EZEKIEL

and YHWH’s

Judgment

for the

Good News

PEOPLE

VOLUME XVI

Culture

EZEKIEL and YHWH’s

Judgment for the

Good News People

Volume XVI--Culture

by

an unworthy servant

And you shall know the truth,

and the truth will make you free.

(John 8:32)

Common Law Copyright, 2003 & 2005 CE, an unworthy servant, Calder, Idaho. The author claims his Right of exclusive ownership and control of this publication, the fruit of his labor, as a matter of Intellectual Property protected by the Laws of YHWH and as guaranteed by the US Constitution for the United States. Permission is granted to quote provided appropriate credit is cited together with the Publisher’s web site name and postal mailing address––WWW.age-end.com PO Box 473, Calder, ID 83808, USA.

Contents

Volume XVI--Culture

CHAPTER PAGE

- Cover Page 1

- Title Page 2

- Contents 3

- Publisher’s Preface 5

Part WW--Christian Culture

235 Modern Sun Worship Culture I 6

236 Modern Sun Worship Culture II 12

237 Modern Sun Worship Culture III 19

238 Modern Sun Worship Culture IV 33

239 Modern Sun Worship Culture V 45

240 Sun Worship Commercialism I 56

241 Sun Worship Commercialism II 69

242 Sun Worship Commercialism III 76

Part XX--Gender

243 Gender Separation 89

244 Men 96

245 Women 100

246 More on Sun Worship Men and Women 112

247 Sun Worship and Marriage 126

248 Divorce and Remarriage 142

249 Sun Worship and Children 156

SHEERIT YISRAEL

PO Box 473

Calder, Idaho 83808, USA

Publisher’s Preface

Greetings! The following presentation is volume sixteen of a 36-volume production of some 6,000 pages on “Ezekiel and YHWH’s Judgment for the Good News People,” all of which is on the Internet at the www.age-end.com web site.

This overall effort provides an interpretation of the Good News message in the New Testament, its linkage to the book of Ezekiel, and an application of both to the age-end prophecies relating to certain nations and peoples now out in the world. In order for this single volume to be understood and comprehended, it is imperative that the study be read from its beginning--from page one of volume one.

Anyone trying to read this volume or the study’s 6,000 pages at any mid-point will end up in a state of confusion without having read and digested the preceding material. It is crucially important that this work be read in sequence from its beginning--otherwise, the reader will almost certainly end up missing the essence of the message!

The effort was originally set on a Macintosh computer with Microsoft Word 6.0.1. It was set in Helvetica, 12-point type (18 pt on chapter headings); single line spacings; and margins: left 1.2”, right 0.8”, top 0.7”, bottom 0.8” and footer 0.6” (for page numbers).

For further information on obtaining this study in 18 computer floppy disks (IBM-formatted, high density, 2HD, 1.44 MB, 3 1/2 inches); in a single CD-Rom; or in hard copies (when the Internet or a compatible computer is not available); please write the publisher at the above address and send a stamped, self-addressed, long (legal-size), return envelope.

With a CD-Rom or computer floppy disks, the study is readable on Macintosh (systems 5.0 and later) or IBM/compatible (with Microsoft Word-Windows) personal computers. May The Great CREATOR and SOVEREIGN OF THE UNIVERSE bless you as you study His word to learn His will and to obey Him. Shalom (peace) to you and yours!

an unworthy servant, Hanukkah 2003 CE

Chapter 235--Modern Sun Worship Culture I

The Christian Dilemma

Many students of the Word begin to realize, over time, that Christianity has an awful lot of the relics of sun worship present, as amply presented in this study.

Needless to say, Easter, Christmas, Christian holidays generally, pictures, images, symbols, words used in worship, ritual, theology, and on and on are all based on sun worship and not on the Scriptures. And surprisingly, this fact does grossly impact upon the question of the New Testament and the Good News.

Christianity and the Hebrew Civilization

To begin to approach some understanding about and appreciation for the reported problems in Christianity, as outlined in the former chapters, it is imperative to take a look at what all can be involved in a conceptual approach to the overall definition of Christianity and compare that definition with a similar overview of the word and idea of the Hebrew definition.

“Encyclopaedia Judaica” (v. 5, p. 505) sets the stage for comprehending the next several chapters in this production by defining Christianity as “A general term denoting the historic community deriving from the original followers of Jesus of Nazareth; the institutions, social and cultural patterns, and the beliefs and doctrines evolved by this community; and--in the widest sense--the forms of civilization which it created or influenced. (Thus many elements in modern secular, Western civilization are still, in one way or another called ‘Christian’ or attributed to ‘Christianity.’)...

“The vague character of the term provides this wide range of meaning.” Judaica’s concluding remark is certainly true and would not be argued by any informed people in the world today. Truly, Christianity is a very broad term.

In “Who Wrote the New Testament? The Making of the Christian Myth” (p. 310), Burton L. Mack correctly notes that there is no need to ponder about whether religions have cultural and social effect. Categorically, they do as it’s possible to see in our time in home and around the world. Of course, Mack is correct. Religions do affect the culture and social habits of both religious and secular people.

Earl Jones, Revisited

In the Mar-Apr 2001 “Intelligence Newsletter” (p. 2), Earl Jones commented upon Matthew 11:1-20 where YESHUA pronounced a curse of sorts upon certain cities in Palestine (which were inhabited with very evil people).

Jones wrote that The MESSIAH “was not chastising the morality of the believers in these cities for morality’s sake alone. The morality of those in control of the civil government of those cities, also controlled the culture which includes morality. Jesus was condemning them for not teaching and maintaining a righteous culture for the inhabitants of those cities.”

Jones then went on to quote Proverbs 29:2 which says that “When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice, but when the wicked rule, the people mourn.” The point Jones was making was that the morality of the generic people is somewhat determined by the prevailing culture--which is subject to the existing human leaders. Good leadership can improve morality and vice versa.

The Essence Here

Of course, the just quoted observations are essentially, or at least partially, correct. Religion affects the prevailing culture; which, in turn, affects morality. Manifestly, in a democratic society, the prevailing culture selects and elects the governmental leadership; which, in turn, also affects the prevailing culture and morality.

Obviously, too, the prevailing religion and religious teachings by the religious authorities affect not only the culture and the general morality of the people; but importantly, the civil leadership (in a democracy). In other words, declines in morality and the culture can ultimately be traced to the existing religious leadership and theology.

The point is that a reference to Christianity or Christian is not necessarily just a matter of religion. It is a broader term with far more considerations and implications in the whole spectrum of the morality, culture and civilization ensuing in so-called Christian nations (like the US and other nations in the Christian West).

Actually, as will be developed hereafter throughout this publication, the same reasoning applies to the concept of the Hebrew religion (as communicated in the Scriptures). The word Hebrew is more than just the OT religion. It is a racial/ethnic people, and it includes not only their religion; but also, their whole culture and civilization, as ascertainable from the Scriptures.

Consequently, both terms (Christianity and Hebrew) imply and communicate something far more larger and vast than just religion. Throughout this production, this vastness is under discussion generally whenever either term is used. The next several chapters will devolve to cultural and social questions.

Sun Worship Customs

Hence, beyond the obvious religious issues of sun worship, described heretofore, there are also gross facets of sun worship present in the entire Western culture and civilization, as will be shortly established and proven conclusively.

While this reality is readily traceable to the Roman Empire culture of 2,000 years ago, it is also true that Rome got her culture and civilization from Greece, who got hers partially from the Medes/Persians, who got theirs from Babylon and who got hers from Egypt and ancient Mesopotamia.

All of these ancient peoples and nations were sun worshippers, not only in religion, but in their entire cultures, customs and civilizations as well. In short, sun worship was their way of living; and it extended to their entire lives.

To a great extent on this theme, the Book tells us about the various sun worship cultures in contact with YHWH’s peoples--such as those at Mesopotamia, Egypt, Babylon, Greece, Rome, etc.

Repeatedly, the followers of YHWH have been told not to practice the customs and cultures of these sun worshipping, heathen nations. In fact, the Torah has a mitzwah prohibiting the following of the customs of the Canaanites (Lev 20:23).

The earlier mentioned Christmas is a classic case on this theme where Yirmeyahu (Jer, 10th chapter) goes to some length to describe in detail the popular Christmas tree. Despite this clear and precise description and condemnation, Christians continue to delight in this idol and actually defend it and ridiculously try to argue against the text of Jeremiah 10.

Secular People As Well

Beyond the fact that religious Christians love, respect and adore the pagan Christmas and its manifestations, it must be observed that secular people generally in the entire Christian West exhibit the same love, respect and adoration for not only Christmas; but also, the other pagan, sun worship holidays (as pointed out in preceding comments).

Thus, Christmas and the other sun worship holidays are a part and parcel of the culture of secular people, as well as religious persons in Christian civilizations. So it isn’t only religious Christians who practice sun worship. Instead, it is almost everybody generally in a Christian nation who practice sun worship. Thus, sun worship is unconsciously practiced by secular people, as well as religious people.

Admittedly, non-religious (secular) people may not go to Christian sun worship church services on Sunday mornings. But otherwise, their secular lives are almost totally tied into sun worship for most of the rest of the week. In effect, what one finds in the Christian West is a devotion by both secular and religious people to the customs and culture of the prevailing sun worship society.

While some “few” religious Jews (perhaps Orthodox, Ultra Orthodox or true Messianic Jews) and a few other believers have tried to keep themselves separate and away from many of the evils and wretchedness of the contemporary, Western, Christian, sun worship society, most such persons have succumbed and joined into the depravity, along with the generic Christian sun worshippers.

Nissim Dahan

Nissim Dahan was the Israeli Minister of Health under the Ariel Sharon government in 2002 and early 2003. It just so happens that Dahan is a member of the Ultra Orthodox Shas sect in Israel (which will be described in some detail in later chapters). This means that he is a deeply religious Jew; or in the Jewish mentality, he is “observant.”

In Israel, the religious or observant Jews are in sharp contrast to the secular or non-observant Jews. Actually, there is quite a struggle among these two sharply divided Jewish factions. For years, the secular Jews have ruled supreme.

But here, in the early 21st century, observant Jews (Orthodox and Ultra Orthodox) are increasingly becoming better known in pushing their positions (based upon religion) upon the generic Israeli state.

Subsequent chapters herein will discuss the whole Israeli situation in some detail and particularly how the evil Amalekites have had political power over the nation. But as just noted, there is a motion underway where many of the religious Jews are beginning to flex their muscles and come out of the cocoons that they have been wrapped in for centuries.

Nissim Dahan and the Shas people are in this category (along with the highly respected and very religious Shas leader Ovadia Yosef, who will be more fully commented upon in the later chapters). Anyway, Dahan was in the spotlight in early January 2003 with some of his wisdom which deserves some comment now.

In a major political bombshell, in the modern Israeli state, Dahan was speaking to the international convention of Orthodox Jews in Jerusalem. He said that non-observant (non-religious) Jews should not immigrate to Israel (Jan 3, 2003, “Forward,” p. 4).

Prime Minister Sharon took the position that anyone wanting to be a Jew should be able to convert, suggesting that anyone converting to Judaism can come to Israel. Other government leaders spoke out and sharply condemned Dahan.

Eli Yishai

But in a follow-up to Dahan’s comments, Shas chairman, Interior Minister Eli Yishai, also spoke out on the same theme as Dahan (ibid, p. 4).

Yishai said that “If Israel is losing its Jewish character, and becoming a secular state (many Jews are pushing hard in this direction, as will be later addressed), should we bring here the Jews of the Diaspora, who keep the Torah in their communities in order for them to be assimilated in a place where churches are built?”

The Shas chairman added that “It is better to stay Jewish anywhere else, and not to come to Israel to assimilate” (ibid, p. 4). He went on to say that if religious Jews in the Diaspora had known that secular Jews (like Shinui head Yosef Lapid) would work with the Labor party (and its head Amram Mitzra) to form a secular state, they would have stayed in Morocco, Tunis and Iran in order to remain Jews.

However, the wisdom of Yishai and the Shas party really came out when Yishai again warned of a secular government by saying: “A secular government will bring, according to Sallai Meridor, hundreds or thousands of churches, will open more stores that sell pork, and in every city we will see Christmas trees. This is what Yosef Lapid and Amram Mitzra want” (ibid, p. 4).

Well, how can anyone improve upon the words of Yishai? The Shas leader has perceptively spoken words which generally are impossible to hear at the top levels of the Israeli government and certainly not among government leaders in the Christian West.

Yes, if a truly secular government takes over in Israel (as various people like Lapid and Mitzra are promoting), it will spell out pork, Christmas trees and Christian Churches.

There is no question about it. The sincerely religious people of the Israeli Shas party have a duty to speak out and warn the nation of what can happen with a secular government. But will the people listen to Shas?

The Point Is

Of course, the whole point of presenting these comments is to show that the relics of Christian sun worship (eating pork, observing Christmas and having Christmas trees, and building Christian Churches with their bell towers and phallic symbols) are synonymous with the world’s secular governments.

In other words, there is no semblance of the true Hebrew religion in the depraved secular governments found in the Western Christian culture and civilization.

The Culture of Evil Affects Everybody

In short, virtually everybody (both religious Christians and secular non-Christians) are culturally sun worshippers in the Christian West, with few, if any, exceptions (in Christian lands, nations and civilizations). Yes, almost everybody eats pork, observes Christmas and appreciates Christian Churches.

The Shas people in Israel clearly understand how far this evil can go.

To demonstrate how pervasive and far reaching sun worship is, in terms of the lives and beings of modern Christians in the present Western civilization and culture, this study will outline (in the following chapters) several illustrations of American culture that have their origins entirely in ancient sun worship societies.

Yet, Americans generally are totally ignorant of this linkage and most could care less one way or the other.

Chapter 236--Modern Sun Worship Culture II

Pets

Numerous American people have dogs and cats for pets. Many go to the extreme of not only letting these pets live in their homes, but frequently handle them and eat and sleep with them. Several (perhaps just a few) even copulate with their animals.

Some people go to the extreme of treating their pets as members of the family. A classic example of this was shown on July 28, 1998, during live television presentations at the US capitol memorial for slain capitol policemen John Gibson and Jacob J. (J. J.) Chestnut, who were killed in the line of duty on July 24th.

The memorial services included comments by President Slick Clinton, the Speaker of the House, the Majority Leader of the Senate and other important officials. It was held in the rotunda of the capitol which is normally reserved for presidents and other extremely important people. During the services, the ABC News camera panned to the Black family of officer Chestnut.

His grieving widow and children were present with a dog which must have been the family dog. The woman was hugging the dog (instead of her nearby small children), as an expression of her grief and sorrow over the loss of J. J. Apparently, she chose to bring the dog to the services on the pretext that the dog was part of the family.

While it might be routine and normal that an American (Black or White) family would own a family dog, it does remain curious that the woman would bring the dog to a memorial service for her dead husband in the rotunda of the US Capitol. In any case, it demonstrates the honor and esteem that a typical Western family places on dogs.

The Problem

So, what’s the problem with dogs and cats? Well, all of this is unscriptural (certainly, in the Word, dogs are pretty low life animals and the lowest of mongrel peoples are referred to as dogs, as noted elsewhere in this study). Too, the practice comes from the culture of ancient sun worshippers. Ancient Egyptian sun worshippers frequently had pet dogs and occasionally pet cats in their homes and families.

Of course, from the Book, these animals are unclean (Lev 11:1-47; Deut 14:3-20). Among other things, they can pass sickness and disease (especially worms) to their handlers. No believer would even touch them without washing or bathing afterwards. It would be unthinkable about having them in your home in close personal contact.

Tragically, Christian sun worshippers ignore the Word and often allow cats and dogs into their homes and even into their cars on automobile trips. Sometimes, these cats and dogs actually lick their masters and their masters’ children.

A news report in the March 1998 “Search the Scriptures” newsletter (p. 9) said that a nurse at an intensive care nursery in a NH hospital was responsible for causing an outbreak of a yeast infection that infected some 24 babies over a 15-month period in the unit. The nurse had failed to wash her hands after handling her infected dog.

Syro-Phoenician Woman, Revisited

Having condemned the Christian sun worship practice of allowing unclean dogs in Christian homes, mention must be made to an argument on this issue from a person wanting to justify the practice. The issue concerns YESHUA’s statement to the Syro-Phoenician woman and her reply--discussed earlier (Matt 15:26-27; Mk 7:27-28).

