A tribute to a fine lady, humanitarian extraordinaire and free-thinking, conciliatory activist all wrapped into one person: Jo Cox, Member of (the British) Parliament

One thing appears dead certain as a result of the horrific, cold-blooded killing of Jo Cox, British M.P. for the constituency of Batley and Spen: the campaign to leave the clutches of the European Union, and therefore symbolically of Europe itself, has not only been *sabotaged, but perhaps irretrievably lost beyond repair. Interestingly, my 'ole (1988) Concise Chambers Dictionary defines 'sabotage' as a/the 'malicious destruction: action taken to prevent the achievement of any aim.' So 'successful' - in terms of its efficacy - it might well prove to (have) be(en). Only 'successful' in completely the opposite way of what the assassin - supposedly - intended. Successful, yes indeed, yes sirree.

And, what's all the worse, Brexit might well have been sunken without a trace, beyond hope of recall by a fellow who would've, indeed at his pre-trial or preliminary court appearance, unmistakably did, fly his colours to just such a political mast. Believing that the means one chooses to use somehow as if magically has the ability to justify whatever noble ends one claims to pursue is a hoary old belief well and truly threadbare and decaying under the weight of the ages, with the wrecks of human history attesting it everywhere on all sides. Thus, in one highly efficacious brutal gesture a man marginally older than myself, a 52-year-old British National Socialist (i.e. neo-Nazi) not only put paid to the earthly life of a passionate and idealistic champion of the underdog both in Britain and overseas, a mother of two beloved kids and loving, devoted husband, and a selfless parliamentary advocate of the downtrodden and needy, he thus effectively put paid to what up to that point was rapidly turning into a potential rout, a possible landslide even, for the exit campaign. A tragedy indeed on many fronts.

Although her assassination appears likely to skew the result of the Brexit referendum in the United Kingdom beginning within hours, and that is a result which I see as not merely a missed opportunity - of a lifetime - for the Brits, the Welsh, the Scots and the Northern Irish, but actually as an unmitigated tragedy of unseen but nevertheless well-portended proportions, one ever needs to keep everything in perspective. As British comedian extraordinaire John Cleese, aka Basil Fawlty - and I agreeably note a Brexiter as well - and his colleagues in that classic film 'The Life of Brian' so memorably intone (at its conclusion), one must ever, "al-ways look on the bri-ght si-de of life, (ditto, ditto, ditto)". Or as our, i.e. Aotearoa-New Zealand's own (Aussie export) John Clarke, aka Fred Dagg, himself put it a few odd decades ago, despite all that seems to go wrong at times (both in our personal lives and in the world at large): "We [really] don't how [just] how lucky we are." Though such a sentiment expressed towards Mr Cox and family would be a cruel, callous comment if ever there were one, and this writer obviously doesn't remotely intend that.

And thus I here devote a few, the following words to simply pay a brief tribute to someone I see, in many respects, as a kindred spirit, if not in terms of all her political i's and t's squaring with my own, but as someone whose essential philosophy of life embodied principles our world sorely needs and can ill-afford to lose. Sadly, if only in her person, it has. Since I'd already intended posting this by now, and yesterday evening planned doing so by this afternoon at the latest, I was amazed  upon hearing overnight that today would've been her 42nd birthday. And so I'll quickly 'pen' my words and move on, elsewhere, to some other Brexit-related thoughts she might well have struggled with perhaps, philosophically I'd prefer to think while hopefully respecting the spirit behind them. (While I most definitely don't intend Mrs Cox in the following thoughts, nevertheless in general one can only hope that those who ever so stridently maintain their 'tolerant' posture towards every-one and all things under the sun themselves are willing to show that selfsame tolerance and understanding when dealing with those who don't happen to see all things eye to eye with them. That, indeed, is the true test of such people's 'tolerance', of whether it's the real, genuine article or merely yet another bit of political jargon, an emotive smokescreen looking to deflect attention from an unpleasant, unanswerable argument they'd simply prefer not to have to deal, contend or grapple with.)

