Home
Project
Restore
  >> Trumpet Herald contents >> May 2004 ..

The Trumpet Herald

Giving the trumpet a certain sound

May 2004

Rebellion in One's Heart


In an article about Shiite Muslim cleric Moqtada Sadr, whose militia has been involved recently in battles with American troops in Iraq, the Washington Post noted:

A year ago, in one of his first interviews after the fall of former president Saddam Hussein's government, Sadr warned the Americans not to alienate his movement. "I advise the Americans to ally with the Shiites, not to oppose them," he said. He then recalled what Shiites view as centuries of oppression and suffering. Added to that, he said, was the national character of Iraq -- a record of rebellion and dissent.

"You can read history," he said. "They will reject any government brought by America, any leader, any state. They have rebellion in their hearts." ("U.S. Targeted Fiery Cleric In Risky Move," www.washingtonpost.com, Apr. 11, 2004)

Although at this writing, the Sadr episode in Iraq appears to have subsided a little, the comment quoted above indicates a long hard road ahead for the U.S. occupation of Iraq.

Inspired Commentary

Many Iraqis are, of course, not the only ones with rebellion in the heart. Although many rebellions take a less violent form, rebellion is an underlying trait of sinful humanity that stems from the "father of lies."

Thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created, till iniquity was found in thee. By the multitude of thy merchandise they have filled the midst of thee with violence, and thou hast sinned: therefore I will cast thee as profane out of the mountain of God: and I will destroy thee, O covering cherub, from the midst of the stones of fire.

Thine heart was lifted up because of thy beauty, thou hast corrupted thy wisdom by reason of thy brightness: I will cast thee to the ground, I will lay thee before kings, that they may behold thee. Thou hast defiled thy sanctuaries by the multitude of thine iniquities, by the iniquity of thy traffic; therefore will I bring forth a fire from the midst of thee, it shall devour thee, and I will bring thee to ashes upon the earth in the sight of all them that behold thee (Ezekiel 28:15-18).

Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it (John 8:44).

Prayer Criticizes JFK


An Internet newspaper recently reported on a controversial opening prayer in Colorado:

A Catholic priest who prayed to open a session of the Colorado House of Representatives has come under fire for asking God to make the lawmakers "the antithesis of John Kennedy."

Saying politicians emulating JFK has "led to a vacuum of morality in public debate," the Rev. Bill Carmody prayed that the state legislators would not be afraid to bring their faith into their decisions as elected officials. Carmody criticized Kennedy for saying he could not let his Catholic faith influence his policy decisions. ("Priest to lawmakers: Don't emulate JFK," www.worldnetdaily.com, 4/14/2004)

The priest, who also encouraged evangelicals, Jews, and all others of faith to be people of faith first before being legislators, said he did not expect his prayer to cause so much controversy.

Inspired Commentary

While, the prayer mentioned above was not purported to be the voice of the Roman Catholic Church, it does reflect an interesting view considering the following inspired comment:

The Roman Catholic Church, with all its ramifications throughout the world, forms one vast organization under the control, and designed to serve the interests, of the papal see. Its millions of communicants, in every country on the globe, are instructed to hold themselves as bound in allegiance to the pope. Whatever their nationality or their government, they are to regard the authority of the church as above all other. Though they may take the oath pledging their loyalty to the state, yet back of this lies the vow of obedience to Rome, absolving them from every pledge inimical to her interests. (The Great Controversy, p. 580)

The potential problem with being a person of faith first is when the faith would deny religious liberty by restricting the reasonable practice of faith by others. This is observed happening in some predominantly Muslim countries and has happened in the past (and to a lesser extent is still happening) in areas where Roman Catholicism is the predominant influence.

Reporting Made-up News


The corrupting power of fame and money was apparently illustrated recently in a Washington Post story:

USA Today Editor Karen Jurgensen resigned under pressure yesterday, four months after ousting reporter Jack Kelley for lying to the nation's top-selling newspaper over what turned out to be a series of fabricated stories.

While some staff members welcomed her exit as a matter of journalistic accountability and others said she was being made a scapegoat, most agreed that her resignation was inevitable. The Gannett Co. paper is preparing this week to release parts of a final investigative report on Kelley's falsified stories and plagiarism from countries around the world. ("USA Today's Top Editor Quits Under Fire," www.washingtonpost.com, April 21, 2004)

The article noted that less than a year ago the executive editor of the New York Times was forced to resign after several fabrications by a reporter were revealed.

Inspired Commentary

If it wasn't so already, the ongoing scandals exposing human depravity in high places, would make one a skeptical regarding the possibility that anyone wealthy could also be honest. Jesus also commented on the power of wealth:

And Jesus looked round about, and saith unto his disciples, How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God! And the disciples were astonished at his words. But Jesus answereth again, and saith unto them, Children, how hard is it for them that trust in riches to enter into the kingdom of God! It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God. (Mark 10:23-25).

Jesus also said that all things (including the salvation of a rich man) are possible with God. While the existing corruption is reported far more frequently than honest business activity, nonetheless we are warned that such corruption with bring difficult times in the last days:

This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; (2 Tim. 3:1-4).





Page maintained by staff@projectrestore.com. Created:4/27/04. Updated: 4/27/04
mailbox staff@projectrestore.com

Copyright © Project Restore, Inc. 2004