Roar

Others,

The story about Jacob being renamed as Israel happens in Genesis 35:10, but when he blesses his sons it is called the song of Jacob's blessing.

http://bible.cc/genesis/35-10.htm

http://www.gcfweb.org/institute/genesis/week11.php

Songs are generally regarded as the most ancient of texts. Songs preceded the written tradition. They stand out as the most authentic historic markers. Thus, the story about his being renamed as Israel is a redaction from a different time. It was edited into the story of Jacob as a testimony to the importance of Israel in the legacy of Judah (Gen.38), a son of Jacob.

Reading the bible is different from reading most other texts. It is a community composition about faith in God that includes a variety of literary and journalistic styles. Unraveling that which actually happened in history is a mystery that has distinct clues. These clues are investigated in biblical source theory.

Bible history is a mystery that can help us to understand the history of the Middle East in relation to that of the world. It is work that has contributed to the improvement of society. Please show respect.

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

The name Judah means “Praise,” but it is related to word for Lion. He is called a lion’s whelp in Gen.49:9. http://bible.cc/genesis/49-9.htm The name “Assad” means “Lion.” Predators in nature act as a team. There is a hierarchy. They kill to eat, but if they fight it is for territory or status. It is not to kill each other.

Assad has NOT been treating non-Alawites with respect in Syria. He has been killing people, mostly Sunnis, for protesting his policies. This is not a reflection of nature’s way. It is the way of authoritarian regimes. If people disagree with government policy, they are shot, tortured or put in jail indefinitely. It is tyranny. It is not representative of government for the people. It is a projection of dictatorship for industry profit. The Assad family has been in power ‘over’ the people of Syria for over forty years.

His position is especially untenable, because it is the tyranny of minority over the majority of people. His regime will fall. It is a matter of time.

Syrian Army Mounts Assault Against Aleppo
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-19025955

King Herod was the ruler of Judea when Jesus was born. Another Herod was Petrarch of Galilee during his ministry. Herod translates as Hero. Herod however was not a hero.

Hero
Jhn6, Ps145

The Hero wasn’t trusted in the land of praise.
He was a servant of empire. Empire
had brought the cross as an instrument
of torture and death. Hero was called
a baby killer to warn others
of his affinity with tyranny.
Hero was not heroic.
He was a bully
with an army.

Empire had renamed the Circle Sea,
the sea of the Crown. When people
were traveling to the city of peace
to celebrate the triumph
of sanitation over plague, they
stopped to listen to the One who
saves from destruction.

The Anointed was teaching his students
to have faith in providence that
is given through provisions for people.
He asked them how they were
going to feed the people.

The student thought of provision
with personal experience. He did not
consider that the people had brought
food and drink for themselves. A boy
had been sent with food as an offering
for the service of teaching.

Christ blessed what had been given
in front of all to show that it was time to eat.
The people pulled out their supply of food
and shared the blessing.

The energy of your works praises you LORD.
We bless you for your provisions.
Food and drink give us energy to work.

May the Spirit be rooted through you
and grounded in hope.
What is the length, depth
and height of faith?
Let it be filled with
the fullness of God.

The students ate with their teacher.
They were satisfied. They were told
to collect fragments
of that which was left over from
the crowd. They gathered a supply
that was sufficient for their needs.

The people said, “This is the prophet
who was predicted to come into the world.
Let Providence lead us and keep us in peace.”

When the One who saves
suspected that they wanted
to use him to replace the Hero
he withdrew to the mountain.

Your people make known
the glory of your work.
They speak of your power.

Your peace is everlasting.
Your government represents
liberty and justice for all.
You are faithful in your words
and trustworthy in your deeds.

You uphold those who need to be upheld.
You lift up those who have fallen.
The eyes of all look to you for sustenance.
You give food in due season.

You open wide your hand
and satisfy the needs of the living.
You do the right thing
and put love into what you do.