The one and only matter I feel - remotely - 'competent' to comment upon in regards to Jo Cox, the person, and passionate advocate for the world's downtrodden, is this: like Yours Truly - and for those who assume I'm simply belatedly jumping onto the bandwagon, trying to look good and prescient in retrospect by vicariously nailing my colours to the mast of a cause which has finally achieved public acceptance - simply check my early blogposts on the matter, especially upon http://davidedwinisms.blogspot.co.nz/ (or .com/) back in 2012 and 2013; plus email correspondence I then had with New Zealand Green M.P. Kennedy Graham. Sadly ye public has still to rally to the cause, and somehow I doubt it's about to anytime soon. Like myself Ms Cox early on advocated for the plight of Syrians as Syrian refugees started flooding out of Syria, and indeed was apparently likewise extremely critical of the likes of the US of A and others who were effectively leaving them, like lambs to/for the slaughter, to the fate of Bashar al-Assad and his ruthless regime; just as President George Bush Senior shamefully and shamelessly left the Kurds in northern Iraq to the dastardly fate their erstwhile bloody dictator Saddam Hussein shortly thereafter had in store for them.

Some things do indeed change remarkably little down through recent years. Incidentally, if one wanted yet another perfect example of the utter impotence of the United Nations in our present-day world, alongside that great humanitarian and Nobel Peace prize-winner otherwise known as American President Barack Obama, one really need look not one millimetre beyond Syria. So much for 'do nothings' and those who put down inviolable 'red lines' for other nations; they're clearly not worth the tissue, let alone toilet paper, they're scribbled on.

Referring back to my earlier delineation of the actual meaning of sabotage - although defining 'treason' and treachery would provide ample food for thought for another blogpost, surely - let me tie that in with my conclusion, as follows: really, it little matters whether that was his intention, indeed it was arguably the last thing on his mind - short of some elaborate conspiracy secretly masterminded by the Eurocrats and their most die-hard, unyielding sympathizers themselves, which of course ever remains a possibility in most such assassinations but would appear wholly unlikely in this instance - it appears unerringly likely to lead to just such a result. Yet of course we will never know, whether - but for the awful ungraciousness of this one murderous fiend - things might've been different; though I suspect many Eurosceptics including Yours Truly, will ever suspect it did sink the exit campaign, if sink it so transpires it does.

Seemingly/Supposedly A Self-Contradiction in Terms, Yet Supremely Self-Consistent in The Essentials

May I simply restate the words of Scripture - so 'simple' a little child can understand them, yet so profoundly un-'simplistic' they have charmed and ever will charm and astonish the greatest minds throughout time and eternity: in their bearing upon a question of present moment, i.e. the future of Great Britain (England/Wales/Scotland/Northern Ireland) or the United Kingdom - within 'greater' Europe, and especially as part of the European Union, and moreover a future now much speculated upon - and moreover biblically-prophesied - United States of Europe:

"And the fourth kingdom shall be      >     **Whereas you saw the feet and toes,
as strong as iron, inasmuch as iron            partly of potter's clay and partly of iron,
breaks in pieces and shatters every-         yet the kingdom shall be divided; the
thing; and like iron that crushes, that        strength of the iron shall be in it, just as
kingdom will break in pieces and crush    you saw the iron mixed with ceramic
all the others.                                           clay. (Italics all mine.) 

***And as the toes of the feet were  >     ****As you saw iron mixed with ce-
partly of iron and partly of clay, so the       ramic clay, they will mingle with the
kingdom shall be partly strong and             seed of men; but they will not adhere to
partly fragile.                                             one another, just as iron does not mix
                                                                with clay.(Italics all mine.)
[The Book of Daniel, chapter 2: 40-43]

So how do I somehow 'conjure up' Europe from those particular Scriptures, as well as from those shortly to follow? Well, as a matter of fact those prophecies of Daniel - if not those here to follow from its Newer Testament 'sister book' (of major end-time prophecy), i.e. Revelation, though many including Yours Truly see direct and striking parallels between the two (in this and so many other respects) - in their 'latter days' ' application to Europe in all its ramifications, have historically been taken pretty well 'as a given' in thus delineating the continent and its inter-related members. But for now, though I hate to be thus included in this class of 'folk', you'll simply have to do something which one constantly hears politicians asking one: So I ask you - for now - to "simply trust me" that said prophetic delineation here impressively and unmistakably identifies the relevant nations specified as being none other than those of Europe indeed, the whole of Europe, and nothing but Europe. (I'll keep you posted - and in the not too distant.)

But now let's fast-forward over half a millennium to Daniel's Newer Testament
counterpart, John, author of the prophetic Book of Revelation. Reading now in
chapter 17: 12-13, 16-17:

*The ten horns which you saw are      >   **These are of one mind, and they
ten kings[i.e. rulers/political leaders]         will give their power and authority to
who have received no king-                     the beast.
dom as yet, but they receive authority
for one hour as kings[i.e.fellow-rulers]
with the beast.(Italics all mine.)

