Minced Oaths

 

On 7 May 2025, I posted Holy Smokes! about the white or black smoke which the Roman Catholic Cardinals in the Papal Conclave use to signal the status of the election of the next pope. The post mentioned minced oaths in discussing the situation and I promised to talk about that later. Well, here it is.

Minced oaths are phrases which can sound blasphemous but which are altered or disguised to be less explicit. They use indirect language, softened phrasing, or euphemisms. Think of the British exclamation Zounds!, which replaces God’s Wounds!  The usage also exists in other languages but is very extensive in the English-language. Examples include: dang, darn, dagnabbit, gadzooks, gee whillikers, jeepers, blimey, good heavens, Holy Moly, Holy Cow, Holy Mackerel, Great Scot, Golly, and many more. https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Category:English_minced_oaths

 The idea of not saying the name of God out loud because of its sacredness is an ancient Jewish concept. When the holy name, the Tetragrammaton JHWH,  יהוה, occurs in their sacred texts, Jews still today substitute Adonai ,אֲדֹנָי , meaning Lord, or Ha-Shem, הַשֵּׁם, meaning the Name, or Elohim, אֱלֹהִים, meaning God.

Saying the holy name of God out loud is considered to be disrespectful, sacrilegious, and offensive. Many observant English-speaking Jews carry this even further, writing the word God as G-d.

James, the brother of Jesus, warned against the careless use of words. James 3:2-10. Being able to control one’s language is considered to be a sign of spiritual maturity.

The Identity of Luke the Physician

 

Luke was probably from Antioch, Syria.  He was the writer of the Gospel of Luke and was a gentile Christian who never personally met Jesus. He became a Christian after Paul taught him about the gospel. Using his scientific approach learned as a physician, his two scriptural books, Luke [κατὰ Λουκᾶν; According (to) Luke] and The Acts of the Apostles [Πράξεις Ἀποστόλων, Acts (of the) Apostles], are the result of his numerous interviews of surviving first-generation Christians. In Luke :1-4, he says that he has carefully investigated everything before recording it. 

He was with Paul on several journeys and was present when Paul met with James and the elders (Acts 21:17-20) in Jerusalem.

Paul, in 1 Corinthians 15:6, mentions “more than 500 brothers” to whom Jesus appeared after his resurrection and that most of them were still alive. The mention of 500 witnesses to the risen Jesus was meant as a challenge to people living at the time Paul wrote the passage to check it out if they wanted to. Luke’s careful investigation probably included interviews with many of the elders and many of the 500 brothers. Luke 34:33.

Luke may be the Lucius mentioned in Acts 13:1. Lucius in Romans 16:21 may also be the same man. Because they are named together in 2 Timothy 4:10-11, Titus and Luke may have been brothers. 2 Corinthians 8:18.

The Bible is a Weapon

 

The idea of the Bible as a weapon is played out in the science fiction film, The Book of Eli (2010).  The villain of the film is willing to resort to violence and murder to possess the book. He believes that, if he owns the book, he can have its power by using its words however he wishes. . Denzel Washington, the star of the film, says it is "a story about faith." Eli's mission is to protect the book and deliver it to a site out west. The film is seen by many as a caricature of real Christianity  I will let you watch the film and decide for yourself.

Some people call the Bible the Word of God, but John tells us that Jesus is the Word. The biblical understanding of the Bible as a weapon is more subtle. It is a sword, but it is not meant to kill. 

The Bible sometimes describes itself in military terms but it should never be weaponized against other people, backing them into corners, deriding them, manipulating them, forcing them to make decisions, abusing them, or attempting to silence them. We should never use it to "win." That spirit in a Christian is abusive and unhealthy, it is the sin of self.

See how Jesus reacted to the Rich Young Ruler.  He loved him and spoke the truth that the man needed to hear, even though that truth caused pain.

Mark 10:21; Ephesians 6:17; 2 Corinthians 6:7; Hebrews 4:12; James 4:11.

A Flower Vase on a Grave

As my wife and I drove away from a recent visit to her parent’s graves, I saw, in the corner of my eye, another couple standing by a grave.  The man looked around to see if he was being watched and then walked over to another grave.  From that grave, the man took a flower vase and placed it on the grave his wife was viewing.

Besides being petty theft, this was an insult to the person from whose grave the vase was removed. I also believe that it was an insult to the person on whose grave the stolen vase was placed. It was as if the man thought so little of them that he would rather use a stolen vase and flowers rather than purchase some of his own.  