The students began to doubt
that they could weather a storm
without the One who saves.
Their memory of his words and presence
calmed the turbulence of anxiety.

They made it to the other side
of the circle despite the storm.

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

The existence of good will is often enough. It takes time to build consensus. It takes good will to build consensus that is beneficial for the people.

There are times when good intent however is not enough. The word “good” is attached to an action that is known to be harmful to trust. Consider the case of the married man who uses his marriage as a front for investment in the industry of war and uses the darkness of night to frequent a whore house.

The song sings,
“I know you didn’t mean it when you counted to ten.
You’ve got your reputation and your good intent.”

Kimbra – Good Intent (Warning: this video contains scenes with men dancing. LOL.)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5XjNlpe7hII

“Out to feed the habit when you’ve sowed that seed; nothing made you feel out of the ordinary. But the air turned somber and the night took heed, took you on the waltz of hypocrisy.”

A hungry lion is on the prowl. Watch the news for the push for war. Stand opposed.

Steve K.

Enemies

Others,

The law says, “You will not kill.” If you kill despite the statement, “You will be punished.” Punishment for killing had been treated as a lesser offense than other crimes prior to the provision against cruel and unusual punishment. People were killed by the state for a list of lesser crimes based on accusations.  After the provision had been established, the standards for justice began to evolve. Eventually, murder came to be regarded as the offense that required capital punishment.

If the accuser belonged to a group favored by the elite, then others were punished for belonging to groups that were not “protected” by the elitist leadership. Those who were not protected were called “the barbarians;” “the outcasts;” “those people”; “one of them;” the others. More recently, they have come to be called “immigrants;” “aliens;” “terrorists;” and “militants.”  

There were “rules” for judgment that were invoked by those who cared about justice, but there are cases in today’s society where people are convicted on charges based on accusation (e.g. Sandusky was convicted without physical evidence).

Syria presents an unusual case in authoritarian regimes. The elite actually favor a minority group, the Alawites, as “protected.” The position is regarded as untenable even in the league of dictatorships.

Syrian Forces Fight Back
http://www.jpost.com/MiddleEast/Article.aspx?id=278343

Israel has become increasingly authoritarian. They have the more common “justification.” The elites there support the status quo. Five Israeli citizens were killed in Bulgaria. Netanyahu claims that he has “fully substantiated intelligence” that it was the Hezbollah. The Hezbollah are Shiites.  The Iranians and Syrians are with the Shiia. This is his fully substantiated intelligence.

Netanyahu Promises to Punish Hezbollah
http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/netanyahu-israel-will-do-whatever-is-necessary-to-protect-israelis-from-terrorist-attacks/2012/07/22/gJQAICU91W_story.html

The problem is that Israel will use US funded weaponry to attack and kill Palestinians who are Shiites. Surely, a Shiite neighborhood will be chosen for the bombing.  

Israeli intelligence has a list of “militants” who have been observed or have actually been recorded as making statements against Israel or allies. The procedure has not only been to “round up the usual suspects.”  The suspects were treated as terrorists i.e. they made angry statements against Israeli oppression, so they won’t admit that “Israel has a right to exist.”

They were killed at a ratio of ten to one. These suspects are now called militants because the US and the western coalition no longer support the “war on terror.” Who are militants? Those who are for a Palestinian state or at the very least, don’t approve of Israeli oppression, are militants.

The elites don’t want to recognize the existence of a Palestinian state, so they don’t admit to the existence of Palestinians as anything but terrorists (even if they are called militants now). When the US championed the “war on terror,” it was this policy of killing suspected terrorists as “terrorists” that was implemented. Calling them militants is not a big change. It is still a violation of the law against killing.

Netanyahu needs to be replaced by someone who does not support the killing of suspects. The US and Israel are guilty of supporting a policy that murders non-combatants as long as he remains in office. We cannot regard non-combatants that are killed as “collateral damage.” They were murdered because they were killed outside of the rules for engagement.

