'The Day Hope Died': June 6th, 1968 - 50 years on: Robert F Kennedy's Legacy Revisited A Half-Century On or: Only The Best Die Young

Just a day-and-a-few (28-some) hours over 50 years ago (U.S. and N.Z.-time), a political star/'icon' of the day brightly exploded/thus met his untimely end...gunned down in his prime, like his famous brother, by an assassin's bullet: budding 1968 presidential prospect, the youthful New York Senator Robert Kennedy. And, as they say, the rest is - now rather ancient - history. To near-universal regret.

My own (with hindsight's sweet benefit) 'regret' is related: I oftentimes muse - if only my parents'd moved to NZ a decade(-and-a-half) later - I'd (alongside my four (immediate) siblings) have grown up in the U S of A during the exciting, tumultuous, idealistic era of the sixties (through mid-later seventies)...long before the rot (of cynicism and all the rest) truly set in to the Western body politic. But such was not to be...

Few figures in Westerndom have strode on and off history's stage quite like the American Kennedy brothers. In my mind at least, towering head and shoulders above either (President) 'JFK' or (long-serving U S Senator) 'Ted' Kennedy was (U S Senator) 'Bobby' Kennedy...John Fitzgerald Kennedy's erstwhile Attorney-General and one-time McCarthy Communist Senatorial Trials' committee member.

'As fate would have/so decree it', his assassination occurred just as he had handily won the Californian Democratic Primary and was about to proceed to Chicago for the party convention, a venue which - in his (unforeseen) absence - featured such notorious, strife-torn division, even pandemonium that it thereafter became synonymous with, a veritable byword for political hari-kari.

The supreme irony, of course, was that Robert Kennedy had pretty well wrapped up his party's presidential nomination, was virtually a shoo-in over the sitting, increasingly unpopular President Lyndon Baines Johnson - *provided, that was, that LBJ decided to put his name forward. And so, 'all things being equal', RFK would've unceremoniously scooped up the Democratic nomination, and, everything else being likewise equal, could and should well have, in all likelihood, gone on to score a crushing landslide victory over (the presumptive Republican Party nominee) Richard Milhaus Nixon in November, 1968.

But alas, as we all now know, it was not to be. And thus America, and indeed people worldwide, was/were to suffer a great disappointment - following on, thick and fast, from those already engendered by the assassinations of Civil Rights Leader Martin Luther King only two months earlier, and just over four-and-a-half years before that, of Bobby's own brother President John F Kennedy. (A) loss(es) that would reverberate, in its/their repercussions - however unbeknownst to them - literally for decades, at least forty-some years on into the future; until the election, in fact, of a man - Barack Hussein Obama - who, in his historic election in 2008, combined the essence of MLK('s once-marginalized blackness) and RFK('s message of hope and change).

So full marks to Stephen Sackur - he of BBC World Radio Hardtalk fame - for an excellent, extended (non-sound-bitten) programme (broadcast twice over the past week on New Zealand's RNZ National), a show which dealt intelligently and thoughtfully, even reflectively, with the sheer complexities and nuances of this natural leader. Yes, RFK was a person described (therein) - despite his infamous bucked-teeth (somewhat cheesy) grin - as having been probably America's most savvy (uncynical) political operator of his day (in all the best, pre-realpolitik traditions of that term).

Whose untimely death, therefore - by anyone's measure - was a political tragedy of the first order. For if one politician - other than JFK, that is - and Nelson Mandela, who strode across the global political stage in this past half-century, were seen as/to be the very embodiment of the triumph of idealism over cynicism and 'realpolitik'/political pragmatism, surely it'd have to (have) be(en) Robert F Kennedy.

So, whatever other (oft-cited) character flaws the Kennedy 'boys'/brothers' Dad undoubtedly possessed, 'Joe' Kennedy certainly knew what he was doing in successfully grooming three pre-eminent presidential prospects for America's #1 position of political leadership. One (JFK) was, however briefly; another (**'Ted') was a distinct 'wannabe'; and RFK no doubt would have been. All (potential) heirs of what's subsequently become known as America's own 'Camelot' dynasty.

Robert Fitzgerald Kennedy represented all that is good - with this caveat: in the sanctified human psyche/soul - and his assassination, only weeks after that of America's great spiritual mentor, even latter-day prophet, Martin Luther King, prematurely closed what had been an incredibly promising chapter in American and world history. Which, as I say, both the USA and our global village has never really recovered from, though the election of America's first black president, Barack Obama, did, for awhile, seem to - briefly, and ultimately deceptively - give real promise of (rebirthing). Yes, Obama's book title and campaign slogan, 'the audacity of hope', surely revived such dreams of 'Camelot', if selfsame hopes and dreams as quickly faded out in the mists of the realpolitik of our day.

Yes, Robert Kennedy, you lived what you believed - with every last fibre of your being - and ultimately died for that utopian vision. According to Mr Sackur's report, those who caught a glimpse of your dying face saw it as like that of a god dying. And indeed perhaps you were - notwithstanding your own brand of confused, mixed-up humanity and 'naive' idealism and 'polyanna'-ish optimism - next to Martin Luther King, as close to such as we will ever be privileged to encounter.

May it never be said, or rather asked (in)credulously, and rhetorically: 'Can any good thing ever come out of (modern-day) America?' Such most definitely did, but the land could not abide it, or them, and so it finished them off upon that/those fateful day/s in the 60s, especially upon April 4th and June 6th, 1968. They were men too good for their generation, or, as the beloved apostle John put matters about an altogether more Divine One millennia earlier:

And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.

Yes, God would have saved that generation, and fully intended to do just so - through His very own, divinely-appointed and anointed instruments - but they were men 'of whom the world was not worthy'. Indeed!

Rest in peace, RFK, we may/will no doubt never see your like again...and for that our world is immeasurably poorer...and may ultimately, and sooner rather than later, suffer irretrievable, utter ruin and catastrophe, even Armageddon... . Yes, America, 'your LORD' would've saved you, but you were not willing...Behold, your house is left to you desolate!

*Evidently LBJ had already decided not to put his name forward (just a couple months earlier).

**Long an admirer of Senator Ted Kennedy's distinguished, 40-some year, Senate record, following renewed reference (c/o a recently-released movie) as to the specifics of the infamous Chappaquiddick incident (in which Kennedy's girlfriend died), I'm finding it increasingly difficult to defend him - though (even just from personal experience, apart from anything else) I'm increasingly aware of how the truth is oftentimes entirely different from what it generally appears. Hence, second-guessing how we would have acted in a particular situation usually presents us in a much more favourable light than reality might have seen, and moreover judges another for stuff that may in fact not have been the way things truly panned out in the particular circumstances. Nevertheless, if said film presents stuff as it really transpired, then Ted K was apparently every bit the rogue persona in which many - such as my late Dad - thenceforth viewed him.

Priceless - Inestimable: Musings Upon A Chance Encounter

"What a wonderful surprise!" - "Third time lucky!" (or rather, providentially blest)

...words that - with hindsight's quick and ready, beneficial wisdom -

I would've - could've - should've said...
                                                               ...then and there...

If Only...as New Zealand's musical legend Shona Laing might've put it in her beautiful, evocative (yet veritably obscure and unknown) 70s' hit by that name...

Ever too little, too late - full of regrets and self-recriminations -
                                                                                                         if only

Your head bobbed up...suddenly, unexpectedly, joyfully (for me),
                                                                                                        thus catching me totally off-guard...

It'd seemed you weren't there that (particular) day - Easter Monday - but then you were...
           ...suddenly you 're-appeared' - materialized (like that chuddy-gum chewin' cowboy kid from the American Midwest in Willy Wonka's time-transportational, telekinetic contraption)...

I was flummoxed, floored...lost for speech - a thing not usual for me...

But things were fraught - the checkout operator was ready and willing...
              and I couldn't keep her waiting...
                                                                   And so trivia engaged - engrossed - my waylaid mind: assessing the cost, the price of everything - the true, real value of nothing...

               ...that really mattered, anyway...

For indeed, you (*the priceless, inestimable one) had been ever there,

always on my mind...

                                    If only



*Necessary Disclaimer (with that wonderful benefit of hindsight referred to earlier):

Lest anyone mistake my use of such superlatives - though it is (meant to be) a poem, and therefore the style naturally lends itself to that sort of vocabulary - may I add the following: such language (i.e. priceless and inestimable, in particular) may indeed appear/admittedly are somewhat over the top...especially for someone I clearly hardly know. Yet I feel they capture the preciousness, in the eyes of their Creator-Redeemer, of every last human being who's ever lived - for Jesus Christ would have died for that one alone (if there had been no other who'd gone astray); He would have verily passed through the horrors and agonies of Calvary's cross for that individual alone.

However, even more aptly (in this particular instance): priceless - inestimable are the consistent meanings my (8-12) assorted baby name books (among my vast book hoard accumulated over the decades) attribute to the Christian name of the person my poem is devoted to. Naturally hoping she'll one day read the same and guess that for herself! A fanciful imagining, no doubt, but once one ceases to dream, life becomes a rather sad affair.

**Apology: Admittedly adding all of this onto a piece of poetry does tend to nullify the entire thrust and beauty and pathos of the writing - not to mention its stylistic layout (especially with my brand new, ethereal, outer space, off this planet background) - and thus render it rather contrived and artificial. Sorry.

In Tribute To The Memory of an Outstanding Human Being, America's 20th century prophet, Martin Luther King, Junior

As promised yesterday upon this blogsite, this is simply to acknowledge that - as mentioned in detail in my previous blogpost (upon the recent passing, 40 days ago, of renowned American evangelist Billy Graham) - 50 years ago, yesterday (NZ-time),  upon April 3rd, 1968, 'the *Reverend' Martin Luther King, Junior, gave his final major speech in which he made prophetic reference to the entering into (by black Americans) of America's own Promised Land, and the day later (April 4th) - 'as fate would have it' - he 'entered into his [final] rest', felled 'for good' (or rather great evil) by an assassin's bullet/s.

Oddly, and serendipitously enough, I prefaced my observations upon the passing just the other day (or rather month-and-a-third) of King's contemporary, 'the *Reverend' Billy Graham, with reference to both the above...completely unaware that I was penning those remarks upon the 50th anniversary itself of that/those selfsame historic day/s...but 'fate' again thought and evidently chose otherwise once again...

But enough of my rather obtuse and extremely removed 'connection' to MLK, it almost appears like a subtle case of big-noting, that despicable 'art-form' in which, admittedly, I've occasionally happened to (on ever so small a scale, arguably) indulged...

