Virtue is its own Reward

Ya gotta be tough, sometimes, ya gotta be tough. But, not always. Sometimes, it pays to cry, to weep. Remember that Christ said, "Blessed are they who weep, for they shall later laugh." Sometimes, it is better to cry with the saints than to laugh with the sinners. Don't we want them pulling for us when the chips are down for us? There is a time to laugh, and a time to weep, according to King Solomon's The Book of Ecclesiastes. What does this have to do with virtue? This weeping business? And just how does it pay me to weep. Remember the saying, "No pain, no gain?" Rarely do we laugh when it hurts, if ever; laughter is not our natural reaction to pain.

Usually, depending on how bad we're hurting, we put of expressions of pain, and often times, this is expressed through weeping. The New Testament tells us to do this: "Rejoice with those who rejoice, and mourn with those who mourn." There is a special blessing for those who mourn in the Bible. It goes as such: "Blessed are they who mourn, for they shall be comforted." If you attend the funeral of a friend's family member to comfort your mourning friend, you will be blessed by God for having done so. At least this is how I read and understand the Bible. So, what is virtue? If we want an abundance of automatic reward, we will, if the saying is true, we will practice as much virtue as we possibly can. If we don't care for reward, automatic or otherwise, we'll probably blow a lot of stuff off.

Something Old

When spirits are up, morale is high; when spirits are down, morale is low. When morale is low, it leads to an overall state of depression. How might we raise the morale of America? First off, we need to hear good news, instead of the bad, depressing news we get everything on television. The news is powerful stuff. It is meant to be that way. What good news is there in such a dark day as this? We ever have Jesus Christ and the Gospel. He is with us always, even unto the end of the age. "But," you say," That isn't really news, either good or bad, in my opinion." If it were news at all, Brian Williams would be talking about it.

Maybe we need to present it in a new and exciting way, then that would be newsworthy. Televangelism seems to be a flop, morally speaking, so maybe there needs to be new avenues in media by which to present the Good News, that it would become newsworthy, or that, in an outstanding way, the presenter would be a newsworthy individual.

For me, televangelism seems to be a failure, morally speaking, as I said before. It presents Christianity in too showbizzy a fashion, in my opinion. But, I think the problem lies in that humanity has gone for overkill in everything, and has practically shunned understatement. Were practically dead in the water with the media blitz. Maybe, instead of needing something new, we need something old to make way for something new later on. Something from a by-gone era. I'm not necessarily referring to the stuff of nostalgia, like "Happy Days." I mean a return to something considered obsolete and/or antiquated. For instance, The covenant of the law of Moses is, by Christians, considered obsolete. I am not suggesting abandoning the New Testament at all. But what I am suggesting is a return to spiritual principals that predate Jesus Christ. Perhaps it would be wise to do things decreed by the Law of Moses, as if we were under the Law of Moses. Even Christ Himself taught, "If anyone obeys even the least of the precepts found written in the Law and the Prophets, and teaches others to do the same, they will be called great in the kingdom of heaven; but if anyone breaks the least of these commands, and teaches others to do the same, they will be called least in the kingdom of heaven." So, perhaps we ought to be a little more obedient to the Law of Mose and to the Prophets. Maybe we need something a little old fashioned. They do say that history has a way of repeating itself. Maybe if we begin practicing old, even ancient customs, we would learn something new, instead of hope for the next "big" thing.

It is written in the psalms, "The Law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul." But, knowing the law is not enough...we have to do what the law says, or we are condemned as lawbreakers, and that is trouble every time, whether were breaking the law of God, or the law of the land. So, what I am suggesting is that we who do believe in Jesus Christ ought to live more according to the law and obedience to it, rather than rely solely on grace. Obedience to the law among other things, a source of reward. For instance, say you are driving down the highway, and you are determined to comply and obey the law, even though nobody else is, or seems to. Let us say also that the police are pulling people over right and left during your time on the road, but you, they do not pull over. However, let us say a certain policeman takes note of your driving and your license plate number during the chaos. You make it home, not realizing what the policeman had done. But, about an hour later, a policeman pulls into your driveway to thank you for doing your part to maintain order during a hectic and chaotic time. Well, it is said that virtue is its own reward, and if something like this were to happen, it would confirm further that point: Virtue is its own reward. Virtue is food for the soul, and it will sustain us. It is sin, which is to say, transgression , that is the impoverishing element that wages war against the soul.

