The idle musings of a former military man, former computer geek, medically retired pastor and now full-time writer. Contents guaranteed to offend the politically correct and anal-retentive from time to time. My approach to life is that it should be taken with a large helping of laughter, and sufficient firepower to keep it tamed!
Wednesday, August 5, 2020
Burning Bibles? If that's the way they want it, so be it.
To my surprise, I've seen relatively few comments from any mainstream Christian denominations about the burning of Bibles by extremist demonstrators in Portland. What's more, I note that Twitter and other outlets are systematically deleting and/or making unavailable all video evidence of it happening - almost as if they're aware that the demonstrators crossed a line by doing that, and want to cover for them.
Well, I'm not a representative of any denomination, but I am a Christian: so let me put in my $0.02 worth. When I see someone burning a Bible, I see that person rejecting what I believe and stand for, not just in terms of beliefs, but in terms of the moral foundation of how I try to live. It's also the foundation of most of our legal system, no matter what anyone might try to deny. Almost all Western laws and jurisprudence stemmed from Christian dominance of Europe, and spread from there to European colonies in the New World. That's an historical fact that can't be denied.
I'm not personally offended by Bible-burning; nor do I think God, as I understand him, is personally offended. Rather, I'm saddened by the lack of tolerance shown by the demonstrators. If they expect me to accept them as fellow citizens, and tolerate their beliefs, shouldn't they be extending the same courtesies to me? Clearly, they're not: therefore I have to believe that their intolerance extends, not just to what I believe in, but to me as a believer as well.
So be it. "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you." They've just done that. Their behavior marks them as my enemies. They need not be surprised if I view them, and respond to them, as such - with as much mercy as possible, sure, but nevertheless with determination that they will not intimidate me, and will not deter me from living my life as I believe God requires of me.
What say you, readers?
Peter
I say you are absolutely correct. Their actions speak louder than any words.
ReplyDeleteTWANLOC in full display. Time to start treating them as an invasion force and not 'mostly peaceful protestors'
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely correct. They view us as enemies and we should return the sentiment.
ReplyDeletethey're pretty close to "shoot on sight" status, based on their behavior patterns
ReplyDeleteMercy? What is this "mercy" you speak of, outlander? Mercy died when BLM and Antifa killed their first victims. No mercy, no prisoners. When the balloon goes up, it's total war and ZERO rules of engagement.
ReplyDeleteLet me preface my comments with the statement that I am an atheist. With that being said, the protests are supposed to be in opposition to intolerance and in support of justice. I do not see the burning of books as furthering either of those goals.
ReplyDeleteThese 'protests' are merely communist insurgents disguising their movement as a legitimate protest.
The kneel during the national anthem because they know it will anger patriots.
They burn Bibles because they know that it will anger Christians.
They are DARING us to oppose them. They are challenging us to begin the war that will legitimize (in their minds) their revolution.
Soon it will time to grant their wish. I only hope that we have the fortitude to overcome.
I'm with Amahl. This is no time for mercy. Commies are vermin who must be exterminated."You can't run, you can't hide, now you go helicopter ride "
ReplyDeleteI generally would be repeating Divemedic but I add...
ReplyDeleteYou can burn any book but you will not kill the ideas
and stories. By doing so I know who you are and what
you may believe.
As long as the book exists somewhere all they are
is petty arsonists that fear words and ideas they
can't control.
Eck!
It's Portland. They're all nuts there...well, except for the knife-makers and knife companies.
ReplyDeletePsalms 144: 1Of David. Blessed be the LORD, my rock, who trains my hands for war, my fingers for battle. 2He is my steadfast love and my fortress, my stronghold and my deliverer. He is my shield, in whom I take refuge, who subdues peoples under me.…
ReplyDeleteBelievers will need to store bibles for those who need them later.
There is always an unwinnable scenario thus spiritual preps are critical.
To quote Heinrich Heine, commenting the excesses of the Nazis:
ReplyDelete"Where they burn books, they will also ultimately burn people."
When someone says that they hate me, when they go on to show that they hate me, it is only polite to take them at their word.
ReplyDeleteJust because someone is misguided or wrong does not mean that they can't do you serious damage. A lot of people have died because they failed to appreciate that fact.
Peter, I do take offense with them burning The Bible in the setting that they have done it. I have been told that ceremonially burning a Bible that is far beyond use rather than just tossing it in the trash is the right thing to do just as with a national flag. In this case the burning of The Bible was done to deliver an offending message of their hate for the message that The Bible contains. You have said the same. They have established themselves as my moral enemies.
