on not moving forward hurt. It’s there, and it’s coming out in this because that’s the topic. I know parts of this don’t make sense, and are scattered, it’s a post, it is what it is.
It’s like there are two years of my life that are an utter mystery. They don’t make any sense, and the actions of the two other people that were a big part of some or all of that time don’t make any sense either. And there is a human out there who could shed some light on this time for me. I don’t think that’s wrong to hope for. It’s unbelievable how someone who I had so few direct conversations with has impacted my life so greatly.
2024.05.12 14:01 CultPodcastsBot "Paulcain Life Story - Part 1/3", Onethingneeded, 12 May 2024 [1:23:45] "Because of the kind donations given by friends of Paul Cain Ministries we have taken the decision to make Paul's archive online resources available entirely free of cost. Considering Paul's remarkable testimony & the way that…"
 | submitted by CultPodcastsBot to cultpodcasts [link] [comments] |
2024.05.12 12:58 LastWeekInCollapse Last Week in Collapse: May 5-11, 2024
Russian forces are making a push, animal testing ramps up for H5N1, and over 365 days of temperature records…
Last Week in Collapse: May 5-11, 2024
This is Last Week in Collapse, a weekly newsletter compiling some of the most important, timely, useful, soul-crushing, ironic, stunning, exhausting, or otherwise must-see/can’t-look-away moments in Collapse.
This is the 124th newsletter. You can find the April 28-May 4 edition here if you missed it last week. You can also receive these posts (with images) every Sunday in your email inbox with Substack.
——————————
Earth experienced its largest CO2 concentration increase over a 12-month period, scientists say, from March 2023-2024. It was a jump of 4.7ppm more of carbon dioxide, blamed on deforestation, fossil fuels, and El Niño. Experts are saying that El Niño has peaked, and will transition to La Niña within a few months. La Niña lasts about 1-3 years, and it generally cools the Pacific Ocean, and brings more rain to India & Bangladesh, among other changes. Earth also experienced its greatest atmospheric moisture for the month of April.
Venezuela has lost its last glacier, the Humboldt, which was reclassified into an “ice field.” It is the first modern nation to lose all its glaciers. Scientists believe Indonesia, Mexico, and Slovenia are next in line to see the extinction of their glaciers. Colombia is also rapidly losing its remaining 6 glaciers.
Wildfires in Chile have killed about a hundred people, and injured & displaced thousands. Flooding in Afghanistan. And climate change is ruining cotton crops, and livestock, in Chad. Plus, flooding struck the DRC, overflowing rivers and latrines—affecting some 500,000 people. And some climatologists think we have been underestimating how much climate change is driving greater rainfall & flooding; the worst is yet to come.
The first week of May saw so many temperature records broken; some are claiming that it might be the “most record breaking month in climatic history”—until June, that is. Earth has been seeing 13 months of monthly records being broken for global sea surface temperatures. Literally 365 days of record-breaking ocean temperatures.
A study in PNAS examined North Pacific “warm blob” heat waves from 2010-2020, and concluded that China’s reduction in aerosols, which cleaned the air but also removed the sun-reflective particles, incidentally probably caused marine heat waves which killed fish and resulted in algae blooms.
Bees are having difficulty acclimatizing their nests to rising temperatures. The dugong, while still rarely seen in parts of the world, has been declared extinct inside China, having gone 24 years without a known sighting. In Florida, the suburbification of land under development is pushing the Florida panther closer to extinction; some 100 panthers remain in the sunshine state.
Siberia’s Batagaika crater—I prefer its alternative title, “megaslump”—is expanding by about 1M cubic meters, every year. Scientists naturally blame the rapid permafrost melting on climate change.
A cruise ship entered New York City with an endangered 44 ft {13.4m} dead sea whale stuck on its bow (front). Investigators are looking into whether it was already dead when the ship hit it. A study in Conservation Letters looked at the 100 largest Marine Protected Areas (MPAs)—which cover 7.3% of all ocean area—and found that almost 60% of this area is not in range of meeting the 2030 preservation goals.