He called her a dog and said it was not right to throw the bread of the children (of the House of Yisrael) to the dogs. She replied yes, but even the dogs (under the table as Mark gives it) could eat of the crumbs which fall from the master’s table. In this context, the word “dogs” comes from the Greek “kunarion,” mentioned earlier, which refers to small, pet, house dogs (“Jewish New Testament Commentary,” p. 53).

This remark suggests that the Edomite woman and her Greek religion (indicated in Mk 7:26) allowed the owning of unclean house dogs as being culturally and religiously acceptable. The question surfacing then is it right to have pet dogs in one’s house in view of YESHUA’s supposed acceptance of her words when He granted her request.

Well, one might try to read that into the context, but such a conclusion does not have to be accepted or even allowed. True, the Greek, sun worshipping culture and religion of the Syro-Phoenician woman and multitudes of other peoples have had dogs in their houses (and under their tables)--just as is true today in sun worshipping Christendom. Nothing has changed in the last 2,000 years on this issue among sun worshippers.

But does that fact make it right for true Israelite believers? Of course not! YESHUA was not teaching, suggesting or implying that true believers should go against YHWH’s laws on clean and unclean animals simply because of a persistent woman bringing up the reality of “her” raising, culture and society.

No, the truth is quite clear. He chose to show her mercy and compassion--despite her evil, sun worship culture, life style and Greek religion which were probably attributable to her racial genes. He evidently showed her mercy because she was ignorant and persistent with apparently some humility and a good attitude (as suggested when she willingly acknowledged that she was a dog).

Possible Exceptions Justifying Pets

While the possession of pets offer questionable benefits, one exception may be with owning a cat. It “might” be proper to own a cat if a home has a mouse problem. Cats can be very useful in getting rid of rodents. But even here, there must be some care and discretion in allowing them indoors.

Seeing eye dogs for the blind could also be in a slightly different situation. This writer would not dare attempt to go on record in this instant. But even a blind person needs to be aware of the problem and take at least some measures to clean himself up periodically and limit contacts, particularly in doors and in non-essential usage.

How about horses and donkeys used for transportation? Yes, they are unclean as well. But modern sun worshippers do not typically try to house and feed them inside their homes, as they do with cats and dogs. Of course, the use of unclean horses and donkeys for “necessary” transportation outside the home is far different than having unclean cats and dogs “unnecessarily” in a home.

In any case, the persons in contact with unclean animals need to realize that they should wash their hands and/or bathe appropriately after contact with an unclean animal. One can be sure that YESHUA took a bath by evening after riding the donkey, as mentioned in the NT.

One Key Issue

One of the issues not addressed so far in this presentation is whether the usual or common Israelite believers can even own dogs, cats or other unclean animals (beyond the special cases where they serve a particular purpose, as pointed out above).

Evidently, the answer is yes--since YHWH has made them for a purpose. Dogs are good friends. And as noted in the above comments, cats are one of the best mouse catchers there is--providing they are not over fed.

A wise, old, Black man in the Southern mountains of Wilkes County, North Carolina once had a hunting dog named Queen. He never allowed her to get fat and sassy. He always maintained that “fat dogs ain’t no good fer huntin.” That’s also a good piece of advice for anyone wanting to own cats to catch mice.

The Right Approach

Now, back to the question of cats and dogs as pets. On this, things have to be put in the right perspective. Cats and dogs belong out of doors (in dog houses or out buildings or shelters during cold weather) and not inside living with Adamites. Thus, crumbs from their master’s table can be fed them--naturally, but out of doors!

By the way, this was the historic situation in early America. Dogs were kept out of doors and especially in rural areas and on farms. Many people were acutely aware of the fact that dogs were dirty and would have never allowed them inside their homes. In fact, most such dogs were so trained that they would never attempt to come inside a house, even when the door was left open for them to enter.

In many instances, dog owners did build or buy dog houses for their pet dogs to use in inclement weather. But times have changed. Modern sun worshipping Americans now typically have their pet dogs and cats living with them in their homes just like the ancient sun worshipping Egyptians and Syro-Phoenicians.

Incidentally, the Scriptures never seem to record an instance of unclean animals being in a house with religious Israelites (although YESHUA, because of necessity, was born in a stable). Again, it is well to note that dogs are referred to as one of the lowest forms of animals.

Moreover, the “Acts of the Torah,” found in the Dead Sea Scrolls, specifies an item number (9) which says that “Dogs are not to be brought into Jerusalem” (“Who Wrote the Dead Sea Scrolls,” p. 194). It seems abundantly clear that no believing Israelite family would have ever allowed unclean animals into their house for close association.

Finally, the student of truth might be interested in learning of an AP news item of December 13, 1998, which noted that in Communist Romania, and presumably in other Communist states, it was considered to be a “bourgeois habit” for city people to own or have a dog in town.

Whatever else can be said about the Communists, they were miles ahead of the Western, Christian, sun worship culture--at least, on the question of dogs. Tragically, Western, Christian, sun worship people love unclean animals and love to have them in their homes.

The Responsible Angle

In the owning of pets, the one thing that most people seem to overlook is the aspect of personal responsibility for their pets and what the pets do in terms of society. The situation with the NH nurse, cited above, is a classic illustration where this woman became guilty of bringing hurt upon a number of innocent people.

Clearly, she was responsible. But we can be sure that most of society will not look upon this question that way. Most people will conclude that it was just tough that she brought a yeast infection into the hospital. If she was prosecuted and sent to jail or made to pay restitution for the hurt she caused, the word would get out and more pet owners would get the message that they are responsible!

Bad Dogs in Idaho

In terms of responsibility, as just cited, one of the things that frequently happens with dogs is that they bite or attack some innocent person. And here, the issue is not over a dog attacking a burglar or trespasser in areas where they should not be present.

Uncontrolled or unrestrained dogs have attacked and even killed people. Several dogs in a pack have been known to attack small children. Pit bulldogs can be very dangerous.

The Dec 31, 2002, Idaho “Spokesman-Review” (p. A1) had a story by Susan Drumheller on “Pit bulls back home after attack.” The essence of this report concerned a couple named James and Cheryl Dunnington, near Bonners Ferry, Idaho, who just happen to have owned nine pit bulls.

In December 2002, a 50-year old jogger named Denise Dickison was running on the county road near the Drumheller’s place. Three of the pit bulls got out of the yard and attacked poor Denise and mauled her pretty badly before she was rescued by a neighbor woman named Ginny Napier and a neighbor man (named Rudy Byler) in a pick-up truck.

Byler and Napier were able to drag the injured woman into Byler’s pick-up before the dogs had killed her. Napier said that within another minute, the dogs would have killed Dickison.

Poor Denise was taken to the hospital with multiple bites and bruises. One dog was killed from a passing car and the other two dogs were quarantined for ten days to check for rabies.

The purpose of Drumheller’s story was to say that the dogs in quarantine had been released and sent back to the Dunnington home. Apparently, nothing from a criminal point will happen though the owners were charged with two counts of vicious dogs at large--a misdemeanor. Since this was a first offense by the dogs involved, Idaho law required that they be returned to their owner.

Local prosecutor Todd Reed says that that’s all the state can do based upon current state laws. Otherwise, poor Denise will be able to file a civil lawsuit against the Dunningtons which can drag on and on; and of course, make a lot of money for some local lawyers.

The bottom line on this story is that pet dogs are not something good--for many reasons. And in the case of pit bulls, one should be prepared to go to jail or suffer greatly otherwise from owning them.

A More Tragic Case

In early 2002, another woman named Marjorie Knoller was irresponsible with a dangerous dog which attacked an innocent woman named Diane Whipple in the hall of Diane’s apartment in San Francisco. Diane was killed. Of course, Marjorie said it wasn’t her fault. But she and her husband Robert Noel were tried (Apr 1, 2002, “US News & World Report,” p. 8).

Marjorie was found guilty of second degree murder and Robert was found guilty of involuntary manslaughter. This is the way it should be. People are responsible and should be punished for not restraining their possibly dangerous animals. Per the Word, these people would have to flee to a city of refuge to avoid being killed by Diane’s next of kin. This is the way it should be.

In the Western mountains, the snow gets heavy in the winter. Deer find it hard to find food and even to walk or run in the deep snow (their feet sink in from the weight). Dogs have a much easier time on snow and thoroughly enjoy chasing and sometimes killing deer which cannot get away.

In early 2002, the state of Idaho announced that she would fine dog owners who let their dogs chase deer. This is the way it should be. The book should be thrown at these people. If it is illegal to kill a deer out of season, it is illegal for a dog to kill a deer out of season.

Other Pets As Well

While the above focus has been on “unclean” dogs and cats, it goes without saying that modern, stupid, Christian Israelites have all kinds of other “unclean” animals and birds as pets as well, although not as commonly found as dogs and cats. All of the above remarks on dogs and cats apply equally to all other unclean animals and birds.

It has become extremely popular today among some people to own snakes--including such dangerous reptiles as rattle snakes and pythons. While most snake owners are not apt to handle, play with and give the snakes the intimacy that dog and cat owners afford their pets, there still is a lot of contact with an unclean specie.

This pet snake phenomenon has a bad feature which can cause real problems (just as some pet, pit bulldogs can cause problems). For example, a stupid couple in rebellion against YHWH’s Torah owned a pet python in Centralia, Illinois. The python was about seven and a half feet long and presumably could be dangerous if it ever got out of its cage.

The rebellious and wicked couple had a two-year-old baby boy. Sure enough, on August 30, 1999, the python got out of its cage, killed the child (bit the boy and smothered him to death) and was preparing to eat the baby. Prosecutors in Centralia said that they would prosecute the parents for endangerment.

A similar event happened when a Pennsylvania couple stupidly owned several snakes and exotic lizards which they kept in their home with their children. Near August 25, 2001, per news reports, one of the pythons got out and proceeded to wrap itself around the throat of the couple’s eight-year old daughter, Amber.

By the time that the mother reached the child and got the snake pried loose, it was too late. The child died. In this case, of being careless and irresponsible, are the parents of this child guilty of murder or manslaughter? This possibility has been broached earlier and will receive some further attention in later comments on selfishness.

This is one of the fall-outs of owning dangerous pets. They are always susceptible of getting out of their cages and not only attacking and killing members of the owner’s family, but also neighbors, friends and others who may innocently come into contact with them (especially out of doors). Most or all of these varmints are unclean and have no business being pets inside the homes of the followers of YHWH YESHUA.

A Final Story

There is a final story from Spokane, Washington which deserves mention. This one concerns a man named Bob Hull and his, so-called, love of pets. Per the May 29, 2003, Spokane “Spokesman-Review” (p. B3), local county sheriff deputies visited his home in May 2003 for some unstated reason.

The deputies discovered that Hull had at least 32 live cats and dozens of live dogs at his home while a local county ordnance only allowed a person to have four cats and four dogs at one time. In looking around, officers made another amazing discovery. Hull was so devoted to his pets that he refused to part with them, and even after they were dead.

Hull had three large white freezers on the front porch of his house which contained the frozen carcasses of his dead pets since 1997. The freezers contained the bodies of 20 kittens, 15 adult cats, 18 dogs, one bird, four mice and a rabbit. Each animal was wrapped in an individual animal bag (that he had obtained from a veterinarian). Some of the bags reflected the name of the enclosed dead pet.

Question--is this absolute madness, stupidity or what?

Chapter 237--Modern Sun Worship Culture III

Sports and Athletic Events

Josephus, in his works of 2,000 years ago, wrote an extensive condemnation about athletic and sporting events. While he made it clear that such are against his religion, he did not quote precise Scriptures to condemn the practices.

Josephus did bring the issue up in connection with what the Greeks had done in the days of Antiochus Epiphanies (c168 BCE) when they built a gymnasium and did everything that they thought possible to force the Judean inhabitants to adopt the Grecian sun worship culture and practices. As pointed out earlier, I and II Maccabees describe this in detail.

In the late first century BCE, the Amalekite Herod the Great followed suit and did the same thing.

Herod introduced pagan games, promoted the Greek Olympic games and built a theater, a hippodrome and a large amphitheater in the area where chariot races and contests of various kinds took place, including men fighting animals (“Josephus, The Essential Writings,” p. 244, and “A History of the Jewish People in the Time of Jesus Christ,” v. I, p. 439).

Just as Second Temple Jews had little regard for sports, the same thing applies today among sincere religious Jews. For example, Rav Gabriel Kosover, principal at the Ultra Orthodox Derekh Tvunah Talmud Torah school in Jerusalem, eschews physical and sports education as “a waste of Torah study time and emblematic of gentile pursuits” (Apr 7, 2003, “Jerusalem Report,” p. 14).

The Main Problems

So, what then is the problem with sports and athletic events? After some thought, this writer offers these possibilities. First, the historical basis is clearly sun worshipping Greece and their games and sporting events. The original Greek Olympiad festival and games were in honor of the Greek gods (“What the Great Religions Teach,” p. 105). As a minimum, the periodic Olympics are called into serious question.

Another feature was brought out by Dr Emil Schurer in “A History of the Jewish People in the Time of Jesus Christ” (v. I, p. 23, division 2). Schurer noted that the “games were often closely connected with the religious rites” --in the context of the various sun worship cults and particularly those in Greece which favored sports so much.

In fact, writer Paula Fredriksen, in an article on “Paul at the Races,” appearing in the June 2002 “Bible Review” (p. 12), makes the case that athletics started as a religion. Fredriksen says that in the ancient Mediterranean culture (of Greece and Rome), activities like going to the theater, watching races (and other sporting events), convening a city council, etc were all part of the worship of the traditional gods.

Modern Christians have picked upon this religious linkage to some extent; because even today, many sporting events start with a prayer to the sun god. Religious schools in particular have religious rites and worship inter-connected to their athletic programs. Hence, there is a religious implication in many sporting events.

Eastern martial arts and contact sports are typically connected closely to the Eastern religions. One finds this especially in Judo, Karate, etc in Japan and similar practices in China and other parts of the East. Many of these human conflicts involve prayer and devotion to the Eastern gods. People in the Christian West, who pick upon these arts, usually pick upon the religious implications as well.

Next, there is no provision for sports and athletic events in the Scriptures, as Josephus correctly noted. Since they are not present for people in the Hebrew culture, should believers automatically assume that they can then be adopted and practiced? No, of course not!

More Reasons

Otherwise, there are several more reasons. The events instill idolatry (over the teams and players), pride, vanity and competitiveness in the participants and fans alike. In effect, competitiveness is a facet of pride which is condemned in the Book. Why would one do things to build up idolatry, pride and vanity?

This reality surfaces with regularity in sporting events all over the world. The Jan 21, 2002, “Time” (p. 67) carried the story of a hockey fan named Thomas Junta who murdered Michael Costin over a hockey game on July 5, 2000, in Reading, Massachusetts. Costin was the referee and Junta’s son was a player. Junta didn’t like the calls and beat Costin to death at the hockey stadium.

This same “Time” also outlined other American sporting events which illustrated the fantastic idolatry and utter fanaticism associated with sports. In 1999, a chunky football dad and youth league coach assaulted a nine year old player and a Virginia soccer mom attacked a referee. In 2000, a Staten Island father broke the nose of the coach of his ten-year old son and so it goes.

Moreover, sporting events also often involve public nudity which, of course, is unscriptural, as will be elaborated upon in some detail in comments to follow. This nudity and the events providing for it generally instill lust among both participants and fans alike.

Why would believers want to watch exposed people and develop passion and lust and particularly today when most of the athletes are Blacks and the fans are generally White. Yes, White girls lust after Negro athletes--especially in the nudity of basketball.

Some Really Dark Stuff

Furthermore, these events encourage gambling, drinking, drunkenness, partying and reveling among both participants and fans. Why would believers be involved in such questionable practices?

Not only are many of the competing athletes themselves heavily involved in drugs, adultery, and other immoral activities, they end up promoting these same qualities in today’s youth who look up to athletes as idols and gods. These athletes generally paint very sick pictures for young children to be devoted to and obsessed over because of their skills.

The next pathetic feature of sports is linked to the just mentioned reality of gambling. While the issue of gambling and betting on games primarily concerns the fans and spectators, it sometimes goes even beyond that feature to the players and participants.

