Nationalities of Biblical Persons if They Were Born Today

 

Xerxes/Ahasuerus          Iranian

Sargon of Akkad            Iraqi

Simon of Cyrene            Libyan

Simon Peter                    Israeli

Bartholomew                  Possibly Lebanese

Emperor Claudius         French

Jeremiah                         West Bank Palestinian

Samuel                            Israeli

Emperor Nero                Italian

Emperor Augustus         Italian

What They Think of Us: The Christian Neurosis

Pierre Solignac  (born 1929, France) is a French psychiatrist who claimed that Christianity uses guilt in order to maintain control of its followers. He spoke of the “Christian Neurosis,” which he said meant that a Christian had to carry around a huge weight of neurotic guilt in order to be properly “humble” before God. It is sad to say that many Christians down through the ages have bought into this anti-Christian, non-Christian attitude. Solignac said that Christians believe in a God of conditional love (if we are “good” enough and “humble enough” He will accept us) who uses law and rules to keep us under control.  “L'éducation chrétienne repose essentiellement sur l'
angoisse et la peur, le manque de confiance en la nature humaine, le mépris du 
corps, ...” (Christian education is based primarily on the anxiety and fear, lack of trust in human nature, contempt of body ...)

No! No! No! No! No!

Our salvation is not based on following rules or being humble doormats or being good enough or knowing some secret doctrine hidden from the world.

“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.” Ephesians 2:8-9 (KJV)

“There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.” Romans 8:1

Do you realize what the Bible says about Christians? It does not say that we become perfect at the moment of our salvation. What it says is that there is no condemnation for us.  “No condemnation” means “found innocent with no penalty imposed.” As John tells us in 1 John 3:14, “We have passed from death to life.”

We have been declared innocent because we are covered by the shed Blood of the Lamb of God. Through the process of sanctification we are becoming like Jesus and when God looks at us He sees the Blood, He sees Jesus. Our guilt has been washed away.

The Apostle Paul understood that Christian innocence could be misunderstood and he adds a coda at Romans 6:1-2 to oppose the heresy of antinomianism. Antinomianism taught that since we are saved and are no longer under the condemnation of the Law we can do whatever we want without any penalty.

“What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?” Romans 6:1-2. (KJV)

Proud of a Job Well Done

I recently saw a waste management truck which had the following phrase proudly painted on each side of the truck in large letters, “We’re number one in the number two business!”

This waste management company specializes in emptying and cleaning septic tanks. For those who might not know, in some quarters of the United States, “number one” is a slang phrase for urination while “number two” is slang for defecation. In the phrase painted on the truck, the company is claiming to be “number one” at what they do.  (A different use of the phrase, “number one,” in this case meaning “the best.”)

What does this have to do with this Christian blog? Well, these people are very proud that they do an excellent job in this necessary occupation which is considered to be nasty and unpleasant by most people. Other people may not understand but they can be glad that someone does the job and does it well and proudly.

This is analogous to the Body of Christ. Not everyone is in a glamorous or respected position but everyone is necessary for the proper function of the Body of Christ.

“For the body is not one member, but many. If the foot says, “Because I am not a hand, I am not a part of the body,” it is not for this reason [a]any the less a part of the body. And if the ear says, “Because I am not an eye, I am not a part of the body,” it is not for this reason [b]any the less a part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole were hearing, where would the sense of smell be? But now God has placed the members, each one of them, in the body, just as He desired. If they were all one member, where would the body be? But now there are many members, but one body.” 1 Corinthians 12:14-20 (NASB: New American Standard Bible)

Not everyone is suited to be a medical missionary in a hot steamy mosquito-infested jungle. Those who are called are glad to do it.

Not everyone is suited to be a missionary among violent urban gang members. Those who are called are glad to do it.

Not everyone is suited to teach a kindergarten Sunday School class every Sunday morning for forty-three years. Those who are called are glad to do it.

The French Roman Catholic Nicholas Herman (1605-1691) is better known as Brother Lawrence. Though he shunned public life and lived as a lay brother in a monastery, he became known worldwide for his piety and his “practice of the presence of the Lord.” He cooked food and washed the monk’s dishes for God. When he became too feeble to run a kitchen, he repaired the monk’s shoes for God. Everything he did he did for “… God, who regards not the greatness of the work, but the love with which it is performed.”

"Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God." 1 Corinthians 10:31

The Flu Epidemic

15.This may seem to be off topic, but actually it is not.  Church services are gatherings of people, so anything which would affect the gatherings is a legitimate topic of discussion.  Currently in the United States and numerous other countries there are spreading influenza (“flu”) and norovirus  epidemics.

The H3N2 Influenza A virus is the predominant virus rapidly diffusing across the United States (as of today it has spread to 41 states).  As of 31 December 2012, 2200 persons have been hospitalized and over 18 children have died.  Annually, various forms of the flu kill an average of 36,000 persons in the United States alone.  The route of transmission of the H3N2 virus this time appears  to be East and Southeast Asia, to Australia and New Zealand, then to North America, Europe, and finally South America.  Basically, everyone.

The norovirus is not flu but is a gastrointestinal virus which causes vomiting, diarrhea, muscle aches, headaches, and stomach cramping.  It appears to be spreading in the following path: Australia to the United States, France, New Zealand, Japan, and Great Britain.  It lasts about three days and is not likely to kill anyone who is not already immunocompromised or debilitated.

There are numerous things which people can do to lessen their chances of contracting these viruses.

1.     Wash your hands often, especially after touching anything public such as doorknobs, hand rails, toilet handles, etc.

2.     If sanitary wipes or sanitary hand foam are provided, use them.

3.     Wipe your phone after someone else uses it.

4.     Wipe the handles of carts or baskets at shopping malls.

5.     Use your knuckle or the end of a pen to push the buttons on an elevator.

6.     Keep your hands away from your face, and out of your mouth, nose, or eyes.

7.     If advised to do so by public health officials, do not hesitate to wear a mask in public.

8.     Wash clothing thoroughly and machine dry.  Wash your hands after handling the clothing.

9.     Do not eat raw foods; thoroughly cook fish, meats, poultry, and seafood.  Wash fruits and vegetables under running water before processing them.  Wash your hands after handling uncooked food.

10. Avoid drinking from public fountains if at all possible.

11. Do not share cups, glasses, or eating utensils with other people, especially anyone noticeably sick.

12. If someone is repeatedly coughing or sneezing you might want to move away from them.

13. Sneeze into a napkin, handkerchief, or your shirt sleeve.

14. Before sitting on a public toilet, put down a paper seat cover.  If one is not available, lay down toilet paper on which to sit.

At least during the epidemics, it might be wise not to use a communal communion cup.  If everyone puts his or her mouth on the cup, medically it is the same as if everyone used the same toothbrush.

What Do You Leave Behind?

In 1607, the French explorer, Samuel de Champlain (baptized 1874, France -d. 1635) found "an old cross, all covered with moss, and almost wholly rotted away" at the site of what is now Advocate, Nova Scotia, Canada.  he interpreted this as confirmation of reports that the Portuguese explorer, Joao Alvares Fagundes (b. ca 1460, Portugal -d 1522), had visited the area about 1520.

Just as Fagundes left a cross, we leave traces in people's lives.  Do you leave a cross wherever you go?

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.

Bernard Acworth: (b. 1885, England – d. 1963) Writer, biologist, submariner, creationist. Evangelical.

Catherine Howard: (b. ca. 1518 - 1524, England –d. 1842; aka: Katherine, Katheryn, Kathryn, “a rose without a thorn”)  The fifth wife of Henry VIII, King of England.  In order to marry wife number six, Henry had f=her executed for treason and adultery. Roman Catholic.

Edward Jonathan Giddings (b. 1831 – d. 1894) Writer. Author of American Christian Rulers (1890).

Peter Maurin: (b. 1877, France –d. 1949; aka: Aristide Pierre Maurin) Roman Catholic social activist.  With Dorothy Day, was a co-founder of the Catholic Worker’s Movement (1933).

William McKinley (b. 1843, Ohio, USA – d. 1901) President of the United States (1897-1901).  He was assasinated by an anarchist.  Methodist.

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.

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 

Unusual Christian Places: Notre Dame du Haut

Notre Dame du Haut is a Roman Catholic pilgrimage chapel built in 1955 in Ronchamp, France by “Le Corbusier.”  The pseudonym belonged to the Swiss-French architect Charles-Edouard Jenneret (1887-1965).  

The chapel is a totally concrete structure with walls which, in places, are ten feet thick.    The building is on the site of a 4^th century church destroyed during World War II.

