Articles
Some thoughts on
serving God or Mammon...
by a brother from the
early Church.
Lactanius (lac TAN shus)
260-330; Roman convert
serving God or Mammon...
by a brother from the
early Church.
Lactanius (lac TAN shus)
260-330; Roman convert
(Lactantius writing against those who promised wealth and prosperity and an easy walk as
Christians...)
"Satan, having invented false religions, turns men away from the Heavenly path and leads
them into the way of ruin. That path seems to be level and spacious and delightful with all
kinds of flowers and fruits. For Satan places on this path all things which are esteemed on
earth as good things- wealth, honor, pleasure and all sorts of enticements.
But hidden along with these are also injustice, cruelty, pride, lust, fights, ignorance,
falsehood ,folly and other vices. But the end of this way is as follows: When they have
reached the point of no return, it is suddenly removed, along with it's beauty. It is so
sudden that no one is able to foresee this fraud before he falls head-first into a deep
abyss...
"In contrast, the Heavenly path seems to be difficult and hilly, covered with painful thorns
and strewn with jagged rocks. As a result, everyone must walk with the greatest care and
must take precautions against falling. On this road, God has placed justice, self-restraint,
patience, faith, chastity, self-control, peace, knowledge, truth, wisdom, and other virtues.
But, along with these go poverty, lowliness, work, pain and all kinds of hardships. For,
whoever has extended his hope beyond the present life and chosen better things, will be
without these earthly goods. Because he is lightly equipped and free of hindrances, he can
overcome the difficulty of the Way.
For it is impossible for the man who has surrounded himself with royal pomp, or loaded
himself with riches, either to enter this path or to persevere in the face of these difficulties.
( Matt 7:13-14:19:23-24)
Christians...)
"Satan, having invented false religions, turns men away from the Heavenly path and leads
them into the way of ruin. That path seems to be level and spacious and delightful with all
kinds of flowers and fruits. For Satan places on this path all things which are esteemed on
earth as good things- wealth, honor, pleasure and all sorts of enticements.
But hidden along with these are also injustice, cruelty, pride, lust, fights, ignorance,
falsehood ,folly and other vices. But the end of this way is as follows: When they have
reached the point of no return, it is suddenly removed, along with it's beauty. It is so
sudden that no one is able to foresee this fraud before he falls head-first into a deep
abyss...
"In contrast, the Heavenly path seems to be difficult and hilly, covered with painful thorns
and strewn with jagged rocks. As a result, everyone must walk with the greatest care and
must take precautions against falling. On this road, God has placed justice, self-restraint,
patience, faith, chastity, self-control, peace, knowledge, truth, wisdom, and other virtues.
But, along with these go poverty, lowliness, work, pain and all kinds of hardships. For,
whoever has extended his hope beyond the present life and chosen better things, will be
without these earthly goods. Because he is lightly equipped and free of hindrances, he can
overcome the difficulty of the Way.
For it is impossible for the man who has surrounded himself with royal pomp, or loaded
himself with riches, either to enter this path or to persevere in the face of these difficulties.
( Matt 7:13-14:19:23-24)
Peter Walpot, an Anabaptist Elder , (Hutterite), some 500 years ago, made the
statement, "A Christian cannot own private property". I would ask, in the light of
Lactantius' words, "Is private property a hindrance to your Christian walk and
witness?"
statement, "A Christian cannot own private property". I would ask, in the light of
Lactantius' words, "Is private property a hindrance to your Christian walk and
witness?"
WHOSE TOWERS FELL ?
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FRED JONES
Elder
Elder
Fred Jones
WHY WEAR PLAIN CLOTHES?
Clothing, as the saying goes,"does make the person". We broadcast who we are by what we
wear, (and ,also,perhaps even more loudly, WHAT WE BELIEVE IN).
Remember the leader of the Nicaraguan Sandinistas who loudly proclaimed how much he
"was for the poor and oppressed"? Until it came out in the news that he wore $1,000.
sunglasses! Or the American politician (currently running for President in the primaries), who
also said "he really identifies with the poor of this nation", only have a reporter ask "how come
then that you pay $400. for haircuts?".
We are what we wear, so what does our advocating "plain clothing" mean and say about who
we are?
Are we trying to indentify with popular groups like the Amish? Groups that everybody says are
"good". No, because all too often their dress and lifestyle is dismissed, excused from having
any meaningful impact by being labeled quaint...good, but quaint!
Actually, our desire to dress plain has more to do with a group that is not Anabaptist, (as are
the Amish), but with Ghandi and the people of India. They were conquered and exploited for
centuries by the English
A key part of Ghandis strategy to dis-associate his people from the customs and life style of
the English and urge them to restore their own heritage was to bid them to cast off the clothing
of the oppressors...to adopt instead "home-spun", the clothing of Indias poor!
