Thursday, February 1, 2007

A Man's World; or is it a Woman's World?

Today many men may declare [perhaps even somewhat justly] that it is no longer ‘a man’s world’; but in fact, it has long been more, ‘a woman’s world’!

For quite some time period, now, women have won almost every issue in public and in Law and been sympathetically treated in almost every discussion on the public platform.
Importantly to men, they also now hold considerable advantages in many Western countries re being considered for employ, especially in their more mature years, where it is often extremely hard, if not nigh impossible, for a man over 50 to gain any sort of reasonable and secure employ at all.

… All this, too, despite that he still likes to consider himself ‘the breadwinner’ at home, which tends to aid in self-esteem and self-respect.
Further, it seems that increasing laws and provisions and requirements for certificates and qualifications to be able to ‘operate’ in any sort of field now seems legally in place, and is very discouraging for a man over 50 trying to simply make a living for his family.
All of this has occurred under a ‘regime’ of theory and doctrine and practice quite opposite that first given by the Creator to Man.
Let’s consider some things that could relate to the way that much was meant to be if we accede to the apparent intention of our very beginnings, per holy writ.

PERSPECTIVE OF EVE - PER ADAM
As Julie Andrews sang in that [virtual] Immortal show, ‘The Sound of Music’:
"Let’s start at the very beginning …
A very Good place to start…"

As Genesis reveals that the very first covenant and decree of God [the Creator of all things from the beginning] AFTER the Fall, relates to the state and matter and position of Eve amongst it all - that is, in relation to Adam and to God, let’s consider Eve:
Eve was made, first and foremost - even prior the Fall, as a "helpmeet" or ‘helpmate’ for Adam.
This was actually the scripturally stated purpose for introducing Eve to earth life from the beginning - to be companion and helpmeet for Adam.

After the Fall, the Lord decreed that Eve’s "desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee" …
Most women, as I’ve known them, who understood this decree properly, have thoroughly enjoyed diligently playing this role in life - as God has created them for it. Many have caught the vision, and found great happiness in it. Fulfilling this role has made them happy, content and peaceful people. Such people are all over the world - both, in the Church and out.
The Lord also, then, talked about multiplying birth and pain for Eve.
So I see the whole prime picture this way:
For Eve to hold absolute Allegiance to Adam, she must have:
Total faith in him.
Total Hope for the 2 of them together forever … because God said they ‘shall be no more twain, but one flesh’.
Total Charity towards him…
… because as she fulfils her Godly role towards him, she seeks to adore him; she respects him; she appreciates everything about him; he’s everything to her (I mean, she’s ‘everything’ to him, also, but we are focusing on the feminine role at present) [because she’s looking totally for his potential, his glory and his joy - she’s seeking the good in him; she’s seeking his positives, and, therefore, admires him, accordingly … She has ‘hope’ in him. He is the one who will righteously lead her to Heaven; if she will follow him, in true obedience … "Wives, submit yourselves to your husbands as unto the Lord", states scripture. [Of course, This all seems a bit ‘foreign’ to us at present, because of how heavily society has been so ‘anti-indoctrinated’ of the past nearly 40 years; but she will find great joy … she will find great rest to her soul and peace to her mind as she does this.]
The true Eve cannot get enough of Adam; she looks forward to his return every time he leaves … and, of course, vice-versa.
She takes total interest in him, in what he is doing and what he believes.
His success is her success.
… And this is the view that most Western women hold that have ‘successful’ husbands.
In this way, we fulfill the saying that states, "Behind every good man there’s a good woman somewhere!"
To me, this is what it means to be ‘a helpmeet/helpmate’ to Adam.
She, by having faith and confidence in him, inspires him to greater heights and to doing the greater good as a man.

2. There is another all-important vision in my mind that relates to this whole concept, especially re the home:
As I see it:
"THE MAN MIGHT BE ‘THE HEAD OF THE HOME’, BUT THE WOMAN IS THE ALL-IMPORTANT ‘HEART OF THE HOME’"
…and there’s nothing we need more on earth today than true, ‘Hearts of the Home’! Nothing more important!
(As scripture says, "Neither is the man without the woman, neither the woman without the man, in the Lord." Each has his/her role to play in the relationship. Neither can get away with trying to wrest the other’s role from him or her and have peace and happiness abound, unless permission is granted - for whatever unusual purpose that might be … and, even then, one might hope it to be, only a temporary measure, unless by virtue of health circumstances or some other cause, it has to be, regrettably, that way for life’s remainder.)