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

The suspect in custody for the Colorado shootings has a large amount of evidence against him. There are witnesses. There is ballistics testing. There is the documentation of the purchase of weapons and ammunition. There is not much question as to the guilt of the suspect. Still, he needs to be tried in a court of law. The testimony has to be corroborated by physical evidence.

If he is guilty, his defense can plead “not guilty due to reasons of insanity.” This is however a mass murder. Twelve people were reported killed. Eleven were seriously injured. About eighty were injured by the shooting spree. Insanity is a mitigating plea. Cases where four or more people are killed are regarded as mass murder. This should kick the mitigating plea out of the judgment.

Suspect in Custody after Colorado Theater Shootings.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/07/20/james-holmes-aurora-shooting-medical-student_n_1689794.html?icid=maing-grid7%7Cmain5%7Cdl1%7Csec1_lnk2%26pLid%3D182203

What does law about gun control have to do with mass murder? The debate at this point is between the position statements “Automatic weapons need to be outlawed again” and “Major purchases of weapons or ammunition need to be treated as probable cause for investigation.” The elitists will push for something else.

Nevertheless, If the murderer did not have ease of access to the automatic weaponry, he would not have been able to kill and injure all those people.

Gun Laws in Colorado
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0712/78799.html

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

Who are our enemies? The elites would have us believe that our enemies are those who do not agree with their “law.” Their law can have people killed based on accusation. Their law does not observe due process. They are pushing to increase vigilante justice and cruelty in punishment by Joe Citizen with a gun, because they make money off the sale of weapons whereas corrections are paid for by taxes.

The law says “you will not kill.” Their law says, “You will only kill if you are in our favor.” They are the enemy people, yet the law also says, “Love your enemy.” We are called to love those who make the poor; who make outcasts; who make aliens hostile; who make strangers suspicious; who convict people on charges of crime based on the social status of the accuser. It is no easy task, but we can use faith to help us to achieve the conversion of our enemies to allies. The following re-write looks at the grass roots movement to believe in love.

Enemies Ps.89

The witnesses gathered around
the One who saves and told him
what they had taught.
He said to them,
“Come away and rest.”
So many were coming and going
that there was no time for reflection.

There had been a time
when people did not know Christ.
No one had been anointed
to lead people into understanding
with goodness and joy.

Christ is our peace.
Peace has broken down
the wall of hostility
that had divided us.

Former enemies
were called to
reconcile oppositions
to represent the people.

They climbed in the boat
crossed the circle sea
and landed in the garden
of riches. Once they
got out of the boat,
the Healer was recognized.

People brought the ill
to the marketplace
and begged to touch
the fringe of his clothes.
Those who touched him
were healed.

You are no longer strangers.
You are not aliens.
You are not outcasts.
You are not unwanted.
You are citizens of the light.
You sparkle like stars in the night.
God loves you as the children of creation.
You are now anointed as beloved.

My hand will lift you up.
My arm will join with yours.
No enemy will deceive you.
You will not be brought down.

Love your enemies.
They will become your allies.

Faith will be with you.
Hope will shine for you.
Love will lead you
on the way.

Happiness will grow.
You will win prosperity
with dedication.
The rule of law
will reign in our land
and guide us around the globe.
Our haters will be our motivators.

Transgressions will be corrected
during confinement. Crime will
be judged by testimony
and physical evidence.
Murder will be punished
by what can be proved
in a court of law
with a jury of our peers.

Our beloved heritage will live
through time. Our love
will shine like the sun.
Creativity will
adapt to change
like the phases of the moon.

Leadership is our right.

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

Christians proclaim love for Jesus as the Christ, but Christ is non-sectarian. Christ represents the Creator who makes the sun shine and the rain fall on all. It is this all-loving Christ whom we are called to respect with love.

Josh Groban – You Raise Me Up
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=endscreen&v=oni0tO_HN30&NR=1  

Public policy is not the sole province of Christians or any other religious sect. It is the province for the people of the world. Fairness in public policy is far too important to be regarded as impossible.  Freedom of religion is a provision that encourages people to work together irrespective of affiliation according to social group. When the law favors any religion, it is no longer blind to prejudicial favor. It is blind to justice.

