Letter to the Editor
Daily Press
P.O. Box 1389
Victorville, CA 92393
Re: Daily Press, Saturday October 30, 2010, A4, “Whitman met by angry crowd”, Thomas Watkins.
A nugget of popular wisdom says that your enemies say more truth about you than do your friends. Thank you California Nurses Association for your endorsement of Meg Whitman. Taking the time and expense of following her around in costume and a bus speaks volumes to we the voters. Your union brethren have reassured this voter that my vote for Meg Whitman will not be wasted. The insecurity and thuggery of the California Nurses Association blaringly exposes the union’s cowardice and your fear that Ms. Whitman may be tough enough.
G.Goslaw
7983 SVL Box
Victorville, Ca 92395
Saturday, October 30, 2010
Thursday, October 28, 2010
SVLA Again
Letter to the Editor
Daily Press
P.O.Box 1389
Victorville, Ca 92393
Dear Daily Press, Editor Don Holland and Editorial Editor Steve Williams,
There you go again, Daily Press, making politically correct bye lines that are not supported by the facts. This Spring Valley Lake resident and proxy for one of it’s 4,000 homeowners is calling you and your reporter Brooke Edwards out for manipulation of the facts.
The dishonest article in today’s edition, October 28, 2010, is entitled “Investigation clears former SVLA employees”. No where in the article or in the workings of SVLA has anyone been “cleared” of thief charges. The truth is that the District Attorney turned his back on the homeowners of SVLA and refused to prosecute the former employees who absconded with association funds.
Our illustrious Board chairman, Judge Mahlum, must have connections to the District Attorney’s office. Wasted by this board is a $10,000 special audit authorized by this board to help in the investigation and an estimated 50,00 to 100,000 dollars in association funds stolen. We don’t know how much was stolen because we member’s are not allowed to see the audit, at least not the last time I checked. We only get to hear second hand numbers.
If you were a real newspaper, you would first check the facts when you write about SVLA. It is no wonder that Judge Mahlum and general manager Sabo are so faint hearted, it is no wonder that they want the issue of justice in SVL to dissipate. It is no wonder that the theft has been buried in the District Attorney‘s office for over a year in the hopes that SVL would forget. Some of us have a long memory, property values be damned!
G.Goslaw
ggoslaw@gmail.com
Daily Press
P.O.Box 1389
Victorville, Ca 92393
Dear Daily Press, Editor Don Holland and Editorial Editor Steve Williams,
There you go again, Daily Press, making politically correct bye lines that are not supported by the facts. This Spring Valley Lake resident and proxy for one of it’s 4,000 homeowners is calling you and your reporter Brooke Edwards out for manipulation of the facts.
The dishonest article in today’s edition, October 28, 2010, is entitled “Investigation clears former SVLA employees”. No where in the article or in the workings of SVLA has anyone been “cleared” of thief charges. The truth is that the District Attorney turned his back on the homeowners of SVLA and refused to prosecute the former employees who absconded with association funds.
Our illustrious Board chairman, Judge Mahlum, must have connections to the District Attorney’s office. Wasted by this board is a $10,000 special audit authorized by this board to help in the investigation and an estimated 50,00 to 100,000 dollars in association funds stolen. We don’t know how much was stolen because we member’s are not allowed to see the audit, at least not the last time I checked. We only get to hear second hand numbers.
If you were a real newspaper, you would first check the facts when you write about SVLA. It is no wonder that Judge Mahlum and general manager Sabo are so faint hearted, it is no wonder that they want the issue of justice in SVL to dissipate. It is no wonder that the theft has been buried in the District Attorney‘s office for over a year in the hopes that SVL would forget. Some of us have a long memory, property values be damned!
G.Goslaw
ggoslaw@gmail.com
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
The Bible Abusers
Key Word: Implication
Colossians 2 : 8 See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy,which depends on human tradition and elemental spiritual forces of this world rather than on Christ.
LOGIC, according to Webster, is the science of correct reasoning; a science which describes relationships among propositions in terms of implication, contradiction, contrariety, conversion, etc.
Implication is a formal relationship between two propositions such that if the first is true then the second is necessarily or logically true.
The Church uses illogical implications drawn from Scripture to assert the God directed trustworthiness of certain human traditions. Such as...
