#because I’m in the United States I work very hard to read perspective of Jews in Israel and Palestinians in Palestine

[hmsharmony]

את ישראלית?

For reasons my parents cannot agree on, they never sent me to Hebrew school, so I do not speak Hebrew. I believe you’ve asked if I’m Israeli. I am not. I am Ashkenazi Jewish and I live in the United States. My pop pop came from Poland after surviving the Holocaust, and my nana’s father also came from Poland in the early 1900s. Everything I’m saying is from the perspective of a Jewish woman in the diaspora.

[ruffboijuliaburnsides]

So, this is a question about the person who was talking about religious endorsement of slavery. To be fair I should preface this by saying that I’m an agnostic who was raised with no particular religion (which in the United States means I’m at least somewhat culturally Christian). I read over the posts twice, and while it certainly seemed like they were trying to dunk on someone, it didn’t seem like they were targeting Jews? But I could certainly have missed it, if you’d be willing to expand?

okay third time’s the charm I hope. SO. The post in question, for those following at home, is here.

So with the caveat that I am not Jewish - I’m converting, as slow and rocky and painstaking as that process has been for me for reasons I’m not discussing here - I did not notice any specifically antisemitic dogwhistles per se. That said, I don’t know all of them and don’t always recognize them. I’m working on it but it’s a work in progress. So I’m partially posting these for my Jewish followers and mutuals to chime in on if they desire.

The main issues I had with the OP of that post were:

a) they claim to not be approaching the situation from a culturally Christian perspective even though they very very clearly are - you don’t have to be christian or even be raised christian to be culturally christian, but in America and most of the “western world” (ie europe and associated countries), unless you’re specifically raised by a community (not just your parents, generally) in a non-christian culture, even if you’re not religious and your parents weren’t religious, you are going to be culturally christian, because our entire SOCIETY is built upon cultural christianity, which is why it’s so hard for, say, jewish people to get their important holidays off work or school when easter and christmas are assumed you get (or should get) off.

that sort of mindset - that they’re not culturally christian bc they weren’t raised christian - is... not only wrong but also really really harmful when we’re talking about christian hegemony and applying christian mindsets to the interpretation of other cultural practices, beliefs, and texts. So, strike one for being unwilling to consider that maybe they’re approaching the texts they were quoting from the wrong perspective

b) they were doing the ever-so-traditionally antisemitic trick of pulling stuff out of context (both textural and, as Christianity has done with the entire old testament, cultural) from the Christian translation of the Torah (their “old testament”) to make their point because look at this bad violent outdated blah blah blah, let’s mock it. It’s the same problem as when people argue against the whole “do not lie with a man as with another man” bit that Christians use to be homophobic by saying “oh i guess we can’t eat shrimp now, or wear poly-cotton blends!” because like... 1) if you actually researched the Jewish interpretations and context and stuff, you’d find a lot of Jewish scholars saying stuff that has nothing to do with it being about homosexuality, and 2) there are... people? actual living people? Who don’t eat shrimp or wear poly-cotton blends bc this is their religion? So it’s really shitty and antisemitic to use them as a punchline. 

(edit: as proof of how much I don’t know everything and shouldn’t be considered an authority on Judaism for so many reasons: It’s been brought to my attention by @animatedamerican that “mixed fabrics” is really a mistranslation and the prohibition was against blending linen and wool specifically. This is still practiced by many observant Jewish people.  No one has an issue with poly-cotton blends or ever has, aside from people who are cotton purists I guess.)

and this goes for the muslim texts, too. They’re removed from their textural and cultural contexts, and this guy clearly doesn’t have the background knowledge or desire to actually analyze any of them, or the Torah scriptures.

c) he’s ignoring that the kind of slavery he’s discussion - the trans-atlantic slave trade and the generational slavery that came with it - was basically UNHEARD OF prior to the development of that particular institution. Slavery wasn’t great, but your children were not slaves simply because you were. And, as some of those very Torah quotes show in context, there was a limiting factor, time wise. It was better described as “indentured servitude to repay large debts”. And the laws were to provide protection and required levels of decent treatment for those indentured servants.

Is it something that is culturally acceptable in the west today? Officially no, tho I have thoughts about things like poverty and prison labor and such, but that’s not the point. But the context was still different than the slavery that we had in this country, regardless of if those verses were used by racist slaveholders to justify their actions. And the OP refused to acknowledge that.

....I don’t have the post available in front of me so I can’t remember if there was anything else I would comment on, but... yeah. it was a very very shitty, islamophobic and antisemitic take, rather than actually dragging christians like they apparently intended. They definitely were intentionally islamophobic tho that was... yeah.

Does this make sense/answer your question? i’ve been awake way too long for it to only be 10am and i’m on class 2 of the day already XD.

[sahibookworm]

If you have been following my blog for a while, you probably know that despite being an avid fantasy and romance genre lover, I really enjoy both genre fiction as well as non fiction with strong political themes. And politics for me includes a broad spectrum like actual electoral politics, civil rights and discrimination of marginalized groups, feminism and other gender related topics, the effects of capitalism and corporations – basically anything that affects the lives of individual people or the country as a whole in both the short term as well as the long term. I also really love it when genre books include such important themes but as metaphors to the real world, giving us the opportunity to escape to new worlds but also engage with real life issues.

