Up The Revolution!
posted by Steve Kimes at 10:41
0 comments
9.29.2008
2.19.2006
Revolution and Wealth
All institutions are based on wealth. The economics of the wealth—how the resources are moved and who controls them—change with the times and with each society. But wealth is instrumental to how institutions and powerful people operate. Ancient institutions we primarily about the collection of wealth and the distribution of it to the powerful. Nothing much has changed. As can be seen in any corporation or government, the bottom line is always about finances—who gets what wealth.
Revolution always promises to change the system of how wealth is distributed. And it always says that the lower classes will gain more wealth. And sometimes that is true. Until the lower classes become the upper classes and then suddenly they want to keep the newly-gained income they’ve achieved through their hard work. People are people, no matter which side of the tracks their on and they want to gain and keep as much wealth as they can.
Jesus is proposing a new system of distributing wealth.
The Revolution Jesus is proposing is prepared to punish anyone who uses their wealth strictly for their own gain and pleasure. In other words, anyone who has excess wealth—money or possessions that are not needed, possibly termed "disposable income"—and they use it for their own gain when there are those who have need, they will be punished. Those who keep resources for their own greed will not be accepted in a system that focuses on meeting the needs of everyone.
When the Revolution comes, they will first take all the "rich"—all those who used their disposable income for their own gain—and they will either punish or exile all of them. Then the Revolution will punish everyone who uses wealth in a way that harms those around them. These punishments will be quite severe, for the use of wealth and resources for everyone who has need is a basic tenant of the Revolution.
This does not mean that fun will not be had. Perhaps you think of the Revolution as a peasant revolution, where everyone is miserable and living on almost nothing. Just the opposite. The Revolution will be characterized by parties and feasts. The only difference between these parties and feasts and the ones you see now is that in the Revolution, the parties will not be exclusive. They are for everyone and all races, all languages, all kinds, all peoples will be involved in them.
And so, as an ethic in preparation for the coming Revolution, Jesus strongly recommends that you take any extra provision you have—any extra money or possession that you have—and use it for those who have need. Perhaps you will allow those who have need to use what you have through loans or shared use. Perhaps you will sell what you have and make the income available to those in need. Perhaps you will just give things away. But take care that you do not just collect and keep for yourself what is not necessary.
The Revolution is coming!
Revolution always promises to change the system of how wealth is distributed. And it always says that the lower classes will gain more wealth. And sometimes that is true. Until the lower classes become the upper classes and then suddenly they want to keep the newly-gained income they’ve achieved through their hard work. People are people, no matter which side of the tracks their on and they want to gain and keep as much wealth as they can.
Jesus is proposing a new system of distributing wealth.
The Revolution Jesus is proposing is prepared to punish anyone who uses their wealth strictly for their own gain and pleasure. In other words, anyone who has excess wealth—money or possessions that are not needed, possibly termed "disposable income"—and they use it for their own gain when there are those who have need, they will be punished. Those who keep resources for their own greed will not be accepted in a system that focuses on meeting the needs of everyone.
When the Revolution comes, they will first take all the "rich"—all those who used their disposable income for their own gain—and they will either punish or exile all of them. Then the Revolution will punish everyone who uses wealth in a way that harms those around them. These punishments will be quite severe, for the use of wealth and resources for everyone who has need is a basic tenant of the Revolution.
This does not mean that fun will not be had. Perhaps you think of the Revolution as a peasant revolution, where everyone is miserable and living on almost nothing. Just the opposite. The Revolution will be characterized by parties and feasts. The only difference between these parties and feasts and the ones you see now is that in the Revolution, the parties will not be exclusive. They are for everyone and all races, all languages, all kinds, all peoples will be involved in them.
And so, as an ethic in preparation for the coming Revolution, Jesus strongly recommends that you take any extra provision you have—any extra money or possession that you have—and use it for those who have need. Perhaps you will allow those who have need to use what you have through loans or shared use. Perhaps you will sell what you have and make the income available to those in need. Perhaps you will just give things away. But take care that you do not just collect and keep for yourself what is not necessary.
The Revolution is coming!
posted by Steve Kimes at 21:48
2 comments
12.13.2005
The Good Christian and the Poor
Once there was a good Christian man who was wealthy. He would read his Bible daily, praise God every Sunday and he treated his family well. Every day he would walk to his office from his house.
One day, as he was walking to his office, he saw a man in disheveled, dirty clothes, holding a sign which said, "Homeless—anything will help." The disheveled man looked, pleading with the Christian with his eyes. The Christian turned his head, saying to himself, "He needs to get a job instead of bothering good people on the street." The next day the Christian saw a filthy woman holding a sign which said, "Pregnant and homeless, please help." She asked him, "Could you spare a few dollars so I could get a motel room," he replied, "Isn’t there a shelter you could go to?" And he passed her by. The next day the Christian saw a man with brown skin sitting on the sidewalk with one leg missing. The man asked with a deep accent, "Could you please assist me in any way?" The Christian became upset with all of these interruptions of his pleasant morning meditation, and he yelled, "Can’t you people just leave me alone? Why don’t you just go back where you came from?"
As he walked into his office on that third day, the Christian had a heart attack and died. The angels picked him up and delivered him immediately (or so it seemed to him) to the Father for judgment. The Father looked down at him and said, "This week you have been tested. I sent you three of my angels, to see how you would respond to them. I have brought them here to witness to your action." The first angel, no longer disheveled, but wearing white robes said, "This Christian refused to help me." The second angel, no longer dirty, said, "He told me to find a shelter, but offered no help." The third angel, with his leg fully intact, said, "This Christian told me to go back where I came from. So I am here. He refused to help me." The Father looked at the man and judged: "You have done evil to your brothers and sisters. I gave you many blessings, and you refused to help those in need. You will be punished eternally."
As the enforcement officers came to take the Christian away, he called to the Father, "But Lord, Lord—what about my family? Shouldn’t they be given a chance? Please send one of these angels to them to explain to them their sin so they can repent." The Father replied, "Do they not read my Word daily? If they ignore the one who has been risen from the dead, they will not listen to an angel."
