I have been doing some research on the history of the books Maccabees 1 & 2 – while they are accepted, in general, by Catholic and Orthodox churches; they are aggressively rejected by Protestant denominations, in terms of doctrinal value.

The usual Protestant rules of canonicity (how to determine if a book should be included in the Bible); if applied correctly, can hardly exclude Maccabees 2.  God is mentioned throughout the book and the festival of Hannukkah (as described in Maccabees) is still celebrated today; as it was in Jesus’ day. [John 10:22-23 (NIV): “Then came the Feast of Dedication (Hanukkah) at Jerusalem. It was winter, and Jesus was in the temple area walking in Solomon’s Colonnade.”

If Maccabees 2 is rejected because some use it to support the false doctrines of Purgatory and Prayers for the Dead, then those issues are easily addressed – and they should not be a reason to reject the book. The Jews, as diverse a group as any,  did not believe in Purgatory and therefore would not be writing about it. The second point is that it’s stated in Maccabees that they did not have a Prophet, therefore there could be no new revelation at that time regarding practices, such as praying for the dead. The decision, to pray for the dead, was a case of political/religious expediency to handle the fears of  God-fearing relatives whose relations had died in battle wearing pagan lucky charms.  That is, it was a decision made by men – there’s no explicit claim that they made it after some revelation from God or one of His prophets.

God already knows our prayers before we pray – God’s judgement, in association with His mercy and compassion, of the dead is based on their relationship with Him, and it is final - and, no correspondence can be entered into – God does not change His mind. The examples, we have in the Bible – where it appears that His will is modified based on some one’s appeal (e.g. Moses), is from a human perspective. God knows what He was/is going to do – before He even created time – because His will – is perfect. He does not do anything, which is less than perfect and good.  Do you agree?

I’ll write more – but just curious to see if anyone had any views on this subject.

I don’t think our glorified Jesus will need any help from us.

He commands, and His angels will do the ‘work’; in Matthew 13:40b-42(NLT), we read: ” … so it will be at the end of the age. The Son of Man will send out his angels, and they will weed out of his kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil. They will throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear.”

And, in Matthew 26: 50b-53, we find another couple of verses, which suggest that Jesus has a lot of angels under His command: ” … Then the others grabbed Jesus and arrested him. But one of the men with Jesus pulled out his sword and struck the high priest’s slave, slashing off his ear.

“Put away your sword,” Jesus told him. “Those who use the sword will die by the sword. Don’t you realize that I could ask my Father for thousands of angels to protect us, and he would send them instantly?”

Consequently, I’m of the strong view that these people, in this militia, are listening to the wrong voice.

All through the New Testament, we have ample evidence that it’s not our role to be involved in armed rebellion, on the contrary – so far as it is able, we should try to live in peace. Paul’s letter to the Romans 12:18-20 (NLT): “Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone. 

Dear friends, never take revenge. Leave that to the righteous anger of God. For the Scriptures say,“I will take revenge; I will pay them back,”  says the Lord.

Instead: “If your enemies are hungry, feed them. If they are thirsty, give them something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals of shame on their heads.”

The special conditions that existed, in regard to the nation Israel (as described in the Old Testament), taking over their promised land – as part of their covenant with God – do not apply to us, as Christians.

This view is clearly made in Hebrews 8:6-7, 13 (NLT): ” … But now Jesus, our High Priest, has been given a ministry that is far superior to the old priesthood, for he is the one who mediates for us a far better covenant with God, based on better promises.  If the first covenant had been faultless, there would have been no need for a second covenant to replace it. … When God speaks of a “new” covenant, it means he has made the first one obsolete. It is now out of date and will soon disappear.”

There is only one voice that gets into the hearts of men and women – and, incites them to do acts of evil; it’s the voice of Satan.

What are your views?

He delivers his views on religion – with the telling title:  ’Religion distracts us from important issues.”

