Friends?

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and for ever. Do not be carried away by all kinds of strange teachings. Hebrews 13:8,9 NIV

Then there is the other old saying: “Keep your friends close, and your enemies closer”. (From Machiavelli in "The Prince" which is the definitive primer for how to be a dictator.... hmmmm)

The Church of the Nazarene holds its General Assembly in Indianapolis in June, and I am hoping that there are no surprises for me to digest. I say this for two reasons, firstly, we live in a democracy and that includes church, and secondly the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland has been convening in Edinburgh this past week. In that particular gathering, they came up with two surprises (at least for me!).  Now before I say what they are, a word for my regular reader and welcome contributor ‘Anon’. What I say will be observations only, and not judgements, so please don’t start jumping up and down and getting your blood pressure in the red zone! Of course if you still want to comment, you are welcome to do so!

The CoS has been in the news recently as it tried to distance itself from the nation state of Israel, saying that the Jewish people had ‘no divine right to the land of Israel’. If they were on Facebook the church would have ‘unfriended and blocked’ the Nation State of Israel. If you are interested and want to know more, the following link might help: http://www.scojec.org/news/2013/13v_cos/cos_4.html

The same church delegates also agreed to welcome homosexual men and women into their family of ministers to preach and spread the Word of God. To continue with the Facebook analogy, that’s a bit like not only adding the LGBT community as friends, but also as a close family member.

I once heard a friend (not a Facebook friend, a real one!) say that we get the church we deserve, and maybe there is an element of truth in that. Of course it is also true to say that because there is an earthly church, it doesn’t mean they are automatically part of the true church of God, the one that ultimately matters. Let me leave you with some other Bible quotes which are directed at the church, not the faith-less or unchurched:

Not everyone who says to me, “Lord, Lord,” will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Matthew 7:21 NIV

I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. Matthew 16:18 NIV

I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm – neither hot nor cold – I am about to spit you out of my mouth. Revelation 3:15,16 NIV

The Vote

When the city came into view, he wept over it. “If you had only recognized this day, and everything that was good for you! But now it’s too late. In the days ahead your enemies are going to bring up their heavy artillery and surround you, pressing in from every side. They’ll smash you and your babies on the pavement. Not one stone will be left intact. All this because you didn’t recognize and welcome God’s personal visit.” Luke 19:42-44 (The Message Translation)

I do not have any special gifts as far as my faith is concerned, but I could not fail to see the significance of this verse after the recent UN vote to give the Palestinians a form of recognition as a nation, needing a country to call their own. Of course there is a long history of bad blood between the Jews and the Muslims, which goes way back to Biblical Old Testament times when Ishmael became the father of the Islamic faith, and Israel who became the father of many nations, and was Blessed by God.

Perhaps like many, you didn’t pay much attention to the vote in the United Nations. After all, it is not an unreasonable thing for a nation of people to want a piece of land to call their home. It is reasonable as long as that country wants to live in peace, and at peace (there is a difference) with its neighbours. I think that’s where those who voted against this ‘reasonable’ UN request were coming from. It is not unreasonable to show that those against were largely ‘Christian’ in outlook, and those for the recognition were mostly ‘Islamic’.

The people of Gaza and other areas who want some of ‘their land’ back, as they see it, are led and governed by Hamas, a terrorist group with strong ideological links to those of Iran. Do we need to be reminded that the majority of Islamic Palestinians, and all of Iran, do not recognise Israel as a nation, and have it on their open agenda to annihilate the Jewish nation, country and people? Have you looked at a map of the middle east, and where the State of Israel is located? Take note of the nations and their political and religious allegiances which surround it, and then read the verse again. This was the time when Jesus wept over Jerusalem and its people for rejecting Him, and He knew clearly what was ahead. Might be a good idea for us to take note too. Just saying!

Friendless

(A Very Short, Abridged Story)

He has a few friends, but is pretty much a loner. His pals feel the same. They work in the same place with lots of others who seem to get along fine, but every now and again there is an argument which can get heated. Most of the onlookers don’t really understand what they disagree about, but they take sides anyway. It usually goes against the loners.

The thing is that these people who don’t have a lot of friends, usually carry a stick around with them. Sometimes it is hidden, and you would never know it was there, and then again sometimes it is visible, quite visible, and occasionally it gets used. Why on earth would these people carry a weapon? Well it goes back a couple of generations when some of their family lost their lives in a horrific way. It actually goes back much further than that! Man’s inhumanity to man lead to a terrible set of tragic events and some of their ancestors said it would not happen again. Most people accept that as true, although there are some in the group of workmates, who say it was just a made up story, and they shouldn’t even be allowed to play. In fact they would want them out of the workplace altogether. That doesn’t help anyone.

Occasionally,some recreation is organised, like a game of football in the courtyard, and for a while everything goes well, but then it turns sour. The other side, start to kick at the loner team heels, and make unnecessary dives in the penalty box, and ignore the offside rule, but usually the referee allows the goals anyway. There are spectators watching on the sidelines, and they pick sides, as all spectators do. In this case it is confirmed that the loners do not have a lot of support, yet again. This seems to be the norm for them, and they get used to it. These unliked or hated people, are well educated, and not from a poor family unit because they have worked at their identity. The others, who are playing against them, are not so well dressed, or sometimes poorly educated, but feel that they are owed something from the loners, and that is their own part of the games field.