***And the ten horns which you saw  >   ****For God has put it into their hearts
on the beast, these will hate the harlot,       to fulfill His purpose, to be of one mind,
make her desolate and naked, eat her       and to give their kingdom to the beast,
flesh and burn her with fire.                       until the words of God are fulfilled.

So yes, the ages-long 'project' to reunite Europe, though deliberately, intentionally thwarted by divine power and purpose alone throughout recent centuries, will - in coming time - temporarily, if ever so very briefly (in the overall scheme of things) 'succeed'. But N.B., this will not really contradict Daniel's age-old prophecy, inasmuch as this exceptionally brief, of 'one hour' biblical duration, is itself part of 'fulfil.[ment]' of 'His purpose'. And thankfully the LORD God ever has the last and final, ultimate word on all matters, and thus in Daniel 2:44 we read the following:

And in the days of these kings the
God of heaven will set up a kingdom
which shall never be destroyed; and the
kingdom shall not be left to other peo-
ple; it shall break in pieces  and consume
all these kingdoms, and it shall stand
forever. (Italics mine.)

So perhaps - assuming the Bremainers win the forthcoming referendum - the cataclysmic end they have forecast for Great Britain if it Brexits will actually come upon them, having remained, anyhow, and despite all their best (or more accurately characterized as worst) efforts; if not hastened by remaining, certainly not curtailed or prevented, occurring on the gradual instalment scheme or process as they continue to slip down the long slippery slope into the status of utterly disempowered sovereignless state dictated to by a faceless elite whose actuating motives, purposes, modus operandi and *modus vivendi are anything but mild, moderate and well-intentioned. (*A word, just discovered, with uncannily apt applicability to the present occasion, meaning, as my trusted 1988 Chambers  Concise Dictionary puts it: not only 'way of life or living', but moreover 'an arrangement or compromise by means of which those who differ may get on together for a time'; yes, indeed, some might well argue that that is precisely what the long-suffering Brits (and Welsh, Scots and Northern Irish) have now been experiencing for a long time anyway!)

No, few expressions of thanks will then be given to their efforts to thwart the natural will of the British people to re-assert their historic, God-given greatness no longer shackled by and to a European project whose own result and end-product - far from preventing the ultimate demise of Western and European civilization as we've known it - can surely only precipitate it headlong in that very direction, by helping to bring one and all - both throughout Europe and elsewhere - under the long-predicted (and some would claim prophesied) One World Government of Earth's very last days.

But if - though my sense of this is sadly increasingly less confident - the United Kingdom breaks off the shackles of their erstwhile bondage to a system and constitution whose only real object is both her temporal and eternal subservience to the prince of this world and his ever-active lackeys, the end will still come - as surely as otherwise - but at least they will not be bound in the same 'bundle to be burned' on That Great Day of the Lord's speedily-coming Second Advent to our world in power and glory - 'in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God, and on those who do not obey the gospel of...Jesus Christ.' Indeed,

These shall be punished with ever-  
lasting destruction from the presence of
the Lord and from the glory of His
power,
when He comes, in that Day, to be
glorified in His saints and to be admired
among all those who believe...

May we indeed be found individually - if (alas, certainly) not nationally - among those so 'eagerly [a]wait[ing]' Christ's return, when 'He will appear a second time, apart from sin, for salvation.'. That is my earnest wish and heartfelt prayer.

