Posted on 02/08/2015 7:41:51 PM PST by SkyPilot
People who wonder why the president does not talk more about race would do well to examine the recent blow-up over his speech at the National Prayer Breakfast. Inveighing against the barbarism of ISIS, the president pointed out that it would be foolish to blame Islam, at large, for its atrocities. To make this point he noted that using religion to brutalize other people is neither a Muslim invention nor, in America, a foreign one:
Lest we get on our high horse and think this is unique to some other place, remember that during the Crusades and the Inquisition, people committed terrible deeds in the name of Christ. In our home country, slavery and Jim Crow all too often was justified in the name of Christ.
The "all too often" could just as well be "almost always." There were a fair number of pretexts given for slavery and Jim Crow, but Christianity provided the moral justification. On the cusp of plunging his country into a war that would cost some 750,000 lives, Confederate Vice President Alexander Stephens paused to offer some explanation. His justification was not secular. The Confederacy was to be:
[T]he first government ever instituted upon the principles in strict conformity to nature, and the ordination of Providence, in furnishing the materials of human society ... With us, all of the white race, however high or low, rich or poor, are equal in the eye of the law. Not so with the negro. Subordination is his place. He, by nature, or by the curse against Canaan, is fitted for that condition which he occupies in our system.
(Excerpt) Read more at theatlantic.com ...
This is from a 2005 US State Dept. Trafficking in Persons Report (Note: In the world of political correctness, 'human trafficking' is the correct way to say 'slavery'):
The Government of Saudi Arabia does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking and is not making significant efforts to do so. The government continues to lack adequate anti-trafficking laws, and, despite evidence of widespread trafficking abuses, did not report any criminal prosecutions, convictions, or prison sentences for trafficking crimes committed against foreign domestic workers. The government similarly did not take law enforcement action against trafficking for commercial sexual exploitation in Saudi Arabia, or take any steps to provide victims of sex trafficking with protection. The Saudi government also made no discernible effort to employ procedures to identify and refer victims to protective services.
Saudi is considered a Tier 3 country when it comes to slavery. Other notable State Dept. defined Tier 3 countries are: Bolivia, Ecuador, Qatar, United Arab Emirates, Burma, Jamaica, Venezuela, Cambodia, Kuwait, Sudan, Cuba, North Korea, and Togo. I suspect the list should be longer.
Let’s just say that Mr. Obama last Thursday grew a “redwood tree” of a LONG NOSE. You know where the “long nose” term came from?
To be accurate, the Hebrew transliteration for "the earth" in Psalm 33:14 is ha-aretz, usually meaning "the land" (namely Israel). For that verse in its temporal context to denote the entire planet instead is unlikely.
....Or rather got CAUGHT with a LOT of half-truths and outright LIES.
Re: “For that verse in its temporal context to denote the entire planet instead is unlikely.”
I’m afraid I must disagree. The entire context of Psalm 33 is looking at all the peoples and nations of all the earth. For example, in verse 5 - “the earth is full of His unfailing love”, vs 8 - “let all the earth fear the Lord”, vs 10 “the Lord foils the plans of the nations”, vs 12 - “Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord”.
God doesn’t show love to Israel alone, it is not just Israel that is to fear the Lord, rather “all the earth” should also. The Lord foils the plans of “nations”. It is not just Israel that would be blessed by making God their God, but ANY nation that did so. That is the message of the Psalm. God is God over all the earth, not just Israel.
So, I still believe when it says that God has made the hearts of all - it really means ALL peoples everywhere in all the earth.
I suggest spending more time with the Hebrew.
God doesn’t show love to Israel alone, it is not just Israel that is to fear the Lord, rather “all the earth” should also.
No, He teaches Israel to be the light that draws the world to Him, just as he gave that job later on to a single man in our Messiah. The whole teaching of the Torah is man turning to G_d in repentance, obediently taking a task in faith, surviving His cleansing of sin when he withdraws His protection, sheltered in His atonement, by which to be forgiven and receive the Blessing anew... of which the first example was Noach. Hence, it was Christ's teaching too. Similarly, the people of the Nations were to join Israel freely, from what I can discern, leaving their kings behind. It meant to be a revolutionary teaching from the start. There really is a difference between Israel and the world. Sorry, I don't have time for more discussion on the matter. You can read more about it here.
I was thinking that the blacks embrace the very Democrat party who’s members put those KKK robes on and terrorized them. Fools don’t know their history.
