Sunday, November 30, 2014

I wonder what Jesus would say about the grand jury decision in Ferguson

What Would Jesus Protest?
By Rev. Paul J. Bern


It started in the Spring of 2011 as most age-defining movements do, with significant unrest and some recognition of what is right and wrong. It started with some people willing to take a stand against rampant injustice. Before long, some more people join. Next time we look it is in another city, then another country. Sweeping across the globe, the civil unrest known by a number of names, such as the Arab Spring, Occupy Wall Street, Anonymous or “we are the 99%” continues to capture the attention of everyone, despite the attempts of the military-industrial complex and their media conglomeration to slander it, discredit it, and lie about it. It is in that same revolutionary spirit that those who are protesting day and night in Ferguson Mo. and simultaneously around the world are on the evening news every night.


By now everyone realizes that there is a “la cosa nostra” of ultra-powerful people (sometimes called the Illuminati) that control the vast majority of wealth in this world, beginning with the US and Europe. They have spoon-fed us American Idol, pro wrestling and other sports, reality TV, idiotic soap operas, and Dancing With the Stars while sneaking around behind our backs tampering with our voting rights, stealing elections, repealing sensible regulations designed to protect us, and enacting laws totally in favor of the rich – and all this occurred as the 1% shipped all our jobs overseas for pennies on the dollar. I know this to be true because it happened to me. There can be no question that their goal is the redistribution of wealth and consolidation of power to the 1% elite while squeezing the once proud middle class into the new working poor caste. You can already hear the screams of "class warfare!" The problem is we didn't start the war, they did. The same ones screaming “class warfare” the loudest are the ones who are waging the war. 
 

Apparently, when the Arab Spring, Occupy, 'the 99%', Anonymous and Ferguson Movements first started, the power elite underestimated the intensity and dogged determination of the protesters to make their voices heard. They couldn't possibly fathom America's outrage. In their arrogance, they simply didn't comprehend that people had caught on to the illegal Ponzi schemes, crooked midnight deals and winner-take-all financial piracy of the money-worshiping top 1%. That's because our children have been going to the same 'dumbed down' public schools for the last generation or two. But since OWS, “the 99%” and Ferguson have gone viral in the social and political fabric of America, the 1% have begun frantically looking for ways to neutralize this latest movement, but they are already too late. So the next thing they did was to criminalize it, orchestrating mass arrests for the entire world to see. They tried to intimidate the protesters and occupiers by sending in their police squads in full military gear, but that backfired on them too as it only served to garner more sympathy for the people's cause. Next up was an attempt to mock the group and pretend they were somehow uneducated and clueless about why they were protesting at all. That has backfired as well, as all these grassroots movements has generated considerable interest, not only from the general public, but also from some very smart people and astute observers.


Turns out that OWS, “the 99%” and the folks in Ferguson know exactly why they are protesting. Not only are the police out of control and therefore a direct threat to our very lives, people everywhere are arriving at the same conclusion – correctly, by the way – that it is financial suicide to go into hock for $100,000 to get a Bachelors Degree only to be offered jobs that require a paper hat or a $19.95 shirt and tie when they graduate. They become furious when they see billionaires with golden parachutes getting bailed out while their parents are getting evicted. They are vehemently opposed to an economic and educational system that is only available to those who have enough money to pay. They have already read the 2011 United Nations Resolution stating that Internet access is a basic human right (search that), and that denying Web access to anyone due to their inability to pay is a human rights violation at best, and a criminal act at worst. They already see capitalism for what it is – an economy based on greed, plunder and conquest at home and abroad. They see all the homeless people on the streets while entire neighborhoods are littered with abandoned, boarded up houses that represent the shattered dreams of countless families, some of whom are now living in shelters or with relatives because there is no where else for them to go. They see all the school teachers, fire fighters and police officers who continue to get laid off so the country can have more for the top 1%, and so they can have more money for pointless foreign wars. They do not think that 1% of the population should control 99% of the wealth in this country -- and they are absolutely right. Plus, they are scared half to death of the police, and justifiably so.


So what would Jesus protest? Would Jesus protest merciless treatment of the neediest people? “Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy” (Matthew chapter 5, verse 7). Of course, the flip side of that coin is that unmerciful, arrogant and belligerent people will be shown no mercy by God. Would he oppose the top 1% who have 99% of our country's wealth? He already has: “Then Jesus said to his disciples, 'I tell you the truth, it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of God” (Matthew chapter 19, verses 23-24). Would He stand against bully authority? He sure did and still does. “Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples, 'So you must obey [authority] and do everything they tell you. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach. They tie up heavy loads and put them on men's shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to lift a finger to move them'” (Matthew 23, verses 1-4).


The Occupy, Anonymous and 99% Movements, and the ongoing protests in Ferguson, St. Louis and throughout the planet are all about the least fortunate of us, and it is these very people who want their lives back. They have lost jobs, careers, homes (some of which had been paid on monthly for years or even decades), savings, pensions and even their health. Economic and racial inequality reigns supreme across our land, and the misery that it has spawned threatens to grow into revolution in American streets (cue “Revolution” by the Beatles, “For What It's Worth” by Buffalo Springfield, etc.).


Throughout the Bible the number one theme after Christ's salvation is taking care of the least fortunate in society. Jesus said that if we want to be considered religious, then we are to look after the welfare of widows and orphans. “Whatsoever you do for the very least of my brethren, that you do for me”, and this nugget of wisdom holds as much meaning today as when those words were uttered by Jesus 2,000 years ago. The divine truth of human equality that He illustrated with that verse is something that has yet to be fulfilled, and it's our fault. Human equality was a radical notion in the time of Christ, and many churches continue to leave out of the teaching of this revolutionary aspect of His ministry. So long as racial and ethnic hatred persist, equality cannot flourish. It's up to ministers like myself to address this issue, and I encourage all who read this to join me in my efforts.


