Trump, Harris, or Jesus - Christians in the USA

According to the the Bible, "For this world in its present form is passing away." (1 Cor 7:31b). Initially, Christianity was not about national boundaries - it really has never been.  When the faith was brand new in imperial Rome under the rule political leadership of Tiberius Julius Caesar Augustus, that is Tiberius - the 2nd Emperor, it spread, according to the New Testament, from Jerusalem into North Africa, and into modern day France, and Turkey (ancient Asia Minor).  They were not trying to change the government,. They were trying to change the hearts of men and women.

American Christians with the idea of voting for the most good to “minimize evil and maximize righteousness” are operating with a flawed perspective. Yes, we want freedom of religion, but our desires are not the same as God's will. Furthermore, a candidate's position on issues like abortion (a woman's "rights") or salvation (merit-based) should not overshadow what the scriptures teach. The implication that you are in sin if you do not vote is unhealthy—it removes God from the equation and condemns Christians. While guilt and fear can motivate, they do not typically come from a spiritually healthy place.

American Christians who generally promote voting for Trump because it supposedly does the most good and minimizes evil, are adding fuel to a dangerous fire that has already been kindled—and Satan is laughing at us. The goal of the faith has never been to build a Christian utopia or make any nation more Christian or righteous. The teachings of Jesus and the apostles are overtly and explicitly eschatological, meaning they point to the return of Christ. 2 Peter 3:10-13 couldn’t make this clearer. Our faith, then, includes (a) as individuals, living godly and righteous lives, and (b) encouraging others to seek and follow Jesus. 

One example of a Christian who teaches the "vote to promote the lesser evil" idea but should knows that a Christian utopia is not the goal of the faith is Mr. Ken Ham. I think he would generally agree with what I have written, and while I differ with much of my brother's theology, I respect his bold desire to proclaim the gospel and reach out to the lost. Yet, there are no biblical principles or teachings that imply an American Christian who does not vote or votes for a candidate who personally promotes or supports abortion should be condemned, either in practice or theologically. It's just not there, and promoting such ideas is not helping.

Instead, like the early Christians who stood out in the Roman Empire against the flawed and careless value systems and practices of their time, we should stand out against the racial and political anger and hatred that is tearing the U.S. apart. We should love in our rhetoric and behavior. We should pray for the candidates. Like the early Christians who took in babies left to die out of compassion, we should show such compassion today. This is not "social justice," but unconditional love that must also include the gospel message. We want to encourage people to turn to God through Jesus Christ and submit their ethical, moral, and spiritual beliefs and practices to what is clearly taught in the Bible. When a person turns to God with all their heart, soul, mind, and strength, they will not promote or practice false sexual and gender ideas, they will not preach or teach that it's okay to get an abortion, or abuse drugs or alcohol. Sure, people in Christ struggle, but as Peter wrote, "Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming." This is the primary "ought to" that comes from loving God and loving our neighbor while we are in this world. Voting for the candidate that will minimize evil is not part of that message. As it is written, "What business is it of mine to judge those outside the church?" (See 1 Corinthians 5:12).

As Christians, we can show the world and the nation how to avoid race riots, anger, violence, and division based on worldly ideas that belong to this world. Abortion and LGBT beliefs and practices belong to this world, and "what business is it of mine to judge those outside the church?" Instead, part of our apologetic is to call Christians to righteousness (preventing moral failures that occur all too often) and showing the world a better way—even if it costs us our lives. Dying at the hands of a godless society may not seem like the "most good." Having candidates and political leaders that promote death or the rejection and suffering of the faithful may not seem like "minimizing evil." However, just as in ancient Rome, we are not called to fix or change the government—although if we can live in a society that allows Christianity to thrive, then yes, let's do so—but instead, we are called to be salt and light. We are in the world but not of the world. Let's represent Christ and be part of the truth, not part of a political solution that will not and cannot last—at best, it's a band-aid on a problem of the heart, not a problem that legislators, executive-branch officials, or courts can ultimately resolve.

Why are People so Evil - Three Biblical Reasons

Why are we so Evil?

My day job was at Howard University. Back in the Summer of 2023, we all received an email note from the Department of Public Safety - the campus police. It included the following:

Two students residing in off-campus housing reported being robbed of wallets and other personal property by a Black male. The suspect is described as 5'5" in height, dark complexioned and wearing a black mask.

The email note then gave guidelines to students, faculty, and staff on how to be safe and hopefully avoid such encounters.  

Howard University is one of the nation's premier historically black colleges and universities (HBCU). Thus, it is highly probable that the two students who were robbed were black. Many call this a black-on-black crime.  If you know me, you know that I am black and I am saddened by what a significant number of young black people in my community are doing with their lives.  I hate the lies from Satan about human sexuality, drinking, and marijuana.  I hate the lack of control surrounding the normal passions of all humans for sex and fun that easily entangle the young (as well as many of the old!).  I am sad by the despair and lostness that many young people - especially young black people, actually endure.  I am also saddened by the lack of knowledge and general ignorance many young black people have about how the world really works. This is true about the young, in general. Oh sure, many understand that the history of slavery, Jim Crow, and racism in our country was evil, but to extrapolate that to hating all white people is ridiculous.  To be sure, many white Americans lack cultural and social awareness about other cultures but it is a logical fallacy to categorically associate racism with all white people, or any given person based on a general lack of cultural and social awareness of Americans.

