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[Theresa Clement Tisdale is a licensed Clinical Psychologist in Independent Practice inGlendora,California. She is Professor of Graduate Psychology atAzusaPacificUniversity. Theresa is our blogger for the month of October, and this is her fourth post.]
We were created for relationship with GOD, self, and others. Relationality is an ontological and a teleological reality. We are created in the image of GOD; GOD in GOD's self is relational (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit). In a sermon recently, the priest at my church said "at the center of the universe there is relationship; before there was matter, there was communion and community." In His reply to the tutor of the law, Jesus relayed the greatest commandment to love the LORD your GOD with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength, and your neighbor as yourself. Our Christian life revolves around communion and community; relationship with GOD, self, and others.
These theological and spiritual realities are echoed by various disciplines, particularly psychology and other behavioral sciences. For decades, infant attachment researchers have produced a preponderance of data demonstrating that humans are hard wired to connect. More recently, researchers making use of ultrasound technology have observed twins interacting in the womb offering comfort such as pats on the shoulder when one or the other seems to be in distress. Developmental psychologists, particularly those with a more psychoanalytic perspective, articulate the ways in which we are psychologically birthed in the context of relationship. Apart from relationship we have no way of knowing who we are or who we may become.
In the earliest season of life, formation is most profoundly affected by early caregivers (particularly mother); then as time goes on, other family, friends, teachers, community members become part of the relational context in which we are formed. In any or all of these formational contexts and experiences, there may or may not be any explicit inclusion of GOD.
However, explicit inclusion of GOD in our formational contexts does not guarantee that our formation will be pleasant, positive, or life-giving (in a psychological sense). We live in a fallen world and our brokenness means that we will not escape relational wounding. In our developmental years, we may have been subject to wounds of omission and wounds of commission. Wounds of omission have to do with what may have been lacking such as stability, reliability, warmth, encouragement, being known and seen by others who encouraged us to thrive and become who we were uniquely created to be. Wounds of commission are more overt and include any number of types of abuse (verbal, physical, sexual), being teased, left out, criticized, bullied or controlled, pressured to become who others wanted or expected us to be. We have all suffered wounds (likely of both types); we differ only in degree and kind.
These relational realties are important to acknowledge, not to avoid responsibility for ourselves or to blame others (especially parents), but to understand our history and how we have been affected by our relational contexts. Understanding is an important step in healing and formation. We cannot be healed of something we do not acknowledge.
Whatever our relational sources of formation have been become an imprint in who we are and how we see ourselves, others, and GOD. What has been taken in (from experience, sensation, perception) will be lived out. Jesus often made connections between our inner and outer life. Who we are on the outside reveals who we are on the inside. What may pose a challenge and difficulty is when we are unaware of the connections; we are living out scenarios we do not understand. What we may be aware of is that our relationships are unhealthy, unsatisfying, marked by cycles and patterns of brokenness. We have tried, but we cannot make it come out any different; we seem to have an uncanny way of ending up in the same old story. We may even say things like "ugh, this is the story of my life!"
Part of the abundant life Jesus wants for us is to thrive in relationship, to become who we were created to be: an expression of Christ through our unique self. When our relationships are a source of pain, confusion, and disheartening despair we are tempted to withdraw. We may even justify this spiritually by saying we are more of a contemplative. Perhaps this is true, but perhaps we are hiding. Hiding in the face of shame, humiliation, and broken relationship is a reflexive pattern that is as old as the Garden of Eden. Jesus invites us into fellowship.
In his book "Renovation of the Heart", Dallas Willard makes the compelling statement: "To merely welcome another, to provide for him or her, to make a place, is one of the most life-giving and life-receiving things a human being can do" (p. 183). In sharp contrast to this warm and inviting image of holy community, Pope Benedict XVI recently said: "If there were such a thing as a loneliness which could no longer be penetrated and transformed by the word of another...then we should have real, total loneliness and frightfulness, what theology calls 'hell'." The pope here was speaking about marriage, but what is described accurately reflects the alienation that some of us experience, even as Christians.
