On Guns and Their Control ~ Closing Thoughts

Greetings Dear Reader,

Reading, writing, and listening to your thoughts on this has taught me a great deal Dear Reader.   Remember that I am not a violent person.  Still I am also aware that we live in a violent world.  I have dear friends along the entire spectrum of this discussion.  I love and respect them all.

I think the deepest lesson I have learned is that we are all far too afraid.  We fear what might happen so we do things.  We fear shootings so we want to limit guns.  We fear loss of freedom so we wish to be armed.  We have become a society driven by what we fear.

I wrote quite a few years ago about how I think that all wrong that we do is attached to our fear in some way.  We are afraid so we do things that are wrong to shield ourselves from what we fear.  We let fear guide and control us. 

So how can I be a person that does not live in fear?  First, I need to understand what destroys or removes fear.  There is an answer for this.  “Perfect love casts out fear.”  Since I am required to love everyone, if I am perfecting that love then my fear will be cast out by it.  I realize that this sounds puerile and simple.  That does not make it untrue. 

I know that a thousand situational arguments leap to mind of what might happen.  I am required to live beyond those thoughts.  We all are.  We cannot find peace and build a better tomorrow if our reactions are based on what we fear.  We cannot build a healthy world based on fear, lacking love. 

I am not allowed to harm anyone.  I am also not allowed to tell others how to live.  I can live out an example.  I can show you love and kindness when we are together no matter how I think or feel.  I cannot stop someone intent on evil.  I cannot control anything no matter how much I believe I can.  I can follow Christ with all my heart and work toward justice and peace for others.  I can do whatever it takes to show love for others.

This has been hard for me.  I hate it when any human is harmed by another.  There is so much discord and hatred in the world.  As I move on to other things the conclusion for me is the same.  No laws or freedoms will solve the problems we have until we admit that we are the problem.  We need a daily overhaul of our thinking.  Thank you for your company and spirited debate Dear Reader.  As always it is precious to me and teaches me much.

Wishing you joy in the journey,

Aramis Thorn

Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every writer who has become a disciple of Christ’s rule of the universe is like a home owner. He liberally hands out new and old things from his great treasure store.”

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On Guns and Their Control ~ Which Way Are You Going???

Greetings Dear Reader,

My writing yesterday triggered an energetic discussion for a friend of mine (pun intended).  Some of his dear friends asked many questions about the question at hand.  I cannot long labor on this topic as it pains me to do so.  Still my friend deserves and honest and humble response. 

These are the same gun

The question surrounding this one gun, the AR-15 was a simple one.  Walk me through the steps that would be taken were the gun banned today.  How would we guarantee that this action would prevent an individual from staging another school shooting with one?  The answer is it will not.  Here are just a few reasons why:

• Of the guns sold in the last two years 1 in 5 is an AR-15 style gun.
• There are numerous ways to acquire the parts and build your own.
• With over 400 MILLION guns in the hands of citizens we have no way of knowing how many are AR-15’s and who has them (even if we got all the registered ones).
• You can buy a kit to 3D print your own AR-15.
• You can still buy the Ruger Mini 14 which is the same gun just not scary looking (thank you Kevin).
• A ban will not do anything to stop someone who is intent on using one to kill people.
• Just the threat of a ban has spiked sales over the last two years and driven many sales underground. 

This, however, is not the point.  The point is that no matter what we limit in terms of availability, it will not change the hearts and minds of humans.  My friend Anne said very clearly that she is for regulation and nothing will change her mind.  That is her choice and she has a constitutional right to that opinion.  When has regulation ever prevented someone from breaking the law?

No matter which side of this discussion you land on, the problem is our failure to love each other.  We cannot salve our own conscience by simply banning this one gun.  We would be lying to ourselves.  A band-aid will not stop the hemorrhage of hate that flows through our culture.  Here are some practical things that can be done to lessen the violence.  Prepare to have your toes trampled a bit.

• Conservatives need to take responsibility that the other side is right that we do not do enough to care for each other’s needs.  They foster hatred by not treating EVERYONE with love and compassion.
• Liberals need to accept that their tolerance does not extend to those who disagree with them on their hot issues.  They need to accept that they foster hatred by treating those who disagree with them as “a basket of deplorables.”
• Everyone needs to take a step back a realize that if it does not lead to kindness and compassion for others it is likely not a good idea. 
• Eventually every great society weakens and falls to an enemy.  We all need to accept that if the enemy is at the gates we will be glad for the ones who are armed and prepared to defend us.
• Every culture that turns on itself decays and dies.  Until we remember to be united as a nation and work our issues out civilly we will continue to die on the vine.

