Posted on 10/29/2001 2:15:12 AM PST by Israel
Rectifying a Perverse Morality Tal Ben-Shahar
25 October 2001
With its support for the establishment of a Palestinian state and with its pressure on Israel to exit Area A, the breeding ground of terrorism, the United States administration has unequivocally declared its willingness to sacrifice Israel for the sake of an "anti-terror" coalition. Israeli prime minister Ariel Sharon urged the countries of the free world "not to repeat the horrible error of 1938" when the enlightened democracies of Europe decided "to sacrifice Czechoslovakia in favor of a convenient temporary solution."
Some Israelis hoped that following the Attack on America, the free world would finally understand the nature of those whom Israel is being forced to deal with. These hopes were soon shattered. Even after one of the worst concretizations of evil we had ever witnessed, leaders of the free world refuse to see the nature of the beast - the self evident truths about terrorist groups and the states that nurture them.
Over the last month it has become blatantly clear that western democracies have thoroughly embraced the unethical ethics of pacifism. Instead of a just response that would eradicate the root cause of terrorism - put an end to the regimes that support al-Qaeda, Hizbollah, Hamas, Jihad Islami and other groups - the United States is turning its other cheek and joining forces with those bent on its destruction.
Literally embracing the Christian edict to give the other cheek is highly problematic, because it allows evil to triumph and spread. Those who subscribe to such a morality, however, are not necessarily evil: most pacifists have good intentions and they actually believe that their lack of response to being slapped will stop the cycle of violence. Yet over the last few weeks the United States has openly given its support to another form of perverse morality - after itself being slapped, it is sacrificing the cheek of another.
To fulfill one´s own masochistic impulses and turn the other cheek is unjust and potentially dangerous; to sadistically sacrifice someone else´s other cheek, is inexcusable and outright immoral. This perversion of Christian morality is comparable in its depravity to the actions of the Crusades, and later, of the Spanish Inquisitors. Forcing Israel to pay the price for the terrorist attacks - a price that, if paid, could lead to its demise ? would be one of the worst crimes that has ever been committed against the Jewish people and against humanity. It is teaching the terrorists that terrorism pays.
Attaining political gains through barbarous attacks is exactly what the terrorists want as part of their phased plan: the gradual destruction of Israel through diplomatic and military activities. The PLO and its allied Arab countries adopted this plan after the 1967 and 1973 wars, when they realized that Israel could not be annihilated in one fell swoop. The destruction of Israel is in itself part of a larger phased plan: the ultimate destruction of the "Great Satan" and all those who support the values it stands for.
Israel cannot wait for the world to realize the real intentions of the fundamentalist Islamic terrorists and Israel must resist being put on the sacrificial altar. If the Arabs fulfill their threats to throw Israelis ? and not just those residing in the West Bank - into the sea, then the sympathies and apologies of the rest of the world for not doing something sooner will be meaningless. The apologies and sympathies of the world came too late for six million Jews and if the terrorists continue to have their way, they will come too late for millions of Jews living today, in Israel and in the Diaspora.
The difference between 1938 and 2001 is that Israel has its own state with its own powerful army. Israel, already 53 years old, has reached an age when it must rely on itself, assert its independence and determine its own future.
To survive, Israel must return to the values that have held the Jewish people together, against all odds, for thousands of years. The essence of Jewish morality is the integration of mercy and justice, of emotion and reason, heart and mind. Christian and Moslem ethics emanated from the Jewish Bible, though with radically different emphases: Jesus put mercy above justice, while Mohammad, in words and even more so in action, stood for a heartless, vengeful form of justice.
Israel must not allow the modern adherents of a perverse form of Christianity to feed it to the claws of Islamic "justice." Israel must teach the free world that "Those who have mercy on the cruel will ultimately be cruel to the merciful" and teach those who value destruction above progress and oppression over freedom, that terrorism does not pay. Israel must exemplify genuine justice and mercy, so that it can fulfill its destiny and be a true light to the nations.
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Tal Ben-Shahar, a teacher and lecturer, writes extensively on education, philosophy, psychology and politics and published the book "Heaven Can Wait" in 1998.
