Grace and peace to you from beyond your northern border; may the peace of Christ and the blessings of our sovereign Lord rain down on you all of your days.
Let me begin by saying how much I respect and admire your strong culture and your personal freedoms, you are a light to us all in terms of how democracy “for the people, by the people” can and does work.
Your economy, though slightly battered and bruised of late, is built on fundamentally sound policy and ideals which will recover and once again thrive; I have no doubt of that. Your political system is built to withstand all kinds of threats both from external forces and most importantly from within. You are a strong, unified nation, and so you shall remain for many years to come.
But there is a problem. You can’t seem to agree on even the most basic measures to fix your economy, political system or social institutions. I started to notice it around about the turn of this century when your presidential election hung in the balance for several days over irregular balloting in one or two states. It’s only gotten worse in the past decade.
Those of you who recognize that something is wrong can’t really see the problem for what it is. You have become polarized so that no matter what anyone says, half the country will automatically brand you as one of those people and write you off before you even finish speaking.
Stop bickering! You’re acting like children! Your internal arguments appear to those of us on the outside as nothing more than petty school yard spats. Like Rome before her, Washington is burning but you are too preoccupied with the notion of liberty and personal freedom to do anything about it for fear of what it might cost you.
I promise you this; if you do nothing, it will cost you everything!
America is a young nation. Just 235 years old. On the scale of human civilizations that makes you a mere toddler, but look at what you have accomplished in such a short time.
Your declaration of independence and constitution are powerful documents. Some of the greatest legal and moral codes since Moses brought down the 10 Commandments or the British Lords gave us the Magna Carta. At the time of your founding you were surrounded on all sides by hostile nations and a lawless frontier. Traumatized by a tyrannical central government that you had little influence over and afraid of imminent invasion you did what you had to do. By empowering your citizens to go forth and make their own destiny you built the greatest nation on earth. You should be proud of that but for the love of God, keep it in perspective.
Many of you have elevated your founding documents to the level of Holy Scripture and turned America into some sort of latter day promised land. Indeed to hear some of you speak it’s as if Jesus himself, not George Washington was the one to cross the Delaware. Give me a break!
I wish I didn’t have to point this out because it seems so basic to a nation that claims to have been founded on Christian faith, but you have violated the first commandment! You’ve turned these documents and your interpretation of them into what Dr. Timothy Keller calls a Counterfeit God. What greater sin could America commit? [Exodus 20:2, 3]
The human heart takes good things... and turns them into ultimate things. Our hearts deify them as the center of our lives, [Dr. Timothy Keller; Counterfeit Gods]
The world has changed in the last 235 years. The rest of us caught up with you. Liberty and freedom have been adopted throughout the developed world. Technology has advanced, economies have become integrated. The threats you face, we face together. You need to work with the rest of us or you will fail. No country is strong enough to go it alone. Many people may disagree, especially here in Canada with our close proximity and higher than normal interdependence, but I strongly believe that you need the rest of the world more than we need you. By clinging to the past you will be consigned to the annals of history alongside Athens and Rome.
Moving forward you must first, recognize that a strong central government with the power to enact and enforce law is not your enemy. Representative democracy is messy and sometimes individuals will find themselves in the minority. Laws designed to protect and strengthen you may at first seem oppressive, but that is not a reason to doubt the effectiveness of the system or undermine measures that serve the greater good. After all, Aristotle and Koffka both taught us that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. Personal freedom be damned if it lead to anarchy.