The truth for me is that I hate every form of taking a human life; full stop.  The reality is that we do it every day and only scream about it when we do not like the method or the type of victim.  As I have thought through this all week the answer keeps coming up the same.  Every one of us needs to realize that we can all do better at the “love thy neighbor” stuff.  Until we get serious about that no amount of rhetoric about guns is going to reach those who fear what will happen if they give up their guns.  Until we get serious about it no amount of talk about civil liberties will calm those who see gun owners as self-centered and selfish; only caring about their needs. 

We all stand around guilty of the same hypocrisy.  We are all saying, “Let him live in freedom, if he lives like me.”  That is not love or kindness.  That is vanity, pride, and arrogance.  No side of the argument is innocent of this.  I can do better at it.  I hope this makes my position clearer, Dear Reader.  If I stepped on your toes I apologize and am willing to wash your feet.

Which Way are You Goin’ – Jim Croce

Which way are you going, which side will you be on

Will you stand and watch while, all the seeds of hate are sown

Will you stand with those who say, let his will be done

One hand on the bible

One hand on the gun

One hand on the bible

One hand on the gun

Which way are you looking, is it hard to see

Do you say what’s wrong for him, is not wrong for me

You walk the streets, righteousness but you refuse to understand

You say you love the baby

Then you crucify the man

You say you love the baby

Then you crucify the man

Every day, things are changing,

Words once honored turned to lies

People wondering, can you blame them

It’s too far to run, and too late to hide

Now you turn your back on, all the things that you used to preach

Now its let him live in freedom, if he lives like me

Well you light has changed, confusion rains, what have you become

All your olive branches turned to spears

When your flowers turned to guns

Your olive branches turned to spears

When your flowers turned to guns

Wishing you joy in the journey,

Aramis Thorn

Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every writer who has become a disciple of Christ’s rule of the universe is like a home owner. He liberally hands out new and old things from his great treasure store.”

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On Guns and Their Control ~ Data and Feelings

Greetings Dear Reader,

Frist let me express a feeling.  I feel that anyone who blames victims who are innocently killed needs to spend a great deal of time with a therapist.  I promise that my heart is broken over the loss of life in any shooting.  It is always wrong. 

Now a little bit of data.  I keep getting this idea that some in our society think that gun violence is somehow a predominant cause of unnecessary death in our culture.  Although I think that shootings must be stopped I do not think that taking away guns is the answer.  The logic of prohibition does not work and we do not apply it equally.

Here is some data with the source links for us to consider:

Car Related Deaths Per Year:  1,300,000

Abortion Deaths Per Year:  600,000

Cigarette Smoking Deaths Per Year:  480,000

Alcohol Related Deaths Per Year: 88,000

Drug Related Deaths Per Year: 64,000

Gun Homicides Per Year:  14,000

If we replaced any of the data in the rhetoric for outlawing guns with the “object” of the causes for other deaths, it would not be logical or we would object.  Let us begin with drugs.  We have outlawed the dangerous ones everywhere.  There are still 64,000 drug deaths per year.  We tried outlawing alcohol and it resulted in more crime and violence. 

We know that cigarettes kill people but they are still legal.  We have cities where there are laws that tax soda but you can still smoke cigarettes. You can get a product that kills 34 times more people a year than guns at any servo in the country. 

Then there is the data that seems completely insane to me.  46 x more abortions of innocent children are committed each year than gun homicides total.  They are both wrong but so is our perspective.  You would deny someone the right to own a gun because of what MIGHT happen.  You demand murder of the unborn on demand when death always occurs.  It troubles ne greatly that people will demand the right to murder the innocent while wishing to limit the rights of others to own an object.  Something is very wrong with this thinking. 

Do not think for a moment that I excuse or consider gun violence against humans acceptable.  I would posit that in a culture where we have devalued the life of the most innocent in our world we should not be surprised when madmen kill children.  The hypocrisy seems obvious to me.

If we follow the logic of denying someone something because of what he or she might do with it we are in trouble.  Does any of this sound reasonable:  People who consume alcohol to excess might drive drunk so we should not allow them cars even before their first DUI.  People who smoke cigarettes are going to become a burden on the medical communities so we should deny them healthcare.  People who speed might cause a life ending accident so we should deny them cars. 

We have a problem much deeper than who can and cannot own a gun.  We value what we want over life.  We demand our “rights” over the love and compassion we owe each other.  It is wrong to deny someone something because of what someone else did.  It is also wrong to have double standards on who can and cannot kill others at will.  We all need to realize that the problem is us.  It keeps coming down to that Dear Reader.

Wishing you joy in the journey,

Aramis Thorn

Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every writer who has become a disciple of Christ’s rule of the universe is like a home owner. He liberally hands out new and old things from his great treasure store.”

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On Guns and Their Control ~ The Nature of Humans

Greetings Dear Reader,

In the opening scene of Star Trek Five: The Final Frontier (arguably the worst of the Star Trek movies), we find ourselves witnessing events on Nimbus III, The Planet of Galactic Peace.  On a planet devoted to peace guns are not allowed. 