Part of India broke May records already; the Maldives, too. Eastern Ukraine ended a far warmer & wetter April than usual. And a heat wave in Mexico scorched previous May temperature records across 10 cities, as well as small regional blackouts. North America felt its all-time hottest May temperature...
——————————
AstraZeneca is pulling its COVID vaccine from the EU over a rare blood clooting side effect. Nevertheless, some experts claim that vaccine saved over 6M lives. Whatever U.S. CDC data on COVID is still available points to “a small rise” in cases later this summer, mostly from the growing KP.2 “FLiRT” variant.
COVID patients and immunocompromised individuals are still using lots of healthcare resources, and the rise of resistant superbugs is developing alarmingly fast. According to the article, “It only takes about a year on average for bacteria to grow resistant to treatment, when they used to take 21 years to evolve back in the 1960s.”
Engineers and medical professionals remain concerned about nanoplastics, between 1-1,000 nanometers wide. One grain of sand is about 500,000 nanometers, and one strand of DNA is about 2.5 nanometers. A single wavelength of light ranges from 400-700 nanometers.
South Africa’s water shortage is projected to worsen through at least 2025. Nairobi’s water shortage continues, despite the city’s dams being filled with floodwater. Costa Rica is facing a Drought so bad it’s rationing electricity. Mexico City—the second-most-populous city (by metro area: 21.8M; São Paolo is #1, at 22M) in North America— is seeing more than 20% of freshwater sources exhausted, and rationing is not enough. It’s almost like we’re living at unsustainable levels of consumption…
As Latin America warms (and suffers flooding), disease is becoming more common—as well as heat stroke & serious hunger. Benin is refusing Niger the permission to use its port to export oil, as a result of a border dispute.
A paywalled study in Nature Water tested a new method for removing PFAS foam particles in water, with “near-complete destruction of PFAS in various water samples contaminated by the foams.” The process involves “ultra-violet (UV) light, sulfite, and a process called electrochemical oxidation” and does not require heat or high pressure. The number of U.S. states phasing out PFAS is growing.
As forcible repatriations of thousands of Afghans continue, millions of Afghans are suffering from lack of humanitarian aid—aggravated by recent deadly flash floods in the beleaguered, landlocked, failed state.
Yeasty superfungus Candida Auris infections were detected in 77 cases in Germany last year, authorities say. Candida Auris was only identified 15 years ago, but its three separate genetic variants (each on a different continent) have stealthily and stubbornly grown to pose a stealth threat to humankind. It is incredibly resistant to antifungal drugs, and it survives at higher temperatures than most other fungi. The WHO has listed it on a shortlist of top fungal pathogen dangers.
3 cats died from H5N1 in the United States last week. Some health professionals are getting more worried about a future H5N1 jump to become human-to-human transmissible, and claim that we are not ready as a species. Experts say we are not doing enough testing, and may already be in the prologue of a much more devastating pandemic. Scientists still say it is unlikely that a strain will make the critical mutation necessary, but the similarities between human and cow (and other mammal) flu receptors present potential complications.
The world is supposedly being divided into three general trade blocs: U.S., China, and the non-aligned states. For better or worse, globalization is crumbling, and governments are imposing tariffs, attempting to reshore industries, and restructure debt & credit flows. What will happen when the people, long-trained to expect high returns, find their profits wanting?
——————————
Two camps for internally displaced people near Goma, DRC were bombed, killing 12+ and injuring 20+. The perpetrators and their motives are unclear.
Rising crime. Drinking water. Closing the Darien Gap. These were the issues propelling Panama’s president-elect to a victory last Sunday. The arrival of rain is also improving conditions on the Drought-choken Panama Canal, expected to return to normal for at least a month or two.
A wave of Chinese espionage, much of it several years old, is sweeping Europe. Of particular concern is a hack of British military personnel information uncovered on Tuesday—which China denies. Similar espionage against the U.S. has reportedly cost the economy hundreds of billions per year.
