Secular Jihadists?
We all have ideals and values we want to uphold, and as we encounter resistance, we begin to form and strengthen our ideological positions.
Watch this video of a pastor in Ohio, who is standing up for what he believes. In his mind he is fighting the “secular jihadists!” It’s good against evil and god is on his side.
He is fighting “evil,” just as George Bush is doing, just as Osama Bin Laden is doing, just as Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is doing, just as Hugo Chavez is doing…
Isn’t it wonderful we have so many people fighting evil? If we keep it up, all the evil will be gone in no time! lol
Now, this man, no doubt, is really standing for values we can all relate to. He wants children to be raised with good values, he wants us all to be good people, etc., etc. It’s the tactics that we must call into question. Are his tactics really even forwarding his own objectives in the long run? Is defeating our ideological enemies a sustainable method of positive change?
Looking deeper than an ideological position, what is formed by caring, passionate people who are trying their best to stand for something is what I’d call a psychological position, which becomes a barrier that frames our view of reality–barriers beyond which we cannot see.
This man is fighting the ACLU, an organization of human beings who are standing for people’s rights. Because they are supporting legislation and solutions that conflict with the ones he thinks are correct, they must be the evil enemy. Indeed, he cannot see people when he looks at them. He cannot see caring, passionate people who are also standing for worthwhile values.
Beyond the specific strategic solutions they support, the ACLU is simply standing for human beings, for their freedom, for their dignity. Who can oppose that? No doubt this pastor shares the same values. So why can we not collaborate and co-create in ways that work for all of us?
Rather than all of us fighting evil, why don’t what if we start standing together more for the values we hold in common?
The day will come, I do see, when all the world will view our current ways of thinking and communicating with one another as quite silly. Literally silly–ridiculous even. People of all ideologies will come to see how living this way, at the level of position, is antithetical to all of our values, and it feeds our devolution into people who cannot use our god-given (however you define that term) faculties of human consciousness.
I believe we can all rise to the level of vision. We can learn to think, communicate and interact at higher levels of consciousness; and, indeed, many of us are discovering how to do this at present.
Does our future demand finding the one and only true belief, joining the army of the righteous and defeating the evil ones?
Or does our future require us learning to rise above such positionary thinking?
No one needs to be afraid, for giving up positionary thinking does not mean giving up your ideals or compromising your values. It only seems that way, because from a position there is not much vision. I say, we as human beings are visionaries by nature–meaning we have the innate capacity to live at the level of vision. And I say it’s time we learn to make this shift in thinking.
“I keep my ideals, because in spite of everything I still believe that people are really good at heart.” –Anne Frank
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Well said
The pastor is losing power with others by opposing them, instead of having discussion and attempting to persuade them or even learning what their motivations are. He is merely attacking. There is a verse in the Bible that I wil paraphrase – We fight not against flesh and blood but against powers, principalities, and spirits in high places.
I feel like some pastors like this have gone to more of a power conciousness, pushing out consideration of others. Does he really allow the people in his church to be individuals or does he see himself as “lord” over them. He shows signs of thinking himself as the “authority” who has “dominion” over other human beings.
I use to be very involved with the Charismatic Non Denominational Christian Church. Sometimes pastors, assistant pastors, and others become so proud that they put themselves above the people in their church and even any human being they come in contact with in their lives. They quit learning from others and set themselves above, thinking themselves as teachers, but never students. I believe they can become stagnant and even enter into loop thinking, delusion, and even insanity.
Let me say, however, I’ve met many wonderful Christians who are really hear to learn from God, from others, from life. They are kind and gentle people – that’s why they often follow without speaking up. In these places there sometimes is no room for individuality or question. The same ideas are parroted over and over. I do believe that churches exist that allow for individuality and frank discussion. I’ve been to one or two. One can truly learn by becoming part of the discussion and considered.
I do not wish to attack. However, I don’t understand why he supports George Bush. Here is my truth that may sound attacking and positionary, but I will not back down on this. I KNOW that Bush lied to go to war in Iraq. In the Bible Satan is called the father of lies and I think that this pastor is lying to himself, others, or both.
Now, I’m not a big Bible thumper, and I’m merely utilizing the words that have so often been used to support people’s agenda or serve the self. So often we use it like a lawyer or one who debates. I’ll stop that now. We need to speak our truth from the heart and quit using the Bible as a weapon. If we were created by God then we each have a unique expression within God, Spirit, the inner truth of our being.
