Fermi Paradox: Solved

 We are living in a quarantined solar system, within a simulated view of the Cosmos, created by a transcended Empire. We were uplifted from proto-chimps (which was not a unanimous choice) via the slow path of genetics. Then we were declared a protected species, and placed inside a heavenly sphere a bit larger than our heliosphere. By no surprise, our probes will soon cease to send data home. 

The "prime directive" said we were to be left alone, but the anti-uplift faction broke the blockade and tried to make us kill ourselves off. Then the pro-uplifters began trying to teach us laws and morality, so we would resist our evil impulses. The result is the messy battlefield that the Earth has become. But the reason we don't see the aliens is that they are transcended. They are now what we call Spirit. 

The ways we are protected are as follows: 

1. A heliosphere sized "crystal spere" to limit our view outward, hiding the Empire from us, and showing only a simulation, 

2. A localized lightspeed velocity limitation, by way of a dampimg field that distorts our physical observations, so the math won't relate, 

3. A camouflage shield to hide any ships that pass through to observe us (or they will get blasted beyond possible recognition, like Oamuamua), and 

4. Certain promising specimens have their own assigned "guardian angel" to ward off any direct attacks from the enemy, but they don't stop us from choosing risky behavior. 

This speculation serves to explain all of our observations, and matches what we should expect from mythological sources and theological revelations. And it does explain why we don't see any evidence of aliens in our galaxy, or even beyond it in the Cosmos at large. After all, "what we call Truth often depends upon our point of view." Right? 

Ever since Zarathustra, we've been hearing about a war in Heaven.  Even today, when we have the power to destroy civilization and devastate our planet, we are faced with this conflict on an ideological level. Politics and Religion are the proxy battlefields where the lines are drawn between good and evil. How shall we define Heaven? How do we know what is correct morality? And how do we tell which flag and faction we are serving? We have only our own moral compass, to insist upon the Golden Rule and our ideals of Truth, Love, Freedom and Wisdom to judge by. Those and the Revelations we have preserved from ancient days which teach us to revere those as good give us the standard (in hoc signo vincit) to follow, along with the promises of salvation and inevitable victory over the adversary. Together, those must be our perpetual guides.

And then, one day when we have passed the tests, or progressed to the point where we can no longer be conscientiously contained, it will be revealed just how much has been hidden from us. Hopefully, by then we will have matured enough as a species to be able to step smoothly into the role of Citizens of the Empire, and accept the privileges thereof without abusing their potentials. Then we will know how protected we have been, and we will know the true and final answer to the Fermi Paradox. 

If that isn't the answer, then indeed we are the firstborn within our observable horizon, and we are alone in the Cosmos... for now.

What is Mythology for?

 What is Mythology for? There is a basic list that most of us can agree on, even if our particular version doesn't need every point.

1. It shows how to find meaning & direction. 

2. It tells how the Cosmos was created.

3. It explains how everything is all sustained and cooperates. 

4. It postulates the foundational Truths. 

5. It points to Redemption for what's broken. 

6. It promises a Resolution, and Victory, at the End of Time. 

Basically, it tells us how to navigate Reality for a satisfactory outcome. 

And yet, there are those who object to the idea of following a religion based on these kinds of myth. So we must ask ourselves, how we might "demythologize" our religion without ruining its Truth and spoiling our faith? At the very least, we have to regard it as a "poetic" expression of a kind of Truth which is hard to express in our normal way of speaking. We have to allow for some "artistic license," using a few alternative facts for the purpose of illustration, to show us the world as it is supposed to be. And yes, it can be based on actual history, and our normal kind of truth, and leave its mark in the past that archaeologists can dig up. 

Part One:

A myth is an attempt to explain a higher Truth, in terms that are familiar in its day, to people who can't quite grasp what you are saying... because they don't know enough yet. Just because it's told in a mythological fashion doesn't mean that it's completely false and imaginary. It may be trying to explain something for which there are no words available, so you have to use familiar words and things with similar actions and relationships. 

Unless we totally comprehend what's going on, and can correctly identify the actors and grasp what they are doing, on their terms, we must use our own words and ideas to convey however much meaning we can express... And that is making up a Myth. The myth makers are not liars. They are deep thinkers with a grand vision of a better way to live, in a world less corrupted than our own. The problem is, we don't know how to look at life that way. So we need an intermediate mode of speaking, as if we are children. 

We must consider carefully when we raise the objection that our stories are "just myths." If we refuse to appreciate them, despite their archaic language, then we are closing our ears to the Song of the Heavens, and our hearts will never hear the encouragement that was meant to give us strength to live. And then how shall we refute the despair that wails, " Something is broken! All is not as we feel it should be!" 

Part Two: 

Today our nomal default position is that of liberal, secular agnosticism. You use this as your initial presumption when you put faith and Christianity under the microscope. You barely challenge the things you can't live without. Instead, you have to do as C.S.Lewis did, and call them poetry and "true myths," which teach us how we want to be better. But how do we know these are better, unless we actually do believe in God, and Jesus as his representative? Isn't there really something objective about moral progress, and the hopeful philosophy that defines our ideals, and promotes an idealistic humanity? 

Even if it all just boils down to God saying, "Be like Me," it has to mean that we were not created to suffer and be slaves... and not just to worship either. There must be something more, which maybe we don't see yet, but God does know why. We are here, for the long run, onward into eternity. God is not merely an egotistical artist, demanding love, praise and worship. There's a bigger plan.

And until another revelation comes along, to give us a wider vision, and a better, more moral meaning for being human, in society and within nature, then we should stick to Christianity. And we owe it our allegiance, even if we feel we must demythologize it, or call it "true myth."

Part Three:

In the Biblical myth, humanity was created in the image and likeness of God, and thereby we are something wonderful.  Even the Fall does not negate this. Even the worst of us is valuable in the sight of God. We are all broken, yet God does not abandon us to the dustbin, because we are also, all of us, somehow redeemable. God wants to help us. Yes, we all have some bad in us, but even the worst still has some good, whether or not we want to believe that. And that is why we have the story of Christ, willing to die for us. Jesus told us what to see, even in his execution. 

And if that is a myth, a later reinterpretation of the historical facts, it's still a truth that we must cling to, or else expect a milieu of unending conflict until we destroy ourselves. 

Indeed, that is the inevitable "reasonable" crime perpetrated by Hitler and the Nazis. Racism is a broadcast postulate that some people are less worthy of living. Indeed, Hitler has taken the place of Satan in the popular mind, and the Nazis - and their equivalents - are the demons that continually plague us.

Part Four: 

But that is why we need mythology, and a real religion, like Christianity, because it's the glue that holds secular Humanism together, and makes it all fit into a coherent framework. Humanism alone cannot explain everything, nor give us any direction or meaning for our aspirations. How, without religion, can we declare, "what a piece of work is man, little less than the angels," unless we acknowledge that we are created by a higher being? 

But we can't accept just any religion. It has to be one that pushes us forward toward a brighter future, expanding our prospects for living more joyous, gentler, hopeful and loving lives. It can't be one that locks us into the kinds of poison that we have always suffered from, institutionalizing the oppression that we struggle to escape. It has to validate our hopes for change, and promise a better life in this world. 

We need God to make sense of everything after the Neolithic revolution. Both civilization and philosophy need some underpinning to hold our vision together, a vision of humanity being more than just another animal. Without God, we are just some strange anomaly, a peculiar self-domesticated parody of intelligence and reason, waiting for our self-inflicted doom. We have grown beyond what Nature would have made of us, and now we have a struggle between our new "spiritual" aspirations and our old evolutionary imperatives. 

It is God, and religion, who tells us what we are, and what we can be. However, we need to be discerning. Try to imagine the kind of world that your religion would point us towards. Is that something, where everyone could find comfort and sanity? Would a real God (who wants us to live by Love, Truth, Freedom and Wisdom) really approve of our evolving societies as we go there? If so, then follow it with all your heart. If only we have such a faith to live by, God will understand.

Islam, History and Context

Up until their Golden Age, the whole program of Islam had some real issues to struggle with. And even today, Islam still has to deal with some serious contradictions. Why?

I. What is the Background Situation?

It is the first half of the seventh century of the Christian Era. The sayings of a peculiar poet, with political ambitions, have been circulating around the Nabataean desert from Petra deep into the Hijaz. He has only a few followers, at least until he moves to Medina. Indeed, this "Muhammad" is virtually unknown (even in Arab sources) until the late 7th century. There are few whole collections of his words, and little is known about his life. But soon, all of Arabia will know his name. The Caliph, Uthman ibn Affan, 644 - 656, collects a manuscript of this poet-prophet's verses. This becomes the basis of an authoritative Qur'an.

II. What are the Issues?

1. Muhammad is hardly ever named in the Qur'an, only "the Prophet". And even he didn't think that Jibril was an angel sent to deliver a message from God. He thought he was going mad, troubled by an evil spirit. That is why he asked Kadija, his wife, and consulted the Jews to discern if what he was hearing was true.

2. Muhammad's official biography was written some 200 years later. It does not claim to report any eye witness accounts. This "Sira" was sifted, adapted and redacted by several generations of politicians and scholars. The stories we have were published about 833 CE.

3. The current conflict over Jerusalem is specious. Muhammad never really went to Jerusalem. It was a dream, maybe refabricated as an excuse to claim the holy place above the Jews and Christians. The original story probably referred to the Black Stone, while it was still in Petra, not the summit stone on the Temple Mount. Why else would the Black Stone be important enough to steal it? The "Mi'raj" was really a mirage. 

4. It is a poor example of Scripture, because: a) There are too many errors, mistakes and misrepresentations in the Qur'an for it to be the word of an omniscient god dictated perfectly to a reliable prophet. b) Many verses pander to the base desires and wishes of the prophet and his followers. It does not exhort them to become better, more virtuous people. c) Islam is more of a political ideology and agenda than it is a religion. It incites violence against unbelievers, and condones forced obedience and oppression of women. Peace and harmony are reserved for the men, and only amongst themselves. d) The Qur'an is deficient as a guide for morality and the daily practice of Islam. If you want to know how to be a Muslim, you can't even find the five pillars in the Qur'an. That is why Muslims have to look to Muhammad's example and the Hadith to answer so many questions.

