Friday, November 22, 2013

"the ears of the church which was in Jerusalem" - A Legacy of John Kennedy


From Shinagawa to Tokyo Haneda Airport


A Legacy of John Kennedy

The US in 1960s was in big confusion.

It had the first Catholic President who was assassinated so badly.  It confronted the Cuban crisis, which had a long influence on its diplomatic policy.  Its African American leader who won a Nobel Prize was assassinated badly.  A brother of the assassinated President was also killed during his presidential campaign.  The US military sent 500,000 soldiers to South Vietnam.  But it finally succeeded in sending astronauts to the moon.  

However after the Vietnam War ended for the US and the Watergate Scandal emerged and ended with President Nixon being forced to resign, the US entered a rather peaceful and boring era till the Persian Gulf War in 1990.  Along with collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, the US proceeded to a new growth era riding on the personal computer boom and subsequently the Internet boom.

Anyway, the turmoil of 1960s suddenly ended in the US through the anti-Vietnam War movement which was of course put an end to with the withdrawal of the US troops from South Vietnam.  But where had the dangerous momentum in the US society gone, leaving the remains of JFK, MLK, and RFK?

The answer seems to have been the Vietnam War.

Those who killed JFK, MLK, and RFK  seem to have been all satisfied with big money they got by participating in business related to the Vietnam War.  Those dangerous guys behind the assassinations of JFK, MLK, and RFK must have greatly benefited from the wartime boom.  As they had become so rich, they must have come not to mind advance in society of African Americans.

Indeed the US Government paid $111 billion for the Vietnam War, which can be converted to the current value of $686 billion.  So, those behind those assassinations must have been lucratively paid or accumulated profits.  In addition, the War led to wider contamination of the US society by drugs.  Even the Mafia and other gangsters enjoyed the boom.  They had probably no need to assassin a US President, a civil right movement leader, or a Presidential candidate who were against those being engaged in Mafia business covering Chicago to Cuba, illegal profit making, unlawful manipulation of political power, unfair business with the defense-related industry.    

In other word, the Vietnam War must have made rich enough those having played decisive roles in the era of assassinations of 1960s to change their lifestyle.  And, finally President Nixon was forced to resign after the Vietnam War in a disgraceful manner while his main concern looked like something related to the era of the JFK Presidency.

But, history might still hide some linkage between the era of 1960s and present days.  So, I will not be surprised even if it has become clear that the success of Barack H. Obama depends on a legacy of John F. Kennedy.



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Act 11:21 And the hand of the Lord was with them: and a great number believed, and turned unto the Lord.
Act 11:22 Then tidings of these things came unto the ears of the church which was in Jerusalem: and they sent forth Barnabas, that he should go as far as Antioch.
Act 11:23 Who, when he came, and had seen the grace of God, was glad, and exhorted them all, that with purpose of heart they would cleave unto the Lord.

Thursday, November 21, 2013

"would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes" - 50 Years since JFK


Tokyo Haneda Airport since 1931


50 Years since JFK

It is 50 years after the occurrence of the JFK Assassination.  But how has the US changed?

                                       1963                        2013
==================================================
 Population                       189 million                317 million

Real GDP
Growth Rate                     4.4%                        2.8%

Ratio of
Non-Hispanic Whites          88%                        63%

Poverty Rate                    19.5%                      15%
==================================================

Now, how many shooters will you employ if you should hit a US President?

It cannot be one who usually works in a school textbook deposit.  You will hire some of the best shooters of the era.  And as you are afraid of a failure, you will post four or five men, if any.

So, on November 22, 1963, you must have put one on the Grassy Knoll, one on the second floor of the Texas School Book Depository, one on the sixth floor of the Depository, and the last one on the roof of the Dal-Tex Building.

Then you must be sure that one of four bullets will really work.  Of course, in order to hide shooters and make it difficult to find where bullets come, you have to order each shooter to fire just one bullet each.

Conversely, suppose that you fail in this operation; then you will be laughed at forever by all the people concerned around Johnson, Nixon, Dulles, Hoover, etc.   So, you need four or more assassins.

http://www.mexicoarmado.com/rifles/167743-duda-sobre-el-tiro-kennedy.html


But we only know Oswald and Ruby, super third-class players.  Any scenario writer will use more figures if not like in the case of the mission on Osama of 2011.
  



Anyway 50 years after the assassination, nobody predicted in 1963 that President Kennedy's daughter would become US Ambassador to Japan where Oswald had been once stationed as a US Marine, since Caroline's younger brother died so mysteriously in 1999.




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Mat 11:21 Woe unto thee, Chorazin! woe unto thee, Bethsaida! for if the mighty works, which were done in you, had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes.

Tuesday, November 19, 2013

"he went out of the city" - China and the End of the World


Keihin-Kyuko Railway, Tokyo


China and the End of the World

On December 26, 2004, the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami occurred following an M9.1 earthquake off Sumatra Island, Indonesia, taking on 220,000 people around the Indian Ocean.