This has not prevented the locals from designing and building weapons.  They have compressed air rifles that shoot stones.  The Federation ambassador on the planet states, “Our new age died a quick death. The settlers we conned into coming here were the dregs of society.  They soon began fighting amongst themselves.  When we forbade them weapons they soon began to fashion their own.”

In the popular game, Skyrim war is called the “Season Unending”.  We have been killing each other for all of recorded history.  The progression of our ability to do this is perhaps one of the most significant and tragic demonstrations of our creativity.  We become continuously better at creating ways to destroy each other.  Our entertainment is filled with violence.  We make sport of killing in virtual worlds.  We are surprised, however, when real people pick up real guns and attack the innocent. 

In the same Star Trek movie Dr. McCoy states that “Human life is far too precious to risk on crazy stunts” when Kirk almost kills himself trying to free ascend El Capitan.  I submit that we have lost the understanding of just how precious every life is.  I will not delve into this too deeply but it is necessary for us to regain the value of life before we will stop taking it from others. 

Currently we ignore killing on a mass scale when it is far enough away.  We tolerate injustice in other countries to save on petrol and obtain cheap consumer products.  We value life until it truly inconveniences us to do so.  Yet, we say it is too much when it is a man with a gun in a school.  I submit that it is too much when it is a child in the womb, a homeless veteran sleeping in the cold, or refugee in another country where we barter aid for power. 

Until we face that our disregard for life is a significant part of our poorer selves, taking away the guns will not stop the deaths.  I am not in favor of weapons designed to kill humans at any level.  It is not what we are designed to be doing.  We have, however, built violence toward each other into our nature.  We fail to love each other as we are supposed to love.

I used to be a very violent and angry person.  It is only through faith and following Christ that I have found that I no longer need these things.  I still struggle with the angry selfish part of my nature.  I suppose I will all my life.  I cannot commit violence and claim to love others.  It seems once again Dear Reader that we are what needs to change.  We are what needs to be different. 

Wishing you joy in the journey,

Aramis Thorn

Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every writer who has become a disciple of Christ’s rule of the universe is like a home owner. He liberally hands out new and old things from his great treasure store.”

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On Guns and Their Control ~ Thoughts and Prayers

Greetings Dear Reader,

My Sons and I used to regularly play paintball in a private wood.  We would spend an afternoon hunting each other and then cool off in the land owner’s pool.  One particular day my eldest Son would often be about to shoot me and I would somehow still get the upper hand.  I had always made it a practice to remind my children that I loved them whenever I would win at a game.  After shooting my Son for the fifth time in one day I called out, “Hey Son…”

He responded with a very frustrated, “I know dad, you love me.”

One of the things that saddens me is when things that I take seriously are mocked by those who do not understand or do not agree.  I do not mock anyone who believes differently than I believe.  It is not only unkind but it is wrong. 

I noticed that in social media there is mockery of the expression of thoughts and prayers.  The gist of the meme is that our thoughts and prayers are useless.  I will never agree that praying for others when they are in crisis is useless.  I will agree that if someone is in crisis and I only express that I am praying or worse “thinking about them” it can be insulting. 

It is like walking by a homeless person in winter and wishing them to be warm and well fed.  Jesus’ brother James points out that doing this is useless: “What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to them, ‘Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,’ but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it?  In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.”

It is wrong to simply tell others that you wish them well and do nothing.  I am not sure what should be done but until we find a way to stop the violence we need to shut up with our epithets.  I do not mean that we should not pray.  I mean that we should not talk about it publicly. 

Jesus makes it clear that prayer should be private: “And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. But when you pray, go into your room, close the door, and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.”  

If we really want to make a difference we need to put action with our prayer.  If you follow Christ then you know you are required to love your enemies.  How is killing anyone showing love?  I am not saying there is no need or use for a gun.  I am saying that guns designed for hunting humans violate the premise of loving our enemy. 

The alignment of the two issues, our lack of love for our enemies and expressing our “thoughts and prayers” without doing things that make a difference have caused mockery of the genuine expression of our faith.  There will always be those who mock God and us for believing.  We cannot change this. 

What I can do is assure that any expression of my faith is accompanied by action.  I must pray privately for those in need and in pain.  I must also work for new ways to show love to everyone including those who hate me.  If I fail to put action with my faith it will be useless and I will deserve the mockery.  Once again, Dear Reader, it seems that the problem is not the gun.  It is us.

Wishing you joy in the journey,

Aramis Thorn

Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every writer who has become a disciple of Christ’s rule of the universe is like a home owner. He liberally hands out new and old things from his great treasure store.”

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On Guns and Their Control ~ A Gun Tale

Greetings Dear Reader,

If you read my writings regularly you know that I grew up in Georgia.  I am proud of most of my southern heritage.  We are not the ignorant sloths that we are sometimes depicted as.  It is also true that stereotypes spring from something.