The slanting concrete roof guides rainwater so that it appears to come off the roof like a fountain onto concrete slabs below.

Links

http://www.galinsky.com/buildings/ronchamp/

http://www.archdaily.com/201296/video-le-corbusiers-chapel-notre-dame-du-haut/

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

Mardi Gras

Today is Mardi Gras (French for "Fat Tuesday).  The celebration is named for the eating of rich, fatty foods before the fasting of the Lent season beginning on Ash Wednesday.  The idea is of a cycle a feast before a fast.  The celebration is associated especially with Roman Catholicism but many non-Catholics participate.  There are annual celebrations in the following countries; Belgium, Brazil, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Sweden, and the United States.  In the United States there are major celebrations in the states of Alabama, California, Florida, Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Texas, and Wisconsin.

The celebrations include, of course, overeating, but also dances, parades, the wearing of masks, sporting events, and the wearing of costumes.  Sadly, some also bring binge drinking of alcohol, drugs, and promiscuous sexuality into the mix.

Mardi Gras was brought to the future United States by the Lemoyne brothers, Pierre LeMoyne d'Iberville and Jean-Baptise LeMoyne de Bienville.  The brothers were sent by King Louis XIV to claim Louisiana (modern Alabama, Mississippi, and Louisiana) for France.

The brothers founded several cities along the coast of the Gulf of Mexico: Biloxi, Mississippi in 1699 by Pierre; Mobile, Alabama in 1702 by Jean-Baptiste; and New Orleans, Louisiana in 1718, also by Jean-Baptiste.  Mobile became the capital of New France and today has the longest-celebrated Mardis Gras festival in the United States.

I must confess that I personally do not understand this holiday.
 

The Earliest Biblical Film

Albert Kirchner patented a motion picture camera, but he is historically significant because of his very odd body of film work as a director.  He directed the first known films in two widely disparate genres.  His personal views are unknown.

In 1896, using the pseudonym of Lear, he directed a film, La coucher de la Marie, which was a recording of Louise Willy's striptease stage show in Cairo, Egypt.  This is believed to be the first pornographic film and was prosecuted as such in 1901 in Europe.

After making a series of comedy short films, Kirchner then (1897) shot La passion du Christ, considered to be the first biblical film.  It is a recording of a stage play performed in Paris.

Kirchner died in 1898 or soon after.

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.

Vladimir Ilyich Ulyanov (b. 1870, Russia – d. 1924, aka: Vladimir Lenin) Attorney, Soviet dictator.  Lenin was baptized in the Russian Orthodox Church.  As an adult, he promoted the atheism of his Communist political philosophy.  The name “Lenin” was a pseudonym from the Lena River in Siberia.

Lars von Trier: (b. 1956, Denmark) Controversial filmmaker, film director.  Raised as an atheist, he is now a Roman Catholic.

Johanna Maria Lind Goldschmidt: (b. 1820, Sweden – d. 1887, aka: Jenny Lind, “The Swedish Nightingale.”) Operatic soprano.  She was a member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Music.  Lutheran.

Margrethe I of Denmark, Ruler of Norway, Sweden, and Denmark: (b. 1353, Denmark – d.1412; aka: Margaret I) Lutheran. 

Honore de Balzac (b. 1799, France – d. 1850) Novelist, playwright.  Roman Catholic.  

Biblical Coins

The earliest known coins minted during the rule of Herod Antipas (d. after 40 AD/CE), Tetrarch of Galilee ($ BC/BCE - 40 AD/CE), were issued in 19-20 AD/CE.  The words "Herod," "Tetrarch," and "Tiberias" appear on the coins.  Antipas, a son of Herod the Great, was the ruler of Judea at the time of Jesus' crucifixion.  He was banished in 40 AD/CE to Lugdunum (Lyons, France).

Surprisingly, many coins from the biblical period are available to modern collectors.  Below are links to several commercial sites which sell coins from ancient times.  The Forum site is especially interesting.  If you place your cursor on a picture of a coin, a box pops up which gives a description of the coin and its modern value.

One of the coins on the Forum site is a denarius, mentioned in Matthew 22:20-21.  It is valued at $900.00 (US).

