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- Friday, May 16, 2008 -
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Watching the Dragons-by Brian Newman and Matthew Ung---Watching the Dragons---
ANGRY, ANGRY DRAGONS (As opposed to placid, placid salamanders... of course)
There is a purpose for the emotion of anger: It brings about resistance when we or those we love are threatened. Without it we lay down and play victim. Anger protects, in that it motivates us to destroy that which has attempted to destroy us and those we love. Without Anger, we remain victims and create more victims. It is very sad that we only seem to learn two ways of dealing with the injustices in our life/culture/nation which almost do us in (playing victim and playing dead). We have forgotten that anger is an inherent motivator—it also pushes us to slay the dragons in ourselves. When we no longer hate that which is killing us, we no longer "watch for the dragons,” we just accept them as an evil we cannot overcome, an enemy too large to face.
THE DRAGON THAT BURNED YOU
Everyone it seems has had something nearly destroy them physically, emotionally, or spiritually. We all have our Dragons/Inner Demons/Fatal Flaws peculiar to us.
Some people have a Dragon with a bottle in its hand--instead of facing it, they allow it to grow to the point that they beat their wife, neglect to buy food for their children, lose their job, kill someone drinking and driving. Some people have a Dragon with a Vanity Mirror--instead of learning humility by service, they alienate friends and family and belittle others near them, even compromise their values all for the sake of keeping the spotlight. Still others have a Bashful Dragon, one that never speaks up no matter how grave the injustice, no matter how much abuse, that the person or even those they love endures… a force in them that leaves them paralyzed, ending in "Death by Neglect" to anyone unfortunate enough to need that person for leadership or protection.
DRAGONS ARE INHERITABLE
The abused becomes the abuser, the child of an alcoholic becomes an alcoholic, the unwed teenage mother becomes the unwed teenage mother, and the fatherless boy becomes the walk-away Joe. Without anger, we’re left with acceptance. What we accept, we will become. I (Matthew Ung) have domestic violence going back 4 generations on one side, and severe clinical depression going back 4 generations on the other side. The buck has stopped here with me. I don’t live in fear it will ever avenge its death because I’ve never since given it reason to think it has the authority to resurface, and I never would anyway. Don’t tell me it can’t be done. And don't tell me it's a lifelong process.
GETTING BURNED
We have all been burned by the dragons within us or the dragons in others. All too often, the dragons in one soul will plant its eggs in another. They don't just rise up in one person and burn them, and leave. They seek to destroy the person they inhabit and everyone around them--and then are hatched again in that person's children or family, or another breed of dragon is hatched in their victims (the victim of childhood rape loses self-worth and becomes a prostitute) which is a model of sexuality passed onto her children. The same one just keeps burning and biting the person, then their children, then their grandchildren, then their great grandchildren, almost like the eggs are in the gene pool.
DRAGONICIDE
God has all the teaching available to us. As Jesus preached on the Sermon on the Mount, the tools and diligence of both the wise and foolish man are the same (they both build a house, they both finish the house, and they both face the same rains, floods, and winds)—the difference is in OBEDIENCE (faithfulness), because what we accept becomes our worldview upon which we literally build our every decision upon. For this, admiration alone means absolutely, positively, nothing.
If we won’t protect our families, we don’t love our families. If we won’t protect our neighbor, we don’t love our neighbor.
How Do We Face Our Dragons?
POP CULTURE MODEL: “POOR ME, I WAS BIT BY A DRAGON.”
In popular culture we learn to be a "Perpetual Victim"--to whine, go on some talk shows, see a therapist, and while these things are good to a point they don't really prevent that which almost destroyed us from harming other people or even coming back to bite us again. In effect, we dance around the issue, then spend our time in hiding.
UNGODLY CHURCH CULTURE: “I’LL PRAY ABOUT THIS DRAGON THAT IS EATING A WHOLE GENERATION AND READ A BOOK ABOUT IT.”
We too often learn that it is a "sin" to be angry (it’s only a sin to SIN while angry—anger DOES make it easier, but it DOES NOT inexorably lead to it), that something is wrong with you if experience any emotion aside from a naive happiness, even when we’re surrounded by things that should bring outrage, concern, heartache and eventually, action.