Therefor, I am suggesting that we cleave to the Old Covenant, without sacrificing the Grace of the New Covenant. We ought to practice the former without ignoring the latter, if we wish to be stronger people, spiritually.

Hey now!

It has been awhile, hasn't it? How've you been and how are you? I have been playing a lot of guitar, although I have taken the last couple of days off in order to blog a few things. I really believe I have a lot to say. More to you later. C'ya.

The Bill of Rights, Amendment I

Amendment I

Freedoms, Petitions, Assembly

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press, or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

________________

 

 

I believe there is too much litigation and deliberation in the legislative branch of worldly government. There is too much professional interpretation of the law, and there is not enough civil practice of the wording of the law. If civilian America were to keep themselves in the very good practice of practicing the law as it is written, verbatim, from childhood, there would be a greater awareness abound.

We often hear about the separation of church and state, but, if we examine the first amendment as it is written, that phrase is never mentioned in the first amendment as such. It says, "Congress shall make no law respecting an esablishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof."  If you will indulge me a Biblical quotation, it is written in the Bible by St. Peter, "Rightly divide the word of truth." Instead of interpreting the law, let us etymologize its words, one by one. Let us dissect it, and reassemble it, define it and find out what it means. Let us avoid interpretation of the law. In the Bible, concerning Scripture, it say "Prophecy of Scripture is not left to one's own interpretation, for prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but the prophet spoke as he was carried along by the Holy Spirit." Just what is a congress, by definition?  To congregate is to come together, to assemble, and the words congress  and congregate have the same root, which is the Latin congregare, to flock together. Sheep and birds are the only animals I know of that flock together. So congress is some sort of coming together of men, and now women, within the last century, or a flocking together.

The next word is  shall. According to wikipedia, the word shall, like the word will, is a modal verb expressing the future. "Congress shall..."  Something done by Congress is going to happen in the future, according to the first two words of the First Amendment.

"...make..."  Wow! If you look up the definition of this seemingly small word, you will find a vast array of definitive attributes. It carries here nearly fifty defintions, all of them subtly different from the other: "Make love, not war!" "Create..." "force another to do something."

"...no..." Let's check this one out. Let us define this one as such: "Not in any manner or measure at all."

"...law..." What is a law? Let's just simplify this by calling a legal precept, decree or mandate.

"...respecting..."  What is it to respect? It is a level of elevation of a certain person, place or thing as worthy of honor.

"...an..."  This is what is, linguistically speaking, an article, presupposing that the noun that follows is a singular thing, that it is one thing.

"...establishment..."  a place of business or an official act.

"...of..."   That which presupposes that that which follows is going engender the preceding thing or act.

"...religion..."  Theologically speaking, religion is defined as 'man's works to please God.' My personal religion is faulty; I am a sinner.

"...or..."  These little guys are quite difficult to define! I couldn't find a defintion for it, so I will say it is a conversant precupice.

"...prohibiting..." To prohibit something is to put a ban or damper on, to forbid.

"...the..."  a word that makes definitive and exclusive that which follows it.

"...free..."  Coming at no cost, unfettered, loose.

"...exercise..." To move repetitiously for the purpose of strengthening.

"...thereof..." There is not here, even though when you get there, you can say, "I'm here." Therefore, thereof can be said to mean, "A place that stems from not being here among us where we are at now."