I am painfully aware that some conservative Christian writers, and a whole lot of 1%'ers, are apparently in love with the Old Testament verse that says, “If a man will not work, then neither shall he eat”, presumably in reference to strikers, protesters and “occupiers”, but they are forgetting the original context of that verse: “Even while we were with you, we gave you this command: "Those unwilling to work will not get to eat." Yet we hear that some of you are living idle lives, refusing to work and meddling in other people's business. We command such people and urge them in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ to settle down and work to earn their own living. As for the rest of you, dear brothers and sisters, never get tired of doing good. Take note of those who refuse to obey what we say in this letter. Stay away from them so they will be ashamed. Don't think of them as enemies, but warn them as you would a brother or sister.” (2Thessalonians 3: 10-15, NLT)


The context reveals that these verses do not apply to the OWS/99% or Ferguson people. On the contrary, the people protesting want some real justice for Mike Brown, but they also want to work and can't find jobs, and that is why they are protesting! You may be of the opinion that the protesters are "lazy" or somehow not trying hard enough but I have actually been through what these protesters are experiencing. I know what it's like to see a 22-year career evaporate, and to not be able to find enough work to sustain oneself. I know what it's like to wind up homeless through no fault of my own, and I have personally experienced how homelessness, even for relatively short periods of time as was in my case, can and will literally ruin one's health. Like these multitudes of others, I too can attest to how brutal it is out there. The true unemployment rate is very likely double or triple what the government is telling us. The jobs being offered have absurdly low wages that are simply not enough to live on, come with no health insurance, and are often temporary or part time.


The other truth revealed from the context of these verses, however, is how we should be acting. The apostle Paul does not say that we should treat these people with contempt, lie about them, or sneer at them. He does not say they should only help those who can afford to pay. Instead, we should be doing for others what we would have them do for us. We must treat others the way we want to be treated. We must love our neighbor as ourselves. He says we should treat them not as enemies but to warn them as if they were a brother or sister. “Though you offer many prayers, I will not listen, for your hands are covered with the blood of innocent victims. Wash yourselves and be clean! Get your sins out of my sight. Give up your evil ways. Learn to do good. Seek justice. Help the oppressed. Defend the cause of orphans. Fight for the rights of widows. -- Isaiah 1: 15-17 (NLT)


What God is saying here is to check your hands before raising them in praise to Him to see whose blood you have on them. Give up your sins. Trust Jesus implicitly. Learn to do good. And then what does the Lord say is doing good? Seeking justice. Helping the oppressed. Defending the cause and fighting for the rights of the needy. If anyone really and truly thinks that there is no injustice in our current judicial system (such as the Ferguson white-wash – oops, I meant to say 'grand jury'), then I would call them heartless and soulless. If you honestly do not believe that there is oppression for the lowest in our society today then I advise you to stop watching Fox News and come on out in the street to join us. There is a real world out here and it is really hurting.


The people at Ferguson, Mo., New York, Chicago, the deep south and the West Coast want social and economic justice. They want the same thing God speaks about throughout the entire Bible. They want the same thing Jesus taught about. Once Christ told a parable about the Good Samaritan. Most of us know the story. A man is mugged and essentially left for dead on the street. He is passed over by a Temple priest and a tax collector. But a Samaritan stopped and helped him, bandaged him, and paid for him to recover at a nearby inn. But the context of this parable is the point. Jesus told it because He was asked the question -- "who is my neighbor?" The Samaritan was chosen as the hero of this story by Jesus because there was much hatred towards them by the Jewish people at that time. Who is my neighbor? I think this is the question we need to ask ourselves every day. We need to ask it when we hear the hate merchants on TV and radio trying to stir up our darker side. We need to ask it when we think that we know the motives of people we never even met. We need to ask it when we start to use God to defend things He obviously would never defend (such as waging war). Jesus finishes the Parable of the Good Samaritan with these words: "Now which of these three would you say was a neighbor to the man who was attacked by bandits?" Jesus asked. The man replied, "The one who showed him mercy." Then Jesus said, "Yes, now go and do the same." (Luke 10: 36-37, NLT)


As far as the teacher of law that asked the initial question here was concerned, only fellow Jews were his neighbor. Anyone else was looked upon with disdain. We have that same spirit infecting this country too. The other side is presented only for the purpose of blame and hatred. Those who find themselves on the extreme right look upon the OWS crowd negatively because they are not their neighbors to them. It is the Occupy, 99%, and Ferguson protesters who have become the 21st century Samaritans. They also sneer at the protesters in Ferguson as being just a mob of rioters and looters, when in fact only a small percentage of all those engaged in the street protests engaged in such illicit activities, as if they are all somehow unworthy of mercy. They are somehow to blame not only for their own plight, but supposedly for the plight of the country as a whole. God requires something from us and He spelled it out very plainly in the Old Testament: “No, O people, the Lord has told you what is good, and this is what he requires of you: to do what is right, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God. (Micah 6: 8, NLT)


The world sells various shades of gray to hide the truth, spinning it and disguising it as it goes. The truth is that if somehow anyone thinks Jesus would support a system where over 40 million people are homeless while the ultra rich clothe their dogs, then I suggest that maybe they do not understand what "doing what is right" truly means. If anyone thinks that Jesus would support a system where 16,000 children die every day from hunger while the world's top 1% gets richer and fatter, then I am not so sure that they understand the concepts of loving and being merciful. Not just being merciful – really loving mercy and walking humbly with your God. I want you to think the next time someone is trying to sell you on the notion that the Ferguson, OWS and “the 99%” people are 2nd class citizens. It makes me wonder what their motivation is for saying such things. If anyone has the snooty opinion that the Ferguson, OWS and 99% folks are lazy troublemakers, then that becomes their problem. If you have the political opinion that they should go home and find a job, fine, but have any of you tried to find a job lately? Ask someone who has been unable to find work for months or even years! Brothers and sisters, those are nowhere near being Christian arguments. They are most definitely not Biblical arguments – and they are devoid of any compassion, any mercy, or any humility. What will we do to help all these people? What would happen if you lost your job tomorrow, or if a family member were to be killed by the police? What have we done lately to help each other? Because in the end, that's all that really counts.


