Year 2, Day 265 (What Are People Being Taught In Church?)

Yesterday, as I was scrolling through the Facebook postings, there was one topic that was being opened in debate: circumcision. There are many different opinions and viewpoints that exist for this topic as it is, but this thread was based more in the Bible, even using Scripture out of context (as is common within "the Church") to support the argument that circumcision is not necessary. At first I wasn't going to get involved in the discussion, but I felt the conviction of The Spirit of HaShem urge me otherwise. First I had pointed out that Yeshua (Jesus) never taught anything that was contradictory of The Torah. One person had even pointed out that circumcision was not required under the "New Covenant", to which I pointed out that in order for there to be a "New Covenant" (or Testament), that implies that the "Old" Covenant was flawed. When pressed further on that comment, I had pointed out that everything taught with the pages of the "New Testament" are there to bring a deeper understanding to what was already in The Tanach... and specifically in The Torah. Therefore to use the terms "New Covenant" or "New Testament" is an inaccuracy that more than likely originated from a poor translation, and that a proper rendering of that portion of the Bible should be "The Apostolic Writings".

Even though I had pointed out a few things, even addressing that circumcision is indeed a Scriptural mandate (the commandment from HaShem can be found in Genesis), I feel that those taking part in the discussion choose to stay firm in their belief (in other words, they are saying to HaShem that they know better than He), one woman even mentioning that, concerning food, she was NOT going to give up her pork and shrimp - which is complete disrespect to HaShem's Commandments).

How was your evening?

Day 278 (The Passing Of A True Icon)

It's no longer "breaking news" now, everybody knows of the passing of Apple's co-founder/former CEO/Chairman, Steve Jobs. I won't go into any type of analysis, nor diatribe, of Mr. Jobs' life and/or legacy. I will, however, just direct you to a couple posts of note I came upon while perusing the webosphere (yes, on my iPhone). A few articles that caught my interest were The Daily Dose blog, and the article 10 Things To Thank Steve Jobs For, both of which are from the Entrepreneur.com website, and a very incredible story (not to mention the re-designed homepage in tribute to Mr. jobs) on Wired.com.


"The world has lost a visionary. And there may be no greater tribute to Steve's success than the fact that much of the world learned of his passing on a device he invented."
— President Barack Obama


Sadly, though, there is another side to this sad story... one that only fills me with contempt and disgust - but not for Mr. Jobs. It has been reported on the Inquisitr.com website that those (whom we Jews can only describe as meshuga) folks from Westboro Baptist Church have decided to protest Steve Jobs' funeral. Protest? Really?! Here's the funny - and hypocritical - part: Megan Phelps (daugter of the "church's" pastor) tweeted these plans from her iPhone!! Need I say anything more about how misguided these folks are? Yeshua (Jesus, in Hebrew) taught about love... the only thing WBC ever seems to speak is hate.

I'd better go get a coffee (no nearby Starbucks) before I really go on a tangent.

- Another rant via BlogPress

Day 232 (Maybe Roger Murtaugh Is Right)

It is so nice to be home. We went to services this morning, came home, and now I have to finish putting up the blinds in our living room... a task I started doing 2 1/2 hours ago. Here's what happened: I took down the old blinds and lined up the new ones and made the markings for the anchors. The new blinds did not come with the screws needed, so I did find some anchors with screws that fit. The only trouble is, the screws have small heads, so i ran to the store to get some washers. While I was at the store, I also picked up a few groceries for when I leave on the truck (as well as a few things to pre-cook, since raw meat and pasta doesn't cook too well in a crock pot). Then Tikvah and I picked up Nathan (our youngest son), from his youth group, to which I got shystered into a game of 3-on-3 basketball.

Needless to say, we lost - but not by much (26-24). But at my age (which, for the record: I am between 30, and death), I held my own pretty good, and my teammates were Nathan and Jake (the youth group leader). I will most definitely feel this in the next few days. Now to take a shower, finish the blinds, and make some coffee... not necessarily in that order. Now I now what Roger Murtaugh (from the Lethal Weapon movies) meant when he said. "I'm getting to old for this %&@#".

Day 163 (Westboro Baptist Church Gets A Taste Of Their Own Medicine)

Today has not been very productive: we got unloaded this morning, and we are presently waiting to get loaded here at Tyson in Dexter, MO. I did, however, read something if interest.

While waiting here, I decided to peruse through the latest posts on Facebook, when one of those on my friends list (whom will NOT be faced with be expunged from the aforementioned list) had posted a link to a delightful article. Radio personality Charley Barnes, of country radio station K99 (based out of Greeley, CO) wrote an article of a trip he made just a little over a week ago to Topeka, KS where him and a couple other biker friends paid a visit to the Westboro Baptist Church. I won't reveal any spoilers, but it is well worth the read. Interestingly enough, Mr. Barnes did reveal some information about WBC that has been so conveniently left out by our own mainstream media (though we know just how passionate they are about reporting the full story - with all the facts - and allow us to draw our own conclusions on the topic being reported upon).

There's no telling how many people have posted this link on Facebook, or "tweeted" it, but I plan to send this post to Mr. Barnes in the hopes that he will see that his story is indeed getting out. If I was at a Starbucks right now, I would order a second grandé triple Marble Mocha Machiatto, extra hot, and raise them BOTH to Mr. Barnes and his merry band! I can't wait for round 2!


- Another rant via BlogPress

Day 147 (What A Nice Day)

Today is pretty nice, at least in Kentucky and Ohio, that is. I stopped in Florence, KY for some Starbucks, and I'm glad I went through the trouble of finding this particular location, as I met a young man (Joseph was his name) and we had a very nice fellowship... which turned out to be a nice bonus, since today is the Sabbath.

Joseph and I discussed a great number of things. In our discussion I found he, like a good number of other Christians I have met, has become weary of the "business as usual" traditions and practices of "The Church." The type of blasé and mundane routines that many are "comfortable" with: go to services on Sunday, listen to the Pastor speak, then go home. Sadly, there are a good deal of these congregations that do NOT do as Scripture says, "Study to show yourself approved" (2 Timothy 2:15). The sad fact is (and I personally know of a few people like this) many will go to a bible study and quote the interpretations of known "scholars" (such as Kenneth Hagen, Kenneth Copeland, or Benny Hinn - and countless others whom I personally disregard as "learned" as opposed to "famous") without so much as their own meaning of what Scripture is saying. Many of these within the followers of the afore mentioned "famous scholars" will call themselves Christians, following a Jewish Savior, yet they themselves have prejudices against Jewish people. As I mentioned many weeks ago, I am Jewish, and I am also a Talmid of Yeshua HaMashiach (student of Jesus Christ). I wasn't raised in the traditions or practices of the Judaic liturgy, but with the assistance of The L-rd, G-d of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, I have been able to "reprogram" my thinking out of the Western cultural mindset (a.k.a. the European mindset, which gets its roots from a Greek mindset), and into a Middle-Eastern mindset - which is what the Scriptures are written in - and to use the former in order to understand Scripture (which was written in the latter) is absurd. Once you take on the way of thinking that was customary to those whom The L-rd used to document the events which make up Scripture, many passages will begin to make sense, as opposed to reading Scripture in a Greek mindset where it then is "lost in translation."

Learning the Hebrew language will also help once you begin to seek deeper study.


- Another rant via BlogPress