I. Creationism which can only be Biblically valid by implication. God created the world so it follows that science is an enemy of faith. This is the new gnosis or Gnostic world world view tradition of separating spirit and matter. Matter, the “real” world is evil so that an intuitive knowledge in spiritual matters is all that God cares about. This is the practical false dualism of modern creationist thought.
II. Raptureism which can only be Biblically valid by implication. God will bring the consummation of this world so it follows that the Bible tauts a specific divine methodology. It is, however, human arrogance to dictate to God the end game. (Every rapture scripture is stolen from the theology of the Second Coming of Jesus Christ, the end of this present world order)
III. Homophobia which can only be Biblically valid by implication. Homosexuality occurs as a sin in scripture therefore all homosexual behavior is a sin. Heterosexuality occurs as a sin in scripture therefore all heterosexual behavior is a sin. Neither is a valid implication.
IV. Perfectionism which can only be Biblically valid by implication. God expects progressive spiritual performance so it follows that there is a performance plateau of the spirit that brings spiritual credibility.
V. Eternal Damnation which can only be Biblically valid by implication. Spiritual failure is a dour circumstance of this life so it follows that humankind can place themselves beyond God’s reach forever (eternally at death).
VI. Biblical infallibility which can only be Biblically valid by implication. The Bible has divine truth for us therefore every word of the biblical revelation has equal value.
VII. The prosperity gospel which can only be Biblically valid by implication. Faith in God is blessed in scripture so that the faithful can expect certain rewards, monetary or physical.
VIII. Liberation theology which can only be Biblically valid by implication. Freedom is a theme in scripture so that we must assist God in adjusting society to freedom norms.
Conclusion
All eight are non logical implications grounded in human tradition and to be avoided. “Thus you nullify the word of God for the sake of human traditions. You hypocrites!” Matt 15:6and7. These are strong words against complicating the simple truth of Scripture. When we assert these implications we are Bible abusers.
G.Goslaw
October 27, 2010
Colossians 2 : 8 See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy,which depends on human tradition and elemental spiritual forces of this world rather than on Christ.
LOGIC, according to Webster, is the science of correct reasoning; a science which describes relationships among propositions in terms of implication, contradiction, contrariety, conversion, etc.
Implication is a formal relationship between two propositions such that if the first is true then the second is necessarily or logically true.
The Church uses illogical implications drawn from Scripture to assert the God directed trustworthiness of certain human traditions. Such as...
I. Creationism which can only be Biblically valid by implication. God created the world so it follows that science is an enemy of faith. This is the new gnosis or Gnostic world world view tradition of separating spirit and matter. Matter, the “real” world is evil so that an intuitive knowledge in spiritual matters is all that God cares about. This is the practical false dualism of modern creationist thought.
II. Raptureism which can only be Biblically valid by implication. God will bring the consummation of this world so it follows that the Bible tauts a specific divine methodology. It is, however, human arrogance to dictate to God the end game. (Every rapture scripture is stolen from the theology of the Second Coming of Jesus Christ, the end of this present world order)
III. Homophobia which can only be Biblically valid by implication. Homosexuality occurs as a sin in scripture therefore all homosexual behavior is a sin. Heterosexuality occurs as a sin in scripture therefore all heterosexual behavior is a sin. Neither is a valid implication.
IV. Perfectionism which can only be Biblically valid by implication. God expects progressive spiritual performance so it follows that there is a performance plateau of the spirit that brings spiritual credibility.
V. Eternal Damnation which can only be Biblically valid by implication. Spiritual failure is a dour circumstance of this life so it follows that humankind can place themselves beyond God’s reach forever (eternally at death).
VI. Biblical infallibility which can only be Biblically valid by implication. The Bible has divine truth for us therefore every word of the biblical revelation has equal value.
VII. The prosperity gospel which can only be Biblically valid by implication. Faith in God is blessed in scripture so that the faithful can expect certain rewards, monetary or physical.
VIII. Liberation theology which can only be Biblically valid by implication. Freedom is a theme in scripture so that we must assist God in adjusting society to freedom norms.
Conclusion
All eight are non logical implications grounded in human tradition and to be avoided. “Thus you nullify the word of God for the sake of human traditions. You hypocrites!” Matt 15:6and7. These are strong words against complicating the simple truth of Scripture. When we assert these implications we are Bible abusers.
