Heavenly Father. Please hear our prayers.
We are not worthy so much as to gather up the crumbs from under Thy table.
But Thou art the same Lord whose policy is always to have mercy. Have Mercy on us, Oh Lord, for we are sorely troubled and deeply afraid.
We do not know the world as You see it; nor America; nor even ourselves. We do not know our hearts, our souls, even our minds, as You see them.
We cannot pretend our understanding of the world around us is adequate to the tasks before us. Without Your guidance and help, the world we deal with is beyond even the greatest of us.
We know that all the peoples of the world are Your Children. We beseech You, Heavenly Father, to help us find courage in the words of Your Son, Jesus Christ, to always remember that.
We seek, and strive, and stumble. more than anything else, Oh Lord, we seek to follow the teachings and examples of Your Son, Jesus Christ, and are always wanting.
There are a few things that we see. Although we understand Your vision is much broader, we can only ask for those things we can understand.
Heavenly Father, guide us by Your Grace and Mercy, that we may find common ground with each other- within our country, and with all of Your Children.
There are too many who seek to find only fear and hatred, division and discontent. They seek power more than love. Do not turn Your eyes from them, Heavenly Father. They are not that different from any one of us.
Come to them, Oh Lord, and take the scales away; take the motes and the logs from their eyes, -- and ours.
If any of us can be the instrument of peace, let us find the modesty and humility to serve you.
Let us all find mercy in each other. Let us find the courage to be gentle with our neighbors, whether avowed friend or avowed enemy, or whatever. For as we are gentle with them, they may be gentle with us; and we may both find redemption in the example and teachings of Jesus Christ.
And especially find our besieged President, Barack Obama, in these difficult and confusing times. Grant him wisdom and courage, Heavenly Father, that he may lead our great nation into the future. Heavenly Father,
grant him a voice that he may convey the joy of Your wisdom to all Americans.
These things we ask, Heavenly Father, in the name of Your Son, Jesus Christ, Our Lord. These few things are what we see, Heavenly Father. We know that Your Vision is much greater. We must trust in You, and Jesus
Christ, Your Son.
As always, Heavenly Father, we place ourselves in Your Hands. As always, we know that Your policy is always to have mercy. Have mercy on us, Heavenly Father, for we are oppressed and angered with each other. We greet each other not in peace and courage, but in rancor and fear.
With each word, we know we are wrong. But we are afraid and lonely. Take us where You will, Heavenly Father, and we will find the Faith to follow. We will find the courage.
We place ourselves in Your Hands. In this we pray, in the name of Jesus Christ, Our Lord.
Amen
Tuesday, August 9, 2011
Thursday, August 4, 2011
A New Testament?
(from LinkedIn, White House forum discussion)
There is more than adequate evidence to support the existence of King David and Solomon, and the kingdoms of Israel and Judah. Both were conquered repeatedly and recorded.
The lost years of Jesus are a subject for an interesting debate, especially when you consider some of the writings from Jesus brother about his childhood and adolescence. The young carpenter may have gone to India and learned from the Buddhists.
I think your point about Moses may have some credence. Jesus was not shy in demonstrating his disgust for certain practices of society and its leaders. But that insight only emphasizes the reason Jesus and the New Testament are a change from the Old Testament.
Moses (and the brutal, self-centered Kings) were fulfilling an earlier, brutal covenant to provide the Israelites with land and a homeland.
Genocide, mass murder, and slavery were all part of the social order in those days. If you think about it, we have not removed these elements from modern society. They still exist. Modern society at least identifies and condemns such practices. -- That fact is at least in part because of the influence of Jesus and Christianity.
Jesus stepped forward to say here is a different, less brutal, empathetic way of life. And he was crucified for it.
Simple logic applied at that point - the very Roman purpose - would make anyone wonder why Christianity ever grew. But the reason was as simple as the Arab Spring.
