Br. Neil wrote:

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Jeff Marshalek

A secular thought on what the birth of Jesus meant to the world power at that time.

By James Carroll
Republished from Boston Globe
Jesus represents more than a guilty conscience

THE SINGLE most important fact about the birth of Jesus, as recounted in the Gospels, is one that receives almost no emphasis in the American festival of Christmas. The child who was born in Bethlehem represented a drastic political challenge to the imperial power of Rome. The nativity story is told to make the point that Rome is the enemy of God, and in Jesus, Rome’s day is over.


The Gospel of Matthew builds its nativity narrative around Herod’s determination to kill the baby, whom he recognizes as a threat to his own political sway. The Romans were an occupation force in Palestine, and Herod was their puppet-king. To the people of Israel, the Roman occupation, which preceded the birth of Jesus by at least 50 years, was a defilement, and Jewish resistance was steady. (The historian Josephus says that after an uprising in Jerusalem around the time of the birth of Jesus, the Romans crucified 2,000 Jewish rebels.)


Herod was right to feel insecure on his throne. In order to preempt any challenge from the rumored newborn “king of the Jews,” Herod murdered “all the male children who were 2 years old or younger.” Joseph, warned in a dream, slipped out of Herod’s reach with Mary and Jesus. Thus, right from his birth, the child was marked as a political fugitive.

The Gospel of Luke puts an even more political cast on the story. The narrative begins with the decree of Caesar Augustus calling for a world census—a creation of tax rolls that will tighten the empire’s grip on its subject peoples. It was Caesar Augustus who turned the Roman republic into a dictatorship, a power-grab he reinforced by proclaiming himself divine.

His census decree is what requires the journey of Joseph and the pregnant Mary to Bethlehem, but it also defines the context of their child’s nativity as one of political resistance. When the angel announces to shepherds that a “savior has been born,” as scholars like Richard Horsley point out, those hearing the story would immediately understand that the blasphemous claim by Caesar Augustus to be “savior of the world” was being repudiated.


When Jesus was murdered by Rome as a political criminal—crucifixion was the way such rebels were executed—the story’s beginning was fulfilled in its end. But for contingent historical reasons (the savage Roman war against the Jews in the late first century, the gradual domination of the Jesus movement by Gentiles, the conversion of Constantine in the early fourth century) the Christian memory deemphasized the anti-Roman character of the Jesus story. Eventually, Roman imperialism would be sanctified by the church, with Jews replacing Romans as the main antagonists of Jesus, as if he were not Jewish himself. (Thus, Herod is remembered more for being part-Jewish than for being a Roman puppet.)


In modern times, religion and politics began to be understood as occupying separate spheres, and the nativity story became spiritualized and sentimentalized, losing its political edge altogether. “Peace” replaced resistance as the main motif. The baby Jesus was universalized, removed from his decidedly Jewish context, and the narrative’s explicit critiques of imperial dominance and of wealth were blunted.

This is how it came to be that Christmas in America has turned the nativity of Jesus on its head. No surprise there, for if the story were told today with Roman imperialism at its center, questions might arise about America’s new self-understanding as an imperial power. A story of Jesus born into a land oppressed by a hated military occupation might prompt an examination of the American occupation of Iraq. A story of Jesus come decidedly to the poor might cast a pall over the festival of consumption. A story of the Jewishness of Jesus might undercut the Christian theology of replacement.


Today the Roman empire is recalled mainly as a force for good—those roads, language, laws, civic magnificence, “order” everywhere. The United States of America also understands itself as acting in the world with good intentions, aiming at order. “New world order,” as George H.W. Bush put it.

That we have this in common with Rome is caught by the Latin motto that appears just below the engraved pyramid on each American dollar bill, “Novus Ordo Seculorum.” But, as Iraq reminds us, such “order” comes at a cost, far more than a dollar. The price is always paid in blood and suffering by unseen “nobodies” at the bottom of the imperial pyramid. It is their story, for once, that is being told this week."

end of article.

Where is the power of the life of Christ today?

In Christ
Jeff

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Jeff Marshalek

Listen to the leaders of the world. The words and hopes that are communicated to the seas of men identify the doctrine of secularization. It use to be the Nazi's and the Communist who promoted the rule of men. But listen closely to the prayers of the those who lead the nations. What is the substance of their faith; in man or in God?

In Christ
Jeff

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Jeff Marshalek

This article just goes to show that only the spirit can profit from spiritual things.

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Farai Bamu

The world system has no room for God so everything rests on man and his abilities. This will undoubtedly lead to a lot of people being disappointed. We have become so intoxicated by our technologies (and other ologies and isms) that we just don't need God.

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Farai Bamu

I was watching a news program yesterday. What I have noticed recently, is that the news media are generating stories which point out discrepancies between Conservative Republican Leaderships stated doctrines and the actual actions that do not promote their positions.

