I found a video on another theory of when the Exodus occurred that I like. The name of the pharaoh ruling when it probably happened turns out to be rather amusing. In Hebrew it meant 'brother of Moses'. Cabbages and kings require humility or resistance as democracy and the will of God require. Little other than God can be epistemologically certain I think. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8f9_k3c4pZQ
2/26/16
Civil Magistracy; Separation of Church/State Westminster Standards 1788
Some wonder about the separation of church and state and what the Westminster Standards say about it in light of the post-American Revolution revision of 1788. One copy of the Westminster Standards 1788 revision has a commentary that addresses some of the points.
Concerning especially chapter 17-that on civil magistracy,
Lee Irons wrote that (www.upper-register.com Lee Irons); http://www.upper-register.com/papers/1788_revision.pdf
“ the proof texts were revised, thus suggesting a shift in understanding of paragraph 2 in light of the changes made to The 1788 American Revision of the Westminster Standards paragraph 3. Although the proof texts did not have binding constitutional authority, they illuminate the intent of both the Westminster divines and the Synod of Philadelphia and New York with respect to their doctrine of the civil magistrate.
As you read the 1788 Confession and its proof texts, in comparison with the original version and its proof texts, it ought to become apparent that the position held both by modern theonomists and by the original Westminster divines (viz., that the civil magistrate is obligated to enforce in the civil arena the Decalogue’s prohibition of false worship), was formally and intentionally repudiated by the American Presbyterian church. It follows that this theocratic conception of the civil magistrate continues to be repudiated, at least on paper, by those Presbyterian churches that have adopted the revised version.”
I would think that with the plurality of Protestant denominations that followed the reformation the desire of American prelates for religious tolerance and pro forma separation of church and state would have been self-evident. It would have been too simple for a civil magistrate otherwise to suppress various Christian sects as forms of false worship, much less non-Christian religions. Imagine if Pontius Pilate had been given authority and duty to repress all religion besides Caesar worship in Israel.
The Westminster Standards were written I think, just prior to the first regicide in Europe-Charles I. That brought on many changes. Keep in mind the attitude that philosophers such as Thomas Hobbes writing in his book 'Leviathan' had toward monarchy and absolutism.
With the American revolution, Witherspoon, a signatory of the Declaration, and others would have found it challenging to have a state authority-say President Obama, decide what the true religion in the United States is and suppress all others. I think he would decide that the First Church of Napoleonic Ice Cream is the true religion myself, and suppress any rival flavor working inevitably towards state monopoly.
My notes on chapter 17 of the Westminster Confession from the Gershner Lectures...
Lecture 17 The Civil Magistrate
Of the Civil Magistrate
the church was established in Britain then in the United States, then the U.S. revolted against Britain, and the separation of church and state developed, so this is an historically substantive topic
"1. God, the supreme Lord and King of all the world, hath ordained civil magistrates, to be, under him, over the people, for his own glory, and the public good: and, to this end, hath armed them with the power of the sword, for the defense and encouragement of them that are good, and for the punishment of evildoers. "
This is the fundamental Christian philosophy of the state the sword is for the encouragement of those that are good and the punishment of evil doers
John Witherspoon and other signers of the declaration reasoned that a government was for good and not evil, and that the British government wasn't doing that, and so it wasn't a true government and didn't have the right to exercise that power over the colonies
Until 1790 the clergy -the reformed clergy especially-was an advocate for social change and supported the rebellion
the British government was not appointed by God or had advocated that and was not a lawful government doing good to the people for the glory of God
"2. It is lawful for Christians to accept and execute the office of a magistrate, when called thereunto: in the managing whereof, as they ought especially to maintain piety, justice, and peace, according to the wholesome laws of each commonwealth; so, for that end, they may lawfully, now under the new testament, wage war, upon just and necessary occasion. "
A body politic may defend itself against corrupt government and criminals-yet only for just and necessary causes we do not assume a civil magistrate is incapable of error maybe one may use active disobedience to not comply with a corrupt government
"3. Civil magistrates may not assume to themselves the administration of the Word and sacraments; or the power of the keys of the kingdom of heaven; or, in the least, interfere in matters of faith. Yet, as nursing fathers, it is the duty of civil magistrates to protect the church of our common Lord, without giving the preference to any denomination of Christians above the rest, in such a manner that all ecclesiastical persons whatever shall enjoy the full, free, and unquestioned liberty of discharging every part of their sacred functions, without violence or danger. And, as Jesus Christ hath appointed a regular government and discipline in his church, no law of any commonwealth should interfere with, let, or hinder, the due exercise thereof, among the voluntary members of any denomination of Christians, according to their own profession and belief. It is the duty of civil magistrates to protect the person and good name of all their people, in such an effectual manner as that no person be suffered, either upon pretense of religion or of infidelity, to offer any indignity, violence, abuse, or injury to any other person whatsoever: and to take order, that all religious and ecclesiastical assemblies be held without molestation or disturbance. "
The relation of church and state
freedom of religion
the state should protect the church-all denominations of Christians (that isn't what the U.S.A. does today)
A.A. Hodge- wrote a commentary on the Westminster confession
It is the duty of people to pray for the magistrates, to honor their persons, to pay them tribute and other dues, and to obey their lawful commands, and to obey them for conscience's sake-not because they bear the sword
"4. It is the duty of people to pray for magistrates, to honor their persons, to pay them tribute or other dues, m to obey their lawful commands, and to be subject to their authority, for conscience’ sake. Infidelity, or difference in religion, doth not make void the magistrates’ just and legal authority, nor free the people from their due obedience to them: from which ecclesiastical persons are not exempted, much less hath the pope any power and jurisdiction over them in their dominions, or over any of their people; and, least of all, to deprive them of their dominions, or lives, if he shall judge them to be heretics, or upon any other pretense whatsoever. "
clergy and ecclesiastical power are not exempt from the law-catholics took opposite view...