As such, I have a bunch of books in various genres that I would love to recommend and hope that you’ll enjoy them too.

 Fiction

I think it’s not a surprise that Red, White and Royal Blue is at the top of the list. It doesn’t mean that I think it’s the best or anything, it just happens to be my favorite. And I loved how it explored so many themes like election campaigns and how they don’t always work the way we think they do, the unique struggles of a female presidential candidate (which we have also been living since 2016) and what happens when you add biracial children and homophobia to the mix, and also the importance of having an accepting and supporting family.

I’m a huge fan of anthologies and A People’s Future of the United States is one of my favorites. It’s full of speculative fiction stories about all the different paths our country might take in the future, and how there are always going to be people who will fight for the rights of those who are being oppressed. It’s powerful, thought provoking and hopeful, and I hope you all will give it a chance.

Take the Mic is another favorite anthology of mine but this is about youngsters in our world trying to fight both personal and macro level oppressions through resistance everyday in whatever little way they can.

The Test is a novella which is just around 100 pages but the way it handles the topics of immigration, citizenship and xenophobia and makes us question our own humanity is a complete mindfuck and the author is a master storyteller.

I love books that talk about feminism in any genre and I thought Watch Us Rise has excellent commentary on intersectional feminism as well as body shaming from the perspective of teenage girls and though it could be a bit high handed at times, I really enjoyed this book.

We Set the Dark on Fire is one of my favorite YA fantasies and the way it handles themes like illegal immigration, the refugee crisis, and inane concept of a border wall is excellent and very relatable to our own real world situations.

This may just feel like a romance novel (which it is and a wonderful one at that), but it explores the much relevant theme of racial profiling of Black people by the police in our country (and discrimination of black and brown people in general) and even though it’s a topic we all are quite aware of, the way author writes it just hits you hard. There’s one particular scene that is especially harrowing and I don’t think I’ll ever forget that. Definitely recommend this one for all romance genre fans.

Non Fiction

Drift is actually a pretty old book which I read a few years ago, but I have a feeling that the topic it deals with – military industrial complex, the bloated budget of the Pentagon and the never ending wars – are still relevant today and it was very eye opening for me.

Blowout on the other hand is about the Oil and Gas industry across the globe and the way this industry has destroyed the lives of millions of people, often with the full support of politicians and governments. This is an expansive book about what happens when unchecked greed in a highly unregulated industry runs rampant and I would highly recommend the audiobook.

In Why? Explaining the Holocaust, the author goes back a long way in history to trace back the origins of the hatred towards the Jews as a people, all the other groups like the Catholic Church that fanned the flame and how it ultimately culminated in Hitler and the Holocaust. This book is a very informative and thoroughly researched work and I would definitely recommend if you are interested in the topic.

The Retreat of Western Liberalism was probably one of the first non fiction books I read after the 2016 election and it talks about the fall of liberalism as an ideology and the rise of far-right groups across the globe, and the author also gives some scary scenarios of what might happen in the US as well. It’s an important cautionary tale and while it may feel a bit dated now (a lot has happened in the last three years), I still think parts of it are relevant and worth giving it a try.

This is a very inspiring and hopeful collection of essays by ten young women who got the opportunity to work in the Obama White House and they talk a lot about what others who are interested in public service can do and what kind of jobs are done daily by the President’s staff. It’s not always as glamorous as shown in TV but it’s very important work and I loved reading this book.

The first reaction any woman reading Invisible Women will have is anger and exasperation. Anger that sexism has permeated every aspect of society in such deep rooted ways that it’s difficult to even think about how to solve the issues the book talks about; exasperation because even in 2020, we are still second class citizens in many ways we don’t even realize. I don’t wanna give any details but if there’s one book I will highly recommend this Women’s History Month, it is going to be this one. Just pick it up and be ready for your mind to be blown by the unfairness of it all.

You might be wondering why Burn it Down, a book about women’s anger is political but I believe that historically women have been discouraged from using anger as an effective emotion to express themselves and act of trying to reclaim that anger now is inherently political. This is a collection of essays by authors about how they have used the anger they feel in other productive ways and I promise you, it’s very very relatable. And I think the topic is currently highly relevant because the female candidates for President are always questioned why they are shouting or being shrill or angry, while a male candidate behaving the exact same way never gets any criticism.

Both She Said and Catch and Kill are about the countless women who were sexually harassed and raped by Harvey Weinstein for a number of decades and getting away with it through money, power and intimidation tactics. But other than this particular case, the books also give a glaring look into how men in power use all the money and resources available to them to do whatever they want, and how other people in power aid them to succeed in this harassing behaviour and cover up. They are hard to read, but are amazingly written and are a testament to the courageous survivors who finally decided to speak up and share their traumatic stories. Highly recommend and very relevant after the sentencing he received in New York just about ten days ago and more probable cases being filed in California soon.