Wednesday, November 26, 2014

Speech you were never supposed to see

This week's Bible study will be the rest of 1st Corinthians chapter seven (part 3)

The Apostle Paul Gives Free Advice On Marriage
[1st Corinthians 7, verses 25-40]


This week, regarding my chronological study of the writings of the apostle Paul, we'll be finishing up 1st Corinthians chapter seven. I will be concluding this rather lengthy portion of Scripture, beginning at verse 25. Although some of St. Paul's writing in this section may seem a little outdated or even antiquated on the surface, upon further examination we will find that, when translated into modern English like I am about to do, this passage of Scripture is actually very applicable to modern life. I quote:


Now about virgins: I have no command from the Lord, but I give a judgment as one who by the Lord's mercy is trustworthy. Because of the present crisis, I think it is good for you to remain as you are. Are you married? Do not seek a divorce. Are you unmarried? Do not look for a wife. But if you do marry, you have not sinned; and if a virgin marries, she has not sinned. But those who marry will face many troubles in this life, and I want to spare you this. What I mean, brothers, is that the time is short. From now on those who have wives should live as if they had none; those who mourn, as if they did not; those who are happy, as if they were not; those who buy something, as if it were not theirs to keep; those who use the things of the world, as if not engrossed in them. For this world in its present form is passing away.” (1Cor. 7: verses 25-31 NIV)


When Paul wrote, “Now about virgins: I have no command from the Lord, but I give a judgment as one who by the Lord's mercy is trustworthy”, he is saying two things in the same sentence. First, let me clarify what Paul meant by the word “virgin”. Translated from the original Hebrew (and Greek soon after), this simply means a young woman who has never been married before. It has been argued by some Christian denominations that this is literally true, and therefore it is wrong to have sex before marriage. Although I will be quick to agree that sexual immorality is something to be carefully avoided, back in Paul's day when this Corinthian letter was first written, people by and large assumed that all unmarried young men and women were virgins, mostly because sex was considered to be a taboo subject that almost nobody talked about, let alone openly acted out on. In modern times, there are two main reasons that sex is no longer a taboo subject. The first is education (which was sorely lacking in Paul's day) and the second is the spreading of sexually transmitted diseases, which were likely almost unheard of 2,000 years ago when these words were first written. In short, although sin can literally kill you, ignorance can do the same, and the results are equally lethal.


Paul writes in this same sentence that he has no command from Christ about this topic, but “I give a judgment as one who by the Lord's mercy is trustworthy”. In other words, he is sharing an educated opinion regarding this matter. Prior to his conversion on the road to Damascus, Paul had been a member of the Sanhedrin, the Jewish ruling class of the day in what is now modern Israel. So Paul was an educated and intelligent man. Paul continues his train of thought, “Because of the present crisis, I think it is good for you to remain as you are. Are you married? Do not seek a divorce. Are you unmarried? Do not look for a wife”. The “present crisis” he is referring to is almost surely the occupation of the Holy Land by the Roman Empire during those times. He is writing that since times are already tough, why make things any harder by looking for a wife or a husband? I can tell you from personal experience that seeking marriage just because you're lonesome, or because one is burning with passion, is the wrong reason to get married. I have survived two absolutely miserable marriages earlier in my life, but God has taught me over the years that I am better off remaining single as I have been for many years. But even more important is that, since we are most definitely living in the End Times as prophesied in the Bible in both the Old and New Testaments, we should be focused on getting ready for the second coming of Christ Jesus, since this very thing could happen literally at any time. Paul summarized this timely bit of advice in the next sentence when he wrote, “But those who marry will face many troubles in this life, and I want to spare you this. What I mean, brothers, is that the time is short”. He then continues beginning at verse 32:


I would like you to be free from concern. An unmarried man is concerned about the Lord's affairs – how he can please the Lord. But a married man is concerned about the affairs of this world – how he can please his wife – and his interests are divided. An unmarried woman or virgin is concerned about the Lord's affairs – her aim is to be devoted to the Lord in both body and spirit. But a married woman is concerned with the affairs of this world – how she can please her husband. I am saying this for your own good, not to restrict you, but that you may live in a right way in undivided devotion to the Lord. If anyone thinks he is acting improperly toward the virgin he is engaged to, and if she is getting along in years and he feels he ought to marry, he should do as he wants. They should get married. But the man who has settled the matter in his own mind, who is under no compulsion but has control over his will, and who has made up his mind not to marry the virgin – this man also does the right thing. So then, he who marries the virgin does right, but he who does not marry her does even better. A woman is bound to her husband as long as he lives. But if her husband dies, she is free to marry anyone she wishes, but he must belong to the Lord. In my judgment, she is happier if she stays as she is – and I think that I too have the Spirit of God.” (1Cor. 7: verses 32-40 NIV)


Paul makes it abundantly clear as he closes this chapter that the cares and worries of life can compromise one's belief in, and devotion to, Christ. Seeking a mate, no matter how well intentioned, diverts us from what is most important in life. Our salvation in Christ through His crucifixion and resurrection should be the first and foremost thing in our lives, and it should remain above and beyond all other things. Without the saving power of Jesus, all the accomplishments one can achieve in life wind up being meaningless and hollow in the end.


As Jesus said, “What good is it for a man to gain the whole world and lose his soul?” So in the end this becomes all about priorities and about realizing what is most important. Whether one is married or single is actually a side issue, and it is very applicable to early 21st century living. It's difficult and time consuming to be cruising for a mate and trying to be devoted to the Lord all at the same time. Besides, we are anticipating the second coming of Christ in our lifetimes, and at the rate things are deteriorating due to raging wars abroad and economic depression at home, His return could happen at any time. How then should we be living? As for me, I no longer worry about getting remarried. It would be a good thing for me to find another wife, I am certain of that. But that does not really matter to me because I am already a member of Christ's church which the Bible calls “the bride of Christ” in the book of Revelation. So since I am technically married to Jesus, I no longer have a need for a mate. My membership within the bride of Christ makes me so. If Jesus can do this for me, He can do it for you too. So I would advise those who are reading this to stop surfing the dating websites and cruising the chat-rooms because they are by and large a waste of your time. Devote yourself to Jesus first and foremost, and all these other things will fall into place on their own according to God's will for your life. Just keep remembering that His will is always in your best interest. If you find a mate within the greater church, regardless of denomination, that is a good thing. But to remain as you are and devote yourself to Him is even better.


