I am reading a book from Remnant Publications called The Great Controversy. http://www.remnantpublications.com/default/index.php/books/great-controversy-project/great-controversy-missionary-edition.html The lesson of this book is that if we aren't very careful, history will repeat itself..."Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Great men are almost always bad men."
I had heard about "the reformation" but never really knew how horrible the persecution of Christians throughout history had been (and it is still going on today just as horribly at the hands of Muslims in the middle east). The Roman Empire and the early Catholic church used the Word to enslave the masses. With no access to a Bible, the subjects of the empire were forced to rely on the Pope and his officers for their interpretation of scripture. The church grew rich and powerful by the sale of indulgences...just pay a fee and you can continue to sin and be absolved. The problem with that plan is that absolution only comes through Christ but the people were not allowed to hear that. Satan was able to corrupt the Word from the earliest of times with the temptation of great wealth and power. Although the struggle continues today, men like Martin Luther discovered that the Living Word of the Bible is something for every individual to experience on their own - not to become a tool for emperors to wield power or to enrich the coffers of the church.
Yesterday I was listening to KRTS Marfa Public Radio and they were playing some "best of" the NPR series This American Life. This particular episode kind of sums it all up. This YouTube video is audio only but well worth the listen.
Galatians 2:20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live ; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.
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6 comments:
Very nice This American Life piece. Although MLK was a man of faith, I don't believe he died as a result of his faith. He died as a result of the southern white man's fear and hatred of blacks, and the prospect of their eventual equality. Unfortunately, that hatred of blacks is still pervasive in the south. Its sadly ironic that so many of those southern whites were/are devout Christians.
Howdy TFL,
In college I wrote my mid-term thesis on Zwingli, as he was another of the GREAT REFORMATIONISTS, and no one hardly ever mentions him...
I am a born & raised TEXAN, who has ALWAYS been taught ALL MEN ARE CREATED EQUAL and SHOULD HAVE EQUAL RESPECT !!! I was also raised on a farm, with ALL types of farm-type help and the GREATEST CATTLEMAN I ever knew, was as black as a moonless night... Mr. Will Washington was the equal of any intelligent man alive.. I still
HONOR HIM !!! That was nearly 80 years ago...
learned something new - didn't know places like Boston, Chicago, Duncan and Los Angles were in the "south" or that racism was strictly a geographic phenomena or tied to a single religion, but maybe that's what happens when complex interactions are reduced to "black & white" simplistic interpretations - always good to be set straight, eh.
A worthy message Mr. Wells, but even though it can be read and/or listened to, it still doesn't always get through - one of life's mysteries. Keep the faith.
The Sin of Partiality
just a brief addendum:
your post is nudging me to noodle over this -
pretty interesting guy and story -
the pink Martin Luther
Hans Luder
from whose lips to whose ears, pendejo:
for an insult to work, 'hurler' & 'hurlee' have to be participants.
cracker
cracka
just saying, language, education (or the lack of it) and mis-education may be large culprits in the overall equation… e.g. equality≠equal…
Uncle Kracker/Dobie, we all win
Vaya con Dios
I offer this in a spirit of friendship of why the Reformation was flawed.
John 6:54
http://biblehub.com/john/6-54.htm
Peace to all.
djc
More people have died in the name of "Christianity" than any other religion on our planet. All other religions pale in comparison.
Just the facts....
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