Sarah Palin Speaks To a Christian Women's Group

Sarah Palin, the former Governor of the State of Alaska (USA) and the 2008 Republican Party candidate for the office of Vice president of the United States, spoke on Saturday 28 April 2012 to the Extraordinary Women's Conference in Birmingham, Alabama (USA).  She referenced the state motto of Alabama, "We dare defend our rights," and called on Christian women to stand up.

"I'm not just talking about our political rights, but the rights we are given as a daughter of God. ... He trusts us with the responsibility to live big, to live bold, to live passionately and to live vibrantly so we can effect change to the world around us."

"Don't be intimidated as they try to reduce you, to mock you, to stop you.  Get off the sidelines.  We were created to make a difference and help others put back together their shattered lives and dreams."

The Praetorian Guard

The “Praetorian Guard” is never specifically mentioned in the New Testament.  They are referenced as “the praetorium” (τῷ πραιτωρίῳ) in Philippians 1:13.  They were the bodyguards of the Roman emperors and served for sixteen year terms, followed by a very generous retirement package.

The group was formally chartered in 27 BC/BCE by the first Roman Emperor, Augustus, and, over the years grew to have great political influence,  receiving greater pay and privileges than common Roman soldiers.  The guard was abolished in 312 AD/CE by the Emperor Constantine the Great.

ὥστε τοὺς δεσμούς μου φανεροὺς ἐν Χριστῷ γενέσθαι ἐν ὅλῳ τῷ πραιτωρίῳ καὶ τοῖς λοιποῖς πάσιν,

Unusual Christian Places: A Chapel Made of Ice

Belgrano II is an Argentine research station in Antarctica.  The nineteen residents are served by a Roman Catholic chapel built entirely of ice.  The chapel is featured on the Worldwide Antarctic Program website.

The average temperature at the base hovers around 5 to 48 degrees below zero (Centigrade).   Night and daylight both last for months.  Research at the base centers on weather, studies of the atmospheric ozone layer, seismology, and magnetic field studies.

Unusual Christian Places: Lexington Ice Center Miniature Golf

Lexington Ice Center Miniature Golf  in Lexington, Kentucky (USA) is described by Entertainmentdesigner.com  as “a mini-golf course God himself would be proud of. … we consider it kooky and memorable enough to make the top ten””

The complex is built around an ice skating/hockey rink to which has been added three 18-hole biblically themed miniature golf courses.  The three themes are : the New Testament, the Old Testament, and the Miracles course.  The individual holes are each based on a verse or passage of scripture, such as Jonah and the Whale, Mount Sinai, or the River of Blood.  

For those unfamiliar with miniature golf, it is usually played on short themed tracks which incorporate odd angles, obstacles, and themed characters or objects placed along the course.  At one famed course in Florida (USA) there once was a giant monkey whose tail swept regularly in front of the hole.

Here is a video of one of the Walt Disney World Resort miniature golf courses as an example:

(Some videos will not play properly when you click on the triangle.  Instead,  click on the title line in the picture and the video will begin .  When the video is completed, close the You Tube pop-up window to return to this blog.)

Film Comment: Un Chien Andalou

I have written before about the modern relativistic idea that there is no absolute truth, that even the idea of truth itself is meaningless.  This anti-intellectual philosophy is rapidly becoming the predominant view in much of modern Western civilization.  The statement that all philosophies are true actually means that none are true.  There is no basis for determining what is right or wrong.  What you declare to be evil, another person might declare to be good, and you both have no valid reason for your claim.  Everything is subjective, based only on opinion.  There is no universal logic, There is no universal sense.  There are no universal ethics. There is no universal meaning.

This idea has begun to become mainstream, but it is not new. “Pilate said unto him, What is truth?”  John 18:38

In the most studied short film in history, Un chien Andalou (An Andalusian Dog, 1928), director Luis Bunuel (1900, Spain – 1983) and surrealistic painter Salvador Dali  (1904, Spain – 1989) collaborated in coming up with totally unrelated scenes that they patched together in no particular order.  Their intent was to offend the society they despised.   Bunuel said, “No idea or image that might lend itself to a rational explanation of any kind would be accepted. … Nothing, in the film, symbolizes anything.”

Bunuel and Dali wrote the film together, with Bunuel directing.  There is no plot or continuity of ideas, just one shocking image after another.  The image almost universally recognized as the most shocking is the one in which a woman’s eyeball is sliced with a shaving razor.  Many have tried to interpret the film along preconceived philosophical lines, but all have ultimately failed because the message is that there is no meaning.

