Jericho

Others,

Timaeus means Honor.

Plato wrote a dialog by the name. It was written with style, but it serves as a stylistic advocacy for tyranny. Socrates, the leader of the previous dialogs concedes decisions in public policy making to the elite.

“…people of your class are the only ones remaining who are fitted by nature and education to take part at once both in politics and philosophy…yesterday when I saw that you wanted me to describe the formation of the state, I readily assented, being very well aware that, if only you would, none were better qualified to carry the discussion further and that when you had engaged our city in a suitable war, you of all men living could best exhibit her playing a fitting part.”

Plato had made “Socrates” into his mouthpiece for elitism. War and oppression of the people as rabble were seen as necessities by the elite, because the elements and the elemental spirits were destructive during the creation of the state of being. People who don’t agree with the dictates of the elite are seen as terrorists, militants or collateral damage.

The “Timaeus” was known to the gospel writers. The eloquence of style was known as a cloud of smoke to protect elitism.

Support for the dictatorship of industry profit is evidenced in the government of Syria. This dictatorship has the Alawite minority in power over the Sunni populace. Assad is the son of a dictator. He is the son of honor according to Plato’s definition.

Syrian Conflict
http://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2012/08/syrian-conflict-not-just-battle-against-assad/261316/

Assad is blind Bartimaeus according to the gospel story.

Jericho
from Mark 10:46-52

Salvation came to the city of the moon
to celebrate the victory of faith in time.
A large crowd had assembled
to join the celebration.
The son of Honor, a blind beggar,
 called out to the Savior
as he was leaving:
“Son of Goodness,
have mercy on me!”
When he heard that it was
the teacher from Nazareth, he cried,
“Jesus, Son of David, have mercy.”

Jesus stood still and said,
“Call him here.”
They called to the blind man,
“Take heart. He is calling for you.”
Bartimaeus jumped up
and made his way to Jesus.

The Savior asked,
“What do you want me
to do for you?”
The blind man said,
“My teacher, let me see again.”
Jesus said, “Go. Your faith
has made you well.”

His blindness had been belief
in destruction as the law.
He had believed
that the destructiveness of nature
compelled the dictator
to visit destruction on those
who were not with him.
This made it impossible
for him to do anything productive;
to do anything that was good
ran contrary to the belief in destruction.

Jesus had reassured him that his faith
could lead him to live a good life.
He immediately regained his sight
and followed him on the way.

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

Assad is not the only dictator in the world. The threat of subordination to the dictates of industry profit is very real in the USA. The National Defense Authorization Act has two provisions that run contrary to protection for human rights.  The bill was signed into law, but it authorizes the indefinite detention of citizens. It also supports the targeted killing of militants.  Both provisions offend respect for due process of law in enforcement.

Dave Matthews Band – Why I Am
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2jKh9H9UdoA

“It's why I am unlikely to agree
It's why I am climbing out of my monkey tree
Why I am still here dancing with the Groogrux King”

Christ is the Groogrux King. He is with, for and by the people. He is for love and human rights.

It’s why I won’t agree with the dictates of destruction.

Support the correction of elitism. Elect responsible leadership. Stand opposed to the unacceptable provisions for dictatorship.

Steve K.

Faith v. Fate

Others,

Syria is the US without the bill of rights. It has a constitution. It holds elections. Islam is not the state religion. It has a number of parties. It is modern. It is industrialized. It has an impact upon the world.

It does not however, respect freedom of speech as a human right. Protest is regarded as dissidence. Dissidents are terrorists. Non-violent protest is a prelude to armed rebellion. Consider the ramifications for not voting for the "president."

While Syria has a number of parties, the parties are subordinated to single party domination. The party is the majority party and the socialist republic. The republic is subjected to the rule of industry.

Freedom of speech requires that parties oppose each other with non-violent protest in debate. Parties must balance each other into representation. Representation is based on liberty and justice for all, not the abuse of majority rule.
There is no freedom of expression with “the party.” Just government requires balanced representation of the people. Party forces face each other in strength without violence.

Violence and Diplomacy in Syria (Wed. April 18, 2012)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uN52moXnL8U&feature=share

Asma Assad, the “President’s” Wife
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/04/17/asma-assad-video_n_1432102.html?

How is it that the western world whose political system evolved out of the Middle East has come to be so different? Freedom of religion established the ground for theism before it was officially recognized by government as a human right. Theism has affected a change in the standards for justice with the documentation of human rights.

The provision against cruel and unusual punishment stands against certainty of conviction based on the status of the accuser. It requires due process in criminal investigation for law enforcement. If the prosecution does not prove that the accused is guilty of the charge brought by the people, the accused is acquitted. The convicted are to be punished for correction.