Sunday, November 23, 2014

CIVIL WAR TO ERUPT IN AMERICAN STREETS

Celebrate Thanksgiving by buying and doing nothing

Celebrate Thanksgiving By Buying Nothing This Year
by Rev. Paul J. Bern


Is there a tradition any more primitive or disgusting practiced across America today than that of Black Friday? Hordes of consumers mob stores for great deals on useless "goods" like flat screen TVs that one must have a cable TV subscription to watch it, smart phones and tablet computers that break every time they're dropped, video gaming “stations” that are addictive, or the latest clothes manufactured by Southeast Asian or Latino children in some God-forsaken sweatshop somewhere. Every single year I am further struck by the apparent lack of focus by Christmas shoppers on the original reason for the season. Thanksgiving is the holiday when we give thanks for what we have and count our blessings. It is a time to put things into perspective and realize that we are not so poor after all, economic hardship notwithstanding. St. Paul wrote, “I know what it means to have little and I know what it means to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content no matter what my circumstances.” We would all do well to learn to do the same.


The Christmas shopping season is the time when we are supposed to be celebrating the birth of our Lord. Instead, all I see each year are large crowds of people caught up in an orgy of consumerism and materialism. Hordes of people buying this and that, spending like there is no tomorrow in a feeding frenzy of capitalist consumerism. Think about how much good it would do if the birth of our Lord was celebrated with that much enthusiasm. What if we were to organize a National Buy Nothing Day to protest economic inequality? Or how about a $15.00 per hour minimum wage? Or maybe to protest the cost of higher education, we should boycott our student loans! What if everybody stopped sending in their payments until the loans were forgiven? Two thirds of the US economy is consumer spending. Think of what a shock wave it would send if any such national protest/boycott were to be organized!


We're in a pretty messed up place politically and environmentally. Multinational corporations and financial firms pretty much own the government. Global warming is not only a real and present danger, but rapidly accelerating. There is a plastic "raft" in the Pacific Ocean bigger than Texas. And as people we're constantly being taken advantage of to make this situation last longer so that corporate profits and bonuses can climb even higher than they are now. The strong link between these two things – our society's consumerism and the terrible political, social, environmental, and economic situations we're in – demands immediate and urgent action. By buying things from these corporations and feeding into this model of an economy, we only encourage and empower it. So I'm asking you: please join me in buying nothing this coming weekend.


So this Black Friday, I'm calling for a Wildcat General 3-day Strike. I'm asking tens of millions of people around the world to bring the capitalist consumption machine to a grinding – if only momentary – halt. I want you all to not only stop buying for 72 hours, but to shut off all but your most essential lights, all your televisions and other nonessential appliances. I'm asking you to park your car, turn off your phones and log off of your computer for the day. I'm calling for a three-day interlude of fasting and prayer. From sunrise to sunset we'll abstain en masse, not only from holiday shopping, but from all the temptations of our greed-based and debt-funded lifestyles. Ideally, everyone will power down their electricity for the day and just enjoy some time with their family or friends or both. If you can't do that, at least refrain from the Black Friday madness. Don't go to a store for some kind of deal. Avoid the stress by not going out in the traffic. Don't shop at the big box stores - in fact, don't shop anywhere. Just take a break for Friday, Saturday and Sunday and do nothing at all.


You know the old truism: a journey of a thousand miles starts with a single step. Things are falling apart – the temperature rising, the oceans churning, the global economy heaving – so why not do something? Take just one small step toward a more just and sustainable future. Make a pact with yourself: go on a consumer fast. Lock up your credit cards, put away your cash and opt out of the capitalist spectacle. It may be harder than you think, that is, the impulse to buy is more ingrained in many of us than you may have ever realized. But you will persist and you will transcend – perhaps reaching the kind of epiphany that can change the world.


Some might criticize me for publicizing this idea during such a tough economic times. "We need people to consume in order to drive the economy!" To that I say this: it's not good if we need people to buy useless crap in order to maintain our economy. That needs to shift fundamentally. And the only way to shift it is to stop buying useless crap. So will you join me? Will you take the plunge and break the chord from your normal consumerist ways? Let's all stay at home Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, and have a time of prayer and fasting, and some quality time with each other. In this case, fasting doesn't mean we must totally abstain from food. But you can go on a liquid diet (soup only, etc.) for 3 days without doing yourself any harm. I have done this before successfully, so if I can then so can you! If we're going to give thanks, then let's begin by giving thanks to God.


Sunday, November 16, 2014

Should the Bible be toned down to attract more followers?

Those Who Sugarcoat the Bible Dilute Its Message
By Rev. Paul J. Bern


The Bible is a gritty book. It's very raw and very real. It deals with people just like us, just as needy and screwed up as we are, encountering a God who would rather die (as if He could) than spend eternity without us. Yet despite that, it seems like some Christians are uncomfortable with how earthy the Bible really can be. Although the Spirituality of the Bible through the belief in the Holy Spirit is the foundation of all the Scriptures (with Jesus being the cornerstone), the Bible has a way of being just as earthy as a day of doing yard work around the house (if you're lucky enough to still have one of those after the real estate crash of 2008). But there are others who feel the need to sanitize God by making His Word politically correct. God has already instilled true correctness within each of us because He alone is our source and our strength.


For example, look in any modern translation of Isaiah 64:6, and you’ll find that, to a holy God, even our most righteous acts are like “filthy rags”, as the more sanitized King James says. But the original Greek and Hebrew didn’t say “filthy rags”; it said “menstrual rags.” But that sounded a little too crass to the Bible's 17th century English translators, so they just relabeled it 'filthy' instead. And while we're avoiding talking much about Jesus being naked when He was on the cross, let’s pretend Paul said that he considered his good deeds “a pile of garbage” in Philippians 3:8 rather than a pile of crap, as the original Hebrew and Greek would have more accurately been translated. Oh yeah, and let’s definitely not mention the ten commandments in the Old Testament. That might be unpopular. Never mind that between the books of Exodus, Numbers and Deuteronomy there are a total of 630 of them. That could expose people as being the sinners that we all truly are. God forbid!