ISLAM: THE AWFUL TRUTH
By Justin O. Smith
American Thinker October 4, 2014
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/3211166/posts
Islam is violent and repressive, and its sacred texts are the heart of darkness at the center of the Islamic State's inspiration and motivation, despite Barack Obama's assertions in September 10th's address to the nation that the Islamic State "is not Islamic" and that "no religion condones the killing of innocents." Violence is an integral part of Islamic doctrine, following the example set by its Prophet Mohammed, and in the name of Islam and Allah, Muslims have been murdering innocents, since 656 AD.
Six hundred years after Mohammed, one of Islam's most respected scholars, Ibn Khuldan wrote 'Muqaddimah' (Introduction to History), which explained: "In the Muslim community, the holy war is religious duty, because of the universalism of the Muslim mission and [the obligation to] convert everybody to Islam either by persuasion or force."
Like most good Muslims, Khaldun's inspiration came from 'The Verse of the Sword', Sura 9:5, "revealed" towards the end of Mohammed's life, as well as similar themes previous to Sura 9:
Sura 9:5__ “...kill the Mushrikun (unbelievers) wherever you find them ... But if they repent and perform As-Salat/ Iqamat-as-Salat [the Islamic ritual prayers], then leave their way free..." Also Sura 9:33__ "It is He [Allah] Who has sent His Messenger [Mohammed] with guidance and the religion of truth [Islam], to make it superior over all religions..."
Radical Islamist: 'Acceptable' to Burn Jordanian Pilot Alive?Radical Islamic activist Anjem Choudary proclaimed on Thursday that the barbaric execution of a Jordanian pilot could be "acceptable behavior" under the rules of jihad.
Long before the Crusades, starting with Mohammed to the present times, the Muslims have been committing unbelievable atrocities in the name of Allah and Islam. Jesus preached love, even for our enemies; Muhammad, with his scimitar in hand, ordered to behead or to burn alive the infidels that did not convert to Islam.
“But doesn’t Islam prohibit burning people alive? To answer this question, we need to first look at Muhammad, who spoke for Allah (4:80) and is considered the standard of perfect conduct for Muslims (33:21). Muhammad had no qualms about burning people.
In December 627 Muhammad led an attack against the Al-Mustalaq tribe. Because that tribe fought back, Muhammad ordered their fortifications to be set on fire, even though the Muslims knew there were women and children inside.
Around June 628, when Kinanah bin al-Rabi of the Jewish Bani al-Nadir tribe would not reveal where his conquered tribe’s treasures were hidden, Muhammad ordered one of his soldiers, “Torture him until you extract what he has,” so a fire was built on Kinanah’s chest until Kinanah nearly died.
In June 632, after Muhammad’s death, an attack on Ubna that he had earlier ordered took place. The leader of the Muslim force said,
… the Messenger of God commanded me and this was his last command to me: …to raid them, without inviting them [to Islam], and to destroy and burn.
The Life of Muhammad: Al-Waqidi’s Kitab al-Maghazi, p. 549
And Muhammad even considered burning down Muslims’ houses around them to compel their attendance at congregational prayers:
http://www.frontpagemag.com/2015/dr-stephen-m-kirby/islam-and-burning-people-alive/ Also http://www.newsmax.com/Newsmax-Tv/Anjem-Choudary-Islamic-State-ISIS-pilot/2015/02/05/id/622993/
re: “I suggest spending more time with the Hebrew.”
I suggest you need to spend time not only with Hebrew and translation, but also with context. You can’t just translate a word literally - it has context. The context of Psalm 33 is not Israel alone. God created the whole universe, the whole earth, all people that exist. You are correct that Israel’s role was to point the rest of the world to faith in God, but even the pagan nations were under God’s authority or protection, whether they acknowledged Him or not. The pagan nations were judged by God for not responding - why? Because God is God of all the earth.
Jonah for example. He was sent by God to preach to the city of Nineveh - they repented and God relented the judgement He was going to bring on them. They acknowledged their sin against God. They did not become Israeli.
God’s moral law applies to all nations - that’s why He judged Nineveh. Many of the Old Testament prophets spoke to the kings of surrounding nations of God’s messages to them.
Yes, often God’s message was only to Israel, but in the case of Psalm 33, that is NOT the case. I don’t care if you read Hebrew or not, context of that Psalm says the Psalmist is speaking of all nations and peoples.
I read English quite well, but that doesn’t mean I can always read and interpret Shakespearean English with expertise.
Re: “There really is a difference between Israel and the world.”
I absolutely agree, but that’s not the subject of Psalm 33.
Not buying it. You have yet to show me that in the Hebrew "context." It can be read either way, and I suggest the local emphasis is more usual, as it certainly is in the Torah.
Ta is a leftist fool. Always has been, always will be.