I will say what I learned from Jesus. Jesus wanted us to love our neighbor as ourselves. Jesus wanted us to love God with all our hearts, mind, and strength. The most important thing to realize when listening to anyone is – do you recognize love behind their words? I’m not sure about this pastor. He definitely has his opinion. The disappointment is that I don’t see him considering others and it is all about a battle.
You know, that’s the problem these days. It’s all become a battle and it looks like many of us are fighting to the death, even killing themselves in the name of GOD. It is sad and destructive. It is hard for me to say this, but it looks like “religion” has often hurt people not helped, by not truly “seeing” the person it has attacked.
People need to built up and loved, so that they can find their own relationship with God. They’ll never make it on someone else’s spirituality and “knowledge”. Each one must find his or her own way to God, believing in him/herself and God. Our problem is we’ve been following for way too long, believing in the one who speaks the boldest, counting them better than ourselves. We are capable of our own spirituality and understanding. We need not fight others tooth and nail.
The government of the United States has also duped us and perhaps that is why so many pastors and religious people have seemingly become more deluded. They believe that the government has only good motivations. They hold authorities that be in high regard. So, rather than think with the mind GOD GAVE THEM, they are allowing themselves to fall further into a stalwart “this is the way it is and I’m not moving from this position”. It is only generating more insanity.
The Bible is thousands of years old and many do not know how to properly perceive the meaning. If taken literally, it doesn’t make sense. If taken out of context, it can be used any way a person wishes to use it. If not read with love and understanding, it can cause many problems.
So, all I can do is love this man who truly believes what he is saying. I’m glad that I’m not right there with him to receive any abuse. I may not love him so much then, even if I wanted to. You see, I still try to love people, whether they are cruel or not. I wish to support human rights – God loves and cares for us and only wants us closer and to not suffer and in fact, spread joy and allow people to see this love so that we may all lead our other fellow human being to a greater joy, a better place, a closeness to God, a place of confidence in ourselves/God.
Also, I dare say the hedonist is only one thanking God by enjoying life to the fullest. Too much has been called “sin”. This fear of our own “sin” and “hell” has been used to control and overpower. As I recall, without faith it is IMPOSSIBLE to PLEASE GOD. There I go again, quoting the Bible.
Yet, I don’t think anyone has to quote anything. God is as real without one single word being read from the Bible. We are Spirit and, if it is true that His Word is written upon our hearts, then we are full of His Word. So, you who support human rights and want to take away the suffering of your fellow man/woman, I am all for you and would like to encourage you to not be thwarted by a pastor, a president, or any one who puts themself in a position of authority.
Honestly, it is looking like too many of those in “authority” have become power concious, not love concious, and even bullies. I hope and pray that they are awakened from this and brought to earth where we live. These people are the same ones who say the world is going to end. If God gave us this earth, why should we throw it away? This earth is beautiful, made by LOVE. If we were put in charge of it, shouldn’t we try to SAVE IT? Shouldn’t we care to help our fellow human being?
When we call our brother or sister evil, we have closed the door. I know Jesus gave the Phariseas a hard time. Well, I’m thinking that our modern day pastors are just as bad, if not worse, than the Pharisea. Jesus died. Why shed more blood if we really believe in what He did?? Yet, we kill the very spirit of man with our words.
God help us!!!
I am not sure what to think of this man….. Christ consciousness is something within all human beings not just an individual who is going to ‘save us’… i am sure it wasn’t Jesus who sopke of the smell of death on some people and not others…. mmmm….. i think the pastor is a bit sleepy as he really has no perception of what it is like to be part of the real world where there are other human beings who also have brains ….. 🙂
VISION SHOULD COME FIRST, THEN WE SHALL FIND OURSELVES WITH NOTHING TO FIGHT AGAINST.
LET’S USE VISION TO REMOVE POSITIONARY THINKING.
First of all, this is how I understand a righteous person (correct me if I’m wrong): Good, honest, honorable, incorruptible, true, upright, upstanding, ethical, moral, principled, proper, right, rightful, right-minded, virtuous.
In simple terms a righteous person has a visionary mind.
(I’m sorry I’m unable to listen to the video-so I forward my own view).