Neuroscience finally supports the power and importance of empathy in society. Slowly we are learning how civilization and culture abuse empathy this powerful emotive force. The greatest of lies is that culture requires power and force.
Like a new science, the structures of society, culture, and civilization come open raw under the new light. The power of empathy far exceeds every other force. When all the decoration, grandeur and weapons are gone, there will still be people banding together to learn and live.
This is the deeper truth to Christianity, IMO.
Christ truly defines a new covenant. One that is obviously misunderstood by many; and abused by many others as a reason for un-Christian acts. It is a new covenant with ourselves, others, civilization and perhaps nature itself.
If we were to follow Christ's teachings, we may finally be free of the warnings of Innanni (Ishtar) from ancient Suma, 5500 years ago.
====
(T)he goddess Innanna brought the arts of civilization from the god of wisdom, Enku Eridu, like a Pandora's box
Here were the delights of society exquisite craftsmanship, beautiful clothes, the arts of sex and music,
But civilization has a darker side. said Enki, which has to be accepted along with the good. There is the art of being mighty; the art of being kind; the art of straightforwardness; the art of deceit; the art of kingship, justice, and the enduring crown; the resounding note of a musical instrument; the rejoicing of the harp; the kindling of strife; the plundering of cities; the setting off of lamentations.
Fear, pity, terror - all this is civilization, said the god of wisdom. All this I give you. And you must take it all with no argument. And once taken, you cannot give it back.
===
There is more than adequate evidence to support the existence of King David and Solomon, and the kingdoms of Israel and Judah. Both were conquered repeatedly and recorded.
The lost years of Jesus are a subject for an interesting debate, especially when you consider some of the writings from Jesus brother about his childhood and adolescence. The young carpenter may have gone to India and learned from the Buddhists.
I think your point about Moses may have some credence. Jesus was not shy in demonstrating his disgust for certain practices of society and its leaders. But that insight only emphasizes the reason Jesus and the New Testament are a change from the Old Testament.
Moses (and the brutal, self-centered Kings) were fulfilling an earlier, brutal covenant to provide the Israelites with land and a homeland.
Genocide, mass murder, and slavery were all part of the social order in those days. If you think about it, we have not removed these elements from modern society. They still exist. Modern society at least identifies and condemns such practices. -- That fact is at least in part because of the influence of Jesus and Christianity.
Jesus stepped forward to say here is a different, less brutal, empathetic way of life. And he was crucified for it.
Simple logic applied at that point - the very Roman purpose - would make anyone wonder why Christianity ever grew. But the reason was as simple as the Arab Spring.
Neuroscience finally supports the power and importance of empathy in society. Slowly we are learning how civilization and culture abuse empathy this powerful emotive force. The greatest of lies is that culture requires power and force.
Like a new science, the structures of society, culture, and civilization come open raw under the new light. The power of empathy far exceeds every other force. When all the decoration, grandeur and weapons are gone, there will still be people banding together to learn and live.
This is the deeper truth to Christianity, IMO.
Christ truly defines a new covenant. One that is obviously misunderstood by many; and abused by many others as a reason for un-Christian acts. It is a new covenant with ourselves, others, civilization and perhaps nature itself.
If we were to follow Christ's teachings, we may finally be free of the warnings of Innanni (Ishtar) from ancient Suma, 5500 years ago.
====
(T)he goddess Innanna brought the arts of civilization from the god of wisdom, Enku Eridu, like a Pandora's box
Here were the delights of society exquisite craftsmanship, beautiful clothes, the arts of sex and music,
But civilization has a darker side. said Enki, which has to be accepted along with the good. There is the art of being mighty; the art of being kind; the art of straightforwardness; the art of deceit; the art of kingship, justice, and the enduring crown; the resounding note of a musical instrument; the rejoicing of the harp; the kindling of strife; the plundering of cities; the setting off of lamentations.
Fear, pity, terror - all this is civilization, said the god of wisdom. All this I give you. And you must take it all with no argument. And once taken, you cannot give it back.
===
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