Lessons from a Passover service I attended in 2011

United Congregation of Israelites

5:30 PM Pesach Services

April 18, 2011

I attended and caught the last part of the services, where I heard the message on the meaning of Pesach/Passover. What I am doing here is a basic summary, as I arrived at the synagogue drained of all intellectual alertness, and was afraid to take out a pen and write down the ideas said. Instead, I  sought to follow the intellectual message with my mind and record new ideas that resonated with me. 

The meaning reflected on in this particular service was on the significance of freedom and the contribution of Jewry towards human liberation. Freedom the rabbi said is not just physical, but also spiritual. Persons do not know they are enslaved spiritually until they are set free. The Jewish experience of bondage in Egypt represents spiritual bondage from which we must become free, in order to make our contribution to the world and to usher in a "new world order" (the rabbi's words, not mine).

Jewish freedom led to the world's monotheism, as prior to Jewish freedom, the world did not know G-d. Jewish liberation from bondage in Egypt led to the world's awakening to who G-d was and established (or I would say re-established) monotheism as the standard of world religions. 

Jewish freedom will eventually lead the reign of peace throughout the earth. When the Mashiach/Messiah returns, he will lead the Jews again to freedom and establish a 'New World Order' based on the reign of peace.

As I reflect on the rabbi's message, I could summarise this thought trough these words: 

Jews were set free from a world superpower in order to get the world to recognise the one who holds supreme power.

What to do when your religion becomes outlawed?

Recent events in the world have made me realise how quickly Bible believing people are becoming minorities. The legislation in traditionally Christian countries are gradually sanctioning and permitting societal phenomena that are anti-Biblical principles (see a previous post on the subject). It is at this state, we need to prepare ourselves for the new world order in which Christians and Jews that uphold traditional Biblical interpretations and principles may find themselves the minorities that are targeted by law. As such, we need to ask ourselves the question, "What do we do when and if our religion becomes outlawed in states and nations that were one built by Judeo-Christian minded founders and leaders?"

For the answer to this question, I find no need for us to look back at church history or traditions, except the Jewish Bible. There are two stories in question. One reflected by the story of Daniel in the lions' den and the other by queen Esther, (both of which found themselves faced with this dilemma in the land of Persia).

Consider this, both candidates had their nation dismantled and completely changed by the ruling authorities who instituted and permitted religion and other practices that were contrary to their beliefs. However, their responses to their situations are instructive, as they did not act to change the laws that gave people the right to do what was wrong according to their beliefs. Rather, they continued their traditions and even service to the authorities (for Daniel it was the service of public administration, while for Esther, it was marital sex work being a good wife).

In the case of Daniel, even though he recognised that praying was outlawed in Persia, he did not decide to hide when practicing his religious tradition of praying. Instead, he still persisted in his public prayer tradition, doing what he always did to worship and serve God.

For Esther, the queen practiced her religion quietly and perhaps even secretly, not letting the king know her religious beliefs, even though she was his wife. She only made it public after fasting and prayer, when the king made a law that affected her and all her people that practiced her religion. Only then did she make public her religious background and how the new laws negatively affected her and the other people who practiced her religion. In other words (for the feminists among us), here we see a woman making political representation for minorities.

From both stories, we can learn the following principles:

1. Represent our religion to the authorities. We should at all times make the authorities aware of our religion and religious practices, so that they are less likely to pass laws that negatively affect our religious and spiritual practices or activities.
2. Continue the practice of our faith. If the authorities still outlaw our religious practices and activities, even after being aware of our beliefs, traditions and practices, then we continue to publicly or privately practice them until we are prosecuted.
3. Present our convictions for the final time and prepare to face the outcome. When and if prosecuted, we make our final attempt to present our case before the authorities. It is those times, when we should pray and fast so that we can present our convictions about our beliefs and practices to the authorities in the power of God and his anointing. Then we let God decide whether or not to get the authorities to change the laws and make provisions or allowances for us. If not, then we need to stand in our conviction and in the power of God , ready to face the punishments that the law prescribes for practicing our religion and spirituality.

So, prepare yourself for the times and don't get caught up in false doctrines or let world events change your religion. Rather, remember Daniel and Esther, and keep the ancient faith even in the new world order. God bless you!

State-controlled church in the "free" world

Have you ever believed that you would see a state-controlled church in a democratic and free country? Well just like communist China, the state control church is beginning to emerge in North America.

For the past weeks I have listened to and read stories of that confirm this phenomenon. Mid-December I read and heard of the fact that Canadian Catholic-owned schools are being told that in order to get state funding, they must implement 'gay-straight clubs' at school as an anti-bullying measure (Click to see 1 such article on the matter - Desmond 2011). This week I learned that Catholic owned hospitals will lose state owned funding if their health care does not cover contraceptives, abortion or abortion referrals. Catholic owned orphanages are also being told that they will lose funding if they discriminate against parents who seek to adopt children based on sexual orientation. (Click to see 1 such article by Goodstein 2011). However, I find it strange how we got to this in the first place. When is it that the church needed to depend on state funding to take care of the fatherless and the infirm and to disciple the young?