Finally, my last recommendation is a history book but please don’t discount it as boring. When we think of colonialism or imperialism, the countries that come to mind are usually Britain, Spain or other European nations – but we never think of America in the same vein. In How to Hide an Empire, the author reveals the duplicity of our country’s politicians in spouting anti-imperialist platitudes in public while actually occupying many countries and oppressing the colonies in horrible ways – and this is a book that traces the history of American colonies from the 19th century till the present day. This is an eye opening read and something I believe everyone should read just to get an idea of our own country’s often forgotten history.

Have you already read any of these books? What did you think of them? Have I convinced you to pick any of these? Let me know which of these books interest you the most and why in the comments below….

Book Recs: Books with Political Themes If you have been following my blog for a while, you probably know that despite being an avid fantasy and romance genre lover, I really enjoy both genre fiction as well as non fiction with strong political themes.

[shtickysituations]

Blind Hatred + Blind Hatred= White Noise

OOOOOH it’s a loaded one. 

There’s been something building deep inside of me over the past few weeks. And it’s not just gas. 

One of the reasons I fell in love with comedy, many years ago, was the diversity of its artists and how this distinct group of people with such different experiences, were able to embrace one another and lift each other up because of their shared plights, quirks and obvious passion for laughter.

And although an area, originally, dominated by straight white men (like most occupations), it’s been part of my experience, that the community has worked (and continues to work) incredibly hard to create spaces for women, people of colour and the LGBTQ community who have been so unfairly discriminated against in the past. 

But what if you’re just a woman? What if you’re also Jewish? Did you just get uncomfortable? Did you squirm a little in your seat? Do you also have gas? 

Trust me when I say I understand there is a spectrum of discrimination. I understand that my experience as a woman of an (in)visible minority, being discriminated against is nowhere the same as, let’s say, a lesbian of Korean descent. But does that mean I’m not a feminist? Or that I can’t push for or support gender equality? Do I need to be reminded daily that any suffering or discrimination I may have endured is nullified because it’s, in theory, still a privileged perspective? I’m not sure. 

Now what about being Jewish? Regardless of whether or not you “like” Jewish people (because an entire religion, worldwide, is the exact same, right?). You must admit we’ve had a rough go of it. Let me put it this way, we’re not a diaspora because we’re well travelled- we’ve been driven out of nearly every country we’ve ever settled in, including (but not limited to!) Iraq, Iran, Yemen, Turkey and parts of North Africa right before World War II (did they leave that out of your history textbook?). 

And then, we were given Israel by the UN (which everyone likes to forget- WOOPS!). Understandably, colonialism in the late forties is not so easily digestible. But why, then, is exodus? And why would the UN have given the Jewish people this piece of land you can barely find on a map without seven magnifying glasses? Regardless, is it the direct and complete fault of the Jewish people? Swish a bourbon whilst contemplating that s’il te plait. 

By the same token, I understand that due to the continual tension in Israel and subsequent violence that has persisted back and forth for nearly 70 years, I can’t possibly agree with everything that goes on, politically speaking. However, I don’t think you can say you agree with all of the political happenings in nearly every other country on earth. LOOK AT VENEZUELA RIGHT NOW. Look at what’s happening in Egypt to the Coptic Egyptians, look what’s going on in SYRIA, The Ukraine, The CONGO, even the UK. Half the bloody world is saturated in religious conflict, strife and genocide. It’s despicable. 

And yet, we continually peel and gripe and pry at Israel (not to say there is never important news, but COME THE FUCK ON). Regardless of the fact that every other religion or subsect of religion acts as a state religion, including: Christianity, Roman Catholicism, Eastern Orthodoxy, Lutheranism, Anglicanism, Calvinism, Methodism (METHODISM!!!!), Islam, Sunni Islam, Shia Islam, Ibadi Islam, Theravada Buddhism and Vajrayana Buddhism. 

Can’t everyone just live in peace? Or at least strive for it amongst our friends here in North America? And can’t everyone have some compassion? Try to want to humanize the other side? Understand your neighbour? At this point both sides have been hurt so badly that there should almost be a sense of camaraderie amongst the displacement, grieving and fear (how fucking sad is that?). And if you’ve ever been to Israel (which majority of people with very strong oppositional feelings towards Israel haven’t), you’d know most people are desperate for a two-state solution. They just want the war to end. But if you’re living in North America with a penchant for Leftist newspapers and the ability to believe what you want (the media will provide it), your main concern these days is whether or not Gal Gadot is a good role model as Wonder Woman because she’s a Zionist. 

Isn’t that the exact same thing as those wackos who were angry about the possibility of James Bond being black (*gets engorged thinking of Idris Elba as Bond*)? Or the psychos who harassed Ellen Degeneres or Rosie O’Donnell for coming out on their shows? You may not think it’s the same but it is. It’s prejudice rooted in ignorance and steeped in systemic hatred. Hatred for someone who is, believes in, or stands for something you don’t fully understand, support or respect. Gal Gadot never said she believes in war or in the pain and suffering of people who deny that Israel should be a Jewish state. She simply, like me, does believe that Israel belongs to the Jewish people. That after being driven out of every state we’ve occupied of another (and every other) religion, and suffering a terrible genocide, we were …let’s say, eligible for a state of our own, as verified by the United Nations. Hey, originally, it was gonna be Uganda or Newfoundland. Imagine that?