For example, the famous baseball player Pete Rose of the Cincinnati Reds a few years ago was a well known gambling figure. It was never conclusively proven that he bet on his own games, but that possibility must be entertained. Rose apparently was one of the great baseball players of all time and ultimately lost out on many honors and recognitions simply because of his ties to the gambling world.

Routinely, in modern times, scandals seem to be erupting with regularity in most sporting activities. It seems to be common, routine and regular that athletes are caught using drugs and steroids of various kinds to supposedly help them in their performance. But that’s only the beginning of the corruption on-going in sporting events.

The Olympics

The 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, Utah had several questionable things take place. Perhaps the most notorious scandal in Utah concerned the revelation by a French woman judge (Marie-Reine Le Gougne) that she had voted against the Canadians and for the Russians in a fix in the figure skating event (Feb 22, 2002, “The Week,” p. 13, 17).

Part of the problem that fueled this question to the revelation point was that the skaters performed before a world-wide audience, via live television. As the Feb 25, 2002, “Time” (p. 5) put it-- “a wobbly Russian routine took the gold and a flawless Canadian one the silver.” Obviously, something was wrong with the judging process. This prompted Marie to make her revelations.

It was largely unclear what all the motivations were that made Marie, as the swing voting judge, throw the outcome of the match. She said that French officials pressured her to give the victory to the Russians. Although there will remain speculation on this question, it is not difficult to allow that gambling or international politics were involved at a very high level.

Incidentally, the just quoted Feb 22, 2002, “The Week” (p. 17) had an article on this subject which was entitled “Skating scandal: Are the Olympics corrupt?” Well, the answer here is yes. All of the contemporary sporting events are corrupt to some extent. It would be a rarity today to find a major event without some corruption or scandal associated with it.

Although the February 25, 2002, “Time” magazine did not directly attempt an answer to the question of Olympic corruption, as posed by “The Week,” “Time” (p. 30) did review “A Century of Medal Disputes” --namely the 20th century.

The problems/questions/corruption started in 1908 in London when judges supposedly awarded the gold to the wrong person in a figure skating event (it turned out that one of the judges was a personal friend of the person awarded the medal). Similar issues/controversies surfaced in Stockholm in 1912, in Munich in 1972, in Barcelona in 1992, in Littlehammer in 1994 and in Nagano in 1998.

The only thing one can say about the question of Olympic corruption is that it seems to have become worse in the late 20th and early 21st centuries. The future does not look good as Olympic corruption and dishonesty now seems to be largely in place.

Another Note

Last, a news broadcast on December 31, 1997, focused upon the then upcoming Rose Bowl football game. It revealed a most fascinating little fact. The news reporter talked about the Rose Bowl stadium in Pasadena, California and mentioned that it was built in 1922, based upon a design from ancient Greece.

This writer is not very familiar with the architecture associated with the buildings and stadiums used by the ancient Greek sun worshippers, but it appears that modern sun worshippers copy them for their buildings and facilities.

Circuses, Theaters, TV and Movies

The subject of circuses, theaters, television and motion pictures is a little more complicated than the obvious outright problems with modern sports and athletic performances (with the religious implications, as noted above).

On the one hand, circuses generally and live theater performances frequently involve nudity, sexual depravity and/or other themes which make them totally unsuitable for watching. Idolatry is common when people begin to adore and revere their entertainment heroes as usually occurs.

Most of these live entertainment activities inevitably involve the integration and mixing of the sexes (and now, races in modern America) which is manifestly wrong, as will be established in succeeding chapters. Clearly the circuses and live theaters have their origins in the old sun worship cults.

Too, there is the reality that many theater performances are built on lies and fiction to such an extent that truth is badly imperiled. In telling about his movie career, actor Marlon Brando put out a video in 2002 entitled “Lying for a Living,” designed to teach young actors about the acting profession (Apr 19, 2002, “The Week,” p. 8). Of course, this message really hits home on the acting business.

Consequently, it is easy to write theaters, circuses and most live performances off as being bad and unscriptural. Perhaps some of these realities prompted Josephus to take a stand 2,000 years ago against theaters and amphitheaters, as well as sports and sporting arenas.

Josephus wrote that they were foreign practices to Jews and Judaism (quoted by Dr Emil Schurer in “A History of the Jewish People in the Time of Jesus Christ,” v. I, p. 33, division 2). Hence, the people of YHWH would not be in attendance at such depraved places.

Television

One can almost put television and the movies in the same category. There are a couple of differences though which might make “some” TV and “home” videos less questionable and a little more acceptable. First, these activities can be viewed in private in a home and under the supervision of a parent in the context of children.

Too, part of this stuff can be extremely educational and beneficial. For example, a TV news broadcast has merit to keep the elect informed on world affairs (as they are commanded to watch, to be later discussed).

There is a downside on TV, however, with the evidence of biased reporting and subliminal messages, to be later assessed. So while “some” television might have limited value and appeal, one must be very careful about viewing the tube.

Certainly, a loving parent would have to spend some time in prayer and thought before allowing children to watch most of this stuff, even if it is educational.

Actually, there are any number of radio news broadcasts and often one every hour on the hour. So it is possible to keep abreast of events without TV. Also, newspapers are available, although they are just as biased and slanted as radio and TV programs.

The Present Depravity

The present, Western, sun worship culture and civilization are absolutely depraved, wicked and sick beyond description. While there are several reasons for this utter depravity, assuredly much of the impetus has come from Hollywood which has been making extremely bad films for ages.

Not only is it true that many of the people involved in the entertainment industry are socially and morally sick, but the work they turn out is of the same caliber.

“Some” few home videos are possibly in a more acceptable position and particularly if they are older (with a less chance of subliminal messages and common vulgarity) and/or might be produced by a trustworthy agency (like the Prophecy Club). Many documentaries and indeed movies are extremely educational and hence valuable, although they must be addressed in the context of the above comments.

The Ultra Orthodox Jewish religious community in Mea Shearim in Jerusalem (to be addressed in some detail in later comments) has an interesting slant on the question of secular radio, television, books, papers, magazines, movies and entertainment.

This stuff is simply forbidden to its people. The elders warn the people that the outside world is nothing but “whores and thieves” (Dec 13, 1999, “Newsweek,” p. 52). While it would be possible that evil sun worshippers would look down upon and laugh at the Ultra Orthodox people and their teachings about the evils out in the secular world, there is much truth in what they say, in the generic sense.

Even in the modern Williamsburg section of Brooklyn, New York, the people in the Satmar Hassidic sect of the Ultra Orthodox do not own TV sets (Jul 6, 2001, “Jerusalem Post,” p. 27). Many of the children know only Hebrew or Yiddish (and no English, until they learn it in school). The “rabbis” say that they don’t need English.

Dancing

One of the approved cultural activities allowed in the Book is dancing. The Word is precise. Believers should praise and worship The ELOHIM in timbrels and dancing (Ps 149:3; 150:4).

Dancing was a fairly common cultural reaction in ancient Yisrael in the context of dances following military victories, at the harvest festivals and importantly at the commencement of the Sabbaths. Yirmeyahu wrote that the virgin should rejoice in dancing (Jer 31:4, 13). On occasion, groups of women danced, sang and played timbrels (Ex 15:20-21; Jud 11:34; I Sam 18:6). David danced (II Sam 6:14).

And on one of the rare times when men and women could apparently do some mixing in a social activity, dancing was seemingly proper at weddings (per “Soncino Books of the Bible,” translation and commentary at Ps 45:14-16 and S of S 7:1-2. See also I Macc 9:37-39).

While this writer cannot determine the exact form that these Scripturally approved dances should take, there is an absolute certainty that they were not ever sexually revealing or enticing.

They were expressions of praise, joy and happiness, without any presence of sexual overtures or even close personal contact among participants. Likely, they were Hebrew folk dances, involving groups of men or women or perhaps even some persons individually--like David.

One can assuredly bank on it that these Scriptural dances were a far cry from what is visible in the contemporary Christian sun worship culture. Much of modern dance is very vulgar and dirty with roots that go back to very primitive, Black, African dances promoting demonic trances and promiscuous sex. Whatever else may be said about Negroes, it is evident that they have natural rhythm and can dance.

Having mentioned the popularity and acceptability of dancing, there are some qualifications however. Shlomo put it all in the right perspective when he wrote that there is a particular time for dancing--just as there are times for other activities (Eccl 3:1-4).

Moreover, it is manifestly mandatory that any dancing done conform to YHWH’s laws and rules for men and women. The need for gender separation seems established and certainly women must be properly covered. These requirements will be assessed in a subsequent chapter.

Public or Private?

“Encyclopaedia Judaica” (v. 5, p. 1264) gives the historic Jewish position which is relevant to consider. The point is made that dancing in public was often forbidden by the “rabbis.” On this, one must understand that dancing at a marriage or Bar Mitzwot is hardly the same thing as dancing on Broadway or at a disco club in NY City.

Usually marriages and other family occasions are extremely private matters--limited to the families, a few friends and members of the religious fraternity. In this sense, it would be wrong to call them public, as evidently envisioned by the “rabbis.” They are a quasi-public function at best.

Music and Song

Later chapters will further address modern music and song in the context of the popular, secular culture and from different perspectives. There is no intent to really cover the subject in any detail at this time. But some attention is needed and particularly on rock n’ roll which has completely dominated the Christian West for 50 years.

Manifestly, rock n’ roll is essentially nothing but a demonic jungle beat from the jungles of Black Africa (later chapters herein will discuss at some length the use of drums in Black music to call down the demon gods--and that’s what black music is all about). All forms of it are bad.

Ferriday, Louisiana

For many long years now, Blacks have had essentially Black hang-outs which specialize in Black music, drinking, eating chitterlings or fired chicken, gambling (usually dice), knife fights, and plenty of copulating and fornicating. Remarks hereafter will discuss at length one of these African hang-outs in the Mississippi Delta.

Generally, White people did not and do not frequent these Negro hang-outs--other than a few White whore women who go there to get picked up and engage in interracial sex with the Africans.

The little town of Ferriday, Louisiana used to have (and probably still has) at least one of these popular Negro beer joints (similar White places are known as honky-tonks in the White culture).

Over the years, this one Black joint had everything the typical Negro could want--Black music (as a pianist would pound out some Black blues and what later would be called rock n’ roll), much eating (chitterlings, fried chicken and other soul food items), room to shoot craps and have knife fights, and of course, plenty of Black girls to copulate with, either on the dance floor or at some other convenient place.

As the demonic beat picked up, the dancing would become more vulgar, raunchy, and dirty. Of course, the Blacks simply loved it.

Women, with low cut dresses (which allowed their breasts to pop out) that were split down the sides (to show off their legs and equipment) would produce quite a sexually arousing display as they entered a demonic trance to shake, wiggle, hump and rock n’ roll with the black men (which inevitably led to mass fornication, either on the dance floor, in a nearby booth, a nearby car, outdoors in the woods or wherever).

Two White Boys

Back during WWII, there were two small White boys, actually cousins, who got quite a thrill, charge or something out of going down to this Black joint in Ferriday and watching the Blacks have their frolicking good time and fun. The boys had a peek place where they could secretly watch the proceedings from outside without actually being inside or detected and known by the Blacks.

One of the boys was interested in music and probably this was his motivation. Like Benny Goodman, Al Jolson and others mentioned earlier, many Whites have come to realize that Blacks have enormous talent in music and rhythm. Hence, persons interested in popular music inevitably have some desire to watch and listen to Negro performers.

Obviously, this one boy must have enjoyed the blues and rock n’ roll sounds put out by the Negro piano player. He was surely engrossed and fascinated by it.

The other White boy involved was a Christian boy who seems to have taken his Sunday School and other outright Christian pagan realities seriously. He was, what some would say, a classic prude. In any case, he went along with his cousin to watch the antics, frolicking, fornicating and carrying on by the Negroes at this drinking and fornicating place.

But to what extent the Christian boy enjoyed the wild sex and jungle manifestations going on in the Black joint (as the two boys would spy on the Negroes) probably is open to debate. However, the Christian boy did not like the music. He called it “the Devil’s music” (and actually, in a strange way, he was right; as will be proven in later chapters on the occult changes in Christianity).

However, other people had other words to describe the African jungle beat. Many American Whites, especially in the South, simply called it “Nigger music.” Other people, perhaps in Britain and parts of Europe, called it a “Savage Animal Rhythm.”

Success

The two boys were named Jimmy and Jerry. At some point in time, Jerry took up the piano and began playing it professionally (it was said that he had a “God given talent”).

This Negro music that Jerry had absorbed as a child must have impressed him and particularly as the rock n’ roll beat was propelled into America’s national music spotlight in the 1950s with the book (by Evan Hunter) and movie called “Blackboard Jungle.”

By 1956, Elvis Presley was on the scene with his blend of country, Black blues and Black rock n’ roll. Presley was an almost instant success as he would wiggle and move his hips while playing his guitar. The gullible, stupid, young, American girls simply loved the vulgar, demonic beat and sexual implications.

Since Jerry was quite proficient on the piano, he was able to pick upon the Negro music so much so that he too was immediately propelled into stardom. This came in late 1956 when Jerry and one of his cousin colleagues went into the record studio in Memphis, Tennessee which gave Presley his start (however, this producer sold his contract with Presley, worth millions, for a mere $35,000).

The Memphis record producer liked Jerry’s music and put out his first hit record (“Crazy Arms”) in late 1956. Soon, within the next year, Jerry had several top hits (including “Whole Lotta Shaking Goin On,” “Great Balls of Fire,” and “High School Confidential” which came out in a movie). In fact, Jerry’s “Great Balls of Fire” knocked Presley’s “Teddy Bear” out of first place on the popularity charts.

With Presley entering the US Army (from the draft) in early 1958, there was some belief among many that Jerry would become the King of Rock n’ Roll. He was in a position to be completely number one. He appeared on the Steve Allen Show and was raking in the money from his fantastic popularity in 1957.

But two events came in early 1958 which virtually destroyed Jerry. Whereas he was, in 1957, a number one American entertainer (who was pushing at Elvis Presley and ready to become the King of Rock n’ Roll); he quickly became a has been and no more (in other words, his telephone quit ringing).

Identifying Jerry

Jerry was, of course, the once famous Jerry Lee Lewis (called the “Killer” and the “Wild Man of Rock”). His story was told in a writing by his wife Myra, which was made into a movie called “Great Balls of Fire” --with Dennis Quaid, Winona Ryder (yes, the apparent Amalekitess who gained some fame in 2002 by shoplifting in California, as noted earlier) and Alec Baldwin.

The comments herein on Jerry and Jimmy (somewhat) come essentially from this biographical movie. In the movie, Baldwin plays the part of Jerry’s cousin Jimmy--who also gained enormous American popularity and fame in the 20th century in the religious business (of conning money from the Christian suckers).

Later chapters will tell more about Jimmy (in a discussion on hypocrites) and assess what happened in 1958 to virtually destroy Jerry Lee Lewis (in a presentation on the power of the US media to make or break people). But the point here is that rock n’ roll is effectively demonic Negro music from the jungles of Black Africa. It is not good!

Rock N’ Rap

In the early 21st century, there is something on the popular music scene called rock n’ rap (which is totally Black in origin and involving a blend of traditional rock and the new popular rap music). This stuff is totally and completely the Devil’s music (as Jimmy characterized it many years ago). It is very vulgar and demonic. A later chapter addressing the occult changes in Christianity will further assess it as a part of rock.

More On Music

Other than the modern demonic jungle music of Blacks (which now predominates in the Christian world, in the form of the various deviations of rock), this writer is not necessarily opposed to secular, cultural music, per se.

Certainly, much of it probably is bad, though some of it might be acceptable. Perhaps each individual selection or type of music or song must be evaluated upon its own merits. Many of the classical pieces are both inspiring and beautiful.

Manifestly, some music, like Christmas music, is almost all questionable right off of the bat. This writer is in no mood to sing songs about Santa Claus. Anything which honors Christmas, Easter (like Irving Berlin’s “Easter Parade”) and the other heathen holidays seems out of the question.

Beyond the enormous problems in assessing music and song in the secular sense, there are far more bigger problems in the vein of religious music. Certainly, none of us could argue with singing the Psalms. After all, they were written to be sung. The same is true with all or much of the five Megillot (which were mentioned in a previous chapter).

