But I believe Lewis is guilty of one massive theological mistake.
In his essay, The World's Last Night, C.S. Lewis focuses on Jesus' words in Mark 13:30 where Jesus declares:
"Truly I tell you, this generation will not pass away until all these things have taken place.""All these things" to which Jesus refers include "the return of the Son of Man in clouds with great power and glory" (Mark 13:26).
The return of the Son of Man with great power and glory is the event that most evangelicals, including C.S. Lewis, identify as "The Second Coming of Jesus." That event, they say, is the time when Jesus comes to establish the eternal Kingdom on earth, as it is in heaven.
C.S. Lewis believed that Jesus made a mistake in the timing of His prediction to come again to establish His Kingdom on earth.
Jesus said in Mark 13:30 that His coming in glory and power to establish His eternal Kingdom would occur "before this generation passes away" (Mark 13:30).
C.S. Lewis believed Jesus truly expected to return to establish His Kingdom before the generation to whom He was speaking passed away. The reality, says Lewis, doesn't match the expectation, for the eternal Kingdom hasn't yet come.
A generation in Jesus' day was considered to be 40 years. Jesus spoke the words in Mark 13:30 in AD 30, shortly before his death at Calvary. The fulfillment of Jesus coming in power to establish His eternal Kingdom means it must take place no later than AD 70.
C.S. Lewis writes in The World's Last Night:
"Say what you like," we shall be told, "the apocalyptic beliefs of the first Christians have been proved to be false. It is clear from the New Testament that they all expected the Second Coming in their own lifetime. And worse still, they had a reason, and one which you will find very embarrassing. Their Master had told them so. He shared, and indeed created, their delusion. He said in so many words, ‘this generation shall not pass till all these things be done.’ And he was wrong. He clearly knew no more about the end of the world than anyone else.” It is certainly the most embarrassing verse in the Bible.I believe C.S. Lewis and most modern evangelicals make a massive theological mistake.
Jesus is not wrong by telling us He would come to establish the eternal Kingdom within a generation.
Rather, followers of Jesus, including C.S. Lewis, are wrong.
Jesus established the eternal Kingdom in power and glory within a generation of His death, burial and resurrection.
At the cross, God turned out the lights on darkness through the death of His Son (Colossians 2:14).
For 40 years after the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ, the Good News of life and real LIGHT through Jesus Christ went "to the Jews first, then the Gentiles" (Romans 1:16).
40 is always the number of transition.
For 40 years (AD 30-AD 70), God's people lived in what the Bible calls "the last days" (Hebrews 1:2). Those years were "the last days" of the Old Covenant. This covenant with the Jewish people revolved around the Temple, ritual sacrifices, and a "come and see" religion. For 40 years, it was fading away. The time was coming for the official inauguration of the eternal Kingdom through a New Covenant.
The eternal Kingdom commenced at the cross when darkness descended and Christ died, and exploded in LIGHT when three days later Christ rose. The official "coronation" of the King of Kings took place when Jesus fulfilled His prediction of "coming in power and glory" to establish His Kingdom within a generation (AD 70).
The eternal Kingdom of Jesus Christ continues to advance to this day and beyond through the spreading of the Good News to all the nations.
One day the Kingdom will be consummated, and Creation itself will experience the full effect of redemption (Romans 8:19-23), at the moment "the dead in Christ shall be raised" and that which is mortal puts on immortality, and that which is perishable shall become imperishable (I Corinthians 15:54)
Don't make the mistake of C.S. Lewis.
If you think you are only"waiting for something to come," then you'll miss out on what "now is." Our lives are to reflect the Kingdom principles of the King, not the Old Covenant principles of Israel.
A Kingdom church will look different than an Old Covenant church.
Jesus taught us that leadership in His Kingdom should be based upon our giftings, not our gender; our humility, not our hubris; our character, not our control; and our loving actions for others, not our lordship authority over others (see Matthew 20:25-28).
If you wish to know better the theological basis for why I believe there should be shared leadership among men and women in our homes, our churches, and our societies, read this blog post again.
His Kingdom has commenced.
The "last days" of the darkness of the old world were those days when Jesus ministered among the people during His public ministry.
"From that time on Jesus began to preach, "Repent, for the Kingdom is near" (Matthew 4:17).At the cross, darkness enveloped the land at midday (Mark 15:33). For those who think the only "light" in the universe comes from the sun, I would encourage you to listen to Dr. Wallace Thornhill's brilliant explanation of The Electric Universe.
At the cross, God turned out the lights on darkness through the death of His Son (Colossians 2:14).
For 40 years after the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ, the Good News of life and real LIGHT through Jesus Christ went "to the Jews first, then the Gentiles" (Romans 1:16).
