Blog Archives - North Florida Writer

RESURRECTION SUNDAY COMING DOWN: OH YES, HE LIVES!

3/31/2018

So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples. Suddenly Jesus met them. “Greetings,” he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshiped him. Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me.”
- Matthew 28:8-10

When Mary, Mary Magdalene and the other women came to the tomb with spices in the early morning of Resurrection Day, they were surprised to find the stone rolled away from the entrance. Entering the tomb and finding it empty, they were startled when an angel dressed in white told them Jesus was gone. He walked out of the tomb earlier on that morning. They were filled with great anticipation, but retained some skepticism which remained until they came upon Jesus and they ran to Him and fell at his feet with tears of joy.

Matthew's Gospel varie considerably from the others, but each has within it the same basic points, the ones that really count. After all, word of the day was based verbally and it would certainly be passed somewhat differently as it made the rounds. But the common elements of the return of Jesus, his being seen by others, and his meeting with His disciples are so important that they were not missed by any of the renditions. All four Gospels share a common purpose since they were written by men endowed with faith and the ability to discern. And the most important thing to remember is that they all say He returned from the dead and is alive.

To me personally, the reality of His death and resurrection, the consistency of those points in all of the Gospels, and the fact that He was seen and identified by so many others plays such a great part in giving us the ability to believe by faith that Jesus is Lord. And then, before leaving this world to go to heaven above, He made the promise to leave something behind to help us stay the course and see the Way. It was delivered directly to mankind in the form of the Holy Spirit, the Third Person of God, who helps strengthen our resolve and live as the Savior asked.

So, on this special Sunday which we celebrate as Easter, we Christians should really look at it as Resurrection Day. It is the day that Jesus changed the world by opening humanity to salvation and eternal life. We all need to take time to worship and praise Him for the gift that he offers. He's already forgiven us, having done that the moment he died on the Cross. If we accept His offer and accept real life, we will gain true freedom as God intended, for we will be on the road to freedom from sin.

Jesus Christ is risen today. Hallelujah! He lives!

Good Friday: A Day of Pain, Suffering and Death for Jesus

3/30/2018

Jesus stands before Pilate

Most of us in America who call ourselves Christians call this day Good Friday, but it was anything but a good day for our Lord and Savior. By early morning, Jesus was exhausted, had been beaten numerous times and had been shuffled back and forth between Chief Priest Caiaphas, Pontius Pilate and King Herod as the Jewish leaders sought a way to punish Him with death for blasphemy. Finally, with the sun just beginning to rise, they went again before Pilate to seek the death penalty since only he could authorize death for a subject under his authority.

Examining Jesus closely and trying to assess this man who was already beaten and battered, Pilate went before the crowds and said he could find no wrong worthy of death. so he sent him off to receive forty lashes from the Roman soldiers. But in meting out punishment, the soldiers took great pleasure in making the lashes more brutal than normal, using metal strips and prongs akin to those used in warfare. And they used a heavier hand than most, leaving the King of Kings in a heap on the ground with rips and tears all over his body. A normal man could not have survived the beatings but Jesus, of course, was no normal man, but a Man and God in one.

Pilate had been told by his wife that Jesus was a good man and that they would be cursed if they put Him to death, but he also knew that the Jewish leaders would cause trouble if he didn't give them what they want. The quickest way to be recalled to Rome was the inability to control insurrection and Pilate knew that if that happened, he would either live out the rest of his life in disgrace or be put to death. But as he looked down on the wounded Jesus, he couldn't force himself to come up with the words so he decided to try to shift the blame to the priests. And he gave them a choice of who should die, Jesus, who had done nothing wrong or Barabbas, a brutal convicted criminal.

When given the choice, the priests led the crowd in yelling, "Barabbas", with all joining in. They had planned it this way, for none of those recognized as followers of Jesus were allowed into the courtyard at this still early hour, and the priests knew they could raise the crowd which would follow them. Reluctantly, Pilate had Barabbas released and the convict mocked and laughed at Jesus when he departed the scene.

