Luther’s 7 Step Plan For Judaism…

***Borrowed from Yaelbatsarah (a pious Jewess) *LOL*

Luther:  What shall we Christians do with this rejected and condemned people, the Jews? Since they live among us, we dare not tolerate their conduct, now that we are aware of their lying and reviling and blaspheming. If we do, we become sharers in their lies, cursing and blasphemy.

First, to set fire to their synagogues or schools and to bury and cover with dirt whatever will not burn, so that no man will ever again see a stone or cinder of them. This is to be done in honor of our Lord and of Christendom, so that God might see that we are Christians, and do not condone or knowingly tolerate such public lying, cursing, and blaspheming of his Son and of his Christians.

Second, I advise that their houses also be razed and destroyed. Instead they might be lodged under a roof or in a barn, like the gypsies.

Third, I advise that all their prayer books and Talmudic writings, in which such idolatry, lies, cursing, and blasphemy are taught, be taken from them.

Fourth, I advise that their rabbis be forbidden to teach henceforth on pain of loss of life and limb.

Fifth, I advise that safe-conduct on the highways be abolished completely for the Jews.

Sixth, I advise that usury be prohibited to them, and that all cash and treasure of silver and gold be taken from them and put aside for safekeeping.

Seventh, I recommend putting a flail, an ax, a hoe, a spade, a distaff, or a spindle into the hands of young, strong Jews and Jewesses and letting them earn their bread in the sweat of their brow, as was imposed on the children of Adam (Gen. 3 [:19]).

But if the authorities are reluctant to use force and restrain the Jews’ devilish wantonness, the latter should, as we said, be expelled from the country and be told to return to their land and their possessions in Jerusalem, where they may lie, curse, blaspheme, defame, murder, steal, rob, practice usury, mock, and indulge in all those infamous abominations which they practice among us, and leave us our government, our country, our life, and our property, much more leave our Lord the Messiah, our faith, and our church undefiled and uncontaminated with their devilish tyranny and malice. Any privileges that they may plead shall not help them; for no one can grant privileges for practicing such abominations. These cancel and abrogate all privileges.

What are we poor preachers to do meanwhile? In the first place, we will believe that our Lord Jesus Christ is truthful when he declares of the Jews who did not accept but crucified him, “You are a brood of vipers and children of the devil [cf. Matt. 12:34].

However, it all coincides with the judgment of Christ which declares that they are venomous, bitter, vindictive, tricky serpents, assassins, and children of the devil who sting and work harm stealthily wherever they cannot do it openly. For this reason I should like to see them where there are no Christians.

Now let me commend these Jews sincerely to whoever feels the desire to shelter and feed them, to honor them, to be fleeced, robbed, plundered, defamed, vilified, and cursed by them, and to suffer every evil at their hands – these venomous serpents and devil’s children, who are the most vehement enemies of Christ our Lord and of us all.

Thus the accursed Jews encumber us with their diabolical, blasphemous, and horrible sins in our own country

(Want to read more?  On the Jews and Their Lies .  Don’t trust this particular site?  Feel free to Goggle the title and find your own.  The words will still be the same.)

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2:1 – 2 become 1

I cannot write today not inspired I guess. But this is sticking to my mind like a mofo:

“So they are no longer two, but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let no man separate” (Matthew 19:6)

I have always read this passage a little weird…

They are ‘one flesh’ – it has some dual meaning to it – which is only encapsualted in the birth of a child (2 people in 1 new person). However, it is also the sexual act itself. I am not going to explain it – we are all grown-ups.

Why is that how I see it? Because the word used is ‘flesh’.

The second part is basically the moral part of the sentence – it’s the Adam and Eve scenario – God putting these 2 people together – and no one can ruin that/seperate that. But it is only a moral – not a warning – not a curse – not a dead end.

The obvious fact is 50% of marriages end in divorce (and God knows how many have someone that cheated). Moral is fine and dandy – but no one cares. America/Canada is the land of the sex and honey – I mean milk and honey. Sex here has market-values and dominates every f’n airwave we can find. We are born with an abundance of sex. That touches me.

How does that last line look – ‘let no man seperate’…at least God knew it was always men that were the problem. Well, what was seperated? Companionship? Friendship? The literal action of sexual identity? Everything was seperated. Everything that u thought was sacred – isn’t. Thank you Playboy!

It’s funny – but we are replaceable. In a convenient society with convenient ways of living – we become convenient in all we do. The 2 doesn’t mean it’s always going to be you – someone can come along and assume the position – it’s a well known position – 50% of society is trying it these days! They should open stores.

