I spend a fair amount of time talking about the elite: but we need to remember that those who want to role us do not merely live in our capitals. They form the cadre of both the SJW and the terrorists. I’m thinking of this because of a group has just decided to blow up a Buddhist shrine in Bangkok.
And since my Government, for good and ill, is a tad more phlegmatic than the press, this is what the local rag reports as their advice today.
Kiwis in Bangkok have been contacted by the ministry telling them about the blast and of "unconfirmed local media reports" other bombs were found nearby. "New Zealanders in Bangkok are advised to avoid travel to downtown Bangkok for the time being. We recommend exercising heightened vigilance at this time, monitoring the media for updates and adhering to the instructions of local authorities at all times, including any restrictions on movement," the ministry's advice says. "We recommend contacting family in New Zealand as soon as possible to let them know you are okay. "There is currently no change to our travel advisory risk levels for Bangkok or Thailand. We continue to advise caution in most parts of Thailand, including Bangkok, due to the threat from terrorism and potential for violent civil unrest."< ?pre>
Why is this important locally? NZ and Thailand are trading partners.
The trouble with terror is that it leads to people being regulated: it is a classic Marxist tactic: destroy the peace of the people, so that the government loses legitimacy, and the security forces become hated. At this time (NZ morning) we don’t have any indication who did this. Thailand has had terrorists before, but now terror is not confined by borders.
A Song of Ascents. To you I lift up my eyes, O you who are enthroned in the heavens! Behold, as the eyes of servants look to the hand of their master, as the eyes of a maidservant to the hand of her mistress, so our eyes look to the LORD our God, till he has mercy upon us. Have mercy upon us, O LORD, have mercy upon us, for we have had more than enough of contempt. Our soul has had more than enough of the scorn of those who are at ease, of the contempt of the proud. (Psalm 123 ESV)
And they came again to Jerusalem. And as he was walking in the temple, the chief priests and the scribes and the elders came to him, and they said to him, “By what authority are you doing these things, or who gave you this authority to do them?” Jesus said to them, “I will ask you one question; answer me, and I will tell you by what authority I do these things. Was the baptism of John from heaven or from man? Answer me.” And they discussed it with one another, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will say, ‘Why then did you not believe him?’ But shall we say, ‘From man’?”—they were afraid of the people, for they all held that John really was a prophet. So they answered Jesus, “We do not know.” And Jesus said to them, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things.” (Mark 11:27-33 ESV)
All the elite hold us in contempt and mock our faith, try to test us, try to take the platform — the place of speech away. if not by regulation, by laws: if not by laws by terror, if not by terror, by genocide. The gospel is a terror to them. For revolution will not save your soul.
This applies particularly if you preach what Christ did: repent, for the kingdom of God is at hand. Repentance involves acknowledging and confessing your sins and turning from them, doing recompense. Something that we all struggle with. But no, that is called something else.
My point about the difference between shaming and judging is pretty clearly stated. I am judging you and other commenters on this site. The way many of you talk about women or talk to people who disagree with you is wrong. But there is a difference between judging a person’s actions and their entire worth as a person. I’m telling you that the way you and others relate on this site is mean-spirited. I will tell you that your last comment missed the point. But I don’t call you “toots” or ridicule you or assume you are incapable of critical thinking or should sod off because you made one dumb comment. See the difference? I am saying I think you should change your behavior, not that you yourself are lacking in value or can’t possibly have anything of interest to say.
So how should we take this? Firstly, we need to pray for the people of Bangkok, and not just the ones we like. Let’s pray that the pimps, the drug dealers, the playboys, the bar girls will return to their villages and live quiet and godly lives: that people will turn from the temples to the churches, and those who think Thailand is for sex will be ashamed. (Thailand has a rich culture, beautiful hills, good surf, and exports its rice to the local Asian supermarkets).
Let us pray that the Muslim neighbours in Malaysia and elsewhere will be horrified and turn from Islam to Christ.
And let us not be ashamed of shame. For Godly shame leads to repentance.
Nor let us fear those who use bombs and bullets. The blood of martyrs fertilizes the church. Fear instead those who would regulate our soul, and bind it for perdition.