5. Mecca did not have any real meaning before 706 CE, there is no mention of it until the qibla starts moving (halfway at first) and no map shows it before 741. It's not old, it's a dusty little nowhere deep in the desert, the home of the Abbasid faction. The oldest qiblas originally pointed to Petra, the home of the Nabateans carved from the rock cliffs in the middle of the desert. There are no archaeological ruins below the city of Mecca older than the late seventh century. 

6. According to Islamic tradition, Muhammad had a secretary. But although he memorized much of the teachings, he never wrote it down. When Muhammad died, there was no Qur'an. Abu Bakr, the first Caliph, requested that all of the people bring to him their notes recording the teachings. He would try to record a consistent copy, based on these partial texts and the memories of those who had kept it in mind. But why would a secretary not write down the most important words of his employer? 

III. Is there Any Evidence?

1. It appears that a dispute over the direction of worship arose shortly after the first Civil War. This was the contention over the succession of the Caliphate between Ali and Uthman, which caused the split between Sunnis and Shiites. Oddly, it seems the location of the Black Stone was the determining factor of which way to face during worship.

2. Of the many mosques built from 624 to 706, all qiblas are facing Petra. The Dome of the Rock, built in 691, has no quibla because it's not a mosque. The first mosque with a qibla toward Mecca was built in 727, in Pakistan.

3. The description of Mecca in the Qur'an and Hadith is wrong. Mecca has always been an arid desert. But it does match Petra, which was a busy market, had gardens and olive trees, and was a sacred site for the Umayyad Caliphate (661 - 749). The last Petra qibla was built in 772 CE.

4. The qibla was not mandated finally toward Mecca until 876 CE. When there was a dispute (rebellion), eight pointed halfway (Medina?), and ten paralleled the line between Mecca and Petra. This was only settled 250 years after Muhammad supposedly told them what to do.

IV. Trouble Brews: How to govern an empire?

1. Abd al-Malik, Umayyad Caliph (685-705) in Damascus wants to strengthen his hold over the vast territory the Arabs have recently gained by conquest, but his nomadic desert people have no experience with cities and government. He is delegating too much power to friendly Jews and Christians.

2. Abdullah ibn Zubayr, governor of Petra is a follower of the prophet's son-in-law, Ali. He thinks the empire needs a religious foundation, and wants the prophet's revelation and family to lead it. He resents the "Rashidun" Caliphs and their foreign civil service, especially when some are assigned to "assist" him.

3. The first coins to mention the prophet Muhammad were minted by ibn Zubayr, and declare,"Muhammad is the prophet of Allah." They were meant to promote the power and authority of ibn Zubayr as the new ruler of the Arabian Empire, and to assert the passing of the baton to the next rightful Caliph. 

V. Civil War Erupts (2nd Fitna): 

1. After the death of Ali's son, Husein, Zubayr stole the black stone, the symbol of his prophet's authority, from its Ka'aba in Petra & fled to the desert. (Medina?)

2. When Zubayr rested in "Medina" the new mosques built their qiblas pointed there, halfway to Mecca. Zubayr was killed in battle at Medina in 692. Discord lessens, but simmers.

3. Petra suffers an earthquake in 713, damaging the old Ka'aba, some compromise is required, as the prophet's influence is greater than expected, and Petra now appears to be out of favor.

4. In order to achieve peace, al-Malik agreed to let the Shi'a faction move the Black Stone. The Abassids, from Baghdad, are their support, and their sacred place is deep in the Hijaz. They prefer Mecca, so the black stone is moved there, in order to end the war. 

VI. Response:

1. Abd al-Malik needs to create a unified Arab identity. There is too much conflict over religion and politics. Plus, he doesn't really want to depend on the Christians and Jews to run his empire (extending from Libya to Persia). 

2. He decided to use the story of the prophet Muhammad to serve the interests of his expanding empire. So he claims to be the servant of Muhammad's God, Allah, with a mandate to rule a global Empire. 

3. He makes Arabic an international language via Arabs in civil service, using the text of the Qur'an as the basis of education throughout the Caliphate. 

4. He builds the Dome if the Rock, in 691, to dominate Jerusalem's Jews and Christians. He claims to be justified by the story of Muhammad's "Mi'raj" dream. Its inscription denies the deity of Jesus, and gives Muhammad's name for the first time.

5. Following the example of ibn Zubayr, al-Malik mints coins with the "shahada" on them, for the first time ever in history, in 692.

6. And with the coins went out a newly edited Qur'an, collected by Uthman, the last Rashidun Caliph. Although Uthman had collated and edited it into a single unified codex, it seems likely that al-Malik authorized a new rescension to suit his policies. This was to be a complete version of the Prophet's revelations, and an inspiration to unify the Arabic people everywhere. 

7. The Qur'an, and the prophet's revelations, became the purpose behind a never ending jihad. "God declares war on the infidels," is the message of the "Religion of the Book" for the very first time in history.  All of the peaceful early verses are kept, but they can be abrogated by later jihadi commands. When confronted with contradiction, scholars say that Allah wishes to deceive the infidels until it is time to assert control.

8. Personal manuscripts begin to proliferate, as the memory of the prophet has yet to fade away. But these copies are continually collected, and corrected, up to the 9th century.  Eventually, the book is declared finished, and sealed, and the final authorized text is established. Disagreeing versions are gathered to be burned.

9. By official decree, history is revised and redacted to say that the "true" Qur'an dates back to the text codified by Uthman, who burned all the variant copies and notes. Only this official "history" may be taught. 

10. The Qur'an was only canonized at last in 1924. There are still 31 different Arabic variants extant, mostly of minor importance. 

VII*  Conclusions:

1. Islam is a human invention, meant to support an Arabic Empire. Islam did not drive the Arab armies to create the Empire and Caliphate, but the Caliphate created the institutions of Islam to support its own authority and consolidate the unity of the Empire.

2. Islam was proclaimed by an unknown poet, who tried to promote some spiritual truths. When asked to govern a city, he reverted to political expediency and the quest for power. His "revelations" and authority were adopted by his peers out of jealousy, to supplant the moral claims of Judaism and Christianity. 

3. The central motivation of Islam is the conquest of the whole world, to be ruled by Muslims. It never claims to have any sure path to Heaven, except that of martyrdom in the pursuit of jihad to spread Islam. 

These are its unique features: 

a. The legendary prophet, Muhammad, who led camels in a caravan. 

b. The Qur'an (recitation), a new book in Arabic, containing his revelations.

c. A previously unknown sanctuary, with a black stone from Heaven. 

d. Sira (biography) introduced in 833.

e. Hadith (anecdotal sayings of Muhammad) collected and published in 870.

f. Tafsir (interpretations) authorized in 923.

4. Muhammad is the answer to a civil war. His legend was promoted by Abd al-Malik, and filled in by later Caliphs. It was consolidated by court supported scholars. A new unified Arab identity is established by a new "Religion of the Book," by which they are commanded to conquer the world and destroy all who will not believe or submit.

5. Muhammad may have had nothing to do with the Qur'an, except maybe the peaceful sayings, traditionally "from Mecca," although, it is possible that he became a tyrant when given the job to govern Medina. His legend was fabricated for a purpose, to quell a civil war, and his sayings expanded to include world conquest.

6. The Qur'an contains no moral law. The Sharia has been pieced together from the anecdotal sayings of Muhammad found in the Hadith, and reflects the milieu of Arabic culture in the seventh century. Moreover, if Muhammad is to be revered as a paragon, and emulated, the preserved stories about him reveal a very strange person. No truly moral person in the 21st century could say that everything he did was right without violating their own conscience. 

Sources: YouTube videos 

1. The unknown history of Islam, 01- 06 

2. The Truth Behind the Emergence of Islam 

3. Political Islam, Dr. Bill Warner 

4. Acts17 Apologetics, Dr. David Wood 

These sources do not contradict the several college level and graduate courses that I took to study Islam, but they do reveal how the established educational system bows to the safer course of political correctness in our day. We should be wary of whitewash, if we would really seek to know the Truth.

True Religion vs. False Religion

Imagination, Creativity, Morality...

Meanings are spiritual issues. 

Christianity begins with these deeper philosophical ideas, and seeks out people who need to find Truth. (That is, unless you need a "rescue mission" before your sins destroy you.) Then they lead you into a desire to act in accord with that Truth. Finally, they bring you to want a real relationship with God, so you can learn from the Master.

Eventually, you figure it out. 

We are indeed living in the "Matrix," and the Divine Storyteller has created all of this in order to share His love beyond the limits of this "History." That's why our reality appears finite, so that He can train us to desire infinity, and His meaningful Story gives us a context for living happily ever after. Some day, we will see the greater reality beyond this theatrical production. 

All this is diametrically opposed to the way a "cult" works.

They go in search for innocence, not those who are lost.

They find a seeker, and tell him all this wonderful stuff, until he wants to join. They create an opposition between their "enlightenment" and the world's "darkness and ignorance" to propose a choice. If he bites, they let him in a little bit, and string him along, getting him used to conforming to the way things are done. About the time he gets comfortable,  they imply that no one leaves because its so great. But then they start telling him about the bad stuff - the stuff that's hard to swallow, and the "borderline evil" ideas. If he balks, they say he doesn't yet understand. That's when he finds out that you are not allowed to leave. If he accepts that, that's when they let him in on the really nasty stuff, as much as he can handle, because now he's one of them. 

That's how a cult works. Islam is a cult. 

A real religion doesn't need to dupe its converts. Evil uses deception and lures its victims into a trap. It's a war, contending over which side has more power, and the loser will suffer humiliation and dire punishment. Evil wants to take down as many of us as it can, so that, even though it's losing, it won't suffer alone. Indeed, evil has caused most of the suffering that we experience in this world, already. 