But I digress...  The question here is why do people treat each other this way?  Why are people so evil?  This black-on-black crime is ridiculous but inevitable. Crime is inevitable.  White-on-White, Asian-on-Asian, Black-on-Black, Hispanic-on-Hispanic, and every permutation you can think of is going to happen.  My atheistic friends have some utopian dream that if they eliminate religion, then they can build a loving and crime-free society.  Sorry, but even in the imaginary future Earth of the world of Star Trek where money is not needed, there are all kinds of crime and evil going on. Not to mention, if the human mind can go awry or be defective, fractured, or broken in some way, just like any other part of the human body, then people hurting each other - purposeful or not - will continue forever! Eugenics for example was (is?) an evil attempt, not to mention ineffective attempt, to remove evil and other "undesired traits" from mankind.  Evil behavior is inevitable and will be with us until Jesus returns.  Why is this so?

Reason 1 - The Fall (Genesis 3)

There are three biblical reasons human beings can hurt each other and act on that capability, often in some really dark and sinister ways.  The first is obvious - mankind fell into sin in the Garden of Eden and was somehow substantially changed by God based on a curse. In addition, because of Adam's sin, Adam and Eve were expelled from the Garden and experienced a separation from God physically and relationally.  As it is written, 

So the Lord God banished him from the Garden of Eden to work the ground from which he had been taken. After he drove the man out, he placed on the east side of the Garden of Eden cherubim and a flaming sword flashing back and forth to guard the way to the tree of life. (Genesis 3:23-24)

The curse (See Genesis 3:16-19) somehow affected Adam and Eve physically (they would now experience death - which, theologically, is a type of separation, their being banished from God's presence was a type of immediate death), but all of creation was also cursed.  As it is written, "Cursed is the ground because of you..."

Reason 2 - Rebellious Watchers Group 1

Most Christians understand Reason 1 as The Fall and tend to see it as the only reason the world has so much crime, evil, pain, and suffering.  However, two more incidents impact humanity's tendency to lean towards darkness.  Reason 2 is the dividing of the nations in Genesis 11 at what is commonly known as the Tower of Babel. It's subtle, but one should remember that the scattering of the nations based on different languages was a curse.  Humanity was arrogantly building this city and this tower/ziggurat to make a name for themselves.  They did NOT want to be scattered over the face of the whole earth (Genesis 11:4) In response to this selfish, ego-driven arrogance, God said the following:

If as one people speaking the same language they have begun to do this, then nothing they plan to do will be impossible for them. Come, let us go down and confuse their language so they will not understand each other. (Genesis 11:7)

Thus, the confusion of the languages and the resulting scattering is also a curse. (By the way, the pronouns in this passage are plural, and so who else God was talking with is debated amongst biblical scholars).  What is NOT explained is that in the ancient Near East and the ancient world in general, "gods" were territorial and so with the scattering, God had assigned spiritual beings to oversee various territories. Many years after this incident, Moses warns Israel not to lift up their eyes to the "gods" in the land they will possess. (Deuteronomy 4:19–20).  In Psalm 82, God judges these other "gods" because they allowed, maybe even encouraged people to worship them and not worship the one true God most High, Yahweh, the creator of heaven, and earth, the creator of people, and the creator of the other spiritual entities. God says that because these beings did not care for the people in their territory, they would "die like mere mortals, ... fall like every other ruler." (Psalm 82:7)

Thus, these other spiritual beings, these "gods" were not doing what they were supposed to do - watch over and care for the people in their territories.  Instead, they wanted to be worshiped as gods, and thus they are being condemned.  This is the second reason the world is filled with pain, suffering and sorrow. And now, onto the third and final reason there is so much evil in the world.

Reason 3 - Rebellious Watchers Group 2

There is one final reason man is violent, hate-filled, evil, and sinful toward each other, robbing, raping, enslaving, and killing each other and constantly having bloody and terrible wars.  That reason is mentioned in Genesis 6:1-8 but it is very strange.  The text explains that the sons of God married the daughters of men who were beautiful and had children who became "the heroes of old, men of renown." (Gen 6:4).  These great heroes and men of renown from the very ancient world - remember, this is before the flood of Noah - were half-breed human and "gods" if you accept that "Sons of God" is a reference to angelic or supernatural beings - and I do.

What is amazing is that there are New Testament references to these sons of God doing this thing - marrying and having children with humans, but it's subtle.  2 Peter 2:4-5 makes a reference to this, as the text sequentially places the "angels when they sinned..." right before the flood.  Jude, likewise refers to "the angels who did not keep their positions of authority but abandoned their proper dwelling..." (Jude 1:6)  Jude goes so far as to actually reference the book of Enoch (Jude 1:14).

1 Enoch, Section II goes into great detail about this situation.  You can download a copy of the text from the website, "https://www.holybooks.com" and read it for yourself here ==> [The Book of Enoch].  Section II starts on page 33 in the PDF.  See chapters 6 through 10 add lots of detail to Genesis 11 and the entire flood story.  In this text, these beings teach women charms and teach men how to make war.  They teach mankind all kinds of things including how to make and wear "bracelets and ornaments, and the use of rouge, and the beautifying of the eye-brows." (1 Enoch 8:1)  Amazing!