Cruelty was aimed at the destruction of the convicted, not the correction of the offense. Now retribution requires restitution and correction.

Freedom of religion in Christianity started with the apostles. Most of the apostles did not have formal education. Matthew had enough training to qualify as a tax collector. Others were fishermen.

Jews and Christians were subordinated by the empire. Christians weren't even known as Christians. They were simply followers of Jesus, a Jew from Nazareth. Roman law was not much better than the code of Hammurabi. The death penalty was used all too liberally. There was a thief in addition to a murderer that hung on the cross like Jesus.

Jesus was not guilty of sedition. He turned over tables in the temple shortly before the crucifixion, but it was not worthy of the death penalty. Not everyone accepted the standards of cruelty for punishment as just.

Ezekiel had stated that God does not desire the death of a sinner. The desire is for the sinner to turn from his way and live. The way of the sinner is the path of destruction; the rule of death. Ezekiel had made the statement about redemption during the exile. Clearly, this statement would eventually help to establish the provision against cruel and unusual punishment in the English bill of rights (1689), but it took a long time to generate.

It took a long time for people to realize that the cruelty of the death penalty prohibited the correction of crimes lesser in offense than murder. Torture only inflicted alienation on the victim. Since violence and cruelty creates criminal behavior, torture only changes the way the crimes of the criminal are manifested.

The acceptance of death on the cross was a way of refusing to be intimidated into sedition or criminal behavior by threats of death. Empire was prone to make "statements" about the power to kill, maim or injure based on the refusal to burn incense to the emperor. The metaphysics of destruction was the rule of cruelty. Justice was not the primary concern of the law. Oppression was.

Reporting other people as the ones who weren't emperor worshipers was a way that some people avoided persecution. The issue about the lapsi after Christianity became "legal" was about the "Christians" who had reported the Christians who had refused to burn incense in public ceremony for the emperor. While prejudice against the Jews hadn't been eradicated, there were so-called Christians as well as so-called Jews and so-called citizens who had used the death penalty to have their competitors eliminated.

Meanwhile, the empire continued to make "statements" about the power of the state to oppress people with cruelty. Who was the real criminal? It was whoever believed that the metaphysics of destruction was necessary to rule over others. Citizens of the state could make criminals look like choir boys.

Beyond Within And Back Again fm Ps 4

Answer me when I call.
Defend me
Defender of my cause.
You set me free when
I am held captive.
“How long will you worship idols
and run after false gods?”

Know that the Wonderworker works wonders.
When you call, you will be heard.
Tremble with the earth.
Let your prayer explode
like a volcano.
Send the request
to heaven.

The answer will touch
down like a tornado.
You will be liberated
from captivity
to injustice.

Let your light shine
like that of the sun.
You will redeem the world
from slavery and cruelty.

Let the light of your countenance
rise up to reveal the new day.
Put your trust in the love of God.
Make offerings in accordance with your means.

You put gladness in my heart.
You bestow blessings upon me.
Many are saying, “Bless us with better times.”

See what love God has given us;
that we may be called children?
That is what we are.
We have been born again
with the resurrected Christ
into love for God.

We have been redeemed from cruelty.
We are directed from destruction.
We are aimed at justice.
We seek the correction of injustice.

Why do we wonder about the joy
and strength that we have been given?
The unemployed are given hope.
The lame are given the strength to walk.

The God of our ancestors
has glorified Jesus
who had been handed over to Pilate;
who had been rejected.
He had been delivered to torture;
handed over to death.
God raised him from the dead.

Everyone who commits sin
is guilty of lawlessness.
We had been lawless.
We had nailed him
to the cross.

We have confessed our sin.
Now the resurrected Christ is with us.
He abides with us as we eat.
He dwells in us through
every act of providence.

Christ says,
“Everything written about me in the law of Moses,
the prophets and the psalms had to be fulfilled.
The Messiah had to suffer to rise
from the dead on the third day.”

Forgiveness of sins will be given
to those who ask for it.
Restitution will be given
to achieve retribution.
Correction will be made
to restore the rule of law
with the people.

Proclaim the love of God to all nations.
You are witnesses to these things.
Peace be with you.

(Acts 3:12-19; Psalm 4; 1 John 3:1-7; Luke 24:36-48)

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

The bible doesn't say that scripture is to be placed first in decision making processes. Christian scriptures are highly valued as a document of literary and historical expressions about belief in monotheism as derived from the Judaic tradition. I agree with John Locke. Use reason with revelation to guide judgment.  We are new Jews too, if that is what we choose.

Political structures have improved. Social norms have evolved. The most important change is that regarding the use of law to affect correction as opposed to destroying the accused as "criminals."