However, like a number of other highly visible ‘philosophers’, in the media, he makes a fundamental error in the use of the term ‘religion’.  It’s not that, ‘religion’ can distract us from any human issue – as defined in a dictionary (www.dictionary.com): Religion is ”a set of beliefs concerning the cause, nature, and purpose of the universe, esp. when considered as the creation of a superhuman agency or agencies, usually involving devotional and ritual observances, and often containing a moral code governing the conduct of human affairs.” People, who label themselves, as religious – are usually the source of fundamental errors – as, the history of world affairs,  amply demonstrates -  well, that’s my non-philosophical view. 

The core of Mr Harris’ discussion – is really centred on the definition of an ‘important’ issue. Consequently, he is saying that ‘the set of beliefs which define any of the world’s current religions – do not cover any of the important issues, which concern the majority of this world’s population.

Any comments?

It is now reaching the point that many anti-Israel forces must be starting to think that it’s now, an ideal time to strike out against this little ‘nation’.  On the one-hand, the Israeli government needs to recognise, and do something about, the suffering, that some of their policies are causing to their neighbours. On the other-hand, the people of Israel should be given a reasonable degree of assurance of their continued existence, as an independent and viable nation. 

In regard to the peace process – there can be no progress while this tense atmosphere continues. There does not appear to be any solution on the horizon (at least for the next decade) - neither the United Nations or the USA appear to have any reasonable way to resolve this difficult issue.

It’s my view that God is preparing the scene for His entrance  – what do you think?

[Today (29 March), I found this short article, written by Bradley Burston in Haaretz , a short excerpt, follows: " ...  The freed person in us is justly terrified by the path to a shared Jerusalem. When the sea divides enough for us to see a path, the walls on either side threaten to collapse and drown all those they do not crush. We look to the opposite shore and see not the City of God but a wilderness.

But it is the freed person in us who takes the first step on to that uncertain path. And, in so doing, for the first time, knows what it is to be free. ... "

I thought that his language was especially poignant and heart-felt.]

The article itself is about some judicial decision (in the UK?) that environmental beliefs should receive the same protection as religious beliefs. I don’t know the history of this case but Paul Richardson presents an interesting viewpoint on the topic of the discussion of religious views in the public forum. 

Excerpt of his article, as follows: “Recent years have seen attempts to ban religious arguments from public debate. Partly this is a response to the rise of the Religious Right. No one worried when Martin Luther King used religious arguments. Partly, too, it is a response to the spread of multiculturalism and a fear that religious arguments are divisive and provoke conflict. Richard Rorty famously labelled them a ‘conversation stopper’. Non-believers cannot be expected to engage with religious arguments, he maintained; it is the job of believers to express their views in neutral, public reason.

In fact, there is no such thing as neutral, public reason. We all argue from certain presuppositions and within a certain tradition. As we debate with others, our traditions may be modified or even overturned but we cannot leave them behind when we enter the debate. They are part of who we are and how we think. Banning religious arguments from the public square can itself be a divisive measure. It can leave religious believers living in a ghetto where some of their core values and opinions are never challenged by others. Worse of all, it can breed a festering resentment, a sense on the part of believers that they are marginalised and despised which can turn them to fundamentalism or even religious terrorism.

For years some of us have been arguing that it is hypocritical to ban conventional religious arguments from the public square when what might be termed ‘New Age’ arguments are advanced all the time. … ”

I agree, there is no such thing as a neutral, public reason. I believe it’s important that we continue to strive to put our views into the public arena. Our views, are part of – ‘who we are’ – and, as such, we should have the right to express our views – religious or otherwise. (Along with the responsibility to ensure that the expression of our views is not deliberately hurtful.)

One I use a lot is www.biblegateway.com  – mainly to search through Scripture when researching different themes. They have available many different language translation of Scripture and lots of  different, English ‘versions’.

In addition, they have a verse of the day and other interesting material. Today’s verse is: ““[Thanksgiving and Prayer] We ought always to thank God for you, brothers and sisters, and rightly so, because your faith is growing more and more, and the love every one of you has for each other is increasing.” (2 Thessalonians 1:3, NIV)

Now, when I read the above verse – I thought to myself, is this true in my community; is our love for each other, increasing?  This question, then begs the next question – if not, why not?