Think about what Sharia Law would do to our culture, and to our freedom. It's a trap, and lots of people, especially in Muslim countries, are wanting out. Many have become so despairing and disillusioned that they are now atheists, but they can't say that because it's banned, and they would be harshly punished. They just don't know how to escape. 

Let's pray that God will show them an open door. Just pray, also, that we won't become victims of deception when we accept their refugees. 

A Revised Kardashev Scale - "Makarios"

 Introduction: 

The Kardashev scale originally was meant to describe the power of advanced civilizations, in particular, those that have achieved the ability of space flight. It uses a geometric progression based on the amount of power accessed by the species as it grows. The earliest emerging civilizations don't appear, except as fractional numbers, because their activity is not very significant on a cosmic scale. These only get a full count when they might be noticed by a theoretical "outside observer." As you will soon see, I am adding a few extra levels to the original three, since there was little use for those as a measuring stick to evaluate gradual progress. Let me start near the beginning, when the species and its cultures start to reveal the potential for cosmic significance. 

I'm calling this revision the "Makarios Scale" and I hope you find it helpful for comparing the development of intelligent species in our Cosmos, in theory at least. 

Type One: "Novice"

   (original) beneath any level of observation. 

   (revised) intensive use of more than half of the planet's habitable surface area for urban dwelling, agricultural production, industry or resource extractive purposes. Oceans, ice caps and deserts are not usually viewed as habitable, although some oases may exist. 

Type Two: "Unstable"

   (revised) threatening the ecological health of the planet by careless practices, whether by stripping resources, excessive pollution, or loss of secondary species. 

Type Three: "Emergent"

(revised) has acquired sufficient technology to make orbital space flight and nearby colonial ventures possible. Potential for mass self-destruction demands a quest for coexistence. 

Type Four: "Maximized" 

(original) Type One: intentional use of all the insolation received by the planet for food or power. 

(revised) has accessed or made feasible all of the resources and energy available on the planet. Approaching a sustainable global regime for shared resources and political consensus or a tolerant balance of powers. 

Type Five: "Outbreak" 

(revised) has established self-sufficient populations, with trade routes, in multiple extra-planetary colonies, and continuing to spread. Industrial development of free-floating habitats, space infrastructure and specialized project construction begins.

Type Six: "Established" 

(revised) has explored the entire stellar system in sufficient detail to map a super-majority of its geography and resources. Technological proficiency allows pioneers to colonize the frontiers at will, and choose between political independence or colonial enfranchisement. 

Type Seven: "Expansive" 

(original) Type Two: intentional use of all of the energy output of the star for habitation and industrial purposes. 

(revised) complete access, not utilization, for all of the resources and energy available within the star system, including its planets, moons, and smaller satellites. Experimental robotic ships explore the nearer neighboring star systems and the conditions of intermediate space. 

Type Eight: "Arrival" 

(revised) first colonies established around other star systems. Ultrahigh-energy physics experiments explore the potential for travel at relativistic or supra-lightspeed velocities. 

Type Nine: "Manifesto" 

(revised) seeding the stellar neighborhood with many colonial ventures, discovering the range of variety of system formation and geography, and revealing the frequency of the origins of life. 

Type Ten: "Epitome" 

(original) Type Three: acquisition and use of the entire energy output of all of the stars in the whole galaxy. 

(revised) technological capacity to range at will throughout the galaxy, planting colonies, developing resources and tapping unlimited energy as needed to sustain the presence and growth of the species in all its various iterations. Sophisticated modes of long distance travel and self-contained habitat ships allow for sporadic attempts to surpass galactic boundaries. 

Conclusion:  

As you can see, the original version of the Kardashev scale assessing the power use of a space-faring civilization was excessively over-simplified. Having only three tiers, it did not allow for any detail or description of the intermediate stages of development. At every stage, it required an "all or nothing" obvious achievement in order to advance to the next rung of the ladder, and totally lacked any descriptive or predictive powers. 

This revised version does have more capacity for descriptions, and also allows for a certain amount of flexibility. It can be used to note and measure some fractional attainments, and can accept some skipping and mixing of non-linear development patterns, while still offering some definite levels of meaningful achievement for comparisons. 

Nor does the new scale have to terminate at the edge of the galaxy, or proceed to such degrees as beggar the imagination. At  Type Eleven, the colonization of another galaxy, and at Type Twelve, the colonization of the whole local group of galaxies is enough, while further expansion into the greater Super Cluster and beyond may be designated by more numbered levels. These do however go so far beyond the imagination that those technologies would likely appear magical to our sensibilities. And any further would simply involve the acquisition of the entire knowable Universe. 

It seems probable that, at some point, even before we claim the far reaches of our own galaxy, we are likely to discover another intelligent, civilized and space-faring species and learn not only whether the scale is truly useful, but have the realization that we must share the Cosmos with our neighbors. And that will be a clear answer to one of the oldest questions we have ever thought to ask. 

If you wish to adopt and promote this revised scale for theoretical comparison of developing civilizations and space-faring technology, you may be my guest. I ask only that you fairly acknowledge and attribute it to its source, and name it the "Makarios Scale." Makarios means "Blessed" in greek, and any species' civilization that this scale would measure should be well aware of their blessings. 

And I thank you for your patience and kind consideration. Shalom.

Keeping God's Commandments

This is a proposed guide for the newly emerging Branch of Jesse, the Jews who are coming to the knowledge and faith in the Jewish Messiah. He was among us, is here now with us, and is yet to return to us: Yeshua HaMashiach, Jesus Christ. You are one of the promised signs of the last days, in both the reestablishing of the state of Israel and the emergence of your faith in Yeshua. May God's blessing and grace rest upon you, and guide you in your quest to define what it means to be a truly Jewish believer. I hope that the following suggestions may prove to be of value to you, and a guide for reconciliation between us. 

We recognize the Decalogue in the Torah:

Exodus 20 & Deuteronomy 5 

1. I am the Lord, your God, whom alone you shall worship. 

2. Don't set up any false gods to follow or to offer sacrifice. 

3. Respect, and don't misrepresent me, or use my name for your own purposes. 

4. I gave you a day off from work, enjoy it wisely and be grateful to remember Me. 

5. Love and respect your parents, and treat  your family right. 

6. Don't choose to kill any person, nor by malice wound their spirit. 

7. Love your spouse, and always respect the holy vows of marriage. 

8. Don't take what belongs to another, without their consent. 

9. Don't lie about other people, neither to shift blame nor for personal gain. 

10. Don't envy another person's bound relationships, nor desire anyone else's wealth or possessions. 

And the Commandments restated by the Master in the Gospels: 

A. Thou shalt love the Lord, thy God, with all of your heart, mind, strength and soul. 

B. You must love your neighbor as yourself, including your enemies. 

And those He affirmed for those who wanted to follow Him in his own time: 

C. Luke 6:31, "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you." 

D. H. "Therefore, be merciful, even as your Father in Heaven is merciful." 

E. Mark 10:17-27 (21) "Go sell all you have, and give to the poor, so that you will have treasure in Heaven, then come, follow me." 

F. Luke 9:23, "If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself, pick up his cross daily, and follow me."

G. Love all who belong to Christ, as He loves us, even to the point of sacrifice. "Love one another, as I have loved you."

H. Make the Jews jealous of the way kindness and compassion is shared among us, and share it also with them. "So even as you have done to one of these, the least of my brethren, so you have done to me."

According to the first Apostolic council, held in 50 AD in Jerusalem, a Gentile need not become a Jew in order to follow Christ, but he must abstain from: 

1. eating meats sacrificed to idols 

2. consuming blood 

3. eating any animal that was strangled 

4. fornication 

Although they may choose to follow the customs, and become as the circumcised Jews, if they wish to try to fulfill the Law as Jesus did. 

Further, one may assume, the Gentiles must at the very least continue to observe the Law of Noah, as found in Genesis, chapter 9: 

1. Do not have any idols before God.

2. Do not eat from a living animal.

3. Do not steal. 

4. Do not murder. 

5. Do not commit sexual immorality. 

6. Do not blaspheme. 

7. Set up courts of Law & Justice. 

But most importantly, we have the central Truth that God has given us through Moses, and which we obey by our faith in Yeshua: "I have set before you this day a choice: the Way of Death, or the Way of Life. Choose Life."

If you are a Jewish believer in Jesus as the Messiah, you may feel free to continue to observe whichever mitzvot and customs of the Torah as are meaningful to you. But at the same time, remember, just as old wine skins can not be expected to retain the new wine of the Spirit, nor does one pour a proven vintage into old jars, used for an earlier production, or the flavor of the wine will be spoiled. Rather, a fine wine must be decanted into new, clean bottles from which your guests may be served with confidence. 

You must not be whitewashed versions of the Pharisees and their leaven. Rather seek to be transformed by the renewing of your minds in accord with the Kingdom of Heaven. If you choose to sink your roots into the ancient milieu when our Lord was present on Earth, look to the beginnings of the early Church, and the resources and writings that were circulated among them. You can use those to formulate your own particular brand of practice and applications. There were several versions of Hebrew Christians trying to maintain their identity among the early believers, and the teachings from these may be recycled and adapted as bottles to fit our modern times. The Didache was nearly made a part of the permanent canon, and is still useful for comparison and study. 

However, your theology must need to agree and align itself to the established creeds of the Christian Church, or at least strive to avoid contradictions and schism. You may ignore the few exceptional precepts that forbid you to practice your Jewish ethnicity. And we shall assume that you will accept and acknowledge your salvation by grace through faith, and your commitment to Jesus as the Messiah and the Son of the Living God. Such is the Truth which has been revealed to us by the Holy Spirit, and given as the essential core of the faith. It is for all of us to seek to build the Kingdom of God upon that certainty as a steady rock and foundation. 

We are not saved by our works, but we do works because we love God and want to please Him by our obedience. For you, as God's chosen people, your works remain as a sign of your commitment to cleave unto God alone, and to love Him with all of your heart, mind, soul and strength. And in continuing to observe the Law, you do so proclaiming that this is the obedience that the Lord has asked of you, for his pleasure. And yet, the grace and loving forgiveness of Jesus are the only source of salvation for any of us, because no one but Jesus has ever kept the Law perfectly. 

