If you are Christian, the importance of the Bible is obvious to you.
If you are an atheist or a person of a different faith, please note that 76% of Americans identify themselves as Christians. Therefore, if you are trying to reach Americans with the truth, it might help to know a little about the Bible. If you can quote scripture, you may more easily reach people who might not otherwise listen.
The government has done everything it could to scare the daylights out of the American public in order to promote its political agenda.
The government has used fear as an excuse to torture, spy on Americans, deny rights to those accused of crimes, deny free speech to government critics, and otherwise ignore large portions of the Bill of Rights and of international treaties like the Geneva convention.
But as former high-level CIA officer (and Catholic) Ray McGovern wrote Saturday:
[A poll shows that church-goers support torture more than non church-goers].
I am not a psychologist or sociologist. But I recall that one of the first things Hitler did on assuming power was to ensure there was a pastor in every Lutheran and Catholic parish in Germany. Why? Because he calculated, correctly, that this would be a force for stability for his regime. Thus began horrid chapter in the history of those who profess to be followers of Jesus of Nazareth but forget his repeated admonition, Do not be afraid.A mere seven decades after the utter failure of most church leaders in Germany, their current American counterparts have again yielded to fear, and have condoned evils like torture by their deafening silence.
Indeed, Jesus repeatedly told his disciples and other people not to be afraid. For example, in the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus:
- Speaks these words to the disciples during a storm (14:27)
- To Peter, James and John during the Transfiguration (17:7)
- To the women outside the empty tomb (28:10)
- To the disciples he is about to send out to teach, preach and heal, he says, "Have no fear" of those who have called the master of the house Beelzebul and will surely also malign those of his household (10:25)
- "Do not be afraid," Jesus says, reminding those he is sending out of the One whose eye is on the sparrow. "You are of more value than many sparrows" (10:31)
(In other sections of the Bible, Jesus said do not be afraid another 10 times.)
Jesus told his flock not to be afraid. Christians that succumb to fear are not following Christ's teachings. Those of us who succumb to fear are following those who would manipulate - instead of free - us.
To have courage for whatever comes in life - everything lies in that.
- Mother Teresa
Good points all... the government, especially the GOP is full of hypocrites who know practically nothing when it comes to the true gospel of the Bible.
ReplyDeleteAmen!
The article was on point, but we must define the object of fear. The scripture repeatedly tell us to fear the Lord, stating that this fear is the beginnning of wisdom. In that a Christian's fear of outside sources dictates their God given responsibilities then that source of fear is wrong. We are told to not fear the one who can only kill our body, but fear that which can destroy the soul.
ReplyDeleteThere are other numerous verses that lead to a sort of neutrality (non-fearing) regard towards the world and governments, but I will save those and just say that most confessing Christians are probably more afraid of financial issues than spiritual. That being said it only makes sense that other sources of fear control them as well.
Thank you, well said!
ReplyDeleteGenerally speaking, those who practice religion, especially Christianity, are conditioned to obey authority without question, even if it leads them to their own destruction. Sheep, indeed.
ReplyDeleteTree, the real battle in the world is and has been fighten between true followers of Jesus and the evil.
ReplyDeleteThe christians will be the only ones who are not deceived by the false saviour ("Antichrist") and the only ones rejecting the mark of the beast for buying and selling.
Actually, the majority of Christians will accept the mark out of fear. Only a small remnant will love not their life unto death. When Dick Cheney said, "we must go over to the dark side", Christians went happily. They supported a Luciferian president (who claimed to be a Christian) for 8 years, as we killed 1.2 million innocent people. They cheered as we tortured people. They sit with their heads in the sand as the constitution is being ripped away, as domestic spying and Homeland Security prosper (just as they did in Nazi Germany). The majority of Christians are sheep being led to the slaughter as they ride on the back of the Beast, not realizing the Beast is eating her flesh and will soon burn her with fire. America (Mystery Babylon) has fallen and become the habitation of devils.
ReplyDeleteThank you, George :)
ReplyDelete“Those who would give up ESSENTIAL LIBERTY to purchase a little TEMPORARY SAFETY, deserve neither LIBERTY nor SAFETY.”
- Attributed to Benjamin Franklin, 1738, http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Benjamin_Franklin .
“The liberties of our country, the freedom of our civil Constitution, are worth defending at all hazards; and it is our duty to defend them against all attacks. We have received them as a fair inheritance from our worthy ancestors: they purchased them for us with toil and danger and expense of treasure and blood, and transmitted them to us with care and diligence. It will bring an everlasting mark of infamy on the present generation, enlightened as it is, if we should suffer them to be wrested from us by violence without a struggle, or to be cheated out of them by the artifices of false and designing men. Of the latter we are in most danger at present: Let us therefore be aware of it. Let us contemplate our forefathers and posterity; and resolve to maintain the rights bequeath'd to us from the former, for the sake of the latter. — Instead of sitting down satisfied with the efforts we have already made, which is the wish of our enemies, the necessity of the times, more than ever, calls for our utmost circumspection, deliberation, fortitude, and perseverance. Let us remember that "if we suffer tamely a lawless attack upon our liberty, we encourage it, and involve others in our doom." It is a very serious consideration, which should deeply impress our minds, that millions yet unborn may be the miserable sharers of the event.”
- Samuel Adams, Essay, written under the pseudonym "Candidus," in The Boston Gazette (14 October 1771).
Carl Herman, while your post is nice, it is also a bit late, like in a century and half late, thus rendering your words meaningless. I am referring to the genocide of the native population that birthed this country and the slavery that kept it going. What are these if not "lawless attacks on liberty" The liberties of our country and the laws in the Constitution are worth defending....for whom? Certainly not for the native american(are there any left?), and obviously not for the descendants of the slaves that were brought here AGAINST their will, what? they should just suck up and deal? Too bad, better luck next time...I mean, what exactly are we to make of this? I believe in Liberty for all involved.
ReplyDeleteBeing raised a Catholic ... i'm not sure what 'christianity' you're talking about. The whole thing is almost completely based on fear. 'Don't do that or you'll go to hell and burn forever'.
ReplyDeleteJesus' 'don't fear your impending disaster' is actually rather irrational and unnatural. Fear has a natural reason to exist.