Some people are stuck on stupid for life. Ta is one, and a racist to boot.
Christians also ended slavery, while muslims still practice slavery...
re: “Not buying it.”
I’m not selling it. Does God only have authority over Israel? Did God only create Israelis? Does “earth” and “nations” only refer to Israel?? Language and context are required to make accurate translations no matter what language one uses.
Yes you are.
Does God only have authority over Israel?
Immaterial to the point. You are making an inference with the intent to universalize the meaning. It became a fairly common practice during the Second Temple Period and thereafter.
Did God only create Israelis?
Immaterial to the point. This is about a word that means THE land, and I'm not the only person who thinks so. It's the addition of the definite article to the root that makes the particular case more likely, which one can see because there are no universal terms (such as olam) in the psalm.
Does “earth” and “nations” only refer to Israel??
Obviously not, but the word here is more usually translated as "THE land." It doesn't say, for example, ALL lands.
Language and context are required to make accurate translations no matter what language one uses.
You are extending the context based upon your preferences. So far, you haven't made a case.
DAVID, king of Israel, wrote this psalm, and much of it is rejoicing in material prosperity and military success. His protection. When you look at the whole passage in that light, it holds together better than the popular stretch of which you are so enamored. So when a verse like v.14 is translated, From the place of His habitation He looketh intently upon all the inhabitants of the earth; it just as readily says 14 From the place of His habitation He watcheth intently upon all the inhabitants of the land;. It fits the totality of the psalm better too. He never slumbers nor sleeps.
No sale. BTW, you can read the opinion of an Israeli linguist about my translation work here.
From the Complete Jewish Bible:
Adonai looks out from heaven;
he sees every human being;
14 from the place where he lives
he watches everyone living on earth,
15 he who fashioned the hearts of them all
and understands all they do.
From the New English Translation:
The Lord watches from heaven;
he sees all people.
14 From the place where he lives he looks carefully
at all the earth’s inhabitants.
15 He is the one who forms every human heart,
and takes note of all their actions.
From the New American Standard Bible:
13 The Lord looks from heaven;
He sees all the sons of men;
14 From His dwelling place He looks out
On all the inhabitants of the earth,
15 He who fashions [c]the hearts of them all,
He who understands all their works.
I have checked about 15 different translations (three examples above) and not one translates “the earth” as the “land” nor implies in any way that it only is in reference to the land of Israel.
If it is translated as “the land” and is only referring to Israel alone, then you believe this passage is saying that God only fashions the hearts of the men of Israel?? That makes no sense theologically nor contextually with the whole Psalm. The only verse in Psalm 33 which directly references Israel is verse 12. All the other verses which mention “the earth” or “nations” or “people’s” clearly refer to all mankind upon the earth.
It appears to me that you are the only one trying to sell something with your very odd translation. I’m not buying that.
Carry_Okie,
I want to apologize to you for being so un-Christlike in my conversation with you. After all, we are both fellow Christians, and there is plenty of room for disagreements without me getting snarky.
I pray all the best for you and I hope you can find it in your heart to forgive my prideful attitude.
Rusty
I went through that phase. I have two copies. Today, I couldn't care less what David Stern thinks, really.
I have checked about 15 different translations (three examples above) and not one translates “the earth” as the “land” nor implies in any way that it only is in reference to the land of Israel.
I don't doubt that a bit.
If it is translated as “the land” and is only referring to Israel alone, then you believe this passage is saying that God only fashions the hearts of the men of Israel??
No. I'm saying that's what David wrote. Are you denying that David wrote most of the Psalms?
It appears to me that you are the only one trying to sell something with your very odd translation. I’m not buying that.
Well you need to read this section of the book showing the origins of Matthew 25 and then tell me how out to lunch I am. Not one of those translators nor any other writer in history had found that prophecy before me, because not one would go outside the Jewish tradition in translation. Yet the translation that I offered was so coherent with the roots that Chabad.org changed their translation of Exodus 23:11 to match (almost; they're stuck on with the Talmud Yerushalayim, Tractate Shiviit). You see, the Book is true, Israel really did pay no attention to the Torah for hundreds of years before they were carted off to Babylon. A lot was lost. It's our job to dig it out.
People need mysticism. Now, I'm not denying that it exists; I am saying that G_d is usually more subtle. Acts of obviously Divine power would have the world on its knees to Him but He wants us to come to Him on our own. He wants us to love Him enough to obey His teachings and derive the benefits He promised if we follow them. The mechanics work. With His revelation, I found them. I cared enough about you to take my time to tell you. If you don't like it, that's just too bad, for you.
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