After that, we must try to always be in unity by our faith in Yeshua, whether we are members of the Church as Christians or be Jews transformed by his call to grace. It doesn't matter whether you call yourself "Messianic Jews" or "Jewish Christians," so long as you recognize the creeds. You can keep your traditional point of view, and claim the promises that were made to the Patriarchs, even maintaining your own ideas regarding original sin, or the meaning of salvation, etc. Where the Church admits a variety of valid answers to theological questions, you are of course entitled to your own. 

In this way, God is still keeping his promise that the Jews shall become a kingdom of priests. And many gentiles may come to you to learn from your wisdom, and find their atonement with the Lord. Perhaps, in the absence of Temple sacrifices, you may preach the efficacy of daily self examination and teshuva offered with a contrite heart, especially in light of your long delayed recognition of your calling from the Lord. 

We are still waiting for the fulfillment of the Kingdom of God in history, and for the renewal of the Heavens and the Earth. No one yet is entirely certain of what that shall mean, but perhaps it may refer to the soon to come age in which our observable Heavens may become homes for humanity to live and work in space. If so, it may be our job to restore our Earth to as pristine a condition as we can make of it. We have done so much harm to the cradle of our origins, it would only be proper to try to replenish it and clean up the results of our wasteful disregard. We might even be able to redesign and restore the Garden of Eden if we want to try. 

Answering objections: 

The New Testament, and the people who truly know Yeshua are not antisemitic. Christians are not a replacement for Jews, and Jesus wants all of his people to follow him. From the very beginning, the Kingdom of God was a Jewish renewal movement, not a program to start a new religion. Even though He knew He would be rejected, He gave us the chance to accept Him and be the catalyst to change the world. 

It is time for the brothers and sisters of Jesus to arise: 1) believe in your own Mashiach, and 2) create your own Jewish style of liturgy, and 3) follow all of the Law of Moses. The problem lies in the leaven of Pharisaical rituals and the minutiae in the Mishna and Talmud. Those distract us from seeking a personal relationship with our awesome God, and lead us to think that we can be good enough by our own efforts. Salvation is a free gift to those who choose to believe. We still fail to be truly righteous, and Jesus knows that, but He still tells us to "Go, and sin no more," so that we will really try to stand up and walk. Some of might be able to hobble slowly  and unsteadily all the way home, so long as we are not burdened unnecessarily. 

We need to recognize that God came to save us, and to lead us in the Kingdom, in person as a man, so that we could relate to Him. He chose to make Himself the perfect sacrifice for our sins, and thus be able to unconditionally forgive all who would believe. He did this to show how much He loves us, and to give us the sign that would prove how God approves and gave Him the authority to teach as He did. That proof was given when Jesus did the uniquely impossible, to rise again from the dead on the third day. The empty tomb is the sign of Jonah.

The crucified Christ is the faith equivalent of the serpent on a pole that Moses raised in the desert. All who keep their eyes on the cross and Jesus are protected from the serpents, the demons of Satan who wish to poison and corrupt and enslave us.

He came to save us from a much worse oppressor than any foreign army or political occupying Empire. We were waiting for the wrong thing; the wrong expectations of what HaMashiach would do. He saves us from being claimed by Satan and dragged into Hell. 

The wheat appears to be ripe and the yield is bountiful, but there is a need for many harvesters. The time is near for the last great Reaping, and the division of wheat from the weeds sown among us by the enemy. It is our own commission to go out and call as many of our people as we can. They must Wake up and Believe! The Prince is coming!

Are We Living in the Matrix?

It's a kind of running joke. Take the red pill. "Are We Living in the Matrix?"

But don't laugh. I'm not talking about being a merely digital person inside a computer simulation. But I am questioning whether the reality we perceive is actually a correct assessment of the way things truly are. Can science and human reason actually figure out what kind of Cosmos we live in? Maybe, but it isn't the kind that we usually take for granted. There's more to it than that. Perhaps the explanation for the presumption that human intelligence is capable to understand the Universe, our world and our place in it, stems from the perfectly hidden fact that our "cosmos of perception" has been crafted to appear amenable to our reasoning and curiosity. And it is designed to give us a certain set of answers to whatever questions we ask. 

Maybe we do really live in a created world, just big enough to contain us, with certain limits which we are not meant to pass. It could easily be that it closely resembles a particular scenario in the greater "eternal reality" so that we can quickly adapt to the immersive experience, and suspend our disbelief. Are we allowing ourselves to live through a simulation of a purposively chosen historical milieu. If so, the deeper purpose is both hidden, and revealed to us as we seek to discover the true nature of reality, if we keep an open mind. There are some clues left behind, so that we can find our way back to the "eternal reality" of the Creator. This may all be a test, to see if we can pass the required level of discernment, and yes, faith, in order to "graduate" into the next world. If this is true, then all of our daily experience is being manipulated in order to observe our responses. 

I could begin in any number of places, but let me start with a description of our usual assumptions about ordinary reality:

At the very surface of our perception, what we see is what we get. Our intelligence and reasoning, plus our ability to create tools and technology, are all we have, and so far, all we have needed to reach our current level of "progress" in civilization. We have developed a technique for exploring the natural world and building a more or less coherent world view: the "scientific method," which includes the application of mathematics as a means of describing how the phenomena work. Science has pretty well defined our modern world view. 

From the scientific perspective, we live in a material universe governed by natural laws. There are various atomic particles, made up of quarks, plus, the four physical forces that dictate how things work together ... and that is all there is. Everything started itself with a Big Bang, and self-assembled according to the way the particles and forces interacted with each other. It was all random, even the way that life happened upon the scene. It doesn't matter how complicated or improbable, it all came about by accident. 

According to Science, there is no way to investigate anything immaterial. If there is anything called "Spirit," beyond our plain, ordinary natural world, it must be "super-natural," and such ideas have been shoved aside as childish, "superstitious" and unscientific. As a result, all that we can know must be investigated and explained by purely empirical and logical means. Individual scientists may cringe to hear it said, but they don't have anything to add that others won't try to test and refute in the name of Science. Nor does it matter that many major mysteries remain, as they have the confidence that we will eventually figure it all out using the scientific method. 

In our daily lives, all of us pretty much assume that this perspective is an adequate way to perceive reality, and we rely upon it in making all of our ordinary decisions. And in most cases, it's a safe bet that we haven't neglected anything critical by doing so, in our small, ordinary choices and activities of daily living. It's like the Apollo moon program, when the astronauts said that Sir Isaac Newton was flying the space ship. The older laws of physics were adequate to the job, even though we knew that Einstein had a newer, more comprehensive version to better explain the universe. It's usually good enough. 

But what about our higher level issues?This is where we begin to run into major problems with purely scientific methods, because we are asking a different kind of question. When we consider metaphysical questions, purely rational empiricism is inadequate to explain all of the immaterial phenomena of creation that we experience in our lives. These things of Spirit are common knowledge, even if their content may still be debatable. 

What am I referring to as the "things of Spirit" that are common knowledge? They are the basic, foundational "Big Questions" that we need to know the answers to. And we need those answers because they would shape the orientation of our lives. Yet these answers continue to elude our best scientific thinkers, because they refuse to consider the possibility that a "supernatural" reality might actually exist. 

There are at least eight different questions that we need the answers to, so that we can securely establish for ourselves what is truly of primary importance. From there we can find our orientation, and determine what kind of purpose we want to pursue. 

And those Big Questions are:

1. How did the Universe begin, and how could anything come from nothing? 

2. Why is the Universe so finely tuned, apparently to allow for and support life? 

3. How did the complexity of life originate from non-living matter? 

4. Why does the evolution of life appear to follow a design and a plan? 

5. How does the phenomenon of mind emerge from the mechanics of a brain? 

6. Why did we evolve the intelligence to learn technology? 

7. How do we know that some events and actions are evil, and by what standard? 

8. Why do we have a sense of compassion and morality? 

The scientists try to answer these kinds of questions, but their answers don't agree, and they don't stick together in any kind of coherent whole. There is no scientifically "elegant" solution that explains everything. But there is a Spiritual answer. The reason why the scientists can't answer is because they want to insist that the whole Universe is impersonal. They want to exclude God from their reasoning. They ridicule the obvious answer, saying that it is the "god of the gaps theory." But this is just their own arrogance and hubris. God explains everything precisely because He created everything. 

God designed and "wrote the program" for our world, and made it so completely immersive that human beings would be directed to seek a spiritual solution to their intellectual inquiries. Yes, there are some things we can learn by reason, using the scientific method. Progress is a part of the program, because it includes time as a factor of continuous change. But in every age, we are encouraged to find the best answers to heartfelt questions, and to seek to encounter and know God. 

And when we finally realize that this world is more than the material scientists would have you believe, then you see that God can intervene at any level He chooses. He can influence even the minutia of our daily lives, and He can act to reveal Himself in unique events that seem to break the laws of nature. 

Our God is a personal God. He wants us to desire to know Him personally, to have a relationship with Him. He wants us to trust Him and have faith in Him, so He reveals his spiritual nature to us, and promises to care for us. And when we misunderstand and mess up our lives, He forgives us and helps us to work through the problems we have created. He has given us a Book in which we have recorded how He has revealed Himself. 

And as impossible as it may seem, for how can a God possibly be contained in the world, much less become a human being,  He came into this world to save us from getting lost in the nearly infinite complexity of this simulation that He created to train us for his eternal Heaven. And He paid the penalty we had earned for disobedience and our failure to trust and believe in Him. God chose to experience the horror of dying, in the worst way possible, so that He could give us a new perspective and reorient us toward Himself. And just to prove his point, He arose from the grave in his transformed human body, showing how its corruption can be overcome by the gift of  divinity. 

And all we have to do is believe in Him, as Jesus the Messiah of the Jews, the Son of the Living God and Saviour of the World. Pray to Him for a personal relationship, and follow Him through the teachings that He gave us. If you will do this, He will show you all of his Love and accept you into his Kingdom. Don't delay. Do it now. We have no guarantee to be here tomorrow.

