Thank you Finny- I have a quesion, (I hope not a stupid one) wht exactly does ping mean and am I to respond in some way to a ping?
I'm surprised your wonderfully eloquent and thoughtful two-part "sermon" on the "raging of the heathen" (! I love that!) hasn't received a bunch of responses. Truly, Pastor Bill, it resonates very deeply with me. I was trying to respond to your Part II when the internet went down. I was going to *ping* another FReeper and fellow Christian here with whom I recently had a discussion about Jews and their status as God's Chosen People.
My thoughts are this: that a) while I wouldn't fight to the death to defend Islam or Hinduism or Buddhism or any other religion, I would fight for Judaism the same as I would Christianity. I see Jews and Christians as crewmates on the same ship and b) America and any other Western/Christian nation that abandons Israel is abandoning God and will likewise be abandoned by Him.
My knowledge of the bible is undisciplined and sketchy, though I love Ecclesiastes and find great comfort there. I've read the New Testament a couple of times (not recently!) and dabbled here and there in Psalms. You've inspired me to read Psalms more closely and thoroughly.
Again, I think your two-part piece here is compelling and profound. Thank you for writing and posting it.