Now, as a Christian, I do NOT accept Enoch as God's word, and I'm sure Jude didn't either. But I do think there is something very ancient about the narrative, handed down in writings that we don't have and in oral tradition that we don't have. In addition, there are many things in the Bible that we will simply not fully understand.  However, there are plenty of things that we can understand, including lying, stealing, robbing, cheating, killing and raping is wrong. We can easily understand that showing love, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, and offering grace are all good. We can also know that wisdom must be applied to life because people will take advantage of you if you let them - a reference to the fact - yes, the fact - that human beings can do really evil and terrible things to each other.

Where did Reason 2 and 3 Come from?

These last two theological reasons for pain and suffering, rebellion, crime, hatred and other terrible things - these last two reasons are not talked about in church and are minimized in academic circles. The late Dr. Michael Heiser strongly promoted these other two influences for evil, but many in the academy minimized or even rejected his arguments. Jewish writings from around the year 300 BCE until the time of Christ explained these issues clearly, especially 1st Enoch.  In this text, the first part, the Book of the Watchers, we get detailed explanations of the Genesis 6 narrative.  The Ethiopic Beta Israel community of Haymanot Jews (or simply Beta Israel) accepts this book as canon - to them, it is a part of sacred scriptures.  In addition, The Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church and the Eritrean Orthodox Tewahedo Church also accept 1 Enoch as legitimate scripture.

There are other writings from this same period, specifically, Jubilees where the last part of Jub 4:15 explains that the Watchers were "the angels of the Lord [who] descended on the earth that they should instruct the children of men, and that they should do judgment and uprightness on the earth." However, all the details are in 1 Enoch as referenced above

Human Nature

What do you think? 

Can people ever stop killing each other?

I just watched a TED talk from back in 2013 by a young man named Zack Kopplin.  It was entitled, "The Cost of Teaching Creationism."  There were many comments lauding and praising him as a young person being willing to stand up for what he believed and be an activist against what he considered to be pseudoscience.  I'm confident that he has matured and improved his craft over the past 10 years.  A cursory Google search shows that he went to college and became an activist, promoting science over religion based on a naturalistic (non-supernatural) methodological empiricism approach to life.

He seems to believe that such a stance would be better for mankind. Yet, such a position ignores huge parts of reality and sociological phenomena.  Many people who do not believe in any form of supernatural realities ultimately reducing human beings - by definition - to exceedingly sophisticated biological deterministic machines. I can appreciate such idealism and hope for mankind, but taken to it's logical extreme is dangerous and harmful. In addition, our shared human experienced lives can not function based on this position. 

Historically we have always had wars, muggings, rapes, human trafficking, slavery, and many other dark and terrible activities.  I am an optimist, but I do not think such things will disappear from mankind.  I hate thinking this way but the history of mankind tells me otherwise.  Of course I can not see into the future but I am convinced that we will not stop evil and Kopplin's idealism seems to not take this into account.

You see, Zack and others in his circle would like to discredit (and thereby shut down by lack of support) organizations like the Discovery Institute and right-wing "Christian" churches and or organizations.  To be sure, I too stand opposed to certain "Christian" ideas that strive to philosophically force science and reason into their limited understanding of the Bible in the name of what we call in Christian circles, inerrancy. I can easily argue that ridged young-earth creationism sometimes hurts and not help the cause of the faith community.  Even so, removing or rejecting a worldview that includes the supernatural would make evil worse.

The 20th century is an example of what happens when societies and movements use purely naturalistic approaches to justify programs and solutions to their understanding of human problems and to life itself.  In his book, "The Greatest Show on Earth", Richard Dawkins promotes the idea that we can breed human beings just like we can breed other animals to get better, stronger, and smarter human beings^[1].  That is a very dangerous idea, but logically, there is nothing to morally prevent it if enough people promoted such ideas. Ultimately, if we are exceedingly sophisticated biological deterministic machines, then by nature, we have no intrinsic value.

Promoting such ideas that ultimately eliminate religion from society would likely make the problem of evil get worse, not better. To make the song Imagine by John Lennon a reality would likely require incredible violence and inhumane policies and laws to bring it about and it would not last even one generation. But, as I said, I don't know the future - no one does, but there is no reason why theist and atheist alike can't work together to try to make life better for each other and for our children and grandchildren.

Human nature allows for cognitive dissonance so that the non-theist, the naturalist, the humanist and the atheist can sincerely and authentically embrace morals, goodness, love, and purpose. These values are borrowed from the theist and in Western society, ultimately borrowed from Christianity.  It also allows for the Christian believer to inconstantly practice things that are patently in conflict with a Christian worldview such as human slavery or promoting an immoral political candidate in the name of God as opposed to being prophetic and calling for change. (When key people from the faith community try to hold society accountable, they loose their heads, like John the Baptist, or they get shot, like Marin Luther King, Jr.)

Human nature as understood theologically from a Christian perspective is flawed and damaged because of what we call the fall of mankind.  We do not consider human nature to be natural.  We do not embrace the idea that our psyche was being developed in the Serengeti some 200,000 years ago, in our ancestors learning to avoid the saber tooth tiger while hunting and gathering food, and mating like animals!  For all of recorded and known history of mankind, the conflict that occur between people that often spill blood have required intervention from others to stop.  The intervention is sometimes more violent than the original conflict. 

Without police and without armies, chaos regularly occurs.  When police were removed or ineffective during the  2005 Hurricane Katrina disaster, some people acted out on their selfish, evil desires^[2].  When the riots occurred in 1992 because police officers were acquitted after being charged with excessive force, people lost control^[3]. When the soldiers reached Baghdad in the 2003 Iraqi war looking for weapons of mass destruction, the police were not to be found and the people rioted.  The solders had no training nor instructions on policing^[4].