Next Pilate asked what the crowd wanted done and Caiaphas led the crowd in yelling, "Crucify Him." Crucifixion was the standard death penalty issued in capital punishment cases, particularly brutal, and Pilate succumbed to the pressure of the crowd, symbolically washing his hands and saying that he wanted not. So, the sentence was issued.

Jesus was removed, taken to a side courtyard where the guards mocked him and beat him some more and then placed a crown of thorns on his head, roughly pushing the heavy thorns into his scalp. He was stripped of clothing except for his loin cloth and then told to carry his own cross through the narrow and uphill streets toward Golgotha, where he would die. The heavy wood cross was almost to much for him to bear since he has shed much blood and was further weakened by dehydration in hot sun, but he labored on despite several falls.

Continually beaten mercilessly, the chief legionnaire wanted to speed up the travel so when Jesus next faltered, he picked Simon the Cyrene out of the crowd to help Jesus carry His Cross. They finally made it to Golgotha where Jesus was placed on the Cross roughly with large spikes used to anchor his hands and feet.

He was raised and in place by nine in the morning, parched and dying slowly, as a crowd gathered, including mother Mary and Mary Magdalene. They were grief-stricken as they saw their Lord looking down at them with the agony clear on his face. Others shared their sadness while even more, especially the Sanhedrin in attendance and some of the Romans, mocked his pain.

As the slow agony continued, one of the two thieves that Jesus was positioned between, mocked Him, asking why He didn't save himself. But the other, a man who recognized the special nature of Jesus and what He stood for, asked Him for mercy. Jesus promised this second man a place in paradise with Him when. It was just another example of Jesus' forgiveness and what it means for us Christians who believe.

In addition to telling the sinner on the cross that he would join Him in paradise, Jesus spoke six other times. His final words were simple and clear.

Jesus called out with a loud voice, "Father, into your hands I commit my spirit." When he had said this, he breathed his last. - John 19:30

An interesting twist to the story comes here when Joseph of Arimathea, himself a rich member of the Sanhedrin, asked Pilate for permission to remove and bury the body in his own grave. And he was assisted by Nicodemus, another Sanhedrin member, who had openly questioned the Chief Priest about why Jesus wasn't give a fair trial. Nicodemus had visited with Jesus at night during the preceding days to ask Him questions about His message. He seemed moved by what he heard. Nicodemus also assisted in the burial by providing the spices for the body. Both men could have been condemned by the Chief Priest for what they did, yet they were unafraid.

Were these two men secret believers? The Bible doesn't clearly say but the Gospel of John deals with them favorably so that very well could be a clue that they were. We'll be back with the rest of the story on Resurrection Sunday, the real name for the day of His walking out of the grave.

The Last Supper, Betrayal and Arrest

3/29/2018

On this "Maundy Thursday" over two thousand years ago, Jesus and His disciples gathered together for what we call the Last Supper, for it is the last occasion where our Savior gathers together with them before his arrest, trial and execution. Maundy comes from the Latin word which means command and it is used by many of the faith to remind us of his command to His followers to love one another.

All in the group were Jews, so the meal was a Passover Seder, a long lasting gathering where different items of food were used symbolically as part of the ceremonial feast. There was also wine and laughter, but it was originated to remember God's gift to the Jews by the Passover of death in Egypt and the resultant freedom to leave under the leadership of Moses.

Jesus used the occasion to explain to His disciples what was about to happen. Some weren't sure what to make of it, but He wanted to prepare them for His departure. And as part of the meal He offered them the sacrament of Holy Communion by which they should remember Him. The bread represented the body and the wine the blood and by drinking of the cup and eating of the bread, the representation was of the life that He would give for them and all mankind.