two swords theory
sword over the church
sword over the state (indirectly)
bull unam sanctum states papal infallibility
1302 papal deliverance from the throne
when the pope speaks from the throne on faith and morals he is infallible
there is no ex cathiter list of which deliverances are infallible
Denzinger's 'Encoridion' (spelling) includes the 1302 bull unam sanctum on faith and mo
2/25/16
Potential of Growing New Brain Tissue
Brain
damage from injury and illness significantly decreases the quality of
life while increasing medical costs. Obviously growing new brain
tissue to replace that lost to bring recovery and full normal brain
health is a good idea. I wondered how much work is being done in that
area of research.
Football
players, schizophrenics, the Alzheimer's afflicted, casualties of
war, accident survivors and victims of crime may show brain quantity
loss/reduction in size that could be repaired with new brain tissue
growth. Aging too presents some brain size reduction, though a brain
may function well qualitatively even so in that case.
Schizophrenia
patients examined with magnetic resonance imaging show substantive
brain area loss. The brain may short circuit and communicate with
itself independently and inappropriately of the personality of the
individual who may experience the phenomena with substantial
discomfort. Drugs to counteract the effect may cost $3000 monthly,
and that sort of cost can be afforded just by the rich and government
printing out deficit dollars at the Federal Reserve. Thus it would be
cheaper over time to regrow damaged brain tissue in such individuals
than to dope them.
I
wonder if the public generally wouldn't have better health if
magnetic resonance brain scans were available one every five years or
so to all Americans at no charge in order to help people determine
the state of their own brain health. I think that breast scans are
available free to most women (they should be if not); the brain is
perhaps of more importance even than boobs, that obviously are of
great value too.
Alzheimer's
patients care is very costly. The families are challenged to keep a
good face on long term decrease of health. Stopping Alzheimers from
increasing is a valuable goal, yet so too would be restoring brain
tissue lost to the disease.
Maybe
DARPA is funding research on how to regrow brain tissue lost to
combat casualties that could be given over to the regular medical
research community if successful. Football players that have suffered
brain damage; perhaps O.J. Simpson is an example, may act with less
than full rational thought or take their own life because of the
negativity of the state of being they exist in.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brain_healing
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/frontline/article/new-87-deceased-nfl-players-test-positive-for-brain-disease/
2/24/16
Harry Read Puts mark of the Bureaucrat on Hillary
Senator Reed officially endorsed Hillary Clinton's Presidential bid placing the mark of the bureaucrat upon her forehead. Though all of the non-Trump top candidates of each party are career politicians substituting party bureaucracy for free enterprise for-themselves, just Hillary Clinton has received the official mark of the bureaucrat looking to globalist billionaires for positive reinforcement favored by career Democrat government insiders.
http://www.newsweek.com/hillary-clinton-scores-endorsement-harry-reid-430006
http://www.newsweek.com/hillary-clinton-scores-endorsement-harry-reid-430006
Under-utilized Mexican Solar Power
Without
hydroelectric power Mexico was slow to energize. Burning fossil fuels
left long ago, the age of the sun was a distant glimmer on the future
horizon. Solar voltaic panels covering roofs and walls, electric cars
slipping silently through the city avienda's clean air.
Every
single solar cell was a poem thrown into good time warped like the
creatures of the dust
on
a living planet full of life amidst a darkness lit only with the
light of trillions of trillions of stars
If
700 trillion Earth like worlds were incinerated by the expansion of
the past burning time
and
gravity waves lapped on the world's shore
one
would consider rare atmosphere near
like
natural gas no longer flared
and
fossil fuel no more attcking the Earth's cool
Mexican
government gets 37% of its revenues from oil and gas. Mexico flares
much natural gas into the atmosphere while the sun's energy is little
used.
Solar
and wind power is increasing in Mexico however. Just not fast enough.
Homes or ordinary people should be covered with solar panels
specifically designed for local construction styles.