On March 11, 2011, the Great East Japan tsunami occurred following an M9.0 earthquake off the northeast part of Honsyu Island, taking on 20,000 people.

On November 8, 2013, Typhoon Haiyan (Typhoon No. 30 in Japanese), one of the greatest typhoons in history, attacked Leyte Island and other Philippines islands, taking on 4,000 residents.

So, in East and Southeast Asia, Muslims, Buddhists, and Christians have been all hit by the great natural disasters.
Luke Chapter 21
25 And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring; 
26 Men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken. 
36 - Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.

Matthew Chapter 24
3 - And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what [shall be] the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world? 
21 For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. 
22 And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened. 
29 - Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken: 
36 - But of that day and hour knoweth no [man], no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.
And these devastated regions really surround the Asian Continent a large part of which is occupied by China.

In other word, we may say that Heaven has given a warning concerning China.  China with population of 1,340 million can be a great threat to surrounding Asian countries, such as Japan, the Philippines, and Indonesia, as it is aggressively invading, for example, the East China Sea and the South China Sea while unlawfully occupying Tibet and Islamic regions in Central Asia. 

China cannot be regarded as a Buddhist country, a Christian country, or a Islamic nation.  Confucianism or Taoism may work as underlying religious tradition, but most of the Chinese people do not practice spiritual rites regularly.  We have never heard that a Chinese family or a Chinese individual has or carries the Bible or any other holy books, though influences of Buddhism and Taoism can be occasionally seen in people's life.

So, there can be a war, a civil war, great social turmoils in China, so that the Chinese Communist Party will be purged and true freedom of religion will be introduced into China.  

The end of the world can be linked to a fate of China, since everybody in the world is watching China with a sense of disdain, distrust, and disbelief.

Indeed the Chinese national flag consists of some stars, while Japan uses the sun in its national ensign and Muslims like to use the moon as part of their symbol.   
Luke Chapter 21
25 And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring; 
So, if China should start a war in the East China Sea or the South China Sea, it is not a surprise.  We had better continue to watch China, referring to the holy books.

Finally it will be a big incident if Buddhism, Christianity, or Islam should acquire newly 1.3 billion believers even after such a war, decisive domestic warfare, or any massive social and political upheavals.





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Mar 11:19 And when even was come, he went out of the city.
Mar 11:20 And in the morning, as they passed by, they saw the fig tree dried up from the roots.
Mar 11:21 And Peter calling to remembrance saith unto him, Master, behold, the fig tree which thou cursedst is withered away.
Mar 11:22 And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God.

Monday, November 18, 2013

"Every kingdom divided against itself " - Why 2000 Years Ago


Haneda International on Tokyo Bay


Why 2000 Years Ago

Once a man was born, he or she starts to his or her life, taking it as his or her own.

However, a man has too little knowledge about himself and this universe.  He doesn't even know why he had to be born at certain time in a certain environment.

No one can choose time and a place where he is to be born.  But once he was born, he starts to live as if his life were his own.

It is a big mistake.  There must be somebody that decides when and how who should be born.  Then life and a life of one who was born without knowing anything must belong to that someone.

Nonetheless, as Christ Jesus is God, He must have decided when and how He was born as a human being.  He is the only exception.  God decided one day to be born as Jesus in Israel 2000 years ago.  But why?  That must be the greatest theme of human study on history and religion.

332  Alexander the Great conquers the Persians, beginning the Hellenistic rule of Judea. 
167   Antiochus IV (Epiphanes) ransacks Jerusalem, prohibits Torah practice, sets up the
“Abomination of Desolation” in the Temple.  Maccabean revolt begins. 
164   Temple recaptured and rededicated. Origin of Hanukkah celebration (Jn 10:22). 
142  Hasmonean dynasty rules Jerusalem. 
63   Roman army under Pompey conquers Judea. 
40  Parthians conquer Judea. 
37   Herod regains Jerusalem. 
20  Herod begins reconstruction and expansion of the Temple. 
1      Birth of Christ. 
AD 
7      Caesar Augustus appoints Caponius Procurator. Removed judicial authority
from Judea: “The Scepter departed from Judah.” 
28-32   Ministry of Jesus. Crucifixion under Herod Antipas. The tragedy of all history
(Mt 23: 37-39). National blindness decreed (Lk 19:40ff;Rom 11:25). Destruction
of Jerusalem predicted.  The Diaspora begins (Lk 21:24). SEE LUKE 3:1 
37-41  Roman emperor Caligula attempts to have his image established in the Temple. 
66-73  Jewish revolt against the Romans. 
70  Fall of Jerusalem: Second Temple destroyed by Titus. Not mentioned in the Gospels
nor in the epistles
nor in the epistles; this would have been used in apologetic arguments; significant
evidence for being written prior to a.d. 66. Also, Qumran evidences, et al. 
73  Last stand of the Jewish revolt at Masada. 
90  Council of Jabneh (Jamnia) redefines Judaism. 
132  Bar Kochba revolt; destroys the 12th Legion; begin rebuilding the Temple. 
135  Romans crush the Jewish revolt. Hadrian orders Jerusalem plowed under. He builds
Aelia Capitolina on the ruins with a temple to Jupiter built over the site of the Jewish
Temple. Names Israel “Palestina.” 
313  Emperor Constantine legalizes Christianity throughout the Roman Empire; moves his
capital to Byzantium “Constantinople”). 
378  Emperor Theodosius makes Christianity the state religion of the Roman Empire.
http://faithbibleministriesblog.com/2013/11/15/a-3500-year-chronology-of-israel/