Forvm Ancient Coins 

RomanCoins.net  

BiblicalMites.com 

Imperial Coins and Artifacts 

Evangelism In France

France is a largely secular country but has a long and prominent place in the history of Christianity.  Roman Catholicism and Protestantism have both declined to shadows of their former selves. At the moment, the fastest growing religion in France is Islam. The European Christian Mission (ECM) aims to change this.

As the ECM website states, "God has not abandoned France."  In the last thirty-five years, over one thousand new evangelical churches have been planted, bringing the total to approximately twenty four hundred.  Many rural areas still have no evangelical church.

ECM has six missionary teams in France, mainly in the Loire Valley, Paris, and Marseilles.

Film Comment: Beauty and the Beast

Beauty and the Beast (La belle et la bête, 1946) is a classic French film directed by Jean Cocteau.   Most of us know the rudiments of the story.   To save her father (Marcel Andre) from a death sentence declared by a werewolf-like beast (Jean Marais), a beautiful young virgin (Josette Day) must agree to substitute herself as the beast’s victim.  She reluctantly but willingly goes to meet her fate only to realize that her host is actually a sensitive and caring person.

Unlike the 1991 Disney version, this fairy tale film was never intended for viewing by children.  The Beast’s castle is a mixture of elegant beauty and creepy visual effects which may be frightening for children.  The beast is truly a beast and looks very much like a traditional werewolf.  The visual and poetic beauty of the film can’t obscure the fact that it deals with many adult themes such as familial duty,  love, violence, frustration, and sexual tension.  An underlying tension is present when one realizes that the intensely heterosexual Beast is portrayed by Jean Marais, the longtime homosexual lover of the director, Jean Cocteau.

We may not like to acknowledge it, but, biologically, we are animals.  Animals are innocent in their selfishness, but, as sentient beings, we are not.   We are a mixture of the law of the Jungle, survival of the fittest, and of our higher impulses.  By our own power, we cannot overcome our selfishness (the true essence of sin) and our separation from God.

Just as the Beast is redeemed by the pure self-sacrificing love of the Belle, we are saved by accepting the gift of Jesus’s sacrifice.

"That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness." Ephesians 4:22-24. 

Film Comment: The 400 Blows

Director Francois Truffaut (1932-1984) said that his classic 1959 film, The 400 Blows, was autobiographical.  He says he was saved by film.  He was fatherless, drifting with no real purpose or meaning in his life until film critic Andre Bazin became his mentor and inspiration.  Truffaut escaped into the world of films.

The 400 Blows is the first in a series of films about the life of "Antoine Doinel," Truffaut's "everyman" character portrayed in all five Doinel films by Jean-Pierre Leaud.  The French title of the film, Les quatre cents coups,  is an idiomatic phrase which, in English, roughly equals the phrase "raising Hell."  It is the story of a twelve-year old schoolboy living in a family in which his parents are unable to make any sort of meaningful connection with the boy.  They have their own concerns (adultery, for one) to contend with.

Antoine has all the markings of a severely troubled adolescent: emotional detachment, alienation from authority figures, trouble at school, behavior problems, lying, petty crime, stealing, and, as is often the case, strong intellectual stirrings.   He experiences the society around him as insensitive, cruel, and uncaring.

The film ends with Antoine having escaped from juvenile detention and finally having reached his goal, the seashore.  The ocean could be interpreted to be the formless vastness of adult life, which Antoine sees as beautiful, but utterly overwhelming.  He is lost, with no idea what to do next.

News: 27 June 2009

NEWS:  Two of the four major Islamic seminaries in Iran have refused to recognize the disputed election of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

NEWS:  French President Nicolas Sarkozy has told the French Parliament at Versailles that there is no place in France for the Islamic burqa (a female garment which covers the entire body, including the head).  Sarkozy says that the burqa is a symbol of the enslavement of women.

France already has a 2004 law which bans crosses, veils, and other religious symbols from public and government buildings.  France's Muslim community is the largest in Europe.

NEWS:  Rabbi Schmuley Boteach, billing himself as Michael Jackson's spiritual advisor, says that Jackson (d. 25 June 2009) told him that he never felt "innocent" even as a small child because of all the grasping, manipulative, and amoral people who constantly swarmed around him.  Boteach believes that Jackson exhibited an extreme self-loathing which led to his misuse of drugs and his extensive plastic surgeries.  The rabbi says that he told Jackson that what he needed was an change within, not a new face, a new album, or another concert tour.