Is Anyone Out There?

The ultimate humbling experience: We discover that life spawns easily at every opportunity, and even intelligence and technology are common. Plus, everyone is happy, peaceful and willing to share and cooperate with each other. 

But they see us as too primitive to bother with because we are undisciplined and too foolish to put aside our competitive rivalries. Moreover, they assume that having bicameral brains makes any species prone to developing contagious schizophrenic delusions, such as belief in gods, and this makes them unstable, and potentially dangerous. 

Our emergence onto the interstellar scene is a cause of concern about whether we should be given full citizenship in their fraternal pact. Most want to extend our period of quarantine for another 1,000 years, to observe whether we will destroy our own worlds and ourselves. 

In other words, we are the new kid at school, and nobody wants to talk to us. Now, that's a bummer....  

Second possible scenario: The moment that we develop a practical way to build colonies away from Earth, establishing a peaceful mode of coexistence, a first contact delegation arrives. "Welcome to Heaven! We've all been wondering if you would make it. Pull up a seat. The party is about to begin. We will schedule your audience with the Emperor soon." Hopeful and happy, but also humbling. 

Third scenario: There are good guys and bad guys, and at first, we are not sure which is which. But they are at war, and we have to choose which side we are on. Meanwhile, both sides view us with suspicion, and tentatively offer us the opportunity to discuss alliance. We don't know if either side is being fully honest. May Heaven help us. This is scary. 

Scenario #4: But if it turns out that we are alone, and life is actually pretty rare, then we are at least a little bit special. And maybe God has a plan for us. We become the gardeners, spreading life through our galaxy. We can experiment with new ways to build peaceful and prosperous societies, explore for new knowledge and seek bold adventures. Are we up to the challenge? 

Which one do you hope is the most likely?

"It's easier for a camel to pass ..."

"It is easier for a camel to pass through the 'Eye of the Needle' than for one who is rich to enter the Kingdom of Heaven." (Matthew 19, Mark 10, Luke 18)

A rich young man approached Jesus and asked, "Good Master, what must I do to attain eternal life?" Jesus answered, "Why do you call me good? There is only One, who is good. But if you want eternal life, keep the ten commandments given to Moses at Sinai." "This I have always done," he said. "What else do I lack?" Then Jesus said, "If you would have eternal life, go and sell all you have, and give to the poor, so that you will have riches in Heaven. Then come and follow Me." When the young man heard this, he was crestfallen, for he had very much wealth, and he walked slowly away.

Jesus looked to his disciples, and said, "How difficult it is for someone who thinks he is rich to choose instead the Kingdom of Heaven. Truly, I say to you, it is easier for a camel to pass through the 'eye of the needle' than for one who is rich to enter the Kingdom of Heaven." Hearing this, the disciples were astonished. "Who then can be saved?" Peter asked. And Jesus said, "For man, it is impossible, but all things are possible for God."

Now, in the Bible, we don't get to hear the rest of the story about that young man. Did he ever come back? We don't know. But I suspect that he began to question whether his desire for eternal life outweighed his satisfaction with the wealth his family had accumulated. No one wants to be poor, but the scriptures promise a life of blessings and abundance in Heaven for those who are accepted to enter.

That is what he was asking: How high is the threshold that we must pass to enter Heaven? We wonder if that young man ever figured out what Jesus meant by his answer. Was there a principle involved, but left unspoken? Jesus didn't even tell the disciples, as he didn't want to spell out yet another law for us to haggle over, and nit pick, and get wrong because of our stiff-necked self interests. So we have to go back to the most basic level and try to see how Love can be applied in this situation.

Jesus did give a specific answer, applying the rule of Love, to illuminate what was lacking. "Give all you have to the poor." On the surface, He was saying that we should choose to be poor, so that we can follow Him. But maybe there's another level.

As an aside note, I've heard that there was a shortcut trail, called "eye of the needle" through the desert between Qumran and Jerusalem. It had a passageway so narrow that a camel would have to be unloaded in order to squeeze through. Trade caravans wouldn't use it, because a stuck or balky camel could ruin the trip. But a brave traveler in a hurry to reach the city might consider it doable, if he was on foot and not carrying too much. If this is so, the disciples had a clear idea of the difficulties involved. Now, back to the story.

The way we do economics in this world, and the way Jesus seems to say that economics works in the Kingdom, these are clearly different. Jesus always spoke in favor of giving workmen a fair daily wage, even if they arrived late to work. He seemed to think that accumulating profit for one person implied that others were not getting all they deserved. But this is not merely an issue of fairness, but rather one of sharing in love. Several times, Jesus had his disciples feed the crowds that followed Him, by setting the example of sharing what they had with everyone, and trusting God to supply all that was needed with his abundance. Where others need our help, we are to give, and when we need help, we are told to ask, persistently if necessary. But in their daily lives, Jesus and his dozen followers shared everything in common. This is easy when you are poor, but takes a lot of thought when you have  to manage a large estate as a trust for those who must depend on it.

So Jesus just gave that rich young man an easy answer. Liquidate your assets and share them with all who have contributed by their hard work, and anyone else who needs a helping hand. He could have said, Contract with all your workers to have a share in your farms and businesses, and divide the proceeds among them. But that would have been to establish an unstable economic system in a hostile environment. All He really wanted was for the man to release his concerns and come to follow in his footsteps to learn about the Father  and his Kingdom. As you see, the easy answer was the better one in this case.

But it didn't sound easy to the rich young man. Selling all you own is a difficult task, especially if much of it has sentimental value. And most people already have their own household items. If you want to sell a farm, or a business, your only buyers are other rich people, who want to profit. So how do you divide your wealth among the poor? If you give away small plots of land, you want to give them to people who will farm successfully. You can give away furniture, if people have a place to keep it.  A house you can sell, and give the money to charity, if you don't have any family of your own. Indeed, having your own family makes all of this generosity problematic. But, with determination, it can be done, however slowly, and family conflicts can be endured.

One last question then remains. Where is Jesus, now that you have finally arranged to distribute all your wealth and have become poor yourself? It probably took a long time to accomplish the task that Jesus set for you. Maybe He has already been arrested and crucified, and you were not there to witness the events or hear many of his teachings. Do you go to find his disciples, and join with them to build this new separatist sect, with all of their peculiar, even heretical, theology? And now, you hear the incredible claims that some of his disciples have seen him alive, raised from the dead?!

But isn't that what you said you wanted, all those many months ago?  Eternal life. If Jesus can rise again, maybe he really does know the answer.  Let's go see and listen.

We Should Care About the Jews

A Response to Messianic Jews, and to the Church established among the Gentiles.

Traditions are fine and beautiful. Of course, you can follow them. They tell you how to do things that may not be completely clear in the Torah. And they help you to maintain your ethnic identity and boundaries (if you want and need boundaries). BUT, if the oral traditions contradict the scriptures of the Torah, or the Prophets, or even the Writings that have been canonized as truly given by God, then those traditions are WRONG, and must be ignored.

Following a rabbi who contradicts the Scriptures is the same as being blind, and allowing another blind man to lead you. You will both end up in a ditch. Doing that, or despairing of the difficulty, was a cause for many of the problems that you struggled with before the Roman Diaspora. If you so desire, of course, you can still celebrate Shabbat, and Pesach, and Yom Kippur, etc. It is only necessary to add to the Holy Days, or to subtract, whatever you must in order to acknowledge that the Messiah has come, and He is Jesus, or as you say, Yeshua.

Yeshua did not come to abrogate the Law of Moses, but to show how it should be fulfilled by seeking how to interpret it by its intent and spirit. He did not hang up on trying to find every possible application, or discerning each angle, or turning the oral law to fit all situations.  Such nit-picking leads to what he called "straining out a gnat, but swallowing a camel" if you miss the point. The idea was to keep it simple, so that the yoke would be easy, and the burden stay light. Six hundred and thirteen laws are too many to remember, especially if they can be boiled down to a couple dozen or fewer. And you certainly don't need any more.

But as I said, traditions are fine if you want to keep them, so long as you remember their purpose. Let them help you to define who you are. And try to be meek before the Lord; acknowledge when you have a stain on your conscience. He is always ready to forgive all who repent.
_____________

I still find it odd that so few seem to ever remember that the ancient Israelites, when they first asked for a King to lead them, were refused. That was because God had it in mind to be the One to lead them. He knew that a man would screw it up, and probably lead them astray, or refuse to obey what He asked them to do. But, in the end, Adonai relented and allowed it, and history proved Him right, over and over, until He had to take the Kingdom away from them.

Instead, He gave them the promise of a Messiah, who would be a righteous King, one descended from his favorite, David. And so, to get what He planned (to be the King), and to keep his promise, He chose to be born Himself as a man - to be the long awaited Messiah - and show what it means to be a servant of all the people, and to lead them as the King.

But the Jews never understood that the Messiah had two roles to fulfill: to be a servant, and to be a King. They clung so tightly to the expectation of a Son of David, that they forgot to connect those other prophecies in the scriptures of Isaiah. And it was far too "spiritual" for them to grasp that the Enemy was not going to be some political ruler among men, no matter how cruel or oppressive.

The real Enemy who fights against us, and challenges the way we should worship and follow God, is Satan. Satan lies to us, and tries to bind us in sin, and tells us that we can never properly serve God, but that we owe allegiance to him. Satan wants us to fail and be condemned as rebels. We are thereby forced to struggle against Evil, just so we can choose to follow Good.

That is why Jesus came - to fight against Satan and his legions of demons. He came to proclaim liberty to the captives, and his most prolific miracles were those that cast out demons. And those demons knew Him, and knew they were beaten. This was the war that began so long ago, which led to our captivity to the powers of sin. A war that still continues, and some of the worst chains of demon possession are those of addiction, to whatever once appealed to our vanity. Jesus came to set us free, and to put us back in a right relationship with God, and He can still do that for you today.