The point? God’s message was not meant to be run through some arbitrary, holier-than-thou politeness filter. God couldn't care less about political correctness, and I feel the same way. When I open my mouth, I don't care if anybody 'likes' me or not, and so it is with God. He intended the Bible to speak to people where they’re at, caught up in the stark reality of life on a fractured and dying planet. There are dozens of Psalms that are complaints and heart-wrenching cries of despair to God, not holy-sounding, reverently worded soliloquies. Take Psalm 77:1-3: “I cry out to God; yes, I shout. Oh, that God would listen to me! When I was in deep trouble, I searched for the Lord. All night long I prayed, with hands lifted toward heaven, but my soul was not comforted. I think of God, and I moan, overwhelmed with longing for his help” (New Living Translation).


And rather than shy away from difficult and painful topics, the Old Testament includes vivid descriptions of murder, cannibalism, witchcraft, dismemberment, torture, rape, idolatry, erotic sex and animal sacrifice. According to St. Paul, those stories were written as examples and warnings for us, as he wrote: “These things happened to them as examples and were written down as warnings for us, on whom the fulfillment of the ages has come. So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don't fall! No temptation has seized you except that which is common to man. And God is faithful, he will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so you can stand up under it.”(1 Corinthians 10:11-13, NIV). So obviously they were meant to be retold without editing out all the things we don’t consider nice or agreeable. I have gradually arrived at the conclusion over time that the Scriptures include such graphic material to show how far we as the sum of humanity have fallen and how far God was willing to come to rescue us from ourselves. God is much more interested in honesty than piety, and in our Spirituality rather than in how religious we are. And that’s what He gives us throughout Scripture by telling the stories of people who struggled with the same issues, questions and temptations we face today.


Peter struggled with doubt and with a bad temper, and we read all about it when Jesus is arrested at Gethsemane. Elijah dealt with depression; Naomi raged with bitterness against God; Hannah struggled for years under the burden of her unanswered prayers. David had an affair and then arranged to have his lover’s husband killed. Noah was a drunk and Moses was on the run from a murder charge. Even Job came to a place where he found it necessary to make a covenant with his eyes not to lust after young girls (Job 31:1). Was it not Jesus who said, “I have come not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance”? It's all a matter of priorities. “I desire mercy”, Jesus said, “not sacrifice”. Don't boast to God about how often you attend church, or how much you “tithe” each week. Never mind your rituals, Jesus was saying. Tell me about how much you did for others whether they deserved it or not. I want to know how well you treated others, and I want to know what you did to make a positive difference in their lives. That's all that matters in the end.


It’s easy to make “Bible heroes” (as Protestants might say) or “saints” (as Catholics might refer to them) out to be bigger than life, immune from the temptations that everyone faces. I find it encouraging that Jesus never came across as being pious or condescending. In fact, he was never accused of being too religious; instead he partied so much that he was accused of being a drunkard and a glutton because he was perceived as associating with “sinners” (Matthew 11:19). His first miracle was changing water into wine, and it is documented in all four gospels that wine was served and consumed at the Last Supper. So, people who insist that one must be a teetotaler to go to heaven when they die are not only incorrect, they are judging people they don't even know.


Jesus never said, “The Kingdom of God is like a church service that goes on and on forever and never ends.” Our church services can't hold a candle to what heaven will be like. Jesus promised us that heaven would be like a homecoming celebration, an enormous block party, and a wedding feast to which all are invited, all at the same time! This idea was too radical for the religious leaders during the time of Christ, and in some cases it still is. There are too many churches today who are more concerned about vain traditions and pompous religious rituals that aren't even in the Bible than they are about partying with Jesus. And that’s why they missed out. That’s why many of us miss out. Pardon me, pastor, but did you say 'party with Jesus'? Yeah, I sure did. (Before I go any further, I am well aware that there are some individuals who simply cannot touch alcoholic beverages at all, and there are others who abstain by choice, and I have no problem with that whatsoever. I'm only saying that I don't think it's a sin to drink unless it is done to excess.) Following Jesus is more than just being dutiful or subservient, but instead it is richly rewarding and exhilarating.


According to Jesus, the truly spiritual life is one marked by freedom rather than compulsion (“So if the Son sets you free, you are free indeed” John 8:36), and by love rather than ritual (“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. The second is this: Love your neighbor as yourself. There is no commandment greater than these. 'Well said, teacher' the man replied. 'You are right in saying that God is one and there is no other but Him. To love him with all your heart, with all your understanding and with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself is more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices'.” Mark 12:30-33, NIV).


Another hallmark of a truly Spiritual life is one focused on peace rather than guilt (“Peace I leave with you, my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” John 14:27, NIV). Jesus saves us from the dry, dusty duties of religion and frees us to cut loose and celebrate. I don’t believe we’ll ever recognize our need for the light until we’ve seen the depth of the darkness. So God wasn’t afraid to get down and dirty with us about life and temptation and forgiveness and grace. Only when the Bible seems relevant to us (which it is), only when the characters seem real to us (which they were), and only then will the message of redemption become personal for us (which it was always meant to be).


We don’t need to edit God. It's our brains and our hearts that need a good editing. We need to let Him be the author of our new lives and the construction superintendent for our growing and expanding faith. The time is getting short, people. It's time for all of us to lead more Spiritual lives, because Jesus will be returning soon, and at a time when you do not expect him. The stakes are where we will spend eternity, and there is no more serious subject than that.

Thursday, November 13, 2014

This week's Bible study will be 1st Corinthians chapter 7, part 1

What About Marriage?
[1st Corinthians 7, verses 1-9]




Today as I continue to dissect the first book of Corinthians, but with words instead of sharp objects, I will begin chapter seven, which is quite probably the finest behavioral commentary about relations between the sexes in existence (with the possible exception of Ephesians chapters five and six, which I will cover later). Since this is a lengthy chapter with a lot of timely commentary and Christian guidance, I will be breaking this up into three parts. I will ask the Lord's guidance regarding this, and I'm confident that He will lead me in the way I should present this sacred and beautiful literary material. Let's begin with chapter 7 and verse 1.


