I should explain what the logo is meant to be representing. The guy is a pen, which is me, which comes from my first poem in Philosophy Core, called Creative Process, where I refer to myself as doing Tai Chi, with my pen being my body. The idea is based on ”the pen is mightier than the sword” so I created ”the Bible is mightier than the pen”.
The Bible is shooting out flames because in Ephesians it talks about spiritual warfare and the Bible is the only armament that is offensive. (It means offensive instead of defensive. These are common terms used in combat. The sword is the only spiritual weapon. All the other armaments expressed in Ephesians are protective and defensive in nature like a shield, a helmet, a breastplate, etc.) The flames are meant as in James when it talks about being purified by fire or struggles with temptation in our lives. Isaiah also was purified by a live coal to his lips by a Seraphim. So the usage of fire is not evil or anything violent. Think of it as purifying.
I would ideally like it to show the sword turned inward to his chest, symbolizing like in many fantasy books that when they defeat the great evil force in the world, they are left with the greatest task, which is to defeat the evil within. The Bible is said to be a 2 sided sword, with the ability to cut between bone and marrow, and show the truth. Christ’s tongue is said to be a 2 edged sword in Revelations, to defeat the Devil with. The reason I didn’t show this is it looks like he is committing suicide.
The spiritual warfare is not against people, ideas, or even spirits. It is about fighting for the purity of our own minds. It is an internal thing. Like the Native American proverb ”my greatest enemy is myself.” This purity is in regard to our own sins and does not refer to purity in any other sense. But this is a process, not an outcome, as it is not possible for us to live without sin.
This warfare is only spiritual in the sense that it is not militant, social, economic, or political. This is for my own moral and ethical development and consists of practical qualities I try, with Christ’s help, to cultivate like humility, compassion, kindness, and seriousness and do not correspond to anything supernatural.
My text books and picture books contain most of my work over the past 10 years. These include my reading of some 235 books containing the philosophical and religious thinking of the worlds cultures for several thousand years and the application of the main themes of some of the major Old Testament Prophets and major works of the New Testament.
The main point of this work is to get people to stopping living their lives with their minds, but instead follow their hearts. I bring a radically different combination of viewpoints that you have not heard of before. I am not asking people to follow what I have written, but rather let the words stir up some sort of emotional response in your heart.
I challenge my readers to come up with their own unique ideas and that can lead the world in a new direction. We need a much broader diversity of ideas in our culture to deal with the problems we are facing in America and throughout the rest of the world.
For more books and information, visit me on the web at http://benjamin-newton.com/
Feel free to send me e-mail regarding the books and website at mailto:ben@benjamin-newton.com I even enjoy constructive criticism
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separated, added on to, or modified in any manner.
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In The Free Thinking Christian series, I showed how the Bible teaches us to be both humble and compassionate as well as kind and serious, and in Justice and Hope, I talked about how God calls us to both have hope in everlasting life but also to work towards class justice here on earth. In Total Person and Society, I unite the predominantly atheist view that sees the person as composed only of body and mind and the predominantly Christian view that the body and mind are entirely manifestations of sin. The paradox of people living as spiritual beings while still existing in the flesh and the mind is what this book is about, as the Bible ministers to the entirety of the person and the society they live in. This book was mainly inspired by Isaiah, Psalms, and parts of the New Testament as well as Ayn Rand, Hannah Arendt, Fashionology, and several lesser known Existentialists.
The mystic makes a choice
To follow his heart
In the face of the cravings
Of his stomach
And the projections of his mind
He reaches out for truth
Stretching his physical body
To the very limits
So that he may purify
His very average soul
Mysticism is not about
Supernatural powers
Or about an expanded mind
It is not about
Living in poverty
Either physical or spiritual
It is not based on
Hidden techniques
Or secret writings
Mystics do not wish
To see visions
Or witness the paranormal
Living as a mystic
Is a way of life
It is an ethics
That is all encompassing
It is not primarily
About self control
It is not shrouded in mystery
There are no rituals
And there is nothing hidden
Or reserved for those
With greater abilities
In discipline or intelligence
Mysticism is an attitude
It is the act of
Drawing closer to God
In many ways
There is no path
And there is no destination
There is just the person
And his Creator
A mystic does not withdraw
From human society
The mystic can have
A number of friends
A mystic should be sociable
And out going
But he does not need
To be a teacher
Mysticism is about action
As well as thoughts
Focusing on correct thoughts
Overflows into compassion
You start with humility
And you cary it out
Into helping those in need
The mystic lives the Gospel
According to Luke
Our thoughts flash
Like lightening
Across our mind
In an instant
We leap from
Joy to frustration
From peace to anger
Our minds are
Our perception
And the basis
For our consciousness
Everything we think
Everything we know
Travels across
The frontiers of our brain
We live in the world
According to the whims
Of what our brain
Decides to reveal
There is no event
That we experience
Out of the world
Of our own minds
When we think
We are objective
We show our ignorance
Schizophrenia is a root-kit
In our brains
When the mind
Is compromised
We will never know
How it affects
What we know
To be true
What we feel
And the reality
We live in
The icy wind cuts
Through my heart
The darkness is complete
When my heart aches most
It is in the last hours
Before the sun rises
That the night
Penetrates deepest
In each moment
Of the complete silence
The imagination grows
Impossible noises
Until they are deafening
When it is cold
Or when the sky
Is covered in dark clouds
There is room for magic
And the imagination
Comes by in full force
What we feel
In the distant places
Of our sleeping mind
Comes alive to dance
Through our waking reality
The times of darkness
Bring memories of familiarity
And the stillness
Reminds us of potential
Worlds of fantasy
My heart is forged
Out of cold metal
The fire melts
My harsh exterior
The freezing water
Strengthens my will
My heart grows
In intensity of tempo
I fan the flames
And breathe life
Into the white coals
I am continually beaten
Until my blade
Can survive the striking
Of my opponent
My heart is only ready
When my blood has warmed
And my lungs are fully
Expanding and retracting
Early morning hunger
Is invigorating and helpful
Late night hunger
Is depressing and sad
I stretch wide
My stomach walls
As I yawn and flex
With each sigh and step
My stomach moves in concert
With all my other organs
With each word and breathe
The stomach expands and contracts
We see our stomachs
As part of digestion
And little more
Feeling come from the bowels
And the stomach turns
With each thought of
Anticipation and reflection
Our stomachs are our center
Our pathway to sustenance
Both spiritual and physical
We feel bounty and plenty
With our stomachs
We praise God
From the bottom of our stomachs
We say no
To what our stomach desires
Everyone has a perspective
Everyone has opinions
There is nothing theological
That is not influenced by philosophy
We do not live in a vacuum
And ideas come from somewhere
There are no new philosophies
Just restatements done with less eloquence
There is no way to only study the Bible
We are only fooling ourselves
And no one else
We cannot distance ourselves
From our own foolishness
We are corrupt to the core
It is not possible to read the Bible
Without prejudice and without feelings
The Bible is not meant to be
A list of rules or a systematic theology
Don’t you think there is a reason
That there are so many views on
Every branch of theology?
