CHRISTIAN NEWS MAGAZINE FOR KERALA MALAYALEE CHRISTIANS FROM INDIA AROUND THE WORLD
October 1-31, 2002 ARCHIVE
Vol:2Issue:15
COVER MESSAGE


DO YOU SPEAK THIS ONLY TO US OR TO ALL??

By JACOB YESUDASAN - NEDUMONCAVU

When the heart searching scripture verses are real and heard of, we do not hesitate to console ourselves that 'it is not concerning me, it relates to the life of others' Those who found vigilant in the second and third watches are blessed, as many may miss the forth watch, that is the old age.


"Then Peter said to him, Lord do you speak
this parable only to us or to all people"(Luk.12.41)

Gist of the parable: Like the servants who are destined to be awaken and vigilant to receive the master, who may return at unexpected hour, "you should be ready for the son of man is coming at an hour you do not expect."(Luk.12.40)

Peter's doubt : Who should keep vigil? We the twelve or rest of all whom are assembled here? What was Peter thinking when he asked this question ? He might have lighten of the following two thought in his mind:

'This indeed, is not to us because we are his disciples, friends, brothers, Apostles summoned apart and fellow travelers, who do not need a separate preparedness and who are always prepared'

'This is only to us others have no concern with it as they are not disciples, not apostles, not his brother, not his follow travelers not even summoned. There for the question of vigil does not arise of them. They cannot always be prepared and cannot keep vigil. Therefore, it is not concerning them'

Peter was surely influenced by one of these thoughts, but cannot certainly say which was. But Jesus explanations in verses 47 and 48 reveal that both these are not correct.

"And that servant who knew his master's will and did not prepare himself or do according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes. But he who did not know, yet committed things worthy of stripes, shall he beaten with few. For every one to him much is given, from him much will be required: and to whom much has been committed, of him they will ask the more"

Peter's thought and question relevant to and representative of us the traditional Christians. When the heart searching scripture verses are real and heard of, we do not hesitate to console ourselves that 'it is not concerning me, it relates to the life of others'. Similarly, we turn our deaf ears to heart searching preaching sermons of many. We are capable of certifying that the sermon was Good or bad the preaching was marvelous, or feeble; but we do not have the mind to realize that the spoken words are to us. We even go a step ahead of Peter, as Pharisees and Scribes who said of Jesus that He was carpenter the son of Joseph and Mary of Nazareth from where no good would ever come. Similarly, we might say, I know this man preaching, he is from such and such place and family who has no much education, not even studied in a Seminary. Few years' back he was leading a shameful life, now coming to preach. But you do not know that God had chosen him and put before your eyes as a witness. You are not hearing his voice but His. That voice is indeed, to you, you should know.

"And if he should come in the second watch, or come in the third watch, and find them so, blessed are those servants"(Verse 38)

As the night watches are divided four, the life of man is also divided into four stages- the childhood, teenage, youth and old age. Childhood and youth are the periods of activities, of challenge, of struggle and of strength. These are the second and third watches of life. There are many who pass away without seeing the forth watch, the old age. That is why Jesus said that those who found vigilant in the second and third watches are blessed.

"Therefore you also be ready for the son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect"(verse 40)

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ARTICLE 1


ANTICHRIST

By E.S.JOHN AUSTRALIA

The human history depicts the duel fight between God (good) and the devil (evil), eventuating in the off and on triumph of God over the devil. Anyone who doesn't accept whole-heartedly the Incarnation of the Son of God in the flesh is the true antichrist.

God's vow to subjugate the beast that ravaged His angelic creatures (Adam and Eve) is the beginning of man's history (his STORY). The human history depicts the duel fight between God (good) and the devil (evil), eventuating in the off and on triumph of God over the devil. He promised that He would restore man by taking His birth as Prajapathy, as stated in the Indian epics the King of the people (Jesus) and redeem him at the time when the humanity would be preyed upon by the wicked spirit of His enemy, the antichrist. In order to destroy the earthly edifice and the fortress of his archenemy Janardana (redeemer) will come down with His heavenly hosts and take His faithful believers to heaven by crushing down the strongholds of the son of perdition. Contrary to the mission of the redemption of the Word Incarnate a doom incarnate will have to appear on the world stage at the close of the age.