Now for the matters you wrote about: 'It is good for a man not to marry'. But since there is so much immorality, each man should have his own wife, and each woman her own husband. The husband should fulfill his marital duty to his wife, and likewise the wife to her husband. The wife's body does not belong to her alone but also to her husband. In the same way, the husband's body does not belong to him alone but also to his wife. Do not deprive each other except by mutual consent and for a time, so that you may devote yourselves to prayer. Then come together again so that Satan will not tempt you because of your lack of self-control. I will say this as a concession, not as a command. I wish that all men were as I am. But each man has his own gift from God; one has this gift, another has that.” (I Cor. 7: verses 1-7 NIV)


Paul's opening statement reflects a fact that I had to learn the hard way; marriage isn't for everybody. Having remained single since 1990 after the disintegration of my second marriage, I can tell you without hesitation that I much prefer the single life even though I love kids. The fact that it costs about a quarter of a million dollars to raise a child up until their 18th birthday (not counting college or university) in today's terms pretty much scares me away from raising kids, and I'm now in my late fifties. But there is much more to this than simple advice for the lovesick. St. Paul's advice to remain single was in large part a prophetic statement intended as advice for those living in the end times as we all are. He was referring to something Jesus told the apostles when they came to him and asked what the signs of the End of the Age would be. This is the way that he answered them in part.


Now learn this lesson from the fig tree: As soon as its twigs get tender and its leaves come out, you know that summer is near. Even so, when you see all these things, you know that it is near, right at the door. I tell you the truth, this generation will certainly not pass way until all these things have happened. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.” (Matthew 24: verses 32-35 NIV)


In this passage of scripture, which is only a single paragraph out of the fairly lengthy 24th chapter of the Gospel of Matthew, the fig tree Jesus spoke of represents the nation of Israel. His reference to the twigs getting tender are a metaphor for the third and final birth of Israel as a nation, which occurred about 1,970 years later in May 1948. When Jesus says, “this generation will certainly not pass way until all these things have happened”, it is an apparent reference to that final generation born on the earth before the Second Coming of Christ. It is stating (although there is actually a lot of background scripture that goes into far greater detail that I will later present separately) that the final generation born on the earth will not pass away until His prophecy about the End of the Age is fulfilled. Although I will decline to speculate on the possible date of our Lord and Savior's triumphant return, the point Paul was making is that since the Second Coming is so close at hand, why bother worrying about finding a wife or a husband? If anyone really feels that lonesome, let me remind you that we are all a part of the Bride of Christ that is foretold in the book of Revelation, so technically we are already married to Christ anyway, not physically but in Spirit and in Truth. Therefore if we are not married, we should not get preoccupied with looking for a spouse. If you desire a mate, and there is nothing at all wrong with that, seek the Lord about it and he will send you someone perfectly made just for you if that is his will.


In the very next sentence Paul says, “But since there is so much immorality, each man should have his own wife, and each woman her own husband.” In other words, if you feel lonesome or look at yourself at being incomplete without a mate, then by all means find a suitable partner and marry him or her. It is far better to choose that path then to vow to keep oneself pure only to give in to unanticipated temptation which leads to sin. Sexual temptation can and does happen, even to the most fervent believers. But, Paul then turns around in the following sentence and advises those believers who are already married with these words: “The husband should fulfill his marital duty to his wife, and likewise the wife to her husband. The wife's body does not belong to her alone but also to her husband. In the same way, the husband's body does not belong to him alone but also to his wife. Do not deprive each other except by mutual consent and for a time, so that you may devote yourselves to prayer.” This applies just as much today as it did when these words were first written nearly 2,000 years ago.


All you married couples, please don't use your human sexuality like a weapon against your partner as a way of getting back at each other for perceived wrongs, whether real or imagined, that one partner or the other may have (or not) committed in the course of the relationship. These kind of tactics are childish and immature, and they do great damage to what should be a very repairable relationship. Ceasing this kind of unproductive activity will go a long way towards beginning to repair any marriage or relationship, no matter how difficult it may seem. Let go and let God. In the end, that's the only thing that works. Paul then continues in verses 8 and 9:


Now to the unmarried and the widows I say: It is good for them to stay unmarried, as I am. But if they cannot control themselves, they should marry, for it is better to marry than to burn with passion.” (I Corinthians 7: Verses 8-9 NIV)


Speaking as a single middle-aged man, I can truly testify to each of you that I have been following this teaching to the letter since 2002. At this point in my life I believe it is God's will for me to remain single and celibate, and I have remained as such for over 12 years. By the same token, that does not necessarily rule out my finding a wife at some later point in time. But I don't press the issue with the Lord because I am acutely aware that it is His timing that is always perfect. If the Lord sees fit to send me someone, or if some unknown person picks me instead of the other way around, I would definitely have to give that some very serious consideration.


Like the apostle Paul in verse 8, not everyone can do this, so I would advise anybody who has trouble keeping their libido under control to go ahead and find a soul mate; only, choose carefully! As Paul wrote in the above Scripture that we just studied, “I wish that all men were as I am. But each man has his own gift from God; one has this gift, another has that.” Paul was apparently a single man who was probably in his thirties or forties when he wrote the two Corinthian letters present in the New Testament, and he was apparently satisfied with life as a single man. The Bible doesn't say whether Paul had been previously married or not, and it's probably not important anyway. What does matter is that Paul made it part of the example he set to remain pure and set apart as belonging only to the Lord. As he wrote in a later letter elsewhere in the New Testament: “Flee from sexual immorality”. The word flee means to turn and run away from as fast as one can, so there is no mistaking Paul's meaning here. Playing fast and loose with your sex life can only get you into serious trouble sooner or later, so it's best to stay clear of that style of living.


Now that there has been a teaching directed at all the single people who are one in Christ, I will return next week to tell you what the apostle Paul had to say to married people. Until then, keep this teaching close to your heart and meditate upon it so you can continue to draw yourself closer to Christ. In so doing, He will draw closer to you.