Second, there are radical elements in all religions that must be controlled but religion itself must not be allowed to divide us. There is a lot of fear and misunderstanding between the religions of the world. While all claim to know the path to God you must not confuse Orthodoxy with Literalism. "Thou shall not kill," is key to nearly all faiths, especially the dominant Abrahamic faiths, regardless of what a literalist, lunatic fringe may think. Remembering that and refusing to be lured into violence, by acts of violence is paramount for peaceful coexistence. [Exodus 20:13, Matthew 5:43, 44, Quran 5:32]
Lastly, do not fear “world government”. Many have bemoaned the UN, the G8, the G20 and the World Economic Forum as harbingers of some sort of apocalypse. The warnings in the book of Revelation against such things should not be interpreted literally. By working together democratically we can stand up to tyranny and promote liberty in ways individual states simply cannot. It is America’s refusal to sign international treaties such as those that ban landmines, set targets for carbon emissions or place controls on banking systems which doom them to failure and will eventually force the world to act without American support, indeed we’ve already started.
In closing I wish to reiterate how much America has gotten right. It is not my intent to insult or offend you. I merely wish you to look beyond yourself and see the world for how it really is. We want you to become a full partner, not some kind of international Big Brother, who stands on the sidelines tisc-tiscing away but never offering constructive help until the only thing to do is swoop in on your proverbial white horse (aircraft carrier) and save us from a disaster you helped to create.
To quote former president George W. Bush; “You’re either with us or against us”; the days when you could act unilaterally and expect to get your way are over. Please don’t be a fool and try to hang on to some antiquated idea of America at the top of the world order. Recent events in Egypt and other parts of the Arab world are proving once again that democracy, the same democracy you’ve been trying to export since the end of WWII, is winning but now your decentralized approach is in the minority.
Make no mistake, American influence is declining and how you handle that decline will determine if the new world order will be peaceful or lead to the bloodiest battle in recorded history. No one wants that.
I’m begging you, set aside your personal obsessions and join the collective effort to make the world better. It’s not too late.
Sincerely;
Your friend, neighbour, biggest trading partner, and Christian Brother – Canada
(Or at least one Canadian – I shouldn’t say I speak for all 32 million of us should I?)
Lauren,
ReplyDeleteThank you for your soothing words about a topic that is not so soothing. Grace and peace be upon you also.
Regards
Ted
Thanks Ted. That one's been on my mind for a long time and it took a lot of courage and reflection to write. I'm glad it struck a chord for you.
ReplyDeleteIt's really neat to see your point of view. However there is one thing you might be overlooking here. What makes the U.S. Constitution a timeless document, and what makes it unique from all other Constitutions, is that it does not tell the government what laws it can make, but it prevents the government from making any law taking away any of the freedoms we are all born with: right to free speech, protect ourself, due justice, etc. The U.S. Constitution tells the government what it canot do. The reason we are against a world government is because we fear that government would not protect these freedoms. We believe, and rightly so, that the U.S. Constitution gives us more freedom than any world governance ever would. Likewise, the reason for many of the problems in the U.S. is because progressives in both parties in our country ignore the Constitution for the purposes of moving forward their own agenda.
ReplyDeleteHey, you're just preaching to the choir. :-)
ReplyDeleteWe (the US) should be setting the international standards, or at least joining the international community in those standards.
I think you have to understand that we are, um, in a transitional period. The country is coming to grips with the fact that when you send manufacturing and technology over the borders to be cheaply made, you are in fact sending knowledge itself over the border. When you do that, you erode not only your home labor front, but also your technical superiority. It happened slowly, slowly enough that there was no public shock.
So now we are here, and we're not at the top. But we are just not used to that. We've had decades upon decades of that top position, and it's just too hard to accept otherwise for a big portion of the populous.
To a large extent, I believe that there is a correlation between the advent of Fox News Network and the polarization of the nation. Of course there are other factors, and Fox News is not all bad, but as the most popular news service with a decidedly and often blatantly right-slanted delivery of the news, opposition views become distilled, focused, and concentrated until they seem absolute and uncompromisable. Part of that message is that the US is still on the top in everything (or at least could be if it wasn't for those pesky Democrats).
This is not to say even that I think that the Right is all wrong, but they are the biggest opposition to powerful centralized government. (They also generally claim that they are the strongest supporters of the military, which is ironically the biggest, strongest part of the government, and which is probably the one place were we still exceed the rest of the world.)