When I was a boy my Grandfather, a retired police officer, taught me to shoot.  He taught me how to respect and handle guns.  I had to learn to clean and store them before I ever learned to load and shoot.  There were rules and I knew to obey them.  I practiced for hours shooting clothes pins from a wire with my BB gun.  I graduated to a .22 when I could hit 22 clothes pins from twenty yards away without breaking any of them.  The trick was to hit them at the bottom so that they would spin around the wire. 

After a summer of practice and hard work I was taken hunting.  I used a .410/.22 Savage.  Later in the fall I graduated to a bolt action .410 with a five-round capacity and a .22 semi-automatic which held ten 22-long rounds.  After the day’s hunting, if I had obeyed all of the gun rules I was allowed to fire my Grandfather’s 30/30 Winchester and his 20-gauge shotgun at the targets behind the farm house.

I was seven years old.  That same year I took shooting classes in my elementary school.  I also learned to shoot a bow and how to hunt with one.  There really were gun racks in pickup trucks and people did hunt before and after school.  My story of learning and shooting is not an uncommon one. 

There were not school shootings.  We were somehow different.  I am not saying that there is not a problem to be addressed.  I will not, however, blame the presence of guns.  It does not scan.  We can rant and rave all we want about the presence of guns being the problem but the truth is that this is not the problem. 

If we do not deal with the truth then nothing will get solved.  We need to remember how to teach discipline and respect to our children.  We must embrace the idea the we have changed as a society in some ways that are not good.

I must deal in truth not conjecture.  The truth is that we have lost a level of respect for each other, for authority, and for life.  I am not sure what the answer is but removing the medium of our expression of our own failings is never the problem.  Prohibition does not stop a thing from existing.  It does drive that thing into the shadows where it becomes aligned with other problems. 

Until we realize that the problem of violence is in us we will not change.  Until we embrace that we do not treat each other the way we should things will only get worse.  I long for the day when no one causes harm to another human.  That is the problem that exists daily whether there are guns present or not.

Wishing you joy in the journey,

Aramis Thorn

Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every writer who has become a disciple of Christ’s rule of the universe is like a home owner. He liberally hands out new and old things from his great treasure store.”

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On Guns and Their Control ~ Opening Thoughts

Greetings Dear Reader,

I hesitate to write about this.  It is, however, a social issue that requires my evaluation.  I must know what I think and be prepared to express that thought with conviction, love, and kindness.  I do not at the moment know if this will be a single post or a series of musings.

I do know that guns have been an issue in my life since I was a small boy.  This perhaps requires a tale or two and, therefore, it may be that I need to spend some time on this set of thoughts and questions.

When it came up with the Crema Counsel this past week I could tell that there are very strong feelings in the hearts and minds of my friends who sit on said counsel.  I thought to stay away from the issue.  I cannot do this and remain honest in my search for ways to be more faithful in my following.

I suppose I will ask you to venture with me Dear Reader as I attempt to navigate reasonably that which both sides of the discussion refuse to consider with good reason.   I will not entertain emotional, pejorative, or situational thoughts.  These are neither productive or conducive. 

I will not attack anyone nor will I reject anyone just because they disagree with me.  I will address what I think is true whether I like it or not.  If I tread on your toes, I apologize in advance.  Please walk with me so that I have someone to show me what I miss.

Wishing you joy in the journey,

Aramis Thorn

Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every writer who has become a disciple of Christ’s rule of the universe is like a home owner. He liberally hands out new and old things from his great treasure store.”

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Second Thoughts – Stop Fighting for Bronze and Stone

Greetings Dear Reader,

Sometimes I will end the day with thoughts that are important to get out.  Usually I just write them and put them in my journal folder.  I have chosen that on occasion I will share them with you Dear Reader.

Let me be very clear for those who do not already know it.  Theologically I am very conservative.  That does not mean that I fit into the group that some would call the religious right.  In fact, I believe that given the nature of my position on many things they might not want me in their company. 

What I am concerned about at the moment is that those who do agree with me in many ways about following Christ are not rising up to make it clear that statues and monuments do not natter nearly as much as the love and respect required to live out the Gospel of Christ.  There is no human constructed image that matters more than the impression we leave when we choose stone and metal over people. 

I am southern born and reared.  I understand the noble heritage of some aspects of the south.  I also acknowledge that aspects of southern history still bring harmful legacies to life.  As Christ followers none of that needs to matter as much as the hearts, minds, and souls of those who are harmed by the negative aspects of southern history. 

We can build factions around this issue all we wish.  Instead I must not care about the monuments as much as I care about the message.  It is never what we once stood for.  It is what I stand for today.  We need to fight for the rights and safety of all humans no matter what we think of what they think.  Nothing can replace lovingly listening to those who are hurt and sharing compassion with them.  I will not cling to any “thing” at the cost of my ability to share Christ with others.