No one tells you the consequences. They give you the formula but never anything more – like sending wild animals into habitats they have never lived in. Then you find out what is being cut and torn and frayed…after the fact – after the past – after the sharing is done. It is sharing.  

2 become 1 – it’s such a daily occurence.

“I am caught somewhere between – my love and my hate” (Faith No More – Falling 2 Pieces)

The Law, Condemnation, and Freedom

“Thus we all always stand accused by it, Christian or no. You can go and meditate on it as much as you wish.” (Brigitte)

The law ‘always condemns’…I guess that makes sense – in some odd way – since the laws of the land stand to condemn and confirm – always. One could also say the law, depending on one’s view of it – also ‘always confirms’.

My point concerning the law of God (not the law of Moses or men) is that we have a duality in Christianity concerning what the ‘law’ actually meant to Judaism and how we use it.

On one hand, we have King David making praises to the law in his songs/psalms – the same person that stood accused by it for his actions of adultery and betryal (leading to a man’s death – isn’t that 1st degree murder in a way?). Yet, he writes a Psalm about the same law – saying ‘he loves it!’.

The condemnation is just – it’s the law being the law – penalty for one’s actions…this David could turn around after being found guilty by the ‘law’ – paying his price – and still praising it for the glory of the land of Israel (of which he was king – grew under his borders and what have you – damn right’s he was thankful!).

But in our faith we only see some religious aspect of the law – and that’s about it – and we take some of Paul’s reasoning…too far? The law still exists – exactly as predicted by Jesus in Matt 5 – why make that prediction exactly because who cares – the law stands only to condemn us?

But I get it in a way – the law does condemn us – it finds us guilty of our wrong-doings (that’s fair – so does USA and Canadian law – and we should not only be thankful it exists – thankful it allows us freedoms). But even in the guilt-finding there is equality – justice – equal to all…no exemptions (unless you have money – lol) – we come before the law punished equally for similar crimes. IN this sense the law is also ‘good’…as Christians we hate to admit this – but it’s very true.

The law finds us guilty of the things ‘we do’ to others or break in the name of disrupting community. This is good – or else we would not have direction for our lives and our children’s lives as to ‘ethics’. The law may set out the conditions of ‘guilt’ but also the conditions of ‘atonement’ (making right our wrongs against others). I see the good in having and abiding by the ‘law’…yes…as a Christian person!

The law condemns but it also sets out the conditions for which to govern our society, our freedoms, our foundational ethics, etc…how is it the law ‘always condemns’? It doesn’t…it also free’s.

***Comment taken from Old Adam – Brotherly Advice

34

I turned 34 on March 21 – Saturday – and it was the best birthday I have ever had I think.

Friday night I was out with all the ‘boys’ and we played some pool and visited at one of their mom’s house – or an afterparty more or less…but it felt good to re-connect with a lot of my friends I haven’t hung around with in some time…and shared my birthday (same day) with another one of my friends so that made it all the more fun! My wife also bought me a really nice t-shirt and dress shirt – and I wore those Saturday!

Saturday was crazy cool. Rested a lot during the day – but at night my wife put together a night at the restaurant (her uncle’s) with family – from both sides (hers and mine). It was basically what I dream of for both our families – that type of closeness and that night it was great seeing everyone – laughing, eating, drinking – enjoying one another’s company! It was something we need to do at least once a month if possible. It was topped off with what I can only term as the most relaxing bath ever!

It was a great mix of who I am all weekend – at some points young – at some points older – but at all exchanges loving.

Creation…

I just realized something – revolutionary in a way…maybe just revelatory…

“We create the present realities and world we will live in”

We create on a daily basis (ie: living) and make our lives what they are – and us removed from the process means no more creation (ie: death).

Think about it…every little thing u do changes every little situation u are in. From work, to home, to friends, to problems, to solutions, to relationships, to family, etc…You are the process of change!

Created in God’s image…well then that means we are also creators (of sorts). Isn’t our realities based on the very perspective and focus we apply? The next minute only exists (and can only change) because of your living in it.

So live!

Judge This!

At what point does forgiveness outweigh condemnation? If we condemn – for how long does this sentence last? If we forgive – what makes this reaction more valid than condemnation? Which is the greater path – forgiveness or condemnation? Forgiveness needs to come in for questions if u ask me.

We all judge and we all know we do.