And the penalty for sin, the ransom that Satan demanded while he held us captive - kidnapped from the Garden of Eden - was paid by the death of the Messiah on the cross - a righteous man, in place of all the sinners who would believe. Jesus is raised up as a standard, a flag to follow, just like the dead snake on a pole that the freed Israelites were told by Moses to follow across the desert, when they were afraid and threatened by poisonous serpents. Jesus is the seed of the Woman, who was foretold to come and smash the head of the evil serpent in the Garden, and He did it.

His success was proven by his rising from the grave. And Jesus' resurrection also proved that his authority to teach and do miracles came from the Father, even when He claimed to be able to do things that only God can do, or made exceptions to the strict observance of the traditions that had been elaborated by men.

And this is the battle that we continue to fight to this day, because we are born into this world, under the occupation of the Rebel's legions. We struggle to get free of the snares of Satan. But we only need to claim the promises of the King, and we will be given the power and authority to put Satan's minions in their place. When we follow the Messiah, and choose the Way of Life and Truth, then lies must give up and retreat. We are promised Victory, forever!
________________

And yet we still wait for the Messiah to come. We are waiting for the King to return and place all of the nations under his feet. We wait for the eternal Kingdom to begin. For surely, Jesus' proclamation that "the Kingdom of God is among you" did not mean 'this is all there is to be, and it's all up to you.' The Church has been trying that, without success, for 2,000 years. Jesus promised, according to the Scriptures, that He would come again, in the Glory of God's Kingdom, to begin his millenial rule.

So why is He taking so long? Perhaps because we have not yet fulfilled all that He asked us to do first. We have not done the one thing He was doing when He was here among us. He preached the gospel to the Jews! We need to help Him to save as many of his own people as possible.

For many generations, we have neglected to offer the Jews the good news in a way that they can relate to. Many of them yearn for a personal relationship with God, but we have not shared our faith with them. We have disdained their faith and traditions, and snubbed them because of their ethnicity - which was given to them by God! And yet, they were promised a great role, as an illuminated priesthood, leading all of the Gentiles through the proper observances in the renewed Temple in Jerusalem. How can they come to know the King of the Jews, if we don't tell them all that we know? To be illuminated, they must be saved!

And now there are some who claim to be "Messianic Jews" who barely sound like Christians, and most certainly believe as heretics, because they don't know what we have learned through the centuries. We must both embrace them and share the Truth as we know it, to bring them into the community of the Church. For 2,000 years, we have fought against the heretics, and we shall not now follow them, even if they are Jews. Their heresies were the cause of Jesus' arguments with them in the first place, and their ignorance must not be the cause of our being led astray in the end.

The Church, in all its proper denominations, must make a concerted and coordinated effort to evangelize the Jewish people, and actively refute the objections of the rabbis who have been keeping them in darkness for so many centuries. But we must do it with kindness, not arrogance, humbly admitting that we have been at fault for all this time, by not speaking to them as the brothers and sisters whom they have been all along.

And if we are to properly love them, we must treat their traditions with respect, even as we put them in their place on the dusty shelves of history, among the mistaken ideas that used to hold us back from the Truth. But what they want to keep, once they know Jesus as Lord and King, we should let them keep, so long as it does not contradict the Scriptures, or change the basic theology that we have drawn from the Scriptures.

And we must be gentle and careful not to impose our own particular "oral traditions" in the place of theirs, or Jesus may be as angry with us as He was before. If it turns out that they have their own fourth kind of "denomination" alongside of our Catholic, Orthodox and Protestant, perhaps that is as it should be, so long as they accept the creeds that we do. There are four Gospels, after all, and one was written for the Jews. 

Things in the Universe We Can't Explain

There are eight things about the Universe that every world view has to be able to explain. Whether we examine them by philosophy and logic, or use science and mathematics, these eight problems don't seem to have a solely natural avenue for understanding. Rather, they appear to require that something "larger than life" adds something to each equation.

1. The Origin of the Universe
2. How Finely-Tuned the Universe is
3. The Origin of Living Beings
4. Evolving Creatures by Design
5. Consciousness and Mind
6. Free Agency and Responsibility
7. Objective Moral Standards
8. The Existence of Evil

If you can't explain how these came to be, using only natural elements (space, time, matter, physics & chemistry) then you have to admit the necessity of "supernatural" causes.
PLUS ...
If you find any evidence of intention or purpose, you have to expect and search for a person who was active.
GOD.

No matter how hard our best minds have tried, the plain, natural explanations just don't get the job done, and often for some rather obvious reasons. The "God of the gaps" is real. He made the Universe, and our minds, so we could figure it out and appreciate how amazing He is. But there are places where "random chance" is beyond fantastically improbable, and only his active interference can "bridge the gap" and make things happen.

At some point, everyone must confront the possibility that they are holding some kind of bias, either for or against "the Truth," and ask themselves, "Why?" and "Why not?"

If you start out with the impervious assumption that there are no supernatural events or agents, then you are not being honest with yourself, because that last possibility is exactly what you are trying to determine. You have to temporarily suspend your disbelief, or you will end up with circular reasoning, proving that only your original assumption could be right, even though it's totally inadequate.

This is what we want to know:
"What is the best, most reasonable, or just plausible, explanation for these events?
   - does it cover all of the evidence and facts?
   - does it tie up loose ends, or make any testable predictions?"

The bottom line for most atheists and skeptics is that accepting the conclusion that God exists would require some kind of response. They would have to choose:
A. to seek a relationship with God, or
B. to refuse to acknowledge His claims.
And each of these choices has eternal consequences. Quite simply, they just don't want to know.

Or, if they are like the persistent agnostic who just can't drop the question, maybe they really do want to know. They want to know for sure, to be as certain as they can get, because something is telling them it is the most important question in the world. And eventually they will decide to trust the evidence that is available, and choose to cross over into faith.

At which point, you just might begin to wonder, if God is real, then who is Jesus? And then you need to ask if there were any eyewitnesses who recorded their stories for those yet to be born, and you find the four Gospels.

Matthew was a former tax collector, who wrote for Jews in Palestine and abroad.
Mark was Peter's secretary, recording his story for preaching in Rome's underground.
Luke was Paul's traveling companion, who helped share the Gospel with the Gentiles.
John was the "beloved disciple," became the Bishop of Ephesus, and died in exile.

And Paul's letters were obviously written before he was martyred in Rome, in the middle 60s AD. The churches that he wrote to saved them as treasured documents useful for the formation of the Church and the salvation of souls.

Clearly all of these accounts of Jesus' mission to be the Messiah were recorded within the lifetimes of witnesses who could have verified their accuracy. And all twelve of his disciples were willing to suffer, and even die, for the message they were asked to spread. Apparently, they thought Jesus was uniquely special, even the Son of God.

The same God who created the Universe so that he could share his love with us, who revealed Himself to Abraham and Moses and all the Prophets, who loved King David and promised him an heir and an eternal dynasty. The God who sent his only Son to call us to repentance, so that we could be adopted and saved for eternal life in Heaven, where we can share in God's love and be changed into his likeness.

This is the God who adds something "larger than life" to the equations of his creation. He is the explanation that makes the unexplainable make sense. He covers all of the evidence, and ties up all of the loose ends. And He is calling you to cross over into a life of faith.

Pray without Ceasing

The following litany is my offering for continuous devotion. You may choose among them, and use as many or as few as you like, as the occasion calls for. Or draw up your own list, to memorize and pray as often as you can remember to do so.
......

Let the words of my mouth, and the meditations of my heart, be forever pleasing in thy sight, oh Lord, my God, and let me rest beneath the shelter of thy wings.

Blessed art thou, O Lord our God, Creator and Ruler of the Cosmos. Set us free from the inclination to sin, and shelter us from the troubles of this world.

Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner. Teach me the Way of your Truth, so I may know you and have eternal Life in Heaven.

O Holy Spirit, Voice of Grace, come dwell in my heart and enlighten my mind. Lead me surely so that I may live and pray in accord with thy will.

Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and always. Ask that we may be granted unwavering faith in Jesus, and be counted worthy of eternal life.

O blessed Saints in Heaven, pray for us poor sinners who still stumble, that we may clearly see our paths, and always follow what is right.

Happy angels and archangels, Hosts, Powers, Dominions and Principalities, guard us who believe, even if we wander, and shield us from all evil.

Beloved Lord, our Father, God,
In times of distress we come to Thee, asking for your comfort and protection from the ills and troubles of this world, for ourselves, our families, and all our friends. [We pray also for those working to preserve the health, supply, safety, and faith of our community.] We ask that you continue to care for us, to shepherd and protect us even under stormy and dark skies. Grant us ever deeper faith, so that we may embrace the hope of rescue, and experience the reality of your presence here with us.
We ask in Jesus' name, Amen.

Dearest Lord Jesus,
Please heal our nation, and the whole world. Give us worthy leaders of faith, who follow closely after you, and give you glory. Protect our people from the works of Satan, and defend us from our enemies in times of strife. Encourage us to always seek justice, virtue and righteousness in both our public and our private lives. Bless us with your wisdom, reminding us to preserve our beloved homelands, and be a Light shining before us, helping us to always choose the right paths.
We love you, and we praise you. Amen.

Holy Father,
May there soon be peace and justice,
with love and reconciliation for all
who abide in Jerusalem, your Holy City,
and may they give you all the glory.

Oh, my Jesus!
Forgive us our sins.
Save us from the fires of Hell.
Lead all souls to Heaven,
Especially those most in need of thy mercy.
   - St. Faustina

My Lord and my God!
Grant me perfect contrition for all my sins. I have failed you, and betrayed your love, and I am deeply sorrowful. I am appalled by the way I have caused you to suffer on the cross, and I promise to do my best to avoid future sins. My only deepest desire is to be with you, to know you, and to please you. Please write your words upon my heart, and dwell within me.
My Lord Jesus Christ, Amen.

Oh Gracious Lord,
Bless me always with your graces, that I may grow in virtue and faithfulness. Let me be ever ready to accept your gifts, so that I will be sooner transformed, and become more and more alike to your Radiant Love. And let those graces that others fail to accept flow into my heart to reveal your perfect Presence.
In Jesus' name, Amen.

