Politics

Censorship

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The USA used to be a country where free speech reigned. Seemingly, not any more. Now big corporations can censor even the President. (Sorry – this is a relatively long post).

Okay, now that I’ve got your attention, let’s look at what’s happening – at the root of the issue. The issue is people being blocked from saying what they want when they want.

But was this ever the case? Not really. Every culture has its rules about what can and can not be talked about. Even in the ‘olden days’ of the USA, if you talked openly about murdering a child you’d encounter a lot of difficulty. Some level of censorship has always been around and is actually good for society.

But who sets the rules as to what is good for society and what is not? We now live in a society where special interest groups (they started and are promulgating ‘political correctness’) and big corporations can decide on what is truth and what is not. Both are forms of censorship.

Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and others have started banning persons from using their platforms if the person is, in their opinion, promoting falsehood. Right now its all about ‘making sure people know the truth about Covid-19 vaccines.’ But will it stop there? Is it really about truth?

That sounds like a good cause, doesn’t it? But who is deciding what is ‘true’ and what is ‘not true’? Apparently the corporations have taken it upon themselves to do so. Unknown people in their organizations are being allowed to tell millions of people what they can and can not think! And what are they being told to think? Whatever the corporations want them to think.

I wonder if it is even allowed to discuss whether or not the AstraZeneca jab is good for people over 65? Why? Some countries allow it and some don’t, both sides citing ‘science’. And yet, when Twitter, YouTube, Facebook, or Instagram decide that the jab is okay, they can suddenly start censoring anyone that disagrees with them.

Here is a quote from Twitter’s Help Center (help.twitter.com/en/rule – general guidelines and policies) as to what grounds can be used to ban a person.

If a post promotes “The safety or efficacy of treatments or preventative measures that are not approved by health authorities…” it can be removed and the author banned.

Sounds good, but suddenly all those that hold to natural medicines and herbs could be found in violation of Twitter’s policies!

I can take just about any one of their ‘policies’ and easily extend it into broader areas such as I did in the above example. It shows that the issue isn’t actually about truth, but about the power of being able to tell millions what to think.

Why do I bring all this up? Well, besides the fact that it is a frightening precedent, it won’t stop at silencing unpopular political figures or people with concerns about the vaccine.

History has proved over and over that such movements grow unless there is an uprising of the people (Uh-oh – I used the word ‘uprising’! Am I now in danger of inciting violence?) Look at the political correctness issue. It started with just one issue, but as it became successful, political correctness started dictating what people can and can not say or do in just about every situation in life.

Truth is not the issue behind the censorship!

Why am I concerned? Because religious freedom is falling. Political correctness has already started battering at what Christians can and can not say, and soon they will be banned from social media sites if they hold to traditional values. Don’t believe me? The beginnings are already happening. Look to our learning institutions. Traditional moral values and belief in God are becoming unwanted and targeted. Look at the many law suits against various learning institutions that are currently in progress!

Soon it will be that to even name ‘Jesus’ will be considered a crime. I know this sounds extreme, but it is the logical progression of the various movements currently sweeping this country.

If, after reading this, you are thinking that such won’t happen, or that companies have the right to decide who and what to ban, or that it needs to be done because lives are at stake, then you are missing the point completely.

It will happen. Just read some recent history to see how the political correctness movement started and then progressed. The same type of thing will happen (and has already started) with this censorship.

Companies do and don’t have the right to block people based on the person’s beliefs. That is a legal battle going on in this country right now. One example is the recent case determining whether or not a small bakery has the right to refuse to make a wedding cake for a gay couple.

Lives are at stake? True, but the core issue is who decides what is truth and what is not. Do we want big companies deciding for us?

If the issue were anything but political, and it is political, there are better ways to ensure that ‘truth’ is available to all and easy to find. The IEEE organization (the group that sets communication standards that all phones and computers use) recently ran an article about how one could make a change to the operation of the internet that would make it far easier to verify the truth of an article.

But the issue isn’t truth.

Letting people decide for themselves is not wanted. Groups, corporations, and governments want power over people. It’s always been that way.