Trouble is that a part of the games field was offered to the poor people many years ago, but they refused it in the hope they would get something better. At the same time, the loners accepted the part of the games field they were offered, and worked on it to make a good place for their families to live. They even turned the dry and desert part into a garden area. From that time the gap between these two groups has grown bigger, until there is a deep hatred. Oh, and the stick? Well both sides actually carry sticks, and they have been known to use them. The loners, who have become the outsiders, have a bigger stick, and when they get goaded and niggled and provoked enough, they use it and people get hurt or killed. Nobody likes being pushed around, and certainly not to a breaking point.

The media is good at reporting when the loners use their stick, but they don’t record or report the many more times that they are kicked, and abused, and the other side do not play by the rules. So it looks to everyone that the loners have just pulled out their stick and used it, without any reason. But we know better, don’t we? Don’t we? The spectators are not all right in their judgement. The media is one sided, and not balanced. In the meantime the fight on the games field gets ugly, and there are fouls galore. You know what it is like, the foulers always say they were unfairly treated, and will go as far as taking a dive in the penalty box, in the hope that they will score the winning goal. I should say that the game is not over yet, but we are into extra time. If that doesn’t work, we go to the penalty shootout. No one likes a penalty shootout, because it doesn’t necessarily reflect the true result. Still that’s the nature of the ‘game’ being ‘played’ right now with human lives.

Price of Peace

The middle east is in the news again. This time, the Palestinian cause is at the United Nations seeking to be recognised as a nation in its own right, and with its own territory and borders. The envoys were strangely silent on the issue of peace with Israel. It seems they want to short circuit the process to have their own land, where they can continue to deny Israel their own existence. Call me a cynic, but is that not a wee tad hypocritical?

We keep hearing about a two state solution, which most of the world leaders are shuffling to get behind, so that they can be seen to be active. It is now fashionable to be on the side of the down trodden Palestinians, and anything Israel does or says is wrong. We like to get behind, and support the underdogs, and this is one such case. Maybe some reminders are in order here. My thoughts only of course!

Israel grabbed with both hands the chance of their own country in 1947 when offered it by the UN. The Palestinians had the same offer, but refused to accept anything then, and have been trying to catch up ever since.

The Israeli people were oppressed during the Second World War, when they lost up to 6 million innocents in the holocaust. Something which some Arab states like Iran still deny even today. I don't think Israel would want to let that happen again, so they defend themselves vigourously. What is wrong with that?

We always hear that the Palestinians are in Israeli occupied land, and the Israelis are the aggressors. Certainly, Israeli retaliation can be severe, but are they always wrong? Are they never goaded/pushed by missiles (not just stones) killing their own people?

Who will control Hamas, or am I not supposed to mention that outlawed, terrorist organisation who operate for, and on behalf of the Palestinian cause? Do you honestly think they will lay their weapons down if a Palestinian state is ultimately granted by the UN?

Does it not make sense for peace to break out first, and then as neighbours, agree borders? If not, there is still a war, but this time from two sovereign nations. That is one real powder keg which we could get dragged into. I think the Bible may have a name for that eventuality. Armageddon! Doesn't the Bible warn us about times like this when it says, “..peace, peace, but there is no peace”.

Open question, “Can the Israelis and Arab nations ever be at peace?”

Jew Bashing

It doesn't seem to have changed over the years. The Israeli nation has to endure the backlash of public opinion when anything (yes I mean anything) that happens includes all things Arabic. In the driving quest for a two state solution to the middle East conflict and tension, any time Israel stands up for itself, the world media takes the sides of the other. It doesn't matter who, as long as they are against the Jewish nation, and people. Well it seems that way to me.

I think it all came to a finish after the holocaust in World War 2, when they were almost wiped out, in and around Germany, but no! It carries on. From Bible times until now, the nation of Israel has had to fight their own battles, with very few allies. In the past few days, some Arab terrorists, louts and yobs try to storm the Israeli border with Syria using petrol bombs, sticks, stones and sheer numbers in their thousands, and think they can do it with impunity. After all, the watching world is on their side. Some of the youths involved are scarcely out of Primary School, and determined in their hatred for anyone or anything Jewish. 

I can understand a nation making sure their sovereignty is not breached or abused, ever again, and taking every step possible to maintain the safety of their citizens. They are doing that, and in the face of an illogical and unreasoned world view which stands against them every time. It seems they can do nothing right. In the recent case, where reports say 10 to 20 people were killed, the immediate blame was placed on the Israeli Army. That was even after they had used a loudhailer to warn the would be intruders, and used smoke bombs, and then tear gas, before the order was given to aim at the feet and legs of the oncoming 'terrorists'. The world media jumped at the news of people killed in the unlawful act of breaching another nations borders,before knowing the whole story. But that's not new for a media who support the Palestinian cause in everything they do. 

