Language - is it really important?

One of yesterday's news items was to the effect that after just one week of monitoring, it had been established that the use of serious expletives (foul language) in television programmes, had increased by more than 18%. The Telegraph newspaper reported that "Mediawatch, the pressure group, said that while they [broadcasters] had 'made all the right noises, they haven't actually done anything'."

A few days earlier, a regular e-mail that I receive contained an article in which I was informed that meditation reduces stress, improves memory, and lowers blood pressure. All well and good! However, the only guidance given was to "... sit with your eyes partially closed and focus on breathing slowly and deeply, in through your nose, out through your mouth. Repeating a word (“om” or "one" are easy) helps relax your mind. No secret mantra needed."

So, what's the connection? In a word - language! ( I suppose that there's a sort of pun in there!). To put it another way, it's all to do with what comes out of our mouths!

The Bible has much to say about the tongue, and the power that it wields. In what is probably the oldest book in the Old Testament, we find references to "the scourge of the tongue" (5:21); injustice on my tongue" (6:30); and the ability of the tongue to "utter deceit" (27:4). The enemies of the Psalmist-king David, have tongues "filled with flattery" (Ps.5:9), while "a lying tongue" is hated by YHWH (Prov.6:17).

In the New Testament, James has much to say about the tongue. "If you claim to be religious but don't control your tongue, you are fooling yourself, and your religion is worthless." (1:26) . "... the tongue is a flame of fire. It is a whole world of wickedness, corrupting your entire body. It can set your whole life on fire, for it is set on fire by hell itself." (3:6). "People can tame all kinds of animals, birds, reptiles, and fish, but no one can tame the tongue. It is restless and evil, full of deadly poison. Sometimes it praises our Lord and Father, and sometimes it curses those who have been made in the image of God. And so blessing and cursing come pouring out of the same mouth. Surely, my brothers and sisters, this is not right!" (3:7-10).

So what we say is important! Jesus made that clear: "... whatever is in your heart determines what you say. A good person produces good things from the treasury of a good heart, and an evil person produces evil things from the treasury of an evil heart. And I tell you this, you must give an account on judgment day for every idle word you speak. The words you say will either acquit you or condemn you." (Matt 12:34-37)

It is sad that, using the English language - that is so rich in both adjectives and adverbs - so many have to describe almost everything about which they speak with just one word, beginning with the letter 'f'!

As far as meditation is concerned, it is indeed a useful practice. However, since it involves a deliberate focussing of the mind on a specific object, to the exclusion of all else, the object chosen is of paramount importance. I would suggest that anyone who does wish to meditate should do so using the Name that is above every name, the Name of Jesus, as their point of focus. And not just reciting even that Name over and over again but, remembering that the name is an insight to the character, reflecting on His love; His goodness; His grace; His mercy, His sacrifice at Calvary; His redeeming power; His coming again. His is, as the hymnwriter put it, the sweetest name I know. Take an extra couple of minutes to listen to the lovely song written over 200 years ago by John Newton: "How sweet the Name of Jesus sounds in a believer's ear." May all who read this post, know that sweetness for themselves.

Caring for the body!

I discovered, to day, that I am one of a very select group of people in Scotland. A survey, conducted by no less prestigious an organisation than the University of Glasgow, concluded that 97.5% of the population of Scotland smokes, drinks (alcohol), is obese, has a poor diet (but plenty of food!), or takes no exercise. Indeed, some 20% are 'guilty' of either four or five of these 'activities'.

So, here I am - a non-smoking, teetotal, five-a-day, trim-figured, twice-a-week at the gym for a planned workout, man. One of only 2.5% who, it would appear, can make such a claim!

Of course, I suppose that part of the reason for this is my personal attitude towards my physical body. Paul, writing to the disciples of Jesus in ancient Corinth - a city renowned for its excess in all manner of physical activities - asks the pointed question: "... do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit Who is in you, Whom you have from God, and you are not your own?" (I Cor 6:19; NKJV) And he continues with a word of exhortation: "For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God's." (I Cor 6:20; NKJV).

This, I believe, is a reminder that even my physical body is part of the stewardship that the Lord has entrusted to me. It is not mine to abuse in any way. It is the dwelling-place of God the Holy Spirit - the third Persona of the Trinity. I am not doing anything special when I do my best to look after it - I am only doing the least that I ought to do!

Does this mean that every disciple of Jesus should be the same as me? Heaven forbid - as Paul would also say! However, it may be a timely reminder, to quote Paul again: "... why do you condemn another believer? Why do you look down on another believer? Remember, we will all stand before the judgment seat of God. For the Scriptures say,

'As surely as I live,' says the Lord,
'every knee will bend to me,
and every tongue will confess and give praise to God.'

