Postmodernism

            Postmodernism is a literary, political or social philosophy.  It basically means that it is the cultural and intellectual phenomenon.  The Oxford dictionary refers to Postmodernism as a style and concept in the arts characterized by distrust of theories and ideologies and by the drawing of attention to conventions." 

            Postmodern art is the most uprising form of Postmodernism.  Postmodern art is kind of a form of contemporary art, although not all forms of contemporary art is a form of postmodern art.  This art has only been around for about fifty five years.  Postmodern art has some odd characteristics.  It usually looks abstract or possibly incomplete, there are many different colors that may be used.  The whole idea is to give a sense of it is still under construction because that is how postmodernists want the world to be viewed in.

Christians and Guns

 Should Christians own a gun? I believe that we as Christians today should not only have the right to own a gun but the obligation to defend our loved ones and especially the defenseless among us in an attack.  Christians are told to fight evil no matter what kind.  Satan can thrown attacks at us that are spiritual and physical.  A physical attack may be a man breaking into your home for the purpose of robbing it and possibly, if anyone gets in his way shooting the family.  If the adults would have a gun they could protect their children and themselves.  "If a thief is caught breaking in and is struck so that he dies, the defender is not guilty of bloodshed." (Exodus 22:2 NIV)

Another reason Christians should own guns is for reasons like the Holocaust.  Over six million Jews died because of Hitler’s reign of terror on them and their countries. If all of the Jews that were captured had owned a gun, they would have put a huge dent in Hitler’s army by killing many of his soldiers.

A survey showed that in the 1960s the Orlando police responded to a rape epidemic by training 2,500 women to use guns. The next year rape fell 88% and burglary by 25%.  That is an incredible drop in crime; if more people were to do that then I believe the world would most likely be a safer place instead of a more harmful one that is filled with crime.

Taxes in The Bible

          The words “tax, taxed, and taxes” are used forty-six times in the Bible.  This would mean that being taxed is a Biblical thing and fine with God.  The Bible gives a few examples of why this is.

            Back in Jesus’ time, the Bible seems to point out that tax collectors were some of the most hated people living; it compares them with “sinners and prostitutes”.  For example, the following verses talk about them in a very negative way: Matthew 9:11 says, “When the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, "Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and 'sinners'?", Matthew 21:32 says, “Jesus said to them, "I tell you the truth, the tax collectors and the prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God ahead of you. For John came to you to show you the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the prostitutes did. And even after you saw this, you did not repent and believe him.”, and Luke 5:30 which says, “But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law who belonged to their sect complained to his disciples, "Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and 'sinners'?".

The people most likely thought that they were just stealing they’re money which in many cases was true.  Tax collectors were told to take a certain amount from the people, although many of the tax collectors added money on to the amount that they were supposed to collect from the people.  The money that they added on to the tax amount was their pocket money, this is probably the reason they were hated and compared to sinners so often.

The Bible tells us to pay our taxes even when we do not think we should.  Romans 13:5-6 tell us to submit to authority, “Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also because of conscience. This is also why you pay taxes, for the authorities are God's servants, who give their full time to governing.”  We should submit in everything to authority, not just taxes, unless what they are telling is to do is unbiblical.  Finally Romans 13:7 tells us to pay taxes and give what is due to others, “Give everyone what you owe him: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor.”

Canon of the New Testament

Through out thousands of years, many Bible scholars have been viewing the Bible to see what should be included in the Holy Word of God.  This process of the determining is called Canon.  The Canon of the New Testament had been determined by a couple of ways of viewing the Bible. These include, Aposotlic Origin, Universal Acceptance, Liturgical Use, Consistent Message, Authority of the scripture, the Prophetical nature of the book, and finally the Power of God in the scripture.  The way that we can know the Word is correct is by using these same principles.  We can always trust God when he says that the word of God will stay true.

Biblical Work Ethic

    The Bible says the words “work, worked, and working” 538 times according to Biblegateway.com search engine. This would mean that the Bible would have to give a very good lesson of what work is and how to do it. It gives great examples on what your work ethic should be and in what mind set you should do it.
In Genesis, God made man and woman so that they could work the land and take care of it. “The LORD God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it” (Genesis 2:15). We should work because the Lord has told us to do so. 

     The Bible has more than a few verses on those who do not work and those who are lazy. Proverbs 18:9 says, “One who is slack in his work is brother to one who destroys.” Another verse in Proverbs talks very strongly against those who are lazy, Proverbs 21:25 says, “The sluggard's craving will be the death of him, because his hands refuse to work.” God seems to make it very clear that we should slack off or become lazy at work. Being called a sluggard is not a term that I would want to be defined by when at a working job. Work hard and don’t slack off and in time you will be rewarded, if not earthly rewards, then heavenly rewards.

     
     The Word also has something to say about employers in its scriptures. Jeremiah 22:13 says, "Woe to him who builds his palace by unrighteousness, his upper rooms by injustice, making his countrymen work for nothing, not paying them for their labor.” Romans 4:2 also implies that when a man works he must receive pay, “Now when a man works, his wages are not credited to him as a gift, but as an obligation.” Therefore employers, treat your employees with dignity and respect, pay them what they deserve to be paid.

   
    Finally, always remember Colossians 3:23-24, “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.”

The Gospel

The gospel is stated very clearly in 1 Corinthians 15.  It says that Christ was crucified on a cross, he was buried and on the third day he rose from the dead.  He then appeared to many people before he ascended into heaven.  We should believe this gospel because it is the living word of God.  If we did not have it we would all be condemned to hell which would be the worst thing that could ever happen to anyone.  We must accept what Christ did for us and pronounce to everyone!

September 11th

New York (CNN) — Nine Septembers have come and gone and yet, the many days that separate America now from a chilling day in its history did not dull remembrance Saturday.

Once again, the nation paused in silence at 8:46 a.m., the time when the first plane struck the North Tower of the World Trade Center. A few minutes later, at 9:03 a.m., another solemn silence befell New York to mark the moment when a second jet pierced through the South Tower.

In New York, thousands of people heard the names of 2,752 husbands and wives, mothers and fathers, sons and daughters and friends — and strangers (CNN).

As we remember this day and all those who perished from this terrorist attack, we must remember that God is in control of everything.  Everything that happens is for good in some way even though we may not see it.  We must believe that the Lord has a plan for our lives and for the family and friends of the deceased.