Christians utterly reject this world view because we know that absolute truth does exist.  Jesus is The Truth.

“And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” John 8:32

“Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” John 14:6

Christians

At some time during their lives, the following people have publicly identified themselves as Christian.   Inclusion in this list does not indicate approval or disapproval of the person, of their orthodoxy or lack of it, or of their actions.  Readers are encouraged to suggest persons who should be included on this list.  This is a recurring segment in this blog.

Catherine of Vadstena: (b. ca. 1331, Sweden - d.1381, aka: Catherine of Sweden) Abbess of Vadstena. Daughter of Bridgit of Sweden.  Catherine and her husband lived an ascetic, celibate life.  Returned her mother’s body to Sweden from Rome.

Dismas: (aka: The Good Thief) While hanging on his own cross as punishment for robbery, he asked Jesus to remember him in heaven and Jesus said he would be in paradise that day. (Luke 23:42-43) 

Ludger of Munster: (b. ca. 742, Germany - d.809, aka: Liuger)  Bishop of Munster.  Evangelis in Westphalia and Eastphalia. He built churches and founded a Benedictine monastery on his family estate.  He is considered to be the patron saint of Munster.

Isidore the Farmer: (b. ca. 1080, Spain – d.1130) . Peasant farm laborer. He is considered to be the patron saint of Madrid. Canonized as a saint by the Roman Catholic Church in 1622.

Mary Margaret d’Youville (b. 1701, Canada – d. 1771; aka: Marie-Marguerite d”Youville; Marguerite Dufroste de Lajemmerais) First native-born Canadian Roman Catholic saint. She was the widow of Francois d-Youville, a bootlegger.  Founded the Sisters of Charity of the General Hospital (the Grey Nuns).  The Grey Nuns care for poor, sick, aged women, prisoners, mentally ill, and prostitutes.  “Go to the Grey Nuns, they never refused anybody, or any honest work.”  She was canonized as a saint by the Roman Catholic Church in 1990.  Patron saint of widows and difficult marriages.

Franz Kafka on the Evil One

"Once we have granted accommodation to the Evil One he no longer demands that we should believe him. ... The afterthoughts with which you justify your accomodation of the Evil One are not yours  but those of the Evil One."  Franz Kafka (1883-1924)

Nikkudot

The nikkudot (plural of nikkud) are vowel marks which the Masoretes placed into the Hebrew text of the Bible.  Before that time, the Hebrew text consisted entirely of consonants.  This occasionally created confusion between similar words and the Masoretes were attempting to alleviate the problem.

Modern Hebrew has returned to using only consonants in the written form of the language.  In the spoken form, vowel sounds occur between consonants, with very rare exceptions.

Below is “bereshith,” the first word of Genesis, written with and without its accompanying nikkudot.

בראשית    בְּרֵאשִׁית

The Traditional Dance of the Acholi Tribe

The predominately Christian Acholi tribe is found in Uganda and the southern portion of Sudan.  They speak a Nilotic language.  The majority of Acholi are Roman Catholic or Protestant.  A minority are Muslim.  This video is of their traditional tribal Bwola dance.

All the men carry small drums and everyone follows the lead of one man.  It is considered to be an honor to lead the dance.  Originally the dance could only be called by order of the tribal chief.

The dance, which may last for several hours, is performed in a circle and represents the fence around the royal residence.  "Bwola" apparently means "lies" or"deceit."  I am not sure how this relates to the dance.  Perhaps someone in Uganda or Sudan can explain the meaning of the dance

(Some videos will not play properly when you click on the triangle.  Instead,  click on the title line in the picture and the video will begin .  When the video is completed, close the You Tube pop-up window to return to this blog.)

Why The Clown Ministry Won't Be invited Back Anytime Soon

The elders of the church decided that they would not invite the traveling clown ministry to return again next year.  They were concerned that during the sermon the children kept on popping their balloons and that the cotton candy made the hymnals sticky.

Biblical Sources of Phrases in Common Use: Blind As a Bat

The phrase "blind as a bat" is based on the misconception that bats are blind.  Of course, bats can see, just not very well, especially in bright light.  Bats are mentioned three times in the Bible (Leviticus 11:19, Deuteronomy 14:18, and Isaiah 2:20), but "blind as a bat" is not biblical in origin.