The spirit of antichrist has been at work in different forms and ways for a long time. "........every spirit which confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God, and every spirit which does not confess that Jesus is not of God is the spirit of antichrist....and now it is in the world".(1Jn 4:2-3). "This is the antichrist, he who denies the Father and the Son...."(1 Jn 2:22-23). Whoever believes in the Father and the Son and rejects the false prophets believes in the Holy Trinity (Father, Son and the Holy Spirit). "By this you know the Spirit of God" (1 Jn 4:2. .....as you have heard that antichrist is coming, so now many antichrists have come; therefore we know that it is the last hour."(1 Jn 2:18)). We are in the last hour of the terrestrial time, not of the celestial one. Anyone who doesn't accept whole-heartedly the Incarnation of the Son of God in the flesh is the true antichrist. In a nutshell, an antichrist is the one who doesn't believe in the Creator, the Redeemer and the Comforter and their unique work in the celestial and terrestrial planes (Church). It is not the acceptance of the existence of God that even the devil also believes (Jas. 2:19) is not faith but believing and doing the work of God is real faith.

THE PRIDE OF LIFE:
Another law has been working silently before the creation of man. That is of the Devil's work. "He who commits sin is of the devil; for the devil has sinned from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil". (1 Jn 3:8). "For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the pride of life, is not of the Father but is of the world". (1 Jn 2: 16-17). Jesus finger points him as the ruler of this world". (Jn 16:17), or "the son of perdition" (Jn 17:12), who betrayed him to be crucified. Like Judas, a prince of perdition will appear on the world stage at the consummation of the time, so as to execute the pernicious vices of the ruler of the world, to do havoc in the church, which is brooded over by the Holy Spirit, the third person of the Holy Trinity. (2 Thess.2:3-8). As God has a throne in Heaven, the trinity of the devil consisting of the beast, the dragon and the false prophet (Rev. 16:13) has a place in the Hades. God gives the evil trinity with the authority of devastating upon the earth and its inhabitants for a total of seven years (Rev.13). He will establish a new heaven and a new earth here with the help of technology. He will imprint the technological no.666 upon the wrist or forehead of his followers. (Rev. 13:13).

We are wading through a period of the emergence of the beast from the Hades. The cold-blooded butchery, assassinations, plagues, cataclysms are his weapons by which he multiplies the manpower for his labour on the plane of the global inferno. He wants to show that God has no more a place on this earth (Lk. 19:14). The perilous journey of the faithful will be a disaster as the whole world engulfs by the fire of Satan (Eph. 6:11-12). The family and social life is saturated with the sulphurous odour of the lake of fire; the holy institutions as a result have become the remote control stations of the abysmal filth and pandemonium. "Suing the Pope" for sex scandals and pedophile assaults and the laughable compensations have demoralized the Western world and their holy institutions. An exodus of believers into the pagan culture is a pompous and heralding welcome to the surfacing nether world ape. This is the likely flickering flame of the church as every church and parish is divided within itself by the internal feud and incendiarism. A truly repenting soul is least likely to be seen neither on the pulpit nor in the pews. There is a tendency for every one to fight with wicked fists and legal rights (Ps. 14), deserting the ways of Jesus' love and forgiveness. The poor widow's two pence is replaced with fund raisings and cultural shows, so that our own money may rest in peace, awakening with the surge of higher multiple interests.

DEMONOCRAZY:
We have apparently surpassed the barriers of political carnivorousness, which made us land in the barren open space of religious fermentation and fomentation. Democracy has very lately been cradling and cajoling demonocrazy (craziness of demons). We have lined up behind two political objectives: religious terrorism and counter-religious terrorism by using the same type of weapons of mass destruction. All that we have been cherishing, aspiring and worshipping have ended up in mere delusions and hallucinations. The omnivorous taste of the forbidden fruit has degenerated man as a synonym of the carnivorous beast of the infernal one (Jn 8: 23,44), giving way to the man of lawlessness, the son of perdition, to take his seat in the temple of God (2.Thes:2: 3-4)." His power shall be great, and he shall cause fearful destruction.... he shall be broken" (Dan.8:24-25)). The worldwide terrorist organizations are working now in tune with this prophecy; they will certainly take hold of the reins of this world within a short time. Just like technology has boomed up and exploded within no time, the man of lawlessness will also come to the surface all of a sudden and rewrite the world order with the use of the same technology. The emergence of the son of perdition from beneath heralds the descent of the Son of Man from Above. Could it happen around 2006 or 2007 AD? To ponder over the future events portrayed in the bible, read my book: "The Abomination of Desolation" (13 volumes).