Wednesday, January 31, 2007

A CONSPIRACY??!! …SURELY JUST ‘ROMANTIC’ NOTION!

Someone recently sent me an email, as he typically does, with evidence, as usual, that the Americans are doing it: ruining the world, in the name of some conspiracy.

My reply to him was of the following form:
Well, there is a conspiracy, [name withheld] ... but by comparison, it has very little in size or detail to do with the Americans, or any other nation, or any of these other side shows that are taking place overtly, and therefore, stealing the limelight - which is Satan's tool - to divert attention away from the real sources of the problem, by attention-getting tactics.Centrally, it has a great deal more to do with the great false god of the latter days: "Western secular university education", or the very large, powerfully influential forces that govern and direct it - as a religion to replace Christianity.Some refer to these, in fact, as the real "infidels" of the western world!

Primarily, it is run by avowed atheists, evolutionists, most feminists, humanists, socialists and other minorities - all of the 'liberal' persuasion, morally - who are steeped deeply in the 'value relativism' persuasion.We would be better placed learning of what is really going on all over the world in those powerful places who decide who shall do, and is "qualified" to do, what in life, than ‘falling for’ Satan’s sideshows as his prime conspiracy and tool of abuse.

These are the boys running the earth and all that is happening on it.

The reason things continue to go downhill decade after decade is that Satan is doing such a great job of diverting people's attention to the overt in life that they are missing the real underlying mass of work he is achieving second by second via the continuously-propagating influences buried deep in the universities and departments of formal secular education worldwide - that indoctrinate our young now, from their earliest years, in the atheistic replacement religion: ‘humanist’ secularism.

When people finally, if ever, realize where it is really stemming from, we can finally, begin to improve 'the world scene'.

God Bless you and your family for this 2007 year...

The Earth's 'Sojourn

The following represents a very small excerpt from a book I wrote a few years ago to do with life and its winning ways.
I thought it well for an open forum discussion at this time of the earth’s ‘sojourn’:

In the short religious film, "Man’s search for happiness", one particular thought states (to the effect):
"One of life’s greatest trials comes with the death of a loved one…yet it is though life’s experience [inclusive of death, itself, for death is a part of life] that we are able to prepare for the eternities."
If we view the course of our existence via an overall picture (as the Creator obviously would), our earth life would represent the most minute of specks in an enormous continuum: length - beyond human imagination!

Yet, despite this extraordinarily minute block, called "life", we are able, in this small period (when coupled with any pre-earthly experience [see "Socrates"]), to prepare for what is to be expected of us IN that great, ETERNAL continuum, that follows this life!
No wonder, then, the taxing nature of life’s test!
Hence, WE EXPERIENCE:
SORROW:
Sorrow, that we appreciate both - eternal bliss, and earthly happiness and its good times;
SICKNESS:
Sickness, that we may appreciate health; and the immortality to come;
TIME CONSTRAINTS:
Time, that we may appreciate eternity;
PAIN:
Pain, that we may appreciate pleasure and good health;
MORTAL WEAKNESS:
Mortal limitations, that we may eventually appreciate (and not abuse) our immortality and "super" capacity (in the after-life - in the resurrection);
IGNORANCE:
Ignorance (as babes and young), that we may appreciate knowledge, understanding and learning;
WEAKNESS:
Weakness, that we may know and appreciate strength;
LONELINESS:
Loneliness, that we may appreciate family and friends;
WANT, AND FEW POSSESSIONS:
Scarcity, that we may appreciate our "mansions above" - our "Kingdoms" of the after-life; and develop sufficient empathy to prompt us to share with others in need, in this life.
DECAY, DISEASE, AND DEVASTATION:
That we may appreciate the handiwork of GOD; and the eventual glorious beauties of living in the cleanliness and beauty of heaven, with Him; and
DEATH:
That we may appreciate that gift which lasts forever - Eternal Life.