Democracy had been tried for a short period of time by Athens prior to the documentation of the bible, but it was not the political standard for the time. The most important change in political norms is that regarding the use of law to affect redemption rather than the destruction of the "convicted." Cruelty has been reduced in the world. Crimes by the state have decreased in number and severity.

Bibliophiles maintain an important role in viewing recorded history. The literary expressions in the bible allow for participation in the scientific investigation that looks at evidence that preceded recorded history. That which is scientific about the theory of evolution is valuable to society.

Darwin however was wrong about some important things even in regards to scientific theory. He conflated monism with evolution. He asserted that humans are descended from monkeys; not after primates. The assertion adds unnecessary variables to the "theory" that makes it non-scientific.

His basic assumptions are such that certain species were developed by the crossbreeding of members from other species. It also assumes that other mutations in physical characteristics were induced by in-breeding. It was the "aristocratic" justification for in-breeding in different clothing.

The underlying implication is such that beastiality and incest are sanctioned as experiments. Aggression is the norm in this view of nature. The male dominates by forcing himself on any female irrespective of whether the female is in the species or in the family. The female dominates by deception.  Law is developed to support the domination. It is not an accident that social Darwinism came after Darwin.

I don't support Darwin. I argue with his followers. The most aggressive still argue as though he were a god. Others accept the monkey king as god with Darwin. Intelligent Design is an alternative to atheism, monkey god metaphysics or any other metaphysical interpretation of science.This said, I stand by the bill of rights. I won't promote ID as the only way to interpret evolution. If ID is limited to biblical interpretation, it is sectarian. It can be viewed as a form of establishment.

Science for theists allows for the expansion of theism in relation to evidence drawn from the scientific exploration of the world. It necessitates the participation of members from other religions (Jews, Muslims, Buddhists, Hindus) as well as that of atheists and agnostics.

American society had two parties that were operating within the rules of democracy during the Great Society. Now, the Democrats are working for democracy; the Republicans are pushing for more elitism. Elitism is not democratic. It makes democracy a sham; a scam for dictatorship. Elitism will destroy the US if it grows in strength. We will walk the plank with our eyes wide open.

Goyte – Eyes Wide Open
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oyVJsg0XIIk&feature=relmfu

Occupy the rule of law in democracy.
Support a scientific society with respect for human rights.

Steve K.

Meritocracy

Occupy the meritocracy of democracy!

Others,

Consider the case of a disease that not only threatened to kill many, it threatened to kill all. The Black Death killed 1.5 million out of 4 million people in England between 1348 and 1350. There was no medical knowledge of the disease. It was not known how to treat it at the time.

http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/black_death_of_1348_to_1350.htm

Was the plague a curse from God? Was it punishment for sin? What caused the disease? From where did it come?

The outbreak of the Black Death actually started in China in the 1330’s. It was transported to Europe by Italian merchant ships that arrived in Sicily in October of 1347.

http://www.themiddleages.net/plague.html

Boccaccio recorded the symptoms: “The first signs of the plague were lumps in the groins or armpits. After this, livid black spots appeared on the arms, thighs and other parts of the body. Few recovered. Almost all died within three days, usually without any fever.”

Medical inquiry has to evaluate relevant evidence. Questions regarding God’s role are set aside to favor the investigation of the relation between physical symptoms and causality. Theology can interpret findings after a cause has been identified and a treatment has been devised.

What were the people of England to do? Suppose they knew that the disease started to rampage after a ship had landed from Italy? Should they assume biological warfare? Should they send an army to Italy; then on to China? Would that cure the disease?

It became apparent to objective observation that it was fleas from rats that started the contagion. The rats had climbed onto the ships that sailed from China to Italy; then from Italy to England. It was then spread by close contact with other humans.

http://www.eyewitnesstohistory.com/plague.htm

What could be done? It was the lack of community sanitation and the close living quarters that provided a favorable environment for the disease to spread. Garbage was not taken to public landfills. Bodily waste was not disposed away from the household. The unsanitary conditions were favorable for the rats that harbored the fleas that spread the contagion.

The cure for the time was environmental. They didn’t come up with an inoculation that cured the disease. They had to change the living conditions. Community and household sanitation had to be improved to the extent that the rats would not have such a happy home.

This was a time in history where Europeans were coming closer to understanding the microbial causes of disease. The fleas on the rats were the vectors for the disease, but it was some invisible microbe that caused it.

The environment established by humans was favorable to the communication of the pathogenic microbe, so improvement of living conditions would come to provide a preventative measure.

Did everyone respond objectively to the plague? Albert Camus, a writer associated with existential philosophy, wrote a novel called “The Plague” that evaluated the social situation. He used it to comment on the German occupation of France; an occupation that had only recently ended.

