#10. To: wudidiz, PSUSA2, wakeup, Artisan, christine, Jethro Tull (#5)
Fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. (Proverbs 1:7) Not a servile fear, but a reverence for the infinite Creator., who gives us all that is good & knows what is best for us.
But, isn't free will based on fear of "the eternal lake of fire" the moral equivalent of Rafael Leonidas Trujillo Molina's "civic reviews" in lieu of secret ballot elections?
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Those who did not contribute, or join the party, did so at their own risk. Opponents of the regime were mysteriously killed. In 1934, Trujillo, who had promoted himself to generalissimo of the army, was up for re-election. Although he would have won in any case as there was virtually no organized opposition left in the country, Trujillo dispensed even with these formalities. Instead, he relied upon "civic reviews", with large crowds shouting their loyalty to the government.
Personality Cult
At the suggestion of Mario Fermín Cabral, Congress voted overwhelmingly in 1936 to rename the capital from Santo Domingo to Ciudad Trujillo. The province of San Cristobal was created as "Trujillo", and the nation's highest peak, Pico Duarte, was renamed Pico Trujillo in his honor. Statues of "El Jefe" were mass-produced and erected across the Republic, and bridges and public buildings were named in his honor.
The nation's newspapers now had praise for Trujillo as part of the front page, and license plates included the slogan: "Viva Trujillo!" An electric sign was erected in Ciudad Trujillo so that "Dios y Trujillo" could be seen at night as well as in the day. Eventually, even churches were required to post the slogan: "Dios en cielo, Trujillo en tierra" (God in Heaven, Trujillo on Earth).
As time went on, the order of the phrases was reversed (Trujillo on Earth, God in Heaven). Trujillo was recommended for the Nobel Peace Prize by his admirers, but the committee declined the suggestion. (presumably because the committee didn't have the wisdom that comes from having machine guns trained on them while deliberating-HD)
When he received (or summoned) a visitor, his four bodyguards would have submachine guns trained upon the "guest" during the meeting.[8]
[wiki]
To the good Christians of Santo Domingo the power of "God and Trujillo" was a distinction with very little difference.. Those who believed that both had the power of life and death over them did not openly question the morality of either "deity".
Now 4um's Christians may feel obligated to argue that God's (aka Jehovah Q. Schwartz and Jesus H. Christ's) power was legit but Trujillo's wasn't. But God never threw anyone into stinking cells with other naked and brutalized men or allowed them to succumb to TB or pneumonia for "failure to proclaim their deepest "love" for him.
And, in Santo Domingo God's "Four horsemen" were no match for four bodyguards wielding machine guns, and under those conditions it was clear which "deity" was more worthy of multiple statues.
Christians who don't fear God (i.e., ass raping priests) cannot love him because the Biblical definition of that love is simply a mandatory profession of affection to avoid consequences of unspeakable horror. Under those conditions "free will" is no choice at all. The only reason that some commit the ultimate crimes or "sins" is because they're confident that, "Faith is believing what you know ain't so." (Mark Twain)
So, any ballot or plebiscite which God controls (or Trujillo controlled) is (or was) no more valid than the elections that used paperless, electronic voting machines where the results contradicted the exit polls and entire Democratic precincts inexplicably voted overwhelmingly Republican.
"Fear of Trujillo is the beginning of wisdom".
Now that makes perfect sense to all but the most extreme, wild eyed, would-be martyrs and of course those who have sacrificed nothing but were willing to kill others to force affectionate compliance, i.e., Bush supporters who threatened Natalie Maines and The Dixie Chicks. So, what do devout neoChristians (like John Hagee or Michele Bachmann or Bill O"Reilly) and anonymous "Assassins For Bush" have in common? Well, having two deities is fine as long as one doesn't interfere with or question the validity of the signing statements and/or executive orders of the other.
To the true Christians here who are hurt by such statements, I don't see how any mere mortal can clean up your house. But, you may wish to abandon those who allow no criticism presumably because even a "bad Christian" is better than a "good skeptic, agnostic or atheist". Someone should expose those who ride through the night with the cross of St. George on their gowns (or Kevlar helmets or tailored made "Sunday go to meetin' suits, and for GAWD"S SAKE don't mention Jesus while our honored Israeli/AIPAC guests are here") If Christian patriots (And I don't mean treasury looting warlords like Erik Prince or high priests like Dick Cheney) don't finger the bastards then they should stand aside while others expose the blatant hypocrisy of the Night Riders & Election Riggers For Jesus.
Christians who don't fear God (i.e., ass raping priests)
are not Christians in fact but in name only--in other words they choose the designation without living up to what it actually means. Not everyone who claims to be a Christian is telling the truth.
Matthew 7:22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
Matthew 7:23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
Christians who don't fear God (i.e., ass raping priests)
are not Christians in fact but in name only--in other words they choose the designation without living up to what it actually means. Not everyone who claims to be a Christian is telling the truth.
Matthew 7:22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
Matthew 7:23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
Well, JD, you're one Christian whose sincerity is never in doubt and in fact I've modified my (previously much harsher) rhetoric because of you.
It's a thin line between exposing evil and violating the Biblical mandate against judging others. But, if "worst case Christians" in ancient Rome were anything like today's, then we may see "LIONS-9 CHRISTIANS-0" yet again.
Well, JD, you're one Christian whose sincerity is never in doubt and in fact I've modified my (previously much harsher) rhetoric because of you.
You don't know how much I appreciate that. I have told others that if I am ever "accused" of being a Christian I hope there will be sufficient evidence to find me guilty.
I have told others that if I am ever "accused" of being a Christian I hope there will be sufficient evidence to find me guilty.
Well, I'll stand up for you if it will keep you from being fed to the lions. Hopefully that venue will be reserved for CINOs in the arena and Monday Night Football fans (and Texas Republicans) in the seats.
Well, I'll stand up for you if it will keep you from being fed to the lions.
Well, thank you for that too. I hope and pray that God will give me sufficient courage to never deny Christ no matter what someone may do to me. This life is temporary and whatever pain and suffering accompanies it is also temporary for Christians.
Whereas ye know not what [shall be] on the morrow. For what [is] your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away. ~ James 4:14
“Space by itself, and time by itself, are doomed to fade away in mere shadows.” ~ Hermann Minkowski
“I want to know God’s thoughts … the rest are details.” ~ Albert Einstein
Infinity (definition): limitless or endless space, extent or size; impossible to measure or calculate: the infinite mercy of God. [synonyms: vast, forever] ~ The Oxford American Dictionary
“Modern mathematics has given us the concept of infinity. The sum of any number multiplied by infinity is zero. Therefore, our lifetimes, whether 17, 70 or 700 years, when multiplied by infinity, are nothing compared to the infinite lifetime of God.” ~ John Bevere