My point in the three examples above is that, by our nature, we will continue to selfishly do things that hurt each other, often causing death and destruction. Human being are not, by nature, good.  Not to mention that in the West, the definition of good is borrowed from some form of Christianity.  Christians are accused and blamed for terrible things and asked to defend God for not stepping in and preventing such violence^[5].  Even so, the idealism of the young Mr. Kopplin (and I assume and hope he still has) can not account for my premise that human nature will not change.  To attempt to eliminate the bad part of our behavior will require, in my assessment, bad things to happen, just as they did in the 20th century because powerful people brought into an ideal that was impossible to achieve. 

Finally, if persuasion and reason should prevail in convincing people to NOT act on their selfish proclivities but instead to show more altruistic and good behavior, there will still be a need for policing and courts, and laws.  There will still be a need for hospitals and soup kitchens and shelters.  Most utopian ideas would likely become dystopian realities.  I love Star Trek and the idea of the United Federation of Planets, but before the Vulcans and Klingons show up, we first need to figure out how to live with our flawed human nature and figure out how to get along as one species, and live in peace with each other.

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[1] From Chapter 2 of his book, entitled, "DOGS, COWS AND CABBAGES" Dawkins writes, "Political opposition to eugenic breeding of humans sometimes spills over into the almost certainly false assertion that it is impossible. Not only is it immoral, you may hear it said, it wouldn't work. Unfortunately, to say that something is morally wrong, or politically undesirable, is not to say that it wouldn't work. I have no doubt that, if you set your mind to it and had enough time and enough political power, you could breed a race of superior body-builders, or high-jumpers, or shot-putters; pearl fishers, sumo wrestlers, or sprinters; or (I suspect, although now with less confidence because there are no animal precedents) superior musicians, poets, mathematicians or wine-tasters. The reason I am confident about selective breeding for athletic prowess is that the qualities needed are so similar to those that demonstrably work in the breeding of racehorses and carthorses, of greyhounds and sledge dogs. The reason I am still pretty confident about the practical feasibility (though not the moral or political desirability) of selective breeding for mental or otherwise uniquely human traits is that there are so few examples where an attempt at selective breeding in animals has ever failed, even for traits that might have been thought surprising. Who would have thought, for example, that dogs could be bred for sheep-herding skills, or 'pointing', or bull-baiting?"

[2] See NPR story as an example, on some of the violence.  Click here: ==> [Post-Katrina Chaos]

[3] This is where Rodney King asked his famous question, "Why cant we all just get along".  Click here: ==> [1992 Los Angeles Riots]

[4] This Baltimore Sun article explains that a week after US soldiers entered Baghdad in the 2003 war, "...virtually every government ministry here in flames, Baghdad and the entire country were operating essentially without a government, public services or police protection [emphasis mine]."  Click here: ==> [Mayhem is Amok in Baghdad]

[5] This short post does NOT begin to address natural disasters that have often killed thousands.  One of the worse was the Indian Ocean tsunami of 2004 which killed approximately 250,000 people!  Think about it: a quarter of a million souls lost in one disaster!  Where was God is a natural and reasonable question to which Christians,. by definition - if there really is a God - are not able to and logically cannot answer.

War, Life, and Death

I have often stated that I hate this world.  Human beings are really good at treating each other badly. The invasion of Ukraine by Russia is as much an example of this as was the Invasion of Iraq by the US led coalition where over 4,300 civilians died.  So far, in the Ukrainian invasion, just under 500 civilians have lost their lives.  So, as I said, I do not like this world.

Here in the United States, as in other places, people simply live their lives.  The cycles are common.  Parents work hard to raise their families.  Many children grow into a rebellious phase between 13 and 25 years old before merging into the world of working for a living, where they soon become the next set of parents.  People go to college, start businesses, or join the civil service, or simply get a job.  We are entertained by sports and movies and mega stars, while others create art or local music based on their heart, not for fame or wealth. Still, others fight for causes, serve the community, and try to do good.  It's just life - clothes, food, shelter, enjoyment, peace, and the desire to accomplish a few things in life -you know, "do something good, feel something real." 

I'm convinced that what is transcendent about life is derived by an honest study of the Christian Bible.  The perspective and picture of reality one can extract from the four Gospels, the letters and the other accounts recorded therein really do paint a picture of the pain and anguish in this life, with the hope of an eternity that will be much better.  Where there are some good things in life to be sure, the cycle and pattern is consistent, birth, hopefully do many things, and die.  We all - prayerfully - will get 70, 80 or even 100 years on this planet, years filled with ups and downs, joys and sorrows, success and failure.

Atheistic worldview's can't logically anchor any absolutes for many real aspects of this life, including love, family, good, and evil - only that for the betterment of society and to continue our existence, we should care for each other and not try to kill each other... which of course war tries to do!

In fact, I just received a note from a friend who received a text from Ukraine. I have edited this down and removed any identifying information - it was originally translated into English from Russian and I changed it a little more to distance it from the original note the the message is the same:

Good evening, Please pray for us. You can’t imagine what it's like here. Our family is in a church building... By the grace of God we are alive…The city has been wiped off the face of the earth… It is completely destroyed; there is no electricity… there is no gas…. The gas pipeline was blown up.... There is no water….Shops are smashed and looted…Bombs have fallen just a few meters from the church, windows are blown out – but we are alive. … People have nowhere to live… corpses lie in the streets….By God’s grace they fed us twice in the church… Yesterday for the first time during this whole ordeal were able to bathe our children….May the Lord give the rulers wisdom and may they come to an agreement…. We don’t know how long we can live like this…. But God is with us and He is strong.