Jesus also took the time to wash the feet of each disciple. This symbolized service and love since dusty feet being washed was quite a giving event and he used it to exemplify the love that they should share for others. Then Judas Iscariot was identified when Jesus told them that one of their group would betray Him and, as if on cue, Judas hastily departed, not to be seen again until later that night in the Garden.

Later, after hours of discourse where he laughed some but also showed signs of being pensive as he further explained what was about to come, they headed for the Garden of Gethsemane on the Mount of Olives. It was here that He asked them to stand guard as He went off separately for private prayer. It was during His communion with God that He asked to be spared, yet He knew that would not be done because His death was part of God's master plan and the reason why He was on earth. He was racked with grief and fear and trembled while sweating profusely. Some report he actually sweated blood, symbolic of just how stressed He was and the disciples watched and were concerned, yet they also fell asleep. They were chastised for this when He returned to their side, asking them why they couldn't even stay awake for Him.

Soon thereafter, the flickering of torch lights drew near and the sounds of the Temple soldiers grew louder. They were accompanied by Judas the Betrayer, who identified Jesus to them with a kiss on the cheek. A small skirmish erupted as Peter drew a sword and cut the ear off of a guard, but Jesus signaled them to stop any violence. Then Jesus knelt down and picked up the ear and replaced it on the man and the soldier was back to normal, not understanding how this could happen. Jesus was then roughly led off to see Caiaphas and the other priests where, in the wee hours of the next day his trial, a farce, was conducted. Since they wanted to condemn Him to death, it required the High Priest to convince Pontius Pilate to order it, but we'll pick up the story at that point tomorrow, on Good Friday.

The brutal truth of the Prophesy was coming alive and the disciples still didn't understand the full ramification of what was happening. Peter denied Him three times before sunrise and Judas, realizing the gravity of His actions for a mere thirty pieces of silver, hanged himself.

TOMORROW: The Brutal Death on Calvary's Cross

Sowell on Drugs, Fathers and God

3/28/2018

One of my favorite economists, a man who grew up and learned the hard way, is Dr. Thomas Sowell, a black Conservative, distinguished teacher and writer who offers wisdom to us in a way that all can understand. He was born and raised in Harlem, dropped out of school as did many of his peers, yet after hard times and a stint in the Marine Corps, developed focus which served him well.

Dr. Sowell is getting older now, has given up his regular column that was widely circulated, but is still devoted to presenting truth from his position as a Fellow in the Hoover Institution at Stanford University. Yesterday he was a guest on the Laura Ingraham show and in the discussion, the subject of guns and schools came up. He very thoughtfully brought up three reasons which he believes have over time led us to this point in our society. And in his comments he gave mention to another great black economist and teacher, also a Conservative, Dr. Walter Williams of George Mason University and I found myself doubly attentive because I admire both men. Williams had a somewhat similar background, growing up in urban Philadelphia, entering the Army as a young man and learning the importance of rules therefrom which allowed him to build a stellar teaching career based upon his individual merits, not expecting special favors or treatment.

Here is my take on Dr. Sowell's comments about the three reasons which are related to drugs, fathers and God, which have caused so much strife and violence. My order of discussion is based upon his delivery, not the order of importance, for I would always put the third one, God, of primary importance.

1. Drugs. If you were a child prior to the late 1960s, the drug issue, particularly as it relates to legal medication, was not such a problem. Except for the occasional aspirin or equivalent, the taking of pills were primarily related to injury and surgery recovery. But with the growth of big pharma and the growth in the illegal drug trade, children today are more likely to be on some type of medication than not. Ritalin was never heard of in those days but, of course, most of the active boys burned off their frustration with neighborhood sports, a year round event which meant falling asleep and being well rested for school the next day. When they were allowed to release their pent up energy the likelihood of problems dissipated.

Watch the ads and ask yourself a question. Why do we need so many over the counter drugs for every little ache or problem when generations lived without them? And, of course, we can't forget the illegal drug trade, which is rampant in our open borders society and so many kids are into them that they can't even think. Notice also that in most of the shootings, drugs of one form or another were involved.

