The importance of being earnest

Oscar Wilde's paradoxical novel forms a fitting introduction.

In old English the word earnest was used to describe a pledge, secured through the interim transfer of property. It proved you were earnest in your intention of completing the agreed transaction or action.

I have no fitting pledge to give to prove I am in earnest when I make shocking claims. I make them only out of concern for my family. I don't mind people making fun of me, but I am saddened because it seems to underscore the lightness with which my earnest warnings are regarded.

The Bible based philosophy I have come to accept is in direct opposition to everything that comes from the world. I believe there is a perfect creator who created the world and mankind in perfection in an environment that is perfectly ordained and synchronized with his holy purpose. It follows that the way to remove all sickness, suffering, environmental destruction, war, and hatred is to return to following the biblically defined paths and the statutes and commandments of the Lord. 

The alternate view is that the world proceeds on a chaotic course, and it is only through the diligent efforts of the brightest men and women that we can come to solve all of its problems. Unfortunately however, solutions are never more than partial and always produce great disagreement and struggle, and they are often anyway abandoned mid-stream to deal with a crisis, real or invented, so the progress all are praising never really seems to emerge, other than for a small number of individuals who live in the upper strata of society. 

Technology can do much, but it produces just as many problems. The perfect economy of a simple lifestyle with only locally available technology, green roads, transport on foot, on horses, in carriages or on the sea, clean water, nutritious and natural foods, contact with nature, loving contact with our family and our community, joyous celebrations of the beauty of life cannot really be improved upon. 

It is indeed an old book, but the Biblical promise is that it is everlasting and unchanging, and that every prophesy it contains will be fulfilled precisely precisely as stated. 

Its track record in this latter respect has been perfect (although many intellectuals will attempt to deny this fact). There is no other book on the face of the earth that comes close to the Bible in terms of breadth of vision, accuracy of prophetic writings, accuracy of historical records, and indeed worldwide sales.

We now stand at a fork in the road. Very few will take the stony and narrow and thorny path that requires us to embrace the old time-honoured concepts of family, worship, community, and simplicity, thereby relinquishing the pleasures of life and receiving censure and prejudice as opposers of the prevailing order, while most will take the broad and open path of acceptance, however guarded, of the dawning technological IT world, with the proposed medical measures to allow travel and economic activity under the new rulers, thus turning definitely away from the pages of that old unopened book.

I have read the Bible carefully, and followed prophesy diligently. I have tested matters against reality and the truth of the Bible is confirmed time after time. There is a massive division occurring right about now, and the choice we make cannot be later undone. On the one side stands the kingdom of satan, ruler of the world, who entices with wealth and status but ultimately treats his subjects harshly and delights in their suffering, because he knows that we are all children of the Most High and greatly beloved in His sight. On the other, stands the emerging Reign of Christ, who will ascend to the throne very soon and rule in righteousness and honour. The Biblical teaching is that whosoever loves his life, shall lose it, and whosoever hateth his life shall inherit life eternal in the new heaven and the new earth.

I believe those things, and I believe you are both daughters of Israel, which is the Holy people chosen by the Lord. The one thing I would ask, is that you read the Bible: it really doesn't seem to me to be intellectually jusitifiable to live a life of literature and yet refuse to read what is most certainly the most widely read work in the entire world and has been so for many centuries, the oldest and most complete history known to man, renowned for the beauty and force of the prose or elsewhere the quiet simplicity of the language. A book that is designed to be accessible  even to little children and yet can easily confound the greatest minds of the most learned men and women in the land.

Questa mattina lessi la storia di Gideon, che appare nei Giudici  

Of course I know people don't heed what I say and I expect it in the main, unless I am paying them. I cannot, however, seem to find the authority that my wife and daughter could claim in order to proceed in such a manner. 

Self-ownership is valid and it may be claimed, however tautological, but it disregards the family relations that bind us together so intimately through blood. This is not a light matter: we are all somewhat invested in one another. It is physiological, I have no need of Scripture to make such a claim.

So should we all heed what one another says?
Of course. Especially that which is stated in earnest. I think our familiarity would at least require us to take time to look into the matter, whatever it may be.

But it was the author's pleasure to toy with his readers and flaunt his cleverness, amusing and delighting, and giving them perhaps a little insight into the fickleness of the human heart. I suppose he was earnest in his desire to write well crafted books, for frivolity, royalties, and the general elevation of his public persona.