Anyhow, let me just share some of the recollected (taped) remarks of King upon that fateful, penultimate day of his brief earthly sojourn...as heard this morning upon Democracy Now:

I've been to the mountain-top [as had Israel's ancient deliverer, the Law-Giver, Moses]...
God's allowed me to go up to the mountain ["....."......"....."....."......"......"......"......"]
& He's let me look over [into the Promised Land] [ditto]

I may not get there with you...[but I'm telling you today we will get there...(by) forty years from now]

Like Moses, MLK wasn't privileged to enter that **long-dreamt of land of milk and honey, but he was honoured, like the great Israelite statesman, with a glimpse into its 'hallowed halls'...while God allowed him to exit his brief earthly sojourn, having achieved God's great purposes in his own and in his nation's (and indeed world's) life...not  a mean feat, by any means...no, a tremendous achievement.

So, may I simply add my own personal 'thank you' to a man who's inspired me upon my own earthly sojourn...probably more than any other single contemporary human leader. Like my (long vanished) good friend Daniel Sutherland, who like myself undertook the Diploma in Primary Teacher Training at Christchurch's College of Education back in 2006, and who used to play audiotapes of MLK as we meandered our way through the maze of downtown Christchurch traffic past Hagley Park on our way to 'study'...Martin Luther King's about as good a mentor as one could find pretty well anywhere these days...and that's saying something.

*Though like my Lord, I personally choose not to use such epithets or titles to denote God's earthly ministers, since Jesus warned us not to call any mere earthly leader 'Rabbi', 'Father', 'Teacher'. Anyhow, no-one but Jesus was ever completely, through-and-through holy and hence befitting such a term; though, conversely, the Bible employs the term 'saint' for one and all true believers, not just for those whom the church of the particular day regard as especially virtuous or worthy of acclaim.

** Sadly, if MLK were resurrected today, I somehow doubt he'd regard America - post-its very first black President, notwithstanding - as having entered into its own Promised Land', much less one of milk and honey... No, indeed, if anything its troubles seem to be just beginning...

An Old Soldier Of the Cross Finishes his Earthly Sojourn: Billy Graham, Pastor to Presidents, To America and to Believers (and Non-Believers) Worldwide: Rest In Peace, Till The Soon-Coming Resurrection

As the latter-day prophet of our generation, Martin Luther King, Junior, stood upon the steps of eternity - I believe the very day before he was felled by an assassin's bullet(s) - he famously declared, as his Old Testament 'mentor' Moses himself did as he prepared to die upon the very border of Canaan, having himself forfeited the wonderful opportunity of leading the people of Israel through Jordan into their Promised Land through a single error of judgment, failing to hallow God in the eyes of His people:

"I may not get to see the Promised Land, but I can see it afar off"; adding, unlike Moses: "...and am persuaded that not 40 years hence we will reach it"...of course in infinitely more eloquent phraseology, tones and emphasis (than my pitiful attempts at recollection).

And so, almost precisely 40 years on America elected its first black American President, Barack Obama.

I've little doubt MLK's fellow soldier of the cross - and *indeed friend and confidant, if in an entirely different sphere of activity, Billy Graham - has likewise departed this earthly scene just 'moments' (in the overall scheme of things, and of this Earth's brief human history) prior to, as JRR Tolkien's Frodo Baggins and Samwise Gamgee put it, 'the end of all things', the long-prophesied Parousia (Second Coming) of Jesus Christ, and the subsequent First Resurrection of all God's true 'saints', '[His] servants the prophets', 'and [all] those who fear [reverence, respect, rightly esteem, hold in awe, and show due deference to] [His] name, small and great'. And for such a moment he lived each day to behold.

And so I as well, if a belated 40 days on, take this opportunity to pay my own brief respects to the memory of someone much in the public eye who bore steady and unflinching, but ever grace-filled, loving witness in life and word and public proclamation, to 'his generation' - across the **entire globe.

To Be Continued (after sufficient shuteye!)

'Hot off the Press this morning':

Though apparent 'coincidences' seem to dog, bedevil - or, alternatively, grace and inspire - my every step these days (and years) of my life, I was simply dumbfounded this morning when the celebrated (and doubtless equally reviled!) 'award-winning Global News Hour' of the New York-based 'Democracy Now' radio show led out today today with items it later covered in greater detail, informing its listenership that April 3rd, 1968 was the date Martin Luther King made that memorable speech (cited in my above opening paragraphs), and the following day (April 4th) he was gunned down by an assassin's bullet/s. So that I seemed to have some sort of ESP for recounting those details I did on the very day I did, i.e. yesterday, April 3 (NZ-time), 2018...apparently 50 years (half a century) to that memorable day in the US of A; which was of course followed by MLK's 'history-making' - yet all too ***commonplace (especially back then) assassination.

A Few Extra Thoughts (scribbled the afternoon Billy Graham's death occurred/was reported):

Strangely the idea of Billy Graham's death has recurred to me on many occasion in years prior, my envisaging that moment resulting in quite a shockwave to the American (not only 'religious') psyche, dominating the likes of Time Magazine et al. However, in this secularized day and age - even, and especially in the US of A (except, naturally enough, among Christian evangelicals and ****'fundamentalists') - it has hardly occasioned more than a ripple of nostalgic interest and reflection. Nevertheless, for what it's worth, here are some of the reflections that affected me on that fateful day.

Yes, Billy Graham was intolerant - as indeed was His Master and Lord (but that's for another time and place) - of one thing, and one thing only: sin - in all its many and various, variegated and complicated forms and manifestations and infinite permutations. Just as were all the great biblical prophets, as a matter of fact, so he was in some especially good company, I'd argue. But somehow I don't suspect he'd have been at all, even remotely, concerned, much less upset let alone outraged, or even all that taken aback, for a matter of fact (or rather, (my) opinion!)...by such a designation. Rather, I strongly suspect he'd have worn such a designation - generally born out of sheer ignorance and/or intolerance itself!) as a veritable badge of honour...with which His own beloved LORD, his own great God and Saviour Jesus Christ had adorned him.

The story that has not been told, cynics and sceptics would contend - and with very good reason - that arguably has been actively suppressed from Americans and everyone else, was that Billy Graham was only too well aware of the divisions that would be caused and the criticisms stirred up by his being seen to publicly take a stand/stance fully in sync with where his own sympathies long lay...i.e. with the desegregation movement. Which is not to even for one moment condone the use of 'policy' and expediency in such situations, only to explain that - far from actually being in any sympathy with such reactionary and sadly in the vast majority (especially southern USA) 'elements', Graham was equally and only too well aware of the potential for disruption and ultimate injury to, and even effective destruction of, what he - naturally- felt was an important and life- and nation-, even world-changing ministry. So that not merely was his own 'livelihood' under serious and very real threat, but that work of the Spirit in peoples' lives, through which those heart- and life-transformations so necessary, even absolutely critical to, the ushering in of true equality in not only America but throughout the world would - indeed the only way such really ultimately could be effected - would be effectively thwarted; and for good (in every way).

(Unedited, Raw) Additional Reflections (Upon the New Zealand Response) on February 22nd:

Shame on New Zealand's Parliament upon this historic day. Their (new Speaker-inaugurated) PC-mangled and mauled, Jesus Christ-expunging and even un-'virtue-signalling' excuse for a 'parliamentary prayer', followed immediately by an enthusiastic welcome for a visiting Iranian parliamentary delegation (a nation not exactly conspicuous for its commitment to human rights), followed by...yes, you guessed aright, no - either '(uncontested) notice without motion' (or otherwise) - 'obituary'/remembrance slot acknowledging/commemorating the passing of the great 20th century evangelist to United States presidents (for half a century), Billy Graham... Yes, those three closely-juxtaposed 'items' essentially 'said it all' (as per where our present-day leaders effectively stand upon things that really matter in our modern day...although hopefully - in under an hour's time - they'll at least note the 50th anniversary of the gunning down of America's great 20th century prophet Martin Luther King, and reflect upon his timeless legacy...but even that I somehow doubt...

Upon the matter of that Iranian delegation, let me add a few further well-considered thoughts. Though not among those entertaining the prospect of even a small-scale regional Middle East nuclear conflagration - in which Iran would doubtless be an essential 'player' - thus publicly (from the highest official echelons of our society) 'celebrating' even just the presence here (within our own parliament) of (some of) the leadership of a nation well-documented as officially sanctioning, nay, verily promoting, the driving of another nation, in this case the M/E's one and only real democracy, i.e. Israel, into the Mediterranean Sea...whilst *****no-one in our Parliament apparently raises so much as 'a whisper nor a murmur' about the presence in said legislature of a former 'human rights' lawyer (and from that selfsame nation with its well-known human rights record) outed awhile ago (just following our recent parliamentary election) as deeply involved in having represented some of modern history's most genocidal (regime) players - to wit, 1990s' Rwanda and post-Yugoslavia - says a heckuva, or if you'll 'scuse my French', helluva, lot about where their real hearts are these days...and it sure ain't a pretty place!

*Curiously the mainstream media has well-nigh chosen (if but by neglect, but that's an agenda in itself) to ignore this crucial element of Pastor Graham's life experience, and if mention is made (as the ODT did in its own obituary upon him) of desegregation in the American South (in the 60s and beyond), Graham is presented as coming belatedly - and effectively (if only by obvious implication) kicking and screaming - 'to the table', as a reluctant and certainly not an eager, willing participant in and contributor to that seminal  moment in United States and world history.

But the scurrilous, arguably even slanderous...allegations do not stop there. Yet to my surprise, one of the main ones was not entirely, or even at all, without some foundation: N.B. Graham's 'anti-Semitism'. In that regards RNZ National's decision to read out a rather inflammatory email - citing Graham as an anti-Semite and a preacher of hate' (presumably because he, in harmony with his biblical predecessors, held out staunchly against all manner of sexual deviance and perversion, including and especially ******homosexuality, which the Torah terms 'an abomination') - just before its 9 a.m. headline bulletin the day after Graham's death, without any 'right of reply' (as is usually - or, I would argue, supposedly - accorded subjects of media stories), was just plain awful (but probably quite well-planned) timing.

And yet in this era where the term 'homophobe' (and occasionally anti-Semitic) is bandied about willy-nilly, such (well-publicized verbal) transgressions, far from being seen as mere indiscretions let alone errors of judgment, are seen as major veritable hanging offences.Yet one cannot really argue that Pastor Graham's views upon sexual 'diversity' fit well in the modern world, and many today are metaphorically hung publicly for a way lot less!