Yesterday's story involved the cable industry. All the major cable companies, Comcast, Adelphia, Turner, etc, market X-rated adult films to all markets in the U.S. They stated that they are only providing a service to those who demand such a product. Of course, they are making lots of money. And some of that money has been donated to people like George Bush and Bill Santouri for election campaigns. Since 1998, I believe it was Comcast has given President Bush $109,000.00, and Bill Santouri $12,000.00. The news story stated that, "Shouldn't these men give the money back?

The world is watching to see if those who talk the talk walk the walk?

In Christ
Jeff

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Jeff Marshalek

Those in the world know that God exists, yet they choose not to listen and be thankful. Those in the world look at many who profess Christ and declare the hypocrisy of that profession. The power of the world's proclamations will bring many to hate all that resembles Christianity. The love of many Christians will grow cold because of this battle. Many will turn away from those who profess Christ yet not demonstrate His love.

Those of Sodom and Gamorrah will sit in judgement of those who blaspheme the name of God.

In Christ
Jeff

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Jeff Marshalek

I've listened to all the audio that Br. Rahman suggested. The overwhelming thought that comes to mind after listening to these interviews, can be summed up, by one of the observations that one of these men made.

He said, that the leaders in this country seem unwilling to take the steps necessary to correct the wrongs. Government steals the money from the Social Security Trust fund. Shareholders of corporations do not want the CEO's to report realistic data on earnings. Homebuyers do not understand or care about the debt that they are taking on.
Wall Street people do not want you to know the depth of the problems that exist in our current financial system. All believe that things will remain the same.

One man said that to sum up all of what I mentioned, it basically can be labeled as immoral blindness. He said every world power that has existed throughout time has destroyed its own currency because the people did not want to do the right things. The results of such behavior brings wars and desolations. The leaders are blind and the masses are blind.

And we all drink from the wine of fornication with the Great Harlot, the kings and the sea of men.

In Christ
Jeff

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Jeff Marshalek

Another thought, the men speaking in Rahman's list spoke of the possibility of hyper-inflation. They spoke of the lies that the government puts out every month on inflation. The truth is that inflation is growing much faster than what they are telling the public. This is a portion of an inflation report put out this morning.

"The PPI report was clearly disappointing and a bit of a warning signal that inflationary pressures could rise in the months ahead," said Michael Sheldon, chief market strategist, at Spencer Clarke LLC.

Core inflation for wholesale goods, which excludes volatile food and energy prices, jumped 0.8 percent in January compared with forecasts of a 0.2 percent increase. This was the fastest rate of increase in six years.

The overall producer price index increased 0.3 percent as expected."


If core inflation prices were up .8% how then does the price index only go up .3%?

In Christ
Jeff

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Jeff Marshalek

The continued drop in the value of the dollar will lead to hyperinflation. Hyperinflation will cause many problems within our nation. In the past, leaders during these times have started wars to take the people's minds off the evil that exists within a nation. I read this in the BBC today.

Dollar drops on reserves concerns

Recent rebounds in the dollar have proved to be short lived.

The US dollar has dropped against major currencies on concerns that central banks may cut the amount of dollars they hold in their foreign reserves.

Comments by South Korea's central bank at the end of last week have sparked the recent round of dollar declines.

South Korea, which has about $200bn in foreign reserves, said it plans instead to boost holdings of currencies such as the Australian and Canadian dollar.

Analysts reckon that other nations may follow suit and now ditch the dollar.

At 1930 GMT, one euro was worth $1.325, up 1.46% on the day.

The British pound had added 0.76% to reach $1.91, while the dollar had fallen by 1.25% against the Japanese yen to trade at 104.2 yen.

Change in mood

At the start of the year, the US currency, which had lost 7% against the euro in the final three months of 2004 and had fallen to record lows, staged something of a recovery.

The comments from Korea come at a time when sentiment towards the dollar was already softening.

Ian Gunner, Mellon Financial Analysts, however, pointed to the dollar's inability recently to extend that rally despite positive economic and corporate data, and highlighted the fact that many of the US's economic problems had not disappeared.

The focus once again has been on the country's massive trade and budget deficits, with predictions of more dollar weakness to come.

"The comments from Korea came at a time when sentiment towards the dollar was already softening," said Ian Gunner, a trader at Mellon Financial.

On Tuesday, traders in Asia said that both South Korea and Taiwan had withdrawn their bids to buy dollars at the start of the session.

Mansoor Mohi-Uddin, chief currency strategist at UBS, said that there was a sentiment in the market that "central banks from Asia and the Middle East are buying euros".

A report last month already showed that the dollar was losing its allure as a currency that offered rock-steady returns and stability.

Compiled by Central Banking Publications and sponsored by the UK's Royal Bank of Scotland, the survey found 39 nations out of 65 questioned were increasing their euro holdings, with 29 cutting back on the US dollar.

In Christ
Jeff

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Jeff Marshalek