Wishing you joy in the journey,

Aramis Thorn

Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every writer who has become a disciple of Christ’s rule of the universe is like a home owner. He liberally hands out new and old things from his great treasure store.”

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Love Your Enemies – Closing Thoughts

Greetings Dear Reader,

As I turn the corner on this topic to move further down the path it is not lost on me that tomorrow is Memorial Day.  I will address that later but I do not want to miss the connection that anticipating this day is part of the impetus for this writing. 

I have said on many occasions that killing someone is not how one shows love.  I have also considered that doing violence to anyone is not an act of love.  Paul warns us to do all we can to be at peace with all men.

The long and short of it is that I am not supposed be collecting enemies.  I am not allowed to hate anyone.  I am supposed to love everyone.  No matter what life sends my way I am to respond in love.  That can be easy to say and hard to live but it is still the right way to do things.

No matter what comes at me I am to respond in love.  This is the obligation of all Christ followers.  I think the world would look much different if we did.

Wishing you joy in the journey,

Aramis Thorn

Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every writer who has become a disciple of Christ’s rule of the universe is like a home owner. He liberally hands out new and old things from his great treasure store.”

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Love Your Enemies – Enemy Friends

Greetings Dear Reader,

One thing that perplexes me is that we treat our friends like enemies.  And in either instance I do not mean that we are treating them with love.  We gossip, slander, lie, and betray.  We give our word and break it.  We do damage on purpose.

We go to war with people we are supposed to love: friends, family, siblings, and spouses.  We allow conflict to live and nurture it through actions and neglect.  We replace unconditional love with intentional cruelty. 

Everything about this is contrary to who we are supposed to be as Christ followers.  We are supposed to be kind, tender hearted, loving, and peaceful.  Our for each other is supposed to be an example that draws others to Christ.  Our benchmark is supposed to be our love for each other.

When we walk away from Christ, our friends, and our family for any reason we are holding that reason above our obligation to love.  Without unconditional love I am nothing.  There is nothing I do that truly matters if I do it without love.

All war, abuse, violence, want, and neglect occurs because we love something more than we love each other.  We choose our own desire, comfort, or journey over following in faith and love.  We destroy others, even friends and family to do so.

Everything about who I am supposed to be requires me to show love and kindness as my first response.  When I act selfishly or dishonestly I do not.  When I treat others badly for my own interests I abandon my love for Christ and others to do it.  That is the essence of following.  I must love you no matter what.  I get to love you no matter what.  I am privileged to love you no matter what.

Wond’ring Aloud – Jethro Tull

Wond'ring aloud --

how we feel today.

Last night sipped the sunset --

my hands in her hair.

We are our own saviours

as we start both our hearts beating life

into each other.

Wond'ring aloud --

will the years treat us well.

As she floats in the kitchen,

I'm tasting the smell

of toast as the butter runs.

Then she comes, spilling crumbs on the bed

and I shake my head.

And it's only the giving

that makes you what you are.

Wishing you joy in the journey,

Aramis Thorn

Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every writer who has become a disciple of Christ’s rule of the universe is like a home owner. He liberally hands out new and old things from his great treasure store.”

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Love Your Enemies – Tax Collectors

Greetings Dear Reader,

People who do not know me assume that my politics are very liberal.  People who know my faith assume that my politics are conservative.  As with so many things the truth is somewhere in the middle. 

No matter where you land on the blue to purple to red spectrum I think we can agree that there are people who truly hate the opposition.  I do not mean that they mutter and complain about policies and positions.  I mean the ones who will be visceral and angry about a candidate or elected official.

I will not presume to speak for those who do not follow my faith.  I will call into account those who do.  Political opponents are not our enemies.  They may oppose things we believe in and may be socially different from us.  They may even do heinous things that are clearly wrong.   They are not our enemy.

Elected officials are not our enemy.  Even if we hate everything for which they stand we have an obligation to them.  We are to respect their office.  We are to love them.  We are commanded to pray for them.  No matter what you think of the president, governor, senator, or mayor the obligation is the same.

I am required to love and pray for all my political leaders.  I can work to oust them if I feel they are wrong.  I can vote and speak out for things I believe in.  I am not allowed to malign, curse, or hate them.  I am not allowed to hate those who support them.

Everything about following Christ gets challenged in the political arena.  There are those who hate God and his followers in our government.  We are overtaxed and underserved.  The truth, however, is that I must love them.  I must be accountable to them.  I must pray for them. 

By the time I do all that there is not room left for hate.

Wishing you joy in the journey,

Aramis Thorn

Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every writer who has become a disciple of Christ’s rule of the universe is like a home owner. He liberally hands out new and old things from his great treasure store.”