The Foolishness of God is wiser than men

Yes, can you credit that Scripture declares - contextually, in connection with the cross of Jesus Christ - that very thing? But, of course, the (subclausal) statement pertains here to the matter of last night's Sunday feature, in which the following is documented: the activity of Australian expatriate, now U.S. resident Ken Ham, well-known creationist (to those who follow such things) presently living in Kentucky, where he and a slew of willing helpers are in the process, nearing completion stage I believe, of constructing a biblically realistic, made-to-specified-dimensions replica of Noah's Ark, complete with graphic and life-sized if inanimate representations of the retinue of animals they believe were present in that day and age and moreover were gathered into, after being apparently supernaturally impelled towards, the ark. (Phew! Long-winded is undeniably my second name.) These selfsame folk were basically held up to unmitigated, down-and-out, no-holds-barred ridicule and derision, essentially for having the sheer temerity, the ignorance bordering upon superstition, even delirium supposedly, of questioning today's most utterly sacred cow: i.e. the 'doctrine' - so religiously is it held to and any slightest (basic) deviation therefrom duly considered an indication of early dementia, of alzheimers or far, far worse - of evolution. One might even term it the 'pure gospel' (though whether it's really good news is entirely another matter) of modern 'enlightened' humanity; finally rid once and for all, so it hopes, imagines and supposes, of any remaining vestige of superstitious antediluvian thinking. (Naturally they pay especially little regard to Charles Darwin's own essential, especially later, thoughts and reflections upon his much-abused theorem, which might suggest they've taken and used it for something wholly unintended but regretfully foreseen and later lamented by him, but that's for another occasion. Except to add that at the very end of my own seventh-form, final year of NZ high school my much liked and esteemed biology teacher, a 'Mr Reid', responding to my own - then non-Christian, I must hasten to add - deep misgivings and inability to really accept the theory of evolution in the final analysis, or when push came to shove, assured me that "it's just a theory" - though you'd hardly imagine so these days!) The program was laced with smears and barely-veiled innuendoes, impugning both the character as well as the intelligence of Mr Ham, though characteristically never getting back to him to get his side of the story. That apparently wasn't really necessary, for as I stated yesterday, if the straw man you build up is sufficiently and negatively enough characterized, your readership - or rather listenership - will implicitly 'catch your drift' as it were, accepting your bait hook, line and even sinker, and before all that long will join in the antics of the mob, whether that results in throwing the rascals/scoundrels to the lions in the amphitheatre or, as with the Master Himself, baying incessantly for His crucifixion...curiously enough - worth a study in human fickleness and the dynamics of the crowd for some restless psychology lab in one of our numerous universities intent upon exploring every last odd and esoteric topic until the cattle beast quite literally comes home - only days after selfsame crowd were hailing Him as Israel's Hero arriving in Jerusalem for His much-anticipated public coronation. Yes, such was the effective hatchet job upon, sorry, I mean description of Mr Ham et al - and wouldn't you know it, they even wheeled out the 'crazy as' - so she was well depicted as at least, in every way, shape and form - Kim Davis, the Kentucky clerk in the news a (half?) year or so ago for refusing to sign the dotted line of assent to a same sex marriage in her county office, for which she was summarily assigned to gaol (I've always preferred the American word, perhaps going back to my childhood love affair with the Beagle Boys - but I hasten to add not their especial antics!) The pics of her - especially those at the very end of the piece - focused in upon her rather difficult and seemingly forced and strained grimace of a smile and then smirk to boot, staying with this image till it became highly uncomfortable not only to Ms Davis and her interviewer but undoubtedly to listeners generally. As if to sink the boot in well and truly, to finish things off, thus leaving folks watching in no lingering doubt - if they still had any - that this lady and that man (i.e. Mr Ham), and basically anyone and everyone at all associated with them were loony tunes, pure and simple, derisable in the extreme and fit only for the funny farm. And if that were all it'd obviously have been bad enough. But no, not only were they given the hatchet work, the implicit character assassination - at least in Ken Ham's case - the loony tune prognosis and the obvious implication that they deserved to be consigned, and probably for life, ipso pronto, but throughout the story and exponentially more as it reached its conclusion, Mr Ham anyhow - and by implication all associated with his financially scandalous project (in view of all the needs in the world, it was basically implied, and yes, perhaps that one aspect's worthy of more exploration - but who are they to judge?) - was presented as a very real threat to the future citizens of America. Though Bill Nye, towards the piece's conclusion, basically said that all (?20/40?) million viewers (in the States) would therefore just outright dismiss his way out ideas as pure lunacy, and hence Ken Ham himself as an utter crackpot, there were a couple of occasions throughout that the very right of Mr Ham to even hold, let alone express for public consumption, such way out views were seriously questioned, leading one inevitably to relate the whole setup to another subject of pressing and immediate concern and alarm and some would even claim hysteria. Though I happen not to hold to the view that humanity does not play a very significant role in the ever-escalating hyper-paranoia over what is termed anthropomorphic climate change, those who do include some indubitably, genuinely intelligent people and moreover some whose environmental credentials could hardly be questioned - the renowned and personally beloved David Bellamy for perfect example, who I would submit has more love for this planet and its seemingly innumerable species and ecosystems in his little finger than the great majority of world scientists have put together (no, I do overstate matters, I'm well aware!) So what am I saying, at the end of the day? Not simply that the much-maligned on the aforementioned issues share much in common, but rather that their opponents and critics and detractors show much more of a kinship with a certain early-mid 20th century dictator than they do to the supposedly enlightened and open-minded scientific community they claim to be worthy representatives of. For those who scapegoat their ideological opponents one moment have been historically shown the 'nekminute' - as New Zealand's beloved Pita Sharples might put it - to often descend to calling for their consignment...and sometimes that isn't even considered enough, and ultimately they find themselves in what ordinarily they would regard as some very unusual company, amidst strange bedfellows indeed. Even eventually baying for their enemies' blood.