The portrait of the Left from the Right in the US is (on Fox News) often associated with international, in other words, external influences. Patriotic hubris kicks in, and the Right refuses compromise.
The real evil is that with the popularity of Fox News, other networks have modified their broadcasting to a decidedly and often blatant Left-leaning message in a desperate attempt to increase viewership, making the nation even more polarized.
Knowledge is power. If you control the knowledge, you control the power. And to a large extent, you control the harmony and civility (or lack thereof) which people show to each other in trying to figure out what truly is best practice.
Unfortunately, Fox News will continue, because it makes tons of money with their message. It's interesting to me that on the flip-side, pure-Leftist news and talk shows just typically are not near as profitable. It appears that those not firmly planted on the Right prefer more balanced news.
I loved your post.
ReplyDeleteYou have said the right things.
I however differ on the view that America is a great country. It is a super-power, no doubt. Its military prowess is well known and demonstrated form time to time.
But what makes a great country is not about military strength - which can get overtaken by others using similar or advanced technology.
A country becomes great by recognising the need for being productive; by recognising the rights of other nations; by looking at inclusive rather than exclusive growth; by creating equality between nations, between cultures, between religions and between all forms of life.
You have rightly called upon its people to recognise that unlimited fredom is self destructive. People need to draw a line between freedom and its abuses.
God Bless America and Canada and India and every other country, state or province in the world !!
Rick.. The mere fact that you consider the constitution timeless is partly my point. Societies evovle, isn't that the meaning of the word progressive?
ReplyDeleteYour assumption that world government would not protect freedom is also short sighted. Let me ask you this; is a world government without American involvement more or less likely to protect your interests?
wise fool... I don't mind preaching to the choir. I just wish you would sing so didn't have too.
ReplyDeleteThe problem --- and there is ONE --- with MY country is not government. The problem is ourselves. I took some time yesterday after reading Lauren's post to reflect upon when our decline began and when we were first alerted to that decline. I went back to 1979, to one of the most maligned speeches ever given by a President --- Jimmy Carter's "Malaise" speech. I'd like to post a few things he said:
ReplyDelete[A]fter listening to the American people I have been reminded again that all the legislation in the world can't fix what's wrong with America. So, I want to speak to you first tonight about a subject even more serious than energy or inflation. I want to talk to you right now about a fundamental threat to American democracy.
The threat is nearly invisible in ordinary ways. It is a crisis that strikes at the very heart and soul and spirit of our national will. We can see this crisis in the growing doubt about the meaning of our own lives and in the loss of a unity of purpose for our nation.
The erosion of our confidence in the future is threatening to destroy the social and the political fabric of America.
It is the idea which founded our nation and has guided our development as a people. Confidence in the future has supported everything else -- public institutions and private enterprise, our own families, and the very Constitution of the United States. Confidence has defined our course and has served as a link between generations. We've always believed in something called progress. We've always had a faith that the days of our children would be better than our own.
But just as we are losing our confidence in the future, we are also beginning to close the door on our past.
In a nation that was proud of hard work, strong families, close-knit communities, and our faith in God, too many of us now tend to worship self-indulgence and consumption. Human identity is no longer defined by what one does, but by what one owns. But we've discovered that owning things and consuming things does not satisfy our longing for meaning. We've learned that piling up material goods cannot fill the emptiness of lives which have no confidence or purpose….[T]he willingness of Americans to save for the future has fallen below that of all other people in the Western world.
As you know, there is a growing disrespect for government and for churches and for schools, the news media, and other institutions. This is not a message of happiness or reassurance, but it is the truth and it is a warning.
We are at a turning point in our history. There are two paths to choose. One is a path I've warned about tonight, the path that leads to fragmentation and self-interest. Down that road lies a mistaken idea of freedom, the right to grasp for ourselves some advantage over others. That path would be one of constant conflict between narrow interests ending in chaos and immobility. It is a certain route to failure.
