Over twenty years ago, as an unhappy man who believed in Jesus Christ and thought he was a Christian on account of it, “I, [Bill Logan], looked up to heaven [and saw God and his children in the message about his firstborn son, Jesus Christ], and my mind came [...] to me. I thanked the Most High, and I praised and honored the one who lives forever, because his power lasts forever and his kingdom lasts from one generation to the next. Everyone who lives on earth is nothing compared to him. He does whatever he wishes with the army of heaven and with those who live on earth. There is no one who can oppose him or ask him, “What are you doing?” Just then my mind came [...] to me” and I saw the truth that all of the children fathered by God are the Holy Spirit in human form, like Jesus, and that I belong to God’s family of spirits – that I am one of those chosen by God to know themselves and one another as spirits like their Father, and not as humans. The healing began… and continues to this day. “Now I, [Bill Logan], will praise, honor, and give glory to the King of Heaven. Everything he does is true, his ways are right, and he can humiliate those who act arrogantly.” (quotations from Daniel 4.34-37, GodsWord)
Elation over bin Laden’s death gives way to reflection – USATODAY.com
For a nation frustrated by three wars, divided by domestic politics and dogged by hard economic times and $4-a-gallon gas, it was time to cheer: “USA! USA!” [...] …bin Laden’s demise will not end al-Qaeda or Islamic terrorism any more than Hussein’s ended the war in Iraq. [...] Two historians, one liberal (Bard’s Lytle) and one conservative (Dayton’s Schweikart) agreed that for all the glee, bin Laden’s demise probably seems more important now than it will in retrospect. “This is sweet revenge, but it won’t change much,” Lytle said. On 9/11, in contrast, “when those buildings were hit, an age of innocence ended,” Schweikart said. (via Elation over bin Laden’s death gives way to reflection – USATODAY.com.)
Yesterday the news feeds I follow were dominated with headlines of victory, comfort, joy, relief, satisfaction &c at the news of the death of Osama bin Laden. The headlines today are more sober – and more disturbing.
It is one thing that “a nation frustrated by three wars, divided by domestic politics and dogged by hard economic times and $4-a-gallon gas” (as if these were the greatest of the nations problems) can cheer about anything. But that it cheers at the elimination of the embodiment of the same evil of which they are the embodiment should be a disturbing revelation.
The ideas that revenge is sweet, and that an age of innocence ended on 9/11 are shocking. even to one delivered from an evil way of thinking. Since when was revenge sweet? And who expected bitter revenge to change anything for the better? And what innocent planet or place was anyone on prior to 9/11? Innocence is not an adjective that even comes close to describing myself or anyone else occupying this planet in the almost 50 years I had lived here piror to 9/11. Am I supposed to believe that the events of 9/11 ended innocence? By what twisted reason does evil rob evil of innocence? “News” outlets would do a greater service to publish nothing but cartoons than to publish the non-sense of the thoughtless.
Someone might argue that it is good that elation has given way to reflection. To which I respond that it would be good if the reflection was on the real problem and the real solution, both of which are spiritual. The real problem is the conflict which is the effect of spirits having different points of view. And the only solution is a single point of view. Are God and peace with him the object and objective of the nation’s reflection? If not, the reflection is more of the evil that is the problem.
The truth is that bin Laden was the incarnation of lies. He did no harm to those who are the incarnation of truth, and no harm to those who, like him, are the incarnation of lies. Neither the U.S. nor any other earthly kingdom, has ever been, is, or ever will be a nation of truth incarnate. The elation and reflection of the evil is evil; the elation and reflection of the good is good. Osama bin Laden changed nothing of any eternal, spiritual significance, and like all created things and beings, serves God’s purpose of identifying his children.
All people are like grass, and all their beauty is like a flower of the field. The grass dries up and the flower drops off, but the word of the Lord lasts forever. (1 Peter 1.24-25a, God’s Word)
Easter: the Mockery of Christ’s Resurrection
Either Jesus Christ
- is alive and functioning on earth as he did while in human form,
- he has changed (which is the same as to say that he is not alive as the person he was),
- or he is dead (or never existed).
Jesus Christ was crucified by those who differed with his point of view. Even if they believed in the resurrection of the dead, those who crucified him certainly did not celebrate his resurrection. Jesus Christ himself called them children of the father of lies, liars, hypocrites, self-righteous, and a number of other things which offended them.
Those who pose as his followers and celebrate the Lord’s resurrection though they do not share his point of view, or who do not share the same point of view as other of his followers, make a mockery of him. They celebrate his life though they are exactly like those who crucified him.
If those who crucified Jesus Christ were liars and hypocrites, then what are those who celebrate the life of one of whom they do not approve?