"As were the days of Noah, so will be the coming of the Son of man...." (Mt.24: 37-50). The pedestrian theologians and the mediocre simpletons are taking it as a joke to pervert the innocent ones, saying that the mentally derailed ones are fishing more people into their net with a myth (second coming) that has been prevailing since the time of the Apostles. What happened so far! Nothing! Such hypocrites make wanton propaganda, stating that these are all jargons of the psychologically derailed derelicts. They live in their own sterile world of materialistic sophistication; their imagination can't be stretched beyond the horizon of stereotyped jokes and Machiavellian villainy. They ride on the wings of consumerism and market economy, fleeing into the fleeting pleasures of their own body lust. Every body tastes the forbidden fruits of Satan's garden of scientific inventions and technological miracles. If technology and its bi-product of mental and ecological pollution globalizes in arithmetic progression, sins and vices are universalized in geometrical progression. Thus it seems that sin is immortalized forever. While a minority is reaping and harvesting the evanescent material pleasures, their majority victims are sunk in a sea of inexplicable afflictions and agonies of various types.

Taking into account the cold-blooded tyranny and massacres inflicted upon the helpless Cambodians, Rwandans, El Salvadorians, and Afghans, Argentineans, Peruvians, and the like for the last three decades alone, how many other millions are thrown into oblivion by their own savage rulers in other parts of the world. Are the moral imbeciles of the modern AID virus age more civilized than the Niphilim (Ge.6:5) of the monolithic age? Just as the innocent lads butchered by king Herod were the harbingers of Jesus' first coming, do the innocent and hapless annihilated people, irrespective of their age and gender, of the modern stone age herald His second coming? How many more are yet to pass through the future enormous engulfing fire and water before His second descent? The glory and glamour of Satan's new heaven and new earth is at the expense of the innocent victims of the abysmal era. Do such things open our eyes? The majority of us are like the Pharisees, Sadducees and zealots, scoffing and jeering at the Saviour's second coming. The concubine servitude of the church adds another dimension to the nocturnal exhilaration of national and international terrorist rulers.

SEVEN PLAGUES:
These moral idiots of the present age cannot comprehend that a great cataclysmic disaster can hit the globe at any time, like the great deluge of Noah's time. Even one plague (whatever it may be), weapons of mass destruction or natural and catastrophic cataclysms, can create great havoc for human race. What about the effects of these seven plagues (Rev. 15-16)? The disastrous peril of the twin towers in New York on 11-9-02 is only a prelude of a series of upheavals that can swallow the whole world in different parts and different forms in the years to come. If three plagues can exterminate a third of mankind (Rev.9:18) within a short period of time, it doesn't take much time to annihilate the two thirds of (Zech.13:8) humanity by seven plagues. Dropping these weapons of mass destruction in a mass scale at any time in different places for the extirpation of mankind can multiply our woes and miseries, which may invite the Lord to come and collect His Elects of the Spirit (1 Thes.5:2). Don't try to build huge earthly castles on the bubbles of hope.

These types of writings are done at a great cost. One whose inner eye is not opened cannot comprehend the vicissitudes of life activities. Even my own near and dear ones are drifted away from the true faith by experiencing my own miseries inflicted by religious fanatics and profligates of various orders. The purity of the church and the excellence of character of people is torpedoed by the banal pleasures and superficialities of life. Cosmetic surface is paradise. It seems that the inner eye,which gives solace and tranquility is almost dead and the difference between good and evil is only a thin unrecognizable line. (2.Tim.3:1-5). "Do you not yet perceive or understand? Are your hearts hardened? Having eyes do you not see, and having ears do you not hear? And do you not remember?" (Mk.8:17-18). "You cannot interpret the signs of the times". (Mt.16:3). "What fools these mortals be!" (Shakespeare).

The death of the inner senses of the unrepentant man creates a veritable hell, which drags him towards antichrist and drives himself away from the eternal celestial bliss of Paradise. The awesome task of Prajapathy and Janardana in trampling over the beast and the dragon (the spirit of antichrist) that vanquished the first parents culminates in Jesus Christ.

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ARTICLE 2


UNTO THE HILLS

By PHILIPOSE VAIDYAN

"Let hope be not quenched in the blackness of night. Though the cyclone awhile may have blotted the light, For behind the great darkness the stars ever shine, And the light of God's heavens, His love shall make thine, Let no gloom dim thine eyes, but uplift them on high To the face of the God and the blue of His sky".