One day, as he was walking to his office, he saw a man in disheveled, dirty clothes, holding a sign which said, "Homeless—anything will help." The disheveled man looked, pleading with the Christian with his eyes. The Christian turned his head, saying to himself, "He needs to get a job instead of bothering good people on the street." The next day the Christian saw a filthy woman holding a sign which said, "Pregnant and homeless, please help." She asked him, "Could you spare a few dollars so I could get a motel room," he replied, "Isn’t there a shelter you could go to?" And he passed her by. The next day the Christian saw a man with brown skin sitting on the sidewalk with one leg missing. The man asked with a deep accent, "Could you please assist me in any way?" The Christian became upset with all of these interruptions of his pleasant morning meditation, and he yelled, "Can’t you people just leave me alone? Why don’t you just go back where you came from?"
As he walked into his office on that third day, the Christian had a heart attack and died. The angels picked him up and delivered him immediately (or so it seemed to him) to the Father for judgment. The Father looked down at him and said, "This week you have been tested. I sent you three of my angels, to see how you would respond to them. I have brought them here to witness to your action." The first angel, no longer disheveled, but wearing white robes said, "This Christian refused to help me." The second angel, no longer dirty, said, "He told me to find a shelter, but offered no help." The third angel, with his leg fully intact, said, "This Christian told me to go back where I came from. So I am here. He refused to help me." The Father looked at the man and judged: "You have done evil to your brothers and sisters. I gave you many blessings, and you refused to help those in need. You will be punished eternally."
As the enforcement officers came to take the Christian away, he called to the Father, "But Lord, Lord—what about my family? Shouldn’t they be given a chance? Please send one of these angels to them to explain to them their sin so they can repent." The Father replied, "Do they not read my Word daily? If they ignore the one who has been risen from the dead, they will not listen to an angel."
posted by Steve Kimes at 14:35
0 comments
Not For Children
Once upon a time… is how all good fairy tales begin. But has been often pointed out by Jane Yolen and her ilk is that fairy tales were not originally intended for children. If one reads the original Brothers Grimm, one finds the stories encased in the volume not just to be grimm, but ugly and violent and sexually explicit. Much of the same transformation that has happened to the fairy tales of old has also been done to the Bible. For those of you who only know the Bible from Sunday school stories—even if you suffered through years of repetition and memorization—I am sorry to say that you don’t actually know the Bible. No butchered Bible story transformed to fit our cultural mores for children (or bleeding heart liberals) can accurately represent the ancient text. If the Bible were accurately portrayed in a movie, it would at least get an R rating, if not NC-17. Well, we have one of these stories to look at right now. So we will begin it properly, as a fairy tale…
Once upon a time there was a priest who lived in the north country of Israel. He took a concubine from the tribe of Judah, who lived in the south part of Israel. She didn’t care for the way he was treating her, so she ran off to her father’s house in Judah. So the priest traveled all through Israel with a donkey and a slave to her father’s house. While there, he gently wooed her back and she agreed to return with him to the north country.
Before they left, however, her father wanted to show them a great display of hospitality, so he gave the priest a great meal. The priest ate and drank so much that he became woozy and spent the night at her father’s house. The next day, the priest was preparing to leave and his concubine’s father said, "Leaving so soon? I have such a great meal prepared! Surely you can stay for one more meal!" In this way the father detained him for three days. On the fourth day, the priest was determined to go, and the father agreed, "Just have some bread with me and then leave." But he prepared another feast, and detained them until late. "Why not spend the night," the father proclaimed. But the priest took his concubine and left, though the hour was late.
It was not long until they were looking for a place to spend the night. The priest’s servant recommended that they stay in the city of the Jebusites (known later as Jerusalem), but the priest refused. "I would feel more secure if I stayed with some of my own nation. Come, let us go to the Benjamite town of Gibeah."
As they entered Gibeah, at such a late hour, the men at the gate were very inhospitable. They avoided looking directly at the small party, and no one offered them a place to stay. The servant thought he heard a man mutter, "Filthy immigrants." The priest was prepared to set up camp in the courtyard, when an older man approached them. "What are you doing?" he exclaimed. "Come to my house and stay there, but do not sleep in the courtyard!" The priest explained their situation briefly, but the old man just hurried them up to his house.
After they had settled in for the night, a knock thundered on the door. The old man cautiously opened the door, only to find a mob of drunk men there. "We know you have immigrants in there. Send the man out." The old man said, "And what will you do with him?" "Oh, we won’t take him anywhere… we’re going to keep him right here in front of your door and we’ll rape him until he’s blind. That’ll teach filthy immigrants from trying to come into our town." The old man pleaded with them, "Please, don’t do such evil! It would be better for you to take my young daughter and this man’s concubine—but do not be so abusive against my guest!"
The mob moved forward to attack the old man, but the priest acted swiftly, grabbed his concubine and threw her out the door to them, grabbed the old man back in and blocked the door. The mob pushed against the door, but to no avail. So they grabbed the concubine and raped her all night.
The priest arose the next morning, nervous but refreshed after his sleep. He stepped out the door and almost tripped over his concubine going out. He looked at her lying there and said, "Get up, we’re leaving." But she did not move. So he picked her up, laid her on the donkey, and they traveled back to the north country. Somewhere along the way, perhaps after she didn’t move all that first day or perhaps when she wouldn’t get up to eat, the priest discovered she was dead. The priest was furious. After all his effort, and those callous abusers of strangers in Gilead just killed her!
Finally, after the priest arrived back home, he took out a huge butcher knife and cut his beloved wife into twelve pieces of meat. He sent each of these pieces to each of the tribes of Israel, with a messenger proclaiming his story. "No evil such as this has ever been done in all of Israel!" the messengers cried.
All the tribes of Israel were appalled, horrified. They gathered a huge army and approached Benjamin, the tribe where Gibeah was located. "Give us the men of Gibeah, so we can be rid of them," they said to the army of Benjamin. The leaders of Benjamin refused, "Why should we surrender these men up? The priest from the north country shouldn’t have been in our land, in any case."