I fear for religious freedom in this country! Such forces as the special interest groups and large corporations have been battling against Christianity for several decades now, and this current trend of censorship will start battling Christianity very soon, if it hasn’t already.

Wake up! Most people in this country don’t know what it means, or what it is like, to live in a country where speech is monitored closely. I hope we don’t go that far, but we’re certainly on the road there. Inevitably, this censorship moves into religion. Why?

The apostle Paul tells us that there are spiritual forces at work, and the battle we see is only a reflection of a spiritual truth. One of those truths is that Yeshua (Jesus) is returning to judge the living and the dead. Will he find you following and obeying his word?

A spillover from the spiritual battle of people coming to know Yeshua and the subsequent freedom and peace that brings, is the battle to suppress all things Biblical.

Let your voice be heard! Pray for your country! Respect one another!

Shalom, – Yosef

Are you a Democrat or a Republican?

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Voting is over for the 2020 election here in the USA, but the results aren’t yet final. Though I think everyone should exercise their privilege of being able to vote, this post is not actually about the election!

On voting day I was listening in to part of a 24 hour prayer meeting, called for people to pray for the election. At one point, one person started praying that people would repent for things this nation has done, but the moderator (gently) stopped him told people to keep the prayers on the topic of getting their candidate elected.

Yet what does God want?

Interestingly, people on both sides seem to think that God wants their particular candidate to be the next president of the USA. Yet no one seems to care about the state of this country from God’s perspective!

So what does this country stand for?

– Abortion: our international polices even require nations accepting help from us to offer abortion services! We push abortion on our own people and the nation! And our legislators applaud themselves when laws are passed that make abortion easier and more prevalent in this nation.

– Immorality: our entertainment industry thrives on sex; not wholesome sex, but sex outside God’s boundaries, making it seem normal to have sex between friends and with other married people.,

– Godlessness: Our nation (via entertainment and educational industries) is actively and forcefully promoting a Godless world view.

And Christianity has been turning a blind eye to all this. Worse, we’ve been actively supporting it! How? By throwing out God’s word. Churches somehow believe that God’s word needs to be ‘made relevant’, which is to say ‘changed’. It’s no wonder that churches are losing their relevancy in the eyes of the younger generations.

Of course, this whole issue feeds upon itself by all the wrong teaching out there. Everyone interprets God’s word in a way that supports their own ideas.

We need to REPENT! We need to repent on behalf of our country and our churches and our selves!

Let us return to simply following Yeshua (Jesus), and get rid of all the theology that so divides! Yeshua prayed to the Father, “Father, make them one.” He did not pray, “make them thousands of different denominations” as it would seem he did when one looks at the state of Christianity in the world.

Being ‘one’ does not mean ‘being the same.’ The apostle Shaul (Paul) writes about how their are different ‘vessels’ (different people with different roles and ideas) and different gifts, but all make up one body.

It is time to quite judging one another (have we forgotten Yeshua‘s words in the sermon on the mount: ‘do not judge lest you be judged’?).

James writes, ‘pure religion is this, to look out for the widows and orphans, and keep oneself unstained by the world.’ How many of us do that? Yah (the LORD) says, “‘I am Yehovah (the LORD) that exercises mercy, justice, and righteousness on the earth, for I delight in these things’ declares Yehovah (the LORD).” (Jer. 9:24).

So, let us repent on behalf of our nation, our churches, and ourselves, and return to Yeshua. Then lets discuss who should be president.

Shalom! – Yosef

Entitlement Extreme!

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The USA just cut all funding to UNRWA.  BBC news (1.Sept.2018) carried this headline: “Palestinians brand US aid cut to UN group ‘a flagrant assault’.”

An “assault”?!  What?!  Behind this comment I see an entitlement mentality that is very deep rooted in their society.  Why do the Palestinians feel that we have to support them?

And, as long as I’m asking a couple questions, here are a couple more.

Why is there a UN group (UNRWA) devoted to a refugee group of a single people, while all other refugees in the world are handled by a different UN group?

Why is UNRWA still around, and continuing to expand its own charter to include more and more Palestinians?

Why is UNRWA still active in the West Bank and Gaza when both those areas are independent Palestinian controlled and run areas?

