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Archive for the ‘Virtues’ Category

The Restoration of Morality

In Virtues on November 2, 2012 at 10:18 am

Anything Goes

“It may be true for you, but it is not necessarily true for me.”  Have you heard or used this statement before, or something similar?  Whether it is used in an argument or just as a general rule in life, this line of thinking is called relativism.

When thought upon a little bit longer, it becomes problematic:   it not true for itself.  If you hold the statement “everything is relative” to be true, then how can you be sure that “everything is relative” isn’t relative itself?

The historical events of the twentieth century make evident that relativism cannot be true or more importantly, livable in real life.  The greatest atrocities and the most appalling events occurred within the past one hundred years of human history.

Anyone who is familiar with the World Wars, nuclear arms race, racial genocide, threats of global annihilation, and a myriad of other social and political events wouldn’t hesitate to state that there had to be an objective right or wrong in all of this.

If anything is absolutely wrong, then there has to be an absolute right.  Many are careful to make statements such as this.  But all would agree that judging another person is wrong.  So are hypocrisy, judgments, and gossip.

Consequently if there are rights and wrongs, there must be a measurable standard to distinguish the two from each other.  What these point to is a law.  For humanity, there must be a law given from a perspective that transcends all humanity.  It must be a divine law.

For example, the American Founding Fathers appealed to this law when stating, “We hold these truths to be self-evident; that all men were created equal; that each is endowed by his Creator with certain unalienable rights; that being life, life, and the pursuit of happiness” as quoted in the Declaration of Independence.   This meant that all humanity, even the governments of humanity, had to answer to a law higher than themselves:  a divine law.

Though self-evident and enforced by humanity, there are rights and wrongs that were originally given by the Creator of all humanity.  This is why everyone innate acknowledges basing rightness and wrongness on “Majority Rules” as faulty.

The Nazi Germans were wrong not because they lost the war, but because on a divine law level, we all knew what they were doing was wrong.  Whenever injustices are done, individuals need to transcend the majority and appeal to something higher:  a divine law.

The colonial world transcended the imperial majority powers and revolted for independence.  Civil rights activists transcended the majority and appealed to laws higher than the land.  Women, minorities, and many other groups throughout history, knowingly or unknowingly, transcended the majority, because appealing to a higher law made sense and worked.

Without this law, every man and woman is out for one’s self.  There is no source of justice to appeal to, nor any objective sense of right or wrong.   Essentially, “anything goes” and no one can do anything about it.

 

Where Can We Find This Divine Law?

Because of a moral decline in North America, we need the renewed restoration of divine morality.  Where can we find this divine law?  Where can we find a moral foundation established by the Creator of humanity?  Where is our final source of authority to appeal to?

The Bible points to the Ten Commandments, which were written by the finger of God Himself (Exodus 31:18).  These laws provide a moral compass in this age of relativism.  Through these laws, we are told of the character of God and the nature of human life, as originally intended.

The first four commandments teach humanity on the necessity of loving our Maker:  loyalty (Exodus 20:2-3), worship (4-6), reverence (7), and relationship (8-11).  The second six commandments teach humanity on the necessity of loving each other:  parental respect (12), life (13), purity (14), honesty (15), truth (16), and peace (17).

These are eternal principles that are the basis for happiness, justice, and love in every individual’s life.  These are the same principles that Jesus summarized as loving God and loving man in the New Testament (Matthew 22:36-40 – which were in actuality other Old Testament quotes).  These are also the same laws that have been forgotten today.

 

Why and How?

Some believe the Ten Commandments to be obsolete because they were old Jewish laws.  While there were many ceremonial laws of Moses that were canceled out, the Ten Commandments are eternal principles taught by Jesus (Matthew 5:17) and written by God Himself for all humanity.

Others believe the Ten Commandments as part of an Old Covenant.  Though indeed it was abolished by God, this did not include the Ten Commandments.  Rather, the agreement (covenant) that humanity would keep the law by their own human strength (Exodus 24:3, 7) was nullified.  Humanity could not obey this law.

A renewal agreement (New Covenant) was made where God would now write the Ten Commandment in our hearts (Jeremiah 31:31-34, Hebrews 8:8-13).  This meant He would forgive our sins as well as would sustain our obedience supernaturally.  Humanity could now obey this law.

In essence, the Ten Commandments which are holy, just, and good (Romans 7:12) would point out our lawlessness (1 John 3:4) and drive us back to the supernatural source God, to renew and maintain our good standing with Him and fellow humanity.

Because of our human frailties, we are all sinners (Romans 3:23) and helpless before the Law.  But the Law drives us to realize we need something bigger and better outside of ourselves:  God’s power.

Looking at evil, we realize we need the supernatural law.  Looking at the supernatural law, we realize we need a supernatural power to help us.  This is what the Bible records as grace (God’s power) and law working together:  one as a mirror to show us our lawlessness and another as the balm to heal us of our lawlessness.

 

The Greatest Restoration

Morality will not be restored through more education, political programs, or even the posting of the Ten Commandments on courthouses.  More education will only result in more educated evil and lawlessness.  Political programs have their own ideological agendas based on relativism.  And if not careful, we may make the same mistake of the creating an Old Covenant.