Kenya’s mission to stabilize Haiti is inching forward slowly. The Pentagon has ordered its 1,000 troops to leave Niger. At least one Saudi villager was killed to make room for The Line, and reports claim Saudi forces have been given the green light to clear other people who get in the way of the development. Germany’s Defence Ministry is seriously considering recommending conscription for its 18-year olds later this summer.
Displacement in Myanmar has spiked over the past six months—and now counts 3M+ people since the February 2021 coup which sparked more open resistance.
Tunisia ejected ~400 migrants into Libya. Kazakhstan is expelling Tajik migrants in far-ranging sweeps. In Lebanon, vigilante attacks against Syrians have become more common. Mauritania is conducting military drills along part of its border with Mali, after reports emerged of Malian soldiers attacking border settlements.
In Sudan, over 200 witnesses corroborated reports of a massacre last June, where RSF insurgents piled up and shot” at least 17 people, most of whom were children. A lengthy report from Human Rights Watch, complete with timelines, testimony, war crimes, and other horrors from Sudan is over 150 pages. I did not have the fortitude to skim much of it.
A Hamas attack on Sunday, which killed 4 Israeli soldiers, reportedly pushed the Rafah invasion ahead of schedule. The IDF took over the Egypt-Gaza border, and is scaling up operations in southern Gaza. In response, the U.S. paused arms transfers to Israel. Any chance of a ceasefire, if there was ever really a credible chance, will have to wait. Diarrhea is soaring in Gaza, due in large part to a critical water shortage, caused by the destruction of wastewater treatment plants, the damage to water infrastructure, and large-scale displacement. A new evacuation order has commanded over 1M people in Gaza to leave before a more comprehensive invasion of Rafah begins.
A day after President Putin was inaugurated for his fifth term, he ordered a wide strike at Ukrainian infrastructure across seven oblasts. Most of the missiles and drones were shot down. And another plot to assassinate Zelenskyy was foiled. Lithuania is considering sending military trainers into Ukraine. Putin announced that Russian forces would target Western soldiers deployed in Ukraine, and begin drills simulating nuclear weapons if Britain’s involvement grows. Already, Belarus conducted a military drill with missiles & planes capable of using nukes.
In addition to extending Ukraine’s mobilization by another 90 days, the government has also allowing some convicts to fight on the battlefield in exchange for reduced sentences. Poland is allegedly considering repatriating thousands of draft-eligible Ukrainian men, and Germany is emphasizing the need for Ukrainian refugees to work.
Japan is boosting investment in a hypersonic missile interceptor project with the United States. A large-scale Russian offensive has begun across the front-lines, particularly around Kharkiv. And Russia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs is beginning talk of a “genocide” in Moldova, which could provide the pretext for another special military operation in Transnistria—and perhaps beyond.
——————————
Things to watch out for next week include:
↠ The IDMC is releasing their 2024 report on Internally Displaced People (IDPs) on Tuesday, with estimates for total figures by nation & region.
Select comments/threads from the subreddit last week suggest:
-High temperatures are going to ruin food—and a lot of people’s health. This thread about the contamination of bánh mi in Vietnam sheds some light on the interconnectivity of our problems. Add in some heat wave-induced power outages, loose government regulation, and hospital problems, and you can imagine how this slow-moving disaster can cripple a community.
-“Microforests” may help mitigate some of the effects of ecosystem collapse and desertification—as well as boosting your property value, judging by this thread and its comments.
-One Collapsenik published a free ebook & audiobook satirizing American Collapse—and I’m not just linking because this newsletter was apparently a source of Doom inspiration. If you write an 80,000 word novel about Collapse, featuring some 300 references, I’ll share it too. Maybe one day I’ll have the time to write one…
Got any feedback, questions, comments, complaints, upvotes, movie recommendations, good off-grid land deals, locust broth, etc.? Check out the Last Week in Collapse SubStack if you don’t want to check collapse every Sunday, you can receive this newsletter sent to your (or someone else’s) email inbox every weekend. What did I forget this week?
submitted by LastWeekInCollapse to collapse [link] [comments]
Last Week in Collapse: May 5-11, 2024
This is Last Week in Collapse, a weekly newsletter compiling some of the most important, timely, useful, soul-crushing, ironic, stunning, exhausting, or otherwise must-see/can’t-look-away moments in Collapse.