Just Another 'Crazy' Creationist

If tonight's Sunday show on New Zealand's TV One is anything to go by, as in the US of A it's not only rapidly becoming, or rather has rapidly become, un-politically correct these days to be a Christian - correction, a Bible-believing Christian - but is moreover becoming only too apparent that before all that long anyone failing to sign off upon the much-touted and ever-lauded mantra of 'evolution, first, last and always', will be consigned to the funny farm, as it used to be known. But hey, how much easier to discredit someone's opposing world view when you set up ye proverbial straw man and then immediately get stuck into the work of demolition. It's a thoroughly dishonest approach to journalism, but quite frankly one all too commonplace in Western media these days - especially in what was once so endearingly known as 'God's Own' (i.e. land, to those from elsewhere unfamiliar with such a designation). I can well remember - and being a writer upon my high school newspaper for four of five years, and Editor during my final year, I do consider myself well-qualified to judge what reputable journalism is all about - JUST WHAT the essential qualities of good journalism always have been, presently remain, and arguably ever will be, i.e. objectivity and impartiality and providing a well-balanced approach to said subject-matter, whatever it may well be. And, you guessed it, tonight's show failed on all three counts. But no, it wasn't altogether a great surprise. But as far as critiquing in-depth said show, I really don't know quite where to start, but perhaps will post extra comments tomorrow. Sincerely Yours Another crazy - I mean, spaced-out and then some - Christian

So you're telling me this is 'just a coincidence'? Then you're the one possessing an in-credible (or un-credible) 'faith', not me...

Profuse apologies yet again... . Yes, I know, a belated follow-up to another belated follow-up, why my middle name is Procrastination et al. But anyhow, did you guess WHICH NATION met the previous specifications? Yep, ya guessed correctly: none other than the country whose humanitarian crisis (following that in Iraq, which admittedly is itself seemingly never-ending also) has been dominating, nay hogging Western and international media sources for the preceding half a dozen or so years, Syria. Okay, so how do I get to that conclusion, or rather what is 'the evidence' in the aforementioned (in previous blogposts, that is)'The Bible Code' and 'The Bible Code 2'? Stay tuned for a forthcoming blogpost, and no, I don't expect you'll necessarily be convinced, just as so many millions upon Planet Earth don't presently accept the evidence arguably all too apparent to one and all about the origin and Originator of life here. And yet as the author of the book of Romans states so very simply yet all so clearly: *'...what MAY be known of God is manifest IN them, for God has shown it TO them. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, EVEN HIS ETERNAL POWER AND GODHEAD, so that they are without excuse.' (CAPITALIZATIONS all solely mine.) So let's just say I fully realize and accept that many today no longer hold to the inerrancy of Scripture, and so are hardly likely - actually, perhaps therefore they're on the whole MUCH MORE LIKELY, paradoxically and counter-intuitively enough - to be open to the very idea that hidden within those sacred biblical texts are secret codes delineating some very important aspects of historical events, personages and situations, including pertinent times and places, of course. As well, the 'prophecies' and prophetic insights **contained therein have been suggested by the 'author' - that is, of the actual text of the two Bible Code books - Michael Drosnin, to be ***likely to be CONDITIONAL - i.e. wholly dependent upon the response of the human agents concerned/involved to respond appropriately and in a salvation-embracing way - such 'salvation' MD admittedly seeing as purely a temporal concern as opposed to eternal life-endowing. Thus for example where warnings, at times dire, are contained and expressed, those selfsame warnings can be effectively short-circuited as it were if folk respond aright, for that aforementioned God/Creator/Saviour is oh so 'longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance'. However, as the following verse makes abundantly clear, 'the day of the Lord WILL come...'. So having now set the basic/essential framework and parameters of our forthcoming examination of Syria (etc) amidst said Bible codes, I look forward to your joining me again, sooner rather than later, to explore this matter further. *Scripture taken from the New King James Version. (c)1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. **Unlike biblical prophecies themselves,which are well-recognized - by reputable biblical scholars and orthodox Christianity, at least - as being oftentimes highly conditional. ***Believe it or otherwise, MD is a secular Jew and doesn't - at the time he wrote both books, anyhow - profess to believe in a Deity; perhaps agnostic fairly summarizes his spiritual 'status'.