Moreover, morality will be established when the eternal principles of the Ten Commandments are posted and written in our hearts.  The principles of the law will be lived out in daily, real, everyday life:  love towards God and love towards humanity.

More than any other period of history, we need the Ten Commandments in North America today.  Won’t you accept the offer that Jesus will write the law in our minds and our hearts?  If you will let Him be the Law-giver and the Grace-giver in your life, the New Covenant will bring the fruits of forgiveness, happiness, love, and justice in your inner soul.  Let God of the Ten Commandments once again restore morality in the hearts of humanity today.

The Secret of Silence

In Bible Studies, Virtues on December 2, 2011 at 10:24 pm

Two patriarchs were beloved by God.

Two patriarchs were rich with crops and livestock galore.

Two patriarchs lived in the same region and in the same period of earth’s history.

Two patriarchs had deep, profound relationships with the Divine and heard His very voice.

Yet one was the father of many, who eventually became alone.  Another was a father of one, who would eventually become many.  One had a whole book ascribed to him.  The other was mentioned relatively shortly, but his descendants become the main characters of the Bible.  One was called perfect and made an example in front of the universe.  The other was called a friend of God and made a blessing before all the nations.

But in the end, both were asked to sacrifice and suffer.

Job

Job was a man that feared God, perfect, upright, and eschewed evil.  Yet when his children, household, goods, and health were taken away, he grieves and mourns for two chapters, seeking death.  His three friends come to argue incorrectly that Job had done something wrong, making false metaphysical and ethical statements about good and evil.  After rebuking each friend in a cycle of three debates, God finally spoke to him.

Between chapters 38 and 39, God conclusively proved that man could not understand everything and sought obedience from humanity.  There is no personal advantage in obedience.  There is no understandable rationale in obedience.  Reason and rationale have limitations.  Obedience does not.

Abraham

Abraham was a man that also feared God and called the friend of God.  He was to be the father of God’s people, protecting and guarding of the sacred law.  To him were promised more descendants that the night stars and the sands of the sea.  But in chapter 22 of Genesis, God also asked to take his child away.

Though one child, the wages were more circumstantial than the situation of Job.  Though Job had seven sons, three daughters, 7000 sheep, 300 camels, 500 oxen, 500 donkeys, and a large staff, more promises were encapsulated in the person of Isaac.  Isaac was the child of promise, the child of impossibilities, the progenitor of a people numbering more than the night stars and sands of the sea.  This child was birthed from his parents’ laughter, prematurely caused the birth of a rival nation, and the object of anxiety and hope for more than 20 tired and elderly years.

Taking the life of this child should have caused more mourning than Job’s loss.  This was an action that was highly un-understandable.  Abraham should have been asking questions, grieving, mourning, seeking death, escape, alternatives, and answers.

Silence

Yet what is so disturbing about chapter 22 is that there is no indication of these signs.  Whereas Job has more than thirty chapters devoted to complaining and discussion, there is not even one verse attributed for this avenue.  Rather, we see a methodical step-by-step journey to the top of Moriah, only to worship.  We hear a silent hike up the mountain.  We only smell the fire burning on top of the altar.  We do not see any rationalization, cursing God, hint of bitterness, seeking of alternatives, discussions, questionings of misunderstanding.  We see obedience.  This unrational (not irrational) obedience is so disturbing that the violence of a son’s murder by his father does not phase us.  Maybe Abraham knew something about faith that Job did not.

You see, Christians do not sacrifice and suffer.  We serve a Lord that owns all and does not know material loss.  Christians do not sacrifice and suffer; Christians merely obey.  We may either mourn for 30+ chapters or walk silently up a mountain, but the outcome is the same.  Obedience never needs to be understood, just done.  The world calls this foolishness, but there is no personal advantage in obedience.  Even though we may not understand ourselves, we must keep walking and say, “I will follow thee, my Savior.”  This is what Jesus did every hour of His life.

You see, there is a secret that every Christ-follower knows:  Christ Himself.  And when you know Him, you’ll love Him.  And when you love Him, you don’t think about obeying Him…you just do.

Original Post:  http://www.englishcompass.org/articles/the_secret_of_silence/

Time Tested Beauty Tips

In Poetry, Virtues on November 8, 2011 at 11:33 am

by Sam Levenson

(A favorite poem of Audrey Hepburn)

For attractive lips, speak words of kindness.

For lovely eyes, seek out the good in people.

For a slim figure, share your food with the hungry.

For beautiful hair, let a child run his fingers through it once a day.

For poise, walk with the knowledge you’ll never walk alone…

People, even more than things, have to be restored, renewed, revived,
reclaimed and redeemed and redeemed…

Never throw out anybody. Remember, if you ever need a helping hand, you’ll find one at the end of your arm.

As you grow older you will discover that you have two hands.
One for helping yourself, the other for helping others.

The beauty of a woman is not in the clothes she wears,
the figure that she carries, or the way she combs her hair.

The beauty of a woman must be seen from in her eyes,
because that is the doorway to her heart,
the place where love resides.