The truth, like oil in water, rose to the surface later. It turns out that the people who were injured and those who died, did so because they were in a mine field, where the mines were activated and detonated by the very molotov cocktails they were throwing. In other words, they died due to their own actions, and the action of their supporters. Strangely, this was not reported in the media in the same way as the story where the Israeli soldiers were given the blame. 

I just like a level playing field, with each one treated fairly. Can we possibly do that for Israel? Not everything they do is wrong, and I for one am tired of hearing otherwise from our so called balanced reporting media. (Notice I didn't even mention the fact that the Nation of Israel is God's chosen people, according to the Bible.)

The Rachel Corrie

The ship 'Rachel Corrie' is on its way to a port in Gaza with supplies and food and medical equipment and building materials, but the Israelis want to intercept it, and in fact did. On the face of things, this is a strange action, but I think we need to ask why? As in everything, there are two sides to every story. This is no exception. Everyone has rights. Everyone, and that includes Israel. Sometimes I think we have lost sight of reason, and reckon that if Israel is involved, then they are automatically in the wrong.


Lets look at some facts. In the past few days, the Israeli military boarded a ship, which was part of a flotilla of ships on their way to Gaza with 'supplies', and carrying peaceful 'activists'. It turned out that some the supplies were not allowed, and internationally illegal. Not all building materials are legitimate. Some were very obviously for weapons building or use. Another point worth remembering is that Israel does allow aid to get to Gaza every week, after checking the content. Who can blame them? On many occasions, they have found material to make weapons which will be used against the ordinary people of Israel. Nine people lost their lives, and others were seriously injured trying to make a political point. Take a look at the word 'activist'. This does not mean supporter, or sympathiser, it means action, and actions of defiance as necessary. All aid was eventually sent to the people of Gaza by the Israelis, by land. So what's the problem?


This ship is making another point. It is more than just taking aid to Gaza, because no matter what happens, the appropriate aid for the people in that land, will get there. But only after it has been checked by the authorities, who also want to protect their own civilian population from indiscriminate rocket attacks. The point is that after the media storm over the boarding of the flotilla ship last week, the activists know that any and all media will be on their side. I believe that these same activists are more interested in the ship being boarded, and the sympathetic benefits they would get for their cause from the media, than the aid getting to the stricken peoples of Gaza.


Gaza is a pawn in a bigger game, and the Palestinians are using this to full advantage. Lets not mince words. The Israelis and Arabs don't like each other. Ok, they hate each other... ok ok they detest each other's very existence. In fact, the basic tenet of the Arab nations is for the 'destruction of Israel' and that's a quote. Oh, another point. There is a common thread in the following words, see if you can tell what it is.... Arab, Muslim, Al Qaeda, Suicide Bomber, Islamic Extremist. It doesn't take a whole lot of thought to know that they all want the annihilation of the Israeli race. Now balance that! 

The World versus Israel

It seems that every time Israel is in the news, it's as a result of a media backlash against their protection of their nation, and people. The latest case has caused an international row. My understanding is that a flotilla of boats carrying aid to the stricken people in Gaza was set upon by the Israeli military, resulting in death and injury on both sides. So at first report, it looks like Israel stopped necessary aid getting to needy people.

What about some facts then? The flotilla of boats in question had been offered to go through the regular and independent channels used and sanctioned by Isreal, like the Red Cross, and the United Nations, but they chose not to do that. Instead they set sail for Gaza, in the full knowledge that this would cause a storm. When the 'aid' was searched, many weapons were found among the aid. Not only that, but some of the sailors were armed ready for combat. They knew what was going to happen, and got ready. It looks like it was a set up, and the world's media once again rose predictably to side with the lawless.

It also needs to be said that Israel is making sure the non military aid gets to Gaza by road, when the cargo has been fully checked. In other words, Israel is NOT against aid getting to Gaza. The reporting does not show this side of things too clearly, just that a well trained Israeli army stormed boats which were known to be carrying cargo from those with clear links to paramilitary organisations like al Qaeda and Hamas. They are proved right, but still the world is in a battle against the nation of Israel. I wonder why? I am sure you will have your own thoughts on that, but sometimes things don't stack up the way they are reported. We are living in an 'anti everything Israel' culture.

There is no doubt that the people of Gaza are poor and in need of help. That much is not in dispute, but why are the people there in such a state? Can they continue to blame everyone else (especially the Israelis) for ever? The country is barren, but look across the border and see the same desert flowering and producing crops to feed their peoples. The housing is very bad, and could be described mostly as slum, but look across the border a few miles and see what has been done there. We cannot put it all down to the Gaza people being kept poor by their hated enemy of Israel. Gaza has a part to play in the state they find themselves in now.

The media seem to have a policy which goes something like this. Gaza fires weapons and kills people in Israel, no problem. Israel fires on Gaza and kills, then there is a storm of fury. It all seems unbalanced to me. What I really want to see is a balanced reporting of the tension in the middle east, but I think that is asking too much. Now back to the original question, "Why"? I reckon the answer is not too difficult to figure out, but we don't want to admit it.