I am sure that this man thought this was a negligible act, not worthy of a thought.  This was an intentional act, but even unintentional sins are still sins and the wages of sin is death.  How wonderful it is that Jesus has washed His people clean.

“For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.” James 2:10

“And if a soul sin, and commit any of these things which are forbidden to be done by the commandments of the LORD; though he wist it not, yet is he guilty, and shall bear his iniquity.” Leviticus 5:17

"For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." Romans 6:23

When You Have a Fifth Place Car

On a recent NASCAR television broadcast, Kyle Petty, a former driver and now a television race commentator, was talking about one driver who was unable to pull any closer to the lead than fifth place in the race no matter how hard or well he drove his automobile.  Petty said, “Sometimes you just have a fifth place car.”

Then, Petty added this, “When that happens, your responsibility is to come in fifth.”  Do not make excuses.  Do your best with what has been given to you. You are responsible for your use of what you have been given.

Christians call this stewardship.   To be a steward is to manage the property or affairs of another person.  Christians are expected to use their God-given gifts to further the work of the Lord.

What? You say that you do not seem to have any “gifts?”  All Christians have at least one gift, the unearned and unearnable free grace of God who spent the most valuable thing in the universe, the life of Jesus Christ, to provide for our salvation.  He spent this resource for me and for you, as a gift to us, as if each of us was the only one.  The sacrifice of Jesus did restore order to the entire universe, but it also was made for each of us … individually.  A gift.

No Christian should think to use their lack of ability as an excuse for not performing a task which God has clearly assigned to them.  He gives us whatever time or resources we need to do whatever He asks because nothing and no one can stand in His way or prevent Him from achieving His purposes.  “For the LORD of hosts hath purposed, and who shall disannul it? and his hand is stretched out, and who shall turn it back?” Isaiah 14:27

    

As members of the ἐκκλησία we each have been given specific gifts so that we may perform specific functions.  “And the LORD God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it.” Genesis 2:15

All the gifts are needed and none of the gifts are more important than any of the others for the proper function of God’s plan.  Some can teach, some can comfort, some can do manual chores, some can provide financial resources, some can preach, some can pray, some can nurture faith in others, some can care for the sick, some can cook, some have a special connection with children, some are judges, some are peacemakers.  All the gifts are exercised under the leadership of the Holy Spirit..

“For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ.”  1 Corinthians 12:12

“For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office:” Romans 12:4

“As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.” 1 Peter 4:10

“For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office: So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another. Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith;” Romans 12:4-6

James, the brother of Jesus, gave us the other side of this, a warning. “Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.” James 4:17

Escapism Has No Place in the Church

Recently, at work, I went to supper expecting to watch the evening news on the break room television.  The television was turned off and everyone in the room was looking down.  No one was talking to anyone.  They were all focused on their personal devices: iPhones, iPads, Kindles, etc.  I did not want to be rude and to disturb them, so I did not turn on the television.  

None of them looked up or acknowledged that I had entered the room; they were each in their own little world, shut off from everything and everyone else around them.  One was reading Facebook posts.  Another was playing a TETRIS-like game in which the falling items were various pieces of candy.

On another night, the other person in the room was already watching a rerun of the comedy series Seinfeld instead of the news.  Seinfeld can be hilarious, but the creators and actors involved with the series have been totally honest in declaring that it is “a television show about nothing.”

There is nothing inherently wrong with games, social media, or funny television programs, but they can become “wrong”when they are used as shelters,  What all of these people had in common was that they were “escaping.”  They were withdrawing into comfortable little corners where the world could not touch them.  None of them was curious at all about what was going on in the outside world.

I had object proof of this one night when I did have the televison set on the evening news.  There was a story about the dedication ceremony of our new hospital building.  One of my co-workers inquired, “Who is that man?”  The man was the governor of the state in which we live.