Christian Songs

However, when a person enters the world of pagan, sun worshipping Christianity (where songs are sung to the heathen sun god Gee-Zeus, the Lard or Gawd), there can be some obvious problems. Some of the Sardis Sacred Name groups have taken these pagan Christian songs and reworked them to get rid of the pagan names. This may or may not be the right thing to do.

Of course, if someone or some group wants to sing those songs, they can redo them, as far as the names are concerned. From my own perspective, there is still some suspicion that there just remains too much paganism since their source was originally heathen Christianity.

There is some Christian music which, on the surface, seems to be very beautiful and filled with possibilities as they may show some reverence and praise to The HIGHEST. Certainly, songs like Jerusalem and Amazing Grace seem to fit into this category. Ava Maria, How Great Thou Are and many other Christian songs are very beautiful, but their words or messages are bad.

However, irrespective of the so-called beauty and inspiration of such songs and even if their words or messages can be re-worked to get rid of the paganism, the songs must still be approached cautiously (as their origin involves heathen Christianity). If there is one general rule on Christian songs and music, it would have to be for the true believer to stay away from most of it. There are too many possibilities of sin.

A Friend, Revisited

This writer has a Charismatic, Sacred Name friend (mentioned in a prior chapter). Though he is alleged to be a Sabbathkeeper, he periodically goes to a heathen Christian Church on Sundays to worship with them. He says he likes the music (which is, of course, heathen sun worship music, praising the sun god, etc).

Actually, what he probably likes is the Christian worship ritual which in Holy Roller Churches typically involves singing, clapping, emotionalism and having fun. Yes, the concept of worship in most Pentecostal/Charismatic Churches is that it consists largely of an opportunity to get together to have fun and a good time (especially in singing, shouting, tapping feet and clapping to an upbeat tune).

Of course, this can include an emotional sermon which stirs the pot of how righteous they are and how bad and evil other people are. All Christians, and certainly this includes all Holy Roller Christians, love to be told how righteous and good they are in this world of evil and sin. Christians delight in hearing an inspiring message in this vein.

But the examples from the Scriptures, Temple and Second Temple synagogues suggest that true worship is a learning process (of reading/discussing the Torah) and of reverence (proper fear) and praise of The ELOHIM. It is not a time to clap and have fun.

This friend of mine once asked me if i didn’t like to sing those Christian songs? And the answer is--i don’t like those songs or music.

So, no, i don’t want to clap and have fun or get a tingling in my spine while singing those upbeat, rock, Christian songs or listening to the sanctimonious music (this fall out describes the music at many of the Holy Roller Churches where much of the expression is one of having fun and a good time).

There is no way that this writer will go into a heathen, sun worship, Holy Roller Church to sing songs to Gee-Zeus, Gawd or the Lard, and clap and have fun with a tingling up my spine.

Holding Hands in a Circle, Revisited

Historically, sun worshippers go in for meeting in a circle and holding hands. The Christian religion is notorious for this where the worshippers meet and form a circle, hold hands and pray to the sun god Gee-Zeus (as mentioned in a prior chapter). Other religions do it as well. But the problem extends beyond false religions to the entire culture.

Many families will join hands around the circle of a dining table to hold hands and say a prayer before eating. School teachers often have children hold hands and join in a circle for instruction, etc. Even children tend to find occasions to form a circle and hold hands as a part of playing (like a merry go around or around a May pole on May day).

There are two questionable features about this practice of holding hands in a circle; and especially, in the sense of a public ritual. First, its origin is clearly from the sun worship cultures, as discussed previously in the explanation of the word “church.”

And secondly, the practice might be extremely dangerous because it opens the door to the possibility of the transference of demons in a similar way that the laying on of hands opens the door to a transference of demons, as discussed elsewhere herein (especially if the act is religious in nature).

While a man, his wife and his children privately holding hands “might be” one thing allowable, the practice of holding hands in a circle certainly becomes questionable and undesirable in a public ceremony (like in a Christian Church).

Shaking Hands

One of the common cultural realities of our time is the practice of people shaking hands in contact and particularly on introductions. This practice used to be the norm among men. As for as men’s contacts with women, it was more usual for men to not shake the hands of women; instead opting for standing up, removing one’s hat and in some cases men have historically kissed the hands of women.

But in the late 20th and early 21st centuries the question has evolved to the point now that both men and women shake each others’ hands. There is little or no distinction in this practice now between the sexes.

On this theme, the Word does have a view which is most interesting--Exodus 23:1 “Thou shalt not raise a false report: put not thine hand with the wicked to be an unrighteous witness.”

While the focus of this commandment is on the matter of people shaking hands in a court litigation (whereas it should be unthinkable that a person would shake hands with his opponent or adversarial witnesses in that they are presumed to be wicked people), it can have far reaching implications on some examination in the vein that YHWH’s mitzwot actually teach principles.

Anyway, the principle here is plain enough. One should not shake hands or even touch an evil person. The touch idea is essential to grasp because of the role of ritual purity and uncleanness which will be more extensively addressed in the following comments.

Therefore, should a person shake the hand of an evil person based on Exodus 23:1? Well, based on the principle involved, the answer has to be no. Despite the cultural acceptance of this practice, the better option is to keep your hands in your pockets or just don’t shake hands with evil persons. So when evil politicians --like Bill “Slick” Clinton and/or Barney “the fag” Frank-- stick their hands out for a shake, the proper response should be no way Hose.

Touching the Unclean

Much of the book of Leviticus and even portions of Numbers and Deuteronomy deal with the matter of uncleanness and particularly from the aspects of ritual and sanitation. Previous chapters herein have addressed some of these themes (like on the matter of unclean cats and dogs). Later chapters will focus on most of them more extensively--especially on food and sexual impurity.

Without attempting here of presenting unnecessary duplication of this material elsewhere covered, this section will offer a few comments on the question of a believer touching something/someone that is unclean. The general rule is simple--don’t do it.

In most instances, the dilemma of touching something/someone unclean is that the innocent person having contact with the unclean becomes unclean himself. Perhaps this aspect of the problem is what is behind the prohibition of shaking hands with an evil man. Possibly there is some prospect of the innocent person becoming evil when accepting evil/an evil person through contact. There is too the matter of transference of demons, as discussed above.

Once a believer becomes unclean through contact/touching the unclean, the usual solution in the Word is that the uncleanness continues until the evening when bathing rectifies the matter. Thus, the uncleanness typically only lasts for one day assuming the innocent party bathes and cleans himself up.

The matter of sexual uncleanness will be covered in some detail in later chapters herein. Suffice to say, people become unclean for a day after sexual intercourse and must bathe to clean up (Lev 15:16-18). A woman becomes unclean for seven days during her period (Lev 15:19-30).

In both instances, and in many similar ones, it isn’t only that the involved people become unclean but everything they touch or have contact with becomes unclean. Consequently, when a person shakes the hand of a woman during her period or has physical contact with objects which have become unclean from the woman, he becomes unclean. The ensuing problems of this teaching are quite manifest--like what does a man and his wife do when she is having her period?

“Esquire” magazine’s A. J. Jacobs, a Jew, addressed the issue of shaking hands some time ago when he spent a year allegedly obeying some of the Scriptural rules and commandments.

Jacobs’ solution was simple. He just refused to shake hands with strangers. Through that way, he could for sure avoid touching an unclean woman or evil man. In terms of his wife, he quit sleeping with her. And for their meals, he became the cook for the seven days that she was unclean.

Beyond all the clear aspects of this issue, there is too the reality that Scripturally the nokri/nekar aliens are apparently in some form of uncleanness automatically by birth. Maybe that was the situation with the Syro-Phonecian woman discussed earlier herein. In raising this prospect, this writer is certainly not being dogmatic that the nokri/nekar peoples are unclean, per se. But one must keep that option on the table.

On this subject of touching others and physical objects which could be unclean, one must use his head and do the best he can. So often, we simply don’t have knowledge of the uncleanness. Thus, over time, whenever we go to places outside our home and sit down in a chair used by others, we invite the possibility that the chair was used by an unclean person.

Maybe this possibility is one of the reasons why the election must become separatists and segregationists as far as contact with others are concerned. The Word teaches the believer to be kodesh (set-apart and separate). It makes no sense to go out in society and have contact with people at random without any concern over the questions of uncleanness and purity.

Chapter 238--Modern Sun Worship Culture IV

The Occult and Paranormal

Future chapters will describe the incredible presence and pervasiveness of the modern paranormal phenomenon and its incorporation into the realm of New Age theology which is now being merged with Christendom to form a New Age Christianity. Right now, the occult is all over the Christian American scene.

Without repeating what all has already been said or will be said later in the sense of the on-going change in Christianity, it would be well to go on record that this stuff is wrong. Moreover, it is not new. It has been around for ages and has always been condemned (Ex 7:11, 22; 8:7, 18; Num 22:6; 23:23; I Sam 28:3, 7-25; II Kg 9:22; Ezek 21:21; Dan 2:2, 10, 27; 8:9-11; Acts 16:16; 19:13).

Of course, there are a host of specific Scriptures which define these occultic practices as sin (Ex 20:3-6; 22:18; Lev 19:26, 31; 20:6, 27; Deut 13:5; 18:9-14; I Sam 15:23; II Kg 21:6; 23:24; I Chron 10:13; II Chron 33:6; Isa 8:19; 19:3; 29:4; 44:25; 47:9-13; Jer 10:2; 27:9; 29:8-9; Ezek 12:23-24; 13:6-9, 23; 22:28; Hos 4:12; Mic 3:6-7; 5:12; Nah 3:4-5; Zech 10:2; Mal 3:5; Gal 4:9-11; 5:19-21; II Thes 2:8-9; Rev 21:8).

To complicate things, the modern occult world takes many forms and shapes and goes under many different names. Literally, there are thousands of diverse practices out there.

Without attempting to begin to list them, a few of the major ones must be mentioned--fortune telling, healing by magic, astrology, Witchcraft, Voodoo, Satanism, mediums, charming, superstition, magic, drugs (hallucinogenic), party games, cults (Rosicrucianism, Theosophy, Christian Science, etc), false religions and doctrines (yoga, reincarnation, mythology, Buddhism, etc), and lodges and fraternities (any group using an oath or teaching outside the Scriptural admonitions).

One more word must be said on fortune tellers, diviners, tarot card readers and so forth. Per the Apostle Shaul’s encounter with the girl at Philippi, the origin for this reality is made clear (Acts 16:16-22). For sure, it involves demonic spirits which can take control of the mind and functioning of a person--evidently by mental telepathy, as discussed earlier. These powers are very evil and need to be cast out.

The Psychic World

The subject of psychic methods and practices in the contemporary society will be addressed in a future chapter. Suffice to say, one must be very suspicious and cautious in dealing with people who reportedly possess these powers. Fortune telling and so forth may seem simple enough. But they can open the door to far more serious implications.

The “Dreamland” radio program of Feb 4, 2001, had an English psychic on named Robert ?, who has had some success using his powers in Britain. In one instance, he played an important role in the solving of the Yorkshire serial murder case of recent years.

A US caller on the program noted that he, too, seems to have these powers--in the vein of something black or negative. The caller said that he has predicted a number of deaths--including both strangers and people well known to him.

The psychic asked the caller two questions. Had he ever been involved in an injury or illness which was extremely bad or traumatic for him. And two, had he ever played with a ouija board. The caller didn’t have much on the health thing, but remarked that many years earlier, his aunt had given him a ouija board.

This whole discussion reminds one of the situation with Ellen G. White, the false prophetess of the Seventh day Adventist Church. Poor Ellen was hit in the head by a rock thrown by another child when she was small. She almost died. Later in life, she had these mysterious powers of entering into a trance state to supposedly have her visions on religious matters.

Her situation was discussed in a former chapter on the seven assemblies. Suffice to say, when a person undergoes a traumatic experience, his or her life seems to be opened up to demonic forces--some of which may masquerade as good spirits, performing acts of good (as was accepted by the dumb Adventists following Ellen).

Manifestly, playing with a ouija board can be more dangerous than playing with a rattle snake. The ouija board seems to open one’s life to all kinds of demonic problems. It is no wonder that Acts 19:19 has such a powerful message on this theme--as will be broached next.

Acts 19:19

In addressing the physical properties involved and used in the occult world (like the books, potions, drugs, cards, ouija boards, Voodoo dolls, etc), the Book is quite clear. They should be burned and destroyed (Acts 19:19).

Suffice to say, these occult practices seem to largely involve demons and demonic powers. Generally, they are very dangerous and should be avoided by real believers in YESHUA (despite their popularity). Yet, the contemporary Western, Christian culture is just full of this stuff. An innocent person, not wanting to be involved in it, meets it at every corner of the street.

The future chapters on the movement to the occult (as a part and parcel of modern Christianity) will assess some of the different modern motions in some detail. Needless to say, the occult is pervasive and is present throughout the modern society.

Occultic Signs and Symbols

While the use of occultic signs and symbols are clearly a part and parcel of the above mentioned paranormal practitioners, it is interesting that the whole, modern, collective population also routinely and regularly use the same signs and symbols as a part of their culture. The problem is endemic and even among Christians.

A previous chapter addressed the Jewish hexagram symbol and its linkage to the occult and Tantric-Hinduism. But this Jewish sign is petty and child’s play compared to what one finds in the contemporary, Western, Christian culture and civilization. There is a proliferate amount of occultic and sun worship symbolism rift throughout the West in its governmental, social, religious and commercial activities.

Besides hexagrams, all kinds of stars are used in the West--including the popular pentagrams which adorn the US flag and the shoulders of generals and admirals in the military. All of these star symbols are big in Witchcraft and the occult. An inverted or upside down pentagram (two points up and one down) is specifically a sign of Satan.

It has to be significant that the historic Queen of Heaven (the great mother goddess of Babylon, named Ishtar or Easter, discussed earlier) was often depicted in paintings and artwork with a half circle halo or banner over her head with a number of pentagrams depicted upon the half circle.

From its very earliest days, Christendom duplicated this whole presentation, except they called the woman Mary. St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome has one on display.

The Christian cross has already been commented upon, with its evil link to historic sun worship. The flags of many nations (including Great Britain and the Southern Confederacy) have or have had crosses. Of course, they are popular idolatrous images throughout the West, among not only religious people, but occultic and secular peoples as well.

Images Are Popular

Numerous religions are extremely prone to use images, symbols and signs in their rituals and practices.

Witchcraft, Satanism and so forth all make great use of these relics of evil. In terms of Wicca, it is very common to find her adherents wearing this trash as jewelry or some other presentation on the body or clothes. Yes, ankhs, crescent moons, Italian horns, crosses, pentagrams, etc are all very popular signs and images used in Witchcraft.

A person can go into any Christian bookstore or other retail outlet handling Christian material and find a host of these sun worship images (especially crosses) for wear on clothes or on the body of Christian people.

Tragically, almost the same thing can be said for Jewish bookstores or retailers who handle Jewish material. While these Jewish stores won’t carry the common crosses and sun worship signs popular in Christendom, they do sell a huge assortment of hexagrams (the so-called star of David).

Schicklgruber

The Amalekite Adolf Schicklgruber and Germany’s National Socialist (Nazi) party adopted the swastika as their favorite sign or symbol which was displayed on their flags, uniforms and on and on.

This uniquely twisted cross links to the Sanskrit “svasti” which means well being or fortune (yes, the so-called “good old Gawd,” Babylonian deity of fortune), and comes from an ancient Greek cross with ends of the arms bent at right angles (Funk & Wagnalls’ “Standard Desk Dictionary,” p. 682).

The popular swastika is just one more sign or symbol with a pagan sun worship link. It is particularly nasty because it is very primitive and closely tied to the occult over the ages.

Even the crazy Schicklgruber and portions of his political Nazi party dabbled extensively in the occult (as noted elsewhere herein). So they were right at home with the swastika. Tragically, in America, a number of right wing groups (like some Christian Identity and Neo-Nazi sects) have tried to hang onto this evil, sun worship, Nazi sign.

The Eagle

Another popular image often attached to the top of US standards, flag staffs and poles is the American eagle. This one is so American that it adorns American currency and is commonly associated with the US government.

All US military people (with the exception of lower ranking, enlisted naval personnel) have an eagle emblem to wear on their hats and sometimes even on their outer uniforms, on the buttons or near the right or left breast pockets.