The cure for our alienation from GOD, our self, and others is holy community (indeed research has revealed that the correlations between experience of GOD, self, and others are high and
We may begin by acknowledging that we are broken; that our relationships are broken. We may have a tendency to point to others as the source of our problems and this may be in part true; however, we need to acknowledge that we carry the effects of our relational wounds and we may be unknowingly seeking out and recreating old stories in an effort to discover and experience new endings. This is a very important principle; however, without awareness of the dynamics being replayed, we will likely create only the old story and miss out on the new. This is where trusted others such as therapists, pastoral counselors, and spiritual directors may be invaluable; in prayerfully considering with us what may be happening. We may pray for insight, illumination, and revelation; for what is hidden to come to light. From this perspective of new light on an old problem we may see more clearly new steps that may be taken.
In Christian formation, this process of self-discovery is undertaken with utter dependence on the Spirit of GOD working through trusted others to facilitate new understandings and new experiences. I suspect we all have relational patterns we would like to change: our tendency to withdraw when conflict occurs, our tendency to criticize when we are confronted, and/or our history of pursuing relationships that are imbalanced or unhealthy. We have a little hope but we are afraid, we feel stuck but we want to move forward.
I invite us all to identify one area of one relationship where we want to experience transformation. Some area of our relational life we are ready to yield, where we have some measure of vision that something new is possible. Let us set our intention on that, offer it to the LORD; pray for insight, illumination, and revelation. Talk about this with a trusted friend or therapist and explore what might be GOD's invitation to us at this time.
When I first heard the phrase "holy"community" I thought (to myself) "that is an oxymoron" - I had much transformation to experience! That was almost 20 years ago and by GOD's faithfulness, mercy, and grace (and my willingness, perseverance, and cooperation with GOD) I am seeing this come to pass. It is a long road, but it is worth it.
Blessings!
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"Witch's Shofar, Days Of Awe"
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Blodlessing 6
The fifth shaman stone (from the yard outside my bedroom window) in my Temple Collection is represented by the Celtic goddess Blodeuwedd in the form of an owl (as opposed to her fair flower form as discussed in a previous entry, Relentlessly Faithful And True). It is in this form that she is definitively known as a Dark Goddess.
The short chapter in the book "Doorways To The Otherworld" (Catrin James), which discusses Blodeuwedd in her owl form, is introduced with the picture of a feather. Not with an owl, but with a feather. Interestingly, right before my Rosh Hashanah encounter with the cricket (), searching purposefully around in the grass for stones, I came across a single very small feather. I picked the feather up, gathered it into the folds of my skirt with two stones I had found (side by side) just moments before, and continued walking. A few seconds later, I encountered the cricket (a totem of "finding light within the dark", ).
I wasn't looking for a feather, but I found one and kept it, knowing that its purpose would come to me later. What indeed is the connection between Blodeuwedd in her owl form, a feather and a cricket? The thread of connection is active release from a ritual binding and subsequent resurrection.
Catrin James writes of Blodeuwedd in the form of an owl:
It is through becoming an owl that Blodeuwedd "escapes the manipulations of men who seek to confine her". Also (in the myth under discussion) Blodeuwedd as flower woman and owl is the only one not to be drowned... And even as Blodeuwedd does not drown in the lake, so too you will find that in holding on to your truths at this time of transformation, you too will not drown... In swimming in the ocean of the mystical, others may drown by listening to the wrong words, or identifying with ego, but in holding things lightly yet at the same time paradoxically realizing the sanctity of these messages, these visions, you are coming to a greater wisdom... The owl dreamstone is to do with silence, stillness, and if you find anything belonging to owl, or indeed any other gifts of the sacred creatures "such as feathers", these too can be added to your collection, amongst your most sacred things... it is a visitation of the goddess, it is the unseen and she has put her hand upon you for a reason that you may not know right now but in the fullness of time will develop, even as darkness gives way to light.
Finding Blodeuwedd's feather on the second day of Rosh Hashanah is yet another amazing "coincidence", just like with my encounter with the deer on Erev Rosh Hashanah (as described in Witch's Shofar).