The tribes of Israel attacked the next day. Benjamin defeated them, killing 22, 000 men. The next day, Israel attacked again. Benjamin defeated them again, killing 18, 000 of their men. Finally, Israel attacked again, and Yahweh attacked with them and the Benjamites were destroyed, decimated, with only 600 men of all their tribe left. The Israelites were so angry at these unnecessary battles, they looked at the 600 Benjamites and said, "You deserved what you got! You should have surrendered the men! As it is, may you disappear as a tribe. Who know who you will marry, but not a single one of us will give you our daughters to marry, you are so disgusting to us!" And so they vowed before God, and so it was.
As the Israelites went home, and cooled off, they realized that their decision was rash. "Israel should not be missing a whole tribe—that would be disasterous for us all!" Having compassion for the Benjamites, the Israelites attacked the town of Jabesh-gilead and killed all the men and married women there. Out of that city was left four hundred unmarried women. So they invited four hundred of the Benjamites to live in that town and to marry those women.
"But" the compassionate Israelites said in turn, "What about the two hundred others? What shall they do for wives?" Then they remembered about the festival in a city named Shiloh. The unmarried women of Shiloh would prance out of the town once a year and dance in the fields. The Israelites then took the two hundred unmarried Benjamites left and brought them just out of Shiloh. In accordance with the Israelites instructions, the Benjamites hid in the fields, waited for the women to dance by, grabbed one woman each, kidnapping her and ravishing her. Thus were the final two hundred married, and each Israelite kept their vow to God.
In the Bible, this story ends, "There was in those days no king in Israel."
Once upon a time there was a priest who lived in the north country of Israel. He took a concubine from the tribe of Judah, who lived in the south part of Israel. She didn’t care for the way he was treating her, so she ran off to her father’s house in Judah. So the priest traveled all through Israel with a donkey and a slave to her father’s house. While there, he gently wooed her back and she agreed to return with him to the north country.
Before they left, however, her father wanted to show them a great display of hospitality, so he gave the priest a great meal. The priest ate and drank so much that he became woozy and spent the night at her father’s house. The next day, the priest was preparing to leave and his concubine’s father said, "Leaving so soon? I have such a great meal prepared! Surely you can stay for one more meal!" In this way the father detained him for three days. On the fourth day, the priest was determined to go, and the father agreed, "Just have some bread with me and then leave." But he prepared another feast, and detained them until late. "Why not spend the night," the father proclaimed. But the priest took his concubine and left, though the hour was late.
It was not long until they were looking for a place to spend the night. The priest’s servant recommended that they stay in the city of the Jebusites (known later as Jerusalem), but the priest refused. "I would feel more secure if I stayed with some of my own nation. Come, let us go to the Benjamite town of Gibeah."
As they entered Gibeah, at such a late hour, the men at the gate were very inhospitable. They avoided looking directly at the small party, and no one offered them a place to stay. The servant thought he heard a man mutter, "Filthy immigrants." The priest was prepared to set up camp in the courtyard, when an older man approached them. "What are you doing?" he exclaimed. "Come to my house and stay there, but do not sleep in the courtyard!" The priest explained their situation briefly, but the old man just hurried them up to his house.
After they had settled in for the night, a knock thundered on the door. The old man cautiously opened the door, only to find a mob of drunk men there. "We know you have immigrants in there. Send the man out." The old man said, "And what will you do with him?" "Oh, we won’t take him anywhere… we’re going to keep him right here in front of your door and we’ll rape him until he’s blind. That’ll teach filthy immigrants from trying to come into our town." The old man pleaded with them, "Please, don’t do such evil! It would be better for you to take my young daughter and this man’s concubine—but do not be so abusive against my guest!"
The mob moved forward to attack the old man, but the priest acted swiftly, grabbed his concubine and threw her out the door to them, grabbed the old man back in and blocked the door. The mob pushed against the door, but to no avail. So they grabbed the concubine and raped her all night.
The priest arose the next morning, nervous but refreshed after his sleep. He stepped out the door and almost tripped over his concubine going out. He looked at her lying there and said, "Get up, we’re leaving." But she did not move. So he picked her up, laid her on the donkey, and they traveled back to the north country. Somewhere along the way, perhaps after she didn’t move all that first day or perhaps when she wouldn’t get up to eat, the priest discovered she was dead. The priest was furious. After all his effort, and those callous abusers of strangers in Gilead just killed her!
Finally, after the priest arrived back home, he took out a huge butcher knife and cut his beloved wife into twelve pieces of meat. He sent each of these pieces to each of the tribes of Israel, with a messenger proclaiming his story. "No evil such as this has ever been done in all of Israel!" the messengers cried.
All the tribes of Israel were appalled, horrified. They gathered a huge army and approached Benjamin, the tribe where Gibeah was located. "Give us the men of Gibeah, so we can be rid of them," they said to the army of Benjamin. The leaders of Benjamin refused, "Why should we surrender these men up? The priest from the north country shouldn’t have been in our land, in any case."
The tribes of Israel attacked the next day. Benjamin defeated them, killing 22, 000 men. The next day, Israel attacked again. Benjamin defeated them again, killing 18, 000 of their men. Finally, Israel attacked again, and Yahweh attacked with them and the Benjamites were destroyed, decimated, with only 600 men of all their tribe left. The Israelites were so angry at these unnecessary battles, they looked at the 600 Benjamites and said, "You deserved what you got! You should have surrendered the men! As it is, may you disappear as a tribe. Who know who you will marry, but not a single one of us will give you our daughters to marry, you are so disgusting to us!" And so they vowed before God, and so it was.
As the Israelites went home, and cooled off, they realized that their decision was rash. "Israel should not be missing a whole tribe—that would be disasterous for us all!" Having compassion for the Benjamites, the Israelites attacked the town of Jabesh-gilead and killed all the men and married women there. Out of that city was left four hundred unmarried women. So they invited four hundred of the Benjamites to live in that town and to marry those women.