In Metaphysics (11.1,993a27-993b7), Aristotle (384-322 BC/BCE) said, "For as the eyes of bats are to the blaze of day, so is the reason in our soul to the things which are by nature most evident of all."

Christian Music Played on the Glass Harp

These songs are performed on the Glass Harp.

(Some videos will not play properly when you click on the triangle.  Instead,  click on the title line in the picture and the video will begin .  When the video is completed, close the You Tube pop-up window to return to this blog.)

Amazing Grace



Ave Maria

Canon in D



Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring



And this one just because it is beautiful.

A Web Page About Biblical Poetry

Biblical poetry does not follow the forms many people now associate with poetry.  Rhyming of sounds, lines of equal length, strictly structured beat patterns, and many other modern conventions are not in evidence, especially in Hebrew poetry.  The poetic nature of the text is often not immediately evident in modern translations. Instead, you find pairings of similar ideas (synonymous couplets), opposite ideas (antithetical couplets), and couplets where the second line adds to and completes the first (climactic); acrostics, atbash, songs, alliteration, metaphors, and what can be described as "tongue twisters."  (Amos 5:5, הַגִּלְגָּל֙ גָּלֹ֣ה יִגְלֶ֔ה "hagilgal galoh yigleh," which translates as "for Gilgal shall surely go into captivity."

There is an excellent detailed discussion of Biblical poetry on this web page. 

Unusual Christian Places: Chapel of St. Gildas

Gildas preached in Wales, Cornwall, Scotland, Ireland, and Brittany (ca. 540).  The pulpit he used in Brittany is housed in the chapel named for him on the bank of the Canal du Blavet.  The chapel is built into the base of a giant rock which was once a Druid holy place.

An American Rabbi Speaks Out On the War on Judeo-Christian Values

Liberals regularly dismiss, sometimes derisively, the notion that there is a "War on Christianity."  Some  on the left openly admit that the war exists.  Have you ever personally felt it?  Are you comfortable in this present world?

Daniel Lapin (b. 1947, South Africa) is an American Orthodox rabbi and is co-chair of the American Alliance of Jews and Christians.  He declares Pope Pius XII to have been a righteous gentile.  He says that the United States is the most “Jewish-friendly” nation in history.  Along with conservative Christians he sees secular liberalism as a threat to Christianity and Judaism.  He rejects the claims of the Jewish left to represent Judaism.

“How could I possibly ally myself with those who would make God’s commandments irrelevant to society?  Worse, how could I stand by and say nothing while those Americans who venerate the Ten Commandments are under attack?”

What Became of Mary Magdalene?

Roman Catholic tradition says that to escape persecution Mary Magdalene, Martha, and Lazarus travelled to Gaul (France) where Mary Magdalene spent the last thirty years of her life.  She is said to have lived in the cold, perpetually wet cave of Sainte-Baume , near Aix-en-Provence, sleeping on a large rock which was the only part of the cave which always remained dry.

Relics of the saint are a lock of hair, the end of a tibia bone, and a gold-encased skull on display in the basilica at St-Maximin-la-Ste.-Baume.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sainte-Baume 

Brothers, Sisters, and Saints

If you have read this blog for very long, you are aware that I do not refer to biblical persons as "Saint Paul" or "Saint Andrew" or "Saint Lydia."  I call them by their personal names.  I have to admit that this is partly due to my Protestant beliefs but I believe that there is strong biblical warrant for it.

The believers in the Bible called each other by their personal names and referred to one another as brothers and sisters.  Paul referred to the believers in the churches as ἁγίοις, "saints," "set apart ones."  This is the meaning of the word, set apart or separated for God.  We are all saints.

A few examples of this from scripture:

"Paul and Timotheus, the servants of Jesus Christ, to all the saints in Christ Jesus which are at Philippi, with the bishops and deacons:" Philippians 1:1

  

"Unto the church of God which is at Corinth, to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both their's and our's:" 1 Corinthians 1:2

Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, To the church of God which is at Corinth with all the saints who are throughout Achaia: 2 Corinthians 1:1

Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, to the saints which are at Ephesus, and to the faithful in Christ Jesus: Ephesians 1:1

To the saints and faithful brethren in Christ who are at Colossae: Grace to you and peace from God our Father. Colossians 1:2

All the saints salute you. 2 Corinthians 13:13

Distributing to the necessity of saints; given to hospitality. Romans 12:13

Book Comment: The Epistles to the Philippians and to Philemon

The full title of this book published in Edinburgh in 1897 is A Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the Epistles to the Philippians and to Philemon. The writer was Marvin R. Vincent, the Baldwin Professor of Sacred Literature in Union Theological Seminary in New York, New York. In this book, Dr. Vincent defends the Pauline authorship of the letters.