This is awful - it's terrible.  I have personally never had to endure anything like war where my entire community was physically destroyed.  This is what mankind does to each other!  Yet, notice the faith and hope in the text message.  Sure - my non-believing friends can chalk this up to a survival mechanism, but I think this person's faith is authentic.  This is and example of the transcendent aspects of life that reflect reality, a reality that is derived from the pages of scripture.  This allows you to acknowledge the dark side of reality while hoping for change in this life as well as the next.  To be sure, there is the frustration of wondering "where is God?"  I get that and I do not claim to have any simplistic answers.  As I've said, I am not and have not ever experienced anything like war.

This faith not a belief in some kind of virtual reality, but the actual reality,  the reality of war, life, and death.  Yet, this faith transcends all of this world, ultimately with a hope that goes beyond this life where justice is served perfectly. This faith explains that those who perpetuate the the man-made disasters that result from war will be held accountable; the results of famine, the millions of escaping refugees, the broken and destroyed lives, the billions of dollars of destroyed infrastructure and property. You see, if the God of the Bible does not exists, there is no justice.  As it is written, "If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied." (1 Cor 15:19).

So, if you are reading this and you believe in God at all, then please pray for Ukraine and for Russia.  Pray for the soldiers and the leaders - that they can turn to God and end this war, stop the bloodshed and begin to rebuild.  It's amazing how much can be destroyed in less than two weeks, and yet it takes years to rebuild.  If you have questions about Christianity, feel free to ask in a comment below, or send me a note:  fullerming at gmail dot com. (you have to put it together!)  

The 7 Principles to Avoid Self-Denial

Denial

 D.E.N.I.A.L  -  Don't Even kNow I Am Lying

Whan a person repeatedly commits sin against God, the cognitive dissidence it created in their mind and heart forces them to resolve it by denying reality.  I have, in the past spoke with a person I care about deeply who has left his spouse after repeatedly committing adulty and is trying to survive financially and emotionally.  The pain this person (I will not tell you if it a woman or a man, nor how long ago) has endured so far is self-inflicted.  Yet the justification for the decisions are incredible.

It is not the first person I have talked with who has done similar things.  When a person is in pain or dealing with the challenges of life and relationships, especially where intimacy is involved, they will lie, cheat, and steal to get what they THINK they want.  Often, when sex is involved, the feelings of intimacy deceptively run so strong and so deep that the self-deception is impossible for them to see.

The principles in the Bible are clear.  The prophet has said it plainly - "God hates divorce" and Jesus also stated the point without ambiguity quoting Genesis and saying, "A man shall leave his father and mother and cling to his wife and the two shall become one flesh" and he said, "whoever divorces his wife for any reason except sexual immorality causes her to commit adultery; and whoever marries a woman who is divorced commits adultery.”  And again, the Bible states in the inspired writings of Paul, "husbands, love your wives as Christ loved the church...."  Elsewhere it says, "The marriage bed should be kept pure." You can look these up in your own Bible or just search online - these are easy enough to fine.  

The principles are clear - a man who claims to follow God must learn to love his wife, no matter what.  Unless the wife is attempting to kill you, a man must learn to love her.  There are similar principles regarding a wife loving and staying faithful to her husband.  It is not easy - it is hard work and because all of us have a fallen, sinful nature, then unless you intentionally work on staying married, most people will drift apart and then end up hurting each other deeply and then getting a divorce. 

Although I'm focusing on marriage (because the person I'm thinking about is dealing with a failed marriage), the denial principle is true anytime people embrace some kind of sinful, ungodly practice.  It could be drinking, drugs, money, power, or fun - but usually, sex and relationships are involved.  The passions and desires take over, and we embrace something that makes us feel good (or that we think will make us feel good or make us happy) and we look for ways to justify it.  Anything we want as human being can easily take control and we will justify it and not know we are lying to ourselves.  

What is amazing today is how society will support our justification, especially when it

aligns with the fun and feelings that others also happily embrace. 

The part of this that I really don't like is how easily I myself can fall into the denial principle.  As Woody Allen put it, "the heart wants what the heart wants."  Logic and self-control go out the window and we look for ways to justify what we actually want.  It's amazing just how consistent this principle is. 

What, then are the 7 Principles to deal with this problem?

1.  Accept that You are Vulnerable

Accept that you can easily be led down the primrose path of being self-deceived.  No one is immune.  If you are human, you can experience a series of events over time that will cause to unconsciously start to deceive yourself.  Anyone deprived of food and sleep - unless they are really, really disciplined - can fall into being self-deceived to do something you currently think is unthinkable. It could be a little lie or a major crime or anyting in between - we can all fall.  If you accept that you can fall into some unthinkable behavior, then you are more likely to protect yourself and guard yourself so that you do not. 

2.  Surround Yourself with Like Minded People

For Christians, this should be the church, but you have to go all-in and build the friendships and relationships with people who are like-minded.  That is, if you don't want to fall into becoming an alcoholic or illegal drug user, then associate with people who also think it's really bad to be an alcoholic or an illegal drug user.  this doesn't have to be some arrogant, self-righteous effort.  do this, indirectly, keeping the intentional effort to yourself.  Don't boast about it, just do it. Over time, your closest friendships might change, but this priactice will definitely help you avoid falling into some behavior that you will regret or would really hurt you in the end.  