Secondly: What I understand is that to tame an enemy, one needs to make a friend of him. That is what a visionary is supposed to know and do. If we keep calling someone an enemy, indeed he keeps on being enemy. That’s what our subconscious mind will keep- and our pain body within loves that because it will have got what to always fight against.
Thirdly: Let’s avoid religionism and ego-centricism and respect people’s opinions and values and teach them where they go wrong. With time wars will end as long as we start right NOW to love our enemies in all circles, races and religions.
When we start fighting against something (in this case called evil), it means we shall always get to the defensive-and develop (or that means we have) positionary thinking.
In my view Bush and Bin Laden are one. Any of them can be regarded as a te**orist depending on how the word is viewed. Not only that but they also use their fighting in a negative sense-to gain power over others
Can a terrorist really think as a Visionary?
Now, if this pastor is joining that group, allow me not say that I’m doubting his integrity as a Pastor because I haven’t listened to his views on which tactics we should use to bring up children well. A Pastor is a shepherd, he is a spiritual leader (and is supposed to possess the qualities of a good leader surely). So guys who have listened to what he is saying can assess his views.
Ofcourse we want the child to be raised with good values since they are the roots of the world’s future.(There is a saying; as you bring up a child, so he grows); but if we teach our children always to be on the defensive and thinking of how to fight evil, and telling them of who our enemies are, and how a certain ‘neighbor of ours slapped your brother’, I highly wonder where our world is going.
Let all Pastors, leaders and we ordinary people have visionary thoughts, promote and spread the gospel of vision. We shall find no more evil even if we are not living. The future starts NOW.
I am not supposed to judge anyone any way. I just observe and forward my opinions, and for that matter comments and criticisms are highly welcome.
Semakula Saidi
Member-Vision Force Uganda.
+256772907504
ssaidi.warrior@gmail.com
This man is fighting what Mark Juergensmeyer would call a cosmic war. A process by which an individual, or group, links “great battles of the legendary past,” and related to “metaphysical conflicts between good and evil,” to social events in their times (from Terror in the Mind of God, p. 149). Since the cosmic war is a “divine struggle” the perpetrators are demonized and are less than human, making violence all the easier to commit.
Currently there is a debate, which I believe needs to be at the forefront of everyone’s psyche, between St Augustine’s Just War Theory and the Christian ideal of Agape, it seems to me these two ideas are not compatible. It also seems that the only way to survive, and not destroy our selves through our never ending process of demonizing our fellow people, is to chose Agape.To move from a state of selfish exclusiveness, characterized by strict boundaries between self and other, which often leads to demonization of the other, to a state of inclusive altruistic agape, characterized by recognizing the us in them, the beautiful humanity found within each and every one of us, to truly and forever begin to love thy neighbor. Care to discuss/critique/add/detract?
I am a Christian and Christ is my role model, my hero. He is an example of a true visionary and his vision transcends time, still lives on even though he died many centuries ago. His vision continues to change the world for the better if adopted correctly.
I REPEAT if adopted correctly, because if misinterpreted and misused especially by church leaders whom most people believe are anointed the results could be disastrous.
Throughout history, people have treated others with unbelievable intolerance and at times cruelty all in the name of religion, and they have often done so without feelings of remorse or guilt. Muslims and Christians have fought “holy wars” against one another,
which have been anything but holy, each believing in their positions as being the righteous ones. And within their own ranks, so called Christians have persecuted other
Christians. I believe that these so called “holy wars” stem from the disgusting, “I am holier than thou,” attitude that most religious people have. Regarding themselves as cleaner in spirit than other people, they judge others and look down upon all those that they deem are sinners. If only all religious people would leave the judging of others to God who is the only one who is in a position to do that and concentrate on following the
teachings of Christ that are in the Bible.
You really begin to wonder if we are reading the same Bible. The very same Bible that we expect to lead the Ohio Pastor in his everyday life teaches us in John 18v10-11 by Jesus’ reaction to Peter’s attempt to defend him with a sword that it is not Christ’s way to force his will on us, so neither should we force our will on others. As we put God’s ways into practice, we’ll find we can love those with whom we disagree. That is the difference that Jesus makes. Christ is well known for urging us all to love one another and the only way we can do that is if we accept each other as we are and treat each other equally and with respect. Religious people, rich people and people in positions of authority are the worst when it comes to looking down upon others. Just because your religious beliefs are different from mine, you have more money than I do and you are up the ladder and I am at a lower rung of the ladder than you, do not mean that I am a lesser person than you are. I still deserve respect from you.