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Love Your Enemies – Raining on the Unjust

Greetings Dear Reader,

At times I have a very visual imagination.   I picture what it would be like if rain only fell on the crops of the righteous.  Somehow patchwork rain would not be as beautiful.  It would lack symmetry and would seem cruel.  Jesus makes it very clear that the Father sends rain to everyone regardless of his or her faith and following.

If we proceed from the assumption that we are all fallen then it is not wrong that there are some calamities that befall us all.   There are blessings too although we do not really acknowledge them. 

One of the things we are supposed to do as Christ followers is help move things back to good.  A part of that is our social responsibility to everyone.  We are to be good to everyone.  We are to care about everyone.

We are warned not to celebrate the ills or bad fortune of our enemies. We are warned further to care about their needs.  How that translates is very important in terms of loving our enemies.

The social issues that plague man are the same.  They have changed through the centuries only in magnitude and complexity.  Our responsibility for those issues does not change.  Loving our enemies is not genuine if it is passive.

The responsibility of the Christ follower is to care about the needs of others.  The social needs of our community are the responsibility of Christ followers full stop.  The plenty that we have is for the purpose of showing love to those around us.    

I hate the system of universal healthcare we have adopted but as my Son Bezel said we have to get there somehow.  I hate abortion but the church should be leading the way in providing safe, healthy, and non-judgmental alternatives.  There should be armies of Christ followers feeding the hungry.  Every homeless person who want shelter from the cold should know we are and be able to knock on our door.

If our enemy is hungry we should feed him.  If he naked we should cloth him.  It is in the love of our enemy by meeting his needs that we gain the ability to show him Christ.  There is not one person who is unworthy of this kind of care.  It is in showing this care that we allow Christ to know us.

Instead we complain about the rain if it spoils our picnic plans rather than to consider that there might be someone who needs it.  We get centered on what we want or think we need instead realizing just how much we already have.  I must not hesitate to help those God puts in my path.  I must not shy away from loving my enemies at the very essence of life.

It is not wrong to be wealthy or comfortable.  It is wrong to bypass the needs of others because I disagree with their lifestyle, politics, or faith.  If the church set all of that aside and lived the social aspect of the Gospel to its full potential imagine the difference we could make.

Would Jesus Wear a Rolex – Ray Stevens

Woke up this mornin', turned on the T.V. set

There in livin' color, was somethin' I can't forget

This man was preachin' at me, yeah, layin' on the charm

Askin' me for twenty with ten-thousand on his arm

He wore designer clothes and a big smile on his face

Sellin' me salvation while they sang amazin' grace

Askin' me for money when he had all the signs of wealth

I almost wrote a check out, yeah, then I asked myself

Would He wear a Pinky ring?

Would He drive a fancy car?

Would His wife wear furs and diamonds?

Would His dressin' room have a star?

If He come back tomorrow

Well there's somethin' I'd like to know

(Can you tell me?)

Would Jesus wear a Rolex

On His television show?

Would Jesus be political

If He come back to earth?

Have His second home in Palm Springs?

Yeah, try to hide His worth?

Take money, from those poor folks

When He comes back again

And admit He's talked to all them preachers

Who say they've been talkin' to Him?

Just ask ya' self, would He wear a Pinky ring?

Would He drive a fancy car?

Would His wife wear furs and diamonds?

Would His dressing room have a star?

If He come back tomorrow

Well there's somethin' I'd like to know

Could ya tell me?

Would Jesus wear a Rolex?

Would Jesus wear a Rolex?

Would Jesus wear a Rolex

On His television show? Oh oh

(Would Jesus wear a Rolex)

(On His television show?)

Wishing you joy in the journey,

Aramis Thorn

Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every writer who has become a disciple of Christ’s rule of the universe is like a home owner. He liberally hands out new and old things from his great treasure store.”

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Love Your Enemies – They Want to be my Enemy

Greetings Dear Reader,

From time to time I am reminded that there are people that hate me.  Since I do not hate people I forget that people can hate me.  It takes some odd forms.  Still I must face that there are people who know me and hate me.

As we discussed yesterday to hate me means that you declare yourself my enemy.  Some people are jealous of my life.  I cannot understand that.  Some hate me because of my actions earlier in life.  I hope that they forgive me for their sake rather than mine. 

When I learn that others hate me I have to make a choice.  I can hate them back, but that is not following Christ.  I can be indifferent but that is self-deception because I am indifferent about very little.  I can love them and seek peace. 

When I respond to hatred with love I am amazed at the power of love.  It crushes.  The weight of it astounds me.  There are those who will not communicate with me because they have become indifferent toward me.  That too is a lie.  Indifference masks anger, fear, and hatred.  Rarely does it mask love.  I pray for them and ask God to heal the pain I have caused.

So if someone chooses to be my enemy then I must him as well.  Since God wishes for our weapon of choice to be love there is no instance where that is not the proper response.  There are people who do not know me that want to kill me just because I identify with Christ.  They too are people I am to love.  

