Salvation

X-Mas 2012

Others,

Jesus is the cornerstone for the Christian faith. Salvation is the good news that he proclaimed. Happiness is the goodness to which we aspire. We believe that God saves, blesses and grants peace.  Peace is a good thing for which to pray. It is something that we believe is divinely desired.

Peace will not be achieved in the name of any one religion, but freedom of religion opens the door to liberty in the rule of law for civil government in any land.

The "kingdom" that Jesus announced was not "of the world" into which he was born because the law for the world was much too cruel to understand the blessings of the good news that he proclaimed.

His mercy however is and has been civil insofar as the torah has always been against rule by the cult of death. Slavery, murder, genocide, terrorism, wars of aggression, violence, oppression and crime of every kind are outlawed as too destructive to be regarded as instructive for peace in society. His love, the love of God, is improving the world.

God made flowers for the desert, so we may enjoy beauty even in a harsh environment.

Storms Threaten Holiday Celebrations
http://www.cnn.com/2012/12/25/us/winter-weather/?hpt=hp_t1
"Even without tornadoes, the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency said that its residents could see sustained winds between 70 and 80 mph, heavy rain and hail, and dangerous lightning. The system is supposed to move through the state on Christmas Day."

Storm is a reminder of the labor that preceded birth.
Clouds and wind were our agony;
Snow, sleet and rain, our blood;
Lightning, our pain.
Tornado was the aspiration of consciousness
to heaven. Take shelter from the destructiveness.
The baby's body longs to breath clean air;
to feel healthy blood and to taste food for life.
Rejoice! Time is born anew! Order has been re-aligned.
It's a brave new world!
http://bible.cc/psalms/97-2.htm

CIW Promotes the Fair Food Program
http://www.ciw-online.org/
"Greenawalt goes on to describe her experience with the Program, from when she first stepped out into the heat of a Florida tomato field to the changes her company has helped to build as the Fair Food Program spreads across the industry."

Pricing in Florida is complicated by Citizen's Property Insurance Corporation, a state controlled monopoly. Property Insurance rates have been elevated for businesses. The cost for property insurance has been transferred to the consumer in the form of higher food prices and a higher cost of living.

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The life of Stephen the first martyr for the faith is remembered on December 26. The celebration of his life comes the day after the celebration of the birth of Jesus. It serves as a reminder that the Church was established during a period of imperial oppression.

Opposition arose with the deacon Stephen from the synagogue of the Freedmen; Jews from the cities of Cyrene and Alexandria as well as the provinces of Cilicia and Asia who had been freed from slavery.
http://bible.cc/acts/6-9.htm

The Theodotus Inscription is believed to have been inscribed on the synagogue of the Freedmen.

The Theodotus Inscription
http://ferrelljenkins.wordpress.com/2012/07/23/acts-6-photo-illustrations/
The translation follows:
"“Theodotus son of Vettenus, priest and synagogue leader, son of a synagogue leader, grandson of a synagogue leader, rebuilt this synagogue for the reading of the Law and the teaching of the commandments, and the hostelry, rooms and baths, for the lodging of those who have need from abroad. It was established by his forefathers, the elders and Simonides.” (Shanks, BAR, July/Aug 2003.)"

Imperial liberation was often such that it championed the military force for the incumbent empire. A number of the freedmen felt allegiance to the Roman empire. They felt threatened by a historical perspective that did not promote advocacy for the agent of their liberation.

They dragged Stephen out of the city and began to stone him. They laid their cloaks at the feet of a young man named Saul. Saul approved of his death. A great persecution arose after they had killed Stephen. All but the apostles were driven from Jerusalem.
http://bible.cc/acts/7-58.htm ff.

Stephen and Paul were redeemed by faith in Christ.

I have been redeemed by my faith, but it came during a time that is constitutionally supportive of liberty in the law. My college experience went against the flow of social norms. I returned to the church while in school. My father had been driven from his during his college years. There were consequences for my conversion. I am still sorting through issues of opposition to faith with reason.

Statistics indicate that there is a consensus in the professional world against belief in God. Faith is for kids and old people. It is for those who are young and naive or old and about to die. It is for the weak in society according to the theory that aggression rules.

Evolutionary theory is the creed of choice for "professionals." It promotes the survival of the fittest where the fittest are strong enough to replace God with natural selection. The strong simplify reality by making it about "number one." The complications of community and democracy are cast aside to favor industrial individualism; code for dictatorship.

Plato becomes the philosopher of choice because he simplified the world of politics to the destructiveness of the elements. Politics is for the elite. The elite are there to pick a suitable war.

Socially, the consensus of agreement against faith in God translates as an opposition to the majority religion. Even atheists quote scriptures from other religions to show their spirituality.

Intelligent design is not the crackpot theory that it is made out to be. It presumes the existence of a Creator whereas atheist theory rejects it. This makes theism or atheism metaphysical; not strictly scientific. Atheists believe that randomness rules. They are existentialists without the Maker of existence. When all has been said and done, their satirical characterization of intelligent design simply argues against establishment of religion by the state.