To dramatize the shift in dress, Ghandi organized protests with bon-fires into which the people
would cast their "slave clothing" for that simple, plain dress of their native land.
This choice had an economic impact and adverse effect on the rich English cloth
manufacturers , causing them much distress as well as lose of profits. Also, affected were the
factory workers of the English mills; many feeling the pinch in lower take home pay as a result
of the Indian people turning to the garb of their birth-right.
You would have thought the mill workers would be angry with the people of India, but, the
opposite took place. The mill workers, poor and exploited by the rich themselves, applauded
the actions of the poor of India in their bid to be free.
So do we wish to be free. Free from fashions that drain our pocket books and seduce our
children into becoming little adults, grooming them to take their place at the altar of
degradation and consumerism!
As neo-Anabaptists we advocate the casting away of the fashions and fad clothing that, to
quote Michael Harrington, "hides the poor of America under costumes of cheaply made
clothing". Rather, let us wear with rightful pride and dignity the garments of workers, people
who are free, focusing our time and treasure on the Kingdom of God, not on the trash and
trinkets of this world and it's evil economic systems.
In conclusion...in the hearts of many people there still resides hope, hope that was and some
day shall be again, that there can be a better way to live than they see before them and their
children!
It is that hope we attempt to bring to life, to center stage, to cry out ,"look our God is not dead,
nor sleeping, but loves you and desires that you choose Him and Life, not the sure -death of
this evil world. They're seeing a group of people whose attire is plain, simple, and can awaken
that hope and cause them to ask us " to give a defense for THE HOPE THAT THEY SEE
WITHIN US",,,,in the evidence of the way we dress. (1 Peter 3:15 )
AMEN
wear, (and ,also,perhaps even more loudly, WHAT WE BELIEVE IN).
Remember the leader of the Nicaraguan Sandinistas who loudly proclaimed how much he
"was for the poor and oppressed"? Until it came out in the news that he wore $1,000.
sunglasses! Or the American politician (currently running for President in the primaries), who
also said "he really identifies with the poor of this nation", only have a reporter ask "how come
then that you pay $400. for haircuts?".
We are what we wear, so what does our advocating "plain clothing" mean and say about who
we are?
Are we trying to indentify with popular groups like the Amish? Groups that everybody says are
"good". No, because all too often their dress and lifestyle is dismissed, excused from having
any meaningful impact by being labeled quaint...good, but quaint!
Actually, our desire to dress plain has more to do with a group that is not Anabaptist, (as are
the Amish), but with Ghandi and the people of India. They were conquered and exploited for
centuries by the English
A key part of Ghandis strategy to dis-associate his people from the customs and life style of
the English and urge them to restore their own heritage was to bid them to cast off the clothing
of the oppressors...to adopt instead "home-spun", the clothing of Indias poor!
To dramatize the shift in dress, Ghandi organized protests with bon-fires into which the people
would cast their "slave clothing" for that simple, plain dress of their native land.
This choice had an economic impact and adverse effect on the rich English cloth
manufacturers , causing them much distress as well as lose of profits. Also, affected were the
factory workers of the English mills; many feeling the pinch in lower take home pay as a result
of the Indian people turning to the garb of their birth-right.
You would have thought the mill workers would be angry with the people of India, but, the
opposite took place. The mill workers, poor and exploited by the rich themselves, applauded
the actions of the poor of India in their bid to be free.
So do we wish to be free. Free from fashions that drain our pocket books and seduce our
children into becoming little adults, grooming them to take their place at the altar of
degradation and consumerism!
As neo-Anabaptists we advocate the casting away of the fashions and fad clothing that, to
quote Michael Harrington, "hides the poor of America under costumes of cheaply made
clothing". Rather, let us wear with rightful pride and dignity the garments of workers, people
who are free, focusing our time and treasure on the Kingdom of God, not on the trash and
trinkets of this world and it's evil economic systems.
In conclusion...in the hearts of many people there still resides hope, hope that was and some
day shall be again, that there can be a better way to live than they see before them and their
children!
It is that hope we attempt to bring to life, to center stage, to cry out ,"look our God is not dead,
nor sleeping, but loves you and desires that you choose Him and Life, not the sure -death of
this evil world. They're seeing a group of people whose attire is plain, simple, and can awaken
that hope and cause them to ask us " to give a defense for THE HOPE THAT THEY SEE
WITHIN US",,,,in the evidence of the way we dress. (1 Peter 3:15 )
AMEN
When referring to the day the Twin Towers in New York City were attacked by Islamic
extremists, we Americans say, "OUR" towers were attacked!
"Our" suggests ownership. That I have a stake in what the business of the Twin Towers
produced. That, somehow my fate, my life is inextricably linked to their standing tall and
further, that they are a symbol of what I stand for.