In days gone by, when hunting season started, rural and many suburban high school kids drove to school with a gun in a gun rack on their truck and there was never a problem. The kids never even thought of such a thing, they were too busy with work, school, play and hunting in season and very few were taking drugs.

2. Fathers. This one is really quite simple and I'm not posing my comments just for boys, but since they are the major factor in the gun issue, it's why I address them pointedly. Boys don't need two fathers or two mothers, they need one of each. Fathers play a key role in building the character of a boy and a boy without a caring father is at a major disadvantage. I lost my dad at a young age due to illness, but there were wonderful men in the neighborhood who were especially kind to me and were available to talk with about manly things. That's not as commonplace due to the pace of life today.

Think about all of those from broken families where the father has disappeared. And then, of course, there are millions of children who don't even know who there father is as they suffer the consequence of bad choices by their mother. The children did nothing stupid. Disciplinary problems, anger and violence are much more likely by children who come from such a setting and it's easy to understand. Sometimes a gang or equivalent is the closest thing to a family that they have.

But there is something even bigger that is missing and it has created a void in life for many which is at the foundation of the problems above and even more. And that brings me to Dr. Sowell's final point.

3. God. When a society founded upon God falls away from the very force which created it and which created all of the people who are a part of it, things go the wrong way real fast. Drug problems, lack of fathers and mothers staying together, ignoring the laws of nature and thinking that man can do all things is where the void leads us. And we are right in the middle of it today. And since God gave us free will, he allows us to swallow this bitter pill if we choose to do so, but if we change and realize the error of our ways, He's more than happy to return us to the fold. He is strict but he is forgiving.

And isn't it interesting that two learned and well-spoken black men, men who grew up in the very environments that were ripe for crime, violence and promiscuity which is now rampant elsewhere as well, have been so outspoken in bringing the truth to power? Doctors Sowell and Williams, two highly successful black men who have been tagged as "Uncle Toms" by some of the so-called leaders of the black community, offer sound advice that would serve all of us well, regardless of our race or creed. Sadly, those same miguided leaders who called them names actively keep their communities on a road to continued violence and poverty. For change to take hold, they must be willing to sacrifice their power and riches. I won't hold my breath waiting for that to happen.

Just think what violent cities with high rates of crime such as Philadelphia, Baltimore, and Detroit would be like today if they were governed by black men like these two gentlemen. Policies that support eliminating drug abuse, reestablish the value of the traditional family and encouragement for the individual belief in Providence above all of us would likely be the direction they would follow. What a glorious day that would be.

TOMORROW: Back to Holy Week (Maundy Thursday)

TUESDAY OF HOLY WEEK: Jesus, the Teacher, Amazes and Concerns

3/27/2018

Jesus in the Temple

Following Jesus' display of controlled anger on Monday in the Temple as he overturned the tables of the money changers and chased them away, his Tuesday return was low key but all the more threatening to the leadership of the Temple. Jesus was there to carry on a discourse with them and all who cared to participate. He allowed them to question him in depth, deftly avoiding any traps they threw so they could charge him with blasphemy and clearly showed His grasp of the Scriptures and the Law. His ability to explain himself using beautiful parables, his gift of being able to challenge their wrong-handed handling of much of the Law, and his discernment of motives when others couldn't see the truth were marvelous for anyone to behold. But Caiaphas and his priests, mindful that the public was learning just how smart Jesus was, knew that he was a threat to their power and wealth.

Think about it. This humble man of extremely modest background, a man from the poorest part of Israel and possessing no formal education was able to effectively argue over the issues using insight they had never seen in anyone and certainly not in the son of a carpenter who wandered the countryside like a nomad. Jesus clearly dazzled them, but at the same time he redoubled their determination to destroy Him. His destruction would require stealth, with an arrest after hours and his followers unable to assist him. The immediate planning was quickly being finalized.