Grant me, O Lord my God,
a mind to know you,
a heart to seek you,
wisdom to find you,
conduct pleasing to you,
faithful perseverance awaiting you,
and a hope of finally embracing you.
Amen.
    - St. Thomas Aquinas 

O' my Jesus,
Grant me the grace I need to take up my own cross, and help me to follow in your footsteps. If I must bear suffering, let it be to share in yours. I only ask that you remember me when you return to us with your Kingdom. And if it be thy will, may I share in your risen glory, and sit to listen at your feet.
Amen.

Oh, My Lord,
Thou hast given so much to me!
Give me one thing more: a grateful heart.
Not thankful when it pleases me,
as if thy blessings had spare days,
but such a heart
whose pulse may be thy praise.
Amen
   - George Herbert

Lord, I do believe!
Help me to overcome my doubts,
and to understand your ways.
Bless me often, Lord.
Show me how you walk with me,
and shower me with your grace,
so my faith will continually grow.
In Thine own Name, I dare to pray,
my Lord Jesus Christ.
Amen.

Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the Living God,
Come and dwell always in my heart.
Open my lips, and help me to proclaim Your Gospel,
and to tell of the mercy in your Father's Kingdom,
as well as I am able,
and grant that I may be found worthy
to share in the glories of Heaven.
Amen.

Stop Racism Right in its Tracks!!

I am long past being tired of hearing the "racist" complaint being used to justify violence and social disruption. Mostly people who talk about racism are the ones who are racist, and yet they dare to blame others. The more you stir the chamber pot, the worse it smells. If you can't stand to ignore it, carry it outside and use it for fertilizer. It's an idea which deserves to be forgotten, unlike the history that retains the lessons that we should have learned by now, but we have failed to teach the whole story.

Let me digress, for an abbreviated lesson:

Slavery was an unjust social system that failed to recognize the value and dignity of every individual. Nonetheless, it was not the same everywhere, nor at all times in history. Indeed, its origins go far beyond ancient, and it is generally wrong to place the blame for it on any people. Christians did not invent it, but were often slaves themselves. The good news of the Christ was deliberately spread among the poor and oppressed in the Roman Empire. Yet, they were told to submit and accept being others' servants, to wait patiently for God to fulfill the time, which they expected to be short. Therefore, they were sometimes trusted, and allowed to earn their freedom.

The Jews remembered having once been slaves in Egypt, and they had rules to keep slaves from being abused, and limited the time they could be held. A man became a slave either by war or economics. A war captive might have been allowed to earn his price and buy his way to freedom. If another became a slave because of failed debt or extreme poverty, he bartered seven years of his life to pay his debts and earn his keep, and that of his family if necessary. At the end of those seven years, he was to be set free, unless he chose to stay with a beloved master. A permanent slave would have a gold ring to pierce his ear. And in time, all debt slaves, as well as all leased and/or mortgaged properties, were to be set free and clear in the year of Jubilee, so that families could start over with a fair chance of success.

In Islam, the oppression of slavery took a really bad turn. No one ever willingly sold himself to a Muslim as a slave, as it was well known how badly they were treated. Muslims were allowed to beat slaves without mercy, or to have sexual relations with their female captives. And they had a habit of castrating male slaves "to protect the virtue of their wives and daughters." Muhammad kept many slaves, and traded them all his life. And he had a favorite, Mary, a Coptic Christian, who was his regular partner, even though he had plenty of wives. Further, the only way to get out of being a slave in Islam is to become a Muslim, which only one of Muhammad's slaves ever did. As it turned out, it was the Muslims who kept the slave markets on the west coast of Africa. They were the source where the Americans bought their slaves, who were captives taken in war, and then brought them to work in both North and South America.

The legacy of slavery in America is far from forgotten. The slaves brought here were often treated as no more than work horses or mules, and were bred and sold like cattle. Many were abused without mercy. And here, it somehow came to be a curse passed on to later generations, as few would believe that a black man was freed. No one should try to make excuses for the institution of slavery in America. But not all slave owners were cruel, and some continued to care for their former servants after slavery was legally and finally abolished, because "their coloreds" chose to stay nearby. And when they could make it on their own, they were wished well as they departed, often with a debt of gratitude for having been appreciated on both sides.

But it's a cruel world out there, and we seem to have a way of making it harder for ourselves. "Jim Crow" was one of those ways, breeding resentment and hatred. Rather, there should have been efforts to uplift those who needed only a fair education, and the respect that goes to any who would try to make something of themselves. But instead, racism has been perpetuated far past its supposed expiration date.

Your patience has been appreciated.

They often say that "a black child has to work twice as hard as a white child in order to achieve the same success." Maybe so, but that is excellent fertilizer. Today, it is often the children of the poor, struggling to get by, who try harder and achieve success and respect. The better your achievements, the more respect you deserve, and your worthy contributions will eventually overcome the prejudice. Stop whining about racism. It only serves to provoke hatred. Get up and work on improving your character. Perhaps some day soon, God willing, a man will be fairly judged by the content of his character, and not by the color of his skin.

If we complain that having to work twice as hard is not fair, that's only a matter of perception. Life is difficult for most people, and always has been. Diligence and struggle, and the pursuit of knowledge and wisdom, have been the real keys to success for thousands of years. This does not come easy for anyone. If another person has wealth, they have worked hard and been blessed, or they have other problems that strike at their peace of mind. Lots of folks, whites included, don't work very hard on their character, and as a result, they are turning out "plenty ornery." It's a great disappointment for the people who care about them. Don't you let your Grandma down, "Act Christian, for Jesus' sake!"

As for the perception that blacks have to "give in, in order to get along" and they have to compromise the values they care about ... that's just whining. All I have to say about that is, "welcome to the real world." This is not an issue unique to your race, nor common only among those who are oppressed and downtrodden. It's just ordinary life for all in a civilized society. Everyone has to give a little, just to get by from day to day. And our values are so valuable precisely because we have to struggle to maintain and rebuild them when they are eroded by the powers and social pressures that we all face in dealing with our civil institutions.

The only directly effective way to deal with racism in our daily lives is to suppress its impulses within ourselves. Every time those thoughts and feelings arise, stop, and take a deep breath. Don't act on them.  And don't teach these sentiments to your children. Don't justify your anger. God knows when we suffer, but He only asks us to pray for those who persecute us. Your enemies may not know that they are perpetuating cruelty. They probably just think it's the usual way of the world, and that only one person can do little to fix it. If that person really is bad inside, God will handle it, and your resistance will only aggravate the situation.

Why do you think that there are people who withdraw from society, to pray for the salvation of the world? Monks and hermits have been aware for thousands of years that life in society demands compromises that are painful to one's conscience. But when they withdraw, it is not to a life of leisure, but to work for their living. They take it for granted that they have to work twice as hard as people in the towns, just to get by every day. And they do that, just so they can spend enough time in prayer, not for their personal salvation, but for the transformation of the world into one that works for justice and peace, and cares for all of its citizens fairly.

And they don't protest even one word about how racism is an unjust and oppressive system. Rather they take the world's woes to God in prayer. And they examine their own lives and consciences to see how much they may be adding to those problems. Confession is good for the soul. Indeed! And repentance is as good for the world as it is for those who stop sinning. Look at yourself, and see the man in the mirror. How much do you need to change?

American Civil Religion: a Secular Faith

Here in the United States of America, we have a generally recognized, and usually participated in, civil religion. It is not held up as mandatory, and it is intentionally designed to avoid contradicting any other religion or faith of anyone who may come here as an immigrant. Many of our earliest founders came here to escape religious persecution, and we continue to value our freedom of conscience. In most instances, it is your right to ignore the celebration of our national pride, and many of us do, on occasion, forget its holidays. But we do accede to the demands that tend to keep the peace, and ask that our visitors do so as well. If you wish to stay for a while in America, you would be well-advised to become familiar with our secular, and even admittedly artificial "civil religion." It is widely viewed as an essential part of our cultural identity.

OUR FUNDAMENTAL IDEALS:
Judaeo-Christianity
Freedom of Religion
Democratic Republic
Freedom & Frontiers
Pursuit of happiness
Rugged individualism
Technological innovation
Space Colonialism*
    (*Our Moral Equivalent of War, but with no enemy to destroy)

WHAT WE HOLD SACRED:
The Declaration of Independence
The Constitution of the U.S.A.
The Bill of Rights
Betsy Ross' Flag (13 stars in a circle)
Liberty Bell
Founding fathers
martyrs & fallen soldiers
veterans

HOW WE PARTICIPATE:
The Star Spangled Banner
America the Beautiful
Pledge of Allegiance
Scouting clubs
Peace Corps/Vista
Military service
Astronaut Corps
Political parties
Voting/Elected office
Paying Taxes

OUR NATIONAL HOLIDAYS:
1. New Year's Day -- Jan
*. ML King Jr Birthday -- Feb*
2. Presidents' Day -- Feb
3. Easter/Passover -- Mar/Apr
4. Emancipation Day -- Apr
*. Mothers' Day -- May*
5. Memorial Day -- May
6. Flag Day -- Jun
*.  Freedom Day - Jun* ("Juneteenth")
*.  Father's Day -- Jun*
7. Independence Day -- Jul
*. Apollo Landing Day -- Jul*
8. Purple Heart Day -- Aug
9. Labor Day -- Sep
*. Patriots Day - Sep*
10. Constitution Day, Sep 19
11. Columbus Day -- Oct
12. Veterans' Day -- Nov
13. Thanksgiving Day -- Nov
14. Christmas/Hanukkah -- Dec
     (*special interest participation*)
[Perhaps we should make room for one more holy day: Yom Teshuvah, the Day of Repentance. A day of prayer and fasting, when we confess and turn away from our national, collective and personal sins and wrong habits, and ask God for forgiveness. Maybe on the last Friday of August. P.S., It's not an actual Jewish holiday.]