Modern Germany, the former Third Reich and the Imperial German nation also have used an eagle symbol extensively on their standards, flag poles and staffs, as well as on government buildings and of course on the uniforms of military people. Not only have the Germans worn eagles on their hats, but the Third Reich also wore them over the top of the right front pocket and on the sleeves of their uniforms.

So, what is the significance of the eagle sign? Well, it dates back 2,000 years ago to Imperial Rome where the eagle was the sign or symbol par excellence of the Roman Empire.

Like American and German standards and staffs have an eagle on top, the same practice was observed in the sun worship legions of Rome where they used a long staff with an eagle on top and other signs and flags attached.

The Jews in Second Temple Judaism were much opposed to the eagle images which adorned the staffs and flags of the Roman legions (“A History of the Jewish People in the Times of Jesus Christ,” v. I, p. 52, division 2, by Dr Emil Schurer). When Pilate marched his legions into Jerusalem with the eagles displayed, a regular tumult took place among the people (per Schurer).

Dr Schurer noted that, in fact, the Second Temple Jews were much opposed to all images and signs of animals, people, etc (like on money, flags and so forth) on the basis of such being idolatrous and in conflict with the second commandment in the Decalogue (Ex 20:4; Deut 4:16; 27:15).

More Roman Ties

Yes, the eagle ties to the ancient Roman Empire are profound in the United States (and other countries as well, like Germany, as cited above). For example, author F. Tupper Saussy (previously quoted herein) says that no building can rightly be called a capitol unless it’s a “temple of Jupiter, the great father-god of Rome” (Jan-Feb 2003 “Prophecy Flash,” p. 37).

Saussy adds that Jupiter’s mascot was the eagle (a Roman eagle tops the US House of Representatives in the form of the 46 inch sterling silver and ebony wand called the mace). America’s national motto, “Annuit Coeptus,” came from a prayer to Jupiter (ibid, p. 37).

Another Roman symbol is the fasces, per Saussy. The fasces is a Roman ax head whose handle is a bundle of rods tightly strapped together by a red sinew. It symbolizes the ordering of priestly functions into a single infallible sovereign, an autocrat who could require life and limb of his subjects (ibid, p. 37).

A pair of fasces commands the wall above and behind the Speaker’s rostrum in the chamber of the US House of Representatives. This pair is entwined with laurel which signifies Caesarian military power (ibid, p. 37). And for years, a fasces symbol adored the back side of the US dime coin (demonstrating further US attachment to the symbol).

In the 20th century, the fasces symbol gained much recognition and acceptance as the symbol of fascism. It was extensively used and venerated in Rome and Italy in general under the fascist dictator Mussolini.

The Symbol of the Medical Profession

The medical profession and its qualities of good or bad will be assessed in future chapters. But for now, a look is called for on the symbol or identification sign of this profession. Here, mention is being made to the previously mentioned vertical pole with two serpents intertwined around it and eagle’s wings at the top. The history and background on this symbol is fascinating.

Just after the Exodus, and while wandering in the wilderness, there was a bad outbreak of snakes biting many of the Israelites. Numbers died and there was terror in the camp. So the Israelites prevailed upon Moshe to do something about it.

As was outlined in a former chapter, YHWH told Moshe to make a pole and attach a symbolic bronze snake around it. Persons bitten by a serpent could find healing and life by looking upon the fiery serpent on the pole (Num 21:6-9). Of course, the objective was to demonstrate to the people that the serpents were nothing and that healing would come from The EL by obedience, trust and faith.

Naturally, this was well and good for awhile. But over the centuries, the gullible Israelites turned the symbol into an idolatrous image which they worshipped and offered and paid homage to as if it was divine and a god (II Kg 18:4). So the understanding Hizkiyahu wisely took action to destroy it around 700 BCE. And this should have been the end of the matter. But it wasn’t.

All of a sudden (and it’s hard to say when, but perhaps by the time of the ancient Greek Hippocrates, c460 to c370 BCE), this almost same symbol became the sign of identification for the medical profession. Doctors, hospitals and medical facilities regularly use it for identification. Medical personnel in the US military use it as their sign and wear it on their uniforms and place it upon their flags.

But the fallout perhaps isn’t so much over its existence; but rather, that people admire, respect, love, worship and pay homage to it--just as much as the ancient, stupid Israelites stood in awe of it and offered to it. Truly, this simple image of nothing has became an idolatrous sign which the people love, adore and look to for healing.

Of course, it’s bad enough that they have adopted the same idolatrous image as their ancient forefathers; but tragically, modern people have chosen to put their human doctors also on a god level to be worshipped and adored. Doctors and modern medicine will be assessed in subsequent chapters.

More Symbols

Besides the eagle symbol, discussed above, the US monetary currency is additionally covered with other significant occultic symbols. The most notable one is the pyramid with the all seeing eye of the Illuminati linked to a new world order on the back of the US one dollar bill.

No one knows for sure how and why this symbol of the Illuminati came to be placed on US money. But it happened in the days of the Amalekite FDR, who assuredly was intimately connected to both Satan and the Illuminati.

The Western culture has other popular presentations like ankhs, crescent moons, Italian horns and so forth which all come from Witchcraft (as briefly mentioned in the above comments). Any reverence shown these images immediately convert them into being an idol in defiance of the second commandment (Ex 20:4-6).

The popular and uniquely formed M figure which adorns McDonald’s restaurants does not come from the English alphabet, as some suppose. Per Dr Rod Lewis, it is a symbol of the Egyptian Satanic Trinity (video, “Shackles of the New World Order”). Manifestly, the trinity beliefs of both ancient Egypt and Babylon formed the basis for the later Christian trinity.

Any number of occultic images and symbols can quickly be found in almost every daily paper, in advertising, in books, in trinkets, toys, jewelry, fetishes, etc. There is no end to it since it predominates in the entire, Christian, sun worship West.

Many years ago, this writer was traveling through the Western North Carolina mountains and my car broke down on I-40 in a small town called Marion. While eating at a local motel restaurant, it was fascinating to see the number of antique items which the restaurant had displayed on its interior walls. One of the items was an “Old Ouija Board.”

There is no end to the presence of Witchcraft, Satanism and occultic materials in the Western sun worship culture. The Christian West is full of it. Almost all of them tie directly or indirectly to ancient sun worship. No wonder they are so popular.

Music Too

This discussion on the occult necessitates a revisit to music (discussed earlier). Suffice to say, most modern music and especially “rock” in all of its forms (including Christian Rock) involves the “occult” and primitive, Black, “demonic” sounds from the jungles of Black Africa (as previously described). This stuff is extremely dangerous for listening purposes. Young, impressionable minds are especially at risk.

Military Service

Because of the popularity of war and military aggression in the Christian West, many young people have ended up in the military as a career choice. This very thing happened to me (for about 13 years or so before a change came to my life). Starting before WWII (and continuing for many years afterwards), the US had the draft in place. This required many young men to serve a hitch. Some just decided to stay on.

The aspects of war and mandatory service will be assessed in comments to follow on how things operate in the Western Christian nations (some of the problems cited are not present with the Israeli military). For the present, the question must be addressed--should a religious follower of YHWH YESHUA serve in the military in the vein of peacetime or in a career choice?

The answer here is fairly simple--no! Right off of the bat, the problem is that military people lose all possibilities of freedom of choice and action in terms of obeying the mitzwot of The MOST HIGH. Once a person is in the service, he must do what the authorities command him to do. Inevitably, this obedience will take precedence over obedience of YHWH.

For example, it is virtually out of the question to obey a number of mitzwot while in the service. A military person can’t keep the Sabbath, the feast days, the fast days or any other aspect of righteousness in terms of set apart times. Even Sunday keeping sun worshippers find that they can’t keep Sunday as a day of rest (though the entire Western, Christian military operates on that premise).

But that’s only part of the problem. One can’t wear Scripturally required clothes or eat Scripturally required foods. A person in uniform would never be allowed to use and wear phylacteries or tzitzityot (but would be subjected to various pagan symbols and emblems, as cited in the former chapters). Pork and other unclean foods are commonly served in military mess halls.

And what would happen to the man who tries to wear a Scripturally required beard? Or how about a woman who was interested in using a head covering/veil? Both of these things would be totally out of place in the military service of any Western country (they both will be described and commented upon in later chapters).

There is simply no way for a person interested in YHWH and truth to satisfactorily serve in the military of most all Western, Christian nations. It is out of the question. Manifestly, a believer should never undertake a profession or occupation which is going to routinely require violating the Torah.

While one can correctly feed his pets or a few animals on Sabbaths, it would not be wisdom to enter the dairy business and have hundreds of cattle to feed and milk on Sabbath days. The believer must use his head on this question.

War

On the question of war and serving in a war based upon being conscripted in the draft, the issues become substantially more complex. While it has been an easy proposition for some so-called religious people (like many of the Sardis types and the Jehovah’s Witnesses) to merely claim exemption on the basis of being a conscientious objector, there are actually problems here for the true believer.

War and the military slaughter of various peoples are not expressly prohibited or condemned in the Book (as will be addressed in comments to shortly follow). The only real occasion, which conclusively arises to cast doubt on the military slaughter of enemies, occurs in the sense of fighting and killing racial kinsmen (the rea) as happened to Yisrael and Yehudah when they divided and began a series of conflicts between themselves.

When this trouble first broke, Yehudah’s King Rechavam prepared his army to march North and attack the Israelites who had broken from his kingdom. YHWH intervened and said no and that Rechavam was not to fight his brethren (I Kg 12:24). This single reference is sufficient to raise questions about all civil wars and conflicts between people of the same racial stock.

Righteous Wars?

Omitting this first clear exception, the Book otherwise makes it certain that war and military attacks were the proper things to do in some instances. The promised land of Canaan correctly belonged to Yisrael. The Canaanites had illegally taken possession of it. YHWH commanded a war of conquest which demanded that the Israelites slaughter all (100%) of these mixed, mongrel peoples.

During the wars of conquest by Yehoshua, David and so forth, war was the proper course of action. It was the right thing for Israelites to do in those circumstances. One can make the case that in subsequent wars of defense, when the Philistines, Amalekites, Greeks, Aramaeans and so forth attacked Yisrael, that the Israelites correctly could fight wars of defense.

However, even in real wars of defense, there will always remain a question about whether the war is necessary and proper or not. The reason is simply that YHWH is the defender of His people.

If Yisrael would have obeyed Him (in ancient times or likely even today), there would be no need to fight a war because YHWH would defend Yisrael (Ex 14:13, 25, 27, 30-31;15:1-2; 23:20-23). So, even when Yisrael did go to war, there has to be a question about it (I Sam 8:4-7) and particularly when the wars arose from illegal alliances with the nations (II Chron 16:7-9).

Otherwise, there were military attacks and invasions where any thought of a war of defense was out. These cases involved the times when YHWH raised up foreign armies to come into Yisrael or Yehudah and conquer it in fulfillment of prophecy and the accomplishment of YHWH’s will. No believer could ever justify fighting the Assryians or the Babylonians when they came to fulfill YHWH’s will (Jer 25:9-11; 27:4-8; Lam 4:4-10).

Thus, the Scriptures present seem to be a mixed bag of war and military actions being right in some circumstances and being wrong in other situations. Thus, it is not a question that wars and killings are totally out (as will be shortly discussed below). There are cases when they are proper and right.

Some US Examples

In trying to relate the above allowed instances of war to the United States, it might be possible to rationalize that the US-Indian Wars were justified and right. In those days, there was a concept of manifest destiny that Ephriam-America’s borders were to stretch from the Atlantic to the Pacific. In that case, the US was obligated to pursue a war of conquest against the Indians and against the Mexicans in the Mexican war.

Too, in particularly the case with the Indians, there was a justifiable defense consideration. When the White eyes came in to take their lands, the Indians often responded with great brutality in attacks upon largely defenseless and innocent women and children. As is true with Mongoloids generally, the Indians were very cruel and brutal. Often, the Whites simply had to retaliate and kill many of them.

The American War for Independence and the War of 1812 were fought against brethren. Thus, they had to be questionable undertakings--however, the case can be made that they were ordained by YHWH and they did offer a defense consideration.

In the American Civil War, it was brethren against brethren. Certainly the North was the aggressor and carried the war into the South. Just as it would have been wrong for Rechavam to invade Yisrael and attack her, the same is assuredly true with the Union in Lincoln’s war of aggression against the South.

So while the Union Army was clearly wrong, how about the Southern Confederates in the sense of fighting against their Northern brethren. On the surface, one might make the case that a war of defense is allowable (as in the case of ancient Yisrael).

If someone attempts to invade your home, steal your property, rape your women and murder your family, should you act to defend yourself? And the answer is a positive yes. There is no question over the Scriptural allowance for self defense. By the same analogy, one can make the case that it is very proper to fight a war of defense against an invader.

Thus, the Southerners had a right to fight the invading North in the Civil War (just as the earlier Americans probably had a right to fight the invading British troops during the Revolutionary War and the War of 1812).

Throughout history, there have been instances where one nation improperly and without justification invaded another nation. This probably is the situation when the North Koreans invaded South Korea in 1950. Those South Koreans probably had a Scriptural right to defend themselves and repel the North.

But this thing can become complicated in that in terms of Yisrael the invaders may be servants of YHWH coming to impose His justice on sinning Israelites (as happened with the Asssyrians and Babylonians). It would be utter foolishness and folly to begin to fight The MOST HIGH. In this case, the believer likely must flee!

US Problems

The primary problem with almost all US wars, and certainly those fought since the Indian Wars, is that the US has become a nation controlled and owned by secret ruling plutocrats (who will be discussed in detail in later chapters). Routinely, American wars are fought to put money and plunder into the pockets of these super rich people who call all of the shots of importance in Washington (Jas 4:1-3).

No, there is no righteousness involved when a young American boy goes off to some overseas’ post to carry out a war against largely helpless and defenseless peoples (as has happened in the Balkans, in Afghanistan, in the Sudan, in Iraq and so forth). In fact, none of these wars of US aggression have had anything to do with US defenses.

Since the Indian Wars of the 19th century, there probably has been no US war which was fought in the context of defense. Even in WWII, there has to be a question about the US role. Certainly, Hitler went out of his way to try to have peace with both the US and Britain. As will be discussed in a later chapter, the Japanese were forced by Roosevelt to respond to pressure he had put on them.

This is not to say that Japan and Germany would not have invaded and conquered the US if possible. In time (after they became more involved in the war), they would have done so; and this would have truly created a need for defense in America. But in the beginning of the conflict, the US was the aggressor which set the Germans and Japs up for defeat (as will be discussed further in later chapters).

In virtually all US wars and military actions, the US has been the aggressor and almost none of them involved any sense of defense of this nation. In fact, since the 1880s, most US wars and actions have been promoted and carried out on behalf of the ruling plutocrats (the Rockefellers, the Rothschilds and so forth).

Again, except for the US wars against Mexico and the Indians, there seems to be no clear example of a justified American war from history. US wars routinely have involved US aggression to make profits and gain for the plutocrats and/or other questionable motives and purposes. Therefore, it is hard to Scripturally support most of these wars. They generally appear to be wrong.

Even the present constant US attacks on the Muslims seem to be preparatory for YHWH to intervene on their side and execute prophetic judgment upon America. In other words, the present US wars in the Middle East are helping to lay the groundwork for the Russians and Chinese and their Muslim allies to execute justice upon this nation (Jer 5:15; Ezek 6:1-7). At that time, no believer wants to oppose YHWH’s will.

Reacting to the Draft

So, as America moves closer and closer to Yakov’s Trouble, and YHWH’s righteous and just judgment upon this evil sinning nation, what does a believer do if the state begins a draft process in the vein of a coming WWIII?

There seems to be four options when the draft question surfaces. First, one can submit to the draft (but this perhaps may be wrong, for the reasons cited above). On this option, the Seventh day Adventists accept the draft, but with the provision that their people must serve in the medical services. US authorities go along with this option. But can it be supported Scripturally? The answer may be no since it still involves war.

Second, one can claim to be a conscientious objector (which may or may not work). As noted above, this has been the choice of most Sardis types and the Jehovah’s Witnesses. Next, one can accept the reality of going to jail or perform community service for refusing to serve. And last, some may address the option of leaving the US (which is what some Vietnam objectors did thirty years ago).