G.Goslaw
October 27, 2010
Friday, October 22, 2010
The Bible
It is a Saturday morning men’s bible study at a typical unnamed non denominational church in the high desert. This was a healthy time of sharing in which the discussion came around to the authority of scripture.
The focus was not on the academic and philosophical issues but we regular guy’s understanding of the everyday value of the Bible in our lives. One impertinent participant asked the pastor if there were not some differences that conflict with each other in the Bible. The pastor’s response was in the affirmative but
they were said to be minor and of little consequence.
Those few of us who are familiar with scripture know better, as does the pastor with his graduate degree. His response was not unexpected but to this respecter of the biblical record it was to some degree dishonest. Did the pastor want to avoid any questioning of divine script? Yes! If it had occurred, would such an honest discussion damage the usefulness of quickly quoting the Bible from the pulpit, as if such a quote should end all questions? Possibly but this particular pastor is not prone to such errors but an honest discussion there was not. A decision was made by this pastor that in true Nicholsonian style, “we (the laymen thus gathered) cannot handle the truth”.
Are there listener’s who would misuse such an honest discussion against the local pastor or the local church or the Bible or the faith as a whole? Surely, but these folk have a spiritual axe to grind and their pettiness can be deciphered by all. On second thought, I may be giving a little to much credit to the choir. The point being that regardless of the aftermath, honesty is the best policy, is it not? This voice can speak frankly because these words are from the bushes with nothing to lose.
There would seem to be two ways that believers read the bible. There are those believers who read the Bible with the eyes of faith and those who read with the blindness of faith. The non believer will find the Bible dull and be turned off. The legitimate seeker, asking real questions of the Bible, will be engaged toward a moment of faith and a viable connection to the realm (biblical kingdom) of the spirit of God. There is a danger in absolute statements but it always seems to happen this way. Was it not Jesus who told us without equivocation, “he who seeks finds (Matt. 7:8)”?
Reading the Bible with the blindness of faith is only for the ever immature believer. The Bible is a “totem” or a token of spirituality sitting on the coffee table. The real authority is what is said about the Bible. That methodology feeds our laziness. The assumption is that the Spirit has long quit giving revelation to the individual so we are to swallow whatever is told to us about God and his kingdom. The Bible becomes then a mere “proof text” for human traditions.
This was the predominate religious and spiritual atmosphere of the time of Jesus. Some would extend this laziness to our day in which the language of religion may have changed but our souls are being starved for relevancy.
The believer who reads the Bible with the eyes of faith never tires of digging for truth within it‘s pages. He or she will insist on an atmosphere where it is O.K. to ask any sincere question of God’s revelation to us. He or she will accept that the books were authored by human beings inspired by the Spirit of God. We sincere believers have chosen a number of ways to express this inspiration but with very little agreement.
Please allow a definition that works for me but in no way is definitive for others. “Not all the words of the Bible are perfect but all the words of the Bible have a God intended value”. Accept or reject this definition but regardless of one’s view of Scripture there can be no harm to asking this question of each passage. What is the God intended value?
G.Goslaw
The focus was not on the academic and philosophical issues but we regular guy’s understanding of the everyday value of the Bible in our lives. One impertinent participant asked the pastor if there were not some differences that conflict with each other in the Bible. The pastor’s response was in the affirmative but
they were said to be minor and of little consequence.
Those few of us who are familiar with scripture know better, as does the pastor with his graduate degree. His response was not unexpected but to this respecter of the biblical record it was to some degree dishonest. Did the pastor want to avoid any questioning of divine script? Yes! If it had occurred, would such an honest discussion damage the usefulness of quickly quoting the Bible from the pulpit, as if such a quote should end all questions? Possibly but this particular pastor is not prone to such errors but an honest discussion there was not. A decision was made by this pastor that in true Nicholsonian style, “we (the laymen thus gathered) cannot handle the truth”.
Are there listener’s who would misuse such an honest discussion against the local pastor or the local church or the Bible or the faith as a whole? Surely, but these folk have a spiritual axe to grind and their pettiness can be deciphered by all. On second thought, I may be giving a little to much credit to the choir. The point being that regardless of the aftermath, honesty is the best policy, is it not? This voice can speak frankly because these words are from the bushes with nothing to lose.