And thus RNZ's sense of appropriateness in so airing them. And though on Graham's death day I bristled at such, feeling how utterly baseless, scurrilous and scandalous these various allegations were - aside from (as I just mentioned) being free from anyone's ability to publicly refute - and moreover almost 'unforgivable' from a human (if not divine) point of view...the sober light of reflection enabled me to check up upon the anti-Semite charge, and establish that Graham did indeed have somewhat of a case to answer...while he lived. And so, after processing the *******two (only!) internet opinion pieces dealing with this matter, I realized that Graham's tape-recorded conversation with then-President Nixon did indeed contain serious, even 'way out there' substance, itself (if no other such record existed) positively deleterious to Pastor Graham and his long-term (posthumous) reputation.

But to my surprise, it was the Jewish commentator extending the most grace - or arguably just sheer head-in-the-sand, look-the-other-way, see-no-evil, hear-no-evil, speak-no-evil rationalization-making  to Graham. He essentially saw Graham's, admittedly fairly graphic, remarks as being more a reflection of the then times than signalling any great personal failings upon Graham's part.

Indeed, as that ODT obituary makes abundantly clear, Pastor Graham's conscientious moral (and spiritual) scruples are these days generally seen as a quaint relic of a bygone era, leftovers of a day and age of error and superstition. They are hardly intangibles held up to any degree of honour or public esteem.

 But be that as it well may, 'the truth will [one day] out', as others have said, and God is able to guard our true, genuine characters from every last smear and stain upon our earthly reputations, however untrue, slanderous and scandalous...till His great Judgment Scene scatters all His enemies and 'truth, forever on the scaffold', finally comes into its own...for time and eternity...

**Though personally not alive during Billy Graham's evidently highly memorable evangelical crusades throughout the 50s and 60s, he drew large crowds pretty well everywhere he went, including here in 'God's Own', and one of my colporteur/literature evangelist leaders (from almost three decades ago), Tony Wall, traced his conversion from attending one such 'rally'. Perhaps modern-day evangelists could learn a thing or do from Graham about the importance of securing public - albeit entirely voluntary, 'moved by the Holy Spirit' - commitments then and there from attendees.

***Following on from - or, no, perhaps it only months preceded - the assassination of New York Senator Robert ('Bobby') Kennedy, then seeking the Democratic Party nomination for President; himself of course the brother of, not only the late Massachusetts ('liberal lion') Senator Edward ('Ted') Kennedy, himself a sometime Democratic Party presidential would-be nominee, but their brother John Kennedy, popularly known as JFK, himself cut down in his presidential prime by the bullet/s of the personally insanely envious (and politically radicalized and alienated) Lee Harvey Oswald, whose own ultimate responsibility is of course the stuff of modern (and not only urban) legend...the series of and various permutations of potential associated conspiracies now running into literal screeds and screeds, reams and reams of newsreel, newsprint and volumes written and sold (and voraciously consumed) in their millions. Interestingly, something the media seldom mentions is the incredible fact that Pastor Graham - whether in response to a dream or a presentiment/sense of foreboding - warned JFK over the phone only days prior to his never-to-be-forgotten Dallas motorcade journey not to make the fateful trip. But of course he did, and, as the wag once put it, nothing's ever been the same since.

***Incidentally I also (think I) heard this morning that King was only born in 1929, meaning he was only 38-39 when he died. And hence the old saying, 'Only the good die young', which certainly seems to have more than a modicum of truth in it (as per many notable world famous spiritual and political leaders, not least Jesus of Nazareth - if not necessarily those idols of modern generations, i.e. popstars).

****Though upon Graham's death, as is so common, evangelicals and 'fundamentalists' have come out of the proverbial woodwork and almost stumbled over each other in their indecent haste to pay posthumous homage to such a noteworthy persona, while he was alive the 'verdict' of such Americans was not always so positive. In particular Billy Graham's essential unwillingness - despite being 'pastor to presidents' - to engage in party politics or even overtly promote a moral legislative agenda so beloved these days of so many such, earned him public disfavour at times from the Moral Majority/Christian Coalition/Religious Right (as its evolving permutations have been designated). However, for my part, I consider it a badge of honour that in this He closely followed his beloved Master, who so famously and memorably declared during His betrayal in the garden of Gethsemane::

My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, then would My servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews [i.e. Jewish religious and political authorities]. But now is My kingdom not from here.

******Admittedly the divine 'epithet' of 'abomination' (translated in at least one modern version as 'detestable') is applied to many things in the (Hebrew) Scriptures, and indeed is employed numerous times throughout the book of Proverbs, and there regarding far more prosaic concerns (such as, especially, pride, deception, wholly 'perverse' and inappropriate things, and inaccurate weights and measures in commercial transactions). Nevertheless, 'lie[ing] with a[nother] male, as [one] lies with  a woman' is (at least) thrice termed 'an abomination' (in the Old Testament), and 'vile passions', also comprehending lesbianism, (in the New); whereas bestiality is described as 'perversion'; marrying a woman and her Mum (and boy-girl incest) as 'wickedness'.

Interestingly, however, 'abominations' plural is then used (in the relevant passages in Leviticus) as a catch-all including all the various forms of sexual deviance cited ('any of these abominations'/ 'abominable customs' being used thrice, and 'all these abominations' once, in the relevant section of Leviticus 18: 6-23;-30) and the list is quite long, primarily referring to all manner of incestuous relationships within (it is assumed by said texts) an extended family with father, mother, daughters and sons, uncles and aunts, sons- and daughters-in-law; indeed 'anyone who is near of kin'.

Like Tim LaHaye, author of The Unhappy Gays: What Everyone Should Know About Homosexuality, Graham - like any evangelist worth his salt - would have been quite conversant with major history bearing upon the question, such as the decline and fall of the Roman Empire. This is seen as being essentially due to its moral sins, of which, in the view of the renowned and respected historians Edward Gibbon and Arthur Toynbee, homosexuality played a major part.  

*******Said internet-accessible editorials are: 'How should Jews Remember Rev. Billy Graham?' (cited in New York-based 'Jewish Week' '14 hours ago' (when I accessed it but a day or two on), by Rabbi Emeritus Gerald (Zelizer?) of Congregation Neve Shalom, Metuchen, New Jersey; and, by the oft-cited Mark Axelrod, Professor of Comparative Literature at Chapman University: 'Gushing Over Graham, or, How Much is That Anti-Semite in the Window?' in the (14/12/20120 Washington Post.

*****And we've no time here to even touch upon the other recent case of an outed and ostracized and summarily out-on-his-face, 'Do Not Pass GO, Go Straight to [at least the court of public opinion's) Jail', former member of that selfsame Parliament. Though I intend to write more upon this ACT (and that other Green ) M.P. soon (procrastinator unsurpassed as I am, I intended and should've posted re such over four months ago now), suffice to say that the comparison sends up our politicians, pretty well one and all - despite all their many wonderful professions of decency and integrity and the like - as a bunch of...inconsistent h........s (the unparliamentary 'h word') - and that's being extremely kind! And let's not even mention their acolyte party officials and members, who themselves evidently see little, or even absolutely nothing, wrong with this state of affairs themselves.

And all this while thus 'positively' ignoring/snubbing - notwithstanding his few, and not insubstantial, transgressions, as already noted - the passing of an individual responsible - under God - for helping lead more people to the LORD than arguably any other such (Christian minister or evangelist) - excepting someone probably not seen as having done so, I mean Martin Luther King himself - in the second half of the 20th century...while 'leading out' with a (creatively-expressed) benediction upon Parliamentary proceedings which nevertheless is effectively so emasculated, enervated and effete as to be a pitiful, pitiable, piteous - even downright pathetic - excuse for the same.

Postscript:

New Zealand, you've now well and truly entered a post-Christian phase of your (relatively) short and generally illustrious history. Having now effectively and for all intents and purposes eschewed your Maker and Redeemer as the Source and Inspiration of your everyday and collective life and endeavours...I wish you well. You'll positively need all the help you can possibly get in the troublous years ahead, Will you ever! 

Where Have All the...Young Men...Young Women...Young Girls...Young Boys...Old Men...Old Women...Gone, Long Time Passing...Long Time Ago? -Into Lifeless Corpses, Every One. Hey Now, When Will They Ever Learn? No, Really: When Will They Ever Learn?

The prescient songster with the heart of a poet saw through the myriad of trees and zeroed in upon the wood itself; he instinctively, intuitively understood the very heart of the issue. Did he what!

Likewise, in this our day and age of senseless tragedy, mindless mayhem and callous carnage, it is something Americans would do well to reflect - quite seriously and soberly - upon. They could do no worse. It is, after all, the upcoming generation who has most at stake. And who'll one day be much less than forgiving if something isn't done, and awfully quickly, about America's ongoing yet ever escalating 'series' of school shootouts, or more accurately, gun-utilizing massacres.

So on *this very day of **nationwide student protests throughout the States, perhaps Americans would do well to reflect upon the words of one considered both in his own time (and ever since) by a large number of people as the wisest person (bar one) who ever walked this earth. Solomon's timeless words, recorded in a book that Americans tend to pay endless lip service to, tell us that ***/****'there is a time for everything, a season for every activity under the sun' (Ecclesiastes 3: 1), or as The Holy Bible: The New King James Version puts it: 'To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven.'

But no, not - ever - a time for arming teachers in schools (talk about the dumbest idea of the century, if not millennium). That is a solution looking for a problem, not a solution to anything - at all. I mean, except escalating the existing problem, and exponentially. From a mere epidemic into a pandemic. Thus taking the 'problem' of gun violence/massacres to new levels, i.e. depths, of inanity.

And to those politicians who believe that such things are any solution to anything, I hope that protesting youngsters' staunch refrain proves true, i.e. "such had better get their resumes ready" (after the voters, assuming they finally come to their senses, put them out to pasture (come America's mid-term elections late this year)). Anything less would be a disaster for future generations. On top of a sheer betrayal.

*Though I wrote this reflection upon February 23, a full month (and some) ago.

**And numerous 'in-sympathy/empathy' ones across the globe, including my hometown of Dunedin, Aotearoa-New Zealand's own D(unedin) N(orth) I(ntermediate) as well.

***Timeless words with which many are no doubt familiar through the wonderful '60s folk song, 'Turn, Turn, Turn', which, in covering off this well-known Bible verse and the seven (and fourteen couplets) following, also cites 'a time to be born, and a time to die', 'a time to kill, and a time to heal', 'a time to weep, and a time to laugh', 'a time to mourn, and a time to dance', 'a time to love, and a time to hate', *****'a time of peace, I hope it's not too late!'