Yes, each of us will give a personal account to God. " (Rom 14:10-13; NLT)

The important part of that quotation may be, not the reminder that I am not here to judge others, but that each of us will answer to Almighty God for our own lives - and lifestyles!

Following!

I'm quite excited!! The number of folk who are 'following' this blog has risen to five! :-) Anyone else who wishes to do so will find the appropriate facility in the left-hand side-bar!

It reminds me of an occasion, many years ago, when our daughters were still going on holiday with my wife and me. We were staying with a number of friends in various parts of continental Europe and had arrived in Belgium, where we were to stay overnight, in Brussels, with friends from the Christian organisation Operation Mobilisation [http://www.uk.om.org/]. We had an address, but it was getting dark and, in spite of having used the one Belgian franc that we had to telephone for directions, we were totally lost. Asking directions from a variety of Belgian worthies had proved to be of no use - either they were speaking Flemish; or my French hadn't fully 'kicked in'!

As we drove along one, obviously residential, street, I noticed a young man heading towards the car in a driveway. On the assumption that someone younger might have a better command of the English language than any of the older folk with whom we had spoken; or that he might be able to understand my poor French; I stopped the car, got out, and went over to make my enquiry. As soon as I mentioned the address to which we were heading, he uttered just two words - "Follow me!" Then, he led the way to the end of the street in which OM had their quarters.

Recently, I had occasion to remind some young friends that Christianity is not a religion; it's a relationship. The man-made religions of the world tell us to do this, and do that, in the hope that we might gain the favour of the deity. But the Christian faith states that Almighty God, the Creator and Sustainer of all that is, took upon Himself human flesh and, in the Persona of the Son, paid the penalty for my sin, and for the sin of all who will accept His great sacrifice on their behalf.

And, in Jesus, He doesn't give us a list of rules and regulations to follow. He says "Follow Me!". (Matt.4:19 inter al) He doesn't give us directions. He says "I am the Way, ..." (John 14:6). He doesn't provide a series of tasks that we must complete. He says "I am among you as the One who serves." (Luke 22:27)

I am very grateful to the five folk who have decided to follow my musings. But I am eternally grateful that the Lord has invited me to follow Him! The invitation is to you, as well!

The Cumbrian Massacre

The other major news story of the week has been what may well become known as the Cumbrian Massacre, when Whitehaven taxi-driver Derrick Bird murdered twelve people, and injured many more, before committing suicide.

No-one seems to know, and it is unlikely that, in spite of the media speculation that seems to be required in our modern culture, anyone will ever find out, the whole story behind this man - apparently well-thought of within his local community - who set out on what appears to have been a pre-mediated rampage.

Of course, the inevitable questions will be asked with reference to Almighty God - especially by those who claim that He doesn't exist in the first place! "Where was God when this man was causing such carnage?" "If He is a God of love, how could He allow such a terrible thing to happen?"

The best answer to the first of those questions is that given by Ann Graham-Lotz - the daughter of well-known Christian evangelist, Dr Billy Graham - after the tragic incident that is referred to simply as "9/11". Her message was that He was there - in the midst of the suffering; sharing that suffering; and bringing - even in the midst of that suffering - a peace that passes all human understanding, to those who will accept it from His hand.

With regard to the second question, we must recognise the difference between what we might refer to as the prescriptive will of God, and the permissive will of God. The former covers the concept of God "deciding" what will happen (although it isn't as simple as that! I am certainly not referring to the Islamic idea of an incident being inevitable because "it is the will of God [Allah]"). The latter refers to the fact that Almighty God created mankind with an amazing but, one might argue, dangerous facility - freedom of will. He could, of course, remove that free will - but that would mean that we would all be no more than pre-programmed robots, unable to do anything other than that for which we had been programmed!

This would be no more satisfactory to God that it would be to most of us! I mentioned, a few posts ago, the love of my wife and children that is part of the inestimable riches that I have. But if I knew that they could do none other than love me, then that love would immediately lose all of its value! It's the fact that they have chosen to love me, as an act of their individual free wills, that makes that love so infinitely precious. Almighty God could easily have programmed you and me to love Him - but of what value would that kind of love be?

The only problem with free will is that it allows us to do that which is displeasing in the sight of the Holy and Sinless Creator of all that is; that which actually (in anthropomorphic terms) breaks His heart. The Biblical name that covers all of our wrongdoing, and failure to do right, is sin. And there, I would suggest, is the answer to Derrick Bird's killing spree. Like each one of us, he was a sinner. Sadly, it would seem that he never made a positive response to the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ Who, as God in human flesh (God Incarnate) has already paid the penalty for your sin, and for mine. However, my free will allows me to reject the offer of salvation that He makes - and He will not force me to accept it.