Taking the feather symbolism further into elucidating the thread of connection, a feather is used in preparation for Pesach (Passover) during the ritual called "Bedikat Chametz" (a ritual search for chametz, a substance which spiritually is that which can sour the outcome of spiritual development or mystical work). The important idea, especially within the unique context here with regard to Rosh Hashanah and the entire High Holy Day period, is that the sacred point of bedikat chametz is "not" to "find chametz", but" is" to resolve all doubts. The existence of doubts implies the existence Amalek (collective negative energies which seek to destroy a person or people). Bedikat chametz therefore symbolizes the ritual destruction of Amalek (which in my case, would be all the negative energies which seek to destroy me and that which I am).
Rabbi Wein writes of Amalek's success as a destructive force throughout history in an article pertaining to Rosh Hashanah:
The centerpiece of our Rosh Hashanah observance, prayers, and sounding of the shofar is the remembrance of the akeidah - the binding of Yitzchak to the altar and Avraham's apparent willingness to sacrifice him as worship to God. The akeidah has followed us throughout our long history. There have been millions of akeidot in Jewish history and most of them ended in the death of the victim and not in him or her being spared.
Yitzchak emerged from his experience of the akeidah ("a wizard's binding ritual") alive (symbolized by the shofar), just as I emerged from my akeidah alive (symbolized by the appearance of the antlerless deer by the roadside). As Yitzchak was not slaughtered by knife, neither was I slaughtered by becoming involved in a fatal collision of my car with a deer. Finding Blodeuwedd's feather destroys all doubt that I am spared. And, as Yitzchak was resurrected from the Rosh Hashanah altar of Avraham, so too am I resurrected from the Rosh Hashanah altar of the Sacred Earth, through my encounter with the cricket subsequent to finding Blodeuwedd's feather. As a totem creature, cricket "is about resurrection. "Awesome!"
Thank Goddess, She has released the bound. Of course, upon my fifth shaman stone shall be written "matir assurim" ( ) in Hebrew, Ogham and Bardic runes. Interestingly, the shoresh-root () of the word "matir" (meaning 'who releases') can, among its many meanings , mean "purposeful searching" (like I was doing, looking for stones) and "foraging for grass" (like the cricket was doing when I, looking for stones, saw her).
"My Torah is Her Torah."
Footnote:
"Etymological Dictionary Of Biblical Hebrew", Matityahu Clark
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While the plots for each of the "Santa Clause "movies varied in theme and originality, their entertainment value was undeniable and allowed a popular stand-up comic mostly known for his macho-oriented sitcom to shine and reach new, more family-friendly audiences. Now offered as a 3-film box set, collectors and comedy fans alike finally have the chance to get their hands on these films, or at least upgrade their collection to high-definition if they already owned these on their shelves in previous formats.
The Santa Clause Movie Trilogy on Blu-Ray - Courtesy Disney Home Video, 2012
Now if by some fluke or mere coincidence you've never even heard of this film series, allow me to shine some light on the subject. In the original "The Santa Clause", Tim Allen plays Scott Calvin, your average nice middle-aged guy, father of young Charlie (Eric Lloyd) and divorced from wife Laura (Wendy Crewson). Scott works at a toy company as an executive, and tries to make whatever time he can spare to spend with his son.
One night, on Christmas Eve, to be exact, Scott and Charlie hear a thud on the roof of their suburban house. When they head out to investigate, they see a jolly looking fellow in a red suit, white hair and beard, sleigh and reindeer. When Scott calls out to him, the mystery visitor slips and falls off the roof. Once he hits the ground, he vanishes into thin air, leaving behind the Santa-like garments. Inside the man's red and white coat is a card stating that whoever finds this coat should put it on, especially if the former wearer has gone missing. Logically enough, and to please his kid, Scott tries on the coat. And poof. The adventure begins.