The book is quite technical and requires at least a rudimentary understanding (like mine) of Greek, Hebrew, and Latin. Dr. Vincent examines the Greek text of both books, word by word, phrase by phrase, and describes the usages of the words in other literature of the same time period. He discusses various possible interpretations of certain words and passages and gives his reasons, based on Greek grammar, lexicology, and consistency of biblical interpretation, for making the translations which he does.

Vincent makes many interesting observations, such as the following on Philippians 1:5:

“For your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now;” (ἐπὶ τῇ κοινωνίᾳ ὑμῶν εἰς τὸ εὐαγγέλιον ἀπὸ τῆς πρώτης ἡμέρας ἄχρι τοῦ νῦν). τοῦ is the definite article “the,” so, literally, this is “the now.”  Vincent says this is “only in Paul,” which may mean that Paul was the writer who introduced the modern idea of “the now.”

This is a commentary which respects the Scriptures it examines. As he says in his preface to the book, "The main object in this commentary has been to exhibit St. Paul's thought in these two letters ..."

Turkish Christian Song-Ya Rab Isam

This is a Turkish Christian song.  The title translates as "Oh, Lord, Safeguard."  "Isam" is an Arabic word for "safeguard," often used as a personal name.

Some videos will not play properly when you click on the triangle.  Instead,  click on the title line in the picture and the video will begin .  When the video is completed, close the You Tube pop-up window to return to this blog.

Statements of Faith

Yesterday, in my post about Christian Translation,  I suggested that you check out their Statement of Faith.  This is an excellent idea for every religious website you visit.  Not every Statement of Faith is equal.  Not everyone who says "Christian" is Christian.  Jesus said so: “Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.” Matthew 7:22-23


What could Jesus have been talking about?  True Christians obey Jesus' teachings.  True Christians stay true to the faith "once delivered."  Jesus is not just talking about false prophets who are like hungry wolves disguised as sheep.  He is talking to each believer.


This is not about the eternal salvational security of the Christian.  This is about who is a Christian.  Jesus is warning us about being deceived by "false Christianities."  There are many "Christianities," not all of which are Christian.


If you read a group's Statement of Faith, or their publications, keep your mind and a discerning eye open for these RED FLAGS!!!!!!  ( I did the RED FLAGS!!!!! on purpose.  I know it is "shouting" and is frowned on on the internet, but the Christian's powers of discernment should begin to tingle when they encounter these non-Christian ideas, especially the subtle ones which seem reasonable on their surfaces.)  Paul said that if anyone, even an angel, even Paul himself, comes to you with a different Gospel, they should be rejected.  Paul said it forcefully in Galatians 1:8-9: ἀνάθεμα (anathema), "accursed."


There is room within the Body of Christ for disagreement and discussion over some matters of doctrine.  Remember the hierarchy of doctrines (convictions, persuasions, and opinions) discussed earlier.  The doctrinal beliefs listed below are, at best, highly suspect.  Some are completely non-Christian even if they are declared by "Christians."  All of them should set off your alarm system.


1.  Any denial of the deity of Jesus, the Holy Spirit, or the Father.
2.  Any denial of the full humanity of Jesus.
3.  The idea that the Gospel is about making you materially rich.
4.  Certain questions about sexuality.
5.  Denial of any cardinal Christian doctrines.
6.  Mention of "secret teachings."
7.  A focus on the leader of a group rather than on Jesus.
8.  Emphasis on social justice at the expense of, or the elimination of, the Gospel.
9.  Mentions of "self-actualization" and discovery of one's "true inner self."
10. Rejection of portions of the scriptures.
11. Any idea of works salvation or self-salvation.
12. Addition of new doctrines for which no clear biblical support exits.
13. New Age ideas, reincarnation, ascended Masters, occultism, UFOs, fairies, elves
14. Hate-based teachings such as racism, extreme nationalism, etc.
15. Ghosts, spiritism, channeling
16. "Our group is the only true Christian church." A denial of the universal Church, the ekklesia.
17. Mixtures of other religions, such as Hinduism, with Christianity.  Numerous churches have "Christian Yoga" classes, seeing Hatha Yoga as secular.  This completely misunderstands that the underlying basis of all types of yoga is Hinduism.