 

Let's stop right there. We have defined the law, and the words separation, church nor state  occur anywhere through the course of the wording of this precept of the law. The law, as it is written, does not call for, at any time, for a separation of church and state, but rather, it calls for no governmental establishment of law concerning man's works to please God, or the movement of the people repetitiously, in order to strengthen themselves, at a place, either in time or space, real or imagined, where they are not at right now, when ever that may be. Through defining each word, we have come to a broader definition of the law and its original intent, and never once attempted to interpret it, and in so doing have redefined just one precept of the law, and as result, have a new understanding of the law through redefining it. 

Governmental concerns and ecclesiastical concerns are intentionally different, therefore there are different attitudes in the establishments of both. Is it good to keep in the vocabulary of the legislators the notion that we the people are required, by mandate of the people, to impose a separation of church and state. I don't think so, because that is not how the law is worded. It should, however, be a course of study to practice the wording of the law at an appropriate age, say  ages 11 through 18, for the purpose of social and linguistic study. Then, there would be a greater freedom and liberty experienced by even school children where knowledge of the law is concerned, and it would not be forgotten by them their whole lives. I have always contended that to be aware is to know, and a fundamental awareness of the law is a good thing to have by any and all, no matter what their age, young or old.

The process and methodology of verbal division and definition is important. I believe that from an early age, when reading and writing skills are assimilated, the transcription and recitation of the law ought be introduced. The law is a high thing, and the more familiar we are with the law, the less frivolous our behavior, even though there is a time and a place for everything, frivolity included. Children need playtime. It is a form of liberation and it is a form of freedom. Adults need freedom from that which hinders, and I believe that violation of principle is that which hinders, and if there were a heightening of awareness in regards to the law in the collective consciousness of the populus, freedom and liberty would abound.

I would like to see life-long, post-secondary educational reviews of all citizens where once every ten years, a person must take a semester of refresher courses in the general curricula, or if my higher dream of aptitude-based curricula comes to be, in the aptitudinal curricula of each individual, a continuation of either general or higher learning in general, it would be state-funded, ideally.

What Would Happen?

In the Law of Moses, there is something that is called the Year of Canceling Debts. What would happen, especially now that we are seeing the bankruptcy of quite a few corporate entities, if this were acted upon by the land of America at this time? I am not calling for a union of church and state here, but an examination of the establishment of such mandate by the government. I believe that the Year of Canceling debts occurs once every seven years according to the Law of Moses. If America were to matriculate such an institution, I believe the idea would catch on. Perhaps this could extend to the debts men have to society, as well, freeing all of the prisoners from prison, giving amnesty to all men. I am not calling for such a thing necessarily every seven years, but perhaps letting it be a one time thing, and if it works, then establish it regularly.  What would happen? It would definitely be a day of light for those who have incurred debt, and, while referring to an old thing, it would be socially innovative in contemporary times, and it would not be a dark day at all.

The Redemption of Marijuana

Marijuana is usually maligned by the conservative members of society. It is believed that it is not good for those who use it. Perhaps, at least for the time being, in part, they are right. It does, for now, have adverse psychological effects, sometimes, on its users. This, I propose, is due to the fact that it is presently listed among illicit drugs. There is, however, a truth at play that, simply stated, would remove the adverse psychological effects from the marijuana experience. That would simply be to legalize it. Of course, there would be a backlash of resistance due to ignorance on the part of its opponents. Let us look to no less than the New Testament writings of St. Paul to show what is happening and make manifest the nature of the law. Because, as the following Scripture will Illustrate, marijuana is presently illegal, arguably the use of it is sin in the sight of God. Paul writes:

7What shall we say, then? Is the law sin? Certainly not! Indeed I would not have known what sin was except through the law. For I would not have known what coveting really was if the law had not said, "Do not covet."^[b] 8But sin, seizing the opportunity afforded by the commandment, produced in me every kind of covetous desire. For apart from law, sin is dead. 9Once I was alive apart from law; but when the commandment came, sin sprang to life and I died. 10I found that the very commandment that was intended to bring life actually brought death.