You will not kill. Those who do will be punished by that which can be proved in a court of law.

Steve K.

The Red Door

Others,

There was a red door. It was the cry for war. War however, was just a distraction for genocide.

Genocide is not an acceptable tool for government. The western coalition needs to look for who will be recognized to replace Assad when his regime falls.

The Syrian National Congress represents the Sunni majority. They will have to negotiate representation for the minority Christians and Alawites. This is where freedom of religion plays a part. This is where the other freedoms and rights of the constitution factor into play. Representation has to include minorities without making a minority interest the rule of law.
http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/story/2012-07-14/syria-massacre/56221332/1

The following re-write celebrates the movement away from destruction as the basis for leadership.

Destruction
Ps24 Ps85 2Sam6  Eph1 Amos7

Our beloved had gathered
all the chosen from the competition.
They set out from the station
with the leaders of praise
to bring up the ark of the promise
with the wings of passage to life.
The workers of the earth
brought it from the house
on the hill of nobility.

The earth is our foundation;
the world and all who dwell therein
belong to the love for creation.
We are the workers of the earth.

It is the CREATOR who raised the land above the seas
and made it firm between the currents of the deep.

Who can ascend the hill of nobility
and dance before the ark of promise?
Those who have not pledged themselves
to destruction nor devoted themselves
to falsehood may rejoice with love.

Our beloved brought out the ark
to the city of peace with rejoicing.
Christ danced before the fulfillment of the promise
and made contributions to celebrate community
with dancing and sounds of joy.

Lift up your heads, O people;
lift them high as though you were raising gates.
You are the doors; the passage for truth.
You will become part of the fulfillment.

There is a plumb line
for constructing competition;
the location for derision
will be left desolate;
the sanctuaries for contempt
will be brought down.

Condemnation
by accusation
will be stopped.
Justice will be achieved
by scientific investigation
with due process of law.
We will win liberty
by respecting
our rights together.

I will listen to what the LORD God is saying.
Words of peace are being spoken to the faithful;
to those who turn their hearts to faith.

Salvation is near those who fear
the deception of perception;
Mercy and truth have met.
Righteousness and peace have kissed.

Integrity will spring up from the earth;
Glory will shine down from heaven.

Free will was pre-destined from before the beginning.
We were designed for adoption as children of God.
When you heard the word of truth, the gospel of salvation,
you were marked by the zeal of the seal with promise
in the Holy Spirit. This is the pledge of our inheritance:
we are being redeemed from destruction as God’s own people
to the praise of the greater glory.

The LORD will grant prosperity.
Our land will yield its increase.
Righteousness will go before us.
The uncreated light will be a pathway
for our feet.

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

The UN is managing intervention with fact finding missions in Syria.

The invasion of Afghanistan had circumvented the FBI investigation of suspected terrorist acts and UN investigation of claims regarding terrorist camps.

There was a red door. It was the cry for war. It was the claim that we were under attack by “terrorists” from training camps in Afghanistan. The claim was not investigated. The invasion was an act of aggession.

Like the destruction of the WTC towers, it was assumed that the officials who constructed the official story knew what had happened. The trouble is that they knew that they were moving the US around pre-cautions against military invasion. They knew that they had made the red door. They also knew that they were blaming it on “Arab terrorists” so they could force regime change in a neighbor to China and Iran.

The escalation of military action in Viet Nam had been justified by the claim that US vessels had been attacked. They failed to mention that the vessels were in North Vietnamese waters.

I see a red door.

Rolling Stones – Paint It Black
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=InRDF_0lfHk&feature=related

I want to paint it black. I want to go back. The investigation into the destructive events in the US on 9/11/01 needs to be re-opened.

Steve K.