Sunday, November 9, 2014

America's wars overseas are unnecessary and obscene

The Ongoing Obscenity of Our War on Terrorism
by Rev. Paul J. Bern



The war in Afghanistan lasted more than 11 years as of this year. The original reason for the US military invasion was to hunt down and capture or kill Osama Bin Laden as the chief perpetrator of the 9/11 attacks. The reason it took the US military more than a decade to find him was because they were looking in the wrong country. Oops, sorry Mr. or Mrs. taxpayer, we got the right guy but we had the wrong address. Oh well. At the height of its military operations, the United States was spending $60 billion per month on the twin wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. That is not counting all the other bases the US military now has in well over 100 countries around the world, such as Germany, Japan, Okinawa, Iraq, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, to name a few of the major ones.


This leads to a fundamental question; why are our military forces still there after fighting the longest war the US military ever fought? Osama Bin Laden is long gone and we are still there, seemingly chasing our own tails. But that was before the truth came out about two things. First, Afghanistan is a country with vast untapped natural resources, including enormous copper deposits. Second, all the fuss about Afghanistan's poppy seed crop being a target of the 'drug war' here in the US is just a bunch of bull. Upon closer examination of what has been happening there out of sight of the American public, it becomes apparent that it is none other than the CIA running the show. So when you see teenage gang members selling heroin on any given street corner in America, you can thank the CIA. This is a stark contrast to what I have been teaching about being a people of peace. It brings the US “war on terror” into sharp focus and sheds light on the hypocrisy of the American Empire's military machine and its illegal incursions into third world countries where it does not belong. The truth of the matter is that the U.S. position with respect to the dictators in the Arab world has been one of pure hypocrisy. We have supported these tyrants in the name of "stability" and the "war on terrorism", but it has been a policy that has contributed mightily to the oppression of the people in those countries (which is a betrayal of our own revolutionary past, not to mention our fight against tyranny, as well as exacerbating the Islamic terrorism being used against us).


It has been amazing that the people who are in revolt against the dictators and their regimes haven't linked the U.S. with the tyranny they have been forced to live under. Contrary to what is being reported in the Lame Stream Media, their rebellions have been non sectarian, grass roots and non ideological in every country they have occurred and completely unrelated to Islamic fundamentalist or 'jihadist' terrorism. That last fact would seem to expose and make America's policy in the "war on terrorism" while initiating wars in the Muslim world obsolete and absurd. The irony is there has been little if any mention in the media of our wars and the war on terrorism possibly because they have had nothing to do with these Arab rebellions. Yet it is a topic of urgent need. The closest form of mentioning anything in this regard came from “W's” administration Secretary of Defense Robert Gates who said during Bush 43's second term in office, "Any new secretary of defense who advises a president to engage in land wars with vast armies in foreign lands needs to have his head examined".


The fact is our entire policy of pre-emptive war and occupation and the whole "war on terrorism" is a ruse, an unnecessary and a cruel invention concocted by neo-conservatives and cold war warriors who were itching to replace the defunct Soviet Union with an enemy we must oppose in a fight to the death (as we now see in our endless "war on terrorism"). Not only is the war on terror a reason for the American Empire to exist, it has become the only reason for its existence. It was and is a fantasy perpetrated by them and foisted on the American people. The terrorist attacks on 9/11 became their cause for that endless war and is the real, but unfortunate, legacy of that fateful day. But in light of the unfolding democratic "awakening" in much of the Arab world can there not be serious discussions deep in the bowels of the White House of the absurdity of our continuing to fight wars in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Yemen as well as Iraq (not to mention the proxy war the CIA has been fighting against the Assad regime in Syria)? Gates' comments allude to the insanity of fighting these wars (even if he put it in the context of new misadventures). From here it seems the U.S. resembles (in its ability to end its wars) a giant ship at sea that takes an excruciatingly long time to reverse course. Like the Viet Nam quagmire we seem stuck, committed to the un-winnable yet unwilling and unable to face reality. War is an ongoing obscenity.

Thursday, November 6, 2014

This week's Bible study will be the 2nd half of 1st Corinthians chapter 6

Being One With The Lord In Spirit
[1Corinth. 6, verses 12-20]



In today's Bible study we will finish up the sixth chapter of First Corinthians, beginning at verse 12. The apostle Paul had just finished writing to the Corinthian church about settling legal matters and scriptural disputes from within the congregation, out of the view of non-believers. He has warned them that those persons who practice this and other forms of evil, particularly in church, will not make it into heaven when their lives are over. Apparently there was some dissent from within the Corinthian church about this teaching, with at least a few believers taking the position that if something they say or do does not bother the conscience of that believer, then it shouldn't bother anyone else either. Although I'm not sure what Paul was originally referring to, it appears that some people in that church were saying that if anything was said or done that offended someone else but not themselves, then that becomes the other person's problem. Paul responds directly to this line of thinking beginning in verses 12 and 13:


Everything is permissible for me, but not everything is beneficial. Everything is permissible for me, but I will not be mastered by anything. 'Food for the stomach and the stomach for food', but God will destroy them both. The body is not meant for sexual immorality, but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body.”


So now we can see that Paul is responding that just because something that we say and do is permissible for us, doesn't make it right when it offends or sins against others. I'm sure that's what he was thinking when he wrote, “Everything is permissible for me, but not everything is beneficial. Everything is permissible for me, but I will not be mastered by anything.” For example, I would never consider inviting a vegetarian friend to my apartment for a nice dinner and then serving steak. I would never consider inviting a bunch of recovering alcoholics to my apartment for a nice dinner and then serve wine with the meal. You get the idea. Real Christians don't do things in front of other believers that offends them even if we think its okay for ourselves. Had I had done either of the two things that I mentioned above, then that would amount to a sin on my part against those other believers. The people in my example did not sin by what they did in God's eyes, but in that case it would be myself who sinned against them and against God by being an enabler for sin. Paul then closes this portion of his train of thought by reminding all believers that as this applies to the consumption of food and drink, so it applies to our sex lives. As Paul wrote about “not [being] mastered by anything”, he warns us all that the same thing applies from a moral viewpoint, beginning at verse 14.