Eric Lloyd and Tim Allen try to rationalize their predicament in the original THE SANTA CLAUSE - Picture Courtesy Disney Pictures, 1994
The puzzled single father finds himself transported to the North Pole (via flying sleigh and reindeer, naturally), where a senior elf worker named Bernard (David Krumholtz, in a great role) explains the "Santa Clause", whereby whoever put on the coat is to replace the previous wearer, thus becoming Santa. Being given a deadline of the following Thanksgiving to tie up loose ends in the "normal world", Scott is to become Santa permanently, with all of the perks and abilities included therein.
Of course, the journey to the following holidays is fraught with potential problems including a custody fight with his ex over Charlie, a case now gone complicated as Scott must explain that he hasn't gone insane. The bulk of the film explores the perils and challenges Scott faces while he decides whether or not he's ready for the awesome responsabilities the role of Santa requires.
In the 2002 sequel "The Santa Clause 2", Scott Calvin is still Santa, and eight years have passed since the first film. The administrative elves at Santa's workshop discover a fine print to the original clause: The "Mrs." Clause. Santa must get married by the following Christmas, or the holiday dies altogether.
Santa and Bernard examine the Naughty List, in THE SANTA CLAUSE 2 - Picture Courtesy Disney Pictures, 2002
If this little pickle wasn't enough of a problem, Scott also has to deal with his now teenaged son Charlie (still played by Lloyd), who apparently appears on the Naughty List, due to some destruction of property on high school grounds. Scott/Santa must travel back to the normal world in order to help his son redeem himself, all the while keeping an eye out for Mrs. Right, which in this case would become Mrs. Claus.
Lightning figuratively strikes when Scott meets Charlie's principal, Carol Newman (Elizabeth Mitchell). Though the two don't exactly hit it right off, Scott is immediately smitten by her and uses whatever Santa magic he has left at his disposal to woo her. While he does so, unbeknownst to him, all hell breaks loose up North. Hoping to conceal Scott's absence while he's off grounds finding love, the shop workers have built a robot Santa in Scott's likeness to replace him. The problem? This faux-Santa does things a little too literally, and is slowly taking over the entire operation, threatening to destroy Christmas before the real Santa returns with good news to fulfill the requirements of this sub-clause.
Finally, in the latest installment "Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause", Scott (Allen) meets his match when he butts heads against the chilly Jack Frost (Martin Short, overacting on purpose). In a plot that could have been picked right out of "It's a Wonderful Life", "Santa Clause 3" sees Scott and Carol expecting a child at the North Pole. Scott invites his ex-wife, her husband Neil (Judge Reinhold) and daughter Lucy (Liliana Mumy), as well as Carol's parents (Alan Arkin and Ann-Margret).
Santa show Jack Frost around his home and work area, in THE SANTA CLAUSE 3 - Picture Courtesy Disney Pictures, 2006
Trying to keep Carol comfortable as things get busier around the Santa estate, Scott also gets summoned to an important meeting of Legendary Characters, where he must help Mother Nature, Father Time, The Sandman, The Tooth Fairy and The Easter Bunny render judgment unto Frost (Short), who's been bitter about not having his own holiday theme in modern lore and has been trying to steal some of the Christmas thunder from Scott. Receiving sentence to perform community service by helping around Snta's workshop, Frost proceeds to try and ruin Christmas through various acts of sabotage, until he finds another bit of fine print to the Santa gig: The Escape Clause.
Frost tricks Scott into invoking said clause, sending both Scott and Frost back to Christmas 1994 (in the very first scenes of the original film, actually) where Frost gets to the coat first, turning into Santa instead. This causes both men to travel back to the present day, where Santa is now an opportunistic and tyrannical slave-driver at the North Pole, while Scott sees his alternate life as a regular man whose job at the toy company continued, but had little rapport with his now estranged son. It's up to Scott to travel up to the North Pole to try and reverse this entire series of events, before Jack Frost ruins happy holidays forever.
I never thought that one could ever buiild upon the great and original story that was the first film. After all, it had an inventive premise, an endearing set of characters, plenty of witty but family-friendly dialogue and double-entendres, and a fuzzy and warm d'enouement.
