- Sep 17, 2019
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New here, and not sure if this is the best place to post this, but mods are free to educate me if not.
Not sure if you call this "controversial" or just a big bag of "what if," but I would like to parallel a few things in the bible with modern society, and give people an opportunity to chime in with their opinions, their facts, their scriptures, their sciences, or just tell me to go away.
There has been something on my mind lately. Well, if I am being honest, it is something that has been off and on in my mind for many years (even though I am a fresh convert.) You can have a literalist interpretation of the bible, or you can try to glean allegorical meaning from it, or you can attempt both. When I was an atheist, I still enjoyed the wisdom found in the bible, but did not consider it historical truth. Regardless of which road you take, it seems to me that you ignore the Word at your own peril.
This particular lesson is learned over and over by humanity in the bible, but one such instance was that found in Babylon.
In conclusion, I know every generation has pointed to the evils of the day and said, "See, we are truly living in the end times! This new generation will be our doom. Repent! Repent!" But I just want everyone to take stock, keep their minds/eyes/hearts/souls open to the machinations of the enemy, for this world truly does belong to him. Do not be the frog in boiling water. Do not lose the forest for the trees. Do not sell your soul for convenience sake. Do not fear going against the grain to maintain your salvation. Do not yoke yourselves with the non-believers. Do not exalt your life, your opinions, your problems, or your own joys above the Most High.
To end on a positive note, I often tell people that they are going to be okay--that its a promise. The truly distressed are quick to point out that I cannot possible make them a promise like that. That's when I say, "I never said it was my promise."
Not sure if you call this "controversial" or just a big bag of "what if," but I would like to parallel a few things in the bible with modern society, and give people an opportunity to chime in with their opinions, their facts, their scriptures, their sciences, or just tell me to go away.
There has been something on my mind lately. Well, if I am being honest, it is something that has been off and on in my mind for many years (even though I am a fresh convert.) You can have a literalist interpretation of the bible, or you can try to glean allegorical meaning from it, or you can attempt both. When I was an atheist, I still enjoyed the wisdom found in the bible, but did not consider it historical truth. Regardless of which road you take, it seems to me that you ignore the Word at your own peril.
This particular lesson is learned over and over by humanity in the bible, but one such instance was that found in Babylon.
The literalist interpretation of the story shows us that pride and vanity were the sins responsible for their undoing. They became so self-important, and assured of their own greatness, that they could defy God; they could even avoid His delugian wrath.
Now, the allegorical meaning of the story is fairly straightforward: if you concentrate too much authority in a single place, God (fate, the universe, your own hubris, whatever) will strike you down. I would argue that this is exemplified in the fact that many empires over time have collapsed under their own weight, that robber barons inspired anti-trust laws, and the fact that totalitarian regimes frighten so many.
Regardless of whether you take road A, road B, or some other road, it is plain to see that there are valuable lessons to be learned here. We also know that it is both scriptural and secular to state that, "Those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it." (Edmund Burke) For Whatever was written in earlier times was written for our instruction, so that through perseverance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope. (NIV Romans 15:4)
Now, the allegorical meaning of the story is fairly straightforward: if you concentrate too much authority in a single place, God (fate, the universe, your own hubris, whatever) will strike you down. I would argue that this is exemplified in the fact that many empires over time have collapsed under their own weight, that robber barons inspired anti-trust laws, and the fact that totalitarian regimes frighten so many.
Regardless of whether you take road A, road B, or some other road, it is plain to see that there are valuable lessons to be learned here. We also know that it is both scriptural and secular to state that, "Those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it." (Edmund Burke) For Whatever was written in earlier times was written for our instruction, so that through perseverance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope. (NIV Romans 15:4)
Now, before we get off on the wrong foot here, I am not talking about the harlot. Some say "she" is a city, some say a country, some say she is a particular church. Respectfully, I will not be making my opinions on this particular bit of doctrine known in this post. When I speak of New Babylon, I am speaking of the repetition of history. I am speaking of mankind not learning from its mistakes.
You can point to many things in the past century alone that could have been avoided if we had just learned from out mistake: empires, world wars, totalitarianism, and the list goes on. It is easy, however, to look back and see our folly, but decidedly more difficult to see the forest for the trees. So, what New Babylon are we currently living through? Before I answer that, let's consider God's punishment for Babylon. What was it He cursed them with? The advent of tongues. There was too much communication afforded between man, and He saw that it was a problem. Are we starting to see a picture develop? What is this age of man, if not the Communication Age? With this revelation, it is hard not to see the very internet itself as the new Tower of Babel.
I often lament that I am a member of the last generation that will ever know what the world was like before the internet; in a way, it is almost like Noah being the only one to know what the world was like before the flood--although somewhat reversed. When a new age comes upon us, it tends to happen fast, and the changes are drastic, so drastic that the internet which controls so much of our lives is 40% owned and controlled by a single corporation. Millennials and Gen Z have been thrust into a world where toddlers walk around with smart phones. Where gone are the worries of television being a babysitter, replaced instead by Youtube. Where wonder is completely absent. All information is available in an instant. Where everyone is an "expert" on everything. Where sloth, vanity, pride, wrath, greed, lust, and envy are celebrated. Where the measure of your self worth comes from how many shares your post gets, how many likes your selfies get, or whether or not you fall into some sort of man-ordained political or ethical position. The internet has even made the encroaching reality of globalism that much closer. Star Trek may seem like a good idea, but ask yourself this question: "When the world unites under a single banner, who is going to sit on the throne?"