The leadership of the time was sectarian. They supported state religion. They called it Christianity. They said that the disease was a punishment from God. They used it to control the population by frightening it into submission. They tortured suspects. They killed people who were not Christian. Quarantines of infected communities and the documentation of physical conditions were the only effective actions applied by the government.

http://www.enotes.com/plague

The central character, Dr. Bernard Rieux, heroically applies objective inquiry into finding a treatment for the malady. Ultimately, the plague ends on its own despite the lack of medical knowledge. The torture and execution of suspects would prove to be criminal. The plague would eventually come to serve as an argument for public sanitation. 

A movie called “Black Death” was released in 2010. It is set in England during and after the period of affliction. A friar is called to investigate reports of resurrected bodies in a town in the country. He is sent with an envoy of knights appointed by the bishop. The movie becomes a depiction of the conflicting claims of christianity and paganism, but ultimately it serves as an argument against devotion to destruction. The argument also supports freedom of religion.

The town where the friar was sent did not suffer from the ravages of the disease. They claimed that the plague was a punishment from the christian’s vengeful God. It did not affect them because they were not christians. The christians on the other hand were convinced that the claims of resurrection were the work of a necromancer and witches.

The pagans tortured the christians to get the renunciation of Christ as God. The christians killed the pagans for witchcraft. The cruelty of the affliction ruled the actions of both sides. It was not a typical movie insofar as both sides were shown as being wrong. Neither side was depicted as being just. The development of the central character was not heroic. It was pathetically tyrannical.

Neither side favored the rule of law based on due process in investigation. Their only investment in evidentiary investigation was to determine if the people whom they did not know were christian or pagan. The findings were then used to put the members of the other side to death.

It was emotionally disturbing and seemed all too historically accurate. I wouldn’t call it enjoyable entertainment, but it had an educational value in the implied support for non-sectarian and representative government.

This review of the bubonic plague serves as a lesson from history. The disease was not a punishment from God. Faith in liberty and love however played a role in calling for improvement in medical knowledge, public sanitation and representative leadership for the general public.

Praise for the God of gods then, is not a call for sectarian government or state religion. It is a call for learning about representative leadership for human being from the lessons of history.

Fm. Ps.50

LORD,
you are the God of gods.
You call the earth
from each rising
of the sun
to the next.

You reveal yourself out of Zion;
perfect in beauty;
majestic in glory.

God will come from
before the dawn.

LORD, you come
from nowhere
out of silence.
A consuming flame
precedes you.
There is a raging storm
all around you.

You call the heavens and the earth from above
to witness the judgments of justice.

“Assemble my people.
Renew the covenant of love.
Seal it with sacrifice and celebration.”

Let the heavens declare the rightness of justice;
for God is the judge.

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

One thing government and people have in common is the conflict of battling factions. Initially, it can seem that the answer to factional conflict is to eliminate the factions. This is the basis for dictatorship however. Dictatorship always shows favor to one group to the disadvantage of others. It is “the party” that rules over and against any other parties.

Democracy operates on the assumption of factional disagreement. Debate is entertained from at least two parties to find agreement by the reduction of disagreement. The goal is to weigh the oppositions against each other in order to find a resolution. The participation of the people is required. Otherwise, representation is limited to those opposing factions that can afford to support the debate between the political leaders.

The “Underworld” movie series looks at the battle between vampires and werewolves as factions of society. The vampires are the death dealers. They represent the aristocracy that was out to eliminate opposition. Currently, they have a correspondence with that industrial leadership that seeks to destroy the competition.

The werewolves used to be slaves to the vampires. The vampires operated at night. The werewolves worked in the day. They were the hard working peasants who had worked so hard that they became as fit as warriors. They became so strong in serving that they rebelled against oppressive leadership. They represent labor. This movie series is about class warfare.

The romance between Michael and Selene underscores the love that can grow within the drama of war between factions.  War and oppressive government can be so cruel that the cruelty threatens to eclipse the experience of love. Humans won’t reproduce without love. The species would die were it not for the reproductive urge. Somehow, couples find a way to love working together. This love represents the ability to stay together to the end; to the last breath.

Evanescence – Last Breath
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u7ZyHwj4wQU&feature=related

Romance is eclipsed when opposing factions play the love of the couple for each other against the responsibility to parent offspring. The pattern had been for the male to act as the income provider and the female to act as the household manager. Modern life and democracy have altered the pattern. Now, both parents often work. The male is not necessarily the primary income provider.

Currently, the trend to promote the industry of war is an effort to regress to the old pattern of male domination. Democracy abhors single party leadership. Representative leadership is not patriarchal. It is not matriarchal. It is a meritocracy that values experience with education.

Don’t succumb to the call for regression. Occupy the meritocracy of democracy.

Steve K.