"But" the compassionate Israelites said in turn, "What about the two hundred others? What shall they do for wives?" Then they remembered about the festival in a city named Shiloh. The unmarried women of Shiloh would prance out of the town once a year and dance in the fields. The Israelites then took the two hundred unmarried Benjamites left and brought them just out of Shiloh. In accordance with the Israelites instructions, the Benjamites hid in the fields, waited for the women to dance by, grabbed one woman each, kidnapping her and ravishing her. Thus were the final two hundred married, and each Israelite kept their vow to God.
In the Bible, this story ends, "There was in those days no king in Israel."
posted by Steve Kimes at 14:31
0 comments
Bad News For the Rich
The Bible without doubt condemns the stingy. Those who look at the poor and say, "I’ve got my own needs." The one who refuses to give because they "just need a job." The one who looks at the poor in general and is disgusted with both their choice of lifestyle and the fact that they are receiving "so much" from others. In the same breath, the Bible condemns the rich. Those who live lifestyles filled with possessions. Those who are constantly concerned with increasing the already large wealth they have. Those who live lifestyles that are conspicuously higher than those around them. Why is this? Why should the Bible condemn the backbone of our society—frankly, the majority of our society? Because the Bible sees conspicuous wealth and excess of possessions to be a indication of rejection of the cries of the needy. Rather than helping those who are clearly in need, the wealthy spends on themselves. Even if they do nothing else wrong, the conspicuously rich are stingy. And this is a grave sin. It will condemn them to hell.
Proverbs 17:5-- The poor man pleads for mercy, but the rich answer harshly.
Proverbs 22:16-- Woe to those who oppress the poor, or who only gives to the wealthy-- they shall both end in poverty.
Proverbs 28:8-- The one who increases wealth by requiring interest on debts will have his wealth given to the one who is generous to the lowly.
Jeremiah 5:26-29
For wicked men are found among My people, They watch like fowlers lying in wait; They set a trap, They catch men. Like a cage full of birds, So their houses are full of deceit; Therefore they have become great and rich. They are fat, they are sleek, They also excel in deeds of wickedness; They do not plead the cause, The cause of the orphan, that they may prosper; And they do not defend the rights of the poor. Shall I not punish these people?' declares the LORD, 'On a nation such as this Shall I not avenge Myself?'
Habakkuk 2:6 Woe to him who increases what is not his and makes himself rich with loans.
Mark 10:17-27
As Jesus was going down the road, a man knelt before him and asked, "Good Teacher, what must I do to gain God's blessing for eternity?"
Jesus suspected him and said, "Why do you call me good? Only God is good. And you already know what you should do-- Don't murder, don't commit adultery, don't steal, don't lie in court, don't cheat others, respect your father and mother. Why come to me to ask the obvious?"
The man replied, "Teacher, I have already obeyed these commands for as long as I remember. Isn't there something more?"
Jesus then had compassion for him and said, "Just one thing-- you need to sell every one of your possessions, give the proceeds to the poor and then you will have security for eternity. Once you have done that, come and follow me."
The man saddened at that, and left unhappy, for he owned many possessions.
Jesus turned from him and looked at his disciples, saying, "It is very difficult for the wealthy to enter God's kingdom, because it is difficult to give up one’s possessions." The disciples were shocked at this, so Jesus repeated, "Children, it is difficult for anyone to enter into God's kingdom, but especially the rich. Frankly, it is easier to have an elephant leap through a straw than for a rich person to enter God's kingdom." The disciples responded, "Who will enter God's kingdom, then?" Jesus replied, "Frankly, it is impossible. But God is in the business of doing the impossible.
Good News for the Generous
Proverbs 22:9-- Blessed are the generous, for they give food to the lowly.
Proverbs 14:21-- The one who holds the needy in contempt is a sinner, but the one who offers fortune to the anawim will receive fortune from on High.
Proverbs 28:8—The generous to the poor will receive the wealth of the greedy.
Proverbs 28:27-- The one who gives to the poor will have everything they need, but the one who ignores the poor will drown in curses.
Proverbs 31:20-- The virtuous woman assists the anawim and greatly helps the needy.
Oppression
Proverbs 14:31-- The oppressor of the lowly insults the Creator, but God is praised by him who has mercy on the needy.
Proverbs 21:13-- He who shuts his ear to the cry of the lowly will also cry out and not be heard.
Proverbs 22:16-- Woe to those who oppress the poor, or who only gives to the wealthy-- they shall both end in poverty.
Proverbs 22:22-23-- Do not take from the lowly due to their lowliness or use your power to crush the anawim; Yahweh himself will prosecute for them and take the life of those who oppose them.
Proverbs 28:3-- A poor man who oppresses the lowly is like a hurricane that destroys all food.
Proverbs 28:27-- The one who gives to the poor will have everything they need, but the one who ignores the poor will drown in curses.
Proverbs 29:7-- The righteous are concerned for justice for the poor; the wicked give this no regard.
Proverbs 17:5-- The poor man pleads for mercy, but the rich answer harshly.
Proverbs 22:16-- Woe to those who oppress the poor, or who only gives to the wealthy-- they shall both end in poverty.
Proverbs 28:8-- The one who increases wealth by requiring interest on debts will have his wealth given to the one who is generous to the lowly.
Jeremiah 5:26-29
For wicked men are found among My people, They watch like fowlers lying in wait; They set a trap, They catch men. Like a cage full of birds, So their houses are full of deceit; Therefore they have become great and rich. They are fat, they are sleek, They also excel in deeds of wickedness; They do not plead the cause, The cause of the orphan, that they may prosper; And they do not defend the rights of the poor. Shall I not punish these people?' declares the LORD, 'On a nation such as this Shall I not avenge Myself?'
Habakkuk 2:6 Woe to him who increases what is not his and makes himself rich with loans.
Mark 10:17-27
As Jesus was going down the road, a man knelt before him and asked, "Good Teacher, what must I do to gain God's blessing for eternity?"
Jesus suspected him and said, "Why do you call me good? Only God is good. And you already know what you should do-- Don't murder, don't commit adultery, don't steal, don't lie in court, don't cheat others, respect your father and mother. Why come to me to ask the obvious?"