This list could be greatly expanded.


  

Christian Translation

Christian missions and organizations which have international reach often have need of translation services.  Christian-Translation.com is a Christian-run internet translation service which utilizes only Native Speakers, never a computer translation.  They believe that this helps preserve the meaning of their customer's messages.  They see their service as a ministry which helps others spread the Gospel.

The company will translate "writings, books, teaching materials, bible studies, sermons, messages," and other ministry materials.  The list of languages numbers in the hundreds. and "if at certain point you don't find here the language you're looking for, just contact us and we'll get that language translator for you."

The Dominican Republic based company views itself as a ministry and so, keeps its service costs as low as possible.  Their Statement of Faith on their website shows them to be a traditionally orthodox Trinitarian organization.

Earliest Easter Memories

This morning our Sunday School teacher asked each one of us to tell the class about our earliest memories of Easter.  I made the class laugh.

My earliest memory of Easter is from when I was about four or five years old.  My parents got us ready and carried us to the 5 AM Easter Sunrise Service on top of Red Mountain .  I remember being angry because I was going to miss the 6 AM broadcast of the Gumby television series.

Gumby Episode #28, "Melon Felons" is below.

Some videos will not play properly when you click on the triangle.  Instead,  click on the title line in the picture and the video will begin .  When the video is completed, close the You Tube pop-up window to return to this blog.

Arabic Christian Song: Jesus is My Joy

This Arabic Christian song translates as "Jesus is My Joy."

(Some videos will not play properly when you click on the triangle.  Instead,  click on the title line in the picture and the video will begin .  When the video is completed, close the You Tube pop-up window to return to this blog.)

Coming Back

In an article in the 6-8 April 2012 edition of USA Today entitled "Religious 'Reverts' Coming Back to Faith," Cathy Lynn Grosssman quotes  a man named Bruce Boling who quit attending church as soon as he left home.  "Once I grew up and didn't have to go anymore, I just quit."

After he married and had children, he thought church might be good for his relationship with his children.

"I thought if I went back, it would make me a better father.  What I found was it made me a better me."

Paul, the Apostle

This You tube video appears to have been put together from the film, The Emissary, which appears to be a well-meaning attempt to depict the life of Paul.  I have not seen the full film but intend to if I can find it.

Some videos will not play properly when you click on the triangle.  Instead,  click on the title line in the picture and the video will begin .  When the video is completed, close the You Tube pop-up window to return to this blog.

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/ 

The Young Man Who Fell From the Window

Paul is considered to have been one of the great intellectuals of the Western world, even by his detractors.  As brilliant a theologian as he was, he may have been very long-winded and possibly even a boring speaker.

“And there sat in a window a certain young man named Eutychus, being fallen into a deep sleep: and as Paul was long preaching, he sunk down with sleep, and fell down from the third loft, and was taken up dead. And Paul went down, and fell on him, and embracing him said, Trouble not yourselves; for his life is in him. When he therefore was come up again, and had broken bread, and eaten, and talked a long while, even till break of day, so he departed.” Acts 20: 9-11

A fall from a third story window onto to the ground below would, at a minimum, have produced very serious injuries.  Those present thought that Eutychus was dead.

The implication is that Paul brought the young man back from the dead and then diverted the attention of the group.  A confirmed resurrection would have abruptly ended the meeting.  Paul still had much to say.  He talked until dawn.

Messianic Prophecies from the Bible: What Is His Son's Name?

Messianic Prophecies is a recurrent segment in this blog.

Old Testament:

“Who hath ascended up into heaven, or descended? who hath gathered the wind in his fists? who hath bound the waters in a garment? who hath established all the ends of the earth? what is his name, and what is his son's name, if thou canst tell?”  Proverbs 30:4

New Testament:

“And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven.” John 3:13

“And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him:   And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” Matthew 3:16-17

Obviously Jews reject this interpretation.  Here are several of their comments on Proverbs 30:4.

http://www.jewsforjudaism.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=64:is-jesus-the-son-that-is-referred-to-in-proverbs-304&catid=58:birth-of-jesus&Itemid=488

http://en.allexperts.com/q/Orthodox-Judaism-952/Proverbs.htm

http://thejewishhome.org/counter/ProverbsPrfTxt.pdf