Prophecies of Jesus
The wicked servants are the governments of Christendom and the servants they kill are the sheep. The US may pretend to display Christian morality by not attacking the altars of Baal during Ramadan, but the Messiah will not be so civil toward their civil servants.
- But suppose that servant is wicked and says to himself, `My master is staying away a long time,' and he then begins to beat his fellow servants and to eat and drink with drunkards. The master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he is not aware of.
Jesus spoke to them again in parables, saying: "The kingdom of heaven is like a king who prepared a wedding banquet for his son. He sent his servants to those who had been invited to the banquet to tell them to come, but they refused to come. "Then he sent some more servants and said, `Tell those who have been invited that I have prepared my dinner: My oxen and fattened cattle have been butchered, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding banquet.' "But they paid no attention and went off?one to his field, another to his business. The rest seized his servants, mistreated them and killed them. The king was enraged. He sent his army and destroyed those murderers and burned their city . "Then he said to his servants, `The wedding banquet is ready, but those I invited did not deserve to come. Go to the street corners and invite to the banquet anyone you find.'
Instead of the cowardly position of most churches, the God of Jesus validates military force to support His kingdom when He says,
To "see" that, they would have to renounce their commitment to multi-cultural, humanistic, universalism and they won't do that.
Stop attempting to tell "Christians" who God is. Jesus is God. The Father is God. The Holy Spirit is God. This Triunity of "God" is "One God".
God, in the person of Jesus, already rules in His Kingdom now, and has no need to have any military force made up of mere men "support His Kingdom".
The "just war" that the Christian God recognizes is one which defends and protects the God-given rights and freedoms that He has given to ALL men.
The United States Constitution (if followed) effectively prevents tyrants (religious or otherwise) from gaining absolute power, so as to do as you suggest.
Unfortunately, up is down and black is white for most of these people. Islam is evil. It is PURE evil. There is not one redeeming quality as far back as it can be traced. Muhammad was a pervert and a sadistic murderer, more akin to Vlad the Impaler than Jesus Christ or any other prophet I can think of. His lust was satisfied only in blood or by perverse sex. People should take every second they can spare and learn this hideous assassin's cult from the inside out. Their religion is murder, torturous murder, and it matters not if it is you or their own people. This is like NO enemy we have ever faced before. They would knock on your front door to slit your throat, and don't think they wouldn't do it if some *leader* tells them to.
They ARE going to move on us here. If you think not, beware allowing your dislike of one group for no real reason to blind you to the real enemy which is flying below your radar. He wants to rid this earth of you just as much as he wants rid of me.
So burn the bridges with your allies… If you don't want America's support then just come out and say so.
I say Israel (the poster) can go screw himself. He's totally abused is privilege of posting here in my opinion and should go. He can go post on some Islamic boards that are more to his liking.
An interesting but somewhat confusing post when read in context of history. The statement above and the predictions below do not follow.
To survive, Israel must return to the values that have held the Jewish people together, against all odds, for thousands of years. The essence of Jewish morality is the integration of mercy and justice, of emotion and reason, heart and mind. Christian and Moslem ethics emanated from the Jewish Bible, though with radically different emphases: Jesus put mercy above justice, while Mohammad, in words and even more so in action, stood for a heartless, vengeful form of justice.
Israel must not allow the modern adherents of a perverse form of Christianity to feed it to the claws of Islamic "justice." Israel must teach the free world that "Those who have mercy on the cruel will ultimately be cruel to the merciful" and teach those who value destruction above progress and oppression over freedom, that terrorism does not pay. Israel must exemplify genuine justice and mercy, so that it can fulfill its destiny and be a true light to the nations.
These statements are more in line with the thrust of the Crusades. Christian Europe back then was feeling pretty close to the same emotions this Jewish writer is expressing. And then Christian Europe went and did something about it! As for the Spanish Inquisition it was by no means the horror it has been portrayed as being. And, as you demonstrated in your post with New Testement verses Christianity is by no means lacking in Justice. However, if this writer is thinking in purely Jewish terms with no regard for the rest of the world, historically or otherwise, then I can see his point.
