Heaven on Earth

Atheists, secularists, moslems, et al, wait for it. This blog post is most certainly religious, but religion is not all I'm talking about here.

"Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword.

For I have come to turn " 'a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law-

a man's enemies will be the members of his own household.'

"Anyone who loves his father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves his son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me;

and anyone who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me.

Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it."

-Matthew 10: 34-39, New International Version

These words from the Gospel of Matthew make clear exactly what our intentions should be in this world. We, if we our to follow Jesus, are not to make peace, but instead to make a war of words and ideas. It is made clear elsewhere, as when Jesus sows the gaurds ear back on his head, that the sword is not to be our weapon - the war reference is largely metaphor - but we are NOT to be peacemakers. We are here to unleash the fury of heaven in the hearts, minds, and souls of men.

We are to represent what is right, for "all that is required for evil to triumph in the world is for good men to do nothing." (Folk Saying) We are not to represent consensus, we are to create it. For peace, although desirable (he also says "blessed are the peacemakers..."), may be a luxury we cannot afford.

If those who know something say nothing, nothing can be heard. Even if they do say something, it may still not be heard, at least by many, but there is a certain piece of folk-wisdom, given to us by Abraham Lincoln, that goes "You can fool some of the people all the time, and all the people some of the time, but you can't fool all the people all the time," and if we keep on trying, keep on pushing, and we reach them at just the right moment, they WILL listen.

It doesn't matter what you know. It doesn't matter what you believe. It may not even really matter if you're right. Edison, when asked about his 1000 failed attempts to make his lightbulb, said "they're not failures. I now know of 1000 ways not to build a lightbulb." It may just be a phase we, and you, have to go through to find a higher truth and find it the right way at the right time. But keep on pushing. Know you will offend, but don't let that silence you. People will hate you, will be angry, may even attempt to destroy you, but if you have on your heart something that needs to be said, don't you dare keep it to yourself, for such is greater selfishness then the pick-pocket, who only steals money...