*****Though actually King Solomon himself expressed it: 'a time of war, and a time of peace'.

****A verse (or rather entire - nine verse - passage) my Dad evidently also always loved, a lovely little red booklet of such - specially made by one of his patients - being passed down to me after his death almost thirteen years ago now.

Part Two: The Reason? Some Rottenness at the Very Core of Modern-Day America

Thus it is - well past - time for Americans to take urgent and decisive action, like yesterday! upon the scourge, the plague, affecting and infecting the very heart and soul of the nation. After but a moment more's reflection upon just what has become of their once great 'shining city on a hill'. A nation about which Abraham Lincoln observed with profound insight that once it ceased to be good, it would likewise cease to be great. Indeed. So it has indeed well proven.

The nation of 'exceptionalism', an attribute which it has unabashedly assumed and arrogated to itself alongside that of Global Cop, a country boasting unprecedented material wealth and riches, political power and military might, technological sophistication and man-centred 'wisdom', has reached quite an impasse - upon so many fronts - of late; having made itself a bed (no longer of roses) it must well and truly try to lie (i.e. live) in.

Thus the times, as Dylan told us, have been indeed a-changin', and not in a positive direction. And thus 'these times' of late have given rise to the likes of  'Black Lives Matter' and the 'Me Too Movement' (though this latter is now well and truly an international phenomenon, whatever and wherever its precise origin as such). Yes, something has surely gone awry, revealing for all the nation and world to see something sore and festering, something sick and virulent, at the very heart of American life. Make no mistake about it, a time indeed of great significance in the life and times of the United (in name only) States of America. Where it stands as it were at a major cross-roads, where even a slight turn to either the right or the left may be fraught with serious, even eternal consequences.

But no, one thing it is not, no, nor ever will be: that is, a time for arming teachers in schools with lethal weapons. That, as I maintained earlier, is more a solution looking for a problem, or rather a method of increasing and expanding the present problem exponentially. It will bring about no good at all, only serving to line the pockets of the gun suppliers and salesmen and multiply such incidents exponentially across states, cities and communities heretofore relatively 'immune' from such.

But neither is the answer in a return to superficial religion, to mass religiousness or *religiosity or patriotic churchianity, as has so often been America's wont. I.e. the wholesale embracing of costless, cheap grace (as Dietrich Bonhoeffer so aptly termed the like in his own Nazi Germany), something late 20th Century America (on into the 21st, apparently) has perfected into a veritable art form. No, rather biblical repentance is called for, but it is neither cheap nor easy...and if it is ever embraced it will cost Americans - like people everywhere - absolutely all that they have or call their own.

*As mentioned in another blogpost somewhere I am indebted (from 1990 or so) to a one-time friend in Brisbane for such unsurpassed terms (as 'religiosity' and 'churchianity' - though admittedly I've in recent times stumbled upon both of these in various (written) contexts).

Water, Water Everywhere...But Not Enough For Everyone To (Safely) Drink - Yes, Even In (Much Of) The 'Enlightened' West

So evidently 'yesterday' - internationally - was 'World Water Day'. WWD 'is about focusing attention upon the importance of water on 22 March every year', according to the first (presumably homepage) entry upon 'worldwaterday.org/. Which furthermore declares: 'THE ANSWER IS IN NATURE.' So far, so good.

And we are then asked: 'How can we reduce floods, droughts and water pollution?' The answer, as we are well able to guess (from what immediately preceded): 'By using the solutions found in nature.' Again, well and good, who can argue with that rather obvious, inescapable logic? Who indeed.

Well actually, the very folk promoting this wonderful notion - of a global day of reflecting upon, of focusing the mind upon the importance, the significance of water to our lives (in so many different yet interchangeably critical respects) - i.e. 'WHO' (that is, the World Health Organisation), evidently themselves do contest just such a notion. I.e. that 'the answer', 'the solutions' are to be found in nature itself.

So how do I, how can I possibly come to such a preposterous notion myself? Well, for one simple reason: their ongoing, steadfast and implacable determination to promote, to push, to see the enacting - by hook or by crook - of artificial water fluoridation throughout the world. And that despite there not only being no good and sufficient evidence that the practice ensures healthy dental caries (good teeth), but there now being - internationally - abundant evidence as to the highly deleterious results.

Yes, today there are indeed '663 million people living without a safe water supply close to home, spending countless hours queuing or trekking to distant sources, and coping [i.e. as best anyone can] with the health impacts of using contaminated water.' Moreover '1.8 billion people use a source of drinking water contaminated with faeces, putting them at risk of contracting cholera, dysentery, typhoid and polio.' On top of that, 'over 80% of wastewater generated by societies [around the world] flows back into the ecosystem without being treated and reused', and 'unsafe water, poor sanitation and hygiene cause around 842,000 deaths each year' (WHO/UNICEF/WHO/2014).

No, I'm not - nobody - is arguing that the above is not the case, that the foregoing is just so much 'fake news' in this day and age of the like. But what I and many like myself are indeed 'saying' is that we need to be consistent here. Sure, the vast majority of the world's present-day population doesn't have the 'luxury' to quibble about such 'esoteric' concerns as the addition of a chemical in comparatively microscopic amounts to drinking water (largely in Western countries, but also elsewhere). How can they, they're dealing hand and glove with life-and-death situations and issues.

But when a longstanding, widespread practice such as water fluoridation not only does not bring the actually rather meagre and certainly extremely limited benefits it is continually publicly paraded as possessing/conferring - by so-called 'health' authorities and their armies of bureaucrats and technocrats down the line, while being shown in scientific study upon study to be visiting quite serious consequences upon 'users', yes, including cancer and heart disease (among much else)...perhaps it's time for people everywhere to ask themselves: what's all this actually about anyway?

No, I mean, really? Though 'sorry [does indeed] seem[.] to be the hardest word', sometimes admitting you're just plain wrong, that you've been pushing the wrong barrel up the road for way too long, is a really good place to start. I'm being serious, folks; deadly in earnest even. And why should that be?

Because it is literally a matter of life and death, people. Yes indeed. And the way things are at present, there's quite honestly much blood upon many 'well-meaning' peoples' hands. And as in Nazi Germany, claiming you've just been 'following orders' from above simply won't cut it - any more. If ever it did.

 

Stephen Hawking: Inconvenient Thinker Outside The Orthodox Contemporary Intellectual Mould

Don't they say that everyone champions a good man (or woman) - after s/he's gone? So true. Yes, that's when everyone 'in the know', I mean media...comes out of the proverbial woodwork and finds diadems of beauty and brilliance in those they previously either simply ignored, or positively belittled. So I'm naturally taking a bit of a risk myself in deigning - or rather daring - to 'tackle' the life of our Globe's modern-day Einstein.

Nevertheless I believe a few salient points need to be made, if only to fill in some of the significant 'missing 'pieces' - as so often occurs - in the media narrative upon Stephen Hawking's death last week. Forgotten info, or more likely inconvenient truths; truths and facts and realities which simply don't happen to mesh with the world outlook our supposed contemporary 'intelligentsia' choose to believe, whilst branding all outsiders odd, foolhardy, clueless, dunces, fanatical, or simply bizarre. Or all of the foregoing or any combination thereof.

So what is the essential point I wish to make? And why would I even have the gall to intrude myself into an arena - i.e. the life and thinking of present-day *genii - whom I have neither known nor met, and even about whom I really know precious little? But perhaps therein lies the actual reason: the little I do happen to know, or at least have 'observed' or noted, is indeed precious...in relation to Stephen Hawking in particular. Or so I'm going to contend.

I'm simply sure of the following: that the fellow with the (televisually and via other broadcast media) well-known robotic voice adopted in order to vocalize his intended speech - like so many if not the great majority of intellectual 'greats' in decades and centuries gone by - leaned heavily toward, **if not fully, publicly subscribing to an ultimate view of reality and the universe which is commonly referred to (in contemporary parlance) as 'intelligent design'. The traditional terminology of (literal) creation just being a road too far for modern-day 'post-Christian' sensibilities.

Yes indeed. So I do find it fascinating, and not a little typical, that upon a fundamental tenet of dried-and-dusted, dyed-in-the-wool, contemporary thinking, from which any and every publicly-articulated deviation is immediately, summarily and stridently - if not, I would argue, soundly - condemned (as an indication of inadequate and/or inferior intellect and hence unsuitability for airing in the public domain fullstop), Mr Hawking happened to significantly differ, even 'deviate'.

Though as I earlier averred, ***my knowledge of the ins and outs, the vagaries and complexities, the subtleties and nuances of astrophysics - his essential 'specialty' of knowledge - is not only deficient but essentially rather basic, even somewhat minimal, the very fact that a person regarded almost universally (among Earthians, that is!) as a modern-day 'Einstein' apparently had a 'suspicion', however furtive or attended by intricate elaboration, that there did indeed appear to be signs and indications of actual design and intention in this universe and the various parts thereof, is surely 'saying something'.

Here I will simply make mention of two 'references', one a book, the other a (publicly-recorded) lecture, in which Hawking is considered to have at least endorsed the principle of intelligent design. In the first, Hawking's co-authored The Nature of Space and Time, ****in which  he engages in ongoing dialogue upon serious questions regarding such with fellow British theoretical physicist Roger Penrose, I understand that Stephen Hawking suggests a divine creator behind things. In the other (a lecture titled 'The Beginning of Time'), according to Richard Ames of the weekly 'Tomorrow's World' telecast, 'famous astrophysicist Stephen Hawking stated the view of most astronomers today:

The universe has not existed forever. Rather, the universe, and time itself, has a beginning in the Big Bang about 15 billion years ago.'

Yes, for the former book (often cited in general broadcast media since Hawking's death) I admittedly provide no specific statement, perhaps because I happen (to have every good reason) to trust such as ******Mr Ames (generally, but especially when discussing the aforementioned  subject of creation(ism)/intelligent design (in great detail). In addition, however, though I failed to jot down notes quickly enough, I did hear another reference to that book which indicated others' belief that Hawking did indeed therein suggest he had 'sympathies' in truth with a designed universe.

I'll conclude with these few thoughts/reflections. Suffice to add I find it interesting indeed and cannot help but speculate on how, following Hawking's death, the (non-specifically Christian, at least) broadcast media steered well clear of such a significant and incontrovertibly controversial subject area despite its rather extensive reportage overall. But don't most folk do precisely that whenever the facts don't suit their particular argument or whenever those selfsame 'facts' start to go against their preconceived opinions? On that score I've my own strong suspicions...yes, indeed!