Interestingly, the fleeing option may be addressed by real believers in YESHUA long before there is war and the presence of a draft--because the coming invasion and WWIII will be from YHWH. There may be no apparent reason for true believers to try to knowingly oppose the invaders who will be righteously executing YHWH’s judgment upon a sinning people (unless it is to protect one’s own personal family).

The only thing that some people of faith may perhaps do is to get out as quickly as possible and long before there is a draft in place and the reality of having to violate a US law which may open the door to arrest and imprisonment (on this, many young persons have been leaving the US for Canada for years now, simply because they disapproved of the GWB presidency and the course he chartered for the US).

Murder Verses Killing

There is much confusion in Christianity in the vein of attempting to understand the sixth commandment in the Decalogue (Ex 20:13). The KJV gives this as thou shall not kill. However, the actual Hebrew text prohibits murder and not killing, per se. Why the distinction?

Because, in the Torah, certain people are to be righteously killed (like when Eliyahu righteously slew the sun worship preachers on Mount Carmel, as discussed earlier). In terms of certain criminals, the death penalty was prescribed (in capital cases--like persons caught in adultery, guilty of murder, guilty of transgressing the Sabbaths, etc). It was not murder for the state to execute these criminals.

As discussed above, there were certain wars of conquest and wars of defense which were mandated by YHWH. It was not murder to kill the judged peoples in those instances.

Chapter 239--Modern Sun Worship Culture V

Showing Honor and Respect

Like all of the topics which one may choose to address in trying to ascertain righteousness and right living, the question of showing honor and respect to people, flags, music and so forth are shrouded in question marks. Part of the dilemma surfaces because in almost all aspects of the secular world, the general public is regularly faced with that need. It is extremely pervasive.

Of most sun worship Christian Churches, perhaps the Jehovah’s Witnesses (JWs) have struggled most with this issue. Often, it has developed that the Witnesses have taken a hard line and they have suffered greatly because of it.

For example, the JWs look upon the question of saluting flags and speaking pledges of allegiance as a matter of paying homage to an image (the flag). Accordingly, they reject such rituals outright.

This reaction has caused great hurt upon them and particularly on their children who are in the public schools when such events take place. The other participating children have no compassion or understanding for non-conformists during these school rituals.

There are several complications involved in this subject. First, it is manifestly true that there is a mitzwah which prohibits paying homage to or serving any image created by man (Ex 20:4-6). Obviously, the flag becomes an object of respect, honor and indeed worship (plus, many flags contain images which are very evil and adverse from their pagan or occultic origins--like stars, crosses and so forth).

Therefore, any manifestation of devotion towards flags likely does fit into the context of the prohibition covered in the second commandment of the Decalogue.

When a national anthem is played or sung by people in a ceremony, the same question must inevitably arise. Does a piece of music reflect an image that is also covered by the second commandment? Well probably, the answer is yes (see Dan 3:15).

How About So-Called Human Beings?

Conversely, the next question has to address humans/humanoids (which would not seem to be in the same category as an image, symbol or humanly created object). Should one draw a line on paying homage, honor and/or respect to other so-called human beings?

Well culturally, it is proper in some cases to stand up in the presence of or when meeting certain others (like important people, the aged, and by all means before women) or bowing before others (as the Japanese routinely bow before other persons). Obviously, the practice of following a custom in these categories probably is allowable.

It Can Be Right

In fact, there is a mitzwah which commands that younger people rise up before a hoary head (Lev 19:32). Older people are simply due respect, honor and some dignity from younger people. That’s the Scriptural proscription because the Book stipulates the requirement to show honor and respect to those individuals due honor (Matt 22:21; Rom 13:1, 7; I Pet 2:17).

Routinely, people in the Book saluted, stood up, kneeled to and bowed before others in the apparent vein of showing honor and respect to someone who was due honor and respect (Gen 23:7; 33:1-7; 43:26; 48:12; Ru 2:8-10; I Sam 13:10; 17:22; 24:8; 25:40-41; II Sam 8:10; 24:20; I Kg 1:13-16, 23; Matt 5:47; 10:12; Acts 21:7, 19; Phil 4:21; Heb 13:24).

In Matthew 10:12, the idea of saluting the house is that one is saluting the people that make up the household of the house. One would not salute a house, per se; but rather, one would salute the people in a house.

Part of this saluting, bowing, standing up and so forth to show honor and respect involves the custom and culture of the society. Again, Japanese regularly bow to each other on all kinds of occasions. But the principle seems established that these manifestations are probably correct and would not constitute worship, per se.

The practice of bowing deserves a few more comments. Most public and culturally bowing is down as a half body bow, from the waist up.

The Scriptures seem to suggest that some part (at least publicly) or all of the bowing before and worshipping of The HIGHEST involves more of a prostration of the body in which the face touches the ground or floor (Num 16:22; I Kg 18:42; Neh 8:6). Apparently, it was this type of bowing, in the vein of worship, which the Book limits to The HIGHEST (Ex 34:14; Deut 6:13-14; Matt 4:10; Acts 10:25-26; Rev 19:10; 22:8-9).

By all means in bowing or even showing respect to someone or something, the issue must crystallize on the question as to whether the object is a deity of the people or not (yes, the general public and not just the believer).

In terms of a flag or national anthem, the answer is clearly yes since they are generally regarded or treated as national gods by the general population (yes, music was part of the worship described in Daniel 3:15). It is wrong to bow before them (Ex 20:5; Josh 23:7, 16; Jud 2:12, 17). However, in the case of fellow humans/humanoids, the idea is generally not one of worship.

The Contrary Profile

The contrary profile, on this outpouring of respect and dignity, would be to offer curses, condemnation and reveling towards others. The Word is clear to avoid these practices and especially with the secular kings and rulers (Ex 22:28; Eccl 10:20; Jer 29:7; Rom 13:1; Titus 3:1; I Pet 2:13-17). Yes, there is little to be gained by cussing the state out--at least, not publicly, or before other people who might be state spies.

In the case of rulers, even evil rulers, they maintain their power with the allowance of The MOST HIGH (Prov 8:15; Dan 2:20-21, 37; 4:17; Jo 19:11). Because of this factor, honor showed these kings represents an acknowledgment of YHWH’s choice and sovereignty over them.

Next, the question must focus upon the matter of prayers by the world’s religious people (Muslims, Christians, etc) which the true followers of YHWH YESHUA simply cannot participate in or be a part of (no, this writer is not going to pray to the sun god, as happens among Christians).

Well clearly, it would be sinful and wrong to engage in those prayers publicly with the pagan worshippers. Again, this writer is not going to pray to the Christian Gawd, Gee-Zeus or the Lard. There is no justification to be a part of these pagan sun worship exercises.

Care Required

Now, how about standing up and showing respect (if the participants are standing up for their public prayers)? Obviously, this becomes far more complicated than the question of speaking and participating in the prayer. But as a minimum, one would want to exercise some care in publicly reveling the sun god and his worshippers (Ex 22:28).

There is no reason to publicly make fun of or ridicule the sun worshippers in their heathen practices (although Eliyahu did publicly make fun of the sun preachers in his conflict with them on Mount Carmel--I Kg 18:27). Usually, any motion in this direction really makes the sun worshippers mad and angry. Christian sun worshipers are just like the others in this regard.

Years ago, when the question of using pagan names and words for The MOST HIGH first materialized as an issue in the Sardis Church of God (7th Day) entities, some of the so-called “Sacred Namers” would go to a Sardis Gawd Church and sing the words Yahweh or Yahshua every time the pagans sang about the Lard or Gee-Zeus. This created a lot of hard feelings on the part of the Sardis worshippers.

In any case, the question of standing up to show respect to the sun worshippers engaged in prayer or to a passing flag or a national anthem leaves some serious questions. As a minimum, the follower of YESHUA would never participate in any vocal expressions to these false deities (in prayers) or images (flags or anthems).

But the matter of standing up becomes more complicated. Possibly, the better approach is to merely remain seated and offer no participation (not even standing up, although ambassadors would normally stand up for these ceremonies, as will be discussed next).

Though a believer would not want to participate in any of these exercises, surely they would control their conduct to not cause problems or an uproar for those persons who do participate. In other words, one should practice some restraint and control and not create any turmoil.

Ambassadors

The overriding principle in this whole discussion zeros in on the concept that the true believer and follower of YHWH YESHUA is an ambassador of His kingdom (II Cor 5:20; Eph 6:20). In the role of being an ambassador, a person can usually approach these questions as an ambassador of a foreign nation would broach them.

Would a foreign ambassador salute a flag and speak a pledge of allegiance? No! Would an ambassador rise up before the elderly/aged, women and secular leaders? Yes! Would an ambassador perform a bow at the waist in meeting royalty? Yes!

Military attaches are part of an ambassadorial team. Would they salute higher ranking officers of another nation? Yes!

Now comes the sticky part, would an ambassador or attaché stand up for a flag, national anthem, prayer or some other act emanating in a public display in a foreign nation. Usually yes, as just noted above. Would an ambassador participate in any related ceremony as happens on these occasions (like joining in to sing a national anthem, place one’s hand over his heart, etc). No!

The point is that ambassadorial people usually show some measure of respect to a host country’s peoples, symbols and images. But they don’t turn that respect into an participation in ceremonies related to those emblems or symbols.

Four Categories of People

In the sense of addressing this question of paying homage, respect, honor or worship to people, images, songs or prayers, it seems to be possible to define four situations which arise in one’s life to make the question come up about how a person should respond.

First, there are mandatory situations (like when a person must appear in court over a legal matter and go before a judge, which requires standing up for the judge).

Next, there are quasi situations where the response is not totally mandatory; but there is great pressure to conform to the existing practice as done by others (like when an employee is forced to go to a meeting in which a flag is raised, a prayer is said, etc).

The third situation involves children who are in a public or private school which offers prayers to the various gods, pledges of allegiance to flags, the singing of a national anthem or some other action as outlined above. Children subjected to this oppression are in a very vulnerable and precarious position. It is very hard for them to go against the tide (yes, JW children have suffered greatly in the public schools).

The fourth situation involves those cases where the matter is an entirely optional issue. In other words, one knows that the national anthem will be played and there will be a public prayer (to the Christian sun god) at most sporting events in the Christian West. It’s just routine and happens that way.

The Congress opens with a prayer and there are any number of other occasions when a flag is raised, lowered or passes by (like in parades) where the public is expected to stand up and men to take their hats off and place their right hands over their hearts. Through the years, there is less and less of this stuff (like the ban on prayers in school), but much of it still remains.

Reacting

So, how does the believer react to the dilemma of living and existing in this evil sun worship culture without evoking constant hatred and opposition from fellow citizens in the various nations.

In the case of any voluntary or optional attendance, the solution is simple--just don’t go. The believer should not be at public sporting events or theater performances in the first place. So it’s moot to even talk about what the believer will do at a football game. In truth, the believer just won’t be at a football game.

In the case of the trials facing children, the solution is to just get them out of the sorry, depraved public schools (which teaches very little or nothing of value). As discussed elsewhere herein, a satisfactory private school or ideally home schooling is the best approach.

The situation involving those occasions which the believer finds himself in by having to attend because of a job or some other mandatory profile is not really that difficult to assess in the final analysis. If one must compromise his beliefs in order to have a particular job, then the best option is to quit the job and find another employer or job opportunity.

The last case is the most trying one of all. Thus, when unavoidable circumstances mandate the presence of a believer in a undesirable situation, what does the follower of YESHUA do.

Of course, if it is a matter of showing some honor or respect to a human (like a king, a national leader, a judge or some similar person), then the examples cited above seem to say yes that it is right to stand up for the judge, make a half bow before royalty, take one’s hat off in certain situations (like in a pagan courtroom), and so forth

Finally, there will ultimately be a mandatory situation in possibly some aspect of the present discussion which will require that a believer refuse the demanded practice. Once a person refuses the secular state, there can be a serious reaction from the state (like the death penalty). Revelation 13:15 seems to describe such a coming time.

Kissing!

The exploding perverted society (which will be described in detail in chapters to follow) has nurtured the practice of people kissing in public. In the case of men and women kissing (and especially for married couples, as happened at the 2000 Democrat convention when Mr and Mrs Al Gore kissed), this may not seem to be much of an issue.

But manifestly, a problem does surface in that many homosexual queers and lesbians now publicly kiss (often by mouth to mouth and involving so-called French kissing).

Along with the acknowledged kissing by faggots and queers, the popularity of kissing sometimes does involve the same sexes--two men or two women. While any such same sex kissings may not always directly involve queers, the door must be left open that such conduct probably does fit into the overall classification of sodomy (as will be addressed in some detail in later chapters herein).

Yet, there are situations in the real world where certain cultures do allow, condone or promote same sex kissing. This condition sometimes arrives in various European (like France) and Middle Eastern (especially Arab states) countries. Usually, these cultural kisses involve a kiss on a cheek.

Furthermore, there seems to be a New Testament mitzwah for brethren to kiss each other on occasion (Matt 26:48-49; Mk 14:44-45; Lu 15:20; Acts 20:37; Rom 16:16; I Cor 16:20; II Cor 13:12; I Thes 5:26; I Pet 5:14). Because of possible homosexual overtures in lips/mouth to lips/mouth kissing, it must be concluded that these kisses were cheek to cheek.

Back in the year 1973, this writer attended Sukkot with the Assembly of Yahweh Sacred Name group in Holt, Michigan (actually, this assembly is near Eaton Rapids, Michigan and not at the address in Holt). The practice there was that the brethren greeted each other with a cheek to cheek kiss--which seems very Scriptural (both for Spiritual brethren as well as real brothers and sisters in the flesh).

But except for the apparently allowable cultural and religious kisses, on the cheeks, the whole subject seems to be a bad one and especially in any mouth to mouth or more intimate kisses (with one’s tongue). Because of the adverse implications, this prohibition must logically apply in even heterosexual contacts and between husbands and wives (publicly).

When this writer was around 12 or 13 years old, my sights were set on the girls. My best buddy then was older than me. And he, too, was interested in girls (it is unclear to me now whether my friend had achieved any real contact with girls at that time or not. But he talked about it and tried to brag to me that he had at least kissed one).

Anyway, he thought that I needed some instructions on how to kiss a girl, so he gave me a couple of examples (lips to lips, but not involving the tongue in so-called French kissing). Certainly, both my friend and me were not faggots (we both later married) and were not interested in anything except girls. In fact, it is doubtful that i even knew anything about homosexuality at that time.

My interest then was only in learning how to kiss a girl as i was planning on doing that at the first opportunity.

However, in writing this section on kissing, my stupidity and sin had to be mentioned. My friend and i were wrong to ever allow this situation to develop (however innocent it seemed to me at that time). i do repent of it now and confess it as sin before the readers of this study.

Anyway, it is possible for people to get involved in very bad situations whenever the theme of kissing surfaces. Of course, there is the mitzwah in terms of the brethren. But even here, it logically should be limited to cheek to cheek.

Otherwise, one should avoid the whole issue (even married heterosexual couples should not be publicly kissing). If the culture and society forces it on a person (like in France or an Arab state), then the best idea is to avoid it if possible.

Another Growing Modern Problem

As will be described in future chapters, the current Western, Christian civilization is entering a period where people are not responsible for their actions. Too often, there is a tendency to place responsibility for problems or corrective action with the state (government) rather than recognizing it as belonging to each human being.

One can easily see this pathetic reality developing, and particularly with children.

Since today’s modern children are generally rebellious and totally obsessed with drugs, sex and other useless things of wickedness and sin, many parents don’t want to acknowledge any responsibility for the mess that they have created with their own children. Therefore, they are more than anxious for the government to take over and to take the blame and to try to correct things.

Too, there is the reality that the population has been pursuing racial integration, miscegenation and amalgamation vigorously over the history of Adam and especially in America during the last 70 years. As the behemah genes have been increasing dramatically in the generic population, more and more people are becoming extroverts, feelers and perceiving in temperament, as discussed earlier.

These personality attributes tend to make a person more careless and irresponsible in his mental attitude and thinking. This condition has been broached earlier and needs no particular focus here at present. As noted previously, there might be a question of sin associated with these temperamental aspects of human behavior, although this writer is not taking a stand on that issue presently.

Anyway, things are coming together in the contemporary, modern, Western, Christian West to promote and encourage more and more irresponsibility in human interplay in the culture and in cultural activities. People simply don’t seem to care about duties and responsibilities. They seem to be totally engrossed in self--thus, selfish.