Times are there when light may be blotted for a while by the storm, but even then the stars shine behind that darkness. Likewise even at the time of your great distress, God is in His heavens. Therefore, instead of allowing gloominess in your life, uplift your eyes to God on high. "I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. My help cometh from the LORD which made heaven and earth" (Ps. 121:1-2) There is an exhibit in the space Museum in Washington, D. C., which gives an estimate of the number of stars in the universe. There are one hundred billion galaxies, and each galaxy has in it a cluster of one hundred billion stars.

Altogether there are ten thousand quintillion stars!. This number is so large that in order to write it, ten is to be followed by twenty-one zeros, and in Malayalam the number is pathu kodi kodi kodi. God not only created all these stars but calls each of them by its name!. For He says; "Lift up your eyes on high, and behold who hath created these things, that bringeth out their host by number: he calleth them all by names by the greatness of his might, for that he is strong in power; not one faileth" (Is. 40:26). It is from the Lord who created all these stars and more, my help cometh. In apollo 15 Col. James B. Irwin landed the moon in 1971. He visited India in 1985 and then he stated in a public meeting that, although the Hardley and Apennine Mountains of the moon were really beautiful, it was some other hills that attracted his attention there. Those were the hills about which the Psalmist had written: "I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills". Showing samples of rock from the moon, he then told the gathering, "I am no more interested in these lifeless rocks, but only in the Living Rock, that is Jesus Christ". He also stated, "How much more wonderful is the fact that God almost 2000 years ago, did walk on the earth, than the fact that man walked on the moon!"

In an address given to Christian friends after his ninetieth birthday, George Mueller spoke thus: "I can say from my heart, God is an infinitely lovely being. Oh, be not satisfied until in your own inmost soul you can say, God is an infinitely lovely Being!". And God is indeed love (1 John 4:8,16). Time may come when nothing to lean on: strongholds may then crumble to dust ; and we may be sure of nothing. But since our God of love is still in his throne, that is just the time when we can trust Him. "Not by measuring the waves can we prevail; not by gauging the wind will we grow strong; to scan the danger may be to fall before it; to pause at the difficulties, is to have them break over our head. We must lift up our eyes unto the Hills, and go forward". Let the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with us to make us more than conquerors in all circumstances. Amen

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ARTICLE 3


CURRENT EVENTS IN BIBLE PROPHECY

By MATHEW VARGHESE, BRAMPTON, ONTARAIO, CANADA

O Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into the sky ? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in just the same way as you have watched Him go into heaven.

The sequence of events to be happen is the Church is ruptured, the judgment seat of Christ occurs, and crowns are given. Then we see Him for all that He is. We take our crowns and throw them at His feet. Christ then comes and take the scroll and open the first seal, and the antichrist comes forth. When the antichrist comes, he will make a treaty with Israel. Until the treaty is made, the Tribulation cannot begin. The treaty cannot be made until the antichrist is released. In chapter 4 of Revelation, we find that the Church has been ruptured. Rev.6 through 19 is really the record of events that occur on the earth during the Tribulation period of time. These events begin when the antichrist comes with a peace treaty for Israel.

The peace treaty will be in effect for seven years and will actually introduce the greatest time of destruction known to man. The death count in that period will be over 50% of the entire world. The Bible also says that five sixths of the Russian Army will be defeated. Two thirds of the nation of Israel will be defeated. A huge army of 200 million men coming from the East (perhaps from China) will be destroyed. One fourth of the world will die of famine; one third of the people will be scorched with fire. But the Bible says that it is not necessary for anyone to go through the Tribulation. In order to escape the Tribulation, one simply receives Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord of our lives. Have you received Him? Israel would come alive again. The Bible says it would become a nation of great interest in the last days. It would have a great army. It would not be two nations (Judah and Israel), but just one Israel. After Israel comes back the throne of David would be established.