So to those who would identify my as someone to hate, reject, dismiss, avoid or call an enemy I have only one response.  I love you.  If you want to talk about it, let me know.

Freedom Never Cries – Five for Fighting

I took a flag to a pawn shop

For a broken guitar

I took a flag to a pawn shop

How much is that guitar

I took a flag to a pawn shop

I Got me that guitar

What's a flag in a pawn shop to me?

I Saw a man on the TV

In a mask with a gun

A man on the TV

He had a ten-year old son

I Saw a man on the TV

His son had a gun

He says that he's coming for me

I never loved the soldier until there was a war

Or thought about tomorrow

'til my baby hit the floor

I only talk to God when somebody's about to die

I Never cherished Freedom

Freedom never cries.

I Wrote a song for a dead man

To settle my soul

A song for a dead man

Now I'll never grow old

I Wrote a song for a dead man

Now I'm out in the cold

What's a song to a dead man to me?

I never loved the soldier until there was a war

Or thought about tomorrow

'til my baby hit the floor

I Only talk to God when somebody's about to die

I Never cherished Freedom

Freedom never cries...

You can cry for her

Die for her

Lay down your life for her

Kiss and wave Goodbye to her

Anything at all

You can cry for her

Die for her

Make up your mind to her

Anything at all

There's a baby on the doorstep

Wailing away

There's a baby on the doorstep

Longing for the day

There's a baby on the doorstep

Who'd give his life to take

A flag to a pawn shop

A flag to a pawn shop

May he forget why he is crying some day

Wishing you joy in the journey,

Aramis Thorn

Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every writer who has become a disciple of Christ’s rule of the universe is like a home owner. He liberally hands out new and old things from his great treasure store.”

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Love Your Enemies – Declaring Enemies

Greetings Dear Reader,

I think it is very important to understand what Jesus thinks of as an enemy.  The word he uses here and elsewhere does not mean enemy the way we think it does.  It is exclusive to those who oppose God.  More specifically it can refer to those who oppose God in their thoughts.

That makes the pool for declaring enemies quite specific.  I am not saying that it is limited just specific.  In the mind of Christ enemies are those who oppose God.  The word is also closely related to hatred. 

This means that the statement to hate your enemy is to hate those who hate.  It becomes quite clear that the problem is hatred.  If I am to love my enemies I cannot hate them.  If I am to declare someone an enemy it must be because they opposed to God.

The quandary is that the moment I declare someone an enemy I must love them.  That means that I cannot hate them and, therefore, they are no longer my enemy.  They may think they are and may say so. 

The moment they declare that they are my enemy I must love them.  This again makes the state of enemy a one way street.  I cannot consider someone an enemy from my perspective.  I must love them. 

If I am going to declare enemies then I must realize what I am doing.  I am placing someone in a very specific state.  To obey Christ the moment I declare them an enemy (the moment I hate them), I must love them.  It becomes evident, therefore, that someone being my enemy is a very temporary thing from my perspective. 

I really must assure that I am not collecting enemies unless it is in pursuit of the opportunity to love them.  If that is my goal then I can just simply skip the enemy stage and truly try to love them as Christ does. 

Wishing you joy in the journey,

Aramis Thorn

Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every writer who has become a disciple of Christ’s rule of the universe is like a home owner. He liberally hands out new and old things from his great treasure store.”

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Love Your Enemies – On Hatred

Greetings Dear Reader,

The thing about hatred is that it devours.  It takes effort, time, and energy to maintain hatred.  So as to be balanced there are things that God hates.  All of them are things that are evil. 

When we hate people it is another matter altogether.  Jesus best friend wrote that when we hate someone it is the same as if we have murdered that person.  I wonder if we consider how strong that is. 

We are required to love everyone.   This leaves no room for hatred yet we make room for it.  We nurture it for the wrong reasons.  We become angry without cause or take up the offenses of others.  We nurture small hurts into festering wounds. 

It is our war on each other at the individual level that leads to riots, murders, and war.  Coddling my anger for selfish reasons can lead to the destruction of the object of my hatred and me.  It can also create collateral damage that is devastating.

Hatred is war on the individual.  It is selfish and serves only my vial interests.  Everything about hating another person is selfish.  There is no room for it in following Christ.  When we exchange love for hatred we turn a closed fist into an open hand.

Wishing you joy in the journey,

Aramis Thorn

Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every writer who has become a disciple of Christ’s rule of the universe is like a home owner. He liberally hands out new and old things from his great treasure store.”

(͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

Love Your Enemies – Who is my Neighbor?

Greetings Dear Reader,

Before I can venture into what I am to do about enemies I must understand who my neighbor is.  Jesus commanded me to love my neighbor as well as my enemies.  This is the second commandment and he equates it to the first.  He says it is one of the two foundations on which everything else is built.