11For sin, seizing the opportunity afforded by the commandment, deceived me, and through the commandment put me to death. 12So then, the law is holy, and the commandment is holy, righteous and good. 13Did that which is good, then, become death to me? By no means! But in order that sin might be recognized as sin, it produced death in me through what was good, so that through the commandment sin might become utterly sinful.

14We know that the law is spiritual; but I am unspiritual, sold as a slave to sin. 15I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. 16And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. 17As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. 18I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature.^[c] For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. 19For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. 20Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it.

21So I find this law at work: When I want to do good, evil is right there with me. 22For in my inner being I delight in God's law; 23but I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members. 24What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? 25Thanks be to God—through Jesus Christ our Lord!
      So then, I myself in my mind am a slave to God's law, but in the sinful nature a slave to the law of sin.

(ref. http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?book_id=52&chapter=7&version=31)

The law, as Paul writes, is good, but I am not good. Even the fact that marijuana is included in the law is good, even if, unfortunately, illegal for now. The law, by its very nature is spiritual, but I am, by my very nature, am unspiritual, and therefore I rebel against even the thought of what the law dictates. If that thing that the law condemns, even though God created it for his glory, that thing I want, if I use or do that thing the law prohibits, I then am sinning, not necessarily in the sight of God, but against the law itself, rendering me, apart from God's will, sinful and, resultantly unspiritual and foolish. I become sluggish because authorities oppose me because I have transgressed the law when I have indulged in that which the law does not permit me to do. That is the nature of sin in regards to the law. If, however, the law permits me to do a certain thing, then I am not sinning, and sin does not live.

Marijuana, because it is, for now, illegal, is criminalized if used. But, if the law were amended, as it was twice before in America where alcohol was concerned, once in the establishment of prohibition and the subsequent criminalization of alcohol and its use, and in the repealing of prohibition some ten years later. Prohibition was not having the effect it was believed it would have, and it was having disastrous legal effects because people simply rebelled, and the conservative community's "victory" was short lived. True, there still is a small percentage of the population that abuse alcohol, but it is now known, as it always really was, for instance, that moderate consumption of alcohol is beneficial. I offer that the same thing would happen at the reform of the law in regards to marijuana: there would be beneficial findings if marijuana were to be ratified as legal. True, there would always be those who abuse the freedom. But prohibition is a failing theory here, with marijuana as with alcohol. There are those who use alcohol responsibly from every walk of life, and there are those who use  it irresponsibly. So it goes with marijuana, or at least would. I personally deny myself the use of marijuana for now, and have since the year 2001, but I believe it is good and beneficial, and there are nations where marijuana and stronger drugs have found ratified acceptance.  Not everyone who drinks wine is a wino, and not everyone who uses marijuana is a pothead. Many prefer the organic nature of marijuana to the nature of alcohol, either fermented or distilled, and I believe that if the laws prohibiting and criminalizing marijuana and its use were repealed,  that viewpoint would gain popularity, and I believe there are many who agree.

True, there is some paranoia on the part of those who use and possess marijuana, but if the law were reformed and the prohibition were repealed, marijuana would carry with it different effects and affects. I believe the repealing of the  prohibition on legalized marijuana is an idea whose time has come, and the conservative sect who, through ignorance, all the while having the truth right there in front of them, condemns the use of marijuana, ought to revise their thinking. where money is concerned, they wholeheartedly preach, "He who sow liberally will reap liberally; he who sows conservatively will reap conservatively." If this proverb were to gain a greater socio-political acceptance among conservatives, we would have a greater social awareness of freedom as it was intended to be. Right now, America, because of right wing conservativism, is experiencing a recession, reaping conservatively. But, if right-wing America would re-examine their beliefs, they would see that, even if initially frightening, a liberality in mores in regards to social standards and practices and politics in general would bring about a new school of thought that would be most liberating.