Gentiles would no longer control Jerusalem, but it would be restored to the Jews. The Bible says that Russia would be a powerful nation. In the last days there would be tremendous changes in transportation and technology. What the Bible says is true. We have witnessed all these things. There will be false religious system, a last political system and a last economic condition. Current conditions of this world are so closely resembled what the Bible describes and we must realize the coming of Christ has to be very near. There are many signs of Tribulation, yet to be happening. The sign of Israel, the sign of Russia, the sign of oil in Asher, the sign of looking for the pot of ashes of the red heifer, the sign of technology advancement and the sign of travel. I am afraid that I am taking too much space for explaining the Lord's coming. Anyone feels that he is benefited from reading this and want to know more can drop an email to my address:
babu_mathew@hotmail.com

It would be a shame if Christ, who has a tremendous dwelling place for us, came back today and we say, "wait a minute, one more business deal, I would like to go, but could I take the second bus trip". There is no second chance. Will you wait for a second chance or are you ready?

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ARTICLE - SOCIETY


STATE AND RELIGIOUS DISCRIMINATION

By REV.DR. VALSAN THAMPU

Measures like the recent Tamil Nadu Ordinance on Conversion and its antecedents like the Freedom of Religion Acts in Orissa and Madhya Pradesh, signal a rising tendency to discriminate against citizens on the basis of their religion. They are, hence, not only measures meant to erode the religious freedom of the minorities but assaults on our democratic culture and the egalitarian spirit of the Indian Constitution. Safeguarding all citizens against discrimination on the basis of religion is crucial for the survival of democracy in a multi-religious society. Insofar as democracy concentrates power in the hands of the majority, religious minorities could be assimilated, eliminated or subjugated by the majority unless sufficient safeguards are put in place to protect their religious identity and integrity. The moral duty to ensure that democracy does not degenerate into fascism rests with the majority. The mark of a mature democracy is that the majority remains vigilant and protective of the minority. No genuine democracy will take pride or gaurav in terrorizing the minorities by brute force or demoralizing them by executive intimidation or legislative infringement.

The discriminatory nature of the Ordinance in question is most apparent in its silence on re-conversion. It prohibits conversions by force, fraud or allurement, but is silent on re-conversion. The implication can only be that re-conversion by 'force, fraud or allurement' is all right. It is no secret that re-conversions take place. Consider the instance of the report from UP last year of a Christian village there being en-masse reconverted to Hinduism by the VHP. The villagers were allured to re-convert with the promise of a school, hospital and road in case they obliged. This promise was allegedly forgotten soon after the re-conversion ceremony was over. Prior to this, the Sankaracharya of Puri went to Manoharpur, a few months after the Australian social worker Graham Staines was martyred there, and re-converted 76 of the 170-odd Christians in that place in a matter of hours. Given the circumstances of this episode, it is difficult to believe that these re-conversions were effected by persuasion or spiritual enlightenment. Increasingly, re-conversion is hailed as right and righteous whereas conversion is perforce deemed roguish and repugnant. The Tamil Nadu Ordinance will lend further legitimacy to this blatant discrimination that fouls the egalitarian face of our country. In its implication, it is comparable to the decision of the Gujarat government to give different levels of compensation for the Hindus and Muslims who died in the communal atrocities in that state early this year.

Excluding re-conversion and, in effect, the majority community, from the restrictive ambit of this Ordinance is all the more curious because in a democratic society it is the majority that is able to exert force of any kind. Shri. K. M. Munshi's brief, in supporting the inclusion of the right to 'propagate' in Article 25 was precisely this. In independent India none of the religious minorities will be in a position to exert force of any kind in their favour. Their predicament will be marked by powerlessness, as has been most poignantly proved in Gujarat. As regards the Christian community, its track record of resorting to force of any kind is purely fictitious. While a minority community is, in theory, able to practice fraud, it is also true that fraud, even if it brings in some short-term dividends, can only be counter-productive in the long run. Given the socio-economic realities of Muslims and Christians, they are in no position to have recourse to allurements to win converts. They are unable even to make up for the losses that converts from dalit background incur when they convert to Christianity. Not surprisingly, hardly any case of fraudulent conversion has been established or punished in the last several decades. Even so, for some strange reason, it is felt to be politically expedient to presume that all conversions take place by "force, fraud or allurement" and to interdict them.