When Jesus left the Temple that day, he and His disciples went to the Mount of Olives and sat in the shade of the olive trees. It was here that He taught them about the coming fall of the Temple and the desolation that would be Jerusalem. It is found in Matthew 24 and biblical scholars have penned it with the name, The Olivet Discourse. In reading it, some might think He was referring to the end of the world, but scholars who focus almost totally on that subject say no, that it was not the time for Him to address the Revelation with these loyal followers. God had other plans, and He left left the writing of that book to his disciple John, to be written from isolation years later while on the Isle of Patmos.

After their discussion in the warm afternoon sun, Jesus again retired for the night with his disciples back to Bethany and his friends Mary, Martha and their no very alive Lazarus, where he would rest until Thursday morning. He and His disciples would talk and enjoy a day of rest so that Jesus could prepare, both mentally and physically for what awaited Him.

But one member of the party did not accompany them. It was Judas Iscariot, a man clearly different from the others. He departed from the Mount of Olives in a different direction. rushing instead to the Temple where he made a commitment to identify Jesus for the Temple soldiers when they came for Him on Thursday night. He sold out his Lord for thirty pieces of silver. By doing so, the plan was set and the event that would change the world forever was on schedule to fulfill the purpose of Jesus' entire life on earth. We'll come back to the story from here from Thursday.

MONDAY OF HOLY WEEK: Jesus Chastises the Money Changers

3/26/2018

After His triumphal entry into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday, Jesus made his first visit of his final trip to the Temple that afternoon, not preaching but just observing what was going on. He knew that he was being watched as the Temple leaders were plotting to capture Him at some point, but only He knew it wasn't the appointed time yet.

As He walked around the hustle and bustle in the courtyard, He was appalled at what he saw. Rather than being a holy place dedicated to worship and honoring God the Father, it was a regular bazaar, a commerce center where business was being transacted and money was changing hands. He did nothing but observe that afternoon, but He would be back later to address what He saw and deeply detested. And then he departed the city to spend the night back in Bethany with friends.

On Monday morning He and His disciples returned to the Temple and Jesus showed visibly just how upset he was. Finally, he spoke out with the words that were recorded for posterity by His disciple, Matthew.

“It is written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer,’ but you make it a den of robbers.” Matthew 21:13 (ESV)

He then turned over the tables of the money changers, spoke briefly about his wrath and departed. He knew He was being watched but also knew that many of the faithful were unhappy with the financial comfort of the priests, yet He didn't want to take a chance of being arrested yet for He knew that the appointed time would come later in the week.

Leaving the city, his party then moved to the Mount of Olives where he began the final process of verbally preparing His disciples for what would be coming. He knew there would be doubts and fear, but He wanted to instill in them an understanding that they would remember later in their days of scorn since they would soon have to deal with it alone after His death. And then again they went back to the safety of Bethany where there were those who would watch over Him and warn of any sign of approach by Temple soldiers.

Meanwhile, Chief Priest Caiaphas and the other priests were befuddled. They saw Jesus' controlled fury but realized that His actions and words struck home with many in the Temple. Their plot would have to be performed with stealth, under the cover of darkness, otherwise it would potentially backfire. After all, this was the week of the Passover, and any attempts to arrest and eliminate a man who many believed to be God during Holy Days would create chaos. If that happened, Caiaphas knew that the Romans would deal with it brutally and blame Caiaphas and the Temple leaders for its initiation.

The story will continue on Holy Tuesday when Jesus returns to the Temple to both preach and "school" the supposedly more learned priests on the workings of God's Law and what loving God really means.

SUNDAY MORNING COMING DOWN: The King of Kings Arrives!