Weakness

Others,

The first "Christ" in the bible was Cyrus, an Achaemenid (Persian/Iranian) emperor. Cyrus II liberated the Jews and other captives from Babylon. There is archaeological evidence however that the Achaemenids had a policy for destroying the enemy. If making a god out of stone was bad, making God into a tyrant by destruction is worse.

The whole apocalyptic battle between Christ and the anti-Christ is about this policy of destruction. Empire changed hands based upon a different method for killing the "terrorists" who threatened the empire. The Bush administration had resurrected the beast with their "official story." We are charged with the task of restoring constitutional democracy with the bill of rights.

This said, the US is not the only country that struggles with authoritarian elitism. Syria has had a dictatorship under the minority Alawite control for over forty years. They are on record as promoters of torture. More than 200 Syrians have defected.
http://edition.cnn.com/2012/07/03/world/meast/syria-unrest/

Alawites are associated with the Shiites (Iran). Assad's father imposed cronies on the government after his rise to power (1970).
http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/02/02/us-syria-alawites-sect-idUSTRE8110Q720120202

Paul had been using the law to punish Christians. He believed that the power of destruction was the path to power. He was on the road to Damascus to report more Christians to Roman authorities when he encountered Christ. It was there that he found that power is made perfect in weakness.

The situation in Syria shows that sectarian motives often underlie tyranny. This is the reason that freedom of religion is so important as a principle for civil government. It prohibits establishment and allows for the free exercise of religion.

Weakness

2Corinth12 Mk6 Ps123 Ps48

I know someone
who was on the road
to Damascus.
He was using the law
to persecute and punish.
He was devoted to destruction.

I know someone
who was caught up
in the experience of Christ
on that imperial road.
The person felt paradise.
The feeling transcended
perception without leaving it.
It expanded perspective
without destroying it.

The experience was so wonderful
that the person felt all experience
prior to Christ was wrong.

Pain was gone.
Competition had no meaning.
Joy in life made sense.
The request was made
to dwell in paradise indefinitely.

The LORD said,
“Grace is sufficient for you.
Power is perfected in weakness.”

Whenever I feel weak in Christ,
then I am strong in the call
to increase strength in leadership.
Love your enemy.
Do not destroy opposition.

Walk with Jesus as he teaches.
The law is for liberty.
It is not for destruction.
Your authority will cast out
false or harmful precedents.
You will promote truth for
liberty with justice and equity.
Happiness will meet your success.

If you are not welcomed
remember that devotion to destruction
has been attempting to control the world
from before the beginning of civilization.
Shake the dust from your sleeves
against those who support those
that are so devoted.

I lift my eyes to the light in the skies.
As hunger looks for satisfaction;
as thirst seeks refreshment;
we look to God as our provider.

Have mercy on us, O LORD.
Have mercy. We have had
more than enough contempt.

We have suffered unfair treatment
from the advantage given to the elite.
There has been too much derision
handed down from indolent pride.

Safety and health are guidelines
for godliness. God is our guide
forever.

Praise the LORD!

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

The statement, “Power is made perfect in weakness” has strong implications for education. When someone works on improving areas of performance that are regarded as weak, he or she has a lifelong relationship with personal and social development.

What happens though when someone else is defined as the weakness?

The Wanted - My Weakness
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nWbAuAsRZNY&feature=related

Socrates argued for choosing the lover rather than the non-lover in the dialog called “Phaedrus.” He felt that while choosing the non-lover contributes to dispassion in social relations, it is also the basis for slavery. The property owner will choose a non-lover because that person can be controlled. When a provider chooses someone whom he loves however, shared passion is the basis for managing the relationship.

The argument has merit, but if the chooser chooses someone who doesn’t want to be controlled or doesn’t share passion, then both options are undermined. Slavery has been outlawed but de facto enslavement still happens in abusive relations. People who share passion are in such a hurry to consummate their sexual relations legally that they don’t give enough thought to how they will work together to manage a household.