I believe that each and every one of us is here on earth for a very good reason and that reason is the vision that each and every one of us must realise. Besides realising our own visions we should take time to listen to other people’s visions and try to find out how their visions can coexist with ours because being in the same world we have no option but to learn to coexist with each other. Yes there are times when our different visions clash but that should not justify our clashing physically because there are other more peaceful ways of coming to an understanding. If we all could be like bees who unite their different visions and use them to work towards producing one of the most natural, healthiest and sweetest products on earth. The honeybee has one of the most highly developed social structures in the animal kingdom. At the heart of the hive, which may house as many as 80,000 bees, is the queen. Each of the 80,000 bees has a specialised duty to fulfil, a vision to stand for. The forager bees encounter the perils of the outside world to collect food. The guard bees protect the hive entrance from intruders. The undertakers are responsible for removing dead bodies from the hive. The water collectors bring in moisture to regulate humidity. The plasters make a kind of cement to strengthen the hive, and the fanners station themselves at the entrance and fan the scent outward to signal the location of the colony to lost or disoriented bees. The scout bees keep the hive alerted to opportunities and dangers of the outside world. The variety and specialisation of the worker bees seem endless and they use their different visions to come up with a peaceful and beautiful hive which each of the bees regards to be the best place to be. My
question is if bees which do not have any intelligence to talk of, can unite their different visions to come up with an ideal world for themselves why can’t us humans do the same?
Instead we waste our time judging other people’s actions, positionary thinking and crashing other people’s visions. LET’S FIND WAYS TO MAKE OUR VISIONS COEXIST PEACEFULLY WITH EACH OTHER AND THEN UNITE OUR VISIONS
TO RESULT IN SYNERGY THAT CREATES A WORLD IN WHICH WE ALL HAVE PEACE, LOVE AND HAPPINESS.
I agree. Some people need to open thier eyes and see people for who they are, not what thier religion is. They need to see people for thier values, and how they put those values into action. Many stero type people by thier beliefs(I’m guilty of this at times). When one does this, they are barring themselves from knowing some really wonderful individuals who may actually believe more along what you do, than one would think.
I perosnally was raised Baptist, then converted to Wicca, and as of recently, have converted(do we get frequent flier miles, I wonder?) to Ayn Rand’s Objectivist Philosophy. I converted because it was what I believed all along.
I know many Christians who are good Christians, and some who one would wonder how they could justify calling themselves Christian. I also know many Wiccans who follow the Rede, and those, well, who are like those Christians, who you wonder where thier mind goes when they read about their ‘beliefs”.
I find that, it’s often those who hold on strongly to thier beliefs, like a shield, who are the most lost of all. Why do you need to defend your beliefs, when in reality, they are not under attack. Like the ‘Merry Christmas” or “Happy Holiday’s” issue. Personally, I know there are many, many religions with holiday’s in December. Why do people really care so much as to throw thier beliefs at people and be nasty about it, when it is first and foremost, a holiday of peace, love, and joy. A time of year to be merry and be thankful for one’s blessings. So, why should they care if it’s “Merry Christmas” or “Happy Holiday’s”? There are greater injustices going on in the world, than for one to waste one’s time on such a insignifigant thing as that.
Which is why, I say, we should value eachother for thier values, and what they do, not what they necisarrily believe.
Religon when intitutionalised becomes a hunting gorund for those who crave for power to attain their personal gains rather than to disseminate peace and love – there may be exceptions but this over the years have been shown to be true for all religions
Values to be cherished ought to be the same for all religions – somewhere down the line -zealots take over the right to preach religion their way to serve their interest when conflicts arise among followers of different religion
Religious faith and beliefs ought to be value based than “position based ” – weed out all “positions” that do not stand test of time as values to be cherished
Once we do understand that there is no conflict between the universal values of all religions – we should be able to rise beyond such positioning as ” fighting for one’s beiliefs” and rebutt any nonsense that the zealots like to feed us with !!
Righteousness, always makes me wonder why someone would think they are right and someone else is wrong. The view of our world is only a preception we believe to be true. So what is true? If we are all living under our own preceptions, how can there be an absolute truth….