The man replied, "Teacher, I have already obeyed these commands for as long as I remember. Isn't there something more?"
Jesus then had compassion for him and said, "Just one thing-- you need to sell every one of your possessions, give the proceeds to the poor and then you will have security for eternity. Once you have done that, come and follow me."
The man saddened at that, and left unhappy, for he owned many possessions.
Jesus turned from him and looked at his disciples, saying, "It is very difficult for the wealthy to enter God's kingdom, because it is difficult to give up one’s possessions." The disciples were shocked at this, so Jesus repeated, "Children, it is difficult for anyone to enter into God's kingdom, but especially the rich. Frankly, it is easier to have an elephant leap through a straw than for a rich person to enter God's kingdom." The disciples responded, "Who will enter God's kingdom, then?" Jesus replied, "Frankly, it is impossible. But God is in the business of doing the impossible.
Good News for the Generous
Proverbs 22:9-- Blessed are the generous, for they give food to the lowly.
Proverbs 14:21-- The one who holds the needy in contempt is a sinner, but the one who offers fortune to the anawim will receive fortune from on High.
Proverbs 28:8—The generous to the poor will receive the wealth of the greedy.
Proverbs 28:27-- The one who gives to the poor will have everything they need, but the one who ignores the poor will drown in curses.
Proverbs 31:20-- The virtuous woman assists the anawim and greatly helps the needy.
Oppression
Proverbs 14:31-- The oppressor of the lowly insults the Creator, but God is praised by him who has mercy on the needy.
Proverbs 21:13-- He who shuts his ear to the cry of the lowly will also cry out and not be heard.
Proverbs 22:16-- Woe to those who oppress the poor, or who only gives to the wealthy-- they shall both end in poverty.
Proverbs 22:22-23-- Do not take from the lowly due to their lowliness or use your power to crush the anawim; Yahweh himself will prosecute for them and take the life of those who oppose them.
Proverbs 28:3-- A poor man who oppresses the lowly is like a hurricane that destroys all food.
Proverbs 28:27-- The one who gives to the poor will have everything they need, but the one who ignores the poor will drown in curses.
Proverbs 29:7-- The righteous are concerned for justice for the poor; the wicked give this no regard.
posted by Steve Kimes at 14:29
0 comments
The Man
The MAN is one who sees other’s weakness, but has no sympathy for them.
The MAN is one who uses other’s weaknesses for their own benefit.
The MAN is one who abuses the trust granted by the weak.
The MAN is the destroyer of the hope of the hopeless.
The MAN is the creator of perpetual poverty.
The MAN is stingy with all of his resources.
The MAN sees poverty as a reason to blame the poor.
The MAN judges without mercy.
The Man will be destroyed by Jesus. Soon.
The MAN is one who uses other’s weaknesses for their own benefit.
The MAN is one who abuses the trust granted by the weak.
The MAN is the destroyer of the hope of the hopeless.
The MAN is the creator of perpetual poverty.
The MAN is stingy with all of his resources.
The MAN sees poverty as a reason to blame the poor.
The MAN judges without mercy.
The Man will be destroyed by Jesus. Soon.
posted by Steve Kimes at 14:22
0 comments
The Revolution Is Coming
This country is filled with injustice. Corporations and the rich receive all the benefits, while the poor are thrown in jail for small offenses. Laws are unfair and you can’t get fair treatment in the courts. And the people don’t care. As long as they have their television, they are subdued and will do nothing to change what has existed since before they were born. The few who actually try to change things either get caught up in the same system themselves or they are rendered impotent by the locked system.
Nothing can be done.
But a revolution is coming.
This revolution is introducing a new government who listens to the cries of the oppressed and looks to make a real change for them. Not just changing those in power, but offering a whole new structure of government. A structure where the poor and just will rule. Where laws are given because they encourage love and justice—not the agenda of the rich. Where there will be enough food and shelter and warmth for everyone, even the poorest and the lowest. No one will have their power cut off, no one will be without light, no one will be without heat, no one will be without food. Those with mental health problems will be listened to, not just dictated to, and they will be healed. The elderly will be cared for as honored citizens, not as outcasts. This government is concerned with everyone—especially the poor and oppressed— not just in keeping their own power and authority.
This new government has already begun in this country. This revolution is an underground movement that has ties to movements in other countries around the world. This movement already has some small facilities that feed the poor, care for the elderly and assist those with mental health problems. This movement is teaching its doctrine to millions. And its time has come.
The movement has many names. Some call it Ekklesia. Some call it The Anawim. Some call it the Way. Some call it the Truth. Some speak of the Martyrs. It is all of this—and more.
When the Anawim take over this country, the rich and powerful will be put down and the corrupt will never take up power again. When Ekklesia rises to power, both the Republicans and the Democrats will be rejected as the greedy, corrupt groups they are. When the Way takes power, every nation in the world will be reshaped and the economic structures will be destroyed. When the Truth is raised, every corruption and hatred will be exposed. When the Martyrs come, the poor themselves will rule—and rule better than the wealthy and powerful ever did.
How can this be? How can a small, poor, movement take over the governments of the world? How can there be a sudden change from the powerful to the oppressed ruling? Who will begin this revolution? Who leads this underground movement? Who started it all in the first place?
All this can be explained by one word: Jesus.
Jesus began this movement 2000 years ago. He announced the coming of a new government that would cause the structures of humanity to falter. And when that new government came, it would establish the poor and merciful as the rulers of the world, while the rich and powerful would be destroyed, receiving nothing. Jesus spoke about the corruption of religion, of rulers and of the church. And all the corrupt would be thrown out of the new nation, and the meek would take over.
Jesus’ movement is not what is commonly called "the Church." From the early fourth century the establishment church has united themselves with the corrupt governments of the world and participated in partisan politics. Jesus rejected all earthly politics and instead established a community that assists the oppressed and needy and follows his new laws of non-reciprocity, care for those who hate you, equality for all in the community, and open sharing of all wealth.