This is the 124th newsletter. You can find the April 28-May 4 edition here if you missed it last week. You can also receive these posts (with images) every Sunday in your email inbox with Substack.
——————————
Earth experienced its largest CO2 concentration increase over a 12-month period, scientists say, from March 2023-2024. It was a jump of 4.7ppm more of carbon dioxide, blamed on deforestation, fossil fuels, and El Niño. Experts are saying that El Niño has peaked, and will transition to La Niña within a few months. La Niña lasts about 1-3 years, and it generally cools the Pacific Ocean, and brings more rain to India & Bangladesh, among other changes. Earth also experienced its greatest atmospheric moisture for the month of April.
Venezuela has lost its last glacier, the Humboldt, which was reclassified into an “ice field.” It is the first modern nation to lose all its glaciers. Scientists believe Indonesia, Mexico, and Slovenia are next in line to see the extinction of their glaciers. Colombia is also rapidly losing its remaining 6 glaciers.
Wildfires in Chile have killed about a hundred people, and injured & displaced thousands. Flooding in Afghanistan. And climate change is ruining cotton crops, and livestock, in Chad. Plus, flooding struck the DRC, overflowing rivers and latrines—affecting some 500,000 people. And some climatologists think we have been underestimating how much climate change is driving greater rainfall & flooding; the worst is yet to come.
The first week of May saw so many temperature records broken; some are claiming that it might be the “most record breaking month in climatic history”—until June, that is. Earth has been seeing 13 months of monthly records being broken for global sea surface temperatures. Literally 365 days of record-breaking ocean temperatures.
A study in PNAS examined North Pacific “warm blob” heat waves from 2010-2020, and concluded that China’s reduction in aerosols, which cleaned the air but also removed the sun-reflective particles, incidentally probably caused marine heat waves which killed fish and resulted in algae blooms.
Bees are having difficulty acclimatizing their nests to rising temperatures. The dugong, while still rarely seen in parts of the world, has been declared extinct inside China, having gone 24 years without a known sighting. In Florida, the suburbification of land under development is pushing the Florida panther closer to extinction; some 100 panthers remain in the sunshine state.
Siberia’s Batagaika crater—I prefer its alternative title, “megaslump”—is expanding by about 1M cubic meters, every year. Scientists naturally blame the rapid permafrost melting on climate change.
A cruise ship entered New York City with an endangered 44 ft {13.4m} dead sea whale stuck on its bow (front). Investigators are looking into whether it was already dead when the ship hit it. A study in Conservation Letters looked at the 100 largest Marine Protected Areas (MPAs)—which cover 7.3% of all ocean area—and found that almost 60% of this area is not in range of meeting the 2030 preservation goals.
Part of India broke May records already; the Maldives, too. Eastern Ukraine ended a far warmer & wetter April than usual. And a heat wave in Mexico scorched previous May temperature records across 10 cities, as well as small regional blackouts. North America felt its all-time hottest May temperature...
——————————
AstraZeneca is pulling its COVID vaccine from the EU over a rare blood clooting side effect. Nevertheless, some experts claim that vaccine saved over 6M lives. Whatever U.S. CDC data on COVID is still available points to “a small rise” in cases later this summer, mostly from the growing KP.2 “FLiRT” variant.
COVID patients and immunocompromised individuals are still using lots of healthcare resources, and the rise of resistant superbugs is developing alarmingly fast. According to the article, “It only takes about a year on average for bacteria to grow resistant to treatment, when they used to take 21 years to evolve back in the 1960s.”
Engineers and medical professionals remain concerned about nanoplastics, between 1-1,000 nanometers wide. One grain of sand is about 500,000 nanometers, and one strand of DNA is about 2.5 nanometers. A single wavelength of light ranges from 400-700 nanometers.
