a rampant and growing madness
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By Peter BraveheartTRANSCRIPT
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WHATEVER HAPPENED TO ANGER
MANAGEMENT?
by Peter Brave-Heart Jan 09 2013
It would seem that more and more citizens are “losing it”
and “getting out of control, ranting and raving even on
TV.
Is this especially happening in U.S.A. or is it now common-
place around the globe?
The following interview on U-tube is a typical example:-
The well-known survivalist expert Alex Jones, who does
talk a lot of sense about many issues on his own show, was
invited to speak on the show of the famous British Piers
Morgan who lives in the U.S.A. a couple of days ago.The
hot subject of de-bate was gun-control in the U.S.A
It was quite shocking to see the “madness of anger” rented
on the wrong person.
Watch the interview which is very short, if you dare!
(http://www.sheknows.com/entertainment/articles/981577/
cnn-piers-morgan-alex-jones-wild-u-s-gun-control-debate)
I was quite amazed how Piers Morgan, the interviewer
“kept his cool” and did not get into an aggressive
argument, but was very careful “how” he spoke to the
colourful, very aggressive & irate Alex Jones.
The knowledge and expertise of the invited speaker may
be very wise and true, but to be inflexible about one’s own
knowledge of any given subject, at least I would say, is
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certainly unwise at best, and can unfortunately lead to
fanaticism and even paranoia.
A couple of bible verses for this situation “He who has no
rule over his spirit, is as a city that is broken down &
without walls” and “He who lays hold on contention, is as
one who takes a dog by the ears” Both verses are from
Proverbs.
The following article brings out how dangerous life
becomes, when people do not control their anger, and
where that can lead to. When “what a person knows” is
more important to them than how they behave in private or
public.
It used to be a goal that “how we behave in front of others,
IS who we are as a person.”
If we behave in a friendly way, even when others say many
things that we don’t like, or even strongly disagree with;
then that was a good, acceptable behaviour for that
situation.
Sadly things are changing, and deteriorating very quickly,
when it comes to deportment, manners and caring for
others. I suppose it is another one of the Signs of the Times
in which we live.
The following is an article by Gary Stearman, which does a
very good job of showing us exactly where society is at today.
It is a scary assessment of the “mood of society”, and
reminds me of Revelations chapter 11:18 “And the nations
were ANGRY!”
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A Rampant and Growing Madness
By Gary Stearman on January 2, 2013
What’s going on? There is a creeping irrationality that’s
becoming a new norm. It is seen in politics, education,
religion and a society gone wild in commercialized frenzy.
Remember the last “Black Friday,” with legions of crazed
zealots charging their local shopping malls in search of cheap
possessions? Christians often comment that the old stability –
commonly known as “common sense” – has all but
disappeared.
One is reminded of the poet Robert Frost who, many years
ago, commented upon the societies of the World War I and II
era. He said, “A civilized society is one which tolerates
eccentricity to the point of doubtful sanity.” Truly, we have
become civilized, in the secular sense of that word.
A first-grade boy charged with sexual harassment for kissing
a classmate; grade-schoolers expelled for bringing aspirin for
headaches, or mouthwash to use after lunch. Yet in middle-
school, there have been cases in which pregnant teenagers
were denied the right to notify their parents, when counseled
to have an abortion.
At every level of society, lying, prevarication, deception and
mendacity have become acceptable behavior. Politicians do it
routinely. The new rule: It’s okay to lie. Today, even the
“good guys” lie. Of course, politicians have lied for decades –
for centuries. But there’s something a little different now.
They actually think they’re telling the truth. And they
really seem to believe that spending trillions of dollars will
somehow put more money into the public coffers! Insane!
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Across the world, swelling waves of street demonstrators
spread a mixture of fire and hatred, demanding support by
their respective governments. But having engaged in decades
of obsessive socialism, those regimes are bankrupt. Cycles of
violence will continue to increase, leading to totalitarian
governments.
Then there’s the music business. Back in the sixties, the
Beatles (despite their preoccupation with Eastern Religion,
drugs and spiritualist experimentation) were the picture of
innocence. Their schoolboy suits, pleasant melodies and well-
groomed manner covered the roots of a movement that has
become full-fledged debauchery. Rock is pornographic
madness. Rap is an endless stream of profanity and
blasphemy. Recently, a music star addressed the current
President as “God … and my Lord and Savior.” Sadly, he
probably didn’t know any better. But perhaps he did, and was
driven by an almost psychotic fixation upon the idea that God
has become a human being.
The movies have become careening mélange of fast cuts,
cursing, gunfire, when they’re not engaged in the steady
propagation of anti-social culture and sexual mayhem.
Television brings all of the above into virtually every home on
Earth.
Intelligence and intellectual discipline has been distilled into a
never-ending barrage of new electronics: Tablets, phones,
gaming and texting are the new measure of culture. True
education is no longer needed – you can look it up. In his hot
hand, a third-grader has as many electronic facts at his
fingertips as a college professor, and he knows it.