Then again, the writers who came up with each subsequent clause for the following films got more and more clever, finding the means to eclipse each previous film. Though the third film seemed to borrow from other established holiday classics, it was still nice to see a comedic legend like Martin Short pit himself aginst a lovable goof like Tim Allen.
The trilogy's other strength lay in its ability to retain most of the original cast from movie to movie, over a twelve-year span. This allowed for welcome familiarity tying each installment into the next. So often have movie franchises decided to switch actors mid-series causing anger and frustration, not to mention confusion amongst kids who couldn't grasp the concept of central casting. Even the absence of David "Bernard" Krumholtz is explained in the third film (the actor was under contract on another project), simply by having the writers promote another helpful elf from the second film to Bernard's old position. Problem solved.
Now, if you're wondering how many new goodies are included in each blu-ray disc of this set, you might be in for a slight disappointment: Aside from some movie trailers for upcoming films found on the first film's blu-ray disc, all extras appear to have been rehashed from the original DVD release. In fact, the extras found on the first two films' discs are in standard resolution, likely recycled from their original home video versions. Only the third and most recent film shows any sign of high resolution content.
Nonetheless, all three films look great on screen, with excellent DTS sound offered on all installments. You'll also find bloopers, interviews and the usual assortment of interactive, kid-friendly games.
Is this set worth buying for the family? Only if you didn't own any of them and have run your previous DVD or VHS versions ragged from repeat viewing. It's certainly a chance to keep the kids busy for half a day at least, and newcomers will get to see the whole saga in crisp, crystal clarity. Ho ho ho indeed!
"3.5 OUT OF 5"
Published: Saturday, October 27, 2012 - 4:54pm
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Still others had trial of mockings and scourgings, yes, and of chains and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawn in two, were tempted, were slain with the sword. They wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, tormented. (Hebrews 11:36-37)
Very often, when people are trusting in the Lord to work by His grace, they anticipate many delightful workings of God (such as we have seen in the testimonies of Hebrews 11). These saints "subdued kingdoms, worked righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, became valiant in battle, turned to flight the armies of the aliens" (Hebrews 11:33-34). Yet, others experienced what might be called "unusual" consequences of accessing grace through faith.
They had to trust in the Lord when the aforementioned blessings did not occur. They had to trust God to sustain them in and through great difficulties of life.
Some had to endure by faith "trial of mockings and scourgings, yes, and of chains and imprisonment." Jeremiah exemplifies these. "O LORD...I am in derision daily; everyone mocks me...Therefore the princes were angry with Jeremiah, and they struck him and put him in prison" (Jeremiah 20:7; 37:15).
Some "were stoned." Zechariah was killed in this fashion when he gave warnings from the Lord. "So they conspired against him, and...stoned him with stones" (2 Chronicles 24:21). Some "were sawn in two." Tradition tells us that Isaiah died in this vicious manner. Some "were tempted." In the midst of their sufferings, they were further pained by enticements to ungodly responses. Job endured this through bad counsel from his own wife.
"Do you still hold to your integrity? Curse God and die!" (Job 2:9). Some "were slain with the sword." King Saul ordered godly priests to be executed this way, because they were loyal to David: " '...kill the priests!' So Doeg the Edomite...killed on that day eighty-five men..." (1 Samuel 22:18). Others "wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, tormented." By faith, these saints had to endure homelessness, poverty, distress, and harassment.
These servants of the Lord (who are all examples of living by faith!) are a reminder to us that our trials, sufferings, and anguishing impossibilities do not necessarily mean we are failing to trust God. These challenges often mean that we are being given an opportunity to humbly, dependently, draw upon the grace of God in ways that we need to experience or others need to observe.
