Your comment is so interesting. I certainly feel the same way you do as untold number of others. Throughout the ages people have sought conjured up ways to deal with, overcome evil infinitely more diabolical than what is going on now with ISIS. We are aware of it only as a function of our modern world. But this mode of warfare, treatment of others that were deemed unworthy has been going on for thousands of years.
To the Romans, cruelty was a trait to be admired and held in the highest esteem. Cruelty was characteristic of great men of history. Crucifixion one of the most heinous and agonizing of punishments was conjured up by the Romans to extract the worst sort of penalty for defying Rome. Go to YouTube and let them regale you in stories regarding inventions of torture that boggle the mind. They could have killed those quickly and less painfully but they chose the worst possible form of death for their enemies.
This noble power you very eloquently expressed throughout history was brought to bar in the guise of god or God, be it Yahweh or The Son of God. But in many instances, this noble power was inconsistent at best. it seemed to most that the good go unrewarded and the evil go unpunished.
As time went on, people began calling upon this noble power from within. Armies, self protection,weaponry, took over the task of relying on a noble power to save themselves. The best example is Israel. Throughout history while Jews wee in exile, their attitude was one in which they believed, it was of no use to attempt to battle the much larger and powerful gentile forces against them and would pray to their Almighty to deliver them from exile,again looking for a noble power that never came.
And then, the Jews learned the lesson of survival in the post Holocaust-era. Yahweh did not as much as save a single child, no Jew was spared unless he had the means
to defend himself in a real world realm of strength of self defense, weaponry.
Now look at Israel now. Antisemitism is as rampant as ever, boycotts organized by Universities of higher learning, Church organizations talk only of divestiture, the Arab world is armed to the teeth,Iran is building its Atom bomb design on one that is three times more powerful than what destroyed, Hiroshima and Nagasaki. ISIS shoots missiles from the Sinai, Europe, the very birthplace of Antisemitism and Russia as well is being emptied of Jews as result of the Muslim threat.
Just today, Netanyahu made an announcement of Israel turning away from the West and has entered into financial arrangements with China and Asia, traditionally not antisemitic.
What Israel has accomplished is not to rely on some noble power that never can be relied upon.you rely upon yourself. The entire world knows that to attack Israel, or even to attempt to destroy it completely will only lead to the Cold war strategy of MAD (Mutually Assured Destruction)
Yes, indeed. The Jews learned their lesson very well.
A noble power is as noble as it may be to intercede upon your behalf, otherwise, please allow me the dignity to protect myself on my own terms. Even in the hearts and minds of those who have no where to turn, imagination and fantasy would help those looking for noble power if only in their minds. The character of Superman, created out of the minds of his Jewish creators was born out of the concept of a Messiah Complex. Like Jesus Christ Himself who wanted to save the world as a result of his Messiah Complex, so, too, was Superman born out of the same need and fear.
A noble power. None so noble as those who defend themselves and save others. we are the noble power that must destroy Islam for all time. We are the noble power to save those who need saving.
There are no other noble powers but yourself.
Re: “There are no other noble powers but yourself”
If this were true, we would be in much worse shape.
The early Pilgrims should never have survived, but they did.
Colonial America should never have been able to defeat the strongest military power in its revolution against Britain, but it did.
America should have lost the Battle of Midway, but we found the Japanese carriers first, which also just happened to have their decks covered with munitions because their commanding Admiral changed the order for the type of munitions to be carried on their planes - at that very moment, our planes struck -very, very, lucky for us. We defeated Britain and the Axis powers all on our own strength and will power? Respectfully, I don’t believe so
When the Romans destroyed Israel in 70 AD, Israel should never have survived as a people for over 2000 years, yet not only did they survive, their nation was re-established in 1947, and yes, they have had a rough go of it, yet here they are still. All by their own power you say? I don’t believe that.
God didn’t save a single child from the Holocaust? I don’t believe that either.
Please don’t misunderstand me, I do get your cynicism and disbelief in the “pie in the sky by and by” religion. But, that’s not who Jesus is nor is that what He is about. He delivers us now from our slavery to sin as well as our certain damnation in Hell. He defeated death and because of that, we do not need to fear death as it will only promote us to eternal joy and life with Him in Heaven.
There is more going on than what we can only see, hear, feel, smell, and taste. There is more going on than what man does with military might and strength.
I understand that the world looks cold, cruel, and the only reality is what we do on our own. I am not arguing with you, nor angry, rather I have only a sense of sadness that life has ground you down to disbelief and cynicism - and yet, you do see the nobleness of saving the helpless and standing up to evil. I believe that is God’s fingerprints on your life and upon the lives of all those who are willing to go against wrong, even if it means putting one’s own life at risk.
God bless you for that as there are many who will not speak up or put their lives on the line when it really counts. Though you and I may disagree about God, I would be proud to fight along side you in the battle line. I hope you might feel the same toward me.
People have been struggling since the dawn of time with the question of evil and suffering and greater minds than mine have not come up with an answer. And I don’t think we are either.
The human race has shown what it is capable of and in light of that, the better question would be, in light of all the evil we see around us, where did good come from?
It’s easy to question why God doesn’t step in and DO something to stop the evil. And it’s natural. We ALL struggle with that and I don’t for a minute believe that there’s a soul who doesn’t.
But God is real, and true and just, and He is keeping account, and there’s a hell that is for real and for eternity.
God does do miracles and good, but unlike the evil and atrocities, it is not obvious, nor spectacular, nor sensational. It’s usually quiet and hidden and done out of the limelight.
It doesn’t arouse in us the same kind of response, so often gets easily forgotten.
There are no easy answers to something like this and there never will be.
But the tactic of the enemy, Satan, is to incite men to evil and then to blame God for not doing something about it.
He’s slandering God.
God is good and just and WILL execute justice on every evil ever perpetrated in this world. It’s not on our time frame, which is frustrating.
Nevertheless, I am trusting Him to do it.
I know what He has done in my life personally, and I know He is good and I will never turn my back on Him, whether I understand everything He does or not.