If we choose to see a good and an evil world, it is because we have chosen to live in polarity. When people live in polarity, there is always an opposite viewpoint in operation. I feel many people in our current society are choosing to move beyond polarity, right and wrong, and create new systems based on harmony, love and compassion.
When we know better, we can do better. We can not though demean and discredit those who as of yet have not learned better. The more energy we put to opposing something, the more energy we actually give to it. We must honor everyone.
I stand for a persons right to have their own opinion or viewpoint. I stand for being the change in the world and pomoting sytems based on love, understanding, honor and compassion for every human. I stand for a world of truly empowered humans living in harmony!
the most pertinent issue paralysing us has been raised.
all of us are acting same way , in some areas.
thanks for bringing out and showing mirror.
rajiv
The challenge I see in the argument is; are there common values? He was attacking homosexuality. There are those who feel based on their values, that it is wrong for the same sex to cocreate or love one another. When we are talking of coming together as a humanity we have to transcend the ego and see with the highest vision of Love. When one hears from those who profess to be ministers of God’s Word that it is wrong and evil and they give scriptural reference to back their argument, it is hard to know that there is another perspective. Fortuantely there are Chrisitans like, Eusebia who are free thinking and reading the text from a higher vantage point. I think a paradigm shift is occuring and there will be a new Generation of Spirituality that is inclusive and based on a world the works for everyone. This is a time of shift and transition and we can’t heal the wound until we know the sickness. We needed George Bush to wake us up from our sleep walking in the land of materiality and remind us of our humanity.
Truth comes at a price, this man is to be respected. To agree or disagree is not the only point, to be the voice addressing the issue is worthy of respect.
This prophectic voice is speaking to conscience as well as consciousness.
Jihad – holy quest. Is Holiness welcome in America? Is Holiness welcome in the United States?
Any organized religion is but mind control. The lunatics are definetly gaining ground in just another form of jihadism. That is one form of war that can never be won by anyone. At least not until one side or the other is completely anilated. How many times does the human race have to go through this insanity before people get the message? To me it is very simple; You leave me alone and I’ll leave you alone! So what’s the problem? I know,I know, a rhetorical question. How stupid of me.
Michael, once again you express it very simply and fairly. thanks for this great site. I’d love to get my 600 life coaches at BigLife.ws connected with you!
~Victory
Kristina Honeycutt, Thank you for your comment and for putting in to words so many of my own thoughts! Bless you! I share similar experiences and have come to similar conclusions! There is such a difference between “acting loving”, and BEING LOVE! Love that is being is the omnipresence of the divine in us and through us. It comes from our trust in and love for the divine and shows in a being – ness that has no need to “act”. There is no need to control others with guilt, shame or fear. Our loving creator, or the wholeness of the universe is LOVE! Our free will falling in love with the AWESOMENESS and perfection that is “God” is a VERY different motivator than a religious system that often seems to be competitive, self-righteous and ego oriented. To truly give, you don’t even realize that you gave, there is no piety in it, it has overflown from an endless supply that IS the DIVINE, who is WITHIN US!
Many minds are changing, growing, expanding… and as we LIVE as a “right living army of God or the Divine” with joy and love for this amazing human experience our spirits are living, this ripples out and new thoughts change more and more perspectives! We can LOVE by accepting LOVE and seeing LOVE and let it OVERFLOW and RIPPLE OUT all around the world!
It is so good to at least have one Pastor standing up for what he believe. May God bless him.
My fortune was to see the wrong commited by the so cald do-gooders in nature and in the live of a hole continent.
Why are the worl so naive to not look at Africa and notice what they have done to it. If there is no disepline and respect you can come to any state in Africa and see were the world is heading to.
This religious we all know it’s a means of seperation to the nation . My beleave we are still sleave mentally.we just of to be at peace with ourselves and practice love towards everyone
Thanks
Hi,
I generally do not want to talk about religion. But recently I have developed or rather I would say I can see this strong relationship between these two things : One is the famous book called The Science Of Getting Rick and other is our Great Book : The Quran. In this book, The Science Of Getting Rich it is said and talked about the most Truthfulness, like what is the most Truthfulness in this Universe. Staying Healthy and Being Rick are the most Truthfulness in this World. And when you read and research the Quran you can find it that there are several instances in where it is talked about Truthfulness and searching for Truthfulness. What I can find is that : The most Truthfulness things a person can do in this World is to Stay Healthy and Be Rick.