His life however was nothing more than play acting, since the man was a confederate of his judges and petty officers of the constabulary and thus at no risk other than the vertigo that may come from a rapid ascent to the highest levels of literary and even philosophical renown and relevance. 

A thrall in the realm of Albion

Chapter 1

A thrall in the realm of Albion

There was a beautiful princess who lived to the south of the river and who, in her young age, became a widow. In her grief, anger and despair the wicked one came into her heart and brought her to the pool of dreams, where she regarded her reflection and saw that she was yet very fair and so she walked in witchcraft and remembered not her first estate as a true princess of the Realm.

And so she was cast into a deep sleep under a strong spell. Many years passed by and thickets and thorns grew up around her heart. Her childish love still burned fiercely, but the thrall upon her mind deepened and hardened.

In those latter days there was a bastard prince of Israel of very low estate, cast out from the kingdom and abandoned by his brethren. Unaware of his royal heritage, he wandered throughout the lands for many years until he one day settled among a strange people and took a strange wife, unable to find a resting place for his soul, and yet solace and understanding eluded him. 

Many years passed by and the man became sore wicked and his life was a ransom and a gazingstock. One day, in the lean of winter, he travelled through three snowy days and three snowy nights and returned alone to Albion, where he entered into the town of his birth within the bounds of middle earth and there rested he his bones, hanging down his head low and praying for understanding and grace.

He lived among the myrtle trees and continued to wander in astonishment until he came at last upon the book of the law, disregarded and reviled in the land. As he read of the arcane battles and feats in ancient times a great dread fell upon him and he found  himself ushered into the presence of the Most High. He bowed his head to the ground and, by grace and intercession, was brought into the chambers of the King and led through the halls of understanding to look upon the sons of men and see their works. And he looked and prayed, but he saw that there was no understanding, none righteous, and that all was vanity.

One day, came he hither and thither into the marketplace and there encountered the sleeping princess unawares. He loved her straightway for she was fair and full of grace,  but she confessed her captivity to him and he saw her witchcraft and chains and he was very grieved and sorrowful.

Seven years went by, until one day the man sought out a helper in his age so he  called out to the young woman and besought that she come across the river to his mean abode sometime to serve as an humble maid and companion, for he lived alone and was downcast. 

The sleeping princess came gladly and with an open hand, so the man’s heart was greatly warmed and he looked fondly upon her since she was faithful, comely and of great comfort, but she remained cold and asleep, a changeable and fleeting shadow. She practised much witchcraft and was familiar with many devils, which dwelt also within her heart and around her house, and so the prince’s heart was troubled and heavy.

One night, in a dream, he saw a princess of Albion and Middle Earth, who was to ascend to the throne in glory and free the town from its stupour, lying bound in chains in the palace in a deep trance. He was given understanding that she could be awakened only by a kiss from a prince of Israel in whom there was no guile. 

He prayed to God to reveal the meaning of the dream and he was shown a vision of the serving woman and he understood, in amazement, that it was this very witch of whom his vision spoke. He therefore girded up his loins and strove to scourge all guile and deceitfulness from his heart, for he was a very wicked man, and he prayed that he be given power to free her from her bonds, but the devils resisted him because his heart was not perfect and the powers of the prince of the air came against him with fury and subtlety.

All but defeated by the seemingly insurmountable task before him, the bastard prince resolved to set out on a pilgrimage, pledging his life to the service of the one true God and the armies of Israel, for the land of Albion was very wicked and defiled in those days.

Chapter 2

A Fairie Queen is seated on the Throne.
The broken prince restrained

Preacher go home

Most preaching is pointless and last Sunday's message was no exception.
The congregation wouldn't even be in the church if they didn't already accept that Jesus Christ was raised from the dead, so why insist on it with such tedium for nearly an hour?

Are there no other matters to address? Are we at peace in our homes, in our communities, with our God? Are we at peace in the church? Have all voices been heard? What work is to be done in our communities to spread the gospel? Have we offered sufficient prayers of thanksgiving and praise?

Have we prayed for spiritual and material prosperity? Have we set out a plan for the future of the church? Arranged meetings, called upon the brethren to speak, examined the finer questions of doctrine and looked at all the alternatives? Made sure that the preferences of each believer are given due consideration and honoured, if possible?

Preaching about the reality of the resurrection is just marking time, not treading on toes. Nothing was learned, no new understanding offered.

Another opportunity wasted.  Preacher go home.