3.  Have Accountability in Friendships

Related to #2, you need one or two really good friends who share your values - i.e., are like minded but will actually confront you if you start to slip.  You see, we naturally get defensive, so it needs to be intentional, and you need to overtly give permission for this friend or these friends to tell you all about yourself.  Do this on purpose, not indirectly like #2 but directly and overtly with the person.  Have a conversation with them about what you need with regard to staying on the straight and narrow that you want to say on.

4.  Work on your Skills

If you never want to fall asleep driving, become a better driver and don't drive when tired.  If you want to not cheat on your spouse, then work on your marriage and learn how to be a better spouse.  If you want to not lie to yourself about why you got fired, then work on the skills be a great employee - both the technical skills required to do the job, and the soft, people/relational skills required to deal with the ups and downs of a job.  When you develop yourself, you become stronger so that when the temptation to lie, cheat, or steal shows up, you will not as easily give into the pressure.

5.  Take care of yourself physically

Eat right, stay fit, and get enough sleep.  We often give into the pressure of compromise that leads down the slippery slope of falling into some behavior we don't want when we are hungry, tired, or sickly.  Of course, you may have a chronic condition that you may have to manage your entire life.  If so, then manage it - do what you need to do to stay healthy.  Temptation is much easier to resist when we are physically strong. 

6. Develop Your overall Psychological Skills

 Similar to #5, you should also take care of yourself mentally.  That is, constantly grow and develop your psychological strength so that you are a mentally strong person.  Do this by reading good books on self-development.  Learn to deal with difficulties.  Develop your leadership skills.  Learn to care for other people.  From a Christian perspective, always read books and watch videos on how to become more like Jesus - to love others and to appropriately sacrifice for others.  Self-development helps you deal with the inevitable ups and downs of life.  Accidents happen, people die, companies go out of business, natural disasters occur.  If you grow in your ability to manage such things, you will be less likely to fall into some unwanted behavior due to the pressures of life. 

7.  Anchor on eternal principles of truth

This last one is both spiritual but also grounded in reality.  Appropriate love is right, inappropriate hatred is wrong.  Giving is right, stealing is wrong.  Telling the truth is right, lying is wrong.  loving your spouse is right, fighting all the time and eventually and getting a divorce is wrong.  Accepting yourself as you are physically is good and right, but hating your physical self is not good.  Healthy biological functions are right, denying such functions is not healthy - ask any doctor!  There are several values and issues of character that are, on a spiritual level, as true and as real as physical facts are.  Just like 2 + 2 = 4, it is a law that you reap what you sow.  It is a law that you love and respect your parents.  It is a law - an absolute principle of truth that you should appropriately submit to authority.  I have used the word appropriately several times and I don't have time to define what that looks like in the various points listed above.  Just know that there are universal absolutes with regard to values and morals.  As a Christian, these can be derived from principles in the New Testament. 

So, if you practice these 7 principles, you are less likely to end up in jail or dead or divorced or broke or homeless.  You will not fall into some undesirable behavior where in the end, it ends in pain for you, your family, or for society.  

Let me know what you think!  I look forward to feedback!    

Five Reasons a Black Santa Doesn’t Matter

 Five Reasons a Black Santa Doesn’t Matter

by Fuller Ming

Today, many people in my own black American heritage are obsessed with having a Black Santa.  Granted, Jesus is not white - he was a Middle-Eastern Semetic, a Jewish man. Many years ago, an Asian Santa visited George Takei in his internment camp when he was a child.  (Of course, the Japanese Internment Camps of WW2 is yet another example of how horrible human beings can be to each other… but I digress. ) The Asian Santa was indeed indicative of where US culture in general was headed. Thus, it isn’t just my black American heritage that changes the ethnicity of Santa. 

This ethnic fluidity is a form of relativism. Today, we are ALL culturally surrounded by symbols and ideas of moral and historical relativity, postmodernism, some of which are simply illogical.  I’ll write about these things later.

But back to the question - does having a Black Santa really matter?  Is there an official canon of Santa lore that if you break, you will be outcast by society or – as many say, you will be cancelled!  Here are five reasons it really doesn’t matter:

#1 The Real Saint Nicholas was from Turkey

A case could be made that Jolly Old Saint Nicholas is indeed modeled after or

inspired by Nicholas of Myra. If so, then it really doesn't hurt to build the fictional Santa on the scaffolding of the real Nicholas, Bishop of Myra from the 3rd Century AD. Although Nicholas of Myra might be bothered a little, it really doesn't matter.

Regarding ethnicity, since Myra is in southern Turkey, then he was a Euro-Asian man with almond shaped eyes, with a slight “yellow/olive” complexion.  So, link Santa to the good bishop - ethnically speaking, and call it a day!  People in Southern Turkey from 1st century Rome were of a similar ethnicity. Even people in the Bible had this ethnicity since biblical Ephesus is in Western Turkey.  If you want, go ahead and add the fantasy of the North Pole and a host of multiethnic elves to deal with our desired cultural diversity issues.

#2 Santa is Secular not Religious

Because the Roman Catholic church did such a great job at making the Mass of Christ a world-wide part of the official liturgical calendar, Christmas became universal. This is why St Nicholas is so well known.  Yet, today, this guy is mostly a secular non-religious figure, 

especially in the United States. Therefore, it really doesn't matter how he is portrayed.  It was the 1827 (or 1823) poem, A Visit from St. Nicholas, better know as “Twas the Night Before Christmas by Clement Moore that really defines this non-religious Santa.