Okay, just so you know, UNRWA is an UN group devoted solely to helping Palestinian refugees.  It began formal operations on 1 May 1950, not quite two years after the surrounding Arab countries invaded the newly formed Israel (also formed by UN mandate).

Now I don’t disagree that the Palestinians need help, I just question what is really going on?  There is something really fishy (to use some slang) going on.  The above questions point out some of this, and the Palestinians suggestion that we (the USA) somehow ‘owe’ them support is beyond understanding.

The comment from the Palestinian leaders is consistent with the type of language they use to fire up the media to champion their cause.  The phrase ‘a flagrant assault’ is an emotionally laden phrase that immediately puts most people on their side.  (So why does the media fall for this and use such tactics themselves when they champion a cause?) Such emotionalism is usually used to provide a smoke screen over what is really going on.

Personally, I find UNRWA as being counter productive.  There doesn’t seem to be any impetus for any of the surrounding Arab countries to absorb the Palestinians (actually, a couple countries blatantly said ‘no’) even though this is the norm for refugees from other areas.  Neither is there any impetus for either the rulers of Gaza or the West Bank to set up and run a decent infrastructure as they receive so much international aid.

Yes, there is a problem.  But the problem isn’t that the refugees exist and how can they be brought back to ‘their’ land; the problem is why are there still Palestinian refugees and why are they being used as pawns in the push to drive all Jews into the sea?

This is a hot topic among many so I hope to see other’s commenting!

  • Yosef

 

Changing Words; Changing Ways; Changing God…

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A recent article in the BBC news is about body scanners being used in some Los Angeles (USA) subways.  Subway officials apparently touted the new scanners as ‘voluntary,’  but those refusing to go through the scanner won’t be allowed on the subway.

I don’t know about you, but to me that is a complete changing of the meaning of the word ‘voluntary.’  It has been made into its exact opposite: ‘required.’

This isn’t the only example of words having their meanings drastically changed recently.  It’s happening somewhat frequently, especially by special interest groups wanting to spread their philosophy of life and its rampantly done in politics.

Isaiah 5:20 states, “Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, …” (ESV).

So what should believers in God and followers of Yeshua (Jesus) do about this?

First, learn to recognize when, where and how this is happening.  Then learn the truth.

Why, you ask?  Because, over time, the new definition of word will become the accepted norm, even when it is against God’s word, or at the expense of a group of people.

Take the onslaught against Israel as an example.

Israel is called ‘apartheid’, yet nowhere in Israel’s laws or culture do you find a people group discriminated against.  That is what ‘apartheid’ means, such as what one had in S. Africa where it was encoded into law that one group of people was lower then another.  We all know that ‘apartheid’ is bad, so when a group accuses Israel as being an apartheid state because of the Palestinian situation, you, as a reader, immediately associate a negative thought with Israel even if there is no truth to it.  (If you want to claim that Israel is an apartheid state because of the lot the Palestinians are in, you desperately need to read about real apartheid, such as what was happening in S. Africa some decades ago.  That was apartheid.  And also about the history of the Palestinians.)

Another example is how we redefine words in the Bible to fit what we want to hear.

Paul writes, in a negative fashion, about people observing different days, seasons and years.  A typical reader, who has heard and is perhaps even knowledgeable in Christian theology, will immediately associate this reference as Paul speaking against observing God’s sabbath or feast days.  ‘Days, seasons and years’ is changed to “Sabbath, feasts, and other ‘Jewish’ observances.”  The whole context of who the letter is being written to, Paul’s beliefs, and Paul’s actions is completely ignored.  The letter is written (mostly) to Gentiles, and the Gentile world back then was full of all sorts of observances of days and times and season.  That was a normal part of gentile life!  And Paul himself is seen observing both the Sabbath and some feast days in the book of Acts!  If he really meant to speak negatively about those things, then he disqualifies himself as someone to be listened to.

Lastly there is Yeshua’s use of the word ‘food’ in the gospel of Mark, where it is written, “…by this he declared all food clean.”  Ignored is the immediate context of what is being written about.  Ignored is also the fact that Jews back then weren’t sitting on the edge of their seats waiting for someone to tell them that pork was to be eaten!  They didn’t even consider it food, just as I don’t consider worms, ants, or insects as food even though others do.  When someone says ‘food’ to me, I don’t start thinking about those things at all.  Not even a smidgen.