All the traditions of our past, all the lessons of our heritage, all the promises of our future point to another path, the path of common purpose and the restoration of American values. That path leads to true freedom for our nation and ourselves.
Societies evolve, yet the genious of the U.S. Constitution is it's timeless. Another neat thing about the U.S. Government is Federalism and the rights of men. The individual is allowed to govern himself, and is accountable for his own actions. The U.S. government doesn't protect man from himself, it protects man from man. All other laws are left to the local governments or to man himself. I think a world government would be more likely to limit free speech, especially free speech that goes against the experts running the world government (i.e. Fox News, Glenn Beck, Rush Limbaugh). They'd be more likely to tell me what I can and cannot eat to keep me healthy "for my own good" and for the benefit of a lower "societal" healthcare bill. A world government might tell me I can't spank my kids. The problem with a world order is it would propose to rule over everyone, when it's not possible. It's called soveirinity. Every state in the U.S. has it's own traditions and beliefs, just like every country in Europe and arond the world has their own beliefs and traditions. So long as you don't infringe on my freedoms, you can (or your country can) do whatever it wants. America leads in this way through American exceptionalism. Thus, we champion freedom, yet we don't force it on anyone.
ReplyDeleteMany people talk about the partisan divide in the U.S. as though it's something bad, or even that it's something new. Some even purport to stop it, saying we must all agree. The truth is, Adams and Jefferson tossed far worse vitriole than anything we see today, and no one tried to stop it. In fact, Vice President Aaron Burr was so pissed at Alexander Hamilton that he killed him in a duel. Imagine that happening today. The truth is, partisanship isn't that far out anymore. Yet partisanship is good. It's good because a partisan divide prevents people from making laws, and makes sure all ideas are on the table when a law is voted on. You have to remember laws should be few, because (as our founders knew), every law takes away another freedom. That's why our Constitution makes it so hard to make them. A good example is Obamacare which passed by a mere one vote.
ReplyDeleteTed...
ReplyDeleteI'm a little young to remember Jimmy Carter but based on this, I think I would have liked him.
Hi Lauren. FYI, President Jimmy Carter is still alive today and is still using his influence to promote peace, understanding, human rights, and justice throughout the world. Although, I think age is catching up with him.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, I think you would enjoy studying up on him. He is truly a great man.
I've read a few of Mr Carter's books, I was merely commenting that I know little of his presidency, I was barely 8 years old when he lost to Reagan and like most 8 year old boys I was more interested in Hockey that politics.
ReplyDeleteThe problem is, quite literally, the US is still fighting the Civil War. It's been deviously recast as the Republicans representing the South, and the Democrats everyone else. Same issues, same tactics, except now there are several dedicated billionaires (Murdoch, Koch Brothers) intent on pushing this as far as possible. It's going to get worse before it gets better, but it will get better - demographics are on all our side.
ReplyDeleteBut it might be too late - fer instance, it is small minority of American politicians who prevent America from progressing in terms of Climate Change; since the US is not progressing, everyone else remains stuck or unwilling to take some painful first steps. Thus, a small American minority holds the entire world hostage - and for what? Cuz they hate liberals. That's about it.
I have read your post with interest. However I am just going to lurk for a while and get to know you a bit better before either commenting or following.
ReplyDeleteRedshirt... Interesting take and good use of demographics to make your point however; I don't think you're right. I don't have the exact statistics to back it up but I believe the birth rates in the south are much higher than they are in the north. If that trend continues it won't be long, perhaps a generation or two before the south is the majority and then we're really in trouble. Until the Northern Liberals start having more babies demographics aren't on our side at all.
ReplyDeleteToo much freedom! Harmful only when they think they can change word order by meddling every where.