But do we judge our judging? The questions posed above – how does your judgment work with regards to your treatment of others?

Defining God – Who The Hell Do We Think We Are?

I just got finished reading a 102 comment post about abortion – and let me tell you – I learned a lot just by reading it.

What makes me think someone’s definition of God is accurate? They are talking about a Being they have neither met, truly conversed with, or know what they look like. All they have are some books and letters as directional guidance to go by (all are on an equal playing field in this regards) – but not much beyond those ‘words’. Experience is everything to people living in the present. Interpretation is sitting at it’s right hand.

Judgment does not work as a ‘one size fits all’ category. Each person is unique and some things are really case by case – to measure it all out under one banner is really quite thoughtless. For example, murder is murder – correct? No. Was it manslaughter, 1st degree, 2nd degree, etc. Why should I think everything will fall under some neat assumptive category because someone can make that category up? I know how judgment works – I know how unique our situations can be – I have lived with it for 34 years – and it’s really a case to case basis.

At what point does forgiveness outweigh condemnation? If we condemn – for how long does this sentence last? If we forgive – what makes this reaction more valid than condemnation? Which is the greater path – forgiveness or condemnation? Forgiveness needs to come in for questions if u ask me.  

We are not God – we are simple human beings with limited exposure to the totality of what is happening in the world around us – nevermind the world at large! We can barely even understand ourselves and yet we think we can figure out someone else? Humility, yoo-hoo humility – are you anywhere out there?

Religious institutions within Christianity actually make me sick – not sure why – it’s too damn figured out and can be abused in that manner (make someone look wise). Plus since when does whatever confessional or articles of faith the church prescribes become the ‘word of God’? I think men came up with that system – and if we are looking for actual idols replacing God – don’t go no further than some Christian religious systems (if God had a face He’d look like a ?Charismatic? LOL).

Jesus came and left. This is a known fact. But you are born and are living – right now – able to read and decipher things – in a present reality that effects lives around you…there is nothing more important than what you will do and how it will effect others…right now! Maybe God is more important – but that Spirit ain’t the one I need to worry about – we are the problems and solutions…anything less is selling God short.

Who is God?

I have been bantering about on a few blogs here and there and this question remains for me these days:

“Who is God?”

Honestly, do we really know God all that well? In Christian circles there is this sense that ‘we’ do…this total surety of the idea of who and what God is…but if God shows up as a burning bush it might shock your idea of who God is…maybe God is meant to be mysterious?

God is a Spirit…this much I have come to realize.

What does that mean? God is not a man nor a woman – but can empathize with both. God is not going to function according to our whims – we are innately self-centered and we wouldn’t take someonee else’s total advice for our lives – because of their limitations on knowing us. God must know more than us – and not limited to self-centredness.

God is unknown. We know some things and have hints and pathways – sure we do. But in the end – God is not limited to some book or letter because we think we can make God into our image – according to our rules. God is imageless.

What you think know about God will change in the next, 10, 20, or 30 years and it isn’t God changing.

The Frailty of OUR Human Reality…

Taken from ‘February Movie: Frailty” (A Wolf Vs. Blog)

Ian, does God change? I read a sentence like ‘i think if we were in OT times’ to mean God did change – from the OT to the NT (which is really a duality question – God of OT and this new God of the NT – which is obviously strange).

“As long as your sin ISN’T too bad ‘god’ can use you to kill, if your sin IS too bad then ‘god’ can kill you and condemn you.” (Wilf)

Quote me on this ‘I serve a very complex God’.

God is Just – and requires justice – and as humans we know this urge all too well (if we lose a loved one to murder for example – the crook should not go unpunished – that’s way tooooo much grace). Dare I say – should that murderer even be forgiven? Oh the complexity of reality.

I have to believe God does use us humans as instruments of justice on some level…ie: the court system and what have you. We punish criminals – yes – you and I – because we support that court system and law force. Is that wrong? No.

So as much as frailty is overkill on the subject of divine justice in the hands of frail men – it is that way (on a less extreme level).

We have to dole out a level of justice where it is due – this is being a responsible person on some level. If someone attacks your child in your house – do you sit and hope for the end or intervene? It is unjust to sit and idly watch a crime happen like that – it is your duty to protect your family and home. We may not like an idea like that (and believe me I don’t) but home invasions do happen and people find themselves in situations like this.

Justice is left to us by God Himself (as far as I can tell) and we are little judges in this regards – a huge responsibility in frail peoples.