The Bible is not meant to be interpreted
The same by the entire church
The Bible is not about a set theology
No one will ever uncover
The full philosophy of the Bible
The greatest theologians
Have only scratched the surface
And were wrong more times
Than they were right
Verses don’t mean just one thing
The Bible should not
Be read in any set order
Verses should not stand alone
There are no hidden meanings
But few meanings have been found
There is more to a single phrase
Than can be understood
By the human mind in all eternity
And the Bible is only one small part
Of who God is
To say we were only influenced by the Bible
Or that we believe what the Bible says
Does not adequately explain our beliefs
We have presuppositions and experiences
But these aren’t necessarily stumbling blocks
Feelings are great and mental exercises are of use
But we need to reflect on our background
Or we will be repeating the mistakes
Of even the greatest of theologians
It is ok to not be right on even the main points
To disagree creates a healthy diversity
The church does not need core beliefs
Our doctrines only hold us back
There is more to life than theology
And there is more to the Bible
Than your statements of faith
When you make claims
Which you use Scripture
To support your position
It is not honest
When you don’t state
Your intentions up front
And explain your background
We are not merely spiritual beings
We are not just vessels
Of God’s will
We have our own
Hopes, desires, and dreams
We are not pure spirits
With empty minds
There is a psychology
To religious beliefs
Ideas don’t come
Out of a vacuum
We cannot wall ourselves
Off from unbelievers
We cannot understand
Our culture expect by
Reading books
Besides the Bible
Our minds are sponges
And we absorb ideas
From places we are
Often unaware
This is the use of
The study of philosophy
We get impressions
From many venues
We just assume
They are all from the Bible
Just because we are Christians
What we come up with
Is not independent
Of our culture and history
Ideas influence us
In subtle and surprising ways
We do not need to read a book
To be influenced by capitalism
Or to evaluate atheism
We are part of a larger
Ecosystem of dialogue
Great thinkers build
On what others have said
Christian and otherwise
Great theologians study philosophy
Some of the greatest philosophers
Were trained as theologians first
The early church adopted
Many ideas from Greek paganism
There is no way to be purely Christian
Without affection and sympathies
Scripture is not meant
To be understood intellectually
Nor by our feelings alone
Although Scripture ministers
To all areas of our person
We should keep our focus
On the heart and the will
It is good to have diversity
Especially in opinion and perspective
The Bible is not meant
To be interpreted in just one way
We don’t need an entire denomination
To be in agreement on any doctrine
Don’t you think there is a reason
Why no one can agree
Or that theologians were interested
In such different topics
Throughout divergent eras?
The more widespread the views
The harder it is to see a pattern
God deliberately designed the Bible
To be poetic instead of legalistic
God could have just written
A list of rules and left it at that
We could just turn off our brains entirely
But that is not God’s nature
He wants us to make rational decisions
And for different people
To go into different directions
And to see the Bible from different views
We have to realize that God speaks
To our entire person
That God is spirit and flesh
Christianity is not meant to be an organization
Or to have a rigid structure
Even the Bible explains salvation
Differently every time
All believers will enter Heaven by grace
But each will do it in a different way
Most people work a 9 to 5 job
They put the required effort
In their jobs
And they are content
With the results
They don’t commit themselves
Totally to anything
But there are situations
Some of us find ourselves in
Where there is no downtime
There are no breaks
Time to sleep is minimal
Safety is non existent
And there is no method
Of getting away from prime time
When you enlist in the Army
Your life is no longer your own
Joining is the last decision you make
Your intelligence is of no use
And your training a waste of time
There is no way you can get prepared
For a life without freedom
When you lived a life with
Choices for everything
There is only one way to march
One way to shoot a rifle
There is one way to make your bed
And there is only one way
To don your protective mask
There is one way to throw a grenade
And one way to dig a foxhole
There is no time to think about
Theories of war or the Geneva conventions
There is never a time when you
Can let your guard down
Your life is totally committed
You have your reasons for enlisting
But they matter less and less
Enlistment is a one way tunnel
And there are no stops or ways out
You can shoot yourself in the foot
But then your job will just be harder
You can follow your job to the letter
And yet be valued the same
As the biggest screw-up
You could follow directions exactly
And still get captured
The others fail you all the time
But if you ever fail them
The cost is enormous
If you fail to listen to instructions
You could be the next victim
Of the war on terror
You could pay attention to
Every last detail
And still end up needing to be
Identified by DNA
When you are committed
Even when voluntarily
There is no escape
From the terror
Your days pass by
With hours of no memory
The pain takes weeks
To lessen noticeably
You must stay in Hell
And there is no quick way out
You are not informed of your rights
But it would not matter
You still could never understand
You are not in your right mind
The doctor controls your fate
You can be sent to the state hospital
And never be released
Or get out in a couple weeks
You have no choice
What really scares you
Are others like yourself
You are all in the same boat
You cannot get out
Until you are scanned
You are crammed into
A small tunnel
And you cannot leave
Until they are done
You cannot see out
And they cannot give you
Enough tranquilizers to calm you
You want to return to normal
But you cannot work
For at least a year
Or you will never get
Your state pension
You have to wait another year
For low income housing
If you are lucky
You have family
Who can and will take you in
And who will do your paperwork
None of it starts until
You know about it and register
If you live on the street
You are stuck being homeless
And there is little hope
Of being able to get out
It is a real shock
The first time a person
Realizes that old people
Are rude and mean
This is the generation
Of entitlement
Social Security was designed
Not for the poor but for the rich
Senior citizens think
Everybody owes them
They think that because
They won World War II
That they are superior
To the following generations
They think we get off easy
Because inflation has raised
Our minimum wage
They think because we have
Less real money than them
That it is because we didn’t
Work hard enough
They are out of touch
With current events
They think that Iraq
Was responsible for 9/11
They don’t know the difference
Between Iran and Iraq
They still don’t trust Germans
Or the Japanese
They are sensitive about
Communism even though
It was defeated over 15 years ago
They talk about their
Grotesque health problems
And never bathe
They are racist and prejudiced
They act like children
But think young people
Are immature
They are mostly uneducated
And they just sit around
All the time
They hate technology
Or any invention of the
Last 25 years
They don’t like music
That was composed
In the 50s or later
They sing nursery rhymes
And can’t remember who they are
This was my experience
Living in a retirement home
In my mid twenties
For thou hast been a strength to the poor, a strength to the needy in his distress, a refuge from the storm, a shadow from the heat, when the blast of the terrible ones is as a storm against the wall.