So, you see, when I think of Derrick Bird, I can say with John Bradford, the 16th century prebendary of St. Paul's Cathedral when, while imprisoned in the Tower of London (for his faith), he saw some men being led out to have the death penalty executed upon them: "There, but for the grace of God, goes John Bradford". For, in my sinful state, I am just as capable of committing any of the horrific crimes that are reported on a daily basis, as anyone else - including the actual perpetrators. It is the grace of God, shown in the Lord Jesus, that makes all of the difference. I commend it to one and all.

Truth v. Propaganda

Death, whatever the circumstances, will always have an element of sadness. The apparently pointless killing of people, cannot be condoned. Both thoughts have been in my mind for the past couple of days.

Earlier in the week, the headlines screamed out, abusively, at the State of Israel as news broke about the 'attack' on 'defenceless' ships that were attempting to break the Israeli blockade, and deliver 'humanitarian' aid to Gaza. Turkey, in particular, was incensed - probably because most of the dead would appear to have been Turkish nationals. Not a lot was mentioned about the reason for the blockade - the mortar, and rocket, attacks on Israel that emanate from Palestinian (Philistine, in Biblical terminology) armed groups within Gaza!

However, knee-jerk reactions were observed from all around the world; the United Nations Security Council held an emergency meeting; Turkey withdrew its ambassador to Israel; and Greece, Egypt, Sweden, Spain and Denmark summoned Israel’s ambassadors to explain the incident.

But let's take a look at some of the facts that appear to have been overlooked. First of all there is the difference between bravery and bravado! The protesters were fully aware that they were liable to inspection by Israeli forces. If all that they had on board was the humanitarian aid that has been claimed, I have to ask why they did not allow such an inspection! At least part of the answer may be found in a report in The [Glasgow] Herald newspaper: "In Gaza, Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh of Hamas said the flotilla signals the end of the blockade. 'If the ships reach Gaza, it's a victory,' Haniyeh told some 400 supporters at Gaza City's small fishing harbour, where several smaller vessels breaking the blockade have docked in the past. 'If they are intercepted and terrorised by the Zionists, it will be a victory for Gaza, too, and they will move again in new ships to break the seige of gazaa'." (30-05-10)

The same report informs me that, early in their voyage, the ships were held up near Cyprus "... as organisers tried to get nearly two dozen high-profile supporters on board." and that "A showdown with the Israeli navy appeared inevitable."

The question must, surely, be raised - "Was this whole affair a deliberate attempt, by a Turkish organisation that would appear to be sympathetic to the Hamas government - and which, according to Danish research some four years ago, has links with terrorist group al-Qaida - to provoke the State of Israel to 'military action'?

Certainly, Turkey itself is not in a position to take any moral high ground! Over two million Ottoman Armenians were slated for destruction in 1915. The Turkish entry into World War I facilitated this process, as no outside powers could intervene on behalf of the victims. Over 2,000 towns and villages were emptied of their Armenian inhabitants who were subsequently destroyed. First the young men and community leaders, then the women, children, and elderly were murdered. Some were killed at the outset of "deportations"; others were killed from disease and malnutrition in concentration camps in the deserts of Zor in Syria; survivors of these camps were murdered outright at the end of 1916. There were no Armenians left to speak of in what became modern Turkey in 1923.

The Turkish government adopted a much more sustained genocidal program against Kurds, aimed at the assimilation of this community as ethnic Turks. Often the engineers of the destruction of Kurds were the same people who destroyed Armenians a few years earlier. The Turkish genocidal policy may be outlined under the following categories:

(1) forced assimilation program—banning of the Kurdish language in Turkey, denying the existence of Kurdish history, the forced resettlement of Kurds in non-Kurdish areas of Turkey for assimilation, the indoctrination of Kurds through the Turkish education system, radio and television channels;

(2) banning of any legitimate opposition to the Turkish government’s programs—e.g., Kurdish cultural organisations, political parties, media outlets, etc.; and

(3) the violent repression of any Kurdish resistance. Hundreds of thousands of Kurds have been murdered by Turkish state authorities over the past eighty years—the Sheykh Said and the Ararat uprisings in the 1920s, the bloody suppression of the Dersim in the 1930s, as well as the PKK (Kurdistan Workers' Party) campaign in recent years. The Turkish state has imprisoned Kurdish members of the Turkish parliament; various human rights activists; and many academics who have advocated Kurdish rights. The Turkish government also stands accused of having arranged the assassination of scores of journalists and intellectuals over the years.

In the light of all of that, Israel's treatment of the Palestinians in Gaza seems almost virtuous!

Propaganda is a powerful weapon - as Naziism's Joseph Goebbels knew so well. However, it does have an unfortunate tendency to get in the way of truth! Let us hope and pray that, in this particular situation, 'truth will out', and that any enquiry will be able to reveal it.