Perhaps these situations are not as extreme as in China, where the state regulates religion (see this link for China's state regulations of religion - State Council of the People's Republic of China 2004).  One YouTube video I watched at a church service on the Chinese state-owned church, declared that the church's Bible, sermons and hymns are edited (although I question the truth of this, as I cannot find official evidence - see article by Galli 2004 ). However I wonder how long before the North American democratic states get to the place of telling churches what passages of scriptures can or cannot be read aloud during services, what topics pastors cannot preach and what songs the congregation cannot sing. Then to the state of barring pastors as marriage officers for not marrying gay couples. Today, we are seeing a reversal of the separation of church from state (See article on 'The faith (and doubts) of our fathers'). I predict that democratic states will soon like the Chinese state, develop regulations for religion, and persecute all non-conformists as law breakers. Then, not I, but the word of God already prophesies this (See Matthew 24:9 for one such prophecy). As is was with the early beginnings of Christianity, so shall it be towards the end.

References:

Desmond, Paige. (2011, Dec 15). Anti-bullying bill causes controversy: Catholics groups say no to gay-straight alliances. Cambridge Times. http://www.cambridgetimes.ca/news/local/article/1264867--anti-bullying-bill-causes-controversy


Galli, Mark. (2004, November 1). The Chinese church's delicate dance: A conversation with the head of the Protestant Three-Self Patriotic Movement. Christianity Today
http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2004/november/30.68.html?start=1



GOODSTEIN, LAURIE. (2011, December 28). Bishops say rules on gay parents limit freedom of religion. originally appeared in The New York Times. MSNBC.com. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/45808954/ns/us_news-the_new_york_times/t/bishops-say-rules-gay-parents-limit-freedom-religion/#.Tv7IztQ9m6q

State Council of the People's Republic of China (2004, November 30). Religious Affairs Regulations (№ 426). Passed on July 7, 2004 at the 57th session of the State Council. Took effect on March 1, 2005. Signed by Premier Wen Jiabao in November 30, 2004. English Translation by Peter Erickson. http://www.orthodox.cn/contemporary/zjshwtli_en.htm


The faith (and doubts) of our fathers: What did the makers of America believe about God and religion? The subject is stirring the very rancour they wanted to avoid. (2011, Dec 17). The Economist. http://www.economist.com/node/21541718

Addendum:

I also learned that here in Canada from the pastor of the fellowship I attend that churches have to be trained in the disabilities act so as to accommodate persons with disabilities attending their congregations. I also learned that if churches have any meal programmes where food is consumed by the public, that they must have trained persons with food handlers permits to oversee the operations. I will conduct the research to locate those official requirements though to ensure the truth of the matter.

Religious Liberty denied: Girl's life in danger for converting to Christian

The following video is about a teenage girl who is fleeing her Muslim parents, because their religion demands her death for conversion to Christianity.

Though Islam's Holy recognises Jesus as Messiah, they want to kill those who follow him. According to THE HOLY QURAN, translated by Dr. Rashad Khalifa:

O people of the scripture, do not transgress the limits of your religion, and do not say about GOD except the truth. The Messiah, Jesus, the son of Mary, was a messenger of GOD, and His word that He had sent to Mary, and a revelation from Him.[Sura 4:171]

References:

"Sura 4". English Translation of the Quran Translated by Dr. Rashad Khalifa. Retrieved from http://www.quran-islam.org/97.html. August 21, 2009

The Antichrist's open war against Christianity

Over this weekend, I have watched several videos that I want to share.

There is an all-out war directed against Christianity by Satan and the war is on many fronts.

The following video is an interview with the Daughter of the founder of the Church of Satan with a tele-evangelist, Bob Larson. Also interviewed is a werewolf. These servants of the Devil speak frankly about the demise of Christianity and that they will take over.



The next video speaks to the denial of the rights of Christians to free speech and to freedom of expression.

Speechless...Silencing The Christians - Part 1 of 3
Uploaded by LuMeL1962. - Watch the latest news videos.

The next video shows how Satan is using the movie industry to con humanity into accepting his Antichrist doctrines.



And the final video is about Satan's assault through the music industry to indoctrinate our youth into accepting Antichrist values and doctrine.

Religion and Globalization

Peter Berger, a sociologist, has written what is a really insightful article on the challenge and change that globalization brings to religion.