I am for freedom of religion. I am against "establishment." This view however requires that the viewer take a step back to look at politics from the perspective of liberty. If I were a Christian in a predominantly non-Christian society, I would want legal recognition of my right to believe in God as faith in Jesus teaches me to believe. I can easily imagine that Muslims, Jews and other non-Christians desire the same rights for their faith.

Portrait of a Lady by TS Eliot

You have seen the scene arrange itself
as it will seem to do
with 'I have saved this time for you'
in the [wafting waves of] fog
on a December afternoon.
Wax candles in the darkened room
cast four rings of light overhead;
the atmosphere of Juliet's tomb
prepared for the things to be left unsaid.

-------------------------

Pray for hope, faith, love and peace.

President George H.W. Bush in Intensive Care
http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/12/27/us-usa-bush-idUSBRE8BM08N20121227
""Following a series of setbacks including a persistent fever, President Bush was admitted to the intensive care unit at Methodist Hospital on Sunday where he remains in guarded condition," McGrath said. "Doctors at Methodist continue to be cautiously optimistic about the current course of treatment.""

H.W. displayed respect for human rights in relation to acceptable international norms when he defended the independence of Kuwait. He did not have the US military invade Iraq to conquer it. He had the Iraqi invaders driven out to deter the re-occurrence of an event like the invasion of Austria by Germany prior to WWII. Best wishes for the wishes that are best.

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Thomas Becket was killed on December 29,1190.

 

He was not qualified by training to warrant selection as the archbishop for Canterbury, but he served his post with nobility during trying times. His service raised questions about justice for society.

 

The law was still cruel insofar as it punished crimes less offensive than murder with torture and the death penalty. The mercy of the Church however waxed cruel in laxity. Members of the Church were granted sanctum by testimony in confession. They could legally get away with murder by the indulgence of Church leadership. This constituted a return to the Babylonian support for aggression in the law of imperial leadership.

 

Thomas Becket
http://misadventuresofmoppet.wordpress.com/tag/eleanor-of-aquitaine/
"[There is an altar] in Canterbury Cathedral where Thomas Becket, [the] Archbishop of Canterbury, was murdered by four knights who believed or claimed to believe that they were acting on the orders of Henry II... The murder of Becket was a turning point in English history, one of the most dramatic events of the Middle Ages. "

Eye Witness Account by Edward Grimm
http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/source/Grim-becket.asp  
"The fourth knight drove away those who were gathering so that the others could finish the murder more freely and boldly. The fifth - not a knight but a cleric who entered with the knights - so that a fifth blow might not be spared him who had imitated Christ in other things, placed his foot on the neck of the holy priest and precious martyr and (it is horrible to say) scattered the brains with the blood across the floor, exclaiming to the rest, "We can leave this place, knights, he will not get up again." "

 

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What is the line between laxity and cruelty? The line is where justice lies. What defines mercy? Mercy has to have redemption by correction as the goal for punishment; not the destruction of the accused offender. How can murder be redeemed? This is the difficulty with the crime. It takes life that cannot be returned for the restitution of natural law.

 

The legal norm for contemporary society is such that the ‘life for a life’ formulation for retribution as punishment for murder is met with a life sentence in prison. Due process of law requires acknowledgement of the body of evidence (habeus corpus) as the determinant for judgment in response to the charge for crime.

 

Murder is a crime that warrants capital punishment, but the judgment for the death penalty has to be based on guilt beyond the shadow of a doubt. Why? Statistics show that it has been too easy for the majority to convict minorities of guilt. DNA evidence proved that some of those who were convicted of murder were not guilty for the charge. Whenever capital punishment is used to put somebody falsely convicted of murder to death, the state becomes a murderer. It effectively discredits its own credibility as an authority for justice in the law.

 

Murder is a crime that doesn’t warrant error in terms of laxity regarding the evidence. It is an empirical investigation insofar as it is sensory-conceptual in the analysis of the body of evidence. Certainty in judgment regarding the charged crime has to be proven.

 

=========================

 

The following re-write celebrates the importance of salvation. Salvation is defined as success in living a good life.

 

Salvation
John 1; Gal.3; Isa.61; Ps.147

The Word existed before the beginning.
The Word was with God.
The Word was God.

There was a man sent from God.
His name was John.
He was a prophet.
He was the Baptist.
He was not the light.
He came as a witness to the light.
The true light which enlightens anyone
was coming to the world.

God saves.
Salvation is the name for God.
Jesus came into the world.
He became incarnate through the Virgin Mary
by the power of the Holy Spirit.
He came to what was his own.
All people did not accept him.
Power was given to those
who believed in his name;
the power to become children of God.

The law was given through Moses;
grace and mercy came through Jesus Christ.
It was the Son who made God known.

We were imprisoned to the law prior to faith.
The law was under the tyranny of pain and death
until Christ came, so we could be justified by faith.

When the fullness of time had come
the Word was sent as Son;
born of woman;
born under the law
to redeem those under tyranny
so we could receive adoption as children.
The Spirit of the Son was sent into our hearts,
crying, “Daddy! Father!”