My point is (and there is one!) that there can’t be so much hatred being dealt with combatted with hatred. There can’t be so much picketing (verbal or otherwise) against discriminations of certain denominations and then actually discriminate against others- even if that is “the white man”. Not to say, as Ms. Trudeau would, to hold their hands, but, perhaps, we should spend more time educating, reading a variety of perspectives, listening and approaching people and their experiences with compassion, instead of assumptions, touting continual hatred, pointing fingers and blame on those who are only guilty by virtue of being born into a more privileged position or, what we assume to be more privileged.

What this world needs now is love sweet love, so stop being such proper dickheads. Negative energy, anger and hatred is draining. Let’s spend more time asking questions, having conversations, thinking before speaking/posting and remembering that we all have more in common than you think. We all want our future to be filled with acceptance, not newfound hatred, and need to understand that hatred is hatred plain and simple, regardless of its impetus. Oh and also Jews are 0.08% of the entire global population. How the HECK are we supposed to run shit?

[atlantatorchnews]

The Greatest Gift You Can Give this Christmas… (Worldwide Evangelistic Outreach)

Click here to listen in 100 languages During this time of year, the thoughts of many people turn toward the matter of gift-giving and receiving. Collectively, we spend a good deal of money and time going from store to store to get the "perfect" gift for people we love or people we simply want to impress. However, God gave the entire world the greatest gift it would ever receive when He sent His Son, Jesus Christ, into the world in the form of a baby in a manger. Many people at that time -- and many people today -- overlooked the utter importance of this wonderful gift. This gift, which arrived in the humble town of Bethlehem and was born to two ordinary Jews, was the means by which God intended to deliver the world from the pain, suffering, and death that came about because of sin. Jesus Christ began His career as a humble preacher, and He only preached for three years, but His words and actions echo down to us today because they have earth-shaking significance. He is the Saviour of the world who died to deliver us from our sins and the punishment of sin. Millions have decided to believe in Him so that they can escape the eternal punishment of sin which is Hell and have an eternal Home in Heaven. So, while you are thinking about what gifts you can give or what gifts you may receive, allow me to share with you what some of the world's most noted individuals have said about Jesus Christ -- the gift God gave to the world. As you listen, I encourage you to consider giving your life to Jesus Christ, for that will indeed be the greatest you can give to Him. Historian Kenneth Scott Latourette said, "As the centuries pass, the evidence is accumulating that, measured by His effect on history, Jesus is the most influential life ever lived on this planet." Scientist, educator, and inventor, George Washington Carver, said, "The Lord has guided me, and without my Saviour, I am nothing." Historian, Philip Schaff, said, "Jesus of Nazareth, without money and arms, conquered more millions than Alexander the Great, Caesar, Mohammed, and Napoleon; without science and learning, He shed more light on things human and divine than all philosophers and scholars combined; without the eloquence of school, He spoke such words of life as were never spoken before or since, and produced effects which lie beyond the reach of orator or poet; without writing a single line, He set more pens in motion, and furnished themes for more sermons, orations, discussions, learned volumes, works of art, and songs of praise than the whole army of great men of ancient and modern times." Margaret Thatcher, former prime minister of Great Britain, said, "That Our Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, when faced with His terrible choice and lonely vigil, chose to lay down His life that our sins may be forgiven. I remember very well a sermon on Armistice Sunday when our preacher said: 'No one took away the life of Jesus, He chose to lay it down.'" India’s greatest citizen and political leader, Mahatma Gandhi, said, “Jesus Christ, who was completely innocent offered Himself as a sacrifice for the good of others, including His enemies, and became the ransom of the world. It was a perfect act." Bono, lead singer for the rock band U2, said, "When people say ‘Good teacher,’ ‘Prophet,’ ‘Really nice guy,’ -- this is not how Jesus thought of himself. You’re left with a challenge, which is either Jesus was who he said he was or a complete and utter nut case. I believe that Jesus was the Son of God... When you align yourself with God’s purpose as described in the Scriptures, something special happens to your life." French emperor and military leader, Napoleon Bonaparte, said, "I know men; and I tell you that Jesus Christ is no mere man. Between Him and every person in the world there is no possible term of comparison. Alexander, Caesar, Charlemagne, and I have founded empires. But on what did we rest the creations of our genius? Upon force. Jesus Christ founded His empire upon love; and at this hour millions of men would die for him." Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., the main leader of the Civil Rights Movement in America, said, "By opening our lives to God in Christ, we become new creatures. This experience, which Jesus spoke of as the new birth, is essential if we are to be transformed nonconformists . . . Only through an inner spiritual transformation do we gain the strength to fight vigorously the evils of the world in a humble and loving spirit." Entertainer and musician, Billy Ray Cyrus, said, "A lot of people think Christianity is about always being perfect. It's actually the opposite of that. It's realizing that we're all humans, and that's why God sent his Son to this earth—to save people." Scottish novelist, Robert Louis Stevenson, said, "When Christ came into my life, I came about like a well-handled ship." Actress Angela Bassett said, "When you realize that every breath is a gift from God. When you realize how small you are, but how much He loved you. That He, Jesus, would die, the son of God himself on earth, then you just weep." The 40th president of the United States, Ronald Reagan, said, "No matter where we live, we have a promise that can make all the difference -- a promise from Jesus to soothe our sorrows, heal our hearts, and drive away our fears. He promised there will never be a dark night that does not end... And by dying for us, Jesus showed how far our love should be ready to go: all the way." Reagan also wrote, "This uneducated, property-less young man has, for 2,000 years, had a greater effect on the world than all the rulers, kings, emperors; all the conquerors, generals and admirals, all the scholars, scientists and philosophers who have ever lived—all of them put together. How do we explain that—unless He really was what He said He was?" Historian H.G. Wells said, "I am a historian, I am not a believer, but I must confess as a historian that this penniless Preacher from Nazareth is irrevocably the very center of history. Jesus Christ is easily the most dominant figure in all history." Major League Baseball player, Adrian Gonzalez, said, "[Christ has given me] a different perspective in life – in my marriage, in my attitude on the field, and in everything else, including [trying to be] the best husband to my wife as possible and striving to be the best person I can be... I have success in baseball, but I know that is because of the Lord. I know my preparing and my hard work definitely play a part, but it would not be done without Christ." Russian President Vladimir Putin said, "Why did Christ come into the world? To liberate people from sickness, troubles, from death. In its essence, Christmas is a holiday of hope." Philosopher and physicist, Blaise Pascal, said, "Without Jesus Christ man must be in vice and misery; with Jesus Christ man is free from vice and misery; in Him is all our virtue and all our happiness. Apart from Him there is but vice, misery, darkness, death, despair." Basketball great, Julius Erving, said, "After searching for the meaning of life for over ten years, I found the meaning in Jesus Christ. When I gave my life to Jesus Christ, I began to understand my true purpose for being here. It's not to go through life and experience as many things as you possibly can and then turn to dust and be no more. The purpose of life is to be found through having Christ in your life, and understanding what His plan is, and following that plan." President Theodore Roosevelt said, "(My) great joy and glory that, in occupying an exalted position in the nation, I am enabled, to preach the practical moralities of The Bible to my fellow-countrymen and to hold up Christ as the hope and Savior of the world." Nobel prize-winning physicist, Albert Einstein, said, "As a child I received instruction both in the Bible and in the Talmud. I am a Jew, but I am enthralled by the luminous figure of the Nazarene. No one can read the Gospels without feeling the actual presence of Jesus. His personality pulsates in every word. No myth is filled with such life." NFL quarterback, Sam Bradford, said, "I really don’t see a reason why you wouldn’t want to have a relationship with Jesus Christ. I mean, not only was He the greatest human being to ever walk the earth, He’s everything that I want to strive for. He’s everything that anyone should ever want to strive for. Everyone who’s on this earth was blessed because of Him. To come into this world and to deny Him the opportunity to have a relationship with you, is almost a slap in the face to Him." English writer and media personality, Malcolm Muggeridge, said, "Christ is the only answer to an insane world. They will not understand that the trouble with the western world civilization is not economics, but more—good and evil! They are thinking they can make things work by policies, inventions, but man will never live on this planet without God!" R&B singer, songwriter, and producer, Smokey Robinson, said, "I know the strength that Christ gives me. I know what He did for me. I know that He is my way out and my way in. He’s my way out of all this havoc and my way into paradise. He suffered for me and for everybody. It’s so simple. God loves us so much. He said, “I’ll tell you what. I’m going to make it real simple for you. I’m going to send my Son, Jesus Christ. He’s going to take on all your iniquities and all your sins. He’s gonna die in your place so you can have everlasting life. All you’ve got to do is accept Him as your Saviour." Professor, and author, Wayne Grudem, said, "It is by far the most amazing miracle in the whole Bible – far more amazing than the resurrection and more amazing than the creation of the universe. The fact that the infinite, omnipotent, eternal Son of God could become man and join Himself to a human nature forever, so that infinite God became one person with finite man, will remain for eternity the most profound miracle and the most profound mystery in all the universe." New York Times bestselling author, John Grisham, said, "I came under conviction when I was in the third grade, and I talked with my mother. I told her, ‘I don’t understand this, but I need to talk to you.’ We talked, and she led me to Jesus. The following Sunday I made a public confirmation of my faith [in Jesus Christ]. In one sense, it was not terribly eventful for an eight-year-old, but it was the most important event in my life." Chinese political and military leader, Chiang Kai Shek, said, "How I wish that all people would read the Bible, worship and believe in the One and Only True God! The Bible which is God’s living, inspired and true Word teaches us about the triune God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. The Bible also declares that we can attain righteousness by our faith in His Son Jesus Christ, Who gave Himself through His death on the cross, and shed His blood as an offering for sin. God’s righteousness by faith in Jesus Christ exalts a nation. That has been proven historically. Christ is freedom’s rock. His love covers a multitude of sins. Everyone who believes on Him shall receive eternal life!" Super Bowl winning Coach Football coach Tom Landry said, "This is really the most important factor in my life, my faith in Jesus Christ. When you accept Christ, He becomes first in your life. It's this priority that gives me peace." Irish playwright, George Bernard Shaw, said, "I am no more of a Christian than Pilate was, or you are, gentle hearer; and yet, like Pilate, I greatly prefer Jesus of Nazareth to Amos or Caiaphas; and I am ready to admit that I see no way out of the world’s misery but the way which would have been found by His will." Dear friend, do you know this person named Jesus Christ? No gift you have received or ever will receive can compare to the gift God has made available to you through His Son. And the greatest gift you can give is your life to Jesus Christ by accepting Him as your Savior and receiving salvation from your sins and the punishment of sin which is hell as many of those I just quoted and millions of others have done. This Christmas season, allow me to show you how you can receive the greatest gift ever given - which the Bible refers to as an “unspeakable gift” - salvation through Jesus Christ and then how you can give the greatest gift you can give to Jesus Christ which is your life. 1. Accept the fact that you are a sinner, and that you have broken God’s law. The Bible says in Ecclesiastes 7:20: “For there is not a just man upon earth that doeth good, and sinneth not.” Romans 3:23 reads: “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.” In fact, I am the chief of sinners, so don’t think that you’re alone. 2. Accept the fact that there is a penalty for sin. The Bible states in Romans 6:23: “For the wages of sin is death…” 3. Accept the fact that you are on the road to hell. Jesus Christ said in Matthew 10:28: “And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.” The Bible says in Revelation 21:8: “But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.” 4. Accept the fact that you cannot do anything to save yourself! The Bible states in Ephesians 2: 8, 9: “For by grace are ye saved through faith: and that not of yourselves: it is a gift of God. Not of works, lest any man should boast.” 5. Accept the fact that God loves you more than you love yourself, and that He wants to save you from hell. Jesus Christ said in John 3:16, “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” 6. With these facts in mind, please repent of your sins, believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and pray and ask Him to come into your heart and save you this very moment. The Bible states in the book of Romans 10:9, 13: “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.” “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” Dear friend, if you are willing to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ for salvation, please pray with me this simple prayer: Heavenly Father, I realize that I am a sinner and that I have done some bad things in my life. For Jesus Christ sake, please forgive me of my sins. I now believe with all of my heart that Jesus Christ died for me, was buried, and rose again. Lord Jesus, please come into my heart and save my soul and change my life today. Amen. If you believed in your heart that Jesus Christ died on the cross, was buried, and rose again, allow me to say, congratulations on doing the most important thing in life and that is accepting Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour! For more information to help you grow in your newfound faith in Christ, go to Gospel Light Society.com and read “What To Do After You Enter Through the Door“. Jesus Christ said in John 10:9, “I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.” God loves you! We love you! May God bless you! And Merry Christmas!