Another non-religious celebration that factors into our view of Santa is The Dutch Sinterklaas.  The name is clear, but the secular nature is not as clear.  The focus of the Dutch Sinterklaas, with his black/Moore helper Zwarte Piet, often portrayed with blackface by white Dutch people, is all about secular celebrations today.  As one site explains, “Many of today’s traditions…came from a book written by teacher Jan Schenkman in 1850 and the real commercialization of Sinterklaas began in the 1930s”[1]

Then, in the United States, the claymation stop-motion movies and films from the 1960’s

helped to solidify the secular notion of Santa.  Three movies really made Christmas a secular holiday: (1) Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer (1964), by Videocraft International, Ltd.. later known as Rankin/Bass Productions, (2) Santa Clause is Coming to Town (1970), by Rankin/Bass, and (3) my favorite because of the Miser brothers, The Year Without a Santa Clause (1974) by Rankin/Bass.

#3 Santa Clause is Pure Fiction

Another worldwide image of Santa Clause is Father Christmas. Before Santa was associated with giving toys to children, Father Christmas was purely symbolic and focused on the spirit of the life of the party for adults.   “Father Christmas was a strictly allegorical figure. He was a symbol of the Christmas season, rather than a mythical being.” [2] 

This image is pure fiction, made up to personify Christmas in England in the Middle Ages.  The image is as a merry old man who presided over Christmas parties!  The image and the parties had an “emphasis on entertainment for adults”[3] which included large amounts of alcohol!

So, since the secular Santa was invented – a made up character and Father Christmas is made up, there is no reason to be upset over this character being white, black, Asian, or African.  Santa Clause is pure fiction and so it really doesn’t matter what ethnicity he has.

#4 There is Value in Esteem-Building Fiction

A new children's book, entitled “The Real Santa” by Nancy Redd addresses the desire for many black families for a Black Santa – or at least a way to definitely relate to Santa.  The book provides a narrative about Christmas, traditions, family, and love.  Why then couldn’t the magic of Santa have him appear to each family differently, as part of their ethnicity and heritage? Any magical power that allows a man to fly all over the world in one night and deliver gifts to the children of the world could easily and magically change his ethnicity.  

The author, Ms. Nancy Redd, the beautiful 2003 Miss Virginia and in the top 10 for Miss America that same year, is trying to make a point.  That point is based on the cultural trends and value needed in the black community in the US.  On one level, I am 100% with her in spirit and would encourage you to buy her book and read it with your children.

Redd’s passion for the black community and black families in America is important.  Many people struggle with identity issues and even beauty queens struggle with looks, body image, and all other things human.  Redd even wrote a book about body-image issues for young girls.  Body-image issues are evil and IMHO from demons and such issues have haunted and impacted so many young women regardless of their ethnicity!

Therefore, the idea of building a child’s esteem using fiction has some merit.  Mattel the toy company does this by having Barbie be a doctor, an engineer, or a business leader.  Mattel added friends for Ken and Barbie from other ethnicities, and they eventually created black Barbie dolls.  Granted, it took until 1980 for the first black Barbie doll to appear but hey, it happened and had tremendous cultural impact[4].

#5 Symbolic Truth is not Real Truth

Practically, I would not want to bend over backwards to help my own grandchild feel comfortable with a Black Santa or to avoid a White one. I would rather expose my granddaughter to Black engineers, Black business leaders, Black authors (like my wife!) and Black scholars in a world of diversity.

I think a diversity based in reality is more impactful.  I would like a diversity built on overcoming the sinful prejudice of reality with skills, hard work, and determination - something I wish I was better able to give my own kids when they were growing up.

Even so, like self-image and body issues, learning to relate to and thrive in this 21st century culture as a black person is important. Yet, for me, since my overall goal in the latter half of my life is to promote the truth of God, then I pray that God can use the "lovey dust" of Nancy Redd and anyone else to spark conversations about truth.

The fact is, Symbolic Truth is not Real Truth.  What I mean is this:  although values are real and symbols can be used to teach values, if there is no absolute referent for the symbol, it is not metaphysically real.  That is, the value may be good to have, but it is being taught based on an individual's feelings, wants, desires, and personal beliefs. The symbol is made up to teach a value but since the symbol is made up, the value being taught doesn't have an absolute anchor, so it can and will change over time.  This is what makes morals and values relative and culturally based.  Many use the word "truth" in this way, speaking of a person living "their truth." But Real Truth - the way I'm defining it, cannot belong to one person.  Like physics and chemistry, God's ethical and moral principles are absolutely true, regardless of my feelings because the referent is absolute.  Such values do not change.

Even so, Redd’s book about The Real Santa can create opportunities for conversations that can touch on the Real Truth - Jesus Christ and him crucified and all the implications that must follow.  After all, Jesus' birth is the narrative of the holiday season and Bishop Nicholas was a preacher of the Gospel before most of Christianity morphed into the Holy Roman Empire in the 5th century.