But that seems to be reserved for people in ministry positions who get fired for doing anything that isn't passive. Talking about doing something now makes people heroes, actually doing something makes them fanatics. So in effect, we listen to a hellfire speech about the awfulness of our dragons, shake our fist, rattle our Sabers, put on our suit and tie armor, eat a 2 hour lunch, then go home and “fuggedaboutit.”
BIBLICAL MODEL: DESTROY THE DRAGON.
Anger created many biblical “counter-revolutionaries,” from killing the priest of Baal (who promoted child sacrifice), to Eleazor who "couldn't let go of the sword” to Jesus who was so outraged that a local church of His time was turned into a secular market that He flipped the tables over! WDJD? (What DID Jesus Do?) He shattered the stumbling blocks rather than ignore them.
Faith bears action based on belief, not just belief (look at Abram/Abraham). God commanded the people to destroy the things that constantly ensnared them so they wouldn't ensnare future generations--count the dozens of times He commands people to remove all semblances of their pagan past, all of the alters, all of the symbols, all of the rituals, all of the sacred places, and even to change their names.
GATHER THE TROOPS
Whenever someone was given a mission, they were almost always given someone to stand by their side. Adam was given Eve, David was given Jonathan, Moses was given Aaron, Jesus (Yeshua) was given 12 Apostles, Paul (Rabbi Sha'ul) was given Timothy. Almost every personal Dragon only exists because a lack of community. We stand united, or fall divided (gee, I’ve heard that somewhere…).
DON’T STOP WITH THE DRAGON IN YOU
Kill its breed wherever you see it. After you have overcome your own problem (frankly), fight for the freedom of others. Once you become a "Veteran" of this particular war with this particular enemy, you’re in a place to command a greater sphere of influence. If you don't help others, if you fail to keep the sword sharpened, when dragons return you won’t be ready. Some of this is just warning your friends, so they can fight their own fight, and some of this is what Elmer Fudd would call “Dwagen Hunting.”
FIND YOUR SWORD
A man once had a dream in which he was led underground, down a stone fortress, where many swords rest against the walls, dusted over and under cobwebs. Jesus was describing the battle raging outside the fortress, to which the man interrupted, “but Lord, so many have left without their sword!”
What is your sword?
Matthew Ung
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- Tuesday, April 15, 2008 -
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Bleed and Speak (Lyrics for the Unborn)Bleed and Speak They can bleed but they can't speak
And we will never know, who they could be
It could have been you, could have been me
Your sister, your brother, the next hero to save the day
Now we will never know
Never know who they could be
---
She was only Seventeen
And the t.v. told her how easy it would be
Just see the Doc and pay the Cost
Never said how much would be forever lost
Looking at the slide, under the belly's arch, in kindergarten yards
These little ghosts are free but never run too far
Chorus:
Blood is crying out to G*d you see
Its Covering the Pain and the Fear and the Greed
From the floor in surgery it seeps
It covers her and the boy who ran away
It covers the Doctor and the congressman he pays
As we stand here silent it covers you and me
We dont bleed but we should speak
Or we will never know, who they could be
----
We all bleed, but about it we won't speak
And we will never heal, while supermen we pretend to be
I could have loved you, you could have loved me
Your sisters, your brothers, the ones you chased away
Now we will never know
Never know who they could be
-
He was only Thirty-Three
And He never pretended it was an easy Truth to Preach
He Just saw the Debt and Paid the Cost
Never willing to just let wander, those who were forever lost
In their Pride, and in their Pain, underneath thier scars
These prison doors are open, but we never run too far
Chorus:
Blood is crying out to G*d you see
Its Covering the Pain and the Fear and the Greed
From the streets of Jerusalem it seeps
It covers her and the boy who ran away
It covers the Doctor and the congressman he pays
As we stand here silent it covers you and me
We dont bleed but we should speak
Or we will never know, who they could be
By Brian-Asriel Newman
"Will you not Save those being dragged off to Death?, will their Blood not be on your Head??"
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- Saturday, March 22, 2008 -
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Standing Up To Evil-Lessons from Purim for Christians and JewsStanding Up to Evil-Lessons from Purim. by Rabbi Yeckiel Eckstein
Tomorrow an important Jewish holiday and an important Christian holiday coincide. As Christians solemnly observe Good Friday - and anticipate Easter, the most joyous day in the Christian year - Jews will be celebrating Purim, which begins tonight at sundown.