*Yes, that's the literal plural of genius - and no, it needn't take a genius to know that! Well, actually, 'genii' is apparently the plural of 'genie', and 'geniuses' of 'genius' - and in both my ever trusty Chambers Concise Dictionary and my Heinemann New Zealand Dictionary. So, hey, you can indeed learn something new every day, eh.

**My personal surmising is simply that the only reason Stephen Hawking didn't seem to push this (very complex and wide-ranging) subject any further was that he felt unwilling to embroil himself in one of our contemporary world's hot potatoes: i.e. evolution versus creation. Perhaps - at least it seems a legitimate enough, reasonable surmise to me - Hawking, like so many these days (and for understandable reason, no doubt, in the post-George W era) didn't want to be associated, much less identified with, 'those crazy, nutty fundamentalist Christians'. And also - sure, a very personal surmise, to be sure - like my dear old Gram (now dead over twenty years, though in a dream just the other day), just as she evidently found it hard to 'forgive God' (yes, you heard me aright!) for the death of my namesake, my Dad's younger brother, at just eight years of age, maybe Stephen Hawking found it difficult to forgive God for his lifelong crippling physical disability - though arguably it proved to be the very secret to his ultimate success and genius (and thus arguably a proof in itself of the divine omniscience!)

***Though I at least believe that having been declared by Mensa (in my later teens) as myself possessing an intellect within the top 1-2-5% of the population I am not wholly unqualified to have a serious opinion upon such matters, and to regard that opinion as sufficiently robust to withstand superficially-based criticism thereof.

****According to Wikipedia this is a tome 'that documents a debate on physics and the *****philosophy of physics' between Penrose and Hawking.

*****Curiously enough it was only two days ago that my scientist brother informed me that the varsity papers he's recently been undertaking deal with such matters as both the philosophy and history of science.

******Who'd admittedly disclaim folk like myself doing so! But just as everyone has implicit faith that any time they push various buttons, appliances of light and electricity instantaneously 'come alive' and work (in the way that they expect), likewise it's eminently reasonable at times, even on those rare occasions when one doesn't necessarily comprehend all the ins and outs of someone's actual reasoning, to simply reaffirm one's trust in those who've earned their implicit respect over a long period of time and over numerous types of situations; unless and until proven otherwise (at least).

The Syrian (Civil) War (Part Three): So Who's To Say Who Should Stay?

Following on from my *blogpost yesterday (and a moment ago) upon the Syrian conflict seven years on, what are we to make of those Westerners - especially vocal upon talkback radio - who are, like most of us, admittedly, increasingly overwhelmed emotionally by the large numbers leaving Syria. Again, like most people in such nations, these folk seem more and more anxious and distrustful about their emigrating in seemingly ever larger numbers into Western nations - with the consequent issues this has apparently (and indeed indisputably) created at times. But then such people take this a step or several further in their incensed assertions that 'they' - or at least the men and male refugees, that is - ought to stay and fight for their besieged and beleaguered homeland.

Though I'd already come to strong and clear ideas about this matter following the alluded-to discussions upon New Zealand talkback radio over recent months and years, I am indebted for a reading I did last Saturday which helped crystallize my thinking in a somewhat new and different direction, though withal essentially confirming my previous convictions. The serendipitous reading came through a classic tome of the World War Two era, Dietrich Bonhoeffer's The Cost of Commitment.

Having just checked the copyright legalities and ethics involved, let me quote an intriguing passage from p33 ('Memoir') about which I am extremely ambivalent, both profoundly disagreeing and yet concurring all at the same time; (not that hard, I'll readily concede, for an extremely conflicted person like myself!)

Noting that the following are not the words (or necessarily even the sentiments) of Bonhoeffer himself - indeed the memoir is attributed to a 'G. Leibholz' - we read the following commentary upon the relative guilt of respective (non-)participants in the maintenance of the political regime in 1930s' and 1940s' Nazi Germany:

It has often been said that those of the many who are not directly guilty for the crimes of the former regime in Germany must be punished for their passive attitude towards it. In a modern dictatorship, however, with its subterranean ubiquity and all-embracing instruments of oppression, a revolt means certain death to all who support it. To reproach in a modern tyranny a people as a whole for failing to revolt is as if one would reproach a prisoner for failing to escape from a heavily-guarded prison. The majority of the people in all nations alike does not consist of heroes. What Dietrich Bonhoeffer and others did cannot be expected from the many. The future in modern society depends much more on the quiet heroism of the very few who are inspired by God.These few will greatly enjoy the divine inspiration and will be prepared to stand for the dignity of man and true freedom and to keep the law of God, even if it means martyrdom or death.

In this regard, though not able to give a blanket, cast-iron **pardon to much less to find it within me to rationalize/excuse/justify the silence of the so-called 'silent majority' of Germans (or similar nations) whilst evil and barbarism stalked the land, I do indeed believe such shared some, even significant complicity in the conditions which thus obtained there during their period of conspicuous silence and passivity. And not only in Nazi Germany but throughout then Fascist and/or largely Nazi- sympathizing pre-'Eastern' (and even Western) Europe. Indeed both before and since that time, in the Stalinist Soviet Union, Maoist China...before even considering such much more modern-day counterparts as Pol Pot's Cambodia, post-Tito Yugoslavia, Rwanda, Myanmar/Burma etc etc etc.But let me leave that for another discussion hopefully in the not too distant future.

What I do take unreserved exception to, however, with these oftentimes glib and facile talkback hosts and their ready-made, re-actionary clientele and acolytes is they're only too ready to lay in to male Syrian refugees who risked bailing out from their self-imploding homeland than stay and fight to the (probably inevitably) bitter end.

All I, all anyone can really do, I suppose, is reflect upon what I, what they, would do in like circumstances. Or so I imagine - suppose - hypothesize - surmise...-but suppositions and the like are free and easy, and accordingly worth little, when it comes to the necessary work of translating mere noble-sounding ideals into concrete, practical, on-the-ground realities, aren't they. And we're all so very wise long after the facts have moved in permanently and hunkered down for good.

But would I, if proverbial push came to shove and the long-time hypothesized, oft-bandied about Maori uprising, of sovereignty-seeking indigenous New Zealanders, ever actually occurred, and morphed into a full-scale civil war? Quite frankly, I've little doubt I would bail out - for good - I just don't have enough invested in the matter...as in strong enough feelings and convictions that this land wasn't originally acquired unlawfully and maintained upon that unethical basis a heckuva long time.

Which is hardly the same as even remotely suggesting that European kiwis, at least c/o their governing representatives  - of both major political parties especially - haven't done a whole lot more than equivalent peoples of almost any other nation upon Earth in recent times (or perhaps anytime in history) to significantly seek to redress major and minor grievances of the indigenous people (excepting Moriori of course!)

But I'm 'afraid' to admit I would bail out, hook, line and sinker - but not before, naturally enough, ascertaining the safety of each and every one near and dear to me, and, moreover, of seeking to aid one and all (of such) willing family in joining me in a new life overseas, if necessary by stowing away unbeknownst as 'cargo, incognito' upon boats bound for better climes.

Expecting me or anyone else to stay on and 'fight to the bitter end' in a modern-day re-enactment of Custer's Last Stand is, frankly, I respectfully submit, making a whole lot of assumptions about me (and others) that no-one has any right to, placing a bucket-load of expectations upon my and others' shoulders that are not only ill-conceived, but really none of your business - if you'll pardon my French. To put it as politely as possible in the circumstances.

For one thing, I might - quite legitimately - consider the whole thing/enterprise a lost cause (i.e. unlikely to ultimately succeed) to begin with. For another the cause itself might in fact be one I simply don't happen to share, to feel deeply or passionately enough about. And - perhaps far more significantly - my very life might be worth a whole lot more to me than some cause my heart wasn't really in from the start.

And though it always sounds great and carries a real wallop whenever you hear it, JFK's idea of 'better being dead than red' might have some real validity and pack a punch when one is required - by law - to resile/recant or be killed; I pray when such occurs in the not too distant that I may truly, by God's grace alone, prove myself worthy of dying for my thoroughgoing and heartfelt convictions; but when it is employed for lesser aims and goals and man-made ideologies however well-packaged and beautifully presented and convincingly spin-doctored...sorry, folks...this precious life I've been vouchsafed is too valuable a 'thing' to fritter away for such - comparative - trifles and baubles.

Somehow I strongly suspect, however, that those suggesting such self-sacrifice of others for what those armchair critics suppose should matter to those others, would themselves in like, in selfsame circumstances, bail out at the drop of a hat...would themselves often lack the the gumption, the guts, the balls (if you'll pardon my vernacular) to do-or-die themselves in such a situation...were it to present itself (in their own personal circumstances)...impacting upon their own life and times.

Hey, we're all essentially paper tigers until our own lives are on the actual line.

*Upon my other blogsite, that is: http://davidedwinisms.blogpost.co.nz/(or .com/)

**Nor, God forbid, is it my prerogative to do so! Seeing I am a mere mortal made of dust and subject to finitude; neither knowing everything (believe it or not!), being present only in one place at a time, and having very little power or might to effect things in my own little world let alone the world at large...in other words completely lacking in all those special prerogatives normally associated with and subscribed to divinity.

Another Three Bite the Dust: Bidding Adieu to Three Giants of Pop Music Fame in prospect of their respective 'wrap up' concerts on the global arena...

"You've gotta know when to hold 'em, know when to fold 'em", as the songster intones, and thus and so this is to bid a somewhat premature "Adieu" to Neil Diamond, Elton John and Paul Simon - in opposite order to my personal fandom thereof, but in the sequence of the recent announcements of their worldwide concert finales over upcoming weeks and months. 'Thank you for the music, the songs you've .........., along with all the joy you've given' [withal]. Though I'll not be attending, my thoughts will be with the outgoing flourishes of these three 'rock legends' as they traverse the globe, and no doubt set foot once more upon our own Antipodean shores, over this coming year.

Though I could say much - in every way - about the way in which the music and even more the incredible lyrics of the memorable hits gifted to our generation by the genius duo that was 'Simon and Garfunkel' has touched and transformed my life, thoughts, feelings and moods at times when little else seemed to suffice - ministering to my 'spirit' when nothing else was able (to) - and despite also making extensive reference to the ongoing impact of a select few (but nevertheless relatively numerous) 'bunch' of songs created by another musically powerful twosome, i.e. Bernie Taupin and Elton John, in a mini-treatise upon Lady Diana's death twenty years on, here I'll simply...

pay tribute to the pop artist above I've by far the least personal musical loyalty to: Neil Diamond. Though I'll always cherish such songs as 'Sweet Caroline' and 'I am, I said', may I here and now pay special tribute to a record like none other, one coincidentally referred to recently by a talkback host I regularly tune in to of an evening. When Marcus Lush made reference to Neil Diamond's upcoming final world tour recently, he mentioned a record he, apparently as many others, had grown up with but was subsequently hardly ever heard of: Jonathan Livingston Seagull. It's also one my oldest sister said she'd had and loved as a kid, and which I've managed to come across (and 'get') three times now.