The beauty of a woman is not in a facial mole,
but true beauty in a woman is reflected in her soul.

It is the caring that she lovingly gives,
the passion that she shows,
and the beauty of a woman with passing years only grows!

South Korea: Economic and Religion Facts

In Korean Culture, Virtues on January 13, 2009 at 9:40 pm

Korean Economy

Before its economic success of the latter half of the twentieth century, the South Korean GDP was the equivalent of the Democratic Republic of Congo. Ravaged by war, colonial conquest of the Russians, Chinese, Japanese, and Americans, the country was left to riots, assassinations, dictators, and robber baron economics.

Through reform and implementation of a certain “can-do” spirit, today South Korea has become the only nation in the world to increase 200% in its economy. It is currently the 4th largest economy in Asia and the 13th in the world. Life expectancy is higher than the United States, United Kingdom, and Germany, while the average Korean has more financial opportunities than the French, Italians, and other Europeans.

As evidenced by Malcolm Gladwell’s latest book, the mathematical ability of Koreans, second only to Japan, stems not from a genetic predisposition, but discipline and perseverance; in other words, the spirit of diligence. In the realm of scientific literacy, they are first in the world, resulting in being the most wired, most economically intelligent, most technologically cutting-edge, and with the most number of patents of technology (more than United States, Germany, and France combined).

South Korea is the world’s largest shipbuilder and has exported more goods than all of Central Asia and South American put together. The four top Korean companies make more than Apple, BMW, Coca-cola, Google, Intel, McDonalds, Microsoft, Nike, Sony, Starbucks, and Disney put together (LG itself is three times larger than Apple).

Korean Christianity

This same boom in the Korean economy is found also in realm of religion.

As of 2008, South Korea has become the country where the second most number of Christian missionaries are deployed throughout the world. Though it is second to the United States, it is closing the gap quickly. Just a couple years ago, South Korea was third, catching up to the United Kingdom. But now, there are 16,616 Korean full-time missionaries in 173 countries.

By 2030, missions strategists hope to dispatch a total of 100,000 missionaries.

It seems this burst of missionary activity stems from the same “can do” spirit found in South Koreans. The largest church in the world is the Yoido Full Gospel church in Seoul, Korea with about 830,000 members. The senior pastor has 171 associate pastors and 356 lay pastors. Though they speak in tongues and have shamanistic elements in a Pentecostal framework, the church was started by 20 families years ago who practiced and implemented this certain spirit of not-giving up.

On a wider perspective, Korean Christianity is on the cutting edge of politics, entertainment, the arts, and educational systems. Church organizations are on the front-lines to provide repatriation for North Korean refugees. Talks are in the works for reunification with Korean Christianity providing private funding and resources. Intricate food networks have been created to allocate and distribute the donations given by the South to the North.

Currently pastors and administrators have been stragetizing for the evangelization of North Korea in multi-staged campaigns, planning for construction resources for intrastructure design and repair, the organization of districts and territories for ministry/evangelism, and even renting out large amount of storage space near the border for miscellaneous goods. The second the borders are released, personnel and plans have been pre-established so that every individual already knows what, how, when, and where to accomplish their duties.

Hebrews 6:11 And we desire that every one of you do shew the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end:

Matthew 24:14 And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.

Godly is Good, Except When It Isn’t

In Virtues on November 21, 2008 at 2:14 pm

The American Humanist Association started an ad campaign to do away with all forms and terms associated with God, specifically targeted during the December holiday season.

“Why believe in a god?  Just be good for goodness’ sake.”

Many humanists hold the belief in God is a the same as a belief in Santa Claus.  Rationality and intelligent critical thinking are extolled, while belief in the supernatural and unknown is ridiculed.

The question to ask is how is good defined otherwise?  The answer must come from some foundation that unites all of humanity.  Either it comes from our genes (Evolutionary Ethics), or from our selves (individual), or a transcendent source (God or supernatural entity).

The first becomes “Majority Rules,” the survival of the fittest.  All we need is 51%.  So raping your mother is justified if 51% of us want to do it.

The second becomes “My Way.”  The problem is what if someone disagrees?  What about his/her way?  There is no appeal for justice, through one is seemingly free.

The third is the clearest answer.  Though this system has been abused in the past, a system cannot be judged by its abuses, but by its principles.  Many concessions are made with this system, but the same is said for the others.  A transcendent God who is embodies the principles of love and justice make life and moral living possible.

http://www.cnn.com/2008/US/11/12/godless.holiday.ap/index.html

Watching Happy People

In Creativity, Virtues on November 20, 2008 at 2:13 pm

Dr. John Robinson, University of Maryland sociology, researched 45,000 Americans over 35 years to find a correlation between watching television and happy people; that is, they don’t.  Though happy people were found to have watched TV, it wasn’t one of their top pasttimes.  Rather, going to church, visiting friends, and reading the news were their favorite activities.

This isn’t to say that if you stop watching TV that you are guaranteed happiness and that watching TV will make you unhappy.  But make you own conclusions about this.  Seeing as your reading this and not watching TV shows you’re one step closer…

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/20/health/research/20happy.html?em

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