USURY...The Forgotten Evil

[JackHectorman]

Anyone ever see the movie, The Beautiful Mind?

Rick, I saw that movie and I liked it, I thought it was well made, but the main reason
I liked it was because it had a happy ending. I love happy endings because they remind
me of the Bible's happy ending in the book of Revelation and it's happy ending for Christianity
for all of God's people.

Anyway The Beautiful Mind had a happy ending because John Nash
[Russell Crowe] learned to ignore his hallucinations and lead a normal life.





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1/137

I would personally enjoy reading your thoughts on America and hope you
will at least share a few of them. Often folks from far away places can
offer valuable insights about America, imo.

I will give you my quick take on America: I don't think of America as one unified entity except
in the political sense. We obviously are united politically into a nation state, of course
that doesn't mean we agree with each other on politics.

The key. The really crucial all-important DIVIDE in America is it's spiritual division.

Two separate camps. I always think of two separate America's:

(1) Christian America. A huge swath of America [tens of millions] that is based upon Faith in God and
Faith in the Lord Jesus as Savior and based upon Family Principles and the Christian moral code and
who strive for self-reliance in the economic area of life [that is, they work hard and pay their own
way and do not rely on the Nanny Welfare State to keep them up.]

and

(2) Secular-Humanist America that essentially has the false god named Mankind as its object of love and
worship. This large swath of America is AGAINST having faith in God, and in the Lord Jesus, and they are
AGAINST the principles that strengthen the traditional Christian Family unit [for example, a life time
commitment to marriage], and they sneer at the Christian moral code and hold it in contempt.

Basically the political-social-economic struggle in America is between those two visions for America.

[I use the word "basically" because it is NOT always as "cut and dried" as I just described it.
"Cut and dried" is equivalent to "black and white with no gray areas" ... my point is that there
ARE some gray areas, nonetheless the basic struggle is between (1) and (2) up there.

At least that's my take on it.

What do you think?

♫ ♪ ♫ ♪

[JackHectorman]

Countries, like people, at times exhibit evil, sometimes less so, sometimes more so. But God has the big picture, has always had it, and thus sees EVERY country's good and bad all at once. It's the PEOPLE in the countries that make their overall morality what it is. And from the midst of unbelievers and immoral political leadership, there are often those that honor God. From every country and tribe there will be people in Heaven. One God, one Kingdom Church (though presently made up of various denominational flavors). So getting too hung up on political boundaries can be unproductive. EVERY country has terrible sins and will continue to as long as there are fallen, sinful human beings within their borders. Countries are like corporations, they are no more or less moral than those running them, making the decisions behind their actions.
(bolded by Jack)

Philip,

Amen to that statement, much appreciated.

I have always loved these two verses of Scripture:

________________________

"After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count,
from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb.

They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands. And they cried out in a loud voice:

“Salvation belongs to our God,
who sits on the throne,
and to the Lamb"
Rev. 7:9-10
______________________


Your comment reminded me of the above verses.


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[B. W.]

JackH,

You have a good take on what is happening in the USA. I would add that the Secular-Humanist America side is engaged in open psychological warfare against Christianity. They view Christians as the greatest oppressors in all history and the only enemy there is to humanity. They pay little or no attention to Islam. Their vitriol hate is well, insane. It is reaching a new level here. They own the schools and literally attempting to brainwash students into a Marxist group think. They are programmed to respond to fabrically framed social issues and not true economic issues during elections. Much of what JC writes mirrors this group think.

I would add in one other element into American mix and that is those who are numb and blind to what is going on. There only concern is, what's on TV and what's going on in their world only.
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[RickD]

RickD wrote:
Anyone ever see the movie, The Beautiful Mind?

JackH wrote:
Anyway The Beautiful Mind had a happy ending because John Nash
[Russell Crowe] learned to ignore his hallucinations and lead a normal life.

Wow, you people don't catch on, do you?

[JackHectorman]

RickD wrote:
Anyone ever see the movie, The Beautiful Mind?