In service: Brother D.Eskine
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So, last night I kicked off my 1e / OSRIC campaign. It's the same players from my old ACKS campaign and Ambition )
Mark, a Dwarven F2/C3 - LN (also exceptional Strength)
So, the party wakes up chained to a cell wall via next collars. They have some vague memories of being in Tenkar's Tavern, in the Town of Tenkar (BareBones RPG Keranak Kingdoms Fantasy Setting). It was "Adventurers' Night" at the Tavern, when adventurers eat and drink for half off as paying patrons attempt to ply deals. A young fop named Lawrence was striking a deal with them when another adventuring party demanded the contract. Within minutes, the Tavern was laid to waste (not for the first time). Glabe remembers seeing the pointy end of a spear protruding from his chest, and suspects he died when it all faded to black. The others remember being on the losing end of the fight and falling unconscious, or worse.
Thus ends the set up ;)
Upon awaking, Rastan tested his chains and was able to pull them loose from the wall. The resulting hole revealed the sound of rushing water behind the wall. With some work, the rest of the part was freed, and it was decided to cast a silence spell so they could complete opening the wall up enough to escape through if necessary. They knew there were was someone on the other side of their cell door, and they wanted to be as quietly as possible. Besides, they were clothed only in prisonwear, without armor, weapons or other quiptment.
With the wall opened enough to view the unground river below, the party awaited their jail keeper, on the assumption someone needed to provide them with food and water. They were correct, and after waiting an undermined amount their jailor, a well times sleep spell took the wererat out after he opened their cell door.
The attempt to charm him failed, and what little info he was able to provide the party failed to make much sense. In the short of it, they disposed of him so he wouldn't be a possible issue later.
The elvin MU/T was the first to lower himself into the river. I wasn't sure if he had a death wish or now, but he saw the hints of a shore and a dry cave and decided to swim for it. The rest of the party decided to us the chains from the jail keeper's / torturer's room to tie themselves off and avoid being washed down river. It's nice to know the whole party isn't suicidal.
The party made their way the cave tunnel to a small lake with a whirlpool at the center - this was obviously fed by the river they had successfully traversed. The dwarf stopped to inspect the racks and stones at the shore before pressing on - he wanted something he could throw. Instead, he found a waterproof scroll case washed up among the rocks. The were some spell scrolls for the magic-user and a coded treasure map (and future adventure seed).
Proceeding to the far side of the sure the party came to a winding tunnel system, roughly 4' high and 4'. It smelled of death, decay and poop. Rat poop!
(to be continued)
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by Robert Hart
"(Dawkins' God" originally appeared in the March 2008 edition of Touchstone, a Journal of Mere Christianity)
If Richard Dawkins wants to refute what Christians believe, he should not declare his own belief in Divine Transcendence. "Time" Magazine recently asked him and Francis Collins, a Christian who heads the Human Genome Project, what caused the universe to exist and suggested that the answer could be God.
Dawkins answered: "There could be something incredibly grand and incomprehensible and beyond our present understanding," To this Collins responded "That's God." Yes, said Dawkins,
but it could be any of a billion Gods... the chances of its being a particular God, Yahweh, the God of Jesus, is vanishing small - at least the onus is on you to demonstrate why you think that's the case... I don't see the Olympian Gods or Jesus coming down and dying on the cross as worthy of that grandeur. They strike me as parochial. If there's a God, it's going to be a whole lot more incomprehensible than anything that any theologian of any religion has ever proposed.
How is this an argument "against" the Christian faith? (By the way, what does Dawkins mean by "our present understanding"? Does he anticipate some future state of exaltation and glorification that will increase it?) Furthermore, Dawkins has been a favorite of atheists for a long time, and yet here he clearly professes agnosticism. And, what he is agnostic about is revelation.
In the Bible we read of God who dwells in the darkness and of God hidden by the radiance of blinding light. St. Paul writes of "the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords; Who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto; whom no man hath seen, nor can see" (I Tim.6:15, 16).
In the first of his Soliloquies, St. Augustine writes of God as "incredibly grand." The entire tradition of Apophatic theology is about God who is beyond our understanding. God is spoken of in negatives, because we cannot know the Nature that is Wholly other than every created nature, infinite, without beginning or end.
Dawkins believes that "The chances of its [this incomprehensible God] being a particular God... is vanishing small." Yet the Transcendent and incomprehensible God beyond our knowing whose possible existence he concedes is a particular God, and quite in keeping with the one element that he actually brings into question: Have we been given the complement of the Divine mystery, namely, revelation?