And therefore will the Lord wait, that he may be gracious unto you, and therefore will he be exalted, that he may have mercy upon you: for the Lord is a God of judgment: blessed are all they that wait for him. For the people shall dwell in Zion at Jerusalem: thou shalt weep no more: he will be very gracious unto thee at the voice of thy cry; when he shall hear it, he will answer thee. And though the Lord give you the bread of adversity, and the water of affliction, yet shall not thy teachers be removed into a corner any more, but thine eyes shall see thy teachers: And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left.
But thou, Israel, art my servant, Jacob whom I have chosen, the seed of Abraham my friend. Thou whom I have taken from the ends of the earth, and called thee from the chief men thereof, and said unto thee, Thou art my servant; I have chosen thee, and not cast thee away. Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness. Behold, all they that were incensed against thee shall be ashamed and confounded: they shall be as nothing; and they that strive with thee shall perish. Thou shalt seek them, and shalt not find them, even them that contended with thee: they that war against thee shall be as nothing, and as a thing of nought. For I the Lord thy God will hold thy right hand, saying unto thee, Fear not; I will help thee. Fear not, thou worm Jacob, and ye men of Israel; I will help thee, saith the Lord, and thy redeemer, the Holy One of Israel. Behold, I will make thee a new sharp threshing instrument having teeth: thou shalt thresh the mountains, and beat them small, and shalt make the hills as chaff. Thou shalt fan them, and the wind shall carry them away, and the whirlwind shall scatter them: and thou shalt rejoice in the Lord, and shalt glory in the Holy One of Israel. When the poor and needy seek water, and there is none, and their tongue faileth for thirst, I the Lord will hear them, I the God of Israel will not forsake them. I will open rivers in high places, and fountains in the midst of the valleys: I will make the wilderness a pool of water, and the dry land springs of water. I will plant in the wilderness the cedar, the shittah tree, and the myrtle, and the oil tree; I will set in the desert the fir tree, and the pine, and the box tree together: That they may see, and know, and consider, and understand together, that the hand of the Lord hath done this, and the Holy One of Israel hath created it.
Thus saith the Lord, In an acceptable time have I heard thee, and in a day of salvation have I helped thee: and I will preserve thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, to establish the earth, to cause to inherit the desolate heritages; That thou mayest say to the prisoners, Go forth; to them that are in darkness, Shew yourselves. They shall feed in the ways, and their pastures shall be in all high places. They shall not hunger nor thirst; neither shall the heat nor sun smite them: for he that hath mercy on them shall lead them, even by the springs of water shall he guide them. And I will make all my mountains a way, and my highways shall be exalted. Behold, these shall come from far: and, lo, these from the north and from the west; and these from the land of Sinim. Sing, O heavens; and be joyful, O earth; and break forth into singing, O mountains: for the Lord hath comforted his people, and will have mercy upon his afflicted.
The Lord God hath opened mine ear, and I was not rebellious, neither turned away back. I gave my back to the smiters, and my cheeks to them that plucked off the hair: I hid not my face from shame and spitting. For the Lord God will help me; therefore shall I not be confounded: therefore have I set my face like a flint, and I know that I shall not be ashamed. He is near that justifieth me; who will contend with me? let us stand together: who is mine adversary? let him come near to me. Behold, the Lord God will help me; who is he that shall condemn me? lo, they all shall wax old as a garment; the moth shall eat them up. Who is among you that feareth the Lord, that obeyeth the voice of his servant, that walketh in darkness, and hath no light? let him trust in the name of the Lord, and stay upon his God.
For the Lord shall comfort Zion: he will comfort all her waste places; and he will make her wilderness like Eden, and her desert like the garden of the Lord; joy and gladness shall be found therein, thanksgiving, and the voice of melody. Hearken unto me, my people; and give ear unto me, O my nation: for a law shall proceed from me, and I will make my judgment to rest for a light of the people. My righteousness is near; my salvation is gone forth, and mine arms shall judge the people; the isles shall wait upon me, and on mine arm shall they trust. Lift up your eyes to the heavens, and look upon the earth beneath: for the heavens shall vanish away like smoke, and the earth shall wax old like a garment, and they that dwell therein shall die in like manner: but my salvation shall be for ever, and my righteousness shall not be abolished. Hearken unto me, ye that know righteousness, the people in whose heart is my law; fear ye not the reproach of men, neither be ye afraid of their revilings. For the moth shall eat them up like a garment, and the worm shall eat them like wool: but my righteousness shall be for ever, and my salvation from generation to generation. Awake, awake, put on strength, O arm of the Lord; awake, as in the ancient days, in the generations of old. Art thou not it that hath cut Rahab, and wounded the dragon? Art thou not it which hath dried the sea, the waters of the great deep; that hath made the depths of the sea a way for the ransomed to pass over? Therefore the redeemed of the Lord shall return, and come with singing unto Zion; and everlasting joy shall be upon their head: they shall obtain gladness and joy; and sorrow and mourning shall flee away. I, even I, am he that comforteth you: who art thou, that thou shouldest be afraid of a man that shall die, and of the son of man which shall be made as grass; And forgettest the Lord thy maker, that hath stretched forth the heavens, and laid the foundations of the earth; and hast feared continually every day because of the fury of the oppressor, as if he were ready to destroy? and where is the fury of the oppressor?