The second, and perhaps more serious, aspect of the discrimination implicit in this Ordinance is the obligation to notify, and by implication satisfy, in advance the District Magistrate every instance of conversion. This is grossly discriminatory in respect of the poor and the powerless. The access they have to these officers, as of today, is almost non-existent. The Ordinance explicitly states that the socially and economically depressed classes are the most vulnerable to the wiles of the proselytizers. By the same token, this unfair pre-requisite is a discriminatory imposition on the same social class. The rich and the powerful will not brook such a frontal assault on their freedom of choice. Nor is such an indefensible requirement imposed on any other aspect of human life. There is, for example, no law in the land that makes it mandatory for an upper caste man, wishing to marry a lower caste woman, to notify the DM of his area prior to his wedding. In which aspect of human conduct in public life, let us ask then, is such a requirement imposed on citizens? Certainly, not in politics. Those who want to switch over to a different ideology do not have to take prior permission from any authority. The ambit of law is strictly limited, in a rational and civilized society, to the breach of legal norms or codes, once they take place. It goes without saying that those responsible for fraudulent conversions must be punished and its victims protected. But who is the proper judge of the authenticity of a matter of conscience like conversion? Is it the DM or the convert himself? Shouldn't we leave it to the victims to seek redressal or compensation in this event?

The Tamil Nadu Ordinance makes an explicit reference to the need to protect the economically vulnerable and depressed sections of our society -a euphemism for dalits and SCs/STs. It is good that, all on a sudden, an eagerness to patronize this segment has been discovered. But will someone tell us as to why these people have been kept depressed for centuries and why there is no interest in empowering them? Like from various parts of the country, atrocities continue to be reported from Tamil Nadu on the dalits. Reportedly, they continue to be excluded from temple festivals and other forms of social cohesion. It is admittedly reprehensible to take advantage of anybody's hunger or humiliation. But those who keep them poor and helpless, not less than those who see their opportunities in this endemic and endless poverty, are to blame in this. Those who remain blind to their human dignity and deaf to their aspirations must forfeit the moral right to be indignant when they resort to desperate steps. It is ironic that the actual victims of allegedly fraudulent conversions have no complaint at all; whereas their self-appointed custodians are fuming with grievance and indignation.

The stipulation that the DM must be notified in advance in respect of every conversion is both unfair and impracticable. Given the current level of prejudice on the subject, how is a person contemplating conversion to convince these functionaries, especially from the high caste background, on the genuineness of their inner spiritual experiences? And, what are the remedies available to the persons concerned, just in case the DMs in question are unwilling to be convinced? Surely, it cannot be litigation both because most people cannot afford it and also because the courts are already over-burdened to the extent of being unable to deliver speedy justice. In practical terms, this rider can have only one effect. It will effectively rob every citizen of the right to freedom of conscience guaranteed in Article 25 of the Indian Constitution.

As of today, the anti-conversion harangue is sustained by the defenders of upper caste privileges. Their keenness to perpetuate the social and economic degradation of the dalits and the lower castes and to subvert the social justice agenda adumbrated in the Indian Constitution is a transparent reality. Arguably, it is not any concern for the dignity and human rights of the dalits that provokes their anger. It is, on the contrary, the anxiety that the waking up of the hitherto suppressed and depressed segments of our society would -within the dynamics of democracy with its anti-caste weapon of "one-man-one-vote"- mean the end of the unmerited privileges and advantages they have arrogated to themselves for far too long. Admittedly, it is not easy to renounce the privileges that one is used to. But it is neither possible nor profitable to defy the drift of history for too long. At the present time, the wind is blowing not exactly in the direction of perpetuating upper caste advantages. It is mere wishful thinking that the dangers this portent can be forestalled by freezing Indian society in the winter of caste discrimination and disability.

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LITERAL-ARTICLE

ARTICLE
"IT'S ONLY HUMAN"

An article by Julie Donner Andersen
Author of "PAST: Perfect! PRESENT: Tense! Insights From One Woman's Journey As The Wife Of A Widower"
http://www.weyantpress.com/andersen.htm

While conducting research for my book, I had contacted and communicated with over 100 WOWs (Wives Of Widowers). In order to find a common thread among all of us, I posed questions to each of them regarding what issues they had dealt with as a WOW. Oddly enough, the results of this survey often prompted me to reassure these women by uttering a quasi-patronizing, "That's OK. It's only human".

It's only human to feel threatened by a ghost who will always reside in your husband's heart.

It's only human to feel anxiety on the anniversary date of the late wife's death.

It's only human to wonder if your husband will ever love you the way he loved his late wife.

"It's OK. I'm only human". That's partially true. I AM human. And because of this indisputable fact, it only follows that my feelings are human, too. But is it "OK" to have these feelings of self-doubt, anxiety, and fear?