Without further ado, let me simply mention that, though I was unable to attend Neil Diamond's concert in my hometown of Dunedin awhile ago, upon observing a beautiful sunset - as Dunedin is so often graced with - that very evening, all I could bring to mind was a combination of the wonderful and eerie music and words and yes, awesome, scenescape upon that LP's cover...and if I could've,  would've communicated to him while visiting my hometown to simply let him know that, as one such song upon said album expresses it so well and perfectly: (sadly memory's doing me a number tonight, and don't wanna revisit the entire songlist to obtain this)...

but it was basically about something 'made for the poet's eye', and surely that summed up both that song, the album itself and everything about it and the artist 'compering' the same...and moreover the place Mr Diamond was choosing to sing in that evening, if he'd only been able to raise his eyes to the hills, the sky and the sea...fit indeed 'for the poet's eye' alone.

...But finally, after just now reluctantly revisiting said equal all-time favourite LP alongside Chariots of Fire (as apart from not necessarily being 'in the mood' to do so, one thing I especially dislike is seeking to clinically dissect into its component parts and analyse, to metaphorically slice and dice, in a purely rational, ever-so-logical manner with my head, the right side of my cranium, something which the left side of said brain, i.e. my so-called (emotional) 'heart', loves and cherishes (for reasons known only to my subconscious self). But yes, I've at last found the song with the lyrics I've been seeking, that I've been alluding to, and they are indeed wonderful, 'awesome' ones, if I do say so...

With due, respectful acknowledgment to and of Neil Diamond in this, his personal adaptation of and re-enactment of the text of the same name by Richard Sebastian Bach (I believe), in the final song on side B, a third version of 'Be' - initially (side A): 'Introduction of Jonathan - his flight and fall'; then (earlier - side B): 'Jonathan returns to teach the flock' - 'Be' (#3) concludes as a 'Recapitulation and farewell to Fletcher'.

Lost...on a painted sky...where the clouds are hung, for the poet's eye...you may find him...if you may find him...

There...on a distant shore, by the wings of dreams, through an open door, you may know him...if you may be...

As a page that aches for a word which speaks on a theme that is time-less...while/which the Sun-God will make for your day...

See, as a song in search of a voice that is silent, and the One God will make for your way...

Nuff said. Yes, 'that's all she (I mean he) wrote'.

Thank you, Neil. For a split-second in the scheme of things that All-Transcendent One has blessed you with just such a poet's keen, all-observant eye of appreciation...to discern, depict and describe, and then deploy your profound discernment to all round.

"O Happy Day!...when Jesus washed my sins away."

Just to tender my admittedly meagre offering of gratitude to the - temporarily forgotten - songster who gave us this blessed song, its lyrics and melody. Yes, "thank you" kind sir for the music you were once *bringing, and moreover for the joy these cherished lyrics were long-time in giving...


-a tune and words immortalized, in my humble opinion, by another singer who recently passed from this earthly scene, Glen Campbell, whose 45 single I still retain to this day...


*Acknowledging Abba's own song, 'Thank you for the Music', whose words I've paraphrased here.

Apocalypse Now, I mean Very, Very Soon? You Better Believe It...

But does that 'necessitate' or rather presuppose an all-out global thermonuclear war, i.e. World War 111? Thankfully, not necessarily, and certainly not as such insofar as biblical prophecies are concerned, though it seems increasingly likely nevertheless that a number of geographically 'isolated' major, and generally nuclear weaponry-employing wars, are indeed on the very verge of being precipitated...by one foolhardy 'gentleman' in particular, no guessing who!

Yes indeed, whether we're considering North Korea vis-a-vis the United States of America, the USA/Israel vis-a-vis various Middle Eastern/Arab nations...or 'just' Russia vis-a-vis the Ukraine and/or various Baltic nations - among numerous other, generally less than latent, possibilities...the writing does indeed appear well and truly already upon the wall, or at least furiously fast being etched there.

But by his native brand of stupidity, his own especial 'class' of ignoramus personified, Messr Donald J Trump looks certain to expedite 'proceedings' in this regard in a considerable and greatly undesirable fashion while we 'lesser mortals' think and consider and reflect...and simply hold our collective breath.

Buckle up, folks, you/we have evidently 'seen nothin' yet'...as 'the Donald' really puts his a(ss) into g(ear), or is that his foot in his mouth, and does what no other (even somewhat rational, reasonable-minded) United States President has hitherto done...i.e. recognized Jerusalem as the nation of Israel's essential capital.

But before I sign off I'll seemingly contradict myself - a not uncommon phenomenon with Yours Truly, admittedly - by commending him upon keeping his adamant campaign promise, and by recognizing reality.

The problem in this case is that by thus keeping a rashly-made commitment, admittedly made apparently by all his predecessors in recent decades, to simply accept that Israel has only one real capital, i.e. Jerusalem...

...he's thus and so set the entire Middle East upon a trajectory toward war, and of the nasty, no doubt eventually nuclear variety...and no, that's really neither a 'nice' nor a very smart thing to do - at all.

Really, is it? 'Coz some truths and facts are better to go unstated, however true they may well be in theory.

Don't ya think? I mean, really?

So What Do French President Emmanuel Macron, California Governor Jerry Brown and the Roman Catholic Pontiff, Pope Francis, Have In Common? Something Rather Sinister, That Might Seriously Spook You

Suffice to say - for now - that the pawns are being rapidly put into place for the global chess champion to claim his long-coveted, special prize. That prize/reward: a re-establishment of a long-lost global *hegemony. The players involved: a **cabal of popular and/or deeply respected world leaders unsuspected of anything beyond being a bunch of well-meaning if at times somewhat unconventional, unorthodox pragmatists seeking a human species in harmony with both itself and its environs. The tools to those ends: you and me, the citizenry of Planet Earth. The means to achieve said ends: a global crisis of ***multifarious parts and unwonted proportions necessitating human intervention upon an unprecedented scale to bring some order to the chaos.

And what - directly - elicited this blogpost on such a far-reaching topic? A number of factors involving the aforementioned personalities in particular over a number of recent weeks, months and years, is the fact of the matter, but the immediate triggering event that has made me thus put pen to paper, so to speak? A little news item overheard upon my stereo early yesterday afternoon. Which essentially 'said it all' - for those with ears to hear and who, through long experience, are able to 'read between the lines' (of the superficial, mainstream media text). And yet, at the same time, said news item did unexpectedly disclose some rather inconvenient information, which said parties (already cited) I suspect might well have wished to remain hidden or out of public view.

Upon New Zealand's Newstalk ZB 1 p.m. news bulletin yesterday, was the following 'snippet of information': Jerry Brown, the (very long-serving, during two distinct phases separated by threesome decades) Governor of America's most populous state, California, is reported to have told a Vatican Symposium upon climate change that religious commitments were as important as any other considerations in facing up to and dealing with - 'fighting' - the same. And then, before mentioning (if I recollect aright) that Brown believed all means should be employed in this global battle, veteran newsreader Tim Dower (again, if I remember rightly) cited the - very relevant and all-so-revealing - fact that Brown was 'a former Jesuit seminarian'. Indeed, and more's to the point, at that symposium surely Pope Francis - a Jesuit himself - would have been present (if only in spirit or c/o top advisers, if he hadn't been around or able to attend, for whatever reason).

And so, to tie all these various and sundry 'bits 'n bobs' together into one overarching thread, may I simply posit the reasonable surmise or conjecture that, alongside the stunningly electorally successful new President of France, Emmanuel Macron, the 'new (and Jesuit, evidently) kid in town'/'on the block', the various (and well-positioned) Jesuit grandmasters are speedily moving into place. But for what specific purpose, I hear you breathlessly enquire?

Why, to move into higher gear their 'great' and long-planned scheme and bid to regain their (i.e. the Jesuit order's - and the Vatican's) long-lost global supremacy...this time for keeps!

You better believe it folks, it's not only happening, it's coming a whole lot sooner than anyone (including myself) had ever anticipated...in my/our worst nightmares...

Put your seatbelts on, when the crisis finally breaks out, it'll be a rather 'bumpy' ride, I can assure you!

*/**/***According to my ever trusty Concise Chambers Dictionary, meaning, respectively: 'leadership: preponderant influence, esp. of one state over others'; 'a small party united for some secret design'; and 'having great diversity: made up of many parts'.

So Where Does That Place Us In The Divine Scheme of Things?

Assuredly, "no-one knoweth the day nor the hour" when 'the Son of Man' will return..."not even the Son [Himself]...but the Father only". And as Jesus the Christ, Israel's rejected Messiah, later admonished His eagerly-awaiting disciples, just prior to farewelling them (upon this present globe) forever, such "times and seasons" were to be kept top secret in the meantime, being 'put in[i.e. under] the Father['s] own authority".

So far so good, but was that all that Jesus said upon the subject? Did He not at least reveal the tenor of that fearsome time like no other, a time moreover "[w]hen there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world...no, nor ever shall be [again]" - a time elsewhere described as "the time of Jacob's trouble"?

Most assu5redly He did...and in no uncertain terms to boot. Yes indeed. So where do we begin? Well, the gospels themselves are never a bad idea, and how about the selfsame (end-time) passage - and related ones, 'parallel passages' as they're usually referred to? Yes, let's begin there.

Cognizant as we set out upon this biblically-delineated journey that 'today' (now yesterday) in the Northern, and likewise in the Southern, Hemisphere(s), is an important date - and not only in the secular scheme of things. For 'Halloween' - 'All Hallow's Eve' as the witches and wizards, and indeed even the Medieval Church itself 'christened' it - is not only a cherished 'oblation to the devil' (and/or his earthly representatives), but, incredible fact that it is, wonder of wonders even, it was the very day that what became known as the 'Protestant Reformation' was given a critical spark that has never since been extinguished, or ever will. For it was the very day that a then-obscure monk from Wittenberg, Germany, nailed his now-celebrated '99 theses' upon a church door and thus forever revolutionized Christendom. A revolution, as with the invention which enabled it, the printing press, conducted and carried through without worldly weapons, tactics or *bloodshed.