JackH wrote:
Anyway The Beautiful Mind had a happy ending because John Nash
[Russell Crowe] learned to ignore his hallucinations and lead a normal life.

Wow, you people don't catch on, do you?

I must have missed it Rick, what should I have caught on to?

♫

[RickD]

RickD wrote:
Anyone ever see the movie, The Beautiful Mind?

JackH wrote:
Anyway The Beautiful Mind had a happy ending because John Nash
[Russell Crowe] learned to ignore his hallucinations and lead a normal life.

Wow, you people don't catch on, do you?

I must have missed it Rick, what should I have caught on to?

♫

Not just you Jack, Hana missed it too. Maybe I was too subtle.
Hint: the main character in the movie. What was he suffering from, and what are its symptoms?

[JackHectorman]

JackH,You have a good take on what is happening in the USA.

Thanks, BW.

I would add that the Secular-Humanist America side is engaged in open psychological
warfare against Christianity. They view Christians as the greatest oppressors in all history
and the only enemy there is to humanity.

Amen to that, that's the impression I get also, from reading some of their rants
against Christianity. They love to make anti-Christian movies too, and they also
love to slip in subtle [and often not-so-subtle] short-segment attacks [sound-bytes]
against Christianity even in the movies that are not made specifically to degrade
Christianity. Constant "one-liners" that smear Christianity.

They pay little or no attention to Islam.

Agreed. They know its not "good for their health" to be to critical of Islam.
They know about those human 'noggins that have dropped into the waiting basket.
Its much safer to attack Christianity. So far, to my best knowledge, not a single
human 'noggin has hit the basket floor at the hand of an offended Christian.
But dropping 'noggins is an Islamic pastime, in some quarters of the Islamic World.

Their vitriol hate is well, insane. It is reaching a new level here. They own the
schools and literally attempting to brainwash students into a Marxist group think.

They are programmed to respond to fabrically framed social issues and not true
economic issues during elections.

I hear ya. I'm hoping that the huge mesmerized American electorate will turn the
country back to the right, come Nov. 2014 AND 2016.

It may work out where Barry ends up sending the Donk Party into political
impotence for a decade or two? We'll find out soon enough. The mid-terms
in November ought to be strong indicators of which way the country will
go for the next decade or so.

I would add in one other element into American mix and that is those who are numb and blind
to what is going on. There only concern is, what's on TV and what's going on in their world only.

Exactly! Mesmerized is the word I often use. The American electorate these days is mesmerized
by their own private lives and by their favorite soap operas and other TV charmers. They gave
Clinton and Barry two terms each as POTUS, that will be a total of 16 years of a liberal
in the Oval Office when Barry finishes his present term. And they may even put another
liberal, Billary , .. lol .. in as POTUS in 2016? She's be a trip to be sure.

♫ ♪ ♫ ♪

[RickD]

Yesterday I saw a bumper sticker that said, "And you thought Jimmy Carter was bad".

[JackHectorman]

RickD wrote:
Anyone ever see the movie, The Beautiful Mind?

JackH wrote:
Anyway The Beautiful Mind had a happy ending because John Nash
[Russell Crowe] learned to ignore his hallucinations and lead a normal life.

Wow, you people don't catch on, do you?

I must have missed it Rick, what should I have caught on to?

♫

Not just you Jack, Hana missed it too. Maybe I was too subtle.
Hint: the main character in the movie. What was he suffering from, and what are its symptoms?

Rick,

.. lol .. I think I caught your point when I first read what you said.

To answer your question, Nash was suffering from schizophrenia. He was paranoid and having
delusions. I just shortened all that up with the word "hallucinations" and made the point that
Nash overcame them and went on to lead a normal life, thus holding out hope .. lol .. to any
persons on the web [or anywhere else] that appear to be struggling with, er, well, reality.


♫ ♪ ♫ ♪

[RickD]

RickD wrote:
Anyone ever see the movie, The Beautiful Mind?

JackH wrote:
Anyway The Beautiful Mind had a happy ending because John Nash
[Russell Crowe] learned to ignore his hallucinations and lead a normal life.