ReplyDeleteLauren,
ReplyDeleteIt appears that you and many of your commenters here are trying to backtrack to Babel; at present scattered around the earth, confused in language so as to not be able to understand one another, but trying to return to the plain of Shinar to build a city and tower to reach to the heavens and build Utopia on the earth.
But, be sure of one thing, your proposed unity tower will require much slave labor and countless human purges as means to your ends. Fallen man's nature has not changed, but it has increased in potency through technology.
In regards to your views of the United States, I hear and read similar scoldings from around the world. Most of us care very little about those things. Each critic should look first to himself and his own culture and nation in a similar critical manner, remove the redwood from his own eye and then come and advise us on our internal affairs.
As a matter of fact, we continue to work on such things as well. In the last election we removed over 60 splinter from our congressional eye and over 700 from state legislatures. And several governorships, too. And hopefully in two years we will continue this trend and return to actual leadership and not lust after becoming one of the trendy, cool guys in a downwardly evolving world. Or we can stand alone in the world if we have to.
Well, YOU invited me in an email! And, yes, I am a racist, sexist, homophobic, xenophobic dude who clings to my guns and religion. In our confused, postmodern world those terms can mean anything (or most likely, nothing) the individual desires them to.
Steve...
ReplyDeleteIt seems to me like you are taking scripture a little too literally here. The story of the tower of Babel is more about trying to do things without God than it is about not working together. I see very well what's going on my own country, all I ask is that you look beyond your boarders too.
If you want to go it alone go right ahead, say hi to Rome and Athens for me.
Well said!
ReplyDeleteNow I'm getting the last word. Im telling you this point blank. The difference between America and Canada is that in America, for now, we don't have to, and refuse to give up on God's commands for government which unfortunately for many, you have no problem doing. You love to talk to and about America and how bad it is, how nothing works, etc. Folks, I parted ways with Lauren here because he loves to insult America and yet takes offense to a compliment to Canada. That comes from the feminization of men which is typical of liberalism and is why birth rates are lowest in liberal areas. You (Lauren) take the instructions given to you by God and water them down to "not offend" potential readers. You reinterpret biblical stories to the point of rewriting the Bible itself. According to Lauren's Bible, homosexuality, extramarital sex, and even adapting bible teachings to one's own agenda...all okay, but rejecting the superior intellect of the elite educated Canadian who puts the UN and their social agenda before God is the only thing God seems to care about.
ReplyDeleteLauren, we aren't Canada. We believe in our laws and we overwhelmingly believe in God, unlike Canada. We don't tell you what to do or how to live, but like a typical liberal, your views are superior because the world says so. What does the Bible say about the world? Count how many times Jesus warned of following the world in his 3 year ministry and apply that to the "Lauren's Bible" interpretation just like the rest of the New Testament. Don't claim to be if God unless you are. God doesn't water down the truth. He accepts those who forsake the world in favor of fully accepting his given word. You are doing nothing but following two masters and leading others to do so too if you don't know what the result of that is, read the real Bible, instead of Lauren's UN authorized version. By your method of interpretation, Sodom didn't burn because of the unspeakable sin that God simply called an abomination. Now, it's the tower of babel. What's next, there were no sins for Jesus to die for so he did it for fun? I guess 2nd Corinthians where Paul emplores those who he wrote to not to let false teachers water down the message. His reason: It's God's message and God got right to begin with. He and we don't need agenda driven false teachers trying to reinterpret the bible through the words and ideas of Goerge Soros. Folks, this is what Lauren is teaching here and it has NOTHING to do with God!
Andrew...
ReplyDeleteThanks for proving my point. Say hi to Rome and Athens for me.
And other thing Andrew...
ReplyDeleteI knew you wouldn't be able to stay quite about this. I've held back my views so as not offend you as much as anyone else. Your "cutting of ties" with me was liberating, I don't care what you think anymore. If you thought I was liberal before just wait...