There would seem to be two ways that believers read the bible. There are those believers who read the Bible with the eyes of faith and those who read with the blindness of faith. The non believer will find the Bible dull and be turned off. The legitimate seeker, asking real questions of the Bible, will be engaged toward a moment of faith and a viable connection to the realm (biblical kingdom) of the spirit of God. There is a danger in absolute statements but it always seems to happen this way. Was it not Jesus who told us without equivocation, “he who seeks finds (Matt. 7:8)”?
Reading the Bible with the blindness of faith is only for the ever immature believer. The Bible is a “totem” or a token of spirituality sitting on the coffee table. The real authority is what is said about the Bible. That methodology feeds our laziness. The assumption is that the Spirit has long quit giving revelation to the individual so we are to swallow whatever is told to us about God and his kingdom. The Bible becomes then a mere “proof text” for human traditions.
This was the predominate religious and spiritual atmosphere of the time of Jesus. Some would extend this laziness to our day in which the language of religion may have changed but our souls are being starved for relevancy.
The believer who reads the Bible with the eyes of faith never tires of digging for truth within it‘s pages. He or she will insist on an atmosphere where it is O.K. to ask any sincere question of God’s revelation to us. He or she will accept that the books were authored by human beings inspired by the Spirit of God. We sincere believers have chosen a number of ways to express this inspiration but with very little agreement.
Please allow a definition that works for me but in no way is definitive for others. “Not all the words of the Bible are perfect but all the words of the Bible have a God intended value”. Accept or reject this definition but regardless of one’s view of Scripture there can be no harm to asking this question of each passage. What is the God intended value?
G.Goslaw
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
The Angry God
Don Holland
Editor, Daily Press
(18) The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of human beings who suppress the truth by their wickedness, (19) since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them.
People, including your newspaper, lift this verse out of it’s context to validate the erroneous supposition that there is an angry God sitting on high who gets a kick out of raining punishment down on the sinner. At the same time, these same folk are suffering from the delusion that somehow that punishment is for the other guy not them. If this is the “truth” that is gleaned from these verses, there exists an extreme laziness to explore St. Paul’s thought. Enough said but this verse is one of the most abused in scripture.
G.Goslaw
Editor, Daily Press
(18) The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of human beings who suppress the truth by their wickedness, (19) since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them.
People, including your newspaper, lift this verse out of it’s context to validate the erroneous supposition that there is an angry God sitting on high who gets a kick out of raining punishment down on the sinner. At the same time, these same folk are suffering from the delusion that somehow that punishment is for the other guy not them. If this is the “truth” that is gleaned from these verses, there exists an extreme laziness to explore St. Paul’s thought. Enough said but this verse is one of the most abused in scripture.
G.Goslaw
Sunday, October 17, 2010
Just Venting
Dr. Ed Young
The Winning Walk
P.O. Box 1414
Houston, Texas 77251
Dear Pastor Ed,
Thank you again for your program, the Winning Walk, every Sunday morning. Your program has the most creditable presence in the spiritual media. Your knack for summarizing difficult biblical issues in comfortable terms is to be applauded. As you know, the danger of such summaries is to avoid the less popular truth. Great care should be exercised because the audience oten prefers to be played rather than hearing the whole truth. Such a deception occurred today, October 17, as broadcast on TBN.
Your topic was a definition or distinction between liberal and conservative. Let’s assume that the distinction is within the community of believers. As such, the use of these labels is not representative of the love of Christ and are destructive to all of us. You go on to advance Genesis 1 : 1 as the pivotal supposed dividing line between lberal and conservative world views. You state, “If you believe that God created the world then you are a conservative.” This is not reasonable. If you don’t believe that God created the worlds and galaxies, that we live through the will of God, then you are an atheist not a liberal.
Sometimes what is not said is as important as what is said. Further explanation was absolutely necessary at this point even with your program’s time restraints. Since you failed to do this you pandered to the creationist mentality of the choir and offended those of us who maintain that Genesis says nothing about how God made His will factual. The “HOW” is best explained by science. In Scripture it is simply, “God said”. Are not both world views tolerable within the bounds of liberty required of believers by St. Paul? Are they not tolerable without calling each other names as if we were in grammar school?