Purim recalls the deliverance of the Jewish people from their enemies nearly 2,400 years ago. The Purim story, found in the biblical book of Esther, is one of the most memorable in the entire Bible, one that Jews will hear read in synagogue during Purim services.
The King of Persia chooses a beautiful young woman named Esther to be his queen, unaware that she is Jewish. Esther hears from Mordecai, her uncle, that the King has entrusted the fate of Persian Jews to Haman, the King's top adviser. Haman hates the Jews, and issues an order to kill them all.
At great risk to her own life, Esther reveals to the King that she is Jewish and pleads with him to save her people. He agrees to do so, and, in a fitting twist, hands down to the evil Haman the death sentence Haman himself had planned to give the Jews.
Even if Esther's story is familiar to you, I urge you today to re-read it and reflect upon its timeless message. Esther's bravery and obedience to God -- her willingness to put her own life on the line to save her people -- teaches us a valuable lesson about self-sacrifice and purpose that is as true and meaningful today as it was thousands of years ago.
Haman, too, is more than just a historical figure. Looking around, we can see that there are plenty of "Hamans" in the world today. We hear echoes of Haman in Iranian president Ahmadinejad's frequent calls to destroy the Jewish state… in the pronouncement by Hamas leader Khaled Mashaal that, "Before Israel dies, it must be humiliated and degraded"… in radial Muslim clerics who preach that Jews are the "descendants of apes and pigs."
One of the messages of Purim — a message that applies to Jews and Christians alike — is that in a world with no shortage of "Hamans," we need more "Esthers" committed to standing humbly before God and seeking to defend His people in the face of all difficulties.
What is the meaning of Purim and how is it observed?
On Purim, the Jewish people recall their miraculous deliverance from their enemies 2,400 years ago. The Purim story, from the book of Esther, is one of the most memorable in the entire Bible.
The King of Persia, Xerxes, chose a beautiful young woman named Esther to be his queen, unaware that she was Jewish. Esther hears from Mordecai, her uncle, that the King has entrusted the fate of Persian Jews to Haman, one of his advisers. Haman hates the Jews, and issues an order that they be killed.
At great risk to her own life, Esther reveals that she is Jewish and pleads with the King to save her people. He agrees to do so, and gives the evil Haman the death sentence Haman himself had hoped to give the Jews.
Observing Purim in synagogue and home
The day before Purim is a fast day, commemorating Esther's decree that the Jews fast before she appeal to King Xerxes to spare them. The primary commandment related to Purim is to hear the reading of the Book of Esther. In keeping with the lighthearted atmosphere of the day, we boo, hiss, stamp feet, and rattle noisemakers whenever the name of Haman, is mentioned in the service. It is also customary to hold carnival-like celebrations on Purim.
On Purim day itself we have a festive meal and share our joy with others by giving gifts to friends and the poor, since our joy is completed by sharing that joy with others. The origin of these customs is the biblical passage instructing Jews to "observe the days as days of feasting and joy and giving presents of food to one another and gifts to the poor" (Esther 9:22).
Purim's many themes
While it is a festive holiday, Purim has a serious side as well. It reminds us that we must always grapple with the problem of evil, and with people who, like Haman, hate us simply for being Jews. But we are reassured that God and the forces of good will ultimately triumph over evil. Esther’s bravery and willingness to stand up for her people reminds us that we must not be silent in the presence of evil, but must confront and eliminate it, combining our human initiative with trust in God's.
Purim also reminds us of our human frailty and vulnerability. We see how close all the Jews in the Persian Empire came to being wiped out overnight at the whim of a foolish, capricious leader. Jews are particularly reminded of the precariousness of their condition. Yet, Purim also affirms that while oppressors come and go, God's promise and covenant with his people, Israel, is everlasting. The Jews of the Persian Empire, after all, were saved, reminding us that God never deserts His people.
One of the underlying themes of Purim is the mysterious way that God acts in the world. The rescue of the Persian Jews appears to have taken place entirely because of Esther's initiative, without any divine guidance. The name of God, in fact, does not even appear in the entire book of Esther! But, although hidden, God was present in every action and in every event that led to the Jews’ being rescued. He worked through people like Esther (the name, by the way, means "hidden" or "concealed" appropriate when you consider how Esther had to hide her Jewish identity). She and Mordecai were the human instruments of God’s power and salvation.
