Disqus - Latest Comments for sbjw

Re: Pontifex Maximus (Obama’s Religion, pt 1)

joel — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 20:29:45 -0000

Amen. I look forward to your next installment Christopher and to Mark's and the rest of youall's thoughts on this subject. You say it far better than I have tried to over the years. And you are all younger than I which gives me hope.

Re: Electing for Change

joel — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 19:49:35 -0000

Being told that I have a legal right, choice of the two ends of a yardstick and legal DUTY to choose who shall be the ruler against which all things are measured neither give me hope for a better world or joy of life. The Reign of God, here, now and always does. God bless Mark.

Re: The Empire and the Gospel

joel — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 19:29:57 -0000

The Kingdom of God, the reign of God, is here; now. Living in this "native country" I must live by the ways of that reign, must live that life-style, must desire this and work and live for this. This will not help the military industrial economic complex of any nation, but it will bring life to the dead, meaning to all that has happened and is happening and will ever happen even in those very nations and complexes of their reign. Only seeing the world through this lens or in this Light give me hope and here and now in the midst of the ways of the world man have made--joy; the American Dream is for Americans; the Marxist Dream for Marxists, etc, but the Dream of God, the view of this world from the other side of the cross (right here in this very world), from the eyes of one who has been raised from the world of the dead in Christ, sees the same world as everyone else, but one in which even sin is now seen in Light (Glory, for it is God's Light) of the cross and resurrection and presence of God among us here and now in concrete human flesh in the person before me. The Kingdoms of the world man has constructed of the things of the God can not (can not, not will not) bring anything but greater power and use of that power and therefore violence to bring about even peace. Hence "peace-makers" as a euphemism for "armed Force." Live in the Kingdoms of this world as pilgrims. Love it, work for it's peace, but we are citizens, fellow citizens of the kingdom of God. That is not something to work for, it is here. Faith is a matter of living in that kingdom, here and now.

Re: Jesus and the Two Swords: reflecting upon Luke 22:35-38

joel — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 09:56:48 -0000

"Some folks dismiss this passage as a later insertion by those who want to legitimize violence, " or perhaps the early Church seeing in Jesus' saying, "enough" (however he meant it), as being their "proof" that the "proof text" prophecy "he was counted as a brigand" was indeed a one more proof that he indeed was the One of whom Isaiah spoke. In other words, it is the early Christian community saying not that "Jesus said" but that "we can see here Jesus saying this and we understand this now that he is the One of Isaiah because it is just what Isaish said!" Throughly enjoy your posts Mark.

Re: The Body, The Blood, The Border

joel — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 20:00:58 -0000

While we were brought together as one Body, the boundaries–both physical and social–that divide us were exposed for what they are. Amen. For we are One Body in Christ's Body, whether we choose to see it or not. It is only sin that blinds us to the truth all around us. Prayers to "become One" in Christ are a symptom of that sin; to acknowledge it, with acts such as the Mass you describe at the border, we see it, and must choose! God bless you. There are no walls to the Kingdom of God!

Re: The Death of Evelyn and the Failure of the Church

joel — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 20:18:36 -0000

Yes, yes, a thousand thousand yesses! Embedded! Yes!

This brings back to memory the essay that first brought me to JesusManifesto: "go as poor among the poor…" written August 7, 2008 by Mark Van Steenwyk at http://www.jesusmanifesto.c...

Then we can share, not give, not take, but share together as equals with Christ himself and see his glory! not spiritually, but in flesh and blood before us and there we we can and may as we care commanded to worth-ship him. God be blessed for having created Evelyn, and blessed be Evelyn for her witness in short her life, her death and life and Christ. God be blessed for having created Hugh, and his witness the Conquering Love!. And God be blessed for all who by their being who they are, as they are, manifest Christ in our world! Thanks Mark for posting Hugh's article.

Re: Another World is Neccessary: Anarchism, Christianity and the Race from the White House

joel — Sun, 24 Aug 2008 20:42:48 -0000

I was so excited to read that there was going to be this conference and then and there decided I was goint to attend and then found it was last week. [Watson's Law]. How can we read the talks given or any other information? It is very important to those of us who had not discovered JM til recently. Joel