South Africa’s water shortage is projected to worsen through at least 2025. Nairobi’s water shortage continues, despite the city’s dams being filled with floodwater. Costa Rica is facing a Drought so bad it’s rationing electricity. Mexico City—the second-most-populous city (by metro area: 21.8M; São Paolo is #1, at 22M) in North America— is seeing more than 20% of freshwater sources exhausted, and rationing is not enough. It’s almost like we’re living at unsustainable levels of consumption…
As Latin America warms (and suffers flooding), disease is becoming more common—as well as heat stroke & serious hunger. Benin is refusing Niger the permission to use its port to export oil, as a result of a border dispute.
A paywalled study in Nature Water tested a new method for removing PFAS foam particles in water, with “near-complete destruction of PFAS in various water samples contaminated by the foams.” The process involves “ultra-violet (UV) light, sulfite, and a process called electrochemical oxidation” and does not require heat or high pressure. The number of U.S. states phasing out PFAS is growing.
As forcible repatriations of thousands of Afghans continue, millions of Afghans are suffering from lack of humanitarian aid—aggravated by recent deadly flash floods in the beleaguered, landlocked, failed state.
Yeasty superfungus Candida Auris infections were detected in 77 cases in Germany last year, authorities say. Candida Auris was only identified 15 years ago, but its three separate genetic variants (each on a different continent) have stealthily and stubbornly grown to pose a stealth threat to humankind. It is incredibly resistant to antifungal drugs, and it survives at higher temperatures than most other fungi. The WHO has listed it on a shortlist of top fungal pathogen dangers.
3 cats died from H5N1 in the United States last week. Some health professionals are getting more worried about a future H5N1 jump to become human-to-human transmissible, and claim that we are not ready as a species. Experts say we are not doing enough testing, and may already be in the prologue of a much more devastating pandemic. Scientists still say it is unlikely that a strain will make the critical mutation necessary, but the similarities between human and cow (and other mammal) flu receptors present potential complications.
The world is supposedly being divided into three general trade blocs: U.S., China, and the non-aligned states. For better or worse, globalization is crumbling, and governments are imposing tariffs, attempting to reshore industries, and restructure debt & credit flows. What will happen when the people, long-trained to expect high returns, find their profits wanting?
——————————
Two camps for internally displaced people near Goma, DRC were bombed, killing 12+ and injuring 20+. The perpetrators and their motives are unclear.
Rising crime. Drinking water. Closing the Darien Gap. These were the issues propelling Panama’s president-elect to a victory last Sunday. The arrival of rain is also improving conditions on the Drought-choken Panama Canal, expected to return to normal for at least a month or two.
A wave of Chinese espionage, much of it several years old, is sweeping Europe. Of particular concern is a hack of British military personnel information uncovered on Tuesday—which China denies. Similar espionage against the U.S. has reportedly cost the economy hundreds of billions per year.
Kenya’s mission to stabilize Haiti is inching forward slowly. The Pentagon has ordered its 1,000 troops to leave Niger. At least one Saudi villager was killed to make room for The Line, and reports claim Saudi forces have been given the green light to clear other people who get in the way of the development. Germany’s Defence Ministry is seriously considering recommending conscription for its 18-year olds later this summer.
Displacement in Myanmar has spiked over the past six months—and now counts 3M+ people since the February 2021 coup which sparked more open resistance.
Tunisia ejected ~400 migrants into Libya. Kazakhstan is expelling Tajik migrants in far-ranging sweeps. In Lebanon, vigilante attacks against Syrians have become more common. Mauritania is conducting military drills along part of its border with Mali, after reports emerged of Malian soldiers attacking border settlements.
In Sudan, over 200 witnesses corroborated reports of a massacre last June, where RSF insurgents piled up and shot” at least 17 people, most of whom were children. A lengthy report from Human Rights Watch, complete with timelines, testimony, war crimes, and other horrors from Sudan is over 150 pages. I did not have the fortitude to skim much of it.