Fear not; for thou shalt not be ashamed: neither be thou confounded; for thou shalt not be put to shame: for thou shalt forget the shame of thy youth, and shalt not remember the reproach of thy widowhood any more. For thy Maker is thine husband; the Lord of hosts is his name; and thy Redeemer the Holy One of Israel; The God of the whole earth shall he be called. For the Lord hath called thee as a woman forsaken and grieved in spirit, and a wife of youth, when thou wast refused, saith thy God. For a small moment have I forsaken thee; but with great mercies will I gather thee. In a little wrath I hid my face from thee for a moment; but with everlasting kindness will I have mercy on thee, saith the Lord thy Redeemer. For this is as the waters of Noah unto me: for as I have sworn that the waters of Noah should no more go over the earth; so have I sworn that I would not be wroth with thee, nor rebuke thee. For the mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed; but my kindness shall not depart from thee, neither shall the covenant of my peace be removed, saith the Lord that hath mercy on thee. O thou afflicted, tossed with tempest, and not comforted, behold, I will lay thy stones with fair colours, and lay thy foundations with sapphires. And I will make thy windows of agates, and thy gates of carbuncles, and all thy borders of pleasant stones. And all thy children shall be taught of the Lord; and great shall be the peace of thy children. In righteousness shalt thou be established: thou shalt be far from oppression; for thou shalt not fear: and from terror; for it shall not come near thee. Behold, they shall surely gather together, but not by me: whosoever shall gather together against thee shall fall for thy sake. Behold, I have created the smith that bloweth the coals in the fire, and that bringeth forth an instrument for his work; and I have created the waster to destroy. No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and their righteousness is of me, saith the Lord.
Is not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke? Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house? when thou seest the naked, that thou cover him; and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh? Then shall thy light break forth as the morning, and thine health shall spring forth speedily: and thy righteousness shall go before thee; the glory of the Lord shall be thy rereward. Then shalt thou call, and the Lord shall answer; thou shalt cry, and he shall say, Here I am. If thou take away from the midst of thee the yoke, the putting forth of the finger, and speaking vanity; And if thou draw out thy soul to the hungry, and satisfy the afflicted soul; then shall thy light rise in obscurity, and thy darkness be as the noonday: And the Lord shall guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in drought, and make fat thy bones: and thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not. And they that shall be of thee shall build the old waste places: thou shalt raise up the foundations of many generations; and thou shalt be called, The repairer of the breach, The restorer of paths to dwell in.
The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me; because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn; To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he might be glorified. And they shall build the old wastes, they shall raise up the former desolations, and they shall repair the waste cities, the desolations of many generations. And strangers shall stand and feed your flocks, and the sons of the alien shall be your plowmen and your vinedressers. But ye shall be named the Priests of the Lord: men shall call you the Ministers of our God: ye shall eat the riches of the Gentiles, and in their glory shall ye boast yourselves. For your shame ye shall have double; and for confusion they shall rejoice in their portion: therefore in their land they shall possess the double: everlasting joy shall be unto them. For I the Lord love judgment, I hate robbery for burnt offering; and I will direct their work in truth, and I will make an everlasting covenant with them. And their seed shall be known among the Gentiles, and their offspring among the people: all that see them shall acknowledge them, that they are the seed which the Lord hath blessed. I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels. For as the earth bringeth forth her bud, and as the garden causeth the things that are sown in it to spring forth; so the Lord God will cause righteousness and praise to spring forth before all the nations.
I will mention the lovingkindnesses of the Lord, and the praises of the Lord, according to all that the Lord hath bestowed on us, and the great goodness toward the house of Israel, which he hath bestowed on them according to his mercies, and according to the multitude of his lovingkindnesses. For he said, Surely they are my people, children that will not lie: so he was their Saviour. In all their affliction he was afflicted, and the angel of his presence saved them: in his love and in his pity he redeemed them; and he bare them, and carried them all the days of old.
Rejoice ye with Jerusalem, and be glad with her, all ye that love her: rejoice for joy with her, all ye that mourn for her: That ye may suck, and be satisfied with the breasts of her consolations; that ye may milk out, and be delighted with the abundance of her glory. For thus saith the Lord, Behold, I will extend peace to her like a river, and the glory of the Gentiles like a flowing stream: then shall ye suck, ye shall be borne upon her sides, and be dandled upon her knees. As one whom his mother comforteth, so will I comfort you; and ye shall be comforted in Jerusalem. And when ye see this, your heart shall rejoice, and your bones shall flourish like an herb: and the hand of the Lord shall be known toward his servants, and his indignation toward his enemies.
This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope. It is of the Lord’s mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness. The Lord is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him. The Lord is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him. It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the Lord. It is good for a man that he bear the yoke in his youth. He sitteth alone and keepeth silence, because he hath borne it upon him. He putteth his mouth in the dust; if so be there may be hope. He giveth his cheek to him that smiteth him: he is filled full with reproach. For the Lord will not cast off for ever: But though he cause grief, yet will he have compassion according to the multitude of his mercies. For he doth not afflict willingly nor grieve the children of men.
The Lord is good, a strong hold in the day of trouble; and he knoweth them that trust in him
Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted. Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth. Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled. Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God. Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God. Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.
But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid
And when the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her, and said unto her, Weep not.
Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.
And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.
Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.
Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God. For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ
. 21
For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.
For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps: Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth: Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously: Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.
Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.
Conservatives say that
It is un American
To challenge the power
Of multinational corporations
But how American
Are these companies?