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The Greatest Gift You Can Give this Christmas…

During this time of year, the thoughts of many people turn toward the matter of gift-giving and receiving. Collectively, we spend a good deal of money and time going from store to store to get the “perfect” gift for people we love or people we simply want to impress. However, God gave the entire world the greatest gift it would ever receive when He sent His Son, Jesus Christ, into the world in the form of a baby in a manger. Many people at that time — and many people today — overlooked the utter importance of this wonderful gift. This gift, which arrived in the humble town of Bethlehem and was born to two ordinary Jews, was the means by which God intended to deliver the world from the pain, suffering, and death that came about because of sin. Jesus Christ began His career as a humble preacher, and He only preached for three years, but His words and actions echo down to us today because they have earth-shaking significance. He is the Saviour of the world who died to deliver us from our sins and the punishment of sin. Millions have decided to believe in Him so that they can escape the eternal punishment of sin which is Hell and have an eternal Home in Heaven. So, while you are thinking about what gifts you can give or what gifts you may receive, allow me to share with you what some of the world’s most noted individuals have said about Jesus Christ — the gift God gave to the world. As you listen, I encourage you to consider giving your life to Jesus Christ, for that will indeed be the greatest you can give to Him. Historian Kenneth Scott Latourette said, “As the centuries pass, the evidence is accumulating that, measured by His effect on history, Jesus is the most influential life ever lived on this planet.” Scientist, educator, and inventor, George Washington Carver, said, “The Lord has guided me, and without my Saviour, I am nothing.” Historian, Philip Schaff, said, “Jesus of Nazareth, without money and arms, conquered more millions than Alexander the Great, Caesar, Mohammed, and Napoleon; without science and learning, He shed more light on things human and divine than all philosophers and scholars combined; without the eloquence of school, He spoke such words of life as were never spoken before or since, and produced effects which lie beyond the reach of orator or poet; without writing a single line, He set more pens in motion, and furnished themes for more sermons, orations, discussions, learned volumes, works of art, and songs of praise than the whole army of great men of ancient and modern times.” Margaret Thatcher, former prime minister of Great Britain, said, “That Our Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, when faced with His terrible choice and lonely vigil, chose to lay down His life that our sins may be forgiven. I remember very well a sermon on Armistice Sunday when our preacher said: ‘No one took away the life of Jesus, He chose to lay it down.'” India’s greatest citizen and political leader, Mahatma Gandhi, said, “Jesus Christ, who was completely innocent offered Himself as a sacrifice for the good of others, including His enemies, and became the ransom of the world. It was a perfect act.” Bono, lead singer for the rock band U2, said, “When people say ‘Good teacher,’ ‘Prophet,’ ‘Really nice guy,’ — this is not how Jesus thought of himself. You’re left with a challenge, which is either Jesus was who he said he was or a complete and utter nut case. I believe that Jesus was the Son of God… When you align yourself with God’s purpose as described in the Scriptures, something special happens to your life.” French emperor and military leader, Napoleon Bonaparte, said, “I know men; and I tell you that Jesus Christ is no mere man. Between Him and every person in the world there is no possible term of comparison. Alexander, Caesar, Charlemagne, and I have founded empires. But on what did we rest the creations of our genius? Upon force. Jesus Christ founded His empire upon love; and at this hour millions of men would die for him.” Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., the main leader of the Civil Rights Movement in America, said, “By opening our lives to God in Christ, we become new creatures. This experience, which Jesus spoke of as the new birth, is essential if we are to be transformed nonconformists . . . Only through an inner spiritual transformation do we gain the strength to fight vigorously the evils of the world in a humble and loving spirit.” Entertainer and musician, Billy Ray Cyrus, said, “A lot of people think Christianity is about always being perfect. It’s actually the opposite of that. It’s realizing that we’re all humans, and that’s why God sent his Son to this earth—to save people.” Scottish novelist, Robert Louis Stevenson, said, “When Christ came into my life, I came about like a well-handled ship.” Actress Angela Bassett said, “When you realize that every breath is a gift from God. When you realize how small you are, but how much He loved you. That He, Jesus, would die, the son of God himself on earth, then you just weep.” The 40th president of the United States, Ronald Reagan, said, “No matter where we live, we have a promise that can make all the difference — a promise from Jesus to soothe our sorrows, heal our hearts, and drive away our fears. He promised there will never be a dark night that does not end… And by dying for us, Jesus showed how far our love should be ready to go: all the way.” Reagan also wrote, “This uneducated, property-less young man has, for 2,000 years, had a greater effect on the world than all the rulers, kings, emperors; all the conquerors, generals and admirals, all the scholars, scientists and philosophers who have ever lived—all of them put together. How do we explain that—unless He really was what He said He was?” Historian H.G. Wells said, “I am a historian, I am not a believer, but I must confess as a historian that this penniless Preacher from Nazareth is irrevocably the very center of history. Jesus Christ is easily the most dominant figure in all history.” Major League Baseball player, Adrian Gonzalez, said, “[Christ has given me] a different perspective in life – in my marriage, in my attitude on the field, and in everything else, including [trying to be] the best husband to my wife as possible and striving to be the best person I can be… I have success in baseball, but I know that is because of the Lord. I know my preparing and my hard work definitely play a part, but it would not be done without Christ.” Russian President Vladimir Putin said, “Why did Christ come into the world? To liberate people from sickness, troubles, from death. In its essence, Christmas is a holiday of hope.” Philosopher and physicist, Blaise Pascal, said, “Without Jesus Christ man must be in vice and misery; with Jesus Christ man is free from vice and misery; in Him is all our virtue and all our happiness. Apart from Him there is but vice, misery, darkness, death, despair.” Basketball great, Julius Erving, said, “After searching for the meaning of life for over ten years, I found the meaning in Jesus Christ. When I gave my life to Jesus Christ, I began to understand my true purpose for being here. It’s not to go through life and experience as many things as you possibly can and then turn to dust and be no more. The purpose of life is to be found through having Christ in your life, and