I don’t have any answers … any views on this?

Amos 6 (NLT): ”Woe to you who are complacent in Zion, and to you who feel secure on Mount Samaria, you notable men of the foremost nation, to whom the people of Israel come!

Go to Calneh and look at it; go from there to great Hamath, and then go down to Gath in Philistia. Are they better off than your two kingdoms? Is their land larger than yours?

You put off the evil day and bring near a reign of terror.

You lie on beds inlaid with ivory and lounge on your couches. You dine on choice lambs and fattened calves.

You strum away on your harps like David and improvise on musical instruments. You drink wine by the bowlful and use the finest lotions, but you do not grieve over the ruin of Joseph. Therefore you will be among the first to go into exile; your feasting and lounging will end.

The Sovereign LORD has sworn by himself – the LORD God Almighty declares: ”I abhor the pride of Jacob and detest his fortresses; I will deliver up the city and everything in it.”

If ten men are left in one house, they too will die. And if a relative who is to burn the bodies comes to carry them out of the house and asks anyone still hiding there, “Is anyone with you?” and he says, “No,” then he will say, “Hush! We must not mention the name of the LORD.” For the LORD has given the command, and he will smash the great house into pieces and the small house into bits.

Do horses run on the rocky crags? Does one plow there with oxen? But you have turned justice into poison and the fruit of righteousness into bitterness – you who rejoice in the conquest of Lo Debar and say, “Did we not take Karnaim by our own strength?”

For the LORD God Almighty declares, “I will stir up a nation against you, O house of Israel, that will oppress you all the way from Lebo Hamath to the valley of the Arabah.”

Amos 7 (NLT): “This is what the Sovereign LORD showed me: He was preparing swarms of locusts after the king’s share had been harvested and just as the second crop was coming up. When they had stripped the land clean, I cried out, “Sovereign LORD, forgive! How can Jacob survive? He is so small!” So the LORD relented. “This will not happen,” the LORD said.

This is what the Sovereign LORD showed me: The Sovereign LORD was calling for judgment by fire; it dried up the great deep and devoured the land. Then I cried out, “Sovereign LORD, I beg you, stop! How can Jacob survive? He is so small!”  So the LORD relented. “This will not happen either,” the Sovereign LORD said.

This is what he showed me: The Lord was standing by a wall that had been built true to plumb, with a plumb line in his hand. And the LORD asked me, “What do you see, Amos?” “A plumb line,” I replied. Then the Lord said, “Look, I am setting a plumb line among my people Israel; I will spare them no longer. 

“The high places of Isaac will be destroyed and the sanctuaries of Israel will be ruined; with my sword I will rise against the house of Jeroboam.”

Then Amaziah the priest of Bethel sent a message to Jeroboam king of Israel: “Amos is raising a conspiracy against you in the very heart of Israel. The land cannot bear all his words. For this is what Amos is saying: ” ‘Jeroboam will die by the sword, and Israel will surely go into exile, away from their native land.’ “

Then Amaziah said to Amos, “Get out, you seer! Go back to the land of Judah. Earn your bread there and do your prophesying there. Don’t prophesy anymore at Bethel, because this is the king’s sanctuary and the temple of the kingdom.”

Amos answered Amaziah, “I was neither a prophet nor a prophet’s son, but I was a shepherd, and I also took care of sycamore-fig trees. But the LORD took me from tending the flock and said to me, ‘Go, prophesy to my people Israel.’ Now then, hear the word of the LORD. You say, ” ‘Do not prophesy against Israel, and stop preaching against the house of Isaac.’

“Therefore this is what the LORD says: ” ‘Your wife will become a prostitute in the city, and your sons and daughters will fall by the sword. Your land will be measured and divided up, and you yourself will die in a pagan country. And Israel will certainly go into exile, away from their native land.’ “

It is a new ad, replacing earlier ones used by the campaign in other areas – the changes resulting from recent market research. You can view the ad on the ‘Jesus, All About Life’, wed site.