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Respect for social discipline has almost disappeared. Worst of
all, society is breaking down into tribal territories and well-
guarded boundaries.
The result: Gang warfare, drug wars and a hard-rock mentality
have permeated the new generations, producing social
instability … or worse. Drive-by shooting or mass murders by
crazed gunmen are now almost a common phenomenon.
Society has become crazed … ragingly insane.
Paul’s Prediction
In the context of the foregoing paragraphs, there is a
fascinating term, used only twice in the Greek New
Testament. It is calepoV, spelled in English as chalepos, and
pronounced with an initial “k”, as in kalepos.
In this study, we shall look at both instances of its usage. In
combination, they reveal a prophetic truth that is at once
exciting and foreboding. At first glance its two usages, in two
very different contexts, seem unrelated. But in combination,
they bring us a remarkable prophetic insight.
The first time this term is encountered, it is found in the
context of a familiar episode related in the Gospel of
Matthew. It is the centerpiece of a series of seemingly
unrelated events. But in fact, they are woven around a
common theme.
As the scene opens, Jesus had healed many people. When the
word spread, a crowd gathered, at which time Jesus
commands His disciples to prepare a boat, so that they could
sail to the east side of the Sea of Galilee. As they departed,
Jesus announced that from this point on, His home would be
defined, not by a specific place, like his home town, but by
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His ministry, which would expand into the world. The sea and
the boat become a metaphor for that ministry.
In the following narrative, pay particular attention to the
word, “fierce,” which is represented by chalepos:
“Now when Jesus saw great multitudes about him, he gave
commandment to depart unto the other side. And a certain
scribe came, and said unto him, Master, I will follow thee
whithersoever thou goest. And Jesus saith unto him, The
foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the
Son of man hath not where to lay his head. And another of his
disciples said unto him, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury
my father. But Jesus said unto him, Follow me; and let the
dead bury their dead. And when he was entered into a ship,
his disciples followed him. And, behold, there arose a great
tempest in the sea, insomuch that the ship was covered with
the waves: but he was asleep. And his disciples came to him,
and awoke him, saying, Lord, save us: we perish. And he saith
unto them, Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith? Then he
arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a
great calm. But the men marvelled, saying, What manner of
man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him! And
when he was come to the other side into the country of the
Gergesenes, there met him two possessed with devils, coming
out of the tombs, exceeding fierce, so that no man might pass
by that way. And, behold, they cried out, saying, What have
we to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of God? art thou come
hither to torment us before the time? And there was a good
way off from them an herd of many swine feeding. So the
devils besought him, saying, If thou cast us out, suffer us to
go away into the herd of swine. And he said unto them, Go.
And when they were come out, they went into the herd of
swine: and, behold, the whole herd of swine ran violently
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down a steep place into the sea, and perished in the waters.
And they that kept them fled, and went their ways into the
city, and told every thing, and what was befallen to the
possessed of the devils. And, behold, the whole city came out
to meet Jesus: and when they saw him, they besought him that
he would depart out of their coasts” (Matt. 8:18-34).
In this account, the events on and around the Sea of Galilee
can be likened to the human drama of the whole world. They
offer a microcosm of faith, family and the service of
discipleship in a world gone mad. They center about the
person of the One who, Himself, is the center of all creation.
In the narrative above, as the people begin to find out about
Him, Jesus is in demand. In the midst of this growing
excitement, a scribe rashly professes his intention to be an
unwavering disciple. Jesus informs him that there will be no
security in the endeavor.
Another disciple wishes to take care of family business … the
funeral of his father. Jesus informs him that such business is
of the world, not of his calling as a disciple.
Departing from the commotion of the crowd, they enter the
boat and the sea (May we say, the world?). Like the sea of
humanity, it is stirred up by winds and weather, themselves
metaphors of conflict on the spiritual level. By extension, it
depicts the troubled condition of the whole world. His
disciples fear for their lives in the maelstrom, but Jesus calms
them, with a reminder that they must hold to their faith in all
circumstances. Then, he demonstrates to them that He is in
control of the tempest.
On the east side of the sea, Jesus makes landfall in an unclean
land, symbolized by demonic possession and the dominance
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of swineherds, eking out a living in an unclean world. Both
these conditions are typical of humankind living in sin, which
finally rejected Christ.
And so it was with the Gergesenes. After Jesus cast demons
out of two possessed men, the people begged Him to leave.
And no wonder, In Mark’s account of this incident, we learn
that about two thousand swine were drowned! In any event,
their reaction was totally inappropriate.
In the other accounts of this incident, we are also told that the
possessed men displayed supernatural strength, and were
controlled by many demons. They broke chains and fetters; no
one could control them.
Exceeding Fierce
This brings us to the use of that term mentioned above. Here,
in Matthew’s account, demon-possessed men are called,
“fierce.” This is a translation of the Greek term chalepos
[calepoV], meaning “violent.” It is coupled with a modifier,
“exceeding fierce.” This term suggests more than violence,
reaching even to the level of uncontrolled, raging and brutal
insanity.