Selfishness Revisited

Previous chapters have discussed at some length the problems of greed and selfishness (in the vein of human carnality and the flesh). Since greed is probably better recognized in people than selfishness, nothing more needs to be said here (although greed will be further assessed in subsequent chapters addressing commercialism, which is largely fueled and promoted by human greed).

But some further remarks are needed presently on the question of selfishness since selfishness has become a primary component of the modern, Western, Christian culture. Selfishness is totally present all around us in almost all aspects of the contemporary society. Once a person begins to understand its ramifications, it becomes very manifest in almost all humans, as also happens with pride and vanity.

As pointed out in preceding chapters, selfishness involves a violation or transgression of evidently both the first and second commandments in the Decalogue. Selfish people love and worship themselves first and most and inevitably place themselves even in front of or before The Scriptural MOST HIGH. This self love is indeed tragic and sick. But it is the real world out there and very pervasive.

Without repeating all of the former comments offered on this theme, the idea must be recalled here and restated--in the vein of how common it is, and how society has grown to both accept and allow selfishness to completely dominate the entire current culture.

Of course, there are illustrations of where a person is overly and aggressively selfish. Sometimes, these incidents are fairly easy to spot, define and recognize for what they are. But more often, selfishness is more subtle and not as readily recognizable (just as in the case of pride and vanity, as discussed in former chapters).

The Fall Out of This Selfishness

Because of this background in modern man, far too many people are becoming totally selfish without any regard for anybody or anything else (of course, that’s why children smoke tobacco, take drugs and wallow in all forms of sexual activity--they are totally selfish with only a concern to satisfy their human flesh in the here and now and without any appreciation of the futures for themselves, their children, loved ones or anyone else).

Therefore, more and more people are becoming indifferent, irresponsible, careless and could care less about others. Most people are totally obsessed with themselves and satisfying their pleasures, needs and desires (however good or bad these objectives may be).

In the context of brotherly love, some illustrations were outlined previously of where even people who claim to be Christians, practicing Christian love, could care less about others, to include other Christians. Today, most people don’t care one whit about anything except themselves (they are truly self worshipping, though they probably don’t understand it or appreciate it in that sense).

So, what we have happening is that increasingly more and more persons are so filled and reflective of the careless, indifferent and irresponsible attitude that they constantly are inconsiderate and could care less about the needs of others.

Of course, they are sinning in the vein of the first and second mitzwot in Exodus 20. But there has to be even more to this issue because they are simply not expressing the love of their racial kinsmen (the rea) demanded in the Book. One cannot be indifferent about the needs of his racial kinsman (the rea) and be practicing the love demanded in the Word.

The former chapters outlined the reality that most all people could care less about others. They are generally in no mood to do any favors for anyone else (rea or not). They only are concerned about themselves. The prevailing attitude is “Look, I don’t owe you anything” and “What’s in it for me.”

The Essence Here

The tragedy about this whole motion on selfishness is that it is part and parcel of today’s Christian culture and civilization. Almost everybody thinks in that frame of reference. It is only a real screwball or weirdo who goes against the cultural trend now in place (and there aren’t many people around like that at all).

The essence here is that the Western, Christian, sun-worship culture has degenerated into a mass of sin and evil. Surely, judgment will soon come to Yisrael first, and then upon the rest of the world.

Stealing

As sorry as pagan Christianity is, most Christians acknowledge that stealing is wrong. So there is little need to even bring this issue up--other than to note that it is one of the fall outs of pride, greed and selfishness (as discussed above and earlier). However, there is one aspect of stealing which is fairly common in today’s Christian West. That type is the matter of plagiarizing the words and ideas of others.

Plagiarizing the ideas and thinking of others is a very bad form of stealing as archaeologist Vendyl Jones points out in his March 2002 “Vendyl Jones Research institutes Researcher” (p. 1), previously quoted.

Jones quoted the Talmud which says: “He that steals another’s idea is a greater thief than one who steals money” and added that The MOST HIGH condemns a thief of ideas because it takes away a person’s ability to think and have an original thought of his own. As Jones noted--these people steal because “their heads and hearts are void of anything that they can call their own.”

Previous chapters have highlighted the fact that many of the Sardis teachers and leaders (and other Christians as well) are notoriously shallow in any personal ability to study the Word and determine anything original on their own. Many of these persons (especially the SPs) must depend upon others to do original research and bring forth important truths and understanding here in the age end.

This use of the ideas and thinking of other people wouldn’t be so bad if the person would just give a little credit and acknowledgment of where the information came from. Tragically, many of these Sardis types and others steal the thinking and ideas of others and put much or all of the theft out as original with themselves. The old gent, discussed in the former chapters on pride, has stolen material from this writer.

One of the most notorious plagiarizers this writer has known is the so-called “Second Moses,” as cited in a previous chapter. For years, this writer attempted to share things with him (he is a very likable person, but is not strong on personal understanding, as he is a classic SP). This “Second Moses” would steal material from me and publish it in his own writings as if it was original with himself. He would never give credit.

This man not only stole from me, but he stole from others as well. As Jones said--such persons are voided in their heads and hearts.

The Sardis Problem

This whole theme brings up the previously discussed situation with the just noted Sardis teachers and preachers (many of whom are classic SPs).

These SP teachers simply lack the skills and determination to do much worthwhile Scriptural study and research. On their own, they rarely are able to produce anything original in interpretations from the Book. Whatever they come up with, they usually have to get from others. This would be no big deal in itself; but in obtaining ideas from others, these persons plagiarize them and claim them for their own.

In offering these comments, this writer has mentioned that i, too, have plagiarized from others (not always intentionally, as this practice can easily happen--either by accident or ignorance in that we do not always know where information came from that has been stored in our minds).

But over the years, in attempting to obey The MOST HIGH, this writer has made some effort to give credit to others in appropriate situations. The study at hand contains thousands of quotations and references--plus a huge bibliography. Effort has been made herein to give credit to the ideas of others. Any failures on my part hopefully have been accidental or unavoidable failures and not intentional ones.

The Workplace

Incidentally, the May 31, 2002, “The Week” (p. 36) had a short news item on “Workplace Employees lie, cheat, steal” which touched home on how pervasive the theme of stealing is in the modern, Western, Christian society.

Per this report, the problem is vast. Nearly 45% of employers are now tracking their employees on time spent on the telephone and on credit card purchases. The GAO has found that US government workers have spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on Internet porn sites (Internet sex and porn will be discussed more fully in a later chapter).

Muslim Fundamentalists

Later chapters will address the establishment and destruction of the Taliban Muslim fundamentalist movement in the nation of Afghanistan. When GWB’s War on Terrorism exploded on the scene in the fall of 2001, there was quite a media focus on the Taliban and their reported evils.

There were two primary aspects of this focus--first, women (which will be broached in one of the subsequent chapters addressing the role of women), and two, the culture. The cultural aspects will be assessed now.

The cultural issue was discussed in the Dec 3, 2001, “Time” magazine (p. 40) in an article by Richard Lacayo on “Lifting the Veil” (which was primarily concerned with the alleged evils placed upon women, to be described in the later chapters).

Lacayo listed these cultural things forbidden (or outlawed) in the Taliban regime: Pork, pig oil and lobster; Movies and photographs; VCRs, TVs and satellite dishes; Computers and the Internet; Kite flying and chess playing; Pool tables and firecrackers; Pet pigeons and swing catalogs; Clapping at sporting events; Singing and dancing; and ‘Anything that propagates sex and is full of music.’”

While the Western, Christian civilization would like to ridicule and make fun of this list of prohibitions, the truth is that many of them have much Scriptural support. From this aspect, is it possible that the Muslim fundamentalists are closer to the “Christian Bible” in teachings and conduct than are the Christians who carry their “Bibles” around (evidently for show purposes).

Chapter 240--Sun Worship Commercialism I

Fair, Just and Reasonable Profits

In prior discussions on YHWH’s Torah, the point was made that the law prescribes the use of “just weights.” Actually, the law prescribes that one should not defraud one’s rea (Lev 19:13) and should not be “unrighteous in judgment” in meteyard (and measurements), in weight or in measure, but that one should use just balances, weights, measurements, etc (Lev 19:35-36).

Moreover, one of the great mitzwah in the Torah says that one should not wrong (oppress in the KJV, but involving the Hebrew concept of overreaching, as will be described in comments below) another (apparently another rea) in buying and selling (Lev 25:14).

In context, this charge appears in connection with the Jubilee and the sale of land and its redemption before its reversion in the Jubilee year, although it probably has a broader meaning to encompass commercial transactions in general. The student of truth must always remember that YAH’s laws establish broad principles of His thinking and wishes.

Overreaching

“Encyclopaedia Judaica” (v. 12, p. 1391-1395) calls this act “overreaching” (Hebrew “ona’ah”) and reports the Talmud’s view of this text which suggests a broader meaning, but still with some exemptions and different degrees of overreaching or wronging a rea. When ona’ah takes place, the required correction seems to be restitution (which otherwise could be up to four times the value of the wrong done).

The point of this wonderful law is stated by Judaica as covering the sale of property for more than its real worth or the purchase of property for less than its real worth. In other words, there is a moral duty on both the part of the seller and buyer to make the exchange in the context of real worth.

In other words, always be just and fair in dealings with others with no defrauding, cheating or shortchanging of them, based upon greed and selfishness. Probably, these laws also have some basis in the eighth commandment in the Decalogue prohibiting stealing (Ex 20:15) since cheating or defrauding someone else is tantamount to stealing.

Actually, these wonderful mitzwot were repeated elsewhere and expanded on in various other Scriptures (Deut 25:13-15; Prov 16:11; Mic 6:11).

Yeshayahu added that “He who acts with integrity, who speaks sincerely and rejects extortionate profit, who waves away bribes from his hands, shuts suggestions of murder out of his ears and closes his eyes against crime; this man will dwell in the heights, he will find refuge in a citadel built on rock...” (Isa 33:15-16, “Jerusalem Bible”).

Two Measuring Systems?

At a first glance, one might suppose that the issue in YAH’s Word is only over using unequal weights and measures to deceive and cheat another person. Certainly, that aspect of commercialism is covered in YHWH’s law. A good sample of this was brought out in director John Ford’s famous movie about “Fort Apache.”

In that presentation, the stars, Henry Fonda and John Wayne, as ranking cavalry officers at Fort Apache, Arizona, went into the local Indian Agent’s store to check things out. Fonda stood on the store’s scales and noted that he had just gained a significantly large number of pounds. In other words, the scales were fixed so that they would show much higher weights than what really existed.

Historically, many merchants have used two measuring weights for offsets on their scales. One was heavier than it should have been and the other was lighter. Merchants liked to use the heavier offset measuring weight for buying and use the lighter one for selling.

This whole process brings to mind some comments about the evil and wicked merchants who abuse the poor by making the ephah small and the shekel great and falsifying the balances by deceit (Amos 8:4-6).

The famous artist Norman Rockwell once painted a picture of a woman buying something from a merchant that was being weighed on a scale. The woman was pushing the scale up from the bottom to lesson the weight, while the merchant had his thumb on top of the scale pushing it down to make the scale show a heavier weight.

More Evil

Though this study points out the sins of others in deceitful, fraudulent methods, it must be noted that this writer has also engaged in some shady, wretched, evil practices of ripping off others. i am ashamed to have to say that my hands are not lily-white on this subject.

Years ago, and supposedly after i was converted, i published a magazine and sold some ads. In order to pep up one good advertiser, i engaged in a fraud to make him think he was getting a response to his ad when he was not. i did this in a very deceitful and dishonest fashion in order to induce the customer to place another ad with me. Yes, it was all because of greed and money. i have now repented of this sin!

Even Sony’s Columbia Pictures has recently gotten into the cheating game. “The Week” (p. 8), for Jun 29, 2001, said that the company has admitted that it used fake fans in televised movie advertising. The company’s own marketing executives starred in the ads, raving about the studio’s movie “The Patriot.”

Clearly, it is so easy to become entrapped in some dishonest and evil scheme. The human mind (perhaps with mental telepathic messages from demons) can actually cook up all kinds of things and rationalize that they are all right--when, in fact, they are extremely evil and wicked.

The practices of cheating and deceiving have been around for many ages. They will continue until YAH’s laws are firmly in place--because many people will cheat others, if given a chance (as pointed out above, this writer must confess this depravity, along with many other sins charged to my account over the years).

Extortionate Profit

And while the matter of using fraudulent and deceptive weights and measures is certainly covered in YHWH’s Torah, there is more to it than just that. Please note that the Book says things about “extortionate profit” and “unrighteousness” and judgment or justice in weights, measures, etc., to apparently include commercial transactions in general.

The modern, Christian, sun worship thinking is to buy low and sell high generally in commercial transactions. In a trade, give as little as possible and get back as much as possible. This prevailing Christian, sun worship position is to greedily get all you can in profit and gain in all cases. Maintain a demanding attitude without giving any thought to fair play (as the Torah requires).

Of course, it is this philosophy which completely dominates and fuels virtually all businesses and the entire stock and financial markets. The idea of making money or getting gain for nothing and without labor is patently sun worship and Christian.

Years ago, in a college class on auditing, the professor made a statement which taught me a lot about how Western, sun worship businesses operate. He said that the pricing policies followed in commercial trade is to price and sell things “as much as the traffic will bear.”

In other words, be ruthless and get all you can out of items being sold. Let greed, get and acquire dominate commercial transactions, as briefly mentioned in a prior chapter on YHWH’s law.

That previous presentation outlined some of the deceptive schemes used by businesses to get more and more out of their customers. While there is no need to repeat all those previous remarks, there are some other issues involved on profits not covered. For example, a question can arise over the just mentioned business pricing policies in the Western, Christian, sun worship culture.

Of course, the background features affecting pricing are supply, demand and competition. It is primarily competition which keeps prices from going out of the ceiling. As big business gets bigger and as competition is diminished, prices do rise.

In the Western Christian civilization, there is a tremendous motion to bigness in commercial businesses. Giant corporations are taking over almost all commercial transactions. Competition is so intense that many existing businesses are being crushed into oblivion. This means less competition and more profits down the road. The days of the small, local entrepreneur are fast becoming history.

When this writer was a boy and even as a young man, all towns and cities had small, locally owned restaurants. They are all almost gone, having now been replaced by the fast food chains. Today, it is hard to find a mom and pop cafe in many areas.

Gas and Oil Stations

The same dilemma is true with the gasoline stations. Once, they were all locally owned. Today, most of the big gas companies own their own stations, and either run them or lease them out. The big, corporate operations are tough competitors and they are able to destroy all competition over time. Gasoline companies are notorious in their ability to destroy competition.

Years ago, in Oklahoma, Texas and Louisiana, there used to be a huge number of small gasoline stations which sold gasoline from some small, local refinery. There were names that are now history--like Hunt Oil Company, to be shortly addressed. But the big corporate giants were also around and had thousands of stations across America and were getting bigger over time.

Here, one must refer to the major companies which came out of the breakup of the old Standard Oil Company, owned by John D. Rockefeller--which included Esso (later Exxon), Sohio, Std Oil of Ky, Chevron, Ashland Oil, Mobil, American and so forth.

The major oil companies were so big and powerful that over time, they were able to destroy all of the small companies by manipulating the prices. Let us say that twenty small, locally owned stations carried the Hunt brand in North Louisiana and that was all the distribution which Hunt had.

In those areas where Hunt and other small refineries operated, there were, of course, the major oil companies. The majors (and often in collusion, since the Rockefellers still controlled all of the different companies in the Standard Oil breakup) in those areas would start a horrible gas war and plunge gas prices to ridiculously low levels.

Hunt and its distributors had to meet the major gas prices or sit by without selling any gas. So Hunt and his 20 distributors slashed prices to be competitive. Of course, over time, they all went broke because they could not continue to lose money every time they sold a gallon of gas. Yet, these local gas wars had little or no impact upon the major oil companies.

Why? The reason is simple. The major companies had thousands and thousands of distributors across America which were not involved in gas wars. The majors were reaping and receiving their normal or excessive profits in all of these outlets. They were only absorbing losses in a small market in North Louisiana which perhaps only involved 20 or so gas stations.