Purim and miracles
Judaism affirms that there are two basic categories of miracles. First are supernatural miracles that transcend or defy the laws of nature, such as the parting of the Red Sea. Second are hidden miracles such as Purim, in which God's redemptive actions take place in the course of normal human events.
While almost everyone would agree events falling into the first category are miracles, many would not recognize those in the second category as miraculous. But this depends on your perspective. One person, for instance, might attribute one of Israel’s military victories to better training, better technology, better morale, etc. Another person, while recognizing the importance of these things, might claim that the victory is properly credited to God, who acted through man and natural phenomena. To the second person, who recognizes life’s miracles, life itself is a miracle!
What Purim reaffirms to Christians and Jews alike is the fact that the everyday order is infused with God's presence and is under His control. It reaffirms that God’s hand is indeed at work in human history. Renewing our belief in a God who acts in history and continues to perform miracles is one of the most fundamental affirmations we can make. And knowing we believe in a God of miracles is indeed cause for celebration at Purim or any time of year!
by Rabbi Yeckiel Eckstein
http://www.ifcj.org
Additional Sites of Interest
http://www.koldodi.org
http://www.yeshuatyisrael.com
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- Monday, March 03, 2008 -
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Compass to TruthDear Group,
I have just returned to the USA and plan to take some time off from writing for a while. I will probably pick it back up after I am married this Fall or maybe before. I have some planks to remove from my own eye before I work on the dust in everyone else"s.
I hope we can all learn to Love each other, and remember that the principle of every Command is the benefit of the one who keeps them. Psalm 119, Deuteronomy 30, and many Sermons from Jesus.
The Commands are given not as a way to make people seem worse than ourselves for being weak in our strong areas, or to measure a persons validity as a Christian or a good person, but as a way to show us how to be Better than we Were. The purpose of the Law is Love, to bring and Protect Life: Spiritually, Emotionally, Relationally, and Physically. Deuteronomy 30. Show them Love through the Law, instead of using the Law as a reason to NOT Love them. Isaiah 56 and 58, Micah 6:8. This is what will lead people to G*d, NOT beating them over the head with rules that seem pointless to them because they dont know the heart of the One who gave them, and NOT chastising them for not going to Church enough but bringing the Church to them Instead. The Church is every Believer with a Heart of Love and Courage, NOT every building with a Steeple and overpriced carpet and overdressed preachers.
Show them Love, and how the Law was given in Love. This is the Compass to Truth.
Much Love,
Brian
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- Wednesday, February 27, 2008 -
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Walking Through the Campus of the Shadow of Death-by Matthew UngThis note was written by Matthew Ung, I found it very fitting given the
recent campus shootings. Cause and Effect cant be missed. Schools
preach "The Way of Death" which ofcourse leads to homicide, suicide,
infanticide. Instead of the "Way of Life" which leads to Physical,
Emotional, Intellectual, and Spiritual Life. Deuteronomy 30. We must
choose the Path to Life or the Path to Death. The Road to Life is
Narrow, with many guideposts along the side to keep you in its borders,
these are collectively known as Torah, or, the Commands of G*d.
WALKING THROUGH THE CAMPUS OF THE SHADOW OF DEATH, by Matthew Ung
You’ve heard the horror stories of the perverse and dangerous
lifestyles commonly on display and even praised at your local college
campus. Statistics are alarming, or at least they should be. Depending
on the study you believe, anywhere from half to 90% of raised
Christians will depart from the faith, or at least backslide, during
“higher education.” If we are not troubled by these things, then our
apathy is equally alarming. If we do nothing to change these
statistics, then we are no better than some church members in Nazi
Germany who looked the other way during the Jewish Holocaust, who
“disagreed” with the poor treatment of the Jews but remained quietly
passive and politically-correct. We have a Christian responsibility and
a moral obligation to do what we can to turn the tide; not stick our
head in the sand as this generation follows the broad path to
destruction.
The way I see it, there are four major perils to college students that have led to where we are today.