And here, we come face-to-face with the world, driven by an
inner darkness, out of control and furiously rejecting the
message of Christ. The east bank of the sea offers a compact
view of the depraved world. For those who have eyes to see, it
displays a blatant truth. Jesus’ followers were fishermen, not
swineherds.
Chalepos also carries the meaning of ferocity. In the social
context, it indicates uncivilized behavior, ranging all the way
to savagery.
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This was the scene on that ancient day when Christ sailed the
sea of Galilee. On one side, tumultuous crowds sought His
blessing. On the sea, winds and waves buffeted His disciples.
Upon their landing, they came to a world gone mad,
subsisting in a state of spiritual depravity.
The Far Future
This brings us to the second use of chalepos. And here, its
application is plain and simple. It sets the tone of a prophecy
given to Timothy by Paul … his final epistle, written to
Timothy just before his death. It is written from a cold Roman
cell. Winter is coming. Paul has been convicted by Caesar –
confined as the leader of an illegal religion. The prison setting
portrays the long, cold winter night that lies ahead for
Christianity as a social and cultural force.
His epistle is an exhortation and warning to the young pastor,
who may not have developed deep insight into that which lies
ahead. Its tone is solemn and thoughtful, befitting the
difficulties that Paul knows will define the future. Pay
particular attention to the word, “perilous,” noting that the
subject revolves around “the snare of the devil,” and the
subsequent effect he has upon the world:
“And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle
unto all men, apt to teach, patient, In meekness instructing
those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give
them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth; And that
they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil,
who are taken captive by him at his will. 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,
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incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, Traitors,
heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of
God; Having a form of godliness, but denying the power
thereof: from such turn away. For of this sort are they which
creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with
sins, led away with divers lusts, Ever learning, and never able
to come to the knowledge of the truth. Now as Jannes and
Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth:
men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith. But
they shall proceed no further: for their folly shall be manifest
unto all men, as theirs also was” (II Tim. 2:24 – 3:9).
Here again, we find the Greek word chalepos, this time
translated as “perilous.” As used in Matthew, it described the
actions of men possessed by demons. They were out of their
minds, uncontrollable and violent. And here, in Paul’s word of
prophecy to Timothy, we find exactly the same meaning!
This time, however, it does not merely apply to two men on
the eastern shore of the Sea of Galilee. As Paul envisions the
world of the latter days, he sees that it is characterized by the
same insanity.
Ragingly Insane
Paul urges the young preacher, Timothy, to exercise a quiet
strength in his daily ministry. He emphasizes the importance
of teaching the strong doctrines of Christianity. He knows that
only correct and thorough doctrinal teaching offers the
strength to withstand the coming social subversion that the
devil and his followers will bring upon the world.
That world is symbolized in the book of Matthew by Galilee’s
eastern shore … the swineherd culture and the demoniacs who
raged among them. Paul’s letter says that it will become a
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reality. Of course, he was correct. The past two thousand
years have brought a cavalcade of narcissistic, vain, despotic,
blasphemous, criminal usurpers to leadership in every country
of the world.
Though the last three or four centuries have brought
enlightenment to the West, darkness is quickly closing in
upon the last vestiges of Christian influence. Europe has
reverted to paganism, as a tiny minority of Christians holds on
for dear life. Radical Islam is fast becoming the dominant
force there.
Godlessness is sweeping across the United States. The result
is just as Paul’s words foretold. The worldwide web – the
Internet – is a bubbling porridge of mixed information.
Though amazingly useful, with a potential for great good
(particularly in the spread of the Gospel), evil has, in fact
overtaken it. The electronic culture is now dominated by
pornography, corruption, thievery and crass commercialism
that threatens to undermine the last vestiges of civilized
behavior. The mind of this generation is all but enslaved to its
seduction.
In the outside world, it is even worse. The sordid underbelly
of culture crawls with serial killers, drug pushers, sexual
predators and a wide variety of self-serving criminals who
will resort to any means to enhance their own wealth.
Increasingly, we are seeing the emergence of behavior that,
only a few short years ago, would have been unheard of …
simply beyond belief.
And then there is the world of public communications. For the
Christian, television has become all but un-viewable. Radio is
becoming lewd and coarse, as the public debate of issues
devolves into endless harangues, diatribes and rants,
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sometimes touching upon subjects that send one racing for the
volume control, lest the ears of the children be subjected to
corrupt and perverse notions that were once confined to the
conversations of social outcasts.
Public life has, itself, become a parade of insanity. Think of
the last few elections. Both nationally and locally, they
increasingly seem to be dominated by money and
demagoguery – emotional speech without a thread of logic.
Think back; have you recently heard a public figure make a
statement that you found simply insane? Where is the voice of
logic and rational ideas? To argue from fact is to be found
lacking in compassion.
Raging criticism among political factions has reached an
uncivilized level.
Increasingly, the godless ones scheme to save the world
through the application of various social programs that will
reshape society through a global bureaucracy. To apply more
of the strategies that caused the initial problem is simply
insane. And almost two thousand years ago, Paul accurately
predicted it.