ReplyDelete
ReplyDeleteFrankly, if they were doing the exact same thing with copies of the US Constitution I'd be more offended, but as long as they paid for the items being burned, it's their property and they are free to do with it as they will as a political (and thus constitutionally protected behavior) statement.
I would add a further thought to this conversation; to the extent you permit the actions and expressions of your opponent to influence your actions and expressions, you give power to your opponent over yourself and those who support you (or your position). This generally falls into the behavioral category of BAD IDEA and should be avoided whenever possible.
Debating why you oppose something with others is only to be expected as part of the process of developing any oppositional argument, but allowing your opponent(s) any input to that discussion (even to triggering - and thus framing - it) has the effect of allowing your opponent to develop the opposition he wants you to proffer him.
Burn a Koran - Hate Crime!
ReplyDeleteBurn a Bible - 'Peaceful Protest.'
Bob that's because burning a Koran will get you and yours KILLED.
ReplyDeleteIf they cannot kill you they will destroy you in American Courts, something about making a crippled beggar is an Honor Killing of sorts.
None of that turn the other cheek stuff in Islam.
The Gene Pool needs chlorine STAT.
Funny how they ONLY burned bibles. NO korans...
ReplyDeleteWhen 'The War' starts, the antifa commienazis will find out what the German Nazis and the Japanese found out in World War II- that it doesn't pay to piss off the American people. But you say "aren't they Americans too ?". I say no. They are NOT trying to be Americans. Americans have a specific and unique set of values: self-reliance, rugged individualism, and a love of freedom. These people believe in the opposite. dependence on government for everything, conforming and forcing everyone else to conform, and oppressive rules and laws for us- but not for them. They SAY that they believe in equality for all, but in practice, the citizens are equally poor and deprived of their dignity and the elites of the party live in luxury.
ReplyDeleteAnd they will find out WHY we have the guns and ammo that they want to take from us.
"By their acts shall you know them". They seek to insult us and our Faith.
ReplyDeleteYet they are unwittingly warning us that the time for quiet "words" is ending.
Many of the faithful have seen this coming for some time and thought it through.
Sic.
They're not my enemies because they burned bibles - that just makes them stupid and petty.
ReplyDeleteThey're my enemies because they seek to destroy the country I live in. Burning of bibles is just symbolic of their desires. They have expressed a desire to destroy all that I love. And for the past few decades, they've openly expressed that they desire my death, or at least my destruction.
It only takes one to wage war. When they come, they need to be treated as the enemy that they are.
It is almost like they are children acting up (the "protesters") and their liberal parents (Liberal officials) don't want to punish them and be viewed as mean. I have young children and see a similarities were the parents either want the child to just figure it out on their own or want to be their child's friend. Either way the results are poor.
ReplyDeleteWelcome to the party, Peter. Glad you finally showed up.
ReplyDeleteMy mercy to the Leftists extends to executing them quickly, and offering a chance for the more passive of them to choose banishment instead. But there is going to be an awful lot of pain and anguish along the way.
If you are opposed to the idea that IS America, then you are my enemy. The *protestors* that are on *the news* don't like bibles? Huh, who knew.
ReplyDeletePeople that subscribe to a belief in America as an idea- all men created equal, stuff like that, have no interest in burning books, in destroying others property, or promoting communism. They are Real Americans. The shitbirds in the news are definitely not Real Americans.
The not-real-American crowd IS the enemy. Many of those are amongst the 535 members of congress that swore an oath, and in violation of that oath, are f*ckin commies.
It might be wise for readers to have their own local list of commies. Pray for a conversion of THEIR ways. Pray for them to become Christians, and Real Americans.
Because once the very personal line-in-the-sand of each Real American has been breached, whether by a BLM commie or an elected commie, or a loud mouth neighbor commie well the time to turn those bastards into GOOD COMMIES will have arrived.
p.s. If I recall correctly, Mike Vanderboegh of Sipsey Street fame was once a communist. Then he had an epiphany. He became a Real American, and prepared many for what lies ahead. Rest in Peace Mr. Vanderboegh.
ReplyDeleteI don't care about them at all which is why on my blog I said they were burning korans. The haters would hate them to death. OTGH, I don't have any haters who read my blog so nothing gained, nothing lost.
ReplyDeleteI used to live in that city. 9 months in the shipyard while I lived in West Seattle. I usually spent all but duty days up in the University District. It was once a jewel of a city.