The so called compliment you gave Canada a few weeks back was back-handed, arrogant and clearly born of ignorance to both our culture and our history. The fact that you thought it was a compliment only proves your arrogance.
Time will tell who is right here of course but one thing is for certain. Jesus was a liberal - deal with it. http://www.thechristianleft.org/
Since you are the "yes" man, I am asking you to post this.
ReplyDeleteSo you admit pretending not to be not to be a liberal to what, indoctrinate me? Make a point? Why do you have to approach people with false pretenses to push your social agenda? That is really the Christian way, isn't it?
If Jesus was such a liberal in today's standards, why didn't he just use the "let there be stuff" propaganda published by the Marxist group Open Society as you are. Jesus taught constantly that the Pharisees had liberally taken the law set down in the Torah and had liberally taken those laws far beyond what God had intended and commanded. You do understand that the true meaning of liberal means going above, beyond or outside an original meaning or intent. And now you say Jesus was a liberal when his entire ministry to the Jews was based on explaining the original intent of God's teachings. Jesus was against the very type of tyranny you support. You openly admit having ulterior motives in doing this post and claim Christ is in your heart? Then you admit that your political agenda matters more to you than the word of God? Why don't you do a post making an argument as to why it is Jesus was a "liberal". Why not do a post explanning the justification of using false pretenses to push an agenda. Of course, your real agenda is social and political anyways. You keep telling me to deal with it. Liberal...Conservative...are all matters of perspective in the society you live.
Why don't you actually admit what your views really are. See I played my cards face up with you. I never minced words. I never hid my views to push a political or social agenda. Basically, you admit to lying. What was your goal? Did you think I would turn into a dribbling mindless follower because of your grand idealism and brilliant philosophy? You are using God to pursue your own agenda. Of course, those you are supporting don't believe in God, and my guess is, deep down, you don't either. If you did you would not teach things contrary to his commands.
What is the point of saying things like to say hi to Rome and Athens for you? im not going to Rome or Athens unless you mean in Georgia.
While you may think so, I am not your enemy. Why do you make me one just because I believe differently than you. Where is the tolerance that as a liberal you preach? "Just Deal with it" is not very tolerant, is it?
One last thing, just how much of what you told me about yourself was truthful and why did you have to hide who you are. I would have treated you no differently no matter your views.
By the way, I called Canada an historical equal and necessary ally of the USA. It was in no backhanded insult. It is your own thin skin and Marxist ideology that led you to think that. Of course you hate the USA. You hate everything we stand for. So, to you it was an insult, but I didnt mean it that way. You accidentally showed your true colors (Red) and flag (red with a yellow sickle and star) there.
ReplyDeleteSo given all the lies you told me, are you really an entrepreneur or a community organizer?
You admit communities evolve. Your agenda is an evolution into the dark ages. That's progress or at least what "progressives" want. You can't stand the fact that America proves everything you believe is wrong and that is why you preach on behalf of those who hate America. Mr Yes man: can you prove me wrong?
I challenge you to post my remarks about Canada unedited. Post the entire email if you like and then explain where and how I intended to insult your country which despite your duplicitness, still respect and admire.
ReplyDeleteYou are the yes man. You've got to do so!
My next post is tentatively title "Jesus on the Left" - in which I intend to expand upon what I now consider my theological and political view.
ReplyDeleteI recently told another follower that I am a Christ Following Libertarian who likes his Politics on the Right and his Jesus on the Left.
My main offense to your email about Canada (which I have since permanently deleted) was that you compared our sovereignty to the sovereignty of a state. I'm sorry but that's not a compliment.
So the man, in your view who lived a perfect life, then died for your sins; the same man you devote your life to following (being like) was a leftist? Perfection was leftist? But you aren't...and are calling yourself "libertarian" on top of that?