In the article, Berger begins to show how he and other scholars have had to modify their theoretical paradigm, which argued that as society becomes more modern, then religion will decrease and decline. Berger has argued that the evidence is not so. He declares that if that particular theory was to be held true, then one could not consider the United States of America modern.

Religion in modernity has lead to, a new conflict in society - the conflict between the cultural elite and the religious populace. In Berger's words,

"in many countries including the United States, this intelligentsia or cultural elite is very much in conflict with the religious populace."

Berger also goes on to suggest that globalization has had an impact on religious identity. He argues that what globalization has done is to make societies more plural in religious identity, especially where the legal framework permits the peaceful coexistence of religions.

Peaceful coexistence and interfaith dialogue has had the following impact:

• People have more religious choices


• Religion and churches are now seen as voluntary organisations or associations competing for volunteers or members in the market for religion.


• people are blending religious elements and beliefs to form their own identity

I found this quote very interesting, as it reflects too my own journey and struggle. Berger states that:

"increasingly you find individuals who put together their own particular religious profile. You find this very much in North America and in Western Europe. You find it elsewhere as well. Robert Wuthnow, who I think is one of the best sociologists of religion in the United States, has used the term ‘patchwork religion’: People put together different elements of their own tradition and other traditions and say, ‘Well, I’m Catholic, but...’ The ‘but’ is very important and there are many things included there.

For example, the belief in reincarnation. An enormous number of people in Europe and America believe in reincarnation, which is not exactly Christian doctrine. So that’s part of ‘I’m Catholic, but I believe I’ve been here many times before’ or something like that. Danielle Hervieu-Léger, a French sociologist of religion uses the term ‘bricolage’, which means tinkering. It’s like a Lego, you create your own little version of whatever it is you want to call yourself."

In addition, Berger also suggests that because of the variety of religous choices, people are no longer taking their religoius truth for granted, but are leaving themselves open to discover alternative truth or other truth. Berger states:

"actually our language says this very well. For example, one might say, ‘I happen to be Catholic’ – an extremely interesting phrase. Or a more sort of Californian: ‘I’m into Buddhism.’ Which, of course, suggests that tomorrow I might be out of Buddhism, and in fact chances are that I will; I’ll discover something else."

However, Berger also maintains that globalization has made it difficult for the State or any other religoius institution to control religion or the religious choices of the populace. He argues that even totalitarian states are having difficulties.

Harvard Reference Citation:

Berger, Peter L. (2006). "Religion in a globalizing world." World Association for Christian Communication. available at: http://www.waccglobal.org/fr/20073-media-and-terror/461-Religion-in-a-globalizing-world.html (Accessed 1 August 2009).

Radical Islam threatening Religious Liberties

I am not pleased today. In fact I am so upset that I have decided to break the trend of thought in my blog to discuss and give outlet to an issue that has been troubling me for months.

Whereas I have no problem with a growing Islam, I am very concerned at how Islam has been destroying freedoms and rights everywhere. In every nation where this religion grows and extends its tentacles, the rights and freedoms of people are being restricted. In Europe, Dutch freedom of press has been threatened and criticisms of Islam are labelled as hate speech.

In Israel, Muslims can live in any community, but yet when Jews seek to live in Muslim territory there is global out cry. Consider Jacoby's excellent observation:

LATE LAST WEEK, the Obama administration demanded that the Israeli government pull the plug on a planned housing development near the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood of Jerusalem. The project, a 20-unit apartment complex, is indisputably legal. The property to be developed - a defunct hotel - was purchased in 1985, and the developer has obtained all the necessary municipal permits.


Why, then, does the administration want the development killed? Because Sheikh Jarrah is in a largely Arab section of Jerusalem, and the developers of the planned apartments are Jews. Think about that for a moment. Six months after Barack Obama became the first black man to move into the previously all-white residential facility at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington, he is fighting to prevent integration in Jerusalem.

It is impossible to imagine the opposite scenario: The administration would never demand that Israel prevent Arabs from moving into a Jewish neighborhood. And the Obama Justice Department would unleash seven kinds of hell on anyone who tried to impose racial, ethnic, or religious redlining in an American city. In the 21st century, segregation is unthinkable - except, it seems, when it comes to housing Jews in Jerusalem.

I am a man that believes in religious freedom and liberty. No one should be discriminated against because of their religion. Even though I disagree with Islamic views, if they were to move into my neighbourhood, I would not protest and want them to be removed.

However, what is even more hurtful to me is that the bastion of intellectual freedom and the fighters of censorship, the American Library Association, has bowed to Islamic censorship. Just look at the press release of the Council of American Islamic Relations:

"Good News: Islam-Basher Will Not Speak At Library Association Conference
CAIR to work with the ALA to schedule a future event on the same topic as the canceled panel discussion" CAIR Press Office July 12, 2009. http://www.officialwire.com/main.php?action=posted_news&rid=8140&catid=144

See this link also: http://news.prnewswire.com/DisplayReleaseContent.aspx?ACCT=104&STORY=/www/story/07-11-2009/0005058188&EDATE=

In the name of religious freedom, this is a threat to all our other rights. Once free speech is endangered because of religion, then soon all other rights will come under attack. Muzzling free speech because of religion is just the beginning of woes.