Christians are not immune to this.  I understand and agree with the separatist impulse among conservative Christians.  Indeed, we are told to be in the world but not of the world and to come out from among them.  We are told to be holy (meaning separated for God) because God is holy. (Leviticus 11:44, 19:2, Isaiah 52:11, James 4:4, 2 Corinthians 6:17, 1 Peter 1:6)

Some Christians make the mistake of carrying this to such extremes that they remove themselves from any meaningful involvement in the outside world.  They use the church and church activities as an escape.  This, in effect, removes them from many opportunities to share the Gospel.   We have been told to go into all the world and to spread the Gospel to all nations.  We are also told to be aware of what is going on around us: to be as wise as serpents but as gentle as doves. (Mark 16:15, Matthew 10:16)

Swearing on the Bible

On Monday, 21 January 2012, Barack Obama was sworn in for his second term as President of the United States of America.  For the oath, the President placed his hand on the family Bible of the Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr. which was sitting on top of a Bible which was owned by the United States President Abraham Lincoln.  The King Bible was on loan from the family of the civil rights leader.  The Lincoln Bible was the one used in President Lincoln’s 1861 inauguration and  is preserved in the Library of Congress. 

United States Presidents being sworn into office upon the Bible is a tradition from the earliest days of the Republic.  Only four presidents, Franklin Pierce, Rutherford B. Hayes, Theodore Roosevelt, and Lyndon Johnson, were sworn in without the use of a Bible.

Swearing on the Bible is used in courts for witnesses before they testify.  Many Christians refuse to do this, as do believers in other faiths.  In the United States and some other countries, it is acceptable to decline to swear on the Bible.  Members of other faiths may use the holy text of their faith if the court is notified beforehand.  In the case of a declination, the witness must affirm that he or she will tell the truth.  Any of these methods places one “under oath.”  Lying “under oath” is perjury, a crime punishable by fines and/or imprisonment.

 Dr Helmut Thielicke, in Life Can Begin Again (1963), says that an oath is insulting because it assumes that otherwise the witness would lie. 

In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus said, “Again, ye have heard that it hath been said by them of old time, Thou shalt not forswear thyself, but shalt perform unto the Lord thine oaths (Here, Jesus is referencing Deuteronomy 6:13):  But I say unto you, Swear not at all; neither by heaven; for it is God's throne:  Nor by the earth; for it is his footstool: neither by Jerusalem; for it is the city of the great King.  

Neither shalt thou swear by thy head, because thou canst not make one hair white or black.  But let your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil.” Matthew 5: 33-37  The verb in verse 37, ἔστω, translated into English as “let it be,” is in the present active imperative form, a command. ἔστω δὲ ὁ λόγος ὑμῶν ναὶ ναί, οὒ οὔ· τὸ δὲ περισσὸν τούτων ἐκ τοῦ πονηροῦ ἐστιν.

James, Jesus’ brother, echoed Jesus, “But above all things, my brethren, swear not, neither by heaven, neither by the earth, neither by any other oath: but let your yea be yea; and your nay, nay; lest ye fall into condemnation.” James 5:12

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While preparing this post I found this on the website of conspiracy theorist David Icke posted by someone calling himself (or herself) MALKOR.  There is always at least one:

 “There is a bit of irony there … swearing to tell the truth while placing your hand on a book of lies.” 

A Text in the Middle of the Night

Last night at one-thirty AM my wife's smartphone received a text message.  We have someone in the hospital so we burst out of bed to read the message.  It was a text of an internet scam which has been active for over a year.  The text says that the receiver has won $1000 and to get the money one needs only go to a link provided in the text.  The link loads a virus which steals a person's private personal information (passwords, account numbers, social security number, etc) from a computer or smartphone.
This is a criminal activity.

Attacks on personal information are rampant.  In just the same way, Christians are constantly under attack from The Evil One and his servants, especially when they are distracted by life's worries or worse, are spiritually asleep.  It is not currently popular to think of Satan as a person but the Bible clearly does.  Most people, including Christians, do not need his help in falling short of the mark.

Remember, if you resist the devil in the power of the Lord, the devil will run away! James 4:7.

What Zombies Really Represent

Zombies are quite popular right now, appearing in numerous films, television series, and novels.  Originally seen as soulless bodies animated by the will of a master, zombies were sent out to perform tasks.  They were represented in films as slave laborers (White Zombie, 1932), as a murderer/kidnapper (The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari, 1919), and as a compliant, silent, and emotionless slave who will carry out any order by his master (I Walked With a Zombie, 1943).

Zombies have captured the imagination of the horror film community, with over 600 feature films and over 50 short films having been produced as of today.  One of the most highly regarded modern American television series is The Walking Dead.  One of the reasons for the success of the series is that, while it never flinches in showing gore and zombie violence, it is actually not about zombies.    The human characters of the series eventually come to realize that they, not the zombies, are the walking dead.