Stop attempting to tell "Christians" who God is. Jesus is God. The Father is God. The Holy Spirit is God. This Triunity of "God" is "One God".
God, in the person of Jesus, already rules in His Kingdom now, and has no need to have any military force made up of mere men "support His Kingdom".
Why did Rabbi Jesus say this? "My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest " , but Messiah shall rule all of the earth, and all of the earth shall go to Jerusalem to worship.
The "just war" that the Christian God recognizes is one which defends and protects the God-given rights and freedoms that He has given to ALL men.
There is no doctruine of Just War. Christians have made it up just like the doctrine of doing nothing to stop tyranny because it is ordained by God! Allah, certainly. Israel's God, never. For all men to enjoy those rights, the Wicked Servants must first be eliminated.
The United States Constitution (if followed) effectively prevents tyrants (religious or otherwise) from gaining absolute power, so as to do as you suggest.Now you are right.but selective about who a tyrant is. Preventing Messiah from ruling America unless He first beats the crap out of your flesh is what you have said, and is about what it will take. You presume too much: He never said that He would rule a desolate ruin.
- But suppose that servant is wicked and says to himself, `My master is staying away a long time,' and he then begins to beat his fellow servants and to eat and drink with drunkards. The master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he is not aware of.
Jesus spoke to them again in parables, saying: "The kingdom of heaven is like a king who prepared a wedding banquet for his son. He sent his servants to those who had been invited to the banquet to tell them to come, but they refused to come. "Then he sent some more servants and said, `Tell those who have been invited that I have prepared my dinner: My oxen and fattened cattle have been butchered, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding banquet.' "But they paid no attention and went off?one to his field, another to his business. The rest seized his servants, mistreated them and killed them. The king was enraged. He sent his army and destroyed those murderers and burned their city . "Then he said to his servants, `The wedding banquet is ready, but those I invited did not deserve to come. Go to the street corners and invite to the banquet anyone you find.'
Second, I didn't say you defended Allah. I repeated what you said; that America was worse than the Islamic terrorist. You did say that. I stated that since you believe Islamic terrorist are the lesser of the two evils, why don't you go post on boards belonging to the lesser of the two evils instead of here? It only stands to reason you wouldn't want to further dirty yourself here, the Greater Satan.
So perhaps it is you that is having a problem with reading comprehension.
As far as calling me "Man A"... Go screw yourself. It is you who doesn't know what he/she is talking about. I'm a supporter of Israel and I'm not going to CS gas anyone. I don't lie about my intentions or deceive people to further my goals. Go look at any of my posts about Islam or Arafat for that matter and you'll see what I think of it/him.
America is at war and you spend your time attacking America. That pisses me off.
You speak of honesty and loyalty… Israel time after time sales arms and high technology to our enemies such as China and thinks nothing of it. You spy on us and steal our technology regularly (Pollard ring a bell). Where did you get your nuke designs from, Hmm? Remember the USS Liberty? So don't give me that holeyer than thou crap.
If you want to go take care of the bin Laden, Iraqi and China problems among others, be our guest. We'll stand down and let you go do it. Otherwise get the f&ck out of the way.
To restrain dangerous, elitist, tyrannical, religious zealots like you from obtaining absolute power over others in order to enforce your religion on them, is precisely why God inspired America's Framers to write our founding documents they way they did.
America's Framers wrote our founding documents based upon the only worldview that isn't man-centered: the "Christian worldview". The only governments of men that the Triune God (one what and three who's) recognizes as legitimate, is one that is limited, governs according to the rule of law (not of men), recognizes from the Holy Scriptures that ALL men's rights and freedoms are God-given (inalieable), and defends and protects those rights and freedoms by swiftly punishing evil-doers (aka "the lawless").
Limited government effectively prevents dictators (religious or otherwise) from forcing others, at the point of a sword, to accept their brand of utopia / religion.
Why do you quote Jesus and then say things like the above? You are one sick individual.
Our "rule of law" is based upon the "mind of God" which are the commandments. The Judeo/Christian "ethic and principles" underly our laws.
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