A Hamas attack on Sunday, which killed 4 Israeli soldiers, reportedly pushed the Rafah invasion ahead of schedule. The IDF took over the Egypt-Gaza border, and is scaling up operations in southern Gaza. In response, the U.S. paused arms transfers to Israel. Any chance of a ceasefire, if there was ever really a credible chance, will have to wait. Diarrhea is soaring in Gaza, due in large part to a critical water shortage, caused by the destruction of wastewater treatment plants, the damage to water infrastructure, and large-scale displacement. A new evacuation order has commanded over 1M people in Gaza to leave before a more comprehensive invasion of Rafah begins.
A day after President Putin was inaugurated for his fifth term, he ordered a wide strike at Ukrainian infrastructure across seven oblasts. Most of the missiles and drones were shot down. And another plot to assassinate Zelenskyy was foiled. Lithuania is considering sending military trainers into Ukraine. Putin announced that Russian forces would target Western soldiers deployed in Ukraine, and begin drills simulating nuclear weapons if Britain’s involvement grows. Already, Belarus conducted a military drill with missiles & planes capable of using nukes.
In addition to extending Ukraine’s mobilization by another 90 days, the government has also allowing some convicts to fight on the battlefield in exchange for reduced sentences. Poland is allegedly considering repatriating thousands of draft-eligible Ukrainian men, and Germany is emphasizing the need for Ukrainian refugees to work.
Japan is boosting investment in a hypersonic missile interceptor project with the United States. A large-scale Russian offensive has begun across the front-lines, particularly around Kharkiv. And Russia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs is beginning talk of a “genocide” in Moldova, which could provide the pretext for another special military operation in Transnistria—and perhaps beyond.
——————————
Things to watch out for next week include:
↠ The IDMC is releasing their 2024 report on Internally Displaced People (IDPs) on Tuesday, with estimates for total figures by nation & region.
Select comments/threads from the subreddit last week suggest:
-High temperatures are going to ruin food—and a lot of people’s health. This thread about the contamination of bánh mi in Vietnam sheds some light on the interconnectivity of our problems. Add in some heat wave-induced power outages, loose government regulation, and hospital problems, and you can imagine how this slow-moving disaster can cripple a community.
-“Microforests” may help mitigate some of the effects of ecosystem collapse and desertification—as well as boosting your property value, judging by this thread and its comments.
-One Collapsenik published a free ebook & audiobook satirizing American Collapse—and I’m not just linking because this newsletter was apparently a source of Doom inspiration. If you write an 80,000 word novel about Collapse, featuring some 300 references, I’ll share it too. Maybe one day I’ll have the time to write one…
Got any feedback, questions, comments, complaints, upvotes, movie recommendations, good off-grid land deals, locust broth, etc.? Check out the Last Week in Collapse SubStack if you don’t want to check collapse every Sunday, you can receive this newsletter sent to your (or someone else’s) email inbox every weekend. What did I forget this week?
2024.05.11 18:14 rbpodcast The Removing Barriers Podcast - RBP 163: Jewish People: What Do You Believe? Guest: Dr. Henry Benach
[Christianity] The Removing Barriers podcast Episode 163: Jewish People: What Do You Believe? Guest: Dr. Henry Benach Today, we continue the series "What do You Believe?" with Dr. Henry Benach, President of the Jewish End-Times Ministries and missionary to the Jewish people. In this episode, Dr. Benach shares his testimony, how the Lord Jesus Christ saved him after hearing the word of God at a Baptist church service that he discovered after a sweet lady called his house by accident--thrice! He also discusses Judaism (having been born and raised in an Orthodox Jewish home) and how to witness to the Jewish people that they might know their Messiah. The current turmoil in Israel has not taken our Lord by surprise, and Christians everywhere can be sure that God's plan for Israel does not include defeat at the hand of our enemy, the devil. Whenever we encounter a Jewish person, therefore, let's take what we learn from this podcast and share with them the good news of Jesus Christ. SFW https://removingbarriers.net/rbp_163
submitted by rbpodcast to PodcastSharing [link] [comments]