I’ve watched it a few times – and, I’m not sure what sort of impression it will make. It ends with ‘Jesus has answers’. I guess it encourages people to ask their Christian friends what the answer is to the main issue: why does a good God allow pain, suffering and fear; along with joy, happiness and peace. Well, I think, there is no satisfactory answer for those who don’t have a relationship with God. Maybe, I’m wrong?

If you have time, please have a look at the advertisement and tell me what you think?

***

On the same topic, the Weekend Australian newspaper (26 September 2009), contained an article written by Caroline Overington. Here are some of the interesting things, she wrote: ‘THEY argue about pretty much everything else but every Christian church in Australia accepts that Jesus is central to their faith. Without him, they’ve got nothing. …

The campaign is being billed as the largest and most expensive marketing exercise for Jesus in Australia and it features a television commercial …  The TV ad shows ordinary Australians asking the eternal questions — “How are we to live? Why should we have to die?” — and being encouraged to seek answers from Jesus. “

Campaign co-creator Daniel Willis said those with “negative feelings about the church” were being targeted. “We’re raising awareness of Jesus the man, … ”. ‘ 

I thought to myself, well, Caroline shows a more profound understanding than most when she writes, ‘Jesus is central to their faith. Without him, they’ve got nothing.’ Then Daniel Willis heads in another direction by being reported as saying, ‘We’re raising awareness of Jesus the man.’  That latter statement should not be left, to stand alone, it must always be supported by, ‘ … and, our Lord and our God’.

[John 20:24-29 (NLT): "Now Thomas (called Didymus), one of the Twelve, was not with the disciples when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, "We have seen the Lord!"  But he said to them, "Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe it."

A week later his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you!" Then he said to Thomas, "Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe."

Thomas said to him, "My Lord and my God!"

Then Jesus told him, "Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed."]

News Limited has reported: “Australia’s Kevin Rudd has refused to apologise for repeatedly swearing during a meeting with factional bosses earlier this month, saying the “robust conversation” was consistent with Labor Party traditions. A number of MPs copped some expletives when they visited the prime minister’s parliament house office to object to plans to cut politicians’ annual printing allowances by 25%. The prime minister said in the presence of three female MPs: “I don’t care what you f***ers think“.

Today, I was listening to a couple of commentators on a local Christian radio station talk about this case. One comment stood out – that probably his habit of swearing in this, and similar cases, was due to his uncontrolled anger. Anger resulting from having his authority or views questioned by others within his sphere of influence.

The second point raised was that it’s not uncommon to hear swearing in the workplace, yet at the same time there was an increasing awareness of workplace bullying and the need to address this issue by providing a safe and non-threatening work environment. Consequently, the Prime Minister should lead by example, control his language – and not go with the mob, in regard to traditions (which should be left back in the past where they belong).

The last point is this, Kevin Rudd is recognised by the community as a Christian politician – and there are many news clips of him attending a Sunday church service, especially when he is travelling overseas.  One thing, I’ve noticed over the years, is that most Christians don’t normally swear. It may take some time, and a lot of help from the Holy Spirit, but people who follow on the heels of Jesus – don’t seem to swear that much. Even if, they hit a finger with a hammer, and an expletive escapes their lips – they are quick with an apology.

As it is with most of these habits, it’s the reason for the swearing, that highlights if there is anything ‘wrong’. If it’s the result of anger, or impatience, or a type of power-play to intimidate others-  it’s really an expression of their pride. Their opinion, time or position is more important than that of others; and, perfectly summed up in the phrase, ‘I don’t care what you think’. Pride is one of the worst of sins. In summary, a humble heart does not swear in anger or impatience, their love for people erases the desire to intimidate or threaten others.

What do you think?

I didn’t find much at all, which given the first flush of signs I would have thought may have captured some-one’s attention in the media world.

Yet, I think that the more I looked, the more I realised that there was little reporting in the media, of anything to do with Jesus. Is it my imagination, or have others noticed the same thing?