Possibly I am wrong but I believe that you would agree that both world views are not mutually exclusive. The omission of a needed qualification, however, is a deception without excuse. It is why thinking believers have low regard for the clergy. Preacher’s and politicians too often have similar styles that cry out for a comparison. Both camps whip up the base by appealing to human traditions to raise money. Is that where your coming from? Let me use baseball terminology, “say it isn’t so Ed”.
Thank you for letting me vent, we thinking believers are not second class citizens of the kingdom.
Kindest Regards,
G. Goslaw
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
Playing the fool
Letter to the editor
Daily Press
Thank you Mr. Cash for your letter of October 12 (Doing good isn’t enough). May I call your attention to one sentence in your letter, “Sin as defined in the Bible… will end in eternal damnation”. Please excuse my ignorance but where does the Bible say that, either in the Old or in the New Testaments? The trick is to separate what we humans think about the Bible from what the Bible actually says to us. I am an expert in neither but it would seem that this biblical observation needs to be questioned.
My Bible says that we have all sinned, ( chosen our own way ) in this life and that we all are going to pass from this life totally alone. The certainty of death reigns over us all. The Bible speaks often about death but “eternal damnation”? If the two are equivalent we are all in trouble. Your fellow readers are bothered most because this eternal damnation thing seems to always fit the other guy best. When pressed on the biblical fine points Rev. Chandler will recite the universality of the sin question but his banner headlines expose a specialized disdain for the gay community. One would hope that this is not the case.
Could it be that this eternal damnation thing is largely a construct of the Church to get people through the doors and money in the plate? One would hope not but Church history documents it’s possibility or probability. Within the pages of the Bible is truth and help for “our” sin problem but the Church has made it so difficult to find. Jesus walked through the countryside doing Good. The selfless life style is the divine expectation designed by God for all of us and all of us resist the imperative. My Bible defines sin as selfishness not necessarily sexual preference.
There are selfish folk playing golf on Sunday and there are selfish folk sitting in the church pew. To God and to the Bible one’s earthly circumstances seem to matter little, what matters is a gut felt mysterious crazy wireless connection with our maker designer. Please God, forgive my selfishness, search my heart and make me better than I am. At the moment of death, with this faith we shall pass from life with one real friend. Should you or yours miss the connection here on earth, there will be other opportunities in the hereafter. God will be God! Check it out in the Bible.
g.goslaw
Saturday, October 9, 2010
The Sacred Cow
Letter to the Editor
Daily Press
P.O. Box 1389
Victorville, Ca 92393
Swilliams@vvdailypress.com
A half mile from the house an Apple Valley police officer finds it necessary to stop this driver for of all things, a seat belt violation. There was no other reason except that I happened to be wearing a white shirt. An effective argument could be made against the seat belt law because it is unconstitutional but let’s not waste time. Could not the officer have found a real crime to justify his salary? A casual conclusion could be that the town of Apple Valley needs fewer police officers.
A helicopter makes a racket circling overhead. We opened the front door to find two police cars with lights flashing in our culdesac. Three public service employees, sheriff deputies, work to defuse a domestic violence situation for two and a half hours.
While walking to the house on the streets of Spring Valley Lake, two Pit Bulls running loose find it necessary to take a bit out of my arm. Two Samaritans in a pick up rescued me from any further injury. I am still fiercely angry at those dogs but even more at the irresponsibility of their owner who rents on Sunburst. After five weeks I finally have her name through the courtesy of a police report. She is hiding for good reason.
The Samaritans called SVL security and then the sheriff. Responding were an ambulance with two public sector employees, a fire engine with three public sector employees, a sheriff’s car with one public sector employee, two Dog Pound cars with one public sector employee in each and two SVL security cars, each with a pseudo public employee-police officer. I guess I should be comforted with the knowledge that so much professional help is readily available but who pays for all the attention? Not the dog owner who won’t even pay for my tetanus shot. The buck stops with the taxpayer.
That fact is probably unavoidable but in these hard times could we not do with a little less attention. The retort from the public sector will be that the first responders must come prepared for the worst case scenario. Oh really, could it be that this is an over simplification that is designed to protect public sector jobs? America used to value and respect the the private sector.
Today it is about working the public sector for all it’s worth at taxpayer expense. I need not attempt to document this conclusion for it is in the news every day, Bell California being just one example.