The first major peril is this: the alienation from church and family.
At colleges across the United States and right next door, students are
trained to be “critical thinkers.” Critical thinking has been given a
new definition by the educational elites of our day. Dr. Raymond
English, in a speech given before the National Advisory Council on
Educational Research and Improvement defined “critical thinking” as
such:
“Critical thinking means not only learning how to think for oneself,
but it also means learning how to subvert the traditional values of
society. You’re not thinking critical if you’re accepting the values
that mommy and daddy taught you. That’s not critical.”
This type of “critical thinking” has led to our “critical condition.”
This is not intellectual training; this is intellectual denial. Why
should our college students dismiss the values and principles instilled
in them by their loved ones to embrace the self-serving philosophies of
ego-driven morally reprobate college professors?
College students enjoy the “freedom” of this philosophy which caters to
their self-indulgence; but the reality is, they swapped out the
blessings of obedience to law for the shackles of moral and spiritual
rebellion.
It is imperative that the ties between the church, the family, and God
not be cut. If intellectual thought defies common sense then it is not
intellectual thought at all.
The second major peril on the college campus is so-called “sexual
freedoms.” God created sex and blessed it for man to enjoy but sex as
depicted in scripture is a covenant act between a man and his wife.
Every form of sexual perversion can be seen on the college campus. What
is supposed to be special is made common. What is supposed to be
private becomes an exhibition sport. What is supposed to be pleasurable
soon turns to bondage. A desire for instant gratification and the
fulfillment of personal lusts is the motive for this amoral lifestyle.
The problem is, lasting relationships cannot be based on lust if they
are going to last. They must be built on love or they will fail.
“Sexual freedoms” may be pleasurable at first, but just a little bit
farther down the road the excitement wears off when you experience the
pains of adultery and divorce, sexual problems in your marriage, or
crying children watching their parents break up because Daddy is bored
with Mommy and got a new girlfriend.
The third major peril on the college campus is the serious issue of
alcoholism. To many college students, alcohol becomes a way of life. It
is estimated that 2 out of 5 college students are binge drinkers, which
means 40% of college students consume dangerous amounts of alcohol
which could cost them their lives—in more ways than one. Drinking
alcohol is the major form of social interaction. It is also a
prerequisite for social acceptance in many circles. Drinking is an
escape from the pressures of life. It is a convenient tool for
loosening one’s own inhibitions and entertaining forbidden pleasures.
It temporarily dulls the pain of depression…at least until you're sober.
Drink responsibly? Yeah right. We’ve been saying that for years and
look where it got us. Telling a college student to drink responsibly is
like giving a sixteen year-old a muscle car to drive whenever he wants
but then telling him not to drive fast. Not very smart. You want to
avoid being a lush? Try skipping the parties. If you have no social
life outside of alcohol it might be because you haven’t been sober long
enough to develop social skills in the real world. You’ll likely be
better off in the long run to just avoid the pitfalls of alcoholism
altogether.
The fourth major peril on the college campus is humanism. This is the
philosophy that there is no God; there is no truth; there is no right
or wrong; we are “evolving” as the part of a continual process of
random forces; capitalism is evil (and therefore the United States is
the supreme evil); man is the center of all things and is intrinsically
good (no matter how bad he acts); there must be a one-world government
to bring about a utopia (can you say, “Antichrist?”) and other such
lovely ideas.
There are many variations of humanism but they all have one thing in
common: they are “tolerant” of everyone (as long as they are not a
practicing Christian); they consider all “truths” as equal (unless you
believe Jesus is the only way to salvation); there is no evil (except
those who believe in absolute truth as the Bible advocates). They will
say to the Christian “What Would Jesus Do?” but they will NEVER ask the
most obvious question “What DID Jesus Do?”. They will say to the
Christian, “YOU CAN’T TALK ABOUT JESUS HERE!” But they will gladly
offer classes in Islam, openly criticize the Bible, or gladly shove
their godless philosophies down the throats of everyone on campus.
We may disagree with some (or much) of the stuff that goes on at these
colleges. But if we remain silent and look the other way, we are not
being “tolerant of others”, we are being apathetic to our fellow man
and self-centered. How long must the trend continue? It’s up to us.
Jesus can help—but not if we don’t represent Him to the schools.
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