I really do not understand why a religious sect is so given to rage and intolerance that they will not allow their faith to be questioned intellectually. Especially since my Muslim friends have told me that Islam is the most intellectual of the religions. Muslims need to prove that their religion is intellectual by allowing free speech and countering contending views with elaborate arguments.

Why is Modern Islam is behaving like the Catholic Church of the Dark Ages?

I have read other blog articles that reveal the great disappointment and shock that Islam has been able to bring down the ALA. See also:

http://waltjr.wordpress.com/2009/07/22/library-association-abandons-principle-allows-censorship/

Due to this hurt that I feel, I have decided to share a video link that shows how much Islam and Catholicism has in common. I do not fully agree with the video's views, however, I agree that both Islam and Catholic share a common origin with common religious symbols.

I must however mention that I respect good Catholics. However, like every religious body, there are good Catholics and there are bad Catholics. I have nothing against the Catholic church, but against the bad and evil Catholics that want to rule the Church and lead it back to age where it oppressed men's liberties in the name of religion. Currently, the good Catholics are upholding the Church in a place where I can esteem the religion as being not a current threat to my religious liberty and ability to disagree with its views.

With that said, if you have an hour to spare, see The Islamic Connection by Walter Veith: http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=7282213372966227768


Works Cited:

Jacoby, Jeff. "Jerusalem - one city, undivided" Boston Globe 22 July 2009. 23 July 2009. http://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/editorial_opinion/oped/articles/2009/07/22/jerusalem___one_city_undivided/

Religious Liberty: The cause of the Protestant

Name of Fellowship: Andrews Memorial Seventh-Day Adventist Church
Location: 29 Hope Road, Kingston 10
Date: Sabbath, June 13, 2009
Occasion/Event: "1st Divine Service" 7:45 a.m. - 9:30am.
1st service Messenger: Sherna Reid-Crosse
Theme: Religious Liberty Day

In celebration of religious liberties day, Andrews Memorial SDA Church had their Religious Liberty Director/Chair conduct the sermon.

While I was distracted during the message, Mrs. Reid-Crosse left me some words for further thought.

Once worship is forced and the freedom to worship according to conscience is suppressed, then all other liberties are under threat

It was religious liberty that gave rise to the founding of the United States and to the flourishing Protestant Church. Protestants fled England to the America's because they wanted the freedom to worship according to their conscience (White, "Seeking Freedom in a New World", p.158-163).


Thus in celebrating or having a memorial service for Religious Liberty, the Adventists are recognising their Protestant roots and celebrating the Protestant spirit that gave birth to United States of America and to the Reformation.

Apart from that realization, there is a fundamental truth - that Protestant Christians are the ones who fought for the rights of every man to worship as he chooses. Freedom of worship is the Protestant Christian's cause. Protestant should believe that G-d gave every man choice to worship him or rebel, but the choice is ultimately man's. No man must force him to worship. Thus, it is Protestant Christianity that should respect man's rights to voluntarily choose their path - the path to righteousness or unrighteousness.

This is the nature of G-d, who allows men to make their choices. The word of G-d states in Deuteronomy 30:19:

I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live:

The L-RD respects man's freedom. He respects our freedom to choose. When he made Adam and Eve, he set two trees for them to choose from, the tree of the knowledge of good and evil (destruction) or the tree of Life. However, G-d in giving men choice tells the consequences of those choices. For Adam and Eve, if they chose to obey G-d then they would live and not die. The same principle operates today. Once men choose what pleases G-d, then G-d will reward them with life. If they choose to choose what he dislikes, he will bring upon them destruction.

"Therefore will I number you to the sword, and ye shall all bow down to the slaughter: because when I called, ye did not answer; when I spake, ye did not hear; but did evil before mine eyes, and did choose that wherein I delighted not." (Isaiah 65:12)

"I also will choose their delusions, and will bring their fears upon them; because when I called, none did answer; when I spake, they did not hear: but they did evil before mine eyes, and chose that in which I delighted not." (Isaiah 66:4)

If there is one great thing that I love about Jamaica, it is our freedom. Our freedom to worship, and spread/disseminate our ideas and perspectives on the streets. May G-d continue to bless our land, which is the true land of the free. For when you are spiritually free, then you are free indeed.

I support and defend the right to worship according to conscience.

Works Cited:

White, E. G. "Seeking Freedom in a New World" The Great Controversy IADPA: (n.d.).