Repentance and Love

Humans want a God who has limitless love but when God's love expresses itself in "I forgive you," we shriek and run for the shadows. God's love is redemptive not permissive. God's love is that of a disciplinarian, not an enabler.

Social Justice Warrior Terminology

Social Justice Warriors have a unique vocabulary. Perusing through the list will give you a better idea of what a Social Justice Warrior is and if you qualify as one.

Androgyny: Gender expression that contains both male and female elements

Androsexual/Androphile: Being attracted to males.

Advocate: Someone who supports a social justice cause. Social Justice Warriors avoid the term "Warrior." They prefer "advocate for social change."

Abelism: Discrimination against someone who is disabled.

Ageism: Discriminating against someone who is young or old.

Agender: Not identifying with a gender.

AFAB: Assigned female at birth.

Ally: Someone from a privileged group (men, white, etc) who fights against oppression and works to understand or check their privilege.

AMAB: Assigned male at birth.

Aromanticism: Someone who does not have any romantic attractions.

Basic: A word used to describe people who do not appreciate diversity.

Binary: The oppressive idea that genders should be divided into two: male and female.

Biphobia: Discriminating against bisexuals.

Bisexual: Attraction to people of your own gender and to people of different genders.

Bitch: A derogatory term now used by younger females who embrace their sexuality.

Boi: A young gay male or a young female who is expressing herself as a male.

"Check Your Privilege": Phrase used to remind people that they are biased because of their privilege. "Check your white privilege," "Check your cis privilege," "Check your male privilege." Words that are used to support white, male or Western identities are inherently racist, sexist and xenophobic because they come from a place of dominance and privilege. "Check your privilege" is often used as an ad hominem.

Jerusalem and Lachish: A tale of two cities

Jerusalem and Lachish were the largest and most important cities of Judah in the 8th century B.C. Jerusalem still exists, Lachish does not. The earthen ramp the Assyrians used to breech the walls of Lachish is still visible. The Assyrians recorded the destruction of Lachish with word and picture. Sennacherib sits on his throne, surrounded by doting eunuchs while captives and loot are paraded before him. Sennacherib's destruction of Jerusalem was especially cruel. Officials were flayed and impaled. Mass graves filled with women and children have been found. Sennacherib's warning to the remnants of Judah in Jerusalem was clear. "Submit or else."



Shortly before the destruction of Lachish, Hezekiah sought to reform the land of Judah and he was somewhat successful in his efforts. Lachish was likely reluctant to accept Hezekiah's reforms. The prophet Micah traces the sins of Jerusalem from the northern tribes to Lachish (Micah 1:13). A fascinating archaeological discovery confirms what the Bible says about Hezekiah's reforms. It seems that Hezekiah destroyed one of Lachish's shrines and desecrated it by turning it into a toilet. The practice is alluded to during the reign of Jehu (2 Kings 10:27).



A study of the times of Hezekiah and the Assyrian crisis reveals a dramatic, complicated history filled with political intrigue. The kings of Israel and Judah shift alliances in response to Assyrian aggression. Hezekiah's father sought to placate the Assyrians which turned into a disaster. Hezekiah rebelled. This results in one of the most tense and dramatic moments in all of Scripture. Jerusalem is the last great city of the region of Palestine. The Assyrians, 180,000 of them, are waiting outside. The Assyrians are known to fillet officials, impale, enslave, castrate, and add the wives of kings to their harems. Hezekiah had two choices: submit and put your hope in Assyria or rebel and put your hope in God.

Isaiah prophesied hope. Hezekiah's father, Ahaz, had rejected Isaiah's message. Isaiah responded to Ahaz with the words, "The virgin will be with child..." Hezekiah sprawls himself out before the temple of God with the letter of the king of Assyria spread out before him. Isaiah approaches. "They will not shoot an arrow in Jerusalem," he says. That night an angel wiped out the Assyrian army. King Sennarcherib retreats.

Sennacherib would soon commission artists to carve scenes of victory into the walls of his throneroom. The gore and brutality of Lachsih's destruction is hard to miss. Strangely absent is Sennacherib's dealings with Jerusalem. In the Assyrian annals Sennacherib brags about how he destroyed the towns of Judah and left Hezekiah sitting in his city like a bird in a cage.

Jerusalem or Lachish? Which city do you belong to? I can't help but think of what they'd look like today. Lachish was cosmopolitan, wealthy and accepting of various religious ideas. Lachish fit in well with the surrounding Philistine communities which embraced various religious beliefs. Jerusalem had undergone a recent reform. Hezekiah must have been viewed as odd, out of touch, and old school. His desecration of the shrine in Lachish was probably seen as intolerant, insensitive and xenophobic. Jerusalem or Lachish, which city do you belong to?

 

Favorite Christmas Music

My top Christmas songs. Sorry, no Mariah Carey.

20. Wizards in Winter - Trans-Siberian Orchestra