The establishment Church has never followed this ideal—some of them even promoting war, greed, national partisanship, hatred and revenge. There have been smaller movements throughout history that have held these ideals—the early Waldensians, the early Franciscans, the Anabaptists, the early Pentecostals and others. However, these movements have always been a minority, and most of them were corrupted by the establishment Church.
In the end, the establishment Church structures will be destroyed by Jesus himself. All of those who call Jesus "Lord" will be tested, and many of them will be cast out of Jesus’ new government. Jesus said, "Why do you call me ‘Lord’ but do not do what I say? When I come, there will be many who say, ‘Lord, didn’t we do this, didn’t we do that? Didn’t we heal people? Didn’t we cast out demons?’ I will tell them ‘Get out of here. I never knew you.’ "
So forget about what the Church has done to you—Jesus will bring justice. Forget about what this or that "Christian" has done to you—Jesus will only allow those who truly followed his principles to rule. And those who want to see the world become just and loving will turn to Jesus.
Are you tired of your government? Trade it for a new one. Instead of having a corrupt leader guide you, make Jesus your leader. Make Jesus your president, your king, your Lord. Begin to follow his principles of enacting love to everyone—even those who hate you, of giving up your life of this age and begin living for the revolution.
Nothing can be done.
But a revolution is coming.
This revolution is introducing a new government who listens to the cries of the oppressed and looks to make a real change for them. Not just changing those in power, but offering a whole new structure of government. A structure where the poor and just will rule. Where laws are given because they encourage love and justice—not the agenda of the rich. Where there will be enough food and shelter and warmth for everyone, even the poorest and the lowest. No one will have their power cut off, no one will be without light, no one will be without heat, no one will be without food. Those with mental health problems will be listened to, not just dictated to, and they will be healed. The elderly will be cared for as honored citizens, not as outcasts. This government is concerned with everyone—especially the poor and oppressed— not just in keeping their own power and authority.
This new government has already begun in this country. This revolution is an underground movement that has ties to movements in other countries around the world. This movement already has some small facilities that feed the poor, care for the elderly and assist those with mental health problems. This movement is teaching its doctrine to millions. And its time has come.
The movement has many names. Some call it Ekklesia. Some call it The Anawim. Some call it the Way. Some call it the Truth. Some speak of the Martyrs. It is all of this—and more.
When the Anawim take over this country, the rich and powerful will be put down and the corrupt will never take up power again. When Ekklesia rises to power, both the Republicans and the Democrats will be rejected as the greedy, corrupt groups they are. When the Way takes power, every nation in the world will be reshaped and the economic structures will be destroyed. When the Truth is raised, every corruption and hatred will be exposed. When the Martyrs come, the poor themselves will rule—and rule better than the wealthy and powerful ever did.
How can this be? How can a small, poor, movement take over the governments of the world? How can there be a sudden change from the powerful to the oppressed ruling? Who will begin this revolution? Who leads this underground movement? Who started it all in the first place?
All this can be explained by one word: Jesus.
Jesus began this movement 2000 years ago. He announced the coming of a new government that would cause the structures of humanity to falter. And when that new government came, it would establish the poor and merciful as the rulers of the world, while the rich and powerful would be destroyed, receiving nothing. Jesus spoke about the corruption of religion, of rulers and of the church. And all the corrupt would be thrown out of the new nation, and the meek would take over.
Jesus’ movement is not what is commonly called "the Church." From the early fourth century the establishment church has united themselves with the corrupt governments of the world and participated in partisan politics. Jesus rejected all earthly politics and instead established a community that assists the oppressed and needy and follows his new laws of non-reciprocity, care for those who hate you, equality for all in the community, and open sharing of all wealth.
The establishment Church has never followed this ideal—some of them even promoting war, greed, national partisanship, hatred and revenge. There have been smaller movements throughout history that have held these ideals—the early Waldensians, the early Franciscans, the Anabaptists, the early Pentecostals and others. However, these movements have always been a minority, and most of them were corrupted by the establishment Church.
In the end, the establishment Church structures will be destroyed by Jesus himself. All of those who call Jesus "Lord" will be tested, and many of them will be cast out of Jesus’ new government. Jesus said, "Why do you call me ‘Lord’ but do not do what I say? When I come, there will be many who say, ‘Lord, didn’t we do this, didn’t we do that? Didn’t we heal people? Didn’t we cast out demons?’ I will tell them ‘Get out of here. I never knew you.’ "
So forget about what the Church has done to you—Jesus will bring justice. Forget about what this or that "Christian" has done to you—Jesus will only allow those who truly followed his principles to rule. And those who want to see the world become just and loving will turn to Jesus.
Are you tired of your government? Trade it for a new one. Instead of having a corrupt leader guide you, make Jesus your leader. Make Jesus your president, your king, your Lord. Begin to follow his principles of enacting love to everyone—even those who hate you, of giving up your life of this age and begin living for the revolution.
posted by Steve Kimes at 14:02
0 comments
Destruction of the World Corporate Structure
Injustice reigns in the earth. Capitalism is corrupt, only granting freedom to the wealthy, while the poor get ground in the dust. The 200 wealthiest people in the world, all heads of corporations, control 40% of the world’s wealth, while the poorest 20% of the world live on 1% of the world’s wealth. The 40 wealthiest Western nations have 85% of the world’s wealth.
Perhaps such disparity in the world today wouldn’t be so bad if the governments and corporations of the world were concerned with justice in the world and providing equity for the poor. Instead, the wealthy of the world use their economic power as the whip on the backs of the oppressed.
The developing countries of the world are required to pay a huge amount of interest on loans, and so unable to pay back the loans, and thus their people starve. On the other hand, the United States has a trillion-dollar debt that they can refuse to pay, if they want. The corporations of the West use Chinese labor to do the menial tasks that the workers of the West find demeaning or that don’t pay enough. Then the Chinese oppress their people, telling them where to work, how to worship, where to live and how many children to have. The world corporations are creating oppression as well in Vietnam, Mexico, Haiti, Bangladesh, Singapore, and multitudes of other developing nations. And all this, while not discouraging them to cease the oppression of ethnic, religious and political minorities.