They don’t pay any taxes
To the American government
They don’t employ US workers
They are invested in by
Unstable dictatorships
Countries in the Middle East
Their bank accounts are in
Offshore islands
Or Swiss banks
Our enemy during the cold war
Was communism
And millions died for this cause
But what were we fighting for?
Democracy isn’t the opposite of communism
Anymore than medicine
Is the opposite of sociology
How could people be against communism?
A more equitable distribution of wealth
Should fit in comfortably
In a country with a distribution of power
What we were really fighting was dictatorship
But we supported other dictators
The only thing that differentiated
Our ”communist” enemies from
Our dictator friends
Was who would open their markets
Their raw materials and cheap labor
To multi-national corporations
To sap every drop of possible profit from
The reality is that no one has ever
Or would ever give up power willingly
The only reason why we can speak freely
In America is because our souls
Are bought and paid for in full
The only way the government would allow
Government that is voted in office
Is if they had absolute control over the media
We can say whatever we want in America
So long as no one hears it or doesn’t act on it
We are afraid of being attacked without warning
We lost 3,000 of our people
Those in the Middle East are tired of being victims
Of American violence
We have killed off hundreds of thousands of them
And we are fighting the wrong nation
It is just like how the police in America
Don’t bother to solve crimes
But rather find the nearest person of color
To be a scapegoat to appease the grieving
Who is really a threat to who?
A few thousand poor people
With improvised weapons living in tents
Or the most wealthy nation in the world
Which has the capability to fight the entire
Rest of the world together and win
We spend more in a day on war
Than our entire annual budget for education
The president thinks it is a waste of money
To offer free medical care for the poor
But keeps on donating money to the rich
Who have drove their companies into the ground
We spend more on software
That we could get a better version for free
Than the annual salary of the person
Operating the computer
In a third world country
Our kids take drugs to escape from reality
And that finances the Middle Eastern terrorists
We invade their country but won’t
Destroy the crops that it comes from
For fear of alienating ourselves from the locals
There is an easy solution
It is against the religious beliefs of those
Who are growing the drugs to continue with it
So all we need to do is guarantee them the same money
From selling something that is not a drug
But our government is really afraid of
Alienating the muti-national corporations
That got the government elected
Man does not live on bread alone
What is best for man
Is not limited to what is best
For his taste-buds
And for his sensual enjoyment
A person has more needs
Than food clothing and shelter
Man needs a good relationship
With God with other people
And with the animals and plants
And his entire ecosystem
Which is primarily spiritual
What we see is not all there is
What we can sense is not eternal
Satisfying our feelings
And maintaining physical health
Is not the entire picture
People have hearts and souls
They need to help others
They need to give of themselves
This may not be a balanced accounting
In the realm of money
But the heart and the soul
Have needs as well
What the body craves can actually
Destroy the mind
What the mind craves can
Destroy the heart
We need to know there is more
To life than eating and sleeping
What we need to be satisfied
Is in the giving of ourselves
To our Heavenly Father first
In humility and reverence
And to those who are in need
Who are physically, emotionally, or spiritually
Hungry and malnourished
We need to sacrifice our own needs
So that we both may live better lives
It is bad to be a slave to work
But it is worse to be a slave to your belly
This is the problem
With solutions to problems
That are only economic
This is why communism and capitalism
Both fail at improving lives
Like treating medical problems
Without awareness of the patients minds
Does not guarantee good health
It does not matter how much money
You have or how protected you are
If you cannot make the lives
Of anyone else better
Than how can you call yourself human?
Even animals help other animals in need
Even plants provide for life
Giving of themselves
And returning the resources back
When they part with life
The point of a business is to make money
At least theoretically
And a corporation only has a responsibility
To its shareholders
There is nothing to be gained
By society as a whole
Even if the business advances technology
Or extends our lives
Because it is doing it at the cost
Of other people and animal’s welfare
To live happy and fulfilling lives
We do not need cell phones
Or computer games
Having a more powerful military
Does not guarantee we will win wars
Having the best education system
Does not mean there will be no crime
Immunizing people against diseases
Does not guarantee a long life
Man does not live on bread alone
Some people say we need
Objective standards to live by
So that we can all agree
On what is right and wrong
We make all these turns of logic
And people are then
Afraid to make choices
Or more likely turned off by
Ethics in particular
Or philosophy in general
We do not need to understand
The phenomenology of Hegel
To know what is right
Is it surprising that basic laws
Are similar across belief systems
And that people still find
The Bible is relevant to them?
Is it a wonder that atheists
Are much more likely
To be afraid of death?
There are absolutes
And this does not mean
That we can be objective
But rather that the Creator
Of the multi-verses
Actually exists
That we are responsible
For our own actions
Whether or not we claim
We didn’t understand
Do businessman really
Believe if being honest
That killing off an entire species
Or leveling an entire forest
Or experimenting on animals
Or wiping out an entire civilization
Is not wrong?
People lie and rationalize
God doesn’t
Why do we need rules?
Why can we just live
By doing what helps ourselves?
How do we define
What helps ourselves?
Is there no such thing as generosity?
Do we think that all our desires
Could be satisfied on our own?
Could we have a society
Where everyone did whatever
Gained him the most
And ignored the spiritual dimension?
Spiritual forces are at play
And are involved in every thought
And action we make
Denying that there is a God
Does not make it so
And getting rid of religion
Because some people abused it
Does not solve the real problem
The real problem is that
When we seek to satisfy
Our own desires
And do not keep our focus on God
And on those in need
Our desires escalate
First, we are fed with bread
Then, all we want is cake
Then all we want to have is a job
Then all we want is to be middle class
Then all we want is a car
Then all we want is a house
Then all we want is a wife
Then all we want is a family
But seeking all these
For the benefit of just yourself
Adds up to a very sad world
That no one would want to live in
Do you ever wonder what
Car companies would do
If wheel technology was patented?
How would we communicate
If the English language was copyrighted?
What if libraries were illegal?
How could people afford to do research?
What if we didn’t have free education?
What if there were no scholarships?