Theology is, though the modern mind may find this astonishing, a science. It is based on statements of fact, including miracles. The Christian faith takes its stand on one thing above all, the eyewitness accounts of those who saw the resurrected Christ.
This is strengthened in its status as actual history by the martyrdom of the earliest witnesses. What stands as a unique event in history is not merely an empty tomb, and not the story of the resurrection, but the deep conviction of the earliest Christians that Christ's post resurrection appearances were events real enough to die for.
This provides for us a fact to consider, namely that what we have, not only a particular God, but specific revelation, is the opposite of "vanishing small." Instead, it is quite substantive on the basis of evidence.
In terms of this revelation, the post resurrection appearances verify the teachings of Jesus, as recorded by eyewitness accounts, and lead to our central doctrine, the Incarnation. Dawkins fails in his attempt to criticize Christian teaching because he describes the very opposite of what we believe.
"I don't see the Olympian Gods or Jesus coming down and dying on a cross, as worthy of that grandeur," he tells the magazine. Here we can sympathize with him, because some theologians have made too much of St. Paul's use of the Greek word "kenoo" to mean that Jesus "emptied himself" into human nature.
TAKEN UP IN CHRIST
Never has the Church taught it this way. Always, the revelation has been understood to be that Jesus Christ is God the Word (Logos), or God the Son, having taken finite human nature into His infinite being, time into eternity, mortality into life, created nature into uncreated Person, the known into the unknowable. "God was made man that man might become God," as St. Athanasius wrote in his "On the Incarnation".
Dawkins is right to say that the idea of a knowable and definable god leaping down from Mt. Olympus is not worthy to be compared to this revelation. It is the very opposite. He is wrong to think of Jesus as an Olympian God. He is the very opposite.
Although Dawkins asserts his estimation of the crucifixion of Christ as unworthy of Divine grandeur as a crushing criticism of Christianity, it is simply an echo of St. Paul's words. "For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom: But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness; But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God. Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men." (I Corinthians 1:22-25).Unworthy of Divine grandeur indeed; that was the point.
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Sometimes you might need a little inspiration. Why not let the written Word of God help you out?
25 INSPIRATIONAL BIBLE VERSES
* 1 Peter 5:7 "Cast all your anxieties on him, for he cares about you."
* Jeremiah 29:11 "For I know the plans I have for you, says the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope."
* Romans 12:21 "Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good."
* Proverbs 3:5-6 "Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not rely on your own insight. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths."
* Joshua 1:9 "Be strong and of good courage; be not frightened, neither be dismayed; for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go."
* Revelation 21:4 "he will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning nor crying nor pain any more, for the former things have passed away."
* Deuteronomy 31:6 "Be strong and of good courage, do not fear or be in dread of them: for it is the LORD your God who goes with you; he will not fail you or forsake you."
* Matthew 6:20-21 "lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust consumes and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also."
* Matthew 7:7 "Ask, and it will be given you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you."
* Psalm 119:105 "Thy word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path."
* John 4:14 "whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst; the water that I shall give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life."
* John 1:5 "The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it."
* Zephaniah 3:17 "The LORD, your God, is in your midst, a warrior who gives victory; he will rejoice over you with gladness, he will renew you in his love; he will exult over you with loud singing"
* Psalm 34:8 "O taste and see that the LORD is good! Happy is the man who takes refuge in him!"
* Isaiah 40:31 "they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint."
* Isaiah 41:10 "fear not, for I am with you, be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my victorious right hand."
* Romans 8:28 "We know that in everything God works for good with those who love him, who are called according to his purpose."
* 2 Corinthians 4:16-18 "So we do not lose heart. Though our outer nature is wasting away, our inner nature is being renewed every day. For this slight momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, because we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen; for the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal."
* Romans 8:38-39 "For I am sure that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord."
* 1 Corinthians 10:13 "No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your strength, but with the temptation will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it."