*Yes, I'm well aware that violence between the Church of the Day and its dissenting defectors has been a matter of **historical record over succeeding decades, even centuries, but could I respectfully suggest - again, upon good historical authority - that such Christless, unChristlike, Christ-denying behaviour - upon the part of any and every 'party' (both individual and collective) concerned - was not only in itself a wholesale rejection of the very spirit of Christ and selfsame Reformation, and so didn't truly represent its very essence, but that that Reformation achieved its revolutionary results entirely despite and in spite of the tactics which were sometimes employed (by Protestants that is, for the Roman Catholics engaged in the same were only ever involved in what is known as the Counter-Reformation) either in wholesale ignorance of the Very Founder of the religion, and/or, as often occurred, by a blatant denial of his winsome, loving and loveable spirit, alongside an adoption of the self-righteous, judgmental spirit of Jesus' earthly adversaries, chiefest amongst whom were the notorious Pharisees.

**Speaking of which, may I include a few words and observations regarding a BBC World discussion this very morn (New Zealand time) in which a number (three or four) 'learned divines' ***expostulated, ****expounded and otherwise *****expatiated.

***/****/*****According to my trusty Chambers Concise Dictionary, meaning, respectively: 'to remonstrate/discuss/claim'; 'to expose, or lay open the meaning of; to explain; to interpret; to explain in a certain way'; and 'to range at large (usu. fig.): to enlarge in discourse, argument, or writing' [i.e. upon some matter or topic under consideration]. All of which the aforementioned folk did, and did they what! But more about that in my second part, following some desperately-needed early shuteye tonight, for without it one really cannot achieve a helluva lot, I've concluded over many years and decades of hard-earned experience!
 
To Be Continued...

A Rather Depressing, Even Pathetic Present State of World Affairs: 'nuff said!

Although, contradicting myself, as I am ever wont to do, let me simply add the well-chosen words of a prophetically-gifted woman from a century to a century-and-a-half ago, who stated (I believe around the start of the 20th Century):

There will soon be such sorrow in this world as no balm can soothe.

Or as the sacred Scriptures themselves inform us:
 
"...mens' hearts failing them from fear and the expectation of those things which are coming on the earth, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken."

A time when verily "there will be signs in the sun, in the moon, and in the stars; and on the earth distress of nations, with perplexity, the sea and the waves roaring."

That time, I tentatively suggest, has sadly long since arrived...to put it very mildly indeed...

If Monsieur Macron et al "are agin' it", well, hey, there must actually be something in it; or why such a hullabaloo over Catalonian independence (as per Great Britain becoming independent once more) by Europhiles Incorporated?

So we witness anew members, supporters and other assorted and sundry hangers-on of 'Europe Incorporated', i.e. anyone and everyone with pro-European Union sympathies and sensibilities, uniting in disbelief, frustration and anger/hostility to the imminent prospect of the ancient Spanish region of Catalonia - once the Roman- and Goth-occupied area known as Gothalonia according to my handy little The Concord DESK ENCYCLOPEDIA: Volume One: A-E (1982) - declaring, asserting and otherwise seeking to establish its independence. From the utter furore of late whipped up, one would or at least ostensibly could, imagine that it didn't only presage the very finale of European civilization as such, but the imminent Apocalypse and Second Coming of the Lord Jesus Christ Himself! That is, following the inevitable demise of the Spanish nation itself. Or so the present media coverage would seem to indicate.

Having no especial familiarity with, let alone more than a cursory, media-instilled, knowledge of this age-old regional division of modern-day Spain, obviously I am no expert on the matter, but as a disinterested observer, accruing no benefit whatsoever whatever might betide Catalonia and Catalonians - or for that matter Spain and Spaniards - let me simply note (and posit), in addition to the foregoing, the following thoughts/ideas/considerations (and queries):

*Surely residents/'citizens' of this long-time 'autonomous region in N(orth)E(ast) Spain', to which 'In 1980 the Spanish government handed over certain limited functions', thus enabling/creating 'a Catalan regional government with its own parliament and premier', having 'maintained its own customs and language even after its union with Aragon in 1137', have such a long history of semi-independence that it's hardly surprising that now - when 'everybody and everyone' seems set upon establishing their own identity c/o asserting their own geographical stamp of authority - they might themselves want fuller, even complete autonomy (to pursue their own unique vision of themselves and their place in the world). I mean, it's hardly that unpredictable a political development, surely? (All quotations herein as per the above-mentioned (pocket-sized) Desk Encyclopedia.)

*Perhaps French President Macron's beef at least 'subconsciously' relates to the fact that since 'Catalan, one of the nine Romance languages, and (understandably) native language of Catalonia', is 'also spoken in the French Pyrenees', he's covering himself well ahead of time for the - admittedly probably rather tenuous at best, but nevertheless - forseeable prospect that some of his fellow French-'men' might also (in time to come) seek to join just such a newly-independent state.

*Though the idea isn't unique, indeed I heard some such similar observation made by someone on BBC World Radio or the like recently, isn't it more than a little interesting, curious, suspect even, that those in the vanguard of the 'European Project' at present, expeditiously get their knickers in a knot whenever anyone within modern-day (at least Western) Europe goes the independence route, whereas whenever the same happens elsewhere, even within the bounds of the once 'Eastern' Europe, it's pretty much, "Okay, Jose, she's no big deal, nothing to sweat over or get unduly panicky or worked up about." Or as we kiwis might put it: "She'll be right, mate." Yes, everyone everywhere has the inherent right to self-government and sovereignty, except those within our midst we might have reason to suspect of being either (to be charitable, simply) fuddy-duddy, or, to be much less so, racists and xenophobes (as in British Eurosceptics, for instance), terrorist in modus operandi (as in the Basque separatists, who, incidentally and interestingly, also hail from the Pyrenees region of France and NE Spain) or precociously self-willed (as in the Catalonians). Although, speaking as we are of such matters - at least within the bounds of Westerndom - **Quebecis seem to have ever been allowed a special dispensation...that is, on the off-chance that they ever do - electorally at least - assert their independence from Canada.

**Though I prefer 'Quebecis' (for the inhabitants of the Canadian province of Quebec), my trusty 'ole Chambers Concise Dictionary (1988) seems to prefer 'Quebec(k)ers', and/or 'Quebecois' (this latter rendering, with a diagonal 'macron' over the first 'e', obvious irony and unintended 'pun' notwithstanding), so that is that, I suppose...

"And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon..."

What a day across the '[belt] of totality' straddling the U S of A at this incredible time in American history, and what a welcome relief/distraction for one and all in that much-afflicted land from the ongoing, never-ending, incessant 'march' ever backward(s) and downward(s) of the Trump Road Show excuse for the American presidency...if only for the briefest moment in time, admittedly.

A welcome and eagerly-grasped moment in which around 11 million Americans - plus vast numbers of temporary visitors - living along the thin geographical 'belt' criss-crossing the United States through 14 - over a quarter - of its 50 states, from the beloved Oregon (my favourite state while sojourning in the U S from later 1992 through mid-1995) over to South Carolina, I *believe. 

This is simply to note this interesting event, and to point out my 'recollection' that the last time such an eclipse criss-crossed the U S of A - or perhaps a little prior, to be precise - forty years ago, i.e. 1979 evidently, a certain individual claiming extremely special, even unique spiritual(heavenly)-(earthly)temporal authority was coming upon the scene and within a short time had 'amassed' significant worldly and religious status and influence. To whom do I allude? None other than Pope John Paul the Second, who I mention in this context for one essential but exceedingly important, even mouth-dropping, reason: he was cited, specified, identified around 1,000 years prior - in a mysterious medieval prophecy which has been treasured within the Vatican Library for almost as long - as one whose actual eventual tenure/'reign', a remarkable 25 years all up, was denoted by said 'prophet', an Archbishop Malachy of the then Ireland (comprising both North and South), in these words/terms: as 'the sun's eclipse'/'the sun's labour'. Spooky, eh.

Perhaps all the more interesting and significant in view of his being not only one of the longest-serving pontiffs in world history, but the one who, many would and could well argue, effectively 'healed the deadly wound' of Revelation 13, after which the entire 'world [would] wonder after the [religio-political power specified]'; and did he achieve that - in literal spades. And though the relatively problematic, crisis-ridden and unpopular pontificate of his immediate successor, Pope Benedict the 16th, Josef Ratzinger, the one-time Prefect of the Congregation of the Doctrine of the Faith, previously known as the Holy Office, and originally much more meaningfully (if eerily) designated the Supreme Sacred Congregation of the Roman and Universal Inquisition, intervened until late 2012, when Benedict took the world by shock and awe and handed in his resignation, the tenure of John Paul's ultimate successor, i.e. Jorge Bergoglio, better known these days as Pope Frances, has well and truly accelerated John Paul the Second's stellar efforts, so much so that to suggest the modern-day papacy is esteemed deeply across the face of the globe is if anything a massive understatement.

Enough for today, my precious shut-eye beckons, but I cannot close without restating the greater context from which biblical setting my blogpost's title is taken. As St Luke, physician to and personal attendant upon the Apostle Paul has written in his Gospel account:

And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring; men's hearts failing them for[from] fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the [habitable] earth: for the powers of heaven[the heavens] shall be shaken.

Yes, thinking men and women throughout the world today realize, however imperceptibly and subconsciously, that our world now stands upon the very threshold of great and calamitous events, events long prophesied to immediately precede the great, long-heralded Advent in great power and glory to this earth of the Son of Man, the unique God-Man Jesus Christ Himself, Second Person of the Godhead. And at that time all those 'eagerly looking' to that grand event are indeed advised to 'look up and lift up [their] heads; for [their] redemption draweth nigh'.

And when that 'celebrated' event occurs, the long-heralded 'Parousia' (i.e. Rapture) of 'our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ', Paul advises believers, firstly in then Rome (in his letter to the Romans) that:

We shall not [indeed] all [fall a]sleep, But we shall all be changed, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, At the last trump[sic]: For the trumpet shall sound...".

And then in Thessalonika (on today's Grecian Peninsula, i.e. in modern-day Greece), in his letter to the Thessalonians, Paul advises the believers there

'not...to be ignorant...concerning them which are [have fallen] asleep', nor to 'sorrow...even [also] as others which have no[t] hope...'.

And why, prithee, not?

'For...we which are alive and remain [the living and the remaining ones] unto the coming of the Lord shall not [by no means] prevent [go before] them which are asleep. For the Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the [A]rchangel, and with the trump[sic] of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: then we which are alive and remain [the living and the remaining ones] shall be caught up together with them...'

Just what time in history do you reckon that marks us out as being in? Hey, you needn't be a rocket scientist or a neurosurgeon to work that one out...do you? I mean, really...