Wow, you people don't catch on, do you?

I must have missed it Rick, what should I have caught on to?

♫

Not just you Jack, Hana missed it too. Maybe I was too subtle.
Hint: the main character in the movie. What was he suffering from, and what are its symptoms?

Rick,

.. lol .. I think I caught your point when I first read what you said.

To answer your question, Nash was suffering from schizophrenia. He was paranoid and having
delusions. I just shortened all that up with the word "hallucinations" and made the point that
Nash overcame them and went on to lead a normal life, thus holding out hope .. lol .. to any
persons on the web [or anywhere else] that appear to be struggling with, er, well, reality.


♫ ♪ ♫ ♪

[jcgood]

B.W. wrote:

You have a good take on what is happening in the USA. I would add that the Secular-Humanist America side is engaged in open psychological warfare against Christianity. They view Christians as the greatest oppressors in all history and the only enemy there is to humanity. They pay little or no attention to Islam. Their vitriol hate is well, insane. It is reaching a new level here. They own the schools and literally attempting to brainwash students into a Marxist group think. They are programmed to respond to fabrically framed social issues and not true economic issues during elections. Much of what JC writes mirrors this group think.

Actually ....these statements are only scratching the subjective surface..and avoid the heart of the all issues.

The war is not about flesh and blood at all...

Ephesians 6:12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.

1 Tim 6:10...For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.

...contrary to B.W.'s false assessment.....with no specific statements..as usual......my writing is faithful to exposing .....the fake, exuberant, nationalistic fervor...

of the brainwashed crowd that worships the image of America..as some sort of icon of greatness that the world should all adopt.

Brain-washed and blind......they spin every negative news item...into a flesh and blood reason.....to find some scape goat...."Obama"..."the secular left"..and of course..
that horrible imaginary "Marxist group"...that has ALL THIS [IMAGINARY] POWER...to crush our way of life
...if you want to shut down any discussion....just throw out the name of Marx

How does this square with.......The Sovereign Lord saying...."I will build my Church...and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it" ?

...B.W.....doesn't even qualify his negativity....he just throws out..."secular"...and "the left".....and we just have to assume that he means that in a negative sense
...because we are not mind readers.

But this is just what the unholy marriage of staunch, partisan ideology with the Christian faith...does to political discussion....
It suppresses any other idea...and makes specious claims ...without any back up....

When listening to atheists and secularists.....I actually think they have done a good job of calling out the hypocrisy ...

"Just like what Nazi Germany did to the Jews, so liberal America is now doing to the evangelical Christians. It's no different. It is the same thing. It is happening all over again. It is the Democratic Congress, the liberal-based media and the homosexuals who want to destroy the Christians. Wholesale abuse and discrimination and the worst bigotry directed toward any group in America today. More terrible than anything suffered by any minority in history." –Pat Robertson

....this is who is talking for..."our side"......?

http://politicalhumor.about.com/library ... S=710%3A13

.....If one wants to win listeners....one will not with this tone of condescension...and surface scratching error...

contrary to what B.W. suggests...the Bible does in truth call out the oppression of the poor..in many passages.....

It's sad ...when atheists can point out the duplicity of right-wing ideology and nationalism.....that goes over the heads of those wallowing in
carnality....

...Heaven celebrates when a sinner is brought to repentance....not when the U.S. overturns Roe Vs Wade.....any questions..?

Our citizenship is in heaven.

Peace and cleanliness of mind...to you all..

[RickD]

Has anyone seen the movie, A Beautiful Mind?

jcgood wrote:
...Heaven celebrates when a sinner is brought to repentance....not when the U.S. overturns Roe Vs Wade.....any questions..?

So, in your idea of heaven, the Good Lord doesn't give a crap if babies are being legally murdered?

[1over137]

Rick, i caught you too, but you did not catch that i caught

[RickD]

Rick, i caught you too, but you did not catch that i caught

it'll be our secret.

[1over137]

Rick, i caught you too, but you did not catch that i caught

it'll be our secret.

Sure