Somehow
a narco-oil state is too much a part of the way things are in a
nation underutilizing its potential clean energy leadership.
https://www.eia.gov/beta/international/analysis.cfm?iso=MEX
Mexican Energy sources
2/23/16
Trump is Sole Top-Tier Candidate With Business Experience
It is remarkable that the sum total of business experience of Hillary, Bernie, Marco and Ted is zero. All of the gang of four are career politicians. As first generation Marco and Ted didn't give business a thought but following in V.I. Lenin's footsteps took a law degree. So did Hillary and Bernie of course, yet Bernie was at least a track star.
From my point of view business experience is important for a politician running a free enterprise based economy. Lenin took a law degree and it was useful later in designing the new Soviet state. He was more of a Menshevik than Stalin allowing limited free enterprise in his NEP five year plans though Stalin of course probably liquidated him with poison and implemented autonomous state control.
The bureaucrat approach to economics requires substitute handlers that serve up their ideas from which the inexperienced lawyer must select and apply through legislative programs and committees to the workplace. The gang of four is experienced at that. Trump isn't.
Trump actually started in business while an undergraduate and was worth $200,000 before leaving college. He worked at revitalizing real estate. Trump worked at his father's real estate firm for a time, and prospered. His father Fred Trump lived until 1999. The Donald has quite a lengthy business history.
Sanders Led First Civil Rights Sit-in Chicago History (1962)
Fact checking shows that Bernie Sanders was the real deal on being a leader of student protests against segregated black student housing at the University of Chicago. While Hillary was still in diapers Bernie Sanders was taking the risks associated with early 1960s civil rights activism; why didn't he say so when the Congressional black caucus threw in the towel to Hillary?image credit: By Source (WP:NFCC#4), Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=49492133
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Housing_segregation_in_the_United_States quote follows...
"In January 1962, Sanders led a rally at the University of Chicago administration building to protest university president George Wells Beadle's segregated campus housing policy. "We feel it is an intolerable situation when Negro and white students of the university cannot live together in university-owned apartments," Sanders said at the protest. Sanders and 32 other students then entered the building and camped outside the president's office, performing the first civil rights sit-in in Chicago history"
By Source (WP:NFCC#4), Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=49492133
2/22/16
Can Anything Stop Earth’s Arctic Pattern Balding?
Like
male pattern balding the Earth is losing its top cover over time.
With the age of industrial revolution getting up there the balding
effects of thinning ice, receding ice line winter and summer and a
pattern of ice loss seem to make total loss of ice inevitable. No
simple comb over or toupee remedies are feasible. There isn’t
enough ice-making capability to cover the ice loss. One wonders if
some Rogaine-like chemical patch to stop or even reverse loss of ice
cover and reinvigorate the planet’s high albedo index is possible.
Perhaps
building a berm-bridge-wall across the Bering Strait that would halt
the flow of water between the Arctic Ocean and the North Pacific
would help keep warmer waters out of the Arctic and reduce ice-cover
loss. Certainly the Arctic Ocean and lands within 300 miles should be
fossil fuel and industrial pollution free allowing just fuel cell and
electric powered vehicles. High Arctic direct exhaust emission is one
of the greatest accelerators of global warming. The air is already
thinner up top.
When
team Toyota won the Daytona 500 stock car race this year it
exemplified how old American auto culture is; a very over-mature
technology that everyone else is good at too. Since the U.S.A. has
used that fossil fuel-auto-truck paradigm more than a century now
without any sort of change to something new it is comparable to using
Victrolas for music rather than the Internet. If the U.S.A. wants to
lead world environmental recovery it will need to invent new, cleaner
personal and mass transport infrastructure-not just make incremental
improvements on the old.
When
the Earth is humiliated with ice loss and resembles a bozo with
fringe ice around the edges of the Arctic Ocean basin it will mean
more than lack of prestige with Venus. Venus has already gone over
the top with runaway greenhouse gassing and is around 700 degree f at
the surface. She needs detoxification and rehabilitation from her
sulfurous dioxide life style of the past to be a potential partner
for the Earth.
Yet
the Earth is quickly balding its Arctic ice cover and will absorb
more warmth seasonally cooking somewhat like shrimp in a plastic
water filled baggie left in the sun. maybe the Earth can’t have a
fuller, thicker ice cover than it did before the industrial
revolution, yet science ought to try.
2/21/16
Vatican City is Walled- Will Those Walls Come Tumbling Down?
The pope set off a firestorm with his comment to the effect that those that build bridges are Christian and those that build walls are not. The Vatican City is a famous walled city and the pope hasn't ordered destruction of those walls nor dismissal of his guards yet. Defenders of the attack on Trump say that the Vatican isn't a walled city and confreres say that Hillary and Bill isn't a two-head monster running against Sanders; whatever.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Outline_of_Vatican_City
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Outline_of_Vatican_City
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