The governments of the West, especially the United States, are controlled by the corporations, who gain benefits in how much taxes they pay, what tariffs are to be imposed on imports and which developing nations are to be given benefits and which governments are to be destroyed by the U.S. military. And even the nations that receive benefits, they receive it with a price tag that requires them to act in the benefit of the West. Colonization may be dead, but the North American and European nations are controlling the world economically through the UN, the WTO and through their diplomatic carrots and sticks.
In the twenty-first century, economic power is absolute power. And absolute power corrupts absolutely.
The poor are crying out in opposition to the world corporate structure. Protests are happening all over the world. The world press is decrying the controls of the West- although the American press never acknowledges a peep of the worldwide outcry.
What will happen? Will the poor rise up and overthrow their oppressors? Will there be unification among the workers who will overcome the wealth and power of the corporations? Will a great class war happen that will change the economic structure of the world and set all people free economically? Will there be real change in humanity that will provide justice for everyone?
Give me a break.
Let’s look at this historically. Those who were truly poor have never been successful in rising up against their oppressors. From the rise of the Lombards in the 1400s to the Peasants’ War in the early 1500s to the Rebellion of John Brown in the mid 1800s to the ethnic cleansing in Rwanda in the late 1900s, when the truly poor violently rise up against their oppressors, it only ends in tragedy and in the oppressors having an example of why they need to oppress.
Violence and resistance can create an economic change, such as the French Revolution, the Labor Parties, the Communist Revolutions of Russia and China. But the economic benefits are limited to a particular class of people, usually the middle class. Thus, the poor are not assisted at all, but only those who had enough power to enact change themselves.
This is not real change. It is just trading one set of oppressors for another. And this is a summary of the history of the world, for the last 10,000 years.
There is, however, another way for real change to occur. There is a way for the world corporate system to be destroyed and to be replaced by justice. But it requires much more than most people are willing to give. It does not require power, but humility. Not control, but persecution and death.
We need to recognize that the only force that will change things in the world for good is God. God alone has the power and authority to change the world permanently. God alone has the compassion and desire to help the poor, the lowest of the low (Check it out in the Bible- Exodus 22:21-27). God alone, of all the powers that have ever existed, has dedicated himself to helping those who are truly in need (Psalm 146:3-9). And he has promised that any governmental, corporate or religious power that oppressed the poor, he will destroy (Psalm 82:1-8; Revelation 18:1-24).
However, God requires the poor to do one most important thing- to cry out to him for help. The poor must recognize his authority over them and then cry out to him (Exodus 22:23; II Chronicles 7:14; Psalm 18:6-17; Psalm 34:17; Psalm 107). They must turn from the evil things they do- from oppressing their neighbor and do good to all, and then God will listen to them (Micah 3:4; Hosea 8:2-3; Ezekiel 18:27). And those who are poor must ask God persistently for God’s deliverance from oppression and he will give it (Luke 18:2-8). Such humility is required from God to gain freedom from oppression (Luke 18:10-14).
And this way of life needs to be given to others who are poor. Many need to be shown and taught this way of life in order for the oppression of the world corporate structure to be destroyed. If a single person cries out against an oppressor, then that one will be delivered from the one oppressor. If a multitude of poor, all around the world, cry out against the world corporate structure, then the whole world will be changed. This means that we need a multitude of people dedicated to God and to cry out to him for justice to change the world.
But even the humility and the training of others is not enough. We need to prove the oppression. We need to show that oppression really is occurring- for no power overthrows another without proof. This means that we need to put ourselves in the front lines of oppression. We need to show God and the world that the world corporate structure is willing to sacrifice and kill others, but not itself.
How do we do this? Through non-violent, public outcry against oppression. Through standing in front of the violent and haters of the poor, and telling them to stop or they will be destroyed by God. Through praying for God’s justice in their presence.
And then letting them oppress us.
When they want to arrest us, we let them. When they want to punish us, we let them. When they want to hit us, we let them and we do not hit back. Instead, we make a public spectacle of their oppression. We give them an opportunity to show how evil they really are.
And they will be destroyed. By God. By someone God appoints. But the world will change.
Some say, How can you know this? This has never happened before! It can never succeed!
Wrong. It has succeeded. And the poor have been released by this very method. Martin Luther King Jr. used this method against those oppressing the black communities, even allowing himself to be martyred. Gandhi used this method, systematically destroying the power of the British. The Anabaptists of the Sixteenth Century used this method- thousands dying for the Truth- and changed the face of Christianity. The Waldensians used this method, and caused there to be a resurgence of concern for the poor, including the powerful Franciscan movement. And all of these successful movements were sourced from one person- Jesus.
Jesus himself came to assist the poor. He brought them freedom and stood against the oppressive authorities that used their power for injustice. But rather than begin a violent revolution, he suffered and was executed as a rebel. And it was because of this that a movement sprang up among the poor that changed the ethical outlook of the world- Christianity. And through Jesus the Jewish government was destroyed and the Roman government was changed forever. And while Christianity has been used for many evils throughout the centuries, the teaching and life of Jesus has been used as an example of the most positive world changers that has existed.
Jesus’ method of world change is just as outlined above-
Do no evil, but do good to the needy according to God’s love (Mark 1:15; Matthew 7:12);
Cry out to God for justice (Luke 18:1-8);
Declare to the oppressors the judgment they will face from God (Matthew 10:7, 28)
Allow them to oppress you to display their evil (Matthew 5:38-48)
Teach the poor the message of freedom from oppression through the way of Jesus (Matthew 28:19-20)
And justice will prevail through the power of God! (Matthew 10:24-27)
The world system will be changed! but only through the way of Jesus.
Perhaps such disparity in the world today wouldn’t be so bad if the governments and corporations of the world were concerned with justice in the world and providing equity for the poor. Instead, the wealthy of the world use their economic power as the whip on the backs of the oppressed.