The entanglement of romantic love is not easy to untangle, nevertheless it factors into the consideration of long term relations, whether one is for or against passion. It is possible that a couple who doesn’t feel passion can discuss fairness in management issues, while a passionate couple needs to slow down the mad rush of hormones long enough to decide if they can manage a household together. If so, what’s the plan?

Power is made perfect in weakness,

Steve K.

Direction

Old man had written (Sun.Jun.24,2012 2:01pm):

 Who wrote the Bible? A God or men?

Did a God ever declare "He" (God) "inspired" its content or did men claim "He" did?

 If both answers are "men," then why should we believe the Bible?

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

Old man, others,

There were female authors.

People were inspired to write about God by virtue of religious experience.

Reading the bible helps develop historical perspective, when historical perspective is valued as the frame of reference. Believing the bible requires prioritizing passages in relation to the commandment to love. Part of prioritization is de-prioritizing those parts that are offensive and outdated.

There are biblical passages that were included in concession to imperial success. "Herem" or the advocacy of 'devotion to destruction' is an extremely offensive biblical concept. This advocacy amounts to a justification for genocide. It is without question, the most objectionable part of the bible record.

There are other parts that promote forms of punishment that are clearly outdated, but the immature reader may interpret them as a call to societal regression in cruelty. These passages qualify as markers of where some people in society had been in terms of using cruelty and inequity in leadership as counterpoints to the promotion of justice and equity in the economy.

These counterpoints are still objectionable, yet there are those who use them to relentlessly oppose any opposition; the basis for tyranny.

People of faith promote love, providence, liberty and justice. These are the parts of the bible that we prioritize as values for society.

Direction Ps30

Corruption has been cast from power.
Integrity is being lifted to lead.

Direction.
Selection.
Election.
As the sun proclaims the brilliance of creation,
the leader is to shine with the radiance of the LORD.

We were not created to destroy each other.
We have the power to lead with others.
We have the ability to improve past performance.
We have the capacity to balance abundance with need.

Liberty is the thing that makes us sing!

The politics for providence
has to replace power without principles.

When “defense” is the only function
for the state upon which different parties agree,
defense becomes offense;
war becomes a goal;
and spending becomes oppressive.

Utter dependence upon poor precedent
is enslavement to regression.
When war wins everyone loses.
When violence dictates policy
there is no respect for liberty.

When genocide imposes control with fear
there is no justice that is fair.
When slavery is inflicted
by the credit crunch of debt
there is no equity in the economy.

If we are only to condemn any wrong
who could stand? Each has error.
Any can be condemned.

The politics of providence for people
becomes power without principles.

The goodness of God never ends.
Divine blessings never cease.

I have called to you
from out of the depths LORD.
Please listen to my voice.
Hear that which needs
to be fulfilled.
Feed our need.

Christ, my youth is near death.
Heal her with the light of your love.
Others said, “Your daughter is dead.
Don’t trouble the teacher.”
Christ said, “Do not fear.
Believe in her life.
She will live.”

He said, “Rise and shine little one.”
She woke from the death of sleep.
Talitha rose to shine like the sun.

My soul will magnify you.
My spirit will rejoice in your salvation.
You lifted me up.
You did not let death
triumph over me.

I cried to you.
You restored my health.

You brought me up from the dead
to shine in the light of the living.

Sing to the LORD, dear friends.
Give thanks for the remembrance of love.

The wrath of storm lasts for a time.
Divine favor lasts in time. It provides deliverance
from the bad of the past.

Weeping had spent the night,
but joy came with the morning.

You turned my wailing into dance.
You put off my rags and clothed me
with happiness.

My heart will sing to you without ceasing.
O LORD my God, I will give thanks forever.

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

The singer asks,
“Could I have been dancing Nancy?
Could I have been anyone other than me?”

Dave Matthews – Dancing Nancies
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WBT_u9YsmSA

Rejoice in the goodness of ‘who you are,’ to accept others as they can be.

Steve K.