The point is that even the universe
Did not come out of a vacuum
We are all interrelated to each other
And we all have had help
No one is a self made man
Businesses get more government money
Than those on welfare
We need to see to our whole
Community and its welfare
If we are to live in peace with each other
Communism has failed
And yet it has never actually been tried
We associate freedom
With domination by monopolies
And morality with corruption
The whole world is oriented
Around how to make a few people
Even richer than they are now
The only developments we see
Are first applied to warfare
Or they receive no funds
We want to minimize our losses
But if they are not Americans
We don’t care how many suffer
Even those who are our allies
Unless they are white
We are only limited in
The deployment of violence
By our fear of retaliation
But that is not great
In a world we dominate
In every sense of the word
We can afford to launch
Preventative wars against countries
Who are driven by morality
Just because we have no values
We think freedom is about money
And the only sin is enjoying sex
We think that people’s behavior
In their bedrooms
Is more important than what
Others do in boardrooms
We think we are so different
Than our greatest enemies
But we really see life the same way
They only hate us because we are rich
And we only persecute them
Because we use different vocabulary
Giving money to those in need
Is considered corruption
And our only values
Are about saving money
Because their may be inefficiency
In the government running welfare
We get rid of it entirely
There is less and less of a middle class
And people only think they are
Because they keep changing
The meaning of the word
We are continuing to get poorer
More in spirit than money
But we keep on voting
For those who created our problems
The word liberal is so vilified
That the average American
Thinks the poor should be punished
We keep on taxing alcohol and tobacco
With no restraint
And no one speaks out for the poor
But even our poor
Are rich by the world’s standards
But no one considers Africa
Or anywhere there isn’t oil
We only treat those in the
Middle East as people
To the extent that we
Are addicted to oil
We know we are running out
But it is considered un-American
To use alternatives or to conserve
American values consumerism
Most our economy is based on spending
The only thing our government
Asks of us is to get ourselves into debt
For things we don’t need
Or even care much about
The ideas of Marx and Engels
Are very much alive
Their solution would never work
But their statement of the problem
Is as relevant today as when
They first wrote it
The difference is that the proletariat
Is in the Third World
But anyone who isn’t white
We really have no time for
We have long since defeated
What we call communism
And yet we still think it alive
And fear it alone
Basically we equate any idea
Of justice or peace
As a ruse to a dictatorship
The only people we trust
Are the cowards that send
Our children to war
And spend their time in office
Finding ways to make themselves richer
With no thought as to the consequences
We think that war means peace
And that evil is good
We claim to be a Christian nation
And yet our values
Are whatever makes the most money
We don’t care if the corporations
Control the government
We call this democracy
And claim that is what we fight for
But the only people that win
Are those supplying the weapons
Our heads of state are capitalists
And the only thing that motivates them
Is the interests of those with
The most money
Because they never spend any of it
But on charities that get them more money
They are considered good and moral
We think that every rich man
Got his wealth by his work alone
And the only way God blesses us
Is by making us materially rich
Christ would be a liberal
And that makes Christians mad
Because that means they are in the wrong
They are too busy persecuting
Those who look Middle Eastern to them
Than to think about compassion or humility
They see Christ as a conqueror
Basically Rome is their God
They only pray to God
Because they think that will help them
Win more wars
Like a superstition they pick and choose
Obscure references and equate them
With invented meanings
They are right on every detail
Of every subtlety of cultural meaning
And yet miss the main ideas
How is the faithful city become an harlot! it was full of judgment; righteousness lodged in it; but now murderers. Thy silver is become dross, thy wine mixed with water: Thy princes are rebellious, and companions of thieves: every one loveth gifts, and followeth after rewards: they judge not the fatherless, neither doth the cause of the widow come unto them. Therefore saith the Lord, the Lord of hosts, the mighty One of Israel, Ah, I will ease me of mine adversaries, and avenge me of mine enemies: And I will turn my hand upon thee, and purely purge away thy dross, and take away all thy tin:
All ye beasts of the field, come to devour, yea, all ye beasts in the forest. His watchmen are blind: they are all ignorant, they are all dumb dogs, they cannot bark; sleeping, lying down, loving to slumber. Yea, they are greedy dogs which can never have enough, and they are shepherds that cannot understand: they all look to their own way, every one for his gain, from his quarter. Come ye, say they, I will fetch wine, and we will fill ourselves with strong drink; and to morrow shall be as this day, and much more abundant.
Therefore I am full of the fury of the Lord; I am weary with holding in: I will pour it out upon the children abroad, and upon the assembly of young men together: for even the husband with the wife shall be taken, the aged with him that is full of days. And their houses shall be turned unto others, with their fields and wives together: for I will stretch out my hand upon the inhabitants of the land, saith the Lord. For from the least of them even unto the greatest of them every one is given to covetousness; and from the prophet even unto the priest every one dealeth falsely.
Why then is this people of Jerusalem slidden back by a perpetual backsliding? they hold fast deceit, they refuse to return. I hearkened and heard, but they spake not aright: no man repented him of his wickedness, saying, What have I done? every one turned to his course, as the horse rusheth into the battle. Yea, the stork in the heaven knoweth her appointed times; and the turtle and the crane and the swallow observe the time of their coming; but my people know not the judgment of the Lord. How do ye say, We are wise, and the law of the Lord is with us? Lo, certainly in vain made he it; the pen of the scribes is in vain. The wise men are ashamed, they are dismayed and taken: lo, they have rejected the word of the Lord; and what wisdom is in them? Therefore will I give their wives unto others, and their fields to them that shall inherit them: for every one from the least even unto the greatest is given to covetousness, from the prophet even unto the priest every one dealeth falsely. For they have healed the hurt of the daughter of my people slightly, saying, Peace, peace; when there is no peace. Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination? nay, they were not at all ashamed, neither could they blush:
The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it? I the Lord search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings. As the partridge sitteth on eggs, and hatcheth them not; so he that getteth riches, and not by right, shall leave them in the midst of his days, and at his end shall be a fool.