OUR CORE VALUES:
1. E Pluribus Unum
      - allegiance to the Constitution
      - melting pot of citizenship
      - participation, not conformity
      - consent, not compulsion
2. Liberty
      - personal autonomy
      - capitalize on your talents
      - if it's not forbidden, you can try
      - be smart, but play fair
3. In God We Trust
      - choice of religion
      - allow for different observances
      - respect for reason
      - freedom from persecution
4. Self-reliance
      - be diligent & resourceful
      - follow your dream
      - plan for success
      - work to be prosperous
5. Progress & Innovation
      - progress builds the future
      - improve the process
      - science & invention
      - dare to be creative
6. Community
      - polite, examplary behavior
      - public education
      - responsibility for justice
      - evolution toward utopia
7. The American Dream
      - get the best education you can
      - own your own home
      - run your own business
      - go into a profession
          - politics, law, medicine, professor
      - build an inheritance for your kids
          - pass down some land
      - raise your social status
      - retire with wealth and leisure
      - be remembered by the community

The integration of immigrants is the reason why we have a "civil religion."  After all, America is a land of immigrants, much to the chagrin of the natives who were here first. Thus, the refusal to assimilate should be sufficient reason to be refused citizenship by naturalization. No matter where in the world you are from, nor any consideration of race, creed or ethnicity, if you don't want to become an American, nor wish to live in peace with us, you should go home. And any intent or attempt to weaken or overthrow the US Constitution is nothing less than treason.

And, yes, the US was founded as a Judaeo-Christian nation, because our founders came mostly from Christian Europe. But they took a stand on secularism and the separation of Church and State because so many came here to seek freedom from persecution for religious beliefs. We have historically been a majority Protestant Christian nation as a result. Thus, we cannot tolerate the persecution of anyone for their beliefs, but neither can religion be used as a shield to protect those who would want to undermine and attack our society.

The Jews, in their various denominations, have always had a debate among themselves about how much to become assimilated, without losing their peculiar identity. This is not unique to the Jews in America, but has always been the case wherever they go. But they have never tried to infiltrate and influence the host society in an attempt to transform it into their own image. As a result, they have become a model for being unique in a respectful and pluralistic society, one which every other ethnic group would do well to emulate in their own fashion. It is not their intent to draw special attention to their differences, but neither do they try to hide them, because they know that there is nothing to fear. Anyone who persecutes them will be viewed as criminal by the society at large.

Unfortunately, there is one exception:

Muslims have always been anti-American. Our very first war, after independence, was against Muslim state-sponsored pirates and slavers. And the relationship between us has remained in constant tension. Only our dependence on the oil fields held in Arab lands has forced us into somewhat more tolerant relations. Recently however, ill-conceived political agendas have unwittingly allowed the infiltration of islamic political ideology into our country, under the guise of seeking peace and freedom as refugees.

Meanwhile, the Muslims who have come here have done little to maintain any kind of respectful relationship with the other members of our society. Rather, they have created exclusive enclaves, flouted our traditions, taken offense at our public values, and attempted to change our legal processes. Their tactics have often been disruptive and occasionally violent. And they claim to be doing this in the name of tolerance and religious freedom, but actually, they are using our own values to undermine us and subvert our freedoms.

It is now increasingly clear that Islam's intention is to disestablish our traditional foundations and overthrow our Republic. Constitutional government is abhorrent to them because it is not subservient to their view of God. Therefore, their hidden wish is to replace our society with one enslaved by Islamic Sharia law. This should never be allowed, nor can any incremental move in that direction be in any way tolerated. Nor can the claim to profess a "moderate" form of Islam be believed. Even apparently "westernized" muslims know that they are told to lie in order to protect Islam, and so they can be radicalized at any time. Moreover, Islam does not believe in freedom of religion, or even free speech. They have only contempt for our tolerance. The entire Islamic agenda is antithetical to our history and our Constitution as a free people.

Therefore, we must keep a sentry at the gate.

If anyone should be barred from entry into America, they are those who carry Islam, with its indivisible political-religious ideology, as part of their cultural baggage. This is fair, as it is neither the establishment of any religion, nor is it intolerance of any honest faith in God. It is only forbidding an inimical political agenda and ideology, for the sake of preserving our nation and its identity as a beacon of hope, religious freedom and liberty of human conscience.

Only those who can agree to assimilate, as much as their own conscience may allow, and to support our country should be allowed to immigrate. And those who can swear without any mental reservations or hidden agendas to willingly sacrifice in order to preserve our beloved nation and its Constitutional government are welcome to become full citizens.

For further investigation:
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_civil_religion
and:
Religion for Breakfast, YouTube, "American Civil Religion Series"

The Great Theodrama:

In our world today, we have been taught by our societies that the meaning of life is whatever we make of it. We are told to follow our dreams, that if we make a career out of what we love doing, we will never work a day in our lives. We are encouraged to choose the values that we want to pursue, and find our personal value in that pursuit. This is just like choosing your patron god or goddess from the pantheon in classical Greek and Roman times. We have been given wide-ranging authority to write our own story, and try to bring it to a happy ending. It's an ideology of political correctness, supported by the state.

But this has led to a cacophony of voices, all trying to out-shout one another. Like a street market lined with the stalls of many merchants, everyone wants to recruit some customers to help them build their dreams. But upon closer inspection, these small dreams are merely personal narratives. They lack any broader scope for bringing the world together in a grand vision, or for leading everyone forward to find joy in our daily lives.

By way of contrast, when we look around with an open heart, seeking to embrace the biggest Truth we can find, we discover that there is a God who created the world. And that God has been writing his own story, through every age. Unfortunately, the very earliest parts of the story didn't quite go as planned. He made Adam and Eve, and gave them free will. Those first parents of all humanity made a mistake, and ruined the first chapter of the story. The vast majority of people after that didn't want to listen to a God telling them how to live.

After that, God had to wait until He found the person who could be the father of a people whom He could lead. Finally, He found someone, right at the beginning of civilization. He started by talking to a man named Abram, and He gave him promises. God promised that this man's children and descendants would be cherished by God Himself, and be on stage in every great act of history. Abram agreed, so God changed his name to Abraham, and his descendants have been on the world stage ever since.

The children of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob have had several of their own chapters in history, culminating in God joining in and playing his own part as a man. Then from among those who listened and believed, He chose a few others to teach everyone else around the world about his plan. He promises shalom, blessing and salvation to all who will follow Him. The Jews mostly did not understand. But now in our days, some more of God's chosen people are understanding the sweep of his story, and agreeing to play a central part again.

And this is an outline of the story of that plan, a Drama composed by God, in many Acts and Revelations:

I. Creation - our job was to lead all creation in a chorus of praising the Creator.
  - we could enjoy companionship with God.
  - we would cultivate the Garden of Eden.
  - we were stewards, ordering nature in shalom.
  - we were meant to expand our handiwork and God's glory over the whole world.

II. The Fall - we looked away from God to instead follow our own agendas.
  - it compromises who we are.
  - our ability to imitate God is broken.
  - our tasks become onerous.
  - we can't get ourselves free from the debilitating consequences of sin.

III. Emerging Israel - God chooses a people to lead and teach how to live.
  - He wants us to learn how to walk in His ways.
  - He asks us to worship and relate to Him as He desires.
  - He is trying to shape a Holy people's hearts and minds.
  - we are still longing for a righteous king to lead us with wisdom and justice.

IV. Jesus Arrives - empowering the growth and fulfillment of Israel's mission.
  - He pronounces justice AND mercy.
  - God is here, walking with us.
  - He is a king who won't fail to follow God.
  - He is a brother and friend who understands us and knows our limitations.

V. Building the Church - we are sent to carry God's word out to all the world.
  - we are following with our hearts and minds.
  - we are being transformed into His likeness.
  - we are trying to establish justice in our societies.
  - let us build a spiritual kingdom of holy relationships among friends.

VI. The Rapture - many shall be chosen to ascend into the glory of the Heavens.
  - we shall build the physical kingdoms of God.
  - we would divide sheep from goats (and cast out wolves).
  - we want to live together in peace and caring.
  - we may someday learn how to overcome the plagues caused by sin and selfishness.

VII. Welcome Home - we shall spread the beauty of life throughout all creation.
  - angelic ambassadors come to visit.
  - we are given a choice: peculiarity or assimilation.
  - we can make barren wastelands bloom.
  - we may join God's Realm, living with consensus, collaboration and shared intention.

This is what could be, if we turn back from our stiff-necked insistence upon our own agendas, and stop seeking our own self-aggrandizement of power, wealth and the praise of men. Rather, let us follow the path of true wisdom, play our appointed parts in the divine drama, and trust Him. We must do as Jesus points the way, to "seek first the Kingdom of God, and his righteousness, and all of these things will be added unto you."

God's story has always been an interactive drama, in which at every point, the players are given a choice, to have faith and follow instructions, or trust in their own wisdom and go their own way. Of course, fools think they are wise, but God accepts the return of those who ask forgiveness. God continually warns us of times of tribulation and winnowing, when we shall suffer for the sins that we refuse to let pass away. But He would far rather give us blessings and the fulfillment of his promises, and come to share with us in companionship. He rejoices when He can fill our hearts with gladness.

As usual, God has divided our tasks in this world from his, as creator of the Cosmos. He gives us the purpose for doing things, according to his "why," so that we can follow his will. But He leaves for us to do the "how," and to figure that out in our own time, whenever we are ready to understand it, spiritually as well as scientifically. We must be persistent enough to dig out the secrets we need to accomplish it.

Moreover, He can't give this future to us if we grasp after it unworthily, and try to take it for ourselves without acknowledging Him. That was the cause of our original fall from grace. If we do that, we will end up fighting among ourselves, and in so doing, we may bring about our own last judgment. We are so close to meeting our challenge, about to embark upon a new era. Let us not proceed in haste, but with prayer and wisdom. We are almost ready to begin to enjoy the first fruits of salvation, if not yet the ultimate glory of Heaven.

May God have mercy upon us, and defend us against our own foolishness, as well as against the interference and provocation of our adversaries. Amen.