By his power God raised the Lord from the dead, and He will raise us also. Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ Himself? Shall I then take the members of Christ and unite them with a prostitute? Never! Do you not know that he who unites himself with a prostitute is one with her in body? For it is said, 'The two will become one flesh'. But he who unites himself with the Lord is one with Him in Spirit.” (I Corinthians 6, verses 14-16 NIV)


In this portion of his letter to the Corinthian church, Paul applies whatever believers think about their sex lives to Christ's resurrection, connecting it with the ultimate resurrection of all true believers (that is, those who keep themselves pure). As Christ Jesus has risen from the dead unto immortality, so it will be for all who truly believe in the sanctifying power of His blood. None of us can risk being found wanting at the end of our physical lives here on earth because that could result in eternal death in hell as opposed to eternal life in heaven with God. To live our lives in any other manner is, as Paul writes, comparable to hopping from one prostitute to another. He then closes this portion of Scripture with an admonition to the Corinthian church.


Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a man commits are outside his body, but he who sins sexually sins against his own body. Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body.”
(I Corinthians 6; verses 18-20 NIV)


As Paul warned the early church back in chapter five, when he told them to “expel the immoral brother from among you”, so he warns them again in these closing verses of chapter six, “Flee from sexual immorality”. Don't just avoid it, Paul is warning us, but turn and run from it when you encounter it. We all encounter sexually immoral people at some point in our lives. Paul warns us that getting involved in sexual immorality of any kind can do more damage in our lives than any other kind of sin. Sexual immorality spreads sexually transmitted diseases, ruins marriages, and results in crimes of passion. Nobody wants to get involved with something that can result in sickness, ruined lives and untimely death.


Let this be a lesson for all of us and a part of our guide for daily living. Let's follow Paul's example and his instruction for the mutual benefit and edification of all the church, from all faiths and denominations. After all, the second coming of Christ is drawing ever closer, and this is a day that we should all be preparing ourselves for. One of the ways we can do this is to steer clear of sexual immorality for the express purpose of keeping our hearts and thoughts pure for Christ. Remember what Jesus said about this in the Sermon on the Mount: “Blessed are the pure in Spirit, for they will see God.” Because if we don't keep away from openly immoral people, we will be setting ourselves up for a lifetime of sickness and regret, and possibly even an early death. Pray about this for the rest of this week, and ask God what you can do to be more pure for Him. Your life and your walk with Christ will improve proportionately as a result, and you will be a better witness for Jesus than you ever thought possible.

Sunday, November 2, 2014

How do we define a good life?

A Life Well Lived
by Rev. Paul J. Bern


Today I want to discuss a passage of scripture from the book of Philippians chapter 4 in the New Testament. For all you new members, you can find this between the books of Ephesians and Colossians. It defines our lives and how we should be living them. Although there are many places in the Bible that talk about this same subject, I find this particular passage of Scripture to be most remarkable for the eloquent way that it exhorts us all to strive for something better in life. The example that the apostle Paul sets for us is truly excellent, and it starts out like this:


Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable -if anything is excellent or praiseworthy – think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me, put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you. (Phil. 4, verses 4 through 9; NIV)


Is this timely advice or what? “Rejoice in the Lord always”. Be happy and contented! Why be anything else? There is no point in being miserable. Misery only begets more misery, and so it is a waste of time. Never mind the circumstances in which you find yourself from day to day. Forget all about the negative people, and all the haters too. There are too many of them already. Focus on the positive and eliminate the negative, starting from within yourself.


“Let your gentleness be evident to all”. If ever there was a single sentence in the Bible that should be taken literally, it is this one. Jesus said, “I desire mercy, not sacrifice”, and this is what He meant. This means, among many things, that we are not to be aggressive or intolerant towards one another. It means we all need to grow up and quit being so selfish. It means developing empathy and compassion for each other that is unconditional. Be gentle with others in such a way that it is obvious to everyone. Remember that kindness is always contagious.


“The Lord is near”. No matter what happens God is always close by. If things get really bad in your life and it feels like you are all alone and out of resources, that's when God gets the closest. He is always in charge regardless of your circumstances, and he is always in control of everything that surrounds us. But this also means that God is watching over us. He is listening to everything we say and watching everything we do. God is evaluating us all the time, so let's act like it. “Do not be anxious about anything”. God is in control, so worrying is pointless. We cannot let our “gentleness be evident to all” when we are worried half to death about things that are probably not going to happen anyway.


“In everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving present your requests to God”. Being thankful in advance, expecting your prayers to be answered, goes a long way towards leading a truly Christian life. Remember, “the Lord is near”, so “do not be anxious about anything”. That's when God answers prayer the best. Have no hesitation at all about what to pray for as long as you pray for a positive outcome. God does answer prayer when it is prayed with good intentions. “And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus”. This is the antidote for being “anxious about anything”. Imagine being able to replace all your worries, fear and anger with an inner peace that comes directly from God. What an excellent life that would be! A peaceful existence is defined as a life without worry, fear and anger. It is the very definition of a life well lived, and it is a lifestyle that everyone should aspire to imitate if you are not already doing so.


Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent and praiseworthy, “think about such things”. This is what we should all be focused on. If you want to know what is proper and acceptable to God, this is the place to start. It is what to concentrate on as we live our daily lives. If you want to know what God's will is for your life, then live your life as Paul says. Think about positive things such as these and you can't go wrong. “And the God of peace will be with you”. Follow the example of Paul as he followed the example of Christ. God's peace in your life is a “peace that transcends all understanding”. Don't try to analyze it, just do it. Anybody can do this, it doesn't take any special talent or any certain brand of spirituality. Above all, this beautiful passage of Scripture transcends church denominations and all religious beliefs. Religious dogma often stands in the way of true Christian living because it is divisive by nature, emphasizing man-made doctrine over the pure truth that is the very essence of the Bible and the ministry of Jesus Christ.


Be happy in all circumstances. Carry the peace of God with you everywhere you go. Think only about positive things and discharge the negative. As Jesus said, “Who can add a single minute to his/her life by worrying?” This is something that takes daily practice, and I try to practice these things every day as best as I can. Follow my example as the apostle Paul followed the example of Christ. This is how we are to live our lives. We can all start doing these things today, one step at a time. If at first you don't succeed, keep practicing until you get it right. Life isn't a 25-yard sprint, it's a 25 mile marathon. Everyone has the power to live this type of a victorious life. Keep on doing so, knowing that God is watching over all of us. And His peace will most definitely be with you.