Woe unto him that buildeth his house by unrighteousness, and his chambers by wrong; that useth his neighbour’s service without wages, and giveth him not for his work; That saith, I will build me a wide house and large chambers, and cutteth him out windows; and it is cieled with cedar, and painted with vermilion. Shalt thou reign, because thou closest thyself in cedar? did not thy father eat and drink, and do judgment and justice, and then it was well with him? He judged the cause of the poor and needy; then it was well with him: was not this to know me? saith the Lord. But thine eyes and thine heart are not but for thy covetousness, and for to shed innocent blood, and for oppression, and for violence, to do it.
Set up the standard upon the walls of Babylon, make the watch strong, set up the watchmen, prepare the ambushes: for the Lord hath both devised and done that which he spake against the inhabitants of Babylon. O thou that dwellest upon many waters, abundant in treasures, thine end is come, and the measure of thy covetousness.
In thee have they taken gifts to shed blood; thou hast taken usury and increase, and thou hast greedily gained of thy neighbours by extortion, and hast forgotten me, saith the Lord God. Behold, therefore I have smitten mine hand at thy dishonest gain which thou hast made, and at thy blood which hath been in the midst of thee. Can thine heart endure, or can thine hands be strong, in the days that I shall deal with thee? I the Lord have spoken it, and will do it. And I will scatter thee among the heathen, and disperse thee in the countries, and will consume thy filthiness out of thee.
And they come unto thee as the people cometh, and they sit before thee as my people, and they hear thy words, but they will not do them: for with their mouth they shew much love, but their heart goeth after their covetousness. And, lo, thou art unto them as a very lovely song of one that hath a pleasant voice, and can play well on an instrument: for they hear thy words, but they do them not. And when this cometh to pass, (lo, it will come,) then shall they know that a prophet hath been among them.
Woe to them that devise iniquity, and work evil upon their beds! when the morning is light, they practise it, because it is in the power of their hand. And they covet fields, and take them by violence; and houses, and take them away: so they oppress a man and his house, even a man and his heritage.
Hear this, I pray you, ye heads of the house of Jacob, and princes of the house of Israel, that abhor judgment, and pervert all equity. They build up Zion with blood, and Jerusalem with iniquity. The heads thereof judge for reward, and the priests thereof teach for hire, and the prophets thereof divine for money: yet will they lean upon the Lord, and say, Is not the Lord among us? none evil can come upon us. Therefore shall Zion for your sake be plowed as a field, and Jerusalem shall become heaps, and the mountain of the house as the high places of the forest.
The good man is perished out of the earth: and there is none upright among men: they all lie in wait for blood; they hunt every man his brother with a net. That they may do evil with both hands earnestly, the prince asketh, and the judge asketh for a reward; and the great man, he uttereth his mischievous desire: so they wrap it up. The best of them is as a brier: the most upright is sharper than a thorn hedge: the day of thy watchmen and thy visitation cometh; now shall be their perplexity.
Yea also, because he transgresseth by wine, he is a proud man, neither keepeth at home, who enlargeth his desire as hell, and is as death, and cannot be satisfied, but gathereth unto him all nations, and heapeth unto him all people:
Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.
He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful.
If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it. For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?
And, behold, one came and said unto him, Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life? And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments. He saith unto him, Which? Jesus said, Thou shalt do no murder, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Honour thy father and thy mother: and, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. The young man saith unto him, All these things have I kept from my youth up: what lack I yet? Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me. But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful: for he had great possessions. Then said Jesus unto his disciples, Verily I say unto you, That a rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven. And again I say unto you, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.
Tell us therefore, What thinkest thou? Is it lawful to give tribute unto Caesar, or not? But Jesus perceived their wickedness, and said, Why tempt ye me, ye hypocrites? Shew me the tribute money. And they brought unto him a penny. And he saith unto them, Whose is this image and superscription? They say unto him, Ceasar’s. Then saith he unto them, Render therefore unto Ceasar the things which are Ceasar’s; and unto God the things that are God’s.
And these are they which are sown among thorns; such as hear the word, And the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful.
That which cometh out of the man, that defileth the man. For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness: All these evil things come from within, and defile the man.
And one of the company said unto him, Master, speak to my brother, that he divide the inheritance with me. And he said unto him, Man, who made me a judge or a divider over you? And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man’s life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth. And he spake a parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully: And he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits? And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods. And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry. But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided? So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.
When thou makest a dinner or a supper, call not thy friends, nor thy brethren, neither thy kinsmen, nor thy rich neighbours; lest they also bid thee again, and a recompence be made thee. But when thou makest a feast, call the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind: And thou shalt be blessed; for they cannot recompense thee: for thou shalt be recompensed at the resurrection of the just.
Verily, verily, I say unto you, Ye seek me, not because ye saw the miracles, but because ye did eat of the loaves, and were filled. Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed.
And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient; Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, 31 Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful: Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.
But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat.
Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children; And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour. But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints; Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks. For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.
If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory. Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry: For which things’ sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience: In the which ye also walked some time, when ye lived in them. But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth. Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds; And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him
Brethren, be followers together of me, and mark them which walk so as ye have us for an ensample. (For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ: Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things.)
For our exhortation was not of deceit, nor of uncleanness, nor in guile: But as we were allowed of God to be put in trust with the gospel, even so we speak; not as pleasing men, but God, which trieth our hearts. For neither at any time used we flattering words, as ye know, nor a cloke of covetousness; God is witness: Nor of men sought we glory, neither of you, nor yet of others, when we might have been burdensome, as the apostles of Christ.
A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach; Not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre; but patient, not a brawler, not covetous; One that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity; (For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?)
He is proud, knowing nothing, but doting about questions and strifes of words, whereof cometh envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings, Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself. But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and raiment let us be therewith content. But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness.
This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts, Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith.
Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.
From whence come wars and fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members? Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not. Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts. Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God. Do ye think that the scripture saith in vain, The spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy? But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble. Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded. Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.
But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of. And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not.
Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.