3/25/2018

Jesus' triumphant entry into Jerusalem

So they took branches of palm trees and went out to meet him, crying out, “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, even the King of Israel!” - John 12:13 (ESV)

Today is the day that those of us of the Christian faith celebrate the triumphal entry of Jesus into to the City of God. It will be his last trip to Jerusalem and he will not leave the city again, for in five short days He will be charged with blasphemy and convicted, sentenced to death, and suffer through a horrific last day culminating in his death on the Cross to save mankind from its sins. And while his entry after a slow route with stops for preaching and healing, including his final known miracle of raising Lazarus from the dead, is one of joy, the tide will quickly change as the leaders of the Temple are already plotting His downfall.

It's hard to imagine what He must have felt internally on this day, full well knowing that the celebration would turn sour in mere days, but He shared the joy with His followers as he faced a future which would be so terrible. He was living out the prophesies of the Great Prophets who received their wisdom from God and He knew that He could not back out from the great plan which had been established by His father for Him.

The only perfect man that ever lived, a man and God at the same time, was preparing to accept His fate that God Had given, for in doing so He would give each living soul, both at his time and in generations to come right up until now and the coming future, an opportunity to receive Salvation. His death would signify God's forgiveness of all of us for our sins, forgiveness which provided us the free will choice to die at the end of earthly life or live eternally with Him.

Let each of us share in the joy and the sorrow to come, recommitting ourselves to living our lives believing through faith and living as such. In this way we can receive His forgiveness and the promise of Life to come.

Dear Lord, We thank you for the wonders of the story which begins Holy Week this day and culminates in your offer of forgiveness. Help each of us to make the right decision, to accept Jesus' gift through faith and belief and serve you and those in need as you would have us do. In Jesus' name we pray, Amen.

March 23, 2018: A 21st Century "Day of Infamy"

3/24/2018

The 20th Century "Day of Infamy" at Pearl Harbor

Yesterday in what I call America's 21st Century "Day of Infamy," President Donald Trump signed into law what I consider to be the worst piece of legislation in my lifetime. The Omnibus Budget Bill which is now law incorporated pork, illegality, and massive waste into the operation of a government that has once again failed to listen to the needs of the people and the cause of freedom. While immigration and border controls were nearly absent, funding of Planned Parenthood and Sanctuary Cities was continued.

Now, in all fairness, there is one important exception and that is funding of the military and that seems to be the only reason Mr. Trump signed the legislation. After all, American military forces are facing huge war machine buildups all over the globe, including China, Iran, Russia and North Korea. With the dangerous drawdown of our capability by recent administrations, America can't guarantee safety of our people with a force and equipment in the same similar state of disrepair that was found in the 1930s. Trump knew this and was taken advantage of by not just the Democrats, but the RINO wing of his own party that puts his demise as their primary concern these days. So, excepting the military consideration, "The Swamp" won this major battle in the war for the soul of America.

Like everything else in politics, the aftermath of the budget will be blamed on Trump since he occupies the oval office, but I don't blame it on Trump. In my judgement, he made a mistake and should have vetoed the bill, for I think he could have won. But it was a mistake deliberately caused by others. And, I might add, I don't blame it on the Democrats either, for we all know what they stand for and it's the elimination of America as the leading nation in the free world. They want to turn a prosperous nation into a third world state where they are insured of winning elections on the welfare issue. If you have nothing, come here and we'll care for you; just vote for us in perpetuity.

So, who do I blame this on? Well, I put the major blame on two individuals: Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and Speaker of the House Paul Ryan, two men who have sold out any concept of honor and dignity for their own power and riches. These men are clearly owned by the background power brokers who use money to get their way, caring not for what is in the best interest of America. These people are Globalists, seeing world centralization as an opportunity to gain more power over many more people world wide. They see the American people as pawns and lackeys who should be grateful for the crumbs from their bountiful tables. And unless the President truly realizes what and who they are, he will never succeed in making America great again. His instincts are usually good and he should listen to men like Congressman Mark Meadows of North Carolina and Congresman Jim Jordan of Ohio, two patriotic members of the Congressional Freedom Caucus who stand for truth and mean what they say. And he also needs to pay attention to those twenty-four Republican Senators who bucked McConnell and the RINOs for what they did.