The concept of a zombie changed radically with the 1968 George Romero film, Night of the Living Dead.  Many consider this to be the first modern horror film.  The movie is not technically excellent, the acting is not of the best quality, and the low budget is very evident.  And, the movie is studied in every film school on Earth because it perfectly expresses the tensions and meaninglessness present in the modern world.   Some Christians have come to realize that zombies represent even more than that.

Numbers 19:11-22 declares dead bodies to be unclean; Romans 3:23 declares that everyone has sinned; and James 1:15 tells us that “sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.”  Without the unmerited grace of God, we are unclean, we are dead, we are decaying, we are the walking dead.  Because Christians are covered by the Blood of Christ, when God looks at us, He sees Jesus.

Think of the parallels between the film zombies and the unredeemed world.  Non-Christians, those who do not know Jesus, are unclean, they are dead, they are decaying, they are the walking dead.  Most do not realize that they are dead. They are like the zombies in the 1978 George Romero film, Dawn of the Dead, who cram themselves into the local shopping mall and walk around in front of the stores.  They are “pretending to be alive.”

Like the zombies in the movies, if they get a really hard bite out of a person, that person becomes one of them.  They are insatiable and virtually unstoppable.  They represent raw hunger, the primal lust for blood, which is life (Leviticus 17:14).

They will kill anything and anyone who stands in the way of their obtaining what they want.  What you want, need, or think is unimportant to them.  They are your neighbors, friends, and even members of your family.

The film zombies can be seen as representing raw sin.  The essence of sin is self at the expense of all other considerations.  Sin wants more and more, it is relentless.  Sin will use others to get what it wants; others are merely food.  And sin ultimately causes decay of the sinner, dulling the perceptions.  Sin takes on a life of its own.

“And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; 2Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: 3Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others. 4But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, 5Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) 6And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: 7That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. 8For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9Not of works, lest any man should boast. 10For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.” Ephesians 2:1-10

The Power of Words

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James 3

1”My brethren, be not many masters, knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation. 2For in many things we offend all. If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body. 3Behold, we put bits in the horses' mouths, that they may obey us; and we turn about their whole body. 4Behold also the ships, which though they be so great, and are driven of fierce winds, yet are they turned about with a very small helm, whithersoever the governor listeth. 5Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth! 6And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell. 7For every kind of beasts, and of birds, and of serpents, and of things in the sea, is tamed, and hath been tamed of mankind: 8But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. 9Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God. 10Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be. 11Doth a fountain send forth at the same place sweet water and bitter? 12Can the fig tree, my brethren, bear olive berries? either a vine, figs? so can no fountain both yield salt water and fresh.

13Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? let him shew out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom. 14But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth. 15This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish. 16For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work. 17But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy. 18And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace.”

 Words can hurt, words can cut.  Words can also heal and empower.  Your words reflect what is in your heart.

Christians, with the Mind of Christ, can, as they listen to the Lord, be led to say the right things, the needed things, the things God wishes to be said, at the times He wishes them to be said.  If that sounds like a lot of responsibility, it is. But remember, God will never ask you to do more than He will empower you to do.

Proverbs 16:24, Psalms 39:1, Colossians 4:5-6, Ephesians 4:29.

God Chooses Unlikely People to Accomplish His Purposes

Rahab , a Gentile prostitute in the city of Jericho (Ariha, West Bank), became an honored convert to the Jewish faith and was praised by the writer of Hebrews for her faith.  When the king of Jericho sent his soldiers to catch Israelite spies sent by Joshua, Rahab hid the spies in her house.  For her help, Rahab was promised protection for herself and her family when the Israelites overran the city.

Rahab later became the mother of Boaz, who married Ruth.  Through Ruth, Rahab became the great-grandmother of King David.  She is one of only four women mentioned in the genealogies of Jesus.

Joshua 2:1-20, 6:17

Ruth 4:18-21

Matthew 1:5

Hebrews 11:31

James 2:25

Ghosts!!!!!

The Bible is clear that we are surrounded by hosts of supernatural beings, both benevolent and malevolent.  A less clear question is whether or not any of these beings are what we would call “ghosts,” the disembodied spirits of dead humans.