Computers are more than products
We use for their utility
Computers are a method
Of showing where you fit
In society as a whole
People like to flock
To certain technologies
According to their generation
My parents’ generation
And older
Do not like computers at all
My generation uses computers
For research primarily
The next generation is interested
In virtual communities
And the sharing of their
Digital creations
My generation still reads books
To get information
But read the Internet
For current news
My parents generation
Still watches TV
Their parents read the newspaper
My generation plays
Computer games to socialize
And stay current
Computer have affected
All areas of life
But culture has been influenced
To the highest degree
Websites are becoming mainstream
For every kind of business
And people just assume
Everyone has email
Internet chat is mainstream
And so is interactivity
Web pages both visually
With animation and motion
And the ability to customize
And take ownership
In the web sites they frequent
Some do this simply with comments
While most major companies
Host blogs for employees
The campaigning for elections
Is focused on the Internet
More and more
Anyone can be a journalist now
Without any official office
And the independents
Publish more accurate information
Everything is going the route
Of paid for by advertisements
Some entire movies are an ad
And many times it is hard to tell
How much of the story
Is based around advertisements
Everyone now has a cell phone
Parents even buy ones
For small children
People send messages
And get email on tiny screens
They even view the web
In a screen of only
A few inches wide
Kids spend most their time
Sending text messages
To their friends
They have invented a
Whole new language
An abbreviated English
People usually spend
More money on their cell phones
Than on their computers
There are even games
For these tiny screens
The next generation
Is not content to wait
Until they get home
To work on their computers
They want to be in touch
At any time of the day
No matter what they are doing
It is common for people
To use cell phones
While driving in cars
They even take cell phone
On family vacations
And use them as babysitters
People now buy computers
Just for music
They spend as much
On their computer
As on their iPods
These devices hold
Tens of thousand of songs
They hold so many songs
That they can be listened to
For years without hearing
Any song twice
Kids can’t imagine
What they would do
Without access to music
Even while at school
Or adults while
They are at work
People are now buying
All their music online
They no longer
Buy entire albums
Or even put them
On audio CDs
They float around
On the Internet for free
But you can be
Sent to prison or fined
Big money for stealing
People even want to exercise
While listening to music
They expect to be able to
Run down the street
Without being able to
Hear cars coming
Our ticket to success
Is by how well we fit in
No one likes an
Independent thinker
Or someone who is creative
In what clothing they wear
People will pay more
For someone’s name
On their clothing
We wear the brand names
As a symbol of pride
To get a famous athlete
Or clothing they wear
With their name on it
Is much better than
The same shirt with
No brand name written on it
Our conformity to fashion
Is a way to appear
More wealthy than others
We live in trashy
Homes or apartments
But won’t be caught dead
With a knock off
Shoes are more expensive
Than an entire outfit
It does not matter
Anymore what you can do
But rather how you look
Women spend big money
To paint their faces
And color their hair
You would think they
Looked like zombies
Without all this makeup
Even models wear
Big money on their faces
Jewelry is considered better
If the stones are flawed
Lives are destroyed
So that fiancees
Can all have real diamonds
When you could produce
A more perfect one in a lab
The younger generation
Always wants to stand out
And express their individuality
But they express this
All in the same way
Kids paint their finger nails
Black and die their hair
Bright artificial colors and even
Put holes in their bodies
And ink on their skin
All so they can show
Their parents that they stand out
They crave independence
From their elders
But give in to peer pressure
They will do anything to
Prove their parents wrong
But at the cost of real freedom
There is always a new drug
That seems to offer a perfect high
But then kids get killed
Or addicted and their minds destroyed
Escaping reality is so important
That they rather die many years sooner
Than live a healthy life
Young women smoke cigarettes
To lose weight when they would lose
Just as much by walking only a mile
Every women is indoctrinated
From as early as childhood
That they are a princess
And they will marry a prince
They plan their weddings
Before they go on their first date
Women are so obsessed
With the popularity and status
Of who they date
That they end up with someone
Who only want to watch football
And has no time for them
They look for the fixer upper
And the guy who acts cool
Over the sweet one
Who would really be dedicated
My generation has given up
On even the idea of marriage
It is this idea that
Just because I have never met
A man worth marrying
There must be no good men
The way to find a spouse
Is to keep high standards
On being willing to be alone
Rather than enter a failed marriage
To find the perfect date
Be the perfect date
Don’t be obsessed with impressing
Each other but be genuinely kind
Really think about the other person
And try to make their lives better
Give of yourself and give it time
You will not be disappointed
In a capitalist society
We are all rich
When we live in the
Colonial power’s homeland
The old rich
And the new rich
Love to try to outdo each other
But the same struggle work its way
Down to every class
Kids have their own status symbols
Women have different one’s than men
Men compete by speaking the
Common language of American football
And women compete
In shopping and clothing
Kids are like little versions
Of their parents
The rich girls like the jocks
No one really outgrows high school
People don’t mature much
Past when they come of age
Men live their struggles
Through loyalty to different teams
And women try to outdo each other
In whatever the stars are wearing
If we spent our money
On those in need
Rather than on luxuries
The money would be used
Much more efficiently
Hollywood is corporate culture
They are our idols
And they are our symbols
They are known worldwide
People love to complain
About how rich they are
But we keep wanting
To see them in movies
And to hear about them
In the media
They push the limits
On sexuality and violence
A real fantasy world
Invented by the corporations
To sell more products
They are not any different
Than us except for the cash
The young people
Get their lives destroyed
By drug addiction
And party away their youth
They want to be mothers
But they don’t let their kids
See their movies
The men get older and older
And the women like them
More and more
But the women are thrown
Out at middle age
Maybe if we had movies
With actual stories
They wouldn’t need the women
To be so young
Preserve me, O God: for in thee do I put my trust. O my soul, thou hast said unto the Lord, Thou art my Lord: my goodness extendeth not to thee; But to the saints that are in the earth, and to the excellent, in whom is all my delight. Their sorrows shall be multiplied that hasten after another god: their drink offerings of blood will I not offer, nor take up their names into my lips. The Lord is the portion of mine inheritance and of my cup: thou maintainest my lot. The lines are fallen unto me in pleasant places; yea, I have a goodly heritage. I will bless the Lord, who hath given me counsel: my reins also instruct me in the night seasons. I have set the Lord always before me: because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved. Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth: my flesh also shall rest in hope. For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption. Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.