In today's news, there is this ongoing tendency to instill disproportionate fear into the minds of the masses, and this concerns me. Again, the subject of terrorism and its alerts have the people on edge, and this is one of the many reasons why we get so angry at the critics who claim that what we teach here is some kind of "cult". Well, to put it bluntly, would one rather believe the truths we teach here and have some assurance, or would one rather join the mass religious bandwagon and live in fear? Unfortunately, the latter is winning out, for you see, I guess it feels better for many to join in with the masses and poking fun at the minorities. On the other hand, they wonder why nothing substantial is offered in its place and the price paid for going with the crowd is mass hysteria, lack of faith, and fear.
But, ol' Liaf here does not want to make the message too serious, at least not yet. Why was this message titled as such? What does the title imply? Let me give you a vivid image (a sort of hypnotism if you will :-) )of my experiences as a child whenever I went to a carnival.
When I was a kid and went to any carnival, I used to look forward to rides, cotton candy, and fun in general. However, ALL carnivals (I believed) had a dark cloud over it. This was a dark cloud I was very afraid of. All carnivals had walking around somewhere the dreaded carnival....... HYPNOTIST! I had to seek him out in order to avoid him at all costs (once I "knew" where he was, I would convince my parents to take me to the other end of the carnival). His job was to meander about the crowds looking for his next subjects for his evening show. We all know what the carnival hypnotist looked like, don't we? He was always a man dressed formally in Southern-style dark clothes, and possibly a top hat. He looked gentlemanly like Colonel Sanders except he was more of a "dark" gentleman. He had a formal walking stick that tapped as he walked along, and he definitely had a goatee. He would walk up to people. They may be having fun, talking to one another, or whatever. They did not even have to be aware he was aside of them. He would move his head up and down as he glared at and sized up his next subject. He was cool, almost emotionless, and even nonchalant as one could see his mouth and little beard moving as if he was chomping on something casually, perhaps tobacco. All of a sudden, one could hear a vivid "SNAP"! of his fingers and the talking person would immediately become silent while the hypnotist softly said something to him or her. Another "SNAP!" and the person would go back to what they were doing. That evening, rest assured, the person who had the unfortunate luck of meeting with the carnival hypnotist was up on stage clucking like a chicken, meowing like a cat, or barking like a dog.
Most people would probably laugh at the typical stereotype of my hypnotist. However, is this all really just imagination? I'm not so sure. I sometimes think this is really going on, except the hypnotists do not have formal Southern-style clothes, they are not at carnivals, and most certainly do not have goatees. Instead, they are in our news medias and indeed some of them are from the news media. The average person may be watching, and all of a sudden, "SNAP!" we are on orange alert! "SNAP!" voters may be the next targets! "SNAP!" armed guards are all over the financial districts of New York City! The fear of terrorists have us running with our tails between our legs. Many see this nation as a large, deadwood paper tiger nation that runs at its own shadow! I'm sure many of our enemies are laughing hysterically as they realize their objective is working as they are putting us at fear and in effect turning us into a police-state nation from these fears (and our own doing). "Do you mean the threat is not real?" a critic may ask. No, I believe there is a threat; do not underestimate your enemy. There always has been a threat, but the recent panic reaction is just magnifying what was there all along. Certainly the World Trade Center disaster is proof of that before we were afraid. But what of it? It came as no real surprise to me. They tried bombing the place back in 1993, remember? Yet, it took another eight years to realize the threat to a disproportionate panic level as if this is something new--- I assure you, it is not! We should approach these threats the same way we approach traffic safety or home security. We leave the house, lock our doors and buckle our seat belts. Certainly it is not required to watch a horrific automobile accident video every time we drive to instill traffic safety into us or put up a Fort Knox level security around our residences. But that is just where we are heading regarding everything else. It's not enough to lock the doors and buckle the seat belts (common sense precautions)--- we have to line our homes and cars with indestructible concrete from our fears. We want ABSOLUTE ASSURANCE that all will be safe, even at the price of giving up our precious freedoms. Wake up folks! Being perfectly safe is not going to happen. If you got out of bed today, then something could happen to you. Face it. Live up to it! You have a far greater chance at this point of dying in an automobile accident, cancer, heart disease, or from a violent crime. But I don't hear anyone banning cars for example. Mark my words, if the current level of anti-terrorist concerns would be applied to auto accidents, that's exactly what would happen to cars. Think about it.
OK--- what I just said takes care of the news media and the politicians who are dealing with the situation this way. Let's take another look at the religious aspect. This is where I get even more agitated. It is understandable that worldly-minded political figures would look at these issues as such, and make all this hype. But what gripes me is when our spiritual leaders, and in their lack of insight, go along with the masses. They should be educating them and calming the fears. They should understand that we as a people were always hated since our enemies represent the antithesis of free thought and action--- our enemies want to be like that carnival hypnotist! And in addition, the spiritual leaders ought to understand that as long as we turn to and trust God as His people, God promised protection during these times. Instead, they are calling the likes of us here at this site "apostate" when what we teach here is the very thing this nation needs. The critics ought to learn and heed what is bring to you instead of insulting us and then turn around instilling fear in the minds of the people (and washing their brown shorts).
Let me close this message with a passage from Isaiah that I read the other day that perfectly answers our concerns:
Hearken to me, ye that follow after righteousness, ye that seek the LORD: look unto the rock whence ye are hewn, and to the hole of the pit whence ye are digged. Look unto Abraham your father, and unto Sarah that bare you: for I called him alone, and blessed him, and increased him. For the LORD shall comfort Zion: he will comfort all her waste places; and he will make her wilderness like Eden, and her desert like the garden of the LORD; joy and gladness shall be found therein, thanksgiving, and the voice of melody. Hearken unto me, my people; and give ear unto me, O my nation: for a law shall proceed from me, and I will make my judgment to rest for a light of the people. My righteousness is near; my salvation is gone forth, and mine arms shall judge the people; the isles shall wait upon me, and on mine arm shall they trust. (Isaiah 51:1-5)
"But that applies to the Jew!" says the faithless evangelist who criticizes our site and has his followers cowering in fear. Oh yeah? When did the Jews ever need reminding to look to Abraham as their father (as if they forgot him)? But the lost house of Israel would need to be reminded as we teach here. The verses imply these are people that followed the ways of righteousness already but needed encouragement and reminding where they came from. Do we not teach that the house of Israel became "not my people" (Hosea) and yet become the "sons of the living God" as they embraced Christianity? And if so, what have we been saying about the birthright, the blessings and the promises all along? This passage fits perfectly to calm our fears.... or....... we can just ignore them and what is taught here and follow the evangelists and politicians ("SNAP!") to a state of perpetual fear that will ultimately be the demise of this nation. Make the choice.
THIS LINK TAKES YOU TO A SIMILAR MESSAGE IN OCTOBER 2002