That great Mastermind has supplied every life’s experience, and its opposite (as we also witness much through others around us), that we may ultimately have the knowledge of personal frustration, of experience, generally - understanding and genuine empathy, that we may enter eternity fully equipped and prepared for the ENORMOUS WORK and yet the REWARDS, also, which lie in front of us.

Again, paraphrasing Man’s Search for Happiness:
"You, then, whoever you are, be assured that your life has meaning…and that it is through death that we, again, meet loved ones, awaiting us with open arms."
Death, then, is essentially that part of our eternal journey that returns us to God. Birth separates us, but for a moment, from Him … Death, subsequently, returns us to Him.
Ah, yes! ... but much the wiser: trained to appreciate both - this life, and the immortality of both body and soul - in the after-life condition - void of death and pain. How could one properly appreciate such gifts in any other manner? Perhaps, as is often cliched, "the gain is equal to the pain".

Further, the life of each not only possesses meaning, intrinsic to its owner; but each life also holds an integral place, in the general scheme of things. Each is assured of an indelible and unique contribution to the future of Mankind; and each possesses a unique place, intrinsic to the purposes of Deity; for all things are "SAFELY cradled in the arms of Deity". Obviously, the Creator, however, in honouring our freedom of choice, does not dictate what our choices will be, but has prepared for all possible choices made; and the natural outcomes of those choices lie comfortably within His vision, within His complete comprehension - totally within his "foreknowledge".

He is eternity, lives eternity, and has known us for eternity. Therefore, all things are as if "present" before Him - inclusive of all our ‘future’ choices, and their natural consequences.
Yes. Each life is a gift; yet each, vital. Each donates and contributes, in some manner, to Mankind and his progress.

In this way, even "Death", too, can be seen as a gift of the Creator - not just because it forms a part of life, but, more particularly, in that it is the vehicle to gaining access on living in eternity, and, eventually, in uniting with ALL of our loved ones - both, currently across the miles and across the sea, and, also, those who went before and who are yet to come to earth, generation upon generation. Eternity, as resurrected, immortal beings, unites us all.

Tuesday, January 30, 2007

WHY DOES GOD NOT STOP DISASTER, CRIME AND SUFFERING??

Although this following was a small excerpt taken from my recently-published Book, "TWO BIRDS … ONE STONE!!" [by Denis Towers], I thought I would like to open this topic up for general discussion among readers and Bloggers, as it is one frequently puzzling in most people’s minds, whether ‘of the faith’ or otherwise:

Many people ask - to the effect: "Well if there is a God why does he allow the great suffering that exists on the planet; and why does He not intervene when one is about to kill or interfere with another? If He is full of love how can He watch the suffering, and do nothing?"

As in all other things, one must begin with the end in mind when one attempts an answer to a question such as this.

Progress, being the purpose of life, and, therefore, too, "the operative word", both - ecclesiastical and practical reasons - require exploration and elaboration.

From the ecclesiastical viewpoint, Holy writ tells us that our ‘end’ entails a consignment, or reward, of glory based upon the outcome of a "Judgment Day", wherein all of our (non-repented) secret works will be made public, and wherein we will be judged by God. This Judgment needs to be just, and acts truly have to have actually occurred for Judgment to be real and to be just. Preventing horrific actions means true ETERNAL Judgment cannot be legitimately exercised. Following Judgment, we will, ultimately, be placed - forever (that’s a long time!!!) - precisely according to our personal performances and efforts - good or bad - per our valiancy in obedience, or in the appropriate changing of our lives, and according to the discharge of our personal life’s duties.

In addressing our question more comprehensively and more practically, however, it is central that one maintains, uppermost in mind, that as with all others of life’s great contrasts, or opposites, the greatest calamities in life also offer the greatest opportunities for men to do good, and to right that which is wrong amongst their own.

Experiencing personal sickness and want, for instance, provides us, not only with an appreciation for being in possession of good health, but promotes our empathy and understanding of others who are in great need, or who are in poor health. Hopefully, that promotion is effected to the point of causing action.