You are no longer a slave.
You are a child; an heir
to justice in the law.

I will rejoice in the LORD.
My whole being will exult in God.
I have been clothed in the garments of salvation.
I have been covered with the robe of righteousness;
as a bridegroom prepares for the wedding celebration;
as a bride adorns herself with jewels.
The earth brings forth its shoots.
The garden produces what is sown.
The Lord GOD will cause praise
and the righteousness of faith
to spring up before all nations.

It is good to sing praises.
It is pleasant to show honor with praise;
let your honor shine forth like rays
from the sun.

The LORD rebuilds peace.
The exiles have been returned
to their homeland.

God heals the brokenhearted.
Their wounds are bound for recovery.

Christ, you count the stars.
You call them by name.

You are mighty in power.
There is no limit to your wisdom.

You lift up the lowly.
Pride is cast down.

You cover the heavens with clouds.
You prepare rain for the thirsty earth.

You make grass grow
and green plants to serve humanity.
You make flowers for the desert

You provide food for flocks and herds;
for young birds when they cry.

You have strengthened our security.
You have blessed citizens as children.

Sing to the LORD with thanksgiving.
Make music for God with your voices and heart.

==========================

 

Is criminal law the only concern for government? No. It is important but the promotion of fairness in the providence of the economy is extremely important as well. Poor people are convicted of more crimes, but the lack of sufficient providence presents a deficit to basic needs for those who are disadvantaged by economic circumstance.

Tax breaks that are too large present an offense to society. When those with much more income are required to pay a smaller proportion for the social and national security, it gives them an unfair advantage. The unfair advantage is promoted as an ideal by elitists to protect the tax breaks. They get more from society than anybody else for a smaller proportion. It creates an environment that is favorable for criminal behavior. It undermines social and national security.

Restore our fortune with urgency LORD; like water from a flash flood in the desert.
http://bible.cc/psalms/126-4.htm

Debt Ceiling Nears
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887323984704578203842315515834.html
"President Barack Obama and Senate leaders will return to work Thursday, and they are running out of time to broker a deal before tax increases hit almost every working American."

Obama Requests Tax Deal
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/12/30/us/politics/president-obama-urges-last-minute-tax-deal.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0
"“Leaders in Congress are working on a way to prevent this tax hike on the middle class, and I believe we may be able to reach an agreement that can pass both houses in time,” Mr. Obama said during his weekly radio address. “We just can’t afford a politically self-inflicted wound to our economy.” "

 

The economy still suffers due to irresponsible acts by the US government. Two invasions were authorized during a major tax cut after a false flag operation.

 

National politics since 9/11 has been pushed in the direction of “establishment.” The body politic has been opposed to the recognition of liberty in natural design to favor opposition to Islam. Opposition to Islam has pressed Congress into the National Defense Authorization Act.

This NDAA includes two articles that violate human rights: "targeted killing" and "indefinite detention." Both articles presume guilt by virtue of association with the Muslim identity.

If a Muslim expresses anger at the policies promoted by the western coalition, mainly the US and Israel, he is regarded as a militant; someone subject to indefinite detention or targeted killing. When this policy is taken one step further, the Muslim doesn't even have to express anger against western policies. He or she is simply guilty by association. This presumption of guilt has been used to peddle collateral damage as though it were acceptable.

These articles do not recognize the importance of human rights in government representation. They are violations that offend belief in God as the Creator of humankind. Academic idolatry offends freedom of religion in this country. It also promotes intolerance of other religions around the globe.

The US was established by the battle against tyranny. Laws that endorse human rights violations are a terrible offense against our own heritage. Let Congress make no law that violates human rights. Then we can act as leaders that promote democracy with confidence politically and economically around the globe.

 

It is the support for military aggression that has prevented us from greater success in helping those nations that suffer from dictatorship. Syria, Egypt, Libya; all the nations involved in the Arab Spring could be establishing valid constitutions that promote a plan for fairness in representative government if the hypocrisy of western coalition alliance not blaring like an overconfident horn section in an orchestra.

Long Live Syria Free and Strong!
http://www.voanews.com/content/activists-say-20-killed-in-syrian-government-shelling/1572334.html
""In the name of God E., I am General Abdul-Aziz Jassem al-Shallal, head of the military police. I have defected because of the deviation of the army from its primary duty of protecting the country and its transformation into gangs [for] killing and destruction, the destruction of cities and villages and committing massacres against our unarmed people who went out to demand liberty," he explained. "Long live Syria free and strong.""

Long live democracy! Let it be for fairness in public policy. Promote representative government with due process in the rule of law!

“Who’s gonna save the world tonight?
Who’s gonna bring you back to life?
We’re gonna make it, you and I
We’re gonna save the world tonight!”

Swedish House Mafia – Save the World Tonight
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BXpdmKELE1k  

Turn up the love for happiness.
Serve justice for safety and health.
Don’t support unfair advantage.

Steve K.