Indeed without God's sending Himself as a human being to Judea 2000 years ago, Judaists should have been just dispersed in territories of the Roman Empire or to Africa and Asia.  They would have continued their faith in Yahweh, however, without any impact on other races and tribes.  In corners of the world Judaists should have survived just as a minor and rootless religious group.  In 2000 years they should have become minimal.

On the other hand, after the collapse of the Roman Empire expected at the time to happen some time in centuries after Caesar, Europe would not have had a binding factor, the Catholic Church, without the emergence of Christ Jesus.  So, various European tribes should have been divided without common religion.  They should have been sheer strangers to one another.  Cultural unification of Europe must have been impossible.  And, there would have been no Middle Ages, Renaissance, and eventually Industrial Revolution.

So, Christ Jesus came to this world at the right time among Judaists.

But Christianity failed.  So, Islam was given to Arabs and others.  And, it passed 1400 years since the establishment of Islam.  It must be enough.

So, I think something must happen today 2000 years after the birth of Jesus.

Anyway we have to realize that the sole owner of our lives is God.  Our lives are possessed by God.  We are living a life entrusted to us by God, though it essentially belongs to God.

So, we have to report to God how we have lived after our death.  And most of us would have to plead ignorance as our excuse for neglecting God in our life.  But I think God will not simply accept it.

Each of our lives is not truly ours but God's.  We have a duty to live a life according to God's will.


Incidentally, it seems that the ancient Greek Civilization was loved by God.  So, the God used Alexander the great to have him prepare some territories east of Jerusalem for expansion of Judaism, Christianity or, in case, Islam.  The history centering around the birth of Jesus must start directly from the era of Alexander the Great to the time when Christianity gained a sure foothold in Europe with the Roman Empire accepting it as its state religion.





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Luk 11:17 But he, knowing their thoughts, said unto them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and a house divided against a house falleth.

Sunday, November 17, 2013

”God gave them the like gift” - Women Not in Faith



Shinagawa to Haneda, Tokyo



Women Not in Faith

One interest thing I felt when I read some American mystery novels was that they sometimes depicted a woman as a main culprit.

In most cases, such a female criminal was beautiful, attractive, or a creature who aroused sentiment.

In my theory, there can be a woman who knows she is very dangerous to herself and people around her as she is beautiful.  If she has faith in God, I suppose that she would not even try to make her look more beautiful.  Prettiness often invites evils accompanied by money and so on.  So, a beautiful woman in faith would not try to make her look more beautiful, thus making her poor.  But a bad and beautiful woman would try to make herself look more attractive, thus making more money.

Islam requests women to hide their hair or faces.
The Koran
The Light
[24.31] And say to the believing women that they cast down their looks and guard their private parts and do not display their ornaments except what appears thereof, and let them wear their head-coverings over their bosoms, and not display their ornaments except to their husbands or their fathers, or the fathers of their husbands, or their sons, or the sons of their husbands, or their brothers, or their brothers' sons, or their sisters' sons, or their women, or those whom their right hands possess, or the male servants not having need (of women), or the children who have not attained knowledge of what is hidden of women; and let them not strike their feet so that what they hide of their ornaments may be known; and turn to Allah all of you, O believers! so that you may be successful.
http://quod.lib.umich.edu/cgi/k/koran/koran-idx?type=DIV0&byte=541486
The Catholic Church also recommends women and nuns to put on veils or wimples.

However Christ Jesus never mentioned these matters.  He only talked with a woman by a well, seeing that she had had some husbands and other men.  Indeed, if we can see how many husbands and other men a beautiful woman has ever had, her outlook would not matter; we would simply leave her in her troubles.

Anyway Christ Jesus never chose women as His 12 Disciples.  So, He never mentioned whether or not a woman should wear a veil.  But He said not to mind what to wear, though He told not to bring two shirts, shoes, or a staff for travel for a missionary.

Finally a woman is dangerous if she has no faith while minding what to wear.




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Act 11:15 And as I began to speak, the Holy Ghost fell on them, as on us at the beginning.
Act 11:16 Then remembered I the word of the Lord, how that he said, John indeed baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost.
Act 11:17 Forasmuch then as God gave them the like gift as he did unto us, who believed on the Lord Jesus Christ; what was I, that I could withstand God?
Act 11:18 When they heard these things, they held their peace, and glorified God, saying, Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life.