I remember watching television in 1968 as anti-Vietnam War protesters yelled, "Hey, hey, LBJ, how many kids did you kill toda?"
In 2025 we watch television as pro-Palestinian, pro-Hamas, antisemitic protesters yell on university campuses in New York, "NYPD, KKK, IDF, they're all the same."
Really? The New York Police Department, the Ku Klux Klan, and the Israeli Defense Forces are all the same? I think not. And this ridiculous statement comes from antisemitic cowards who cover their faces with masks to hide their identities. I think it is clear who is most like the Ku Klux Klan in the current scenario.
Here's something else to think about:
In "Song Of Myself" (1892 version), poet Walt Whitman said, "I am large. I contain multitudes". In the New Testament books of both Mark and Luke, a Gadarene man who cut himself and lived among the tombs naked said, "My name is Legion, for we are many". In the former case the world applauded. In the latter case the world shuddered (except for Jesus, of course, who commanded the unclean spirits to come out. The expelled demons entered immediately into a herd of swine which promptly ran violently down a steep place into the sea and were drowned).
On the surface, the two statements are eerily similar, the obvious difference between them being that Walt Whitman was merely expressing his identification with humanity at large and the man from Gadara was possessed by demon spirits (and there are such things) that had taken up residence in his body and were controlling his actions.
It took the presence and power of Jesus Christ to put and end to the Gadarene man's torment and bring calmness to the community. In my humble opinion, that is the only thing that will end the torment in the present-day cities of America.
You may not agree with me, but I do hope you will continue to read my posts.
I feel sorry for the swine that plunged over the cliff to their deaths. Was there no other way that Jesus could have expunged those evil spirits?
ReplyDeleteYou can read the two versions of the event in Mark chapter 5 and Luke chapter 8. In one the man 'had an unclean spirit' and in the other 'many devils'. He expunged them with a verbal command and the swine helped do away with them altogether. Mark reports that the unclean spirits besought Jesus to send them into the swine. Luke reports that they besought him that he would not command them to go out into the deep (does the phrase "between the devil and the deep blue sea ring a bell?) but that they be allowed to enter into the swine. Jesus allowed them to enter into the swine and then the swine ran into the ocean, apparently destroying the demons altogether rather than permitting them to enter into anything or anyone else. This is just my understanding of the story. And, of course, swine were considered an "unclean" animal in that culture (something to do with not chewing the cud and having cloven hoofs). So in a way the swine, not a food source, were used to help in the complete destruction of the evil forces rather than just a relocation. The Gadarene man was found clothed, and sitting quietly, and in his right mind. All's well that ends well, that's my motto. I imagine you will find much to deplore in my relating of this event. Nevertheless, thank you, Neil.
DeleteYou are a good, intelligent man Bob so how can I "deplore" your narration or the various ways in which you see things? I might disagree with your religious outlook but I do not "deplore" it. Happy Birthday for Tuesday sir. 84? I assume that is fahrenheit.
Deletei did the math(s). 84 Fahrenheit is a balmy 28.8 Celsius, but 84 Celsius is 184.2 Fahrenheit. Definitely Fahrenheit, although being 28.8 again in human years sounds attractive. Thank you, Neil.
DeleteLike an eternal bad penny (!) I tend to turn up around this time to wish you Happy Birthday RWP - on Monday, if I'm not mistaken...
ReplyDeleteAs for swinish pigs - there are quite a few of the two legged variety stomping around our world at the moment. I'd love the chance to dispense with them by any means possible. Either shoving over a cliff or drowning, would be too lenient an ending , in the light of the many atrocities such cold-hearted beings cause.
Wow! When did I become so cynical and bloodthirsty??
Let's hear it for the good guys, who continue to spread Hope and Love
around the Universe. :-)
Tuesday, not Monday, but sentiments appreciated all the same. I think this means I missed wishing you a Happy Birthday last month if I’m no mistaken. I do apologize. Both of us are getting on up there. My number is 84 and it can be reached in a number of ways: 84x1 or 42x2 or 27x3 or 21x4 or 14x6 or 12x7. Who knew? I agree with you, by the way, about the Hope and Love. Thank you, Penny (bad or otherwise).
ReplyDeleteAmen.
ReplyDeleteMay His kingdom come
And His will be done. Thank you, kylie.
Delete