It was no big deal for Mobil Oil Company and the other Rockefeller controlled oil companies to lose a little money in North Louisiana (in order to destroy and run Hunt out of business). After all, Mobil and the other Rockefeller oil operations were raking in the profits elsewhere, all over America.

Now, guess what happens once Hunt and the small operations are all destroyed and run out of business because they are unable to compete with the vastness and size of the major companies with outlets all over America. Well, once the small dealers are gone and only the majors remain, the prices go up. With collusion, which will be shortly assessed, there doesn’t even have to be competition among the majors.

Food

To further appreciate how this scam works in a Christian nation and among Christian people, it would be well to next look at the food distribution business. Years ago, grocery stores and food markets were all local, small owners. But those days are fast fading from the scene. There are today several, large, corporate, food chains--like Safeway, Kroger, Albertson’s, Winn-Dixie and so forth.

In areas where there are a lot of food stores and some real competition, these chains are very tough competitors. They have smart, professional managers. Most small operations are usually unable to effectively compete. A customer can go into one of these chains in a large city (where there is competition) and find about the best prices around. But guess what happens, if and when, this competition is removed?

Sometimes, this writer goes to Newport, Washington to shop. It has one Safeway store and a few gas stations selling some bread, milk and sundry items. There is another small, locally owned market in nearby Oldtown, Idaho.

Besides Safeway’s size and toughness as a competitor, there is a tax angle which helps Safeway in Newport. Nearby Idaho has a 6% sales tax on food items while Washington state has no sales tax on food. Therefore, Safeway has no effective competition and it has locked up grocery sales in the entire area. Now comes the kicker. The Safeway prices are some of the highest in the state.

On average, they run about 10% more than what one finds for merchandise in the big stores in Spokane. One may pause and wonder why food prices at one Safeway store are 10% higher than they are at another Safeway store 40 miles down the road, but the explanation is simple. Safeway doesn’t care one whit about fairness in its pricing schemes. She prices as much as the traffic will bare.

In Spokane, Safeway has a lot of tough competition. To survive, she must be competitive and tough as well. But in Newport, she has very little competition. She can charge 10% more. If the one little store in Oldtown closes its door, Safeway can jack her prices even higher (and she would).

Price Fixing

Beyond the prospects of competition to keep prices down, there is another facet which is becoming increasingly present and relevant here in the early 21st century. There is such a thing as price fixing and collusion and conspiracy in pricing operations (as noted earlier). As long as two big chains are supposedly separate and independent, this collusion should theoretically not occur or not be a problem.

But theory and the real world are sometimes in different ball parks. Big chains can enter into price agreements and especially when the controlling stockholders are the exact same people in both instances. Thus, the Rockefellers still control all of the breakout of the old Standard Oil Company. They are not stupid. They are not going to let their several companies really compete (though theoretically divided).

There are several investment bankers and fat cat, Wall Street persons who own major blocks of stock in several of these corporate, retail giants (as elsewhere noted herein, it only takes about 3% ownership in a big corporation to control it). The few people or even one person who controls several companies in a given business is going to take action to reduce or eliminate competition between the different factions.

The “Forward” newspaper (p. 1) of Nov 30, 2001, had a story by Rachel Donadio on “Gavel to Gavel: Classes Clash At Toney Auctioneers’ Trial” which focused upon efforts of an apparent gang of Amalekites to fix auctioneers’ commissions. Rachel noted the “greed, power and social climbing” of the participants in a trial involving the fixing of sellers’ commissions by Christie’s and Sotheby’s auction houses.

The point of mentioning this trial in New York on the two auctioneer houses is that price fixing schemes can develop in any sphere of activity-- to include auction houses.

More Collusion

Sometimes, cartels are established to boost prices and profits. Cartels occur often in international commerce where trusts and combines are put into play to control the whole production, market and distribution system for certain products which are grown in a limited area. Coffee, bananas, cocoa and so forth are very susceptible to cartels.

Right now, the late 20th and early 21st centuries have been producing skyrocketing oil and coffee prices because of such collusion and conspiracy. As bigness takes over, there will be more and more collusion among all of the fat cats controlling these products.

There is still another problem for these foreign produced items. As more and more foreigners wake up and realize that the US dollars are actually worthless, which they have been accepting for goods and services sold to Americans, US inflation will take off with a vengeance. Commodity prices will go out of the sky.

Exploding gasoline, oil and commodity prices are on the immediate horizon as inflation likely builds up starting sometime in Yechezkel’s 30th-33d years. There is a tremendous motion underway whereby businesses are consolidating and growing larger and larger with more centralization of commercial power in fewer and fewer hands. This means more profits and much higher prices.

Fast Talking Shysters

In the early days of America, there were few businesses or corporations of any size. Most people were on the land as farmers. But there were some craftsmen around who could make things. The early developing years saw the surfacing of traveling peddlers (or drummers) who often went door to door or village to village, peddling their wares.

A good example of such peddlers was illustrated in Broadway’s famous production of Rogers and Hammerstein’s “Oklahoma” (also produced as a hit Hollywood movie). Many people will remember Oklahoma’s traveling Persian peddler man who was constantly trying to cheat and connive the supposedly dumb Oklahomans of the early 1900s out of their last coins.

Most of these drummers (back then and today as well) were fast talking, clever, shrewd crooks and pathological liars (like Billy Graham and Slick Clinton). Hence, most sales people are like sun worship preachers and politicians. They have lied and do lie so much that they come to believe their own lies--all to make a buck or more often, a lot of bucks, usually on just one sale (this writer must confess this sin, as well).

A Lebanese shyster once told me that years ago Middle Eastern peoples (both Arabs and Amalek-Edomites) would arrive penniless in New York--just off of immigration ships. They would be outfitted in New York with a load of goods from a big NY merchant (clothes, trinkets, gadgets and so forth) and given a one way train ticket to some small town in America.

On reaching their destinations, they would put their goods on their backs in knapsacks and start out hustling to sell them to the expected gullible, stupid, backwoods Americans. The father of the famous Warner Brothers (Amalek-Edomites?) of Hollywood was one of those peddlers who sold his wares over the Eastern US.

In NY, they might buy their load of goods at from a penny or two to perhaps a dollar for each item (on credit). They would then sell the goods for “as much as they could get.” Being fast talkers and liars, they usually would get many dollars (up to ten to twenty dollars) for single items that they had bought for fifty cents.

As the years passed and as they began raking the money in, they would soon become more respectable with ownership of local clothing stores, jewelry stores, gift shops, etc. Of course, they would also become some of the most wealthy people in town. No wonder, because whatever they could get for an item--it was largely all profit.

Some Christian Samples

More recently, a used bookstore owner (a Mormon Christian) told this writer that he watched for garage sales where people were moving and were desperate to get rid of things which they couldn’t haul with them. Being desperate, they would sell whatever they had at ridiculous give away prices. The book dealer would pick up “big bargains” on boxes of books at something between 10 cents and a dollar or so per box.

The Mormon book dealer under discussion (and similar ones as well) would then sell the books at one to five dollars each. Effectively, whatever he would get for them would be all profit since he bought them for virtually nothing. Is this an “extortionate profit” (or just an exorbitant profit?), as mentioned by Yeshayahu? Is this a fair and just profit, as outlined in the Torah? Is greed involved here?

Many Christian retail stores have all kinds of gimmicks and tricks which they use to make some extra bucks. Some gas stations adjust their pumps so that the sales price charge runs faster than the gas quantity being dispensed. Thus, maybe the station can collect an extra dollar or so for every fill up. Few people could ever begin to catch onto this popular gas station trick.

Some retail stores sell older merchandise as newer merchandise or advertise it or offer it as something it is not to make extra profit. Others, selling items by weight, adjust their scales to run higher than actual to allow a little scam. The person buying something by weight will get less than what they should be based on money outlay. The formerly discussed Fort Apache example illustrates this practice.

A previous chapter on the Torah and business greed mentioned a neighbor of this writer who advertises himself as a “Christian.” At least, he likes to talk about and preach about his righteousness to others whenever the opportunity presents itself. The man involved has some rental buildings and runs a used goods store previously described.

However, the word that best characterizes this man is “greed.” He tries to get all he can get. For his rental buildings, he has a reputation of maybe starting off pretty reasonable and then later slowly begins raising the rent and especially if he perceives that the business is doing good.

From the standpoint of the renter, they are somewhat locked in from the perspective of starting to build up a business and not wanting to move and have to start all over. Consequently, most renters, who are enjoying some success, will generally give in and tolerate the rent increases--certainly to a point.

Fairness in the Law?

In the Western, sun worship culture, most people have seen buyers involved in real estate, trade and commerce move around from place to place looking for some “great bargain.” What this means is that they are looking for a sucker or a poor person who in desperation must sell something at a give-away price; and which they, as a buyer, can then make a “huge” profit on.

These greedy shysters typically will never even pay what the seller wants for an item, but will proceed to try to get the desperate seller to go still lower (this is called Jewing him down in the Christian culture). Thus, if the seller is asking two dollars for a box of goods, the shyster will cheat and deceive by offering one dollar or try to get something else thrown in the deal to sweeten the pot.

The objective is never to pay what is reasonable, fair or just in the purchase. The objective is to buy the product at the lowest possible price, irrespective of fairness and justice. Most people trying to sell out to raise some money to move are in a poor bargaining position up against one of these “professional” con-artist buyers.

It goes without having to say that in a forced sale, the seller can logically expect to lose money and take a beating. It also goes without saying that if a buyer is buying something for resale, buying more of something than needed, or otherwise buying something not urgently needed; then the market value of the item involved goes down appreciably.

Fair to Both Parties

But in such an atmosphere, the requirements of fair play and reasonableness dictated in the Scriptures means that there still should be a meeting place on price between the buyer and the seller so that both benefit and get a fair shake on the transaction.

Neither party in a transaction should have to feel like he was cheated. Both the buyer and seller certainly should want a fair exchange where both receive a fair deal and greed and selfishness do not dominate the transaction.

For perhaps all consumer goods, there is a basic manufacturing cost (made up of labor, materials and factory overhead). To this, there are legitimate transportation costs; and of course, necessary wholesale and retail expenses. It goes without saying that at all levels, everyone involved is usually entitled to a “fair, just and reasonable” profit.

But in the historic sun worship culture, there never was any attempt to define what fair, just and reasonable was or should be beyond the demands of competition. Consequently, people of the old sun worship cults were always free to exercise greed and selfishness and get all that they could in a deal. And they did.

Christianity picked up on this old sun worship capitalism and selfish Christian merchants generally do the same thing today. To get as much as the traffic will bear (unless limited by competition) frequently means getting some outrageous return of huge, exorbitant profits. It’s a case where either the buyer or seller figures that he/she stuck it to the other person and came out with a definite advantage.

Unloading

The stock brokerage firm of Merrill Lynch had a commercial on a Spokane radio station on March 21, 2002, which really hit a home run in terms of the mentality of the typical person. The essence of the advertisement was that investors need to turn to Merrill Lynch to unload their losers (to innocent buyers) and replace them with winners.

In hearing this ad, the thought came to this writer that this concept underlies almost all of the desires and ambitions of virtually everyone (to certainly include Christians in general). The idea is always to get rid of a loser and pass it to a sucker and replace the loser with a winner that can be obtained at a bargain from another sucker.

One sees this mentality often in the case of buying and selling used cars (probably in the old days, the focus was on horses and buggies). Almost all people with a so-called lemon or dog car quickly begin plotting on how they can get rid of their problem by selling it or transferring it to some sucker who can be entrapped into acquiring the car at the highest price or trade possible.

Manifestly, people in the market to buy or sell a car (and this is especially true with used car sellers) are usually never anxious to disclose the problems with the cars that they are trying to sell or trade (it is no wonder that used car salesmen have such bad reputations). In other words, caveat emptor prevails--let the buyer beware, implying that the sale is made at the buyer’s risk. Of course, this is not YHWH’s way.

In recent years, this writer had a car with a slow, electrical draw on the battery. It seemed impossible to locate the draw without spending a lot of money on an old car with very little value. The thought came to me several times to get rid of it on a sale or trade (without disclosing the draw problem).

It was a struggle, but these thoughts were cast aside as being unfair to transfer this problem to an innocent buyer (without fully disclosing it). In most of my life, i would never have expressed any concern at all over passing a lemon on to a sucker who would buy it. So, in my old age, this was a fluke for me.

The Medical Profession

Another recent case of greed happened to this writer on a visit to a doctor in July 1998 for a diagnosis and consultation (no treatment because i am fundamentally opposed to the present medical and health care systems, as will be covered in later chapters). Before the visit under discussion, the question was asked about the charge. The clerk said $50 to $80 with $50 in advance.

The payment was made and the visit was accomplished in about 12 to 13 minutes. A few days later, a bill arrived for $100 more (to total 150 dollars). This was outrageous because it represented incredible greed. This whole sickness in the present Christian culture of allowing the medical system to extort more and more money from its victims will be assessed in later chapters.

For now, it must be noted that the present medical arrangement involves a largely captive audience, much like the insurance companies. Consequently, the doctors and medical care people can keep hiking their charges up, up and away into the ceiling and no one seems able to challenge them.

The whole medical establishment and its pricing policies are a disgrace for several reasons which will be assessed in future chapters, as just noted. But presently, the point must be made that greed predominates in this whole industry, as it seems to control all other industries and businesses.

A person planning a visit to a doctor or the medical care industry needs to tie down expected charges in advance. One should take the extra step to inquire about charges, get names and be sure that an agreement is in place before any visits or work is authorized. Otherwise, the innocent victim will be quite surprised when the bill(s) comes in.

More Schemes

In order to increase business profits (which was addressed in former discussions on extortionate profits), many businesses develop and scheme different methods of fooling the dumb public.

For example, historically, garages and service stations used to offer an oil change, filter and a lubrication (which included a check of water, battery, etc) for a set charge. In order to get more and more from the gullible public, many of the modern businesses offering this service do it in a deceptive manner to get more and more from customers.

Often, a station will advertise an oil change, filter and lubrication for a fixed fee (usually around 20 dollars). Once a sucker is hooked on this come on, he will discover a whole series of additional charges which runs the typical bill up above $30.

For example, the station will offer a grade and brand of oil which most cars can’t use. To get a proper brand or grade of oil, there is typically an additional charge of $5 or more. The lube no longer includes the so-called “topping off” checks of water, battery, etc. This has to be added for another $5 or so.

Moreover, stations now add an additional charge for “disposing” of the old oil removed. This can be another $3 to $5 which all customers generally must pay. All of these charges (per 2000 rates which will go up in coming years) quickly add up to something the innocent victim never anticipated. Again, a person needs to be sure of a price agreement--in advance.

More Greed

Is it fair and honest to deceive and mislead people in order to make a sale? Yes, it’s all right for Christians to do anything needed in terms of lying, cheating and deceiving in order to make all the bucks they can make however and whatever they may have to do in order to get them. This is very common in the Christian, capitalist, sun worship culture. This writer must confess this sin as well (in the past tense).

There is absolutely no limit to the greed, get and acquire in the hearts of carnal people--to include fleshly Christians. Christians have been in charge of the Western, Christian civilization for the last 1,700 years. They have had ample opportunities to do something about the inordinate amount of greed (at least, in the commercial arena). But they have closed their eyes and looked the other way.

Greedy Christian people (like their old sun worship ancestors) could care less about words and concepts of fairness, reasonableness, justice and rightness in dealing with others (even other Christians). If a sucker is willing to pay substantially more for a product, beyond just cost and a reasonable profit, then all power to the seller.

No, anyway one might try to hack it, the Scriptures do teach and advocate some fair play and justice in commercial dealings among people. In good conscience, a true believer would be hard pressed to justify exorbitant and excessive profits just because the buyer is stupid and can be talked into it. In terms of the Scriptural brotherhood, there is no room for such wickedness.

The whole topic of human greed was broached in a prior chapter on YHWH’s laws in the context that greed represents the very antithesis of YAH’s wonderful laws dealing with charity and fair play to others. Human greed, get and acquire are a part and parcel of the historic, Christian, sun worship culture and civilization.

Consequently, many practicing and professing Christians are extremely greedy and their Christian sun worship churches have no problem with it at all, although they function in a totally contrary profile to what the Scriptures actually prescribe. The ELOHIM’s marvelous Torah establishes broad principles which prohibit human greed, as discussed in previous chapters.

Greed is Unlimited