In a word…no!

I had used this same statement of affirmation on myself when I first married my previously widowed husband. When the old "Insecurity Monster" reared its ugly head and forced me to react negatively or to feel threatened by the late wife's memory and eerie presence in my marriage, I repeated over and over, "What I am feeling is normal…because I'm only human, after all". In other words, I excused myself, and by doing so, I had glossed over my fears and allowed them to be pushed aside for the time being. I had not only used this lame excuse to feel better about my negative emotions, but I had also used it to avoid finding a solution to my problematic fears as well.

Why? What was the payoff for my hanging onto my insecurities? Did they benefit my marriage? Did they change the past? Did they make me stronger? Of course not. Negative emotions of fear, anxiety, and self-doubt are NOT of God. They are Satan's tools, and he knows how to operate them to put a wedge in your faith and to try to separate what God has joined together.

Yes, all emotions are human emotions. God understands this. After all, Jesus was a human, and felt the negative emotion of fear in the Garden of Gethsemane. However, the big difference between what is human and what is divine was demonstrated by how Jesus handled His anxiety. He went straight to His Father in heaven and asked for strength. He did not stuff his negative emotions into his pocket. Rather, he focused on a solution. And by doing so, He illustrated that that is what He wants us to do, too.

It is easy to do or feel what comes naturally…to do or feel what is human. But Christ calls us to do what is spiritual…and divine. He wants us to come unto Him, release our burdens, then be still and know that He will deliver. In Psalm 56:3, the Lord speaks through the psalmist and reminds us of this: "When I am afraid, I put my trust in You". He wants us to trust our faith and not our humanness.

It would be arrogant for me, either as advice for my fellow WOWs or even for myself, to ever utter the phrase "It's OK…I'm only human!" ever again, as if what is human supersedes what is Spirit-directed. My humanity does not address the issues related to fear, anxiety, or insecurity. Most of the time, my humanness only serves to exacerbate my problems.

Of course my human feelings and those of my sister WOWs are real and worthy of mention, perhaps even validation. But when we rely on ourselves - on our humanness - to excuse away our negative feelings, we stop putting our trust in God, and the result is a separation from the only One who can comfort, love, and strengthen us out of the darkness of our negative humanity.

XXXXXX

(Copyright 2002 Julie Andersen. All rights reserved.)

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Bible Word to by heart:

A wise son hear his father's instruction,
But the scorner hear not rebuke.


 (
Proverb 15:20)

BIBLE STORY
RUTH-4

Next day Boaz went to the City Gate and talked with one of his close relative. He told him; "Please sit with me, I would like to discuss some important matter with you." This man sat down with Boaz and the congregation of all elders. That man was the closest relative of Naomi and as a rule he was to the redeem the family of the deceased Elimelech, husband of Naomi. If he refuses then only any other person get the right to do it. Boaz asked him "Naomi had come back to our land from Moab, and selling the land which belongs to her husband Elimelech. I needed to inform you and to know whether you desire to buy it and redeem the family. On the day You buy the land from Naomi, you must also acquire Ruth the Moabitess, widow of the Son of Naomi in order to raise the name of the deceased."

The closest relative told Boaz:

"I can not redeem it for myself as it may jeopardise my own inheritance. So You purchase the land and redeem the family yourself."

Then Boaz told to all elders:

"I am buying the land of Naomi which belonged to Elimelech and all belonged to their sons Chilion and Mahlon. Also I acquire Ruth the Moabites, the widow of Mahlon as my wife in order to raise up the name of Elimelech family on their inheritance. You are the witness for it today."

The custom of old time Israel was to remove the sandal as a confirmation of any oath. The Closest relative removed his sandal to confirm the he is giving the right of redemption to Boaz and Boaz romoved the sandal to confirm that he bought the land of Naomi along with Ruth.

All the elderly people attended the court had told "We witness the redemption of Naomi family by Boaz. May the LORD make this loving woman Ruth like Rachel and Leah who were the mothers who built the 12 tribes of Israel; and all the Children born to Ruth and Boaz become famous in Bethlehem."

So Boaz married Ruth and she gave birth for a son.

Ruth told Naomi "Blessed is the LORD who has given you a redeemer as restorer of your house and relief at your old age."

Naomi took the Child to her lap and brought up him. All the city told "A Son is born to Naomi"

They called the Child Obed, who become grand father of King David.

CONCLUDED 

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