The Daily Press has a Victorville City Council candidate forum on video. One of the lady candidates recited how crime is down in our community between 5 to 20 % in all categories. Yet the candidates play the female political game of not offending the public employee sector by advocating trimming police, fire, teachers, guards et. etc.
Victorville has been guilty of gross fiscal mismanagement and the public sector must suffer the consequence along with the rest of us regular people. Our fiscal problems are not unique but statewide and even national. No longer should the public sector be the SACRED COW of American politics.
g.goslaw
Victorville, CA 92395
Friday, October 8, 2010
Ho-Hum
E-Mail, Fri, Oct 1, 2010 at 4:49 pm
Hi Bob, nice to hear from you. There has to be a job for an excellent experienced computer geek, somewhere in California. Aren’t such specialties always in demand? The safest move is probably to stay put. It’s Friday about 5 pm. I just got back from a trip… I really love being on the move and driving but this present situation is not working out, mostly my fault. Victorville is depressed like all of the rest of America. I’m totally disbelieving of all politicians, Dem’s, Rep’s, or whatever. No one is telling it like it is, you can’t be for jobs if you won’t enforce the border. You can’t be for jobs if your on the free trade payroll and they all are!
Brown and Boxer can only bring further disaster to California. Meg and Fiorina will bring some needed change but they are mega free traders. I thought I was all alone with my weirdo politics until I heard Donald Trump on the TV sounding off about this country. No war, no free trade and we should build it here and stop feeding China.
Of course our politicians are owned and operated by you know who, they get their own on the ballot and we have no real choice. Both sides are arguing from the extremes and no one really wants a working government for the people. I should be angrier, they are all traitors to the American way serving their corporate interests first once they get elected (Obama). Sorry you got me goin’. I’m tired , please let me cool down.
gg
Thursday, October 7, 2010
Homosexuality
Voice of the People
The Sun
4030 N. Georgia Blvd.
San Bernardino, Ca 92407
voice@inlandnewspapers.com
Please excuse this letter from a Victorville resident. Mom just took the Sun newspaper because we didn’t have the heart to say no to the young man at the door. I have found the paper very informative as to what’s happening down the hill. More importantly, Mom has an extra crossword puzzle to work. You wouldn’t believe her vocabulary.
May I make a quick comment about the excellent article, Sunday, October 3, by Wendy Leung, “Two homes for two beliefs”? The folks at RPYA have a blessed mission. There is clearly a difference of opinion about homosexuality expressed by those involved in the mission, a division that is descriptive of our culture, nurture or nature. The purpose of this comment is not to make a choice between the two but say that the bible does not clearly make the choice either. Ms. Rosales has a right to her understanding of scripture but it is an incorrect over simplification.
Do we all worship a God who rains death down on gay people or one who calls us to love even our enemies. Which is it, both are in the Bible?
As the community of Sun newspaper readers, let us practice the biblical truth that Jesus taught, loving all our brothers and sisters. We must love especially those we may not understand. Aren’t they less dangerous than our enemies, or are they?
ggoslaw
Victorville, CA 92395
Meg Whitman
To our Aspiring California Politician
Thank you for listening to my dribbles. As a native Californian and a long time resident, we both have witnessed the decline and fall of the California experience. There was a time when we were the best of the best, economic opportunity was everywhere and our school system was envied by all. As citizens we could take pride in the efficacy and efficiency of state government to enrich our lives. Taxes were an acceptable expense for the privilege of California residency. Sunshine was just an added benefit to being of California.
Our reality in 2010 is that California only has the weather to comfort us. The only economic opportunities are in the heath care system or some form of governmental dole. The average Joe or Jane can anticipate only a meager existence while the union fed hoards feed at our tax trough.
Our state’s school systems have degenerated to the bottom of the heap while our politicians throw our money at a failed system that sentences another generation to ignorance. Our culture and our politicians are at the extreme poles of those whose style it is to take and those who resent being taken. Sacramento is not just broken, it is grossly dysfunctional.
The girly man came to town eight years ago preaching your optimism for the future of California. We signed on and have been greatly disappointed in his timidity. Our state’s circumstances would have been vastly improved if he had stuck to his guns. Now all California citizens are at risk. At such a critical hour, dare we trust your leadership to have a back bone? Are you just another political opportunist who will say whatever to win an election? Is politics a game or is it life and death?