The developing countries of the world are required to pay a huge amount of interest on loans, and so unable to pay back the loans, and thus their people starve. On the other hand, the United States has a trillion-dollar debt that they can refuse to pay, if they want. The corporations of the West use Chinese labor to do the menial tasks that the workers of the West find demeaning or that don’t pay enough. Then the Chinese oppress their people, telling them where to work, how to worship, where to live and how many children to have. The world corporations are creating oppression as well in Vietnam, Mexico, Haiti, Bangladesh, Singapore, and multitudes of other developing nations. And all this, while not discouraging them to cease the oppression of ethnic, religious and political minorities.
The governments of the West, especially the United States, are controlled by the corporations, who gain benefits in how much taxes they pay, what tariffs are to be imposed on imports and which developing nations are to be given benefits and which governments are to be destroyed by the U.S. military. And even the nations that receive benefits, they receive it with a price tag that requires them to act in the benefit of the West. Colonization may be dead, but the North American and European nations are controlling the world economically through the UN, the WTO and through their diplomatic carrots and sticks.
In the twenty-first century, economic power is absolute power. And absolute power corrupts absolutely.
The poor are crying out in opposition to the world corporate structure. Protests are happening all over the world. The world press is decrying the controls of the West- although the American press never acknowledges a peep of the worldwide outcry.
What will happen? Will the poor rise up and overthrow their oppressors? Will there be unification among the workers who will overcome the wealth and power of the corporations? Will a great class war happen that will change the economic structure of the world and set all people free economically? Will there be real change in humanity that will provide justice for everyone?
Give me a break.
Let’s look at this historically. Those who were truly poor have never been successful in rising up against their oppressors. From the rise of the Lombards in the 1400s to the Peasants’ War in the early 1500s to the Rebellion of John Brown in the mid 1800s to the ethnic cleansing in Rwanda in the late 1900s, when the truly poor violently rise up against their oppressors, it only ends in tragedy and in the oppressors having an example of why they need to oppress.
Violence and resistance can create an economic change, such as the French Revolution, the Labor Parties, the Communist Revolutions of Russia and China. But the economic benefits are limited to a particular class of people, usually the middle class. Thus, the poor are not assisted at all, but only those who had enough power to enact change themselves.
This is not real change. It is just trading one set of oppressors for another. And this is a summary of the history of the world, for the last 10,000 years.
There is, however, another way for real change to occur. There is a way for the world corporate system to be destroyed and to be replaced by justice. But it requires much more than most people are willing to give. It does not require power, but humility. Not control, but persecution and death.
We need to recognize that the only force that will change things in the world for good is God. God alone has the power and authority to change the world permanently. God alone has the compassion and desire to help the poor, the lowest of the low (Check it out in the Bible- Exodus 22:21-27). God alone, of all the powers that have ever existed, has dedicated himself to helping those who are truly in need (Psalm 146:3-9). And he has promised that any governmental, corporate or religious power that oppressed the poor, he will destroy (Psalm 82:1-8; Revelation 18:1-24).
However, God requires the poor to do one most important thing- to cry out to him for help. The poor must recognize his authority over them and then cry out to him (Exodus 22:23; II Chronicles 7:14; Psalm 18:6-17; Psalm 34:17; Psalm 107). They must turn from the evil things they do- from oppressing their neighbor and do good to all, and then God will listen to them (Micah 3:4; Hosea 8:2-3; Ezekiel 18:27). And those who are poor must ask God persistently for God’s deliverance from oppression and he will give it (Luke 18:2-8). Such humility is required from God to gain freedom from oppression (Luke 18:10-14).
And this way of life needs to be given to others who are poor. Many need to be shown and taught this way of life in order for the oppression of the world corporate structure to be destroyed. If a single person cries out against an oppressor, then that one will be delivered from the one oppressor. If a multitude of poor, all around the world, cry out against the world corporate structure, then the whole world will be changed. This means that we need a multitude of people dedicated to God and to cry out to him for justice to change the world.
But even the humility and the training of others is not enough. We need to prove the oppression. We need to show that oppression really is occurring- for no power overthrows another without proof. This means that we need to put ourselves in the front lines of oppression. We need to show God and the world that the world corporate structure is willing to sacrifice and kill others, but not itself.
How do we do this? Through non-violent, public outcry against oppression. Through standing in front of the violent and haters of the poor, and telling them to stop or they will be destroyed by God. Through praying for God’s justice in their presence.
And then letting them oppress us.
When they want to arrest us, we let them. When they want to punish us, we let them. When they want to hit us, we let them and we do not hit back. Instead, we make a public spectacle of their oppression. We give them an opportunity to show how evil they really are.
And they will be destroyed. By God. By someone God appoints. But the world will change.
Some say, How can you know this? This has never happened before! It can never succeed!
Wrong. It has succeeded. And the poor have been released by this very method. Martin Luther King Jr. used this method against those oppressing the black communities, even allowing himself to be martyred. Gandhi used this method, systematically destroying the power of the British. The Anabaptists of the Sixteenth Century used this method- thousands dying for the Truth- and changed the face of Christianity. The Waldensians used this method, and caused there to be a resurgence of concern for the poor, including the powerful Franciscan movement. And all of these successful movements were sourced from one person- Jesus.
Jesus himself came to assist the poor. He brought them freedom and stood against the oppressive authorities that used their power for injustice. But rather than begin a violent revolution, he suffered and was executed as a rebel. And it was because of this that a movement sprang up among the poor that changed the ethical outlook of the world- Christianity. And through Jesus the Jewish government was destroyed and the Roman government was changed forever. And while Christianity has been used for many evils throughout the centuries, the teaching and life of Jesus has been used as an example of the most positive world changers that has existed.
Jesus’ method of world change is just as outlined above-
Do no evil, but do good to the needy according to God’s love (Mark 1:15; Matthew 7:12);
Cry out to God for justice (Luke 18:1-8);
Declare to the oppressors the judgment they will face from God (Matthew 10:7, 28)
Allow them to oppress you to display their evil (Matthew 5:38-48)
Teach the poor the message of freedom from oppression through the way of Jesus (Matthew 28:19-20)
And justice will prevail through the power of God! (Matthew 10:24-27)
The world system will be changed! but only through the way of Jesus.
posted by Steve Kimes at 13:26
0 comments