*But was Bermuda also eventually 'shadowed' by the solar-lunar path? Maybe not an American state as such, let alone even a tributary, except of the United Kingdom...whose population, half that of my own beloved Dunedin, not only hosted the recent America's Cup yacht race, once again 'brought home' by God's Own, i.e. New Zealand, but - at least at one time, if he still resides there - included a fellow named Darren Williams, if I remember rightly, who was one of my room-mates while residing during 1993-1994 at Wildwood Lifestyle Centre and Hospital in Wildwood, Georgia...itself at the actual juncture of both Georgia and Tennessee, very close to the famous Chattanooga whose Lookout Mountain (or perhaps only Hill, reality often being somewhat less glamourous than memory's deceptive halls would sometimes suggest) was itself 'home' to a Confederate cannon, and from whose 'lofty' (by U S standards anyhow) 'peak' one could (apparently) see seven different states all up...assuming those seven to comprise/include: Georgia and Tennessee of course; Alabama, only a little ways distant; but also Mississippi, no doubt; and definitely South Carolina; 'assuming' the other two to probably be North Carolina and Kentucky...but I truly can't recall. (But evidently half the number of states directly criss-crossed by today's lunar-solar eclipse across the United States.)

Returning to Europe (in Bible prophecy) - and not before time

Instalment #1

The errors of my ways having at last caught up with me, I'll aim to fulfil my pledge to my bloggership of June 22nd last...before too much time has elapsed, and hopefully a year on (at the latest). Suffice it for now, that I do intend dealing with the matter of where Europe 'stands' (both today and in times past) in Bible prophecy. Though indeed the subject may prove to have all manner of ramifications thus far unanticipated, let me at this point simply 'posit' a variety of Scriptural texts which I will soon enough endeavour to link/connect with the continent of Europe (at least as it stood 2,000 years ago, as well as at both the commencement and the end of the Cold War.) But for now - or rather today on - I will simply give a necessarily scattered sampling of them in a bullet-point list, alongside the briefest of explanations (some necessarily repeated from that earlier blogpost of 2016):

*'Then one of the seven angels who
had the seven bowls came and
talked with me, saying to me, "Come, I
will show you the judgment of the great
harlot who sits on many waters,
with whom the kings of the earth
committed fornication, and the inhab-
itants of the earth were made drunk
with the wine of her fornication."
So he carried me away in the Spirit
into the wilderness. And I saw a woman
sitting on a scarlet beast which was full
of names of blasphemy, having seven
heads and ten horns.
The woman was arrayed in purple
and scarlet, and adorned with gold and
precious stones and pearls, having in
her hand a golden cup full of abomina-
tions and the filthiness of her fornica-
tion.
And on her forehead a name was
written:
                 MYSTERY,
      BABYLON THE GREAT,
 THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS
AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS
             OF THE EARTH.
I saw the woman, drunk with the
blood of the saints and with the blood
of the martyrs of Jesus. And when I saw
her, I marveled with great amazement.
But the angel said to me, "Why did
you marvel? I will tell you the mystery of
the woman and of the beast that carries
her, which has the seven heads and the
ten horns....
Here is the mind which has wis-
dom: The seven heads are seven moun-
tains on which the woman sits.... 
The ten horns which you saw are
ten kings who have received no king-
dom as yet, but they receive authority
for one hour as kings with the beast.
These are of one mind, and they
will give their power and authority to
the beast."...
Then he said to me, "The waters 
which you saw, where the harlot sits, 
are peoples, multitudes, nations, and 
tongues. 
And the ten horns which you saw
on the beast, these will hate the harlot,
make her desolate and naked, eat her
flesh and burn her with fire.
For God has put it into their hearts
to fulfill His purpose, to be of one mind,
and to give their kingdom to the beast,
until the words of God are fulfilled.
And the woman whom you saw is 
that great city which reigns over the 
kings of the earth.' 
Revelation 17: 1-7;9; 12/13; 15-18.
(All bold lettering used is mine.)

And Did Those Feet...In Ancient Times...Walk Upon England's Moun-tains Green?

*And was the Holy Lamb of God, on England's Pleasant Pastures Seen?

Seemingly specious, speculative theories abound - as to whether **'Jesus the Anointed/Messiah[i.e. 'Christ']', in His many and various historically-annotated/attested/documented re(-appearances) to 'one and all'' post-Resurrection, alongside His specially chosen/designated 'twelve'/disciples/apostles, such as Thomas, Philip et al, turned up in such vastly-disparate areas/places as:
*India - c/o the no longer doubting Thomas
*the US of A [aka standard Mormon doctrine] to the American Indians
*England

Such suppositions are, as I've acknowledged, purely speculative; no hard-and-fast, ironclad, incontrovertible and verifiable evidence - anywhere - is available to lay to rest, to establish one way or another and once and for all any (and indeed every) such rumour, fanciful imagining or set of olden time 'alternative facts'. Which of course has never prevented all sorts of folks here, there and everywhere from continually indulging in such idle if fascinating albeit generally unprofitable discussion.

But, at least in terms of the United Kingdom, if not more precisely England and its pre-industrial, indeed pre-feudal society and landscape, while again such a theorem is very intriguing, it is naturally enough more the product of a vivid imagination than anything tenable. However, while not literally adhering to such a spiritual concept, let me add the following addendum (to explain where I'm at thereabouts): could it nevertheless be that the evidently 2,500-some year dispersed ancient nation/kingdom of  Israel - contemporaneous then with the fellow kingdom/nation of Judah (in Judaea) - did indeed, eventually, 'end up' in what today is known as the United Kingdom/British Isles, alongside many other European-wide destinations?

Well, I anyhow believe the answer is a categorical, unequivocal 'Yes!' (The reason, indeed, I'm posting this today, weirdly enough scribbled out in rough copy a few hours or so prior to hearing midday of yet another  awful attack upon the British, in their age-old capital of London, the setting historically of so much tragic conflict and other unpleasant major happenings.)

But having now thoroughly sated your curiosity, I must add the following: having now (a second time) been studying/'studied out' all the be-alls and end-alls, the whys and the wherefores, the ins and outs (and inside outs - and probably outside ins!), in other words the essential guts (and entrails) of this theory, I really cannot do any better or even otherwise than simply acknowledge (and advocate) the careful and prayerful reading/study/perusal of a book by a (once) fairly well-known Bible student, an individual whose famous Plain Truth magazine has found its way into many a letterbox over preceding decades throughout the Western World in particular.

Though certainly not and never a member of ***this man's church, nor either an adherent, open or secret, of all his/his denomination's many and various doctrines, I make no apology whatsoever in declaring that I will readily embrace truth in all its many and variegated manifestations - just as my Master did - wherever and whenever I (happen to) stumble upon or across it. But since the tome's own cross-examination and delineation and exposition of this very interesting and significant, but hey, generally overlooked if not 'positively' ignored Bible topic is thorough, ever-so-logical and well-articulated, I cannot but 'say' "Adieu" now, and suggest interested readers obtain - however they can - a copy of the hopefully unrevised (as it needs no revision) book appropriately entitled The United States and Britain in Bible Prophecy, by the now long-deceased Herbert W Armstrong of the one-time Worldwide Church of God.

And may I add, as someone once (one-four decades back) acquainted with a Church of God member, and moreover hearing through the grapevine while a missionary volunteer in Tasmania, Australia, 18-19 years ago, of the Church's breakup (after Armstrong's death and his son's elevation to denominational leadership I believe) into multiple, multitudinous offshoots, that the essential basis of a significant part of said denomination's welcoming back and re-acceptance into the American evangelical church fold subsequently, based as it evidently was upon its reassessing and revoking and otherwise 'revamping' of some of its basic, fundamental, foundational doctrines, and hence its disavowal of some well-established and sound biblical truth/s upon such matters as the perpetuity and continued obligation of the eternal Moral Law of God - as handed down to humanity via Moses at Mount Sinai - is/was reprehensible - in the extreme - by those who thus partook in such an unwarranted and unscriptural change, and moreover betrayal of sacred truth bequeathed to that Church (while under Armstrong's leadership).

That is, it was a betrayal of sacred trusts for those of Armstrong's successors who thus resiled from fundamental and well-established biblical truth in order to be accepted back into the mainstream evangelical Christian community, in its global centre (as per most denominations, including my own) - i.e. the United States of America. Indeed, as someone I and fellow denominational believers - and Scripture itself for that matter - might have put it, be all means and as far and often as possible let there be a putting away of relatively minor, ultimately rather inconsequential differences in order to maintain and re-obtain if necessary the harmony and unity in the faith that our Lord and Saviour prayed for and characterized as the hallmark and signpost of true believers...whenever and wherever at all possible. But equally, where there is incontrovertibly, not merely deviance from but open, undeniable, clear and obvious departure and even apostasy from 'the faith once delivered unto the saints' by the Christian Church's Lord and Saviour and His hand-picked apostles and prophets, as another prophetically-inspired person has put it: 'Let there be division and even ****[spiritual] war.'

After all (is said and done), and as the classic old-time hymn, 'Once to Every Man and Nation', so aptly and beautifully expresses the matter, the truth is too important to be traded in for trifles and worldly trinkets. And it will stand, just like the eternal word of the Lord, when all else round about falls (into oblivion). Or as another has also well put it: the truth will (ultimately) out. Yes, whatever it cost Christ Jesus' disciple in this life.

*Evidently from the old classic 'Jerusalem', which we sang - among others - while at (Balmacewen) Intermediate here in Dunedin, from our little school assembly hymnal.

**My thanks to those wonderful, inspired and inspiring folk - of Small Cords Press fame - i.e. George & Eileen Anderson, co-authors of such literary gems as Beyond Magic, Beyond The Mark, Beyond Anarchy, Beyond Murphy's Law, and Beyond Small Cords - at least! (For explaining how this term and others have (arguably) been 'massaged' and otherwise re-engineered to suit less than theologically accurate, and moreover less than spiritually faithful, motives and agendas; among much else.)  

***Though now associated with, indeed a member (for over three decades) of a denomination sharing some very significant and important doctrinal commonalities.

****In concert with the long-established practice of the Early Church (for the first few centuries of its existence), my own denomination and a number of others - not only the Quakers or Religious Society of Friends (in which Yours Truly was raised), as popularly believed - are convinced that a Christian has no place engaging in worldly wars of imperialism and conquest; and lesser still in fighting fellow believers! (The infamous 'Just War' doctrine can be discussed another day, but suffice it for now to declare that much done in the name of religion has never remotely had the Christian Church's explicit or implicit approval or sanction.)