ReplyDeleteJesus did not involve himself in politics and at the time there was no left/right divide to judge by. Of course now we don't need Jesus because we have Goeoge Soros who funds the website you pointed out. Your next post is about Babylon. It's straight out of "Story of stuff/"Let there be stuff", a Marxist-Atheist political agenda buried in religious sounding words. You are teaching Marx, not God. That is sad.
andrew - what is sad is that your mind is so closed. I don't know what else to say.
ReplyDeleteClosed to marxism? Telling people they have closed minds has been a staple of all the major socialist teachings for 200 years now. That is what all (political) liberals say when they run out of excuses? Closed to what? Just because I reject your convoluted religious teaching pushed by those who want a world fascist regime in place of my Church and country?
ReplyDeleteLet me stand before you, just as I will my God, and say absolutely, I my close my mind to those notions. In your world, the line between right and wrong is where your followers draw it, not God. You only quote God when it fits your agenda. You rewrite the bible at will, adding things, re-explaining and reinerptreting others based on what sounds good to you. That is why you need Jesus on the (world's) political "left".
My theology has not changed because it doesn't have to. When my faith is challenged, I don't have to go running off to find new theologies. Why don't you become a Hindu next, how about add the teachings of Mohammed too, he had some good things to say, but none are the word of God. The word of God does not need your using a slapchop* (tm) on it to be true. Can it be misinterpreted? Of course, but I am not throwing the baby out with the bathwater.
I challenge that it is you who is closed minded. You refuse to open your mind to allow God's word to fill it. It is you who cares so much about implanting your values on how I, an American, live and my culture. It was you who kept telling me over and over that I must change over and over and if not, "deal with it," because that's how it is. You who say I should accept the Canadian way, just because you think it's better. Guess what? I'm not Canadian! You are so fond of pointing that out, as well as how I as an American shouldn't impose my views on others yet your reason (or excuse) for imposing your views on me is "deal with it". It is you that is closed minded...closed minded to the truth that stares you in the face everytime you open a bible. Now deal with it. You are pulling others into a convoluted twisted version of Socio-Christianity that will be no different than the Vatican or "allowed" religion of China when implemented. I will do everything in my power to stop it.
*please understand that I said it, and not you. I hold nothing against you personally.
Now if, when you say closed minded, you are quietly referring to the various "isms" that go with social liberalism (racism, sexism, etc.) then you owe me an apology. I do not discriminate socially or publicly against any such groups and if that is your accusation, why don't you go further into it.
You still have yet to answer why you keep telling Americans why we should say hi to Rome and Athens. What does that mean? Should I add Berlin, Moscow and London to that too?
ReplyDeleteIt's also what people say when they run into others who just won't listen.
ReplyDeleteIt is not I who is re-writing the bible, it is you who isn't reading it. When my faith is challenged I return to the word and take another look because I am humble enough to admit that maybe I missed something. I not afraid to look at things from a fresh perspective or to be corrected by the word of God. You on the other hand are no different than the Parisees, the or the Catholic Church who use their own narrow interpretation of scripture to oppress and persectute those who seek to gain new insight through continued and careful study.
Rome and Athens a fallen civilizations, your civilization is crumbling and even if you reconize what's happening you are too wrapped up in your own narrow interpretation of events that you can't see it. Add whatever fallen ivilizations you wish to the list, the point is still the same.
ReplyDeleteI like your opinion about civilization today. the world that we life is spiritually sick as said by Herbert Marcuse a philosopher from "Wine Circle" that "If we agree that our civilization is sick spiritually". he said in his popular book "Eros and Civilization".
ReplyDeleteWould you like to visit to my blog http://technologyandcivilization.blogspot.com/2011/02/spiritualism.html.
I enthusiast about philosophy and culture because my background from philosophy department at Gadjah Mada university Yogyakarta Indonesia. I hope you to sharing with me now and forever. OK.
Gadjah... I agree that the world is spiritually sick but we are still made in the image of God and therefore redeemable.
ReplyDelete