This hour is life and death for we citizens of California. Are you willing to step out of the political box of normalcy and risk being a radical politician. It is time for the state to declare bankruptcy, let the courts redistribute the money. Let’s cut all the unions, the politicians and the lawyers out of power. It could not be any worse for the average taxpayer.
Or is it really about getting the money?
G.Goslaw
Victorville,Ca
Moses and Jesus
Now that the choir is upset, who was this Moses, a man of God, a dispenser of divine justice, a terrorist, the founder of a religion, or a hodgepodge of contradictory motives? We cannot know for sure, only his biographers knew. They gave us a blended hero villain Moses. However, there is one other place for us to look for an answer to the Moses question. That question must be asked of the New testament and the person of Jesus. What credentials did Jesus give to Moses, the Old Testament ways and religion?
Let us leaf through the Gospels noting where Moses is referenced with Jesus. When he heals the leaper in Mathew’s Gospel, Jesus instructs him to show himself to the priest and offer sacrifices in the old way to give testimony to what God had done. As always, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob can possibly interfere with the negative entanglements of this debilitated world. Jesus intended to heal and share the ever present God of old with the people. This same allegiance to the old way is also recorded in Mark and Luke.
Moses and Elijah appeared with Jesus on a mountaintop witnessed by Peter, James and John, this too being recorded in all three Synoptic Gospels. This meeting also symbolized the unity of His ministry with that of the old way. There is not a hint of superiority. Yet these witnesses heard a voice from a bright cloud saying, “this is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to Him!” Why? Must he not have had something new or different to say to us?
The Apostle Paul so believed. Citing the Lords words in Deuteronomy 18: 18 and 19, “ I will raise up for them a prophet like you (Moses) from among your people, and I will put my words in his mouth. He will tell them everything I command him. I myself will call into account anyone who does not listen to my words that the prophet speaks in my name.” Then he warns of the awaiting false prophets who never cease to seek the limelight.
In the thousand years after Moses there were other authentic prophets who would fulfill their mission to speak for God amongst us. The commands and the old ways as given to Moses were consistently being misapplied because of our human frailty. The writer of Mark’s gospel quotes the prophet Isaiah’s condemnation of religious hypocrisy that was still alive and well in the time of Jesus. “You have let go of the commands of God and are holding to human traditions (7:8).” Moses lead the way but Isaiah and Jesus called the people to a religion of the heart.
Jesus reverenced Moses. In his parable of Lazarus, the self consumed older brother dies and finds an unpleasant afterlife. Calling out to God for a warning to his younger brothers, Lazarus is told that no warning would change their decisions because they have the words of Moses. Like him, they are content to live life selfishly. The words of Moses as given to him by God were enough to bring the lives of Lazarus’s brothers into alignment with the God of their ancestors, if they would but listen. In the first commandment there is enough warning, love God more than yourself.
As much as Jesus reverenced the words and commandments of Moses, this reverence was not a blanket endorsement. All three gospels record the legalistic sparring forced upon Jesus by the religious types of his day. In Mathew Chapter 19 : 3, the Pharisees question him about divorce, noting that Moses allowed the men to give a rite of divorce for almost any perceived offense. Jesus clearly said that Moses was wrong, he should not have so polluted the Law by compromising the truth. Marriage is a divine union to be respected in almost all cases.
The difficulty is that the Law that was meant to be written on the heart is unavoidably devalued when written down by we humans. Possible enforcement is a joke. Let’s don’t waste energy as did the self righteous attempts of the Pharisee’s and their religion of old. These religious types are the one’s who missed the specialty of Jesus and crucified him.
Jesus said that the commands of Moses were given to help our spiritual journey not to rule over our lives. The God of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and Moses is not the God of the dead, but forever of the living (LK 20:38).
Please excuse the arrogance of the above simplification of biblical theology. The question should be asked, however, in today’s Christian culture, is the faith of the choir alive or dead? There probably are as many opinions as there are observers of the church but allow this one. Despite all the protestations and clasims to know the truth, the clergy remains the voice of hypocrisy and we laity remain fundamentally mired in a legalistic religionism since the days of Moses. I would hope that this is an unfair assessment.
ggoslaw
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)