Jesus' Goal of Breaking Up Families

How is this good news?

Matthew 10:35-36

“35 For I have come to turn
“ ‘a man against his father,
a daughter against her mother,
a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law—
36 a man’s enemies will be the members of his own household.”

When I think about the things that divide my family, words from the Gospels come to mind not Micah. This is reportedly a quote from Micah 7:6.

Last night, there was a cookout at the church I grew up at. Regardless of our financial situation, I didn’t want to attend, but other family members attended. Had it come down to the option between skipping a meal, and attending a church cookout, I would have skipped the meal. As far as taste goes, I probably would have preferred the food served at the cookout. This is not about taste or allergies. It is about principle, and frankly Jesus was not good enough for me to believe that he was the messiah as a king, or as a deity, such that I want no part in that.

The “Gospel” story is about a man, Jesus, who is psychologically disturbed. Yet, Jesus wins on this one. The words of Jesus come true in Matthew 10:35-36, a quote from Micah 7:6. Yet, it didn’t take a messiah to say that. Anyone with access to Micah could have read it long before Jesus walked the earth.

So, what’s so bad about Jesus that I refuse to attend a church cookout? It is because I reject many forms of human sacrifice, and animal. Fasting, studying Torah, giving to charity, and/or cognitive reframing are ways to go to achieve forgiveness. The sacrifice of Jesus accomplished nothing that I would call “Good,” but get this; Jesus may have agreed with me in Matthew 10:38. The Tanya, a Jewish compilation of sacred spirituality, sometimes called the Hasidic Bible has this to say:

"whoever would be affected by many fasts...
is forbidden to undertake numerous fasts...
But whoever cannot fast yet does so, is called a “sinner” in Tractate Taanit, ch. 1.2...
comply with the verse that says,4 “Redeem your sin with charity.” - from Igeret HaTeshuva , middle of Chapter 3 available at chabad.org

Igeret HaTeshuva does not resemble the Christian claim of the power of the sacrifice of Jesus. Jesus may have agreed with me given Matthew 10:38.

Matthew 10:38 Whoever does not take up their cross and follow me is not worthy of me.

Before jumping to conclusions that this is the answer, realize, there are many contradictions to this New Testament quote. Most Christians I know report praying to Jesus for forgiveness is the way to go, because that is what the sacrifice of Jesus supposedly accomplished, but praying is hardly carrying one’s own cross. Here, I agree with Jesus demand to metaphorically carry one’s own “cross,” meaning taking responsibility for one’s own actions. Thus, the local Christians that celebrate the supposed death and resurrection of Jesus, are placing Jesus on the cross as a form of shirking their sins, such that they aren’t worthy of my company via attending the cookout. Yet, if Jesus told that his followers that they must take responsibility, then what good is it beyond what had been already known for hundreds of years? That would place Jesus in the category of a teacher, and certainly not a messiah, or deity.

Revelation: End of The World

I just thought of an end of the world nightmare scenario. What if bacteria developed the ability to metabolize salt? The bacteria reproduction rate would grow so fast that the oceans would become devoid of salt. The oceans would become freshwater, killing all the species, such as saltwater fish, clams, crabs, and lobster that have evolved to live in saltwater. This would cause a mass extinction of epic proportions.

This is very similar to an occurrence foretold in the New Testament:

New International Version
The second angel poured out his bowl on the sea, and it turned into blood like that of a dead person, and every living thing in the sea died. - Revelation 16:3

Comments for Trump Supporters: Media and Gerrymandering

1. The unfavorable portrayal of Trump in the media:

President Trump has selective amnesia, and even if his lies are only accidental, and forgotten by him, they are still fodder for news publications looking to cover their bottom line. Search and perhaps you will find that there is media available that will give you what you like by putting President Trump in a positive way. Most media comes from businesses, such that most media sources only sell what can make them the most money. Thus, even if one tries to expose the media as a creator of unfair attacks, then it feeds media profits/popularity. If the media only paints Trump as bad, if you consume it, you feed its popularity, because bad attention can still create profitable infamy, as is the case with the President lately.

2. The consequence of gerrymandering:

What we are observing is a blowback from gerrymandering. The President didn't even come close to winning the popular vote. People are angry, and rightly so. The majority wants representative government, but they did not get their way, such that popular opinion has created a void for media to present the President as an unfavorable man. In addition, because I did not vote for him, I am a part of the angry majority that lost the election.

crash bam alakazam – The Stuff Universes Are Made of

The creation of a young earth requires a magnificent demonstration of Hashem’s power.
By power, I mean watts (W), as in the most work done in the shortest time, as in “Let there be Light,” and bam! For Gd to cause us to exist He spoke, yet Hashem did not even need 10 Divine Utterances to create his creation. However, it is partly how He imparted His magnificence to our world.
Be it evolution by punctuated equilibrium or phyletic gradualism, I believe Gd made creation, not only to show His Might, but also His magnificence. Personally, I believe in punctuated equilibrium, as time would be an even greater issue if we believe evolution by phyletic gradualism. However, with the big stuff, Gd seems to work with a crash bam, and an alakazam.

And so it will be that the coming of Moshiach will be with a “bam!” – such a great action so powerful that it can only be in accordance with the Almighty.

Why not Bernie?

I like Bernie, but I am not going to vote for him.

Senator Sanders has many great ideas, as well as a few that I strongly disagree with. However, ideas are one thing, and implementation is another.

I expect Bernie would be blocked so many times by Congress that it would cause dangerous demoralization. Thus, Bernie would come across as an impotent executive, resulting in an economy lacking confidence.

Jesus Says, "No Refugee Monkeys to My House!"

Mature Rock Club: a Pandora Station

Station Link: http://www.pandora.com/station/play/2384084906898078383

Main Page:  http://www.pandora.com/profile/craig.hamilton.newletters

Flatt & Scruggs                             John Hartford

Old Crow Medicine Show            Chubby Wise

Doc Watson                                  The Osbourne Brothers

Earl Scruggs                                 Alison Krauss

Town Mountain                            Tony Furtado

Bruce Cockburn                            The Wailin' Jennys

The Steeldrivers                            Tony Rice

Blue Highway                               Pert Near Sandstone

Bonnie Rideout                             Atlantic Wave

The Dubliners                               Gaelic Storm

Altan                                             The Bothy Band

The Clancy Brothers & Tommy Makem

Planxty                                          The Boys Of The Lough

Cherish the Ladies                        Kevin Burke

William Coulter & Friends           The Pogues

Tommy Makem & Liam Clancy

Mark Arrington                            The Devil Makes Three

Wolfe Tones                                 Celtic Fiddle Festival

The Pogues & The Dubliners       The High Kings

Liz Carroll And John Doyle         Mike Tramp

Sarah Jarosz                                  Cosy Sheridan

Madeleine Peyroux                       Lyle Lovett

Imelda May                                   Parov Stelar

Andrew Bird's Bowl Of Fire         Solace & Fury

Caro Emerald                                 Mirah

The Pierces                                    Dirt Daubers

Skittish                                          Eilen Jewell

Good Lovelies                               Clare Fader

Katzenjammer                               Squirrel Nut Zippers

The Klezmatics