I know I may have jumped the shark a bit going from the dangers of the internet, all the way to globalism, but mankind should take stock of the wide gate through which it is walking.
You can point to many things in the past century alone that could have been avoided if we had just learned from out mistake: empires, world wars, totalitarianism, and the list goes on. It is easy, however, to look back and see our folly, but decidedly more difficult to see the forest for the trees. So, what New Babylon are we currently living through? Before I answer that, let's consider God's punishment for Babylon. What was it He cursed them with? The advent of tongues. There was too much communication afforded between man, and He saw that it was a problem. Are we starting to see a picture develop? What is this age of man, if not the Communication Age? With this revelation, it is hard not to see the very internet itself as the new Tower of Babel.
I often lament that I am a member of the last generation that will ever know what the world was like before the internet; in a way, it is almost like Noah being the only one to know what the world was like before the flood--although somewhat reversed. When a new age comes upon us, it tends to happen fast, and the changes are drastic, so drastic that the internet which controls so much of our lives is 40% owned and controlled by a single corporation. Millennials and Gen Z have been thrust into a world where toddlers walk around with smart phones. Where gone are the worries of television being a babysitter, replaced instead by Youtube. Where wonder is completely absent. All information is available in an instant. Where everyone is an "expert" on everything. Where sloth, vanity, pride, wrath, greed, lust, and envy are celebrated. Where the measure of your self worth comes from how many shares your post gets, how many likes your selfies get, or whether or not you fall into some sort of man-ordained political or ethical position. The internet has even made the encroaching reality of globalism that much closer. Star Trek may seem like a good idea, but ask yourself this question: "When the world unites under a single banner, who is going to sit on the throne?"
I know I may have jumped the shark a bit going from the dangers of the internet, all the way to globalism, but mankind should take stock of the wide gate through which it is walking.
Okay, since I brushed against the harlot, I might as well get all Revelations up in here. This bit isn't intended to be taken very seriously, as I have not really cemented my thoughts on it. You can just place this bit as corroborating evidence or food for thought. It is commonly held that the "fruit" from the tree of knowledge of good and evil was an apple. Most learned historical/biblical scholars will tell you that it was most likely a fig, due to climate and geography, etc. That being said, I suppose a fruit is a fruit. The entire thing could be a big allegory anyway, so I don't see a point in splitting hairs. There is a fruit, however, that is also associated with knowledge--at least in America--and that fruit is the apple. There is a story behind why that is so, but I won't go into it here. Revelations has a few things to say about the mark, and what I am about to say doesn't really fit the bill as we know it to have been revealed--hence my initial disclaimer--I just find it to be particularly disturbing to me.
Original sin. Not getting all catholic or anything, but the eating of the fruit was the downfall of humanity. Tree of knowledge. Fruit of knowledge. Eating of the fruit. Apple. Bite. Sin. No, its not slam poetry, but trying to lead you to it without slapping you with it. Its the logo for Apple products. I see a world that practically hands out iPhones with birth certificates. I see people worshiping them as false idols. I see people selling their souls to them--walking around like zombies, ignoring their children, eschewing actual human connections--even as they occasionally pay lip service to God. I see people paying for goods and services with a wave of their hand (this one approaches actual scripture). I can even foresee a day when you must have one to do any sort of commerce. My personal biases here known, I do not own a cell phone, and will have nothing to do with them. They creeped me out long before I was converted, now that I am even more so.
Original sin. Not getting all catholic or anything, but the eating of the fruit was the downfall of humanity. Tree of knowledge. Fruit of knowledge. Eating of the fruit. Apple. Bite. Sin. No, its not slam poetry, but trying to lead you to it without slapping you with it. Its the logo for Apple products. I see a world that practically hands out iPhones with birth certificates. I see people worshiping them as false idols. I see people selling their souls to them--walking around like zombies, ignoring their children, eschewing actual human connections--even as they occasionally pay lip service to God. I see people paying for goods and services with a wave of their hand (this one approaches actual scripture). I can even foresee a day when you must have one to do any sort of commerce. My personal biases here known, I do not own a cell phone, and will have nothing to do with them. They creeped me out long before I was converted, now that I am even more so.
In conclusion, I know every generation has pointed to the evils of the day and said, "See, we are truly living in the end times! This new generation will be our doom. Repent! Repent!" But I just want everyone to take stock, keep their minds/eyes/hearts/souls open to the machinations of the enemy, for this world truly does belong to him. Do not be the frog in boiling water. Do not lose the forest for the trees. Do not sell your soul for convenience sake. Do not fear going against the grain to maintain your salvation. Do not yoke yourselves with the non-believers. Do not exalt your life, your opinions, your problems, or your own joys above the Most High.
To end on a positive note, I often tell people that they are going to be okay--that its a promise. The truly distressed are quick to point out that I cannot possible make them a promise like that. That's when I say, "I never said it was my promise."