* Hebrews 10:19-23 "Therefore, brethren, since we have confidence to enter the sanctuary by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way which he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful;"
* James 1:2-4 "Count it all joy, my brethren, when you meet various trials, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing."
* 1 Corinthians 16:13 "Be watchful, stand firm in your faith, be courageous, be strong."
* Psalm 32:8 "I will instruct you and teach you the way you should go; I will counsel you with my eye upon you."
* Philippians 4:4-7 "Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. Let all men know your forbearance. The Lord is at hand. Have no anxiety about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which passes all understanding, will keep your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."
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From David's article
There is a lot of new information in Fulford's latest entry at benjaminfulford.net. I will just share a short excerpt that is most relevant to issues we've already been discussing here:
There were disinformation reports out that a European financial meeting this last weekend was a follow-up to the Monaco meeting. This is not true. The meeting in Europe was held by members of the old cabal who were trying to somehow keep their fiat currencies from imploding.
Any serious financial journalist or expert though, must have been appalled by US Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner telling the Europeans to "increase leverage," in order to solve their economic crisis. This is like telling an underwater gambling addict to start doubling his bets.
The fact of the matter is the Europeans know the Greeks and other Mediterranean countries were mooching off their hard working Northern cousins and they must now stop it. A new Mediterranean currency is what they really need.
However, there have been serious developments in the move towards a new financial system. Soon all financial trading programs or "platforms" will the shut down for an indeterminate period of time. The aim of this shut-down is to totally clean out and revamp the system. The amount of time needed to clean up the mess is not known.
The tentative date for this shut down has been set at November 11, 2011 (2011/11/11) but as with many dates that have come and gone, the financial cabal will do everything in its power to prevent that from happening. [END FULFORD EXCERPT]
A WORD ON FORGIVENESS
A small percentage of commenters on this article have expressed such massive hatred and distrust of anyone in government or military that they feel they are witnessing some sort of insidious plot to fool everyone yet again.
No forgiveness. No mercy. They're all demons, demons, demons.
With all due respect, this is genocidal thinking.
We all have to live here on this planet. Together. We need to work this out. If we demonize people as "reptilian shapeshifters", then we're just repeating the same old patterns.
Historically, every time we've come in contact with a new and different culture, we are told they are horrific monsters who must be destroyed. Meditate on that for a bit and you will immediately recall many different examples.
PRECIOUS BEYOND MEASURE
Each human life is precious beyond measure.
The people in these occult groups have grown up in a culture of total abuse. It is abuse on a level you cannot even imagine. If a regular adult ran through a typical "training session" they would literally die of a heart attack or stroke from fear. If you try to escape, your own "family" will torture or kill you. The beliefs and philosophies are forced on you whether you like them or not.
THERE WOULD BE A MASS EXODUS
It is a widely-overlooked fact that the most significant Illuminati whistleblower ever to come forward, Svali, said there would be a mass exodus out of this group if/when people knew they could escape.
I will give you a link to all of her writings, which were originally on suite101.com, got taken down, and have now been restored.
I must warn you, however, that this material is extremely disturbing. You cannot go back to your former life after you do this. Reading this rocked my world, and I had to move through a serious grief process that required my full attention for several weeks.
There are very graphic descriptions of abuse. Suffice it to say that there is no limit to the degree of malevolence that has been thought of and enacted upon these people by their own "family".
If you do decide to read it, I recommend starting at the bottom, doing only a little at a time and balancing it with positive, uplifting spiritual material of your own choosing:
However, I will be at the front of the line for those who advocate compassion and forgiveness for people who were born into a system that tortured them in unimaginable ways, and gave them not even a shred of hope to ever escape.
Svali reveals that the main incentive to advance in this group is that as you reach higher levels, you are no longer required to hurt as many people, and fewer people are permitted to hurt you.
There is a massive youth movement within this group to use what they have to help humanity, rather than enslave it. Truthfully, once the older members are either arrested or die out, it's a completely new game. I intend to help them change if I am invited to.
I ask you to seriously step back and consider what you define as "love", and whether you do really understand what we mean when we say we are all One.
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