understanding what His plan is, and following that plan.” President Theodore Roosevelt said, “(My) great joy and glory that, in occupying an exalted position in the nation, I am enabled, to preach the practical moralities of The Bible to my fellow-countrymen and to hold up Christ as the hope and Savior of the world.” Nobel prize-winning physicist, Albert Einstein, said, “As a child I received instruction both in the Bible and in the Talmud. I am a Jew, but I am enthralled by the luminous figure of the Nazarene. No one can read the Gospels without feeling the actual presence of Jesus. His personality pulsates in every word. No myth is filled with such life.” NFL quarterback, Sam Bradford, said, “I really don’t see a reason why you wouldn’t want to have a relationship with Jesus Christ. I mean, not only was He the greatest human being to ever walk the earth, He’s everything that I want to strive for. He’s everything that anyone should ever want to strive for. Everyone who’s on this earth was blessed because of Him. To come into this world and to deny Him the opportunity to have a relationship with you, is almost a slap in the face to Him.” English writer and media personality, Malcolm Muggeridge, said, “Christ is the only answer to an insane world. They will not understand that the trouble with the western world civilization is not economics, but more—good and evil! They are thinking they can make things work by policies, inventions, but man will never live on this planet without God!” R&B singer, songwriter, and producer, Smokey Robinson, said, “I know the strength that Christ gives me. I know what He did for me. I know that He is my way out and my way in. He’s my way out of all this havoc and my way into paradise. He suffered for me and for everybody. It’s so simple. God loves us so much. He said, “I’ll tell you what. I’m going to make it real simple for you. I’m going to send my Son, Jesus Christ. He’s going to take on all your iniquities and all your sins. He’s gonna die in your place so you can have everlasting life. All you’ve got to do is accept Him as your Saviour.” Professor, and author, Wayne Grudem, said, “It is by far the most amazing miracle in the whole Bible – far more amazing than the resurrection and more amazing than the creation of the universe. The fact that the infinite, omnipotent, eternal Son of God could become man and join Himself to a human nature forever, so that infinite God became one person with finite man, will remain for eternity the most profound miracle and the most profound mystery in all the universe.” New York Times bestselling author, John Grisham, said, “I came under conviction when I was in the third grade, and I talked with my mother. I told her, ‘I don’t understand this, but I need to talk to you.’ We talked, and she led me to Jesus. The following Sunday I made a public confirmation of my faith [in Jesus Christ]. In one sense, it was not terribly eventful for an eight-year-old, but it was the most important event in my life.” Chinese political and military leader, Chiang Kai Shek, said, “How I wish that all people would read the Bible, worship and believe in the One and Only True God! The Bible which is God’s living, inspired and true Word teaches us about the triune God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. The Bible also declares that we can attain righteousness by our faith in His Son Jesus Christ, Who gave Himself through His death on the cross, and shed His blood as an offering for sin. God’s righteousness by faith in Jesus Christ exalts a nation. That has been proven historically. Christ is freedom’s rock. His love covers a multitude of sins. Everyone who believes on Him shall receive eternal life!” Super Bowl winning Coach Football coach Tom Landry said, “This is really the most important factor in my life, my faith in Jesus Christ. When you accept Christ, He becomes first in your life. It’s this priority that gives me peace.” Irish playwright, George Bernard Shaw, said, “I am no more of a Christian than Pilate was, or you are, gentle hearer; and yet, like Pilate, I greatly prefer Jesus of Nazareth to Amos or Caiaphas; and I am ready to admit that I see no way out of the world’s misery but the way which would have been found by His will.” Dear friend, do you know this person named Jesus Christ? No gift you have received or ever will receive can compare to the gift God has made available to you through His Son. And the greatest gift you can give is your life to Jesus Christ by accepting Him as your Savior and receiving salvation from your sins and the punishment of sin which is hell as many of those I just quoted and millions of others have done. This Christmas season, allow me to show you how you can receive the greatest gift ever given – which the Bible refers to as an “unspeakable gift” – salvation through Jesus Christ and then how you can give the greatest gift you can give to Jesus Christ which is your life. 1. Accept the fact that you are a sinner, and that you have broken God’s law. The Bible says in Ecclesiastes 7:20: “For there is not a just man upon earth that doeth good, and sinneth not.” Romans 3:23 reads: “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.” In fact, I am the chief of sinners, so don’t think that you’re alone. 2. Accept the fact that there is a penalty for sin. The Bible states in Romans 6:23: “For the wages of sin is death…” 3. Accept the fact that you are on the road to hell. Jesus Christ said in Matthew 10:28: “And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.” The Bible says in Revelation 21:8: “But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.” 4. Accept the fact that you cannot do anything to save yourself! The Bible states in Ephesians 2: 8, 9: “For by grace are ye saved through faith: and that not of yourselves: it is a gift of God. Not of works, lest any man should boast.” 5. Accept the fact that God loves you more than you love yourself, and that He wants to save you from hell. Jesus Christ said in John 3:16, “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” 6. With these facts in mind, please repent of your sins, believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and pray and ask Him to come into your heart and save you this very moment. The Bible states in the book of Romans 10:9, 13: “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.” “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” Dear friend, if you are willing to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ for salvation, please pray with me this simple prayer: Heavenly Father, I realize that I am a sinner and that I have done some bad things in my life. For Jesus Christ sake, please forgive me of my sins. I now believe with all of my heart that Jesus Christ died for me, was buried, and rose again. Lord Jesus, please come into my heart and save my soul and change my life today. Amen. If you believed in your heart that Jesus Christ died on the cross, was buried, and rose again, allow me to say, congratulations on doing the most important thing in life and that is accepting Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour! For more information to help you grow in your newfound faith in Christ, go to Gospel Light Society.com and read “What To Do After You Enter Through the Door“. Jesus Christ said in John 10:9, “I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.” God loves you! We love you! May God bless you! And Merry Christmas!