CONSIDER THE FOLLOWING:
Life’s great earthly battles often test one’s mettle to the very core - enabling and (even) promoting each to stretch to his/her fullest capacity - to, at times, give the very ultimate - to build in character, and to winning life’s greatest battles for him/herself - even against the greatest of odds. The greatest growth and personal satisfaction arises from such conquests.
Also, as above proposed, the greatest opportunities for good often reside in the aftermath of the great evils, of serious calamities, or (even) in the prevention of serious calamity.

Great disasters occur: floods, hurricanes, bombings, etc. … and some of the most courageous and wonderful reports received concern the sacrifices that various individuals make - only too keen to render aid, to provide supplies, provide encouragement, uplift, and (even just) offer a personal presence, and a human comfort, in the aftermath of others’ great afflictions and misfortunes. We have, for instance, witnessed many of these via the terrible disasters in New York more recently.

On another front, disasters and human oppressions provide opportunities for men to set right what appears wrong in the world. A readily witnessed, topical example concerns the increasingly common cases of international intervention into various countries’ serious civil strives, and, often, into unbearably oppressive - even murderous - dictatorships within such countries.
Then again, many times disasters occur because of the prolonged neglect of men to answer previous ‘calls’ to action. Topically, the Gadaffi’s and Hussein’s of the world, and their immediate batteries, should be rooted out and made personally accountable for their atrocities, rather than be seen by "the underworld" to have carried out their heinous deeds, almost unscarred. It may have been to Man’s benefit if such action had been executed much earlier.

If, on the other hand, the Supreme God was to interfere (as many, lacking understanding, currently propose), then there would be little opportunity for such individual learning, or for family, and national growth and unity; or for the potential bonding that accompanies the great sacrifice of one for another, or from receiving personal assistance from friends, family, and, even, strangers (who no longer remain so), particularly when it is offered during one’s direst and darkest hours.

If God interfered, the miraculous good that can, simultaneously, accompany, follow, and (even) contrast, great disasters, could not exist. The capacity would disappear: for men to "bear one another’s burdens" (which, under the current system, serves to further strengthen the offerer, on the one hand, and the recipient, on the other, as victims receive an opportunity and experience of being healed from another of their own species), which, currently, enables that (aforesaid) higher level of closeness and bonding between parties … a bonding which enables Man to repent of gross evils - setting things right amongst his own [even if merely (in many cases), by proxy, i.e. in the absence of appropriate apology from the real offender/s] - thus helping restore some faith in his fellowman … often, too, softening hardened hearts through the experience of personal catastrophe; humbling souls; and allowing one’s own humbling, and vulnerability, to be self-recognized, in the process ... learning to acknowledge one’s own nothingness, in the general scheme of things - one’s, truly, total dependence upon God for life’s mercies and maintenance. All such would be lost if catastrophe and personal difficulty was eliminated.

Further, if God intervened, men could excuse themselves of the need to develop love, self-control or understanding towards others. They could, effectively, abandon any serious need for self-control, for instance, and lash against others unrestrainedly, ‘knowing’ that God would prevent them from causing any great harm, in the process. Thus, they could no longer assume an independence. They could not take true responsibility for themselves and their actions.
Most importantly, they would have little opportunity for the learning of forebearance; and "responsible others" (parents, especially) would not feel any particular obligation to teach it to them (knowing that God would restrict any serious harm anyway). The saddest outcome would be that the repeated frustration, through failure of a potential evil-doer, to "successfully" carry out dastardly deeds, would merely serve to feed that evil person’s growing hate, thus leading to even greater determination to see harm inflicted upon intended victims, whether he/she was going to be successful in actualizing such evil intentions, or not. Unfruitful, time-wasting obsession would result. Internal hate would proliferate, even if, only externally, opportunities to demonstrate it were eliminated.

Neither could men comprehend, nor develop faith in, the natural consequences that follow every thought, word, and action that emanates from them. Perhaps, they would not even learn that natural laws and consequences, which follow one’s behaviour, exist, at all.

If one were to say, "Well, God could be selective in His interference, preventing only some actions," others would justly declare Him, "unfair", in that He saved some people, and some situations, but not others! They could claim that He, unfairly, helped the more wicked to keep "clean slates", but not so the ‘lesser offenders’ who may have ‘only’ stolen, or "exaggerated" (lied) in their "stories", or been guilty of "crimes" of even lesser proportion.