Now I'm sure that the Democrats and their RINO friends will have a huge celebration this weekend in private while CNN and the talking heads announce this to be the end of Donald Trump. I suppose that could be the case. But, in reality, I don't think so although it's true that the President did dig a bit of a hole for himself on this one. Remember, however, he's a fighter and he's smart and he learns quickly from everything that he does. He needs to quickly regroup and focus on the next round and take the fight to the American people. Stick by what worked for Reagan, tell America in a televised speech what happened and where he is going from here. For while his supporters are demoralized, I think he can light the fire again if he remembers that he can't trust anything that comes from a card carrying "Swamp Creature" like McConnell or Ryan. When he does that, his star will quickly rise again.

Before Trump supporters go away mad, they must remember how bad things were when he took office and what he has already done without much help. And remember what the alternative will be if we sit home in 2018 and allow the likes of Pelosi and Schumer to take charge of Congress. This was just a major battle, that would be the war itself.

SECRET EMPIRES: The Tentacles that Corrupt America's Political System

3/22/2018

Investigative Journalist Peter Schweizer is coming out with his latest book next week, entitled Secret Empires. The book discusses a very persuasive means that China uses with amazing success to influence American political decisions and actions. By building financial partnerships with family members of powerful people in high places in America, the Chinese are subtly able to achieve their objectives, objectives which primarily involve replacing America as the leading nation in the world.

How do they do it? Well, they cultivate selected people for business relationships, often funding them and supporting them so that a sometimes unrealized dependency is established. Using Chinese funding has long been a weapon in their culture and they've taken it to new heights. And now that Chairman Xi is officially the Emperor, meaning ruler for life, he has the unfettered capability to do things brazenly with a pre-determined agreement from other Communist Party leaders.

Family names of national recognition have been involved although, to be fair, not all have succumbed to the temptation of money. The book goes into great detail with examples and names cited. I won't tell you what Schweizer surmises, that would spoil the surprise. But names like McConnell/Chao, Kerry, Obama and Trump/Kushner are discussed among many more. The Chinese are shrewd and they know if they can develop a relationship of trust and money, at the least they will gain a positive voice in decision-making in high places in America. The Chinese are patient and do things gradually or quickly, whichever makes sense for the specific situation. But make no mistake, they are not an open capitalistic society where freedom is highly valued. When the time is right and necessary for their interests, they exhibit brutality and harsh dealing with problems which will match any force on earth. History shows that clearly and America needs to clearly understand that.

As the book cover shows, Schweizer was also the author of Clinton Cash, an expose of how the Clinton Foundation gained so much financial success and where the funding came from. That book was the foundation of the Uranium One scandal which is just now really getting close scrutiny. Corruption and foreign intrigue have always been a problem, but with today's relaxed moral and ethical standards greed has a much easier time gaining ground in a society where we often fail to hold the wrongdoers accountable.

I would ask that anyone wanting to read the book do so, but not as a Conservative, a Liberal or even a Moderate (whatever that means). No, read it as an American with an open mind and willing to judge the content by its logic and the background information provided and be open to the findings. After all, there seems to be enough corruption on both sides of the aisle to offer something for everyone. Corruption and the resultant evils are never party-specific, they are just a by product of sinful souls.

An Unlikely Link of Faith Against Tyranny: Bonhoeffer and Canaris

3/20/2018

British journalist Richard Bassett's story of Admiral Wilhelm Canaris, tells of a mysterious man who in so many ways was just the opposite of what most people would assume. A copy of the cover is shown and the book is available from Amazon in both paperback and Kindle. As the Head of the Abwehr, the German military intelligence service with responsibility for espionage, intelligence gathering and even sabotage, the Admiral represented the old German tradition of honor and integrity with faith in God.