There are numerous mentions of “ghosts” and “spirits” and an “after-life” in the Bible.  (Deuteronomy 18:9; 1 Samuel 28:7-25,  Matthew 14:25-27, 2 Corinthians 4:13-18, 5:1,6-8, 11:14; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18, John 10:10, 19:30, Mark  5:1-20, 15:37-39, Luke 23:46, 24:39  1 John 4:1,  

There are various Christian interpretations which have been put forth:

1.     “Ghosts: are demons in disguise, hoping to lure us away into error.

2.     “Ghosts” are not personal beings, but are traces or ripples we leave behind in the space-time continuum., especially after intense emotional experiences.

3.      “Ghosts” are what many believe them to be, the disembodied spirits of dead humans, trapped in the material and unable to “move on.”

4.     “Ghosts” are the product of superstition or very “active imaginations.”

5.     “Ghosts” are an utter fabrication produced by persons wishing to profit in some way from gullible people.

My own take on ghosts is that they do not exist.  When we die, we immediately are in the presence of the Lord (Luke 23:43).  There is nothing in the Bible about the spirits of the dead walking the Earth.  The witch of Endor who called up Samuel the Prophet (1 Samuel 28) was shocked when he actually showed up.  She was accustomed to dealing with someone or something else.

If ghosts did exist, Christians would have no need to fear them.  We are indwelled by the Mind of Christ and demons, as well as angels, must obey us.  The demon’s only other recourse would be to run away. (James 4:7)

Below are links to sites exhiiting the world’s extreme interest in ghosts and hauntings.

http://www.environmentalgraffiti.com/news-seven-most-haunted-spots-earth

http://paranormal.about.com/od/hauntedplaces/ig/World-s-Most-Haunted-Place/

http://www.letitflow.com/most-haunted-places-usa/

http://inventorspot.com/articles/13_real_haunted_places_2532

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_reportedly_haunted_locations_in_the_world

One United Church of Christ pastor , The Paranormal Pastor, definitely believes in ghosts:.

http://theparanormalpastor.blogspot.com/2008/08/bible-and-paranormal-part-1-ghosts.html 

And, The Haunted Places Directory.

http://www.haunted-places.com/ 

Put On the Full Armor of God

“Soldiers don’t arm themselves partially leaving the rest of their bodies unprotected.  For if they received their death wounds in the unprotected area, what would be the point of their partial armor? … The gospel implies that those who try to build a tower, but spend all their time on the foundation and never finish, are ridiculous.”  Gregory of Nyssa (330 – ca. 395) in On Virginity, 17.

Gregory was talking about those who never develop in their Christian understanding past that of infants, babies, the ones which Paul said were still drinking milk when they should already have been eating meat (1 Corinthians 3:2, Hebrews 5:12).

The reference to the soldiers calls to mind the instructions of Paul that we should put on the full armor of God in our battle, and whether or not we realize it, we are in a battle.

“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.   For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.   Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.   Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place,   nd with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.   In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.   Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.   And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.”  Ephesians 6:10-18

“He shall say: “Hear, O Israel, today you are going into battle against your enemies. Do not be fainthearted or afraid; do not be terrified or give way to panic before them.  For the Lord your God is the one who goes with you to fight for you against your enemies to give you victory.” Deuteronomy 20:3-4

God has given us powerful spiritual armor and weapons for our fight.  Our real enemy is a person, Satan.  It is not popular to say this.  Satan has been able to convince the world that he does not really exist.  We don’t regularly see exorcisms and demonic activity (thank goodness) because Satan, the deceiver, knows that it is much more effective to work “under the radar.”  When we think of Satanic rituals, Rosemary’s Baby, little red devils with horns and spiked tails, and all the other popular images, we think of the devil as silly, funny, or entirely superstitious and fictional.  This is one of his strongest weapons.

“Our soul waiteth for the LORD: he is our help and our shield.”  Psalms 33:20

“For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart”  Hebrews 4:12

“O GOD the Lord, the strength of my salvation, thou hast covered my head in the day of battle.”  Psalms 140:7

“He put on righteousness as his breastplate, and the helmet of salvation on his head; he put on the garments of vengeance and wrapped himself in zeal as in a cloak.”  Isaiah 59:17

“Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;”  Ephesians 3:14

Satan wins by deceit, lies, and half-truths, not by courage.  He is a master manipulater and wins his arguments.  Do not waste your time arguing with him.  Never yield in any degree.  Instead, look him in the eye, and, with the name of Jesus on your lips, walk toward him.  He runs from the name of Jesus.

“Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”  James 4:7