The word we translate as “neighbor” actually means “friend”.  The contrast then is quite significant.  Further the flavor of the word is that of anyone of our “tribe”.  It is our community that we are to love.

This means that I do not have to know someone to love him or her.  Just because they are a part of my community is reason enough to love.  So even people in my community that may be in opposition to my faith and practices are still my “neighbors”.  If I wish to believe that I am following Christ I must love them all.

This means that in contrast my enemies are not part of my community.  If I am to love everyone in my community I need to look further to find who my enemy is.  Before I spend too much time identifying enemies, however, I should assure that I am loving my neighbor.

According to this the man across the street is my neighbor.  So is the guy at the gas station who takes my money.  The server at the diner is my neighbor.  The stranger sitting next to me at the movies is too. 

When I consider who my neighbor really is I come to a very serious conclusion.  I am required to love everyone around me.  I am required to treat them well.  It is my responsibility to love, unconditionally, everyone who fits this definition of neighbor.  If I am not working towards this in every encounter then I carry the name of Christ in error.

This means that at the community level I have not political, social, or religious enemies.  They are all my neighbor even if their beliefs are contrary to what I consider the truth.  I wonder if we see how huge this is. 

Things that I think are morally wrong are never an excuse to be unloving and unkind.  At the social level I must love to follow Christ.  The meanest vilest person in the community is worthy of love.  That is what is to set me apart.  Everyone around me should feel loved when they interact with me. 

That alone is a tough chore for a fallen man who struggles with his own selfishness and greed.  It is only by constant practice of this that I can hope to attain it.   The exercise here for me is to try and list a valid reason not to love someone that Christ has commanded me to love.  I come up empty if I try.

The Basin and the Towel – Michael Card

And the call is to community…

In an upstairs room, a parable

Is just about to come alive.

And while they bicker about who's best,

With a painful glance, He'll silently rise.

Their Savior Servant must show them how

Through the will of the water

And the tenderness of the towel.

And the call is to community,

The impoverished power that sets the soul free.

In humility, to take the vow,

That day after day we must take up the basin and the towel.

In any ordinary place,

On any ordinary day,

The parable can live again

When one will kneel and one will yield.

Our Savior Servant must show us how

Through the will of the water

And the tenderness of the towel.

And the space between ourselves sometimes

Is more than the distance between the stars.

By the fragile bridge of the Servant's bow

We take up the basin and the towel.

And the call is to community,

The impoverished power that sets the soul free.

In humility, to take the vow,

That day after day we must take up the basin and the towel.

Wishing you joy in the journey,

Aramis Thorn

Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every writer who has become a disciple of Christ’s rule of the universe is like a home owner. He liberally hands out new and old things from his great treasure store.”

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Love Your Enemies – Opening Thoughts

Greetings Dear Reader,

One of the things triggered by recent events has been some deep thinking on what it means to love one’s enemies.  Discussions about the current political climate lead me to think that many who claim to follow Christ have left behind this very seminal command. 

I work very hard at not collecting enemies in the real world.  I still have a few but I will get to that later.  Our nation has enemies.  So too the Church has enemies.  Some people will hate me just because I try to follow Christ.  Many will declare themselves my enemy.  Does their declaration make it so?

As I think through this question I wish to begin with the actual command.  These are the words Jesus spoke about the topic:

Mat 5:43 – 48

"You have heard that it was said, 'Love your neighbor, and hate your enemy.' But I tell you this: Love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you. In this way you show that you are children of your Father in heaven. He makes his sun rise on people whether they are good or evil. He lets rain fall on them whether they are just or unjust.

If you love those who love you, do you deserve a reward? Even the tax collectors do that!  Are you doing anything remarkable if you welcome only your friends? Everyone does that!  That is why you must be perfect as your Father in heaven is perfect.

There are some serious implications here.  I want to consider them as I refine what it means for me to love my enemies.  I must love them.  That is what Christ commands.  I cannot just say that I do love them.  Faith without works is dead.  I must live out loving my enemies

Jesus only uses the word “enemy” four other times throughout the Gospels.  Three of those times are in the parable of the wheat and tares.  The other time it is in a warning.  The only time Jesus focuses on what we are to do about our enemies is here.  He sets his thoughts with those concerning how to react to violence: “Turn the other cheek.”  He couples it with the way we are to respond to forced labor: “Go a second mile.” 

To follow Christ is to do things counter to the visceral reaction that is natural in us.  I need to ponder this carefully so that I can perfect my obedience to Christ.  I must follow this command with my whole heart.  In order to do so I must examine it wholly.  Dear Reader I covet your thoughts on this as I think some of it will be hard.  Also, I enjoy your company along the path.

Wishing you joy in the journey,

Aramis Thorn

Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every writer who has become a disciple of Christ’s rule of the universe is like a home owner. He liberally hands out new and old things from his great treasure store.”

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