______________________________

[1] Dutch News . (2015, November 30). Ten things you need to know to celebrate sinterklaas. DutchNews.nl. Retrieved December 24, 2021, from https://www.dutchnews.nl/features/2015/11/ten-things-you-need-to-know-to-celebrate-sinterklaas/

[2] Moriarty, Tom (2021),  “The English Origins of Father Christmas”, online at https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/christmas/the-history-of-father-christmas/

[3] ibid

[4] Finnegan, S. (2021, April 1). Groundbreaking glamor: 40 years ago, the first black barbie debuted: Dolls Magazine. Groundbreaking Glamor: 40 Years Ago, The First Black Barbie Bebuted. Retrieved December 24, 2021, from https://dollsmagazine.com/groundbreaking-glamor-40-years-ago-the-first-black-barbie-debuted/  

The Life & Death Potential of Philosophies

I am amazed at how ideas can bring about bloodshed and death.  Today, here in the United States, a handful of people are reacting to ideas and philosophies of which they are not fully conscious.  Most American people - Black American (like me), White American (like one of my best friends), Hispanic American (like a young man I mentor), Asian

American (like several of my co-workers and friends in my church), are functionally moderate in their political and philosophical positions.  Many are not aware of the underlying values that drive them.

Regardless, most Americans - although unaware of their own inner guiding principles - do NOT want death, violence, or destruction.  They also WANT... desperately want to believe that they themselves believe that all people are equal.  Read that again.  They desperately want to believe that they themselves believe that all people are equal.  A simple way of stating this is to say, "I am not a racist!"  This is especially a problem for White Americans because of the history of this country.

Those on the RIGHT are pushing hard to acknowledge progress in the area of racial relations in the United States. They focus on progress that emphasizes that slavery and legal Jim Crow laws no longer exists. Gone are the days the first white settlers had black or indigenous people as slaves (around AD 1619). We have abolished laws that forbid interracial marriages and force segregation (note the years AD 1964 to end segregation and AD 1967 to end laws against interracial marriage).  But I ask - why emphasize something that can't be legislated - the change in the hearts of men?  Such philosophies and ideas that allowed for such laws were realized during our lifetimes (Adults who saw such laws are now in their 70's as of this writing.)  I am no sociologist, but what does it take to change a society and move them away from such long lasting philosophical ideas that was the underpinnings for murder, violence, hatred, bigotry, prejudice, and the like?  Such things cannot be simply erased easily, thus there are many today who reject the extreme RIGHT and rightfully recognize systemic inequities.

Which leads me to those on the LEFT.  These people accept a broad, utopian philosophical foundation that ignores certain realities such as human sexuality (we are - by definition, binary) and certain economic realities (certain people will always be super wealthy).  The rhetoric of the LEFT accuses those on the RIGHT of almost being inhuman - they are not "Woke" and maybe not unconsciously ignorant, but purposely and inherently racist! But I ask - why emphasize something that is logically impossible?  Statistically (and I am not yet a researcher who appropriately understands statistics and how to use them...), it is not likely that most White people inherently hate black people!  The riots and marches of the last 6 months seem to show the plausibility of what I have written.  Such accusations cannot be simply accepted as uncontested facts uncritically applied to President Trump and millions of other White Americans.

What then shall we do?  How do we speak truth to power that really is TRUTH and not just my truth or your truth?  There are indeed ABSOLUTES within the broad context of human life and civilization on this planet.  A context that spans about 9,000 years of known human history, verified by archeologist and anthropologist on the RIGHT and the LEFT!  What then is the foundation for such a philosophical claim?  I am a Christian, and thus, I have a comprehensive Christian worldview.  This view ignores the RIGHT and the LEFT and seeks to promote real biblical TRUTH.  My philosophical claim is this:  An authentic Christian worldview is NOT trying to make America into a great nation by promoting conservative values NOR by fighting for social equality and what is known as social justice.

The TRUTH of the gospel of Jesus Christ existed before the United States and will exist after we are all dead, IF, one of the major elements of such a worldview remains unrealized -that is the hope in the resurrection and the return of Christ.  An authentic, orthodox, Christian Worldview will instill compassion and equality, love and justice - tempered with mercy.  This worldview when internalized, will  place such ideas in the hearts of her adherents.  When a person is converted to Christ, these ideas must take over - not the nationalism or the tribalism that permeates our current culture as Americans.   Sure, go out and vote.  Write to your congressman and congresswoman.  Take a job as a civil servant and even run and be elected. However, if an authentic Christian worldview is the underpinning philosophy of your heart, then politically you will probably appear moderate on most things, possibly extreme on a few, and yet, always loving, honest, and courageous.  Of course, this ideal picture assumes a level of spiritual and emotional maturity that also springs from a Christian worldview..

But let me get back to the common, moderate, American citizen and finalize my entry.  Most people, as I stated earlier, do not want the extreme.  The bloodshed and rioting is not desired but neither do they want the socio-economic inequities that exists and are very real! Sure, there has been progress over the last 155 years since the civil war, but there are very real and very unequal issues in this society that statistically are divided across ethnic, social, and economic lines.  For the LEFT or the RIGHT to deny such is to deny reality.

How then can the masses live, promoting a moderate stance that avoids extremes? I don't know!

Just today I saw two people argue over something as trivial as giving and getting directions - and these were two black folk!  Yet, they simply wanted to live in peace, going on with their simple, everyday lives! 

How do we promote peace and avoid extremes in America? I really don't know.  However, I do know that if one person turns to God and begins to grow and develops an authentic Christian worldview as their underlying philosophical foundation it will help. Even if they are not aware of philosophy, this changed person can lead a life that will help, serve, and love other people regardless of who that other person is or what that other person believes.  Jesus loved the sinner, even as he did not promote or encourage sinful ideas or behavior.  Wow!  We need more people like that!