In the same way, when the word ‘food’ was mentioned to the ancient Jews, their thoughts were about those things they considered food (which were those things God called clean)!  They would have immediately understood that Yeshua (Jesus) was stating that the washing of hands before eating had no impact on whether a food was clean or not clean, as the Pharisees were claiming.

So, be it in every day life, politics, or reading our Bibles, be aware of changing what words mean!

Shalom,

  • Yosef

 

Free to Say Anything We Want!?

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The media is full of news about people using words to hurt.  Trump haters and Trump supporters both vociferously attack one another.  People are taken to court over using a word or phrase others don’t like.  Political correctness is being imposed by those that want it.  How is a follower of Messiah Yeshua (Christ Jesus) supposed to respond to this?

Well, first of all, we need to realize that “freedom of speech” is not a Biblical concept.  Not at all.   Rather, we are told to:

  • Don’t bear false witness (don’t lie about others; don’t repeat gossip; don’t disparage another’s reputation; don’t exaggerate when bearing witness to another’s failings).  See Exodus 20:16.
  • Don’t mention other gods.  See Exodus 23:13.
  • Don’t call anyone a fool.   See Matthew 5:22 – spoken by Yeshua (Jesus).
  • Encourage one another.   See 1 Thessalonians 5:11.
  • Only talk in an edifying manner.  See Colossians 4:6.

In this we can see that as people of God, we don’t have ‘freedom of speech.’  Rather, we are told to control our speech and words in all circumstances.  In this way we show ourselves to be full of the Holy Spirit and to be written in His “Book of Life.”

This doesn’t mean that we can’t share opinions, if done correctly.  Discussing differing opinions, be that in life, politics, or religion, sharpens our understanding and often shows us where we may be wrong.

It is when we ignore the above that things happen like what has happened in the last few weeks: tempers flaring and violence, such as: a teenager had his ‘pro Trump’ cap ripped off his head (and the perpetrator isn’t even charged with assault); another teenager is reprimanded for having a ‘pro Trump’ T-shirt on in school (not in violation of the dress code); a known charity personage has to resign because of a misunderstood comment about burkas.  (By the way, I use these examples because they are fairly recent, not because I’m trying to make a political point.)

True freedom comes from walking in God’s ways, and His way is to use encouraging speech!  And doing so also shows love to one another.

So, watch your tongue, and encourage one another in Messiah Yeshua!

Shalom,

  • Yosef

Migrant Crisis in the USA

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The migrant crisis has been dominating news media for many days now.  Everyone is hollering that children should not be separated from their parents, or locked up with their parents.  This ‘crisis’ brings many hot issues together, and this posting is too short to address more then one issue.  So, does the Bible give any guidance at all about the issue of separating children of illegal migrants from their parents? 

In answering this question, two scriptures (among others) are considered.  They are:

You shall have one law for him who does anything unintentionally, for him who is native among the people of Israel and for the stranger who sojourns among them. Numbers 15:29 (ESV)

and

…But if you show partiality, you are committing sin and are convicted by law as transgressors.  James 2:9 (ESV)

The discussion is in the forum (click here to see the discussion; click here to sign up).

Check out the discussion and give your opinion.  Mostly, think about how a follower of God and Yeshua (Jesus) should respond to this issue.

  • Yosef

Hypocrisy from Politicians and Media

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There have been two events recently that I want to comment on.  Things such as this are happening more and more frequently.  I can’t comment on them all, and as this blog has just started, I have to start somewhere.  So here goes…

The ban of incoming Muslim immigrants has been likened to the internment of Japanese citizens during WWII.  Amazingly, some people and media are keeping the two separate, as they are separate issues.  The one is banning people from entering the USA.  The other is rounding up and interring people, citizens included, that already live in the USA.  (One of the problems here is that both occurred at the same time during WWII, so some people apparently can’t separate the two issues.)  To liken the one to the other is a deliberate flaming of emotions to get a response.  It is the exact type of thing targeted by these words from God,

You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor. (Exodus 20:16 – ESV)

Whenever we deliberately twist facts to emphasize the point we want to make, it is the same as bearing false witness.  We need to watch our speech!