Canaris was initially a supporter of Adolph Hitler with hope that he would unite and make Germany great again in the grandest tradition, but he soon realized that Hitler's Nazism was not something he wanted any part of. While he was a good military officer, he couldn't as a Christian actively support Hitler's methods and goals and, as such, used his talents to try and temper the impact of Hitler on Germany from his knowledge of military intelligence. He spoke Spanish fluently (he had served at length in Spain during the 1930s civil war in Spain as a German military advisor to Franco) and was influential in Franco not taking control of Gibraltar following that struggle. Canaris knew if Britain maintained that strong Mediterranean control point it would serve well for the British in the coming war.

Why did he do that? It is really quite simple; Canaris loved the British and wanted a grand agreement between Britain and Germany to jointly fight against what he saw as their ultimate joint enemy, the Soviet Union. But, of course, that wasn't in Hitler's plans. Canaris even secretly encouraged the British to not agree to terms at Munich with Hitler, arguing that the German military would overthrow him if external pressure was strongly applied. But we all know that the British under Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain gave Hitler just what he wanted with the result being war between the two countries, for Hitler rightly saw Chamberlain as the weak leader he was. And when Hitler nearly obliterated the British at Dunkirk, the darkest days between the two nations were assured.

Despite that, Canaris modified intelligence reports sent to the Reich to reflect a much stronger British force available on their homefront, tempering Hitler's desire for a quick ground move on English soil. It was a smokescreen and it worked and the Battle of Britain from the air, while devastating, reinvigorated the British spine and kept her alive until Churchill could gain assistance from the Americans. The British weren't afraid to fight, but they needed supplies desperately in order to do so.

So, how does this all tie in with Dietrich Bonhoeffer, the young theologian who refused to modify his Lutheran message to water down his church teachings by inclusion of Nazi propaganda and in so doing perform a sacrilege on the Bible. Well, while Bonhoeffer continued his ministry, albeit underground, he also worked as an analyst in the Abwehr, thereby able to gain valuable information to keep his flock safe. Canaris, being a converted Catholic and now a devout traditional Lutheran, had to know he was there and what he was doing but he kept it to himself. This gave Bonhoeffer cover, kept him out of the draft and the limelight, and provided the outward cover showing the young minister to be a supporter of the Reich. And despite constant doubts about the Abwehr and its mission by Hitler's henchmen in the SS and the Gestapo (after all, the one giveaway was that Canaris chose no member of the Nazi Party for his service), the operation remained active until shortly after the attempted assassination of Hitler by senior military officers in 1944. Canaris gave tacit approval to that attempt.

Hitler never trusted his military brass, finding them to be haughty and too cautious. His ego made him think that his experience as a Corporal in World War I gave him the tools to direct the war himself, one of the blessings for the West as he greatly overreached. And his military knew this, plus many of them opposed his methodology and his ideology, like Canaris, and this was sure to reach the boiling point. The attempted coup accomplished just that and, as a result, the Gestapo was given authority over the Abwehr and, following extensive interrogations and record searching, evidence was found sufficient to not only imprison Canaris but Bonhoeffer as well.

The irony doesn't end there, for on the same day in April 1945, only twenty-three days before the official German surrender to the Allies, both Wilhelm Canaris and Dietrich Bonhoeffer were executed by hanging in the same German military prison. We don't know if they knew each other personally, but we do know they were aware of one another and both, in their own way, took risks throughout the preceding years that served to temper the madness of Germany as much as they could. I guess we could call it a leap of faith.

The book is an interesting look at the ongoing within the German establishment during World War II. It's a good read for anyone of faith who also enjoys military intrigue. It's a true story, focused primarily on Canaris, but the background ties to Bonhoeffer are compelling for anyone who doubts the power of faith and what it can do to make us active proponents of furthering God's plans. God be praised!

h/t to Mark Tooley, President of the Institute for Religion and Democracy, for critiquing the book in his article, Bonhoeffer's Protector which was published in Providence: A Journal of Christianity and American Foreign Policy.