America is called the sweet land of liberty by them who are conservatives. Well, Liberty is freedom, and liberty and liberalism have the same etymological root, and it is through moderate liberalism that true freedom will be attained. Keeping extremism in check is necessary, and there needs be balance to temper it.Where extremism is concerned, conservatives are not alone guilty. There is the lunatic fringe on both sides of the fence, but if we could have a drawing toward socio-political balance to things being balanced and centered with a new type of thinking, ignorance would be alleviated, not only where such trivial things as legalized marijuana is concerned, but greater social awareness in general. Our words and the way governmental dogma is worded  both need revision, and we live in the age of informational proliferation. Do we want a liberal harvest? Let us not sow our seed conservatively. Let us sow it liberally, and cultivate it wisely. Then and only then will we realize the new freedoms all men long for.

I realize that this transmuted into something of a battle cry for freedom, and progressed into something unforeseen, but, I believe I have said some things that need to be heard and that deserve to be heard. This became more than an apologetic for the reform of marijuana laws, but an appeal to people to rethink their beliefs, and for that I do not apologize. Thank you.

The morale of America is at a low right now. We are a nation at war and the economy is suffering. What is the solution to this problem? Peace and prosperity are the hope of the nation. It is said, "If you want peace, work for justice." What is justice? That all stand in a place where just and good decisions are made. Justice dictates camaraderie and single minded devotion to the good and the right. Righteousness and goodness are called for; this is dictate by the words good and right. We have to do what is good and we want to do what is right. Therefore, in order to do these things, we must also focus on the good and the right, beginning with the words we use as a people. If we were to take up and put into practice, regular practice, those two words, we would find a general agreement among the people. People want what is good, and people want what is right. We ought wear ourselves out for goodness and justice, timeless values that will never pass away.Then, and only then, will we be able to focus on higher goals, such as freedom and peace, and when that has been achieved, we will have become a better people. Justice condemns corruption, and peace dwells in tranquility and serenity, and does encompass them.
It is corruption that robs the people of what is called just and due compensation, and as it is said, "Virtue is its own reward." Let America renew her song of Joy in praise of Justice, let the wicked man repent, and the reward will be Peace and Justice. As it is said, "Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people." Righteousness is filled with justice, and when we work for justice, we will come closer to being a righteous people , a people at peace, first at home, then abroad; then righteousness will call us near to righteousness' own self. Justice dictates that if you wish to be treated a certain way, then treat others in that way you would be treated, and if you would not have something done to you, then do it not to others. All else is hypocrisy.
It is not that I am a good man, nor am I a particularly just man or person. But I am wise to a degree. I have inquired into the truth, which is filled with and does propel wisdom. My wisdom comes in rest and repose.
Morale is also referred to as "esprit de corps", or the spirit of the many. Let us, therefore, in the interest of goodness, justice, righteousness and peace, take a common preparatory breath, and undertake to do what is right.
Wherein the economy is concerned, it is my contention that money is like water. Right now, we are in an ebbing of the tide. It is said, It is always darkest before the dawn. When is high tide? Is it not in the morning just when all have awakened? Right now it is darkest, and we ought anticipate the dawning of the coming day's light. Then will the tide shift, and all will come to us again. We reap what we sow, and we have cast our bread on the waters. Now, many days later, we should reckon it near that bread's return, if Solomon's proverb is true. Let us proceed, as a people, toward the returning waters of oceans and seas of prosperity, where high tide is soon to come again. Then, if we take in the majesty of that glory under heaven, we will once again know an abundant common and public weal. "E Pluribus Unem."

Adeste Fideles Laeti triumphantes Venite, venite in Bethlehem Natum videte Regem angelorum Venite adoremus Dominum Cantet nunc io Chorus angelorum Cantet nunc aula caelestium Gloria, gloria In excelsis Deo Venite adoremus Dominum Ergo qui natus Die hodierna Jesu, tibi sit gloria Patris aeterni Verbum caro factus Venite adoremus Dominum