The other incident is in the backlash of where the Red Hen restaurant asked the White House press secretary to leave.  She was there with family members.

In the backlash a certain senator from California, a democrat, is calling for people to rise up and protest against them directly.  (Do note, however, that many other Democrats publicly disagreed with her).  Her call to protest is surprising as there are still many incidents of people being refused service for one reason or another, or people refusing to serve.  The incident of the baker refusing to make a special order wedding cake for a gay couple comes to mind.

Aside from the fact that the senator’s call for protest brings to my memory the ugly, and occasionally violent protests from Democrats against Republicans that were happening when President Trump was campaigning and shortly after he was elected, her call is screaming hypocrisy.  It is sad when such a leader in the congress and on the political stage makes such a comment.  It also brings up into light the whole question, again, as to when we, as citizens, can refuse to deal with particular people or groups based on our beliefs.  Courts have ruled several times that public companies must serve people irregardless of lifestyle.  Does this extend to ones political belief?  According to the California senator, not only does it not extend to one’s political belief, but violence is okay when going after those of the opposing political belief.

We are called to pray for, and obey, our Government.  We can protest – that is a right in this country.  But we need to be careful to not step over the line and not commit murder (which, when Yeshua (Jesus) explained, includes even calling one another names – see the sermon on the mount in Matthew chapters 5 to 7), and not bear false witness.

Believers in this country need to repent on behalf of their country and pray for peace in our country.  More then that, we need to start paying attention to both the commandments, “do not bear false witness”, and Yeshua’s words in Matthew 5:22, “whoever insults his brother will be liable to judgement.”

  • Yosef

Truth! Does it exist anymore?

/ Yosef (ytl) / 2 Comments

After this recent presidential election the news media is buzzing with the idea that we are now in a ‘post truth’ era.  Social media is making the idea of truth nebulous.   According to Stephan Lewandowsky (via BBC Future) of the University of Bristol, “There is a large proportion of the population in the US living in what we would regard as an alternative reality.  They share things with each other that are completely false.  Any attempt to break through these bubbles is fraught with difficulty…”

This attitude started several decades ago in the Christian church, and has spread throughout society.  Christianity, in the western cultures such as in the USA, decided that the Word of God was subject to individual interpretation and truth could be redefined.  Now we not only do not know what truth is, but there is opposition to the idea that there is a truth.

On the flip side, there is a movement within Christianity to return to God’s word, and a movement in society to figure out what is true (fact checking is becoming more known).

It is written that God, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the God of Yeshua (called Jesus), is the same yesterday, today, and forever.  His word is as true today as it has ever been, and it does not change.  We need to repent and return to God’s ways.  Turn from all the traditions and interpretations that have been built up around God’s words, obscuring and even nullifying His word.

God has said that we are neither to add to nor subtract from His word (Deuteronomy 4:2).  Judaism loves to add to His word.  Christianity loves to subtract from His word.  Repentance is needed.

-Yosef

 

The U.N. and Hanukkah

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The U.N. passed a resolution recently condemning Israel and the settlements.  For the first time, the U.S.A. did not veto the resolution.  Here are a couple thoughts.

In the time of the Hanukkah story, there was a ‘peace for land’ deal.  (Read the history – fairly recent discoveries).  A king told the leader of the fledgling nation, “Give us land or there will be war.”  Land was given.  Did it work?  Of course not – that king shortly thereafter invaded.

Now the U.N. is saying, “give land or they can be no peace.”  Will it work?  What land is wanted?

It is said that Israel should go back to the 1967 boundaries.  Okay.  What happened in 1967 that the boundaries changed?  There was a war – the ‘6 day war.’  Israel’s neighbors, including countries such as Egypt and Syria, we planning on invading Israel, and were amassing troops and weapons.  Egypt even convinced the U.N. to pull out of the zone it was monitoring so that Egypt could invade.

So, the U.N. is saying to Israel, go back to the way things were where your neighbors were planning and executing invasions to wipe you out.  This is supposed to be reasonable?

-Yosef