Well, first, let's examine what they stood for. Their proper name was the World Trade
Center. A place where nothing tangible was grown, manufactured or sewn together...other
than money. Just plain money. Tasteless, toxic and hard to come by for we little people at the
lower end of the economic ladder.
The hands of those who worked there were not calloused by manual labor, nor did they
carry traces of ground-in dirt, or soil under their nails. Their fingers did not ache from long
hours at sewing machines in some sweatshop.
What did they do ?
They made money. They typed on their computers and moved money around the world
electronically, seeking each tiny, minuscule increase in profit for their client / masters. Called
interest; the best price, the cheapest way it can be made by the cheapest labor available. For
example, the manufacture of toys, once made in our country by proud American workers, are
now made in countries with little or no concern for safety...like the recent recall of toys,( made
in China), because of the presence of deadly lead paint! This was typical of the kind of "work"
they did. The hell with American children; produce it for as little as possible.
They tell us that such "work" like this is for our own good. Is it?
The long and short of it is that they inflate the value of what workers produce and hide the
money they make in terms so complicated that we can't understand them and willingly give
them the power to "manage" it for us. Yes, that's it, the power over us because of our
willingness to submit to this evil scheme.
So, whose Towers were they ? Not mine and they should not be yours either !
The Bible tells us that our God has created us to live so close to Him that all we need to live
will be obvious to us, we can readily see that we can depend on him alone. The need for
rain,for the sunlight to nurture and grow our food; all is dependent on God.
Jesus tells us that God knows what we need AND PROVIDES IT, if we let Him.(The three
essentials of life...FOOD, CLOTHING and SHELTER !
Jesus commands us to come out from this evil world, to learn of Him, to put our fate in His
hands, not some shirt and tie (or mini-skirt) behind a computer.
Further, Jesus commands us to LOVE OUR ENEMIES; to do good to those who would do us
harm. Not to do war!.....Only the "Twin-Duo" of Oil Companies and friends of big-government
like Halliburton have made money in Iraq. They've left their greedy footprint there.
What have we little people left there...only the blood of our sons and daughters!
"Towers" have had many names in Biblical history, among them....Babel. The ones attacked
on September 11th were named Greed and Easy Credit!
extremists, we Americans say, "OUR" towers were attacked!
"Our" suggests ownership. That I have a stake in what the business of the Twin Towers
produced. That, somehow my fate, my life is inextricably linked to their standing tall and
further, that they are a symbol of what I stand for.
Well, first, let's examine what they stood for. Their proper name was the World Trade
Center. A place where nothing tangible was grown, manufactured or sewn together...other
than money. Just plain money. Tasteless, toxic and hard to come by for we little people at the
lower end of the economic ladder.
The hands of those who worked there were not calloused by manual labor, nor did they
carry traces of ground-in dirt, or soil under their nails. Their fingers did not ache from long
hours at sewing machines in some sweatshop.
What did they do ?
They made money. They typed on their computers and moved money around the world
electronically, seeking each tiny, minuscule increase in profit for their client / masters. Called
interest; the best price, the cheapest way it can be made by the cheapest labor available. For
example, the manufacture of toys, once made in our country by proud American workers, are
now made in countries with little or no concern for safety...like the recent recall of toys,( made
in China), because of the presence of deadly lead paint! This was typical of the kind of "work"
they did. The hell with American children; produce it for as little as possible.
They tell us that such "work" like this is for our own good. Is it?
The long and short of it is that they inflate the value of what workers produce and hide the
money they make in terms so complicated that we can't understand them and willingly give
them the power to "manage" it for us. Yes, that's it, the power over us because of our
willingness to submit to this evil scheme.
So, whose Towers were they ? Not mine and they should not be yours either !
The Bible tells us that our God has created us to live so close to Him that all we need to live
will be obvious to us, we can readily see that we can depend on him alone. The need for
rain,for the sunlight to nurture and grow our food; all is dependent on God.
Jesus tells us that God knows what we need AND PROVIDES IT, if we let Him.(The three
essentials of life...FOOD, CLOTHING and SHELTER !
Jesus commands us to come out from this evil world, to learn of Him, to put our fate in His
hands, not some shirt and tie (or mini-skirt) behind a computer.
Further, Jesus commands us to LOVE OUR ENEMIES; to do good to those who would do us
harm. Not to do war!.....Only the "Twin-Duo" of Oil Companies and friends of big-government
like Halliburton have made money in Iraq. They've left their greedy footprint there.
What have we little people left there...only the blood of our sons and daughters!
"Towers" have had many names in Biblical history, among them....Babel. The ones attacked
on September 11th were named Greed and Easy Credit!