The Hippies.

The world hated the Hippies.

Because the Hippies challenged the materialism and corruption of the corporations and their political puppets.

Jesus said: "'If the world hates you, be aware that the world hated me before it hated you.  If you belonged to the world, the world would love you as its own.  Because you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world - therefore the world hates you.'"  John 15:18,19 (NRSV)

Generation X were the corporate bosses' most favored nation.

Because they were materialistic and worldly the world loved them as its own.

And they were allied with Fundamentalist and Evangelical Churches.

Ronald Reagan said: "Christianity contains unconventional weapons."

These were: Demonization, damnation, blaming and shaming.....

He called the Hippies: "Unconscious agents of the devil."

And he sought the help of Pope John Paul II who was a conservative and anti-communist Pope.

But who were Reagan's allies?

Billionaires, Hollywood studios, media-moguls.....

The mega-rich.

These are the powers of this world.

And they usurped the power of God to achieve their ends.

But nothing lasts forever.

The Hippies will be vindicated.

Jesus said: "'If they called the Master of the House Beelzebub, how much more will they malign those of his household*.'"  Matthew 10:24 (NRSV)

And they did.

(*NB. The Baby-Boomers were all baptized in the Church of Jesus Christ and the Hippies' campaign of non-violent Peace and Love was based on Christian principles as interpreted by Mahatma Gandhi, Martin Luther King Jnr. and the Kennedy brothers.)

[Scripture quotations (marked NRSV) are taken from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the U.S.A., and are used by permission.  All rights reserved.]

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Homophobia.

After watching the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras parade I spoke to several friends about it.

I was surprised at the homophobic comments they made.

These are people who you would expect to have reasonably tolerant attitudes.

They both, however, reinforced the stereotype that gay people are excessively sexual, promiscuous, and lascivious.

I expressed my disappointment at their prejudiced attitudes.

And I tried to make them aware of their unconscious homophobia.

This experience has made me aware that negative attitudes towards gay people are still lurking in the closet.

And I renewed my determination to address them.

Photo Credit: neoskosmos.com

The Domination System.

The Western Liberal Democracies pride themselves on their peaceful, civilized societies.

But it must be remembered that these governments are backed up by huge modern armies.

This is the Domination System.

And peace is maintained so long as these Democracies are not challenged.

But the unfortunate side-effects of the Domination System are oppression and exploitation.

And the capitalist corporations that inhabit these Democracies exploit and abuse weaker countries.

This is the root of 9/11.

And the response of the self-professed Christian President was to retaliate with all the force of the Dominant Power.

When it came to the point it was not the Christian principle of "turning the other cheek" that prevailed but the brutal retaliation of domination.

So we can have no illusions about the dominance of the West.

It is the imposition of White Privilege.

And it is the continuation of the Domination System.    

Photo Credit: Wikimedia.

The Powers.

In his book Engaging the Powers Walter Wink describes the powers of this world as fallen.

 

This is far from the Fundamentalist attitude towards the corporate plutocrats of this world.

Conservative Christians have allied themselves with the corporations in a way that is totally in contradiction of scripture.

This can only be the result of Prosperity Theology which believes that wealth and power come from God and worldly authority is divinely sanctioned.

This contradicts the Bible which describes worldly powers as Beasts.

Jesus described the way of the world as evil.  (John 7:7)

The reason for this discrepancy is because the right-wing Christian Churches are part of the conservative establishment and have been since the time of Constantine.

Therefore they identify with worldly authority and adopt the attitudes and practices of the ruling elite.

But Jesus was neither rich nor powerful.

And he challenged the authority of the Pharisees.

So do not believe the Fundamentalists when they talk about authority and wealth.

 

God is on the side of the poor and needy.

As Jesus was.

And it was the worldly powers who crucified him.

Photo Credit: OM-Times Magazine.

Dune.

The Dune series is grossly misunderstood.

It is not a prophetic vision of the future.

It is a biting critique of religion and prophesy itself.

Frank Herbert's thesis was that prophesies of the Chosen One are dangerous and they create ego-maniacs who oppress and kill millions.

This is borne out by the sequel in which Paul Atreides' (the original Chosen One) son Leto accepts the sacrifice his father had rejected and turns himself into a sandworm.

This is a parody of Christian Churches' requirement to abase yourself before God.

"I am a worm."  Psalm 22:6 (NRSV)

"You worm Jacob, you insect Israel."  Isaiah 41;14 (NRSV)

And so we should not look at Dune as a prophesy of the future at all.

It is anti-religious satire.

And it should be treated as such.

[Scripture quotations (marked NRSV) are taken from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the U.S.A., and are used by permission.  All rights reserved.]

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My Other Blog.

Check out my other Blog at:

https://michaeledwineast.blogspot.com/ 

More posts, more personal material, poetry etc..

Photo Credit: Michael E. East.

Conversion Therapy.

Conversion Therapy is fear.

Fear of homosexuality.

Fear that God disapproves of gay sex.

Fear of punishment.

So they disguise their fear as good works.

And they demonize gay and lesbian people. 

But God does not discriminate.

God loves gay people as He loves all His children.

And so as AIDS passes out of the consciousness of humanity homosexuality will be lifted to its rightful place of equality with heterosexuality.

Photo Credit: Action Network.