"We give thanks to the Father for He has qualified us to share in the inheritance of saints in LIGHT" (Colossians 1:12).The Father qualified us as members of the eternal Kingdom through the work of His Son, who is PREEMINENT in everything (Colossians 1:18).
40 is always the number of transition.
For 40 years (AD 30-AD 70), God's people lived in what the Bible calls "the last days" (Hebrews 1:2). Those years were "the last days" of the Old Covenant. This covenant with the Jewish people revolved around the Temple, ritual sacrifices, and a "come and see" religion. For 40 years, it was fading away. The time was coming for the official inauguration of the eternal Kingdom through a New Covenant.
"For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel
After those days," says the Lord:
"I will put My laws into their minds,
And I will write them on their hearts.
And I will be their God,
And they shall be My people."
“And they shall not teach everyone his fellow citizen,
And everyone his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’
For all will know Me,
From the least to the greatest of them."
“For I will be merciful to their iniquities,
And I will remember their sins no more.”
When Jesus said, 'A new covenant,' He has made the first obsolete. But whatever is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to disappear. (Hebrews 8:10-13)In AD 70, within a generation after His death, burial, and resurrection, Jesus came in great power and glory to establish the eternal Kingdom on earth, as it is in heaven. The Temple in Jerusalem was destroyed, and King Jesus now is taking rule over the nations through the spreading of the Good News, which turns "swords into plowshares" (Isaiah 2:4). The gates of hell will not prevail.
The eternal Kingdom commenced at the cross when darkness descended and Christ died, and exploded in LIGHT when three days later Christ rose. The official "coronation" of the King of Kings took place when Jesus fulfilled His prediction of "coming in power and glory" to establish His Kingdom within a generation (AD 70).
The eternal Kingdom of Jesus Christ continues to advance to this day and beyond through the spreading of the Good News to all the nations.
One day the Kingdom will be consummated, and Creation itself will experience the full effect of redemption (Romans 8:19-23), at the moment "the dead in Christ shall be raised" and that which is mortal puts on immortality, and that which is perishable shall become imperishable (I Corinthians 15:54)
Don't make the mistake of C.S. Lewis.
If you think you are only"waiting for something to come," then you'll miss out on what "now is." Our lives are to reflect the Kingdom principles of the King, not the Old Covenant principles of Israel.
A Kingdom church will look different than an Old Covenant church.
Jesus taught us that leadership in His Kingdom should be based upon our giftings, not our gender; our humility, not our hubris; our character, not our control; and our loving actions for others, not our lordship authority over others (see Matthew 20:25-28).
If you wish to know better the theological basis for why I believe there should be shared leadership among men and women in our homes, our churches, and our societies, read this blog post again.
His Kingdom has commenced.
35 comments:
Wade,
Mark 13:30 NLT: “I tell you the truth, this generation will not pass from the scene before all these things have taken place.”
Jesus is talking to Jews. This Scripture has a footnote for “generation” that I believe is what Jesus is talking about. Its NATION. I’ll say it again, generation means nation.
https://www.jpost.com/Middle-East/Netanyahu-boards-plane-ahead-of-meeting-on-Deal-of-the-Century-with-Trump-615412
Benjamin Netanyahu said, “He recalled the time he had traveled to the US under very different circumstances, to hold a speech in Congress to argue against former US president Barack Obama’s Iran deal. It was a plan that he felt endangered Israel’s very existence.
The circumstances have now changed when it comes to Israel’s future, Netanyahu said: “I am meeting with President Trump tomorrow, (January 27, 2020) and together with him, we will make history. Our meeting will be remembered as equal in 1948 when President Truman declared Israel was a Nation.”
Sweep away all the trappings, and two things are essential to have a Kingdom (1) A king, and ((2) Subjects.
We seem to have had that for a really long time, and if you asked one of the guys who heard Jesus say those things, about today's church, I'm sure they'd be impressed by its power.
Wade,
Point our finger at other people, with respect to their theological understanding and their respective subjective interpretation of scripture, means that we ourselves must be squeaky clean before we do so.
Your understanding of the Parable of the Fig Tree recorded in several Gospels is disagreed with by other scholars. One view is given below: -
Mark 13:28-31: - "Now learn this parable from the fig tree: When its branch has already become tender, and puts forth leaves, you know that summer is near. So, you also, when you see these things happening, know that it is near — at the doors! assuredly, I say to you, this generation will by no means pass away till all these things take place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away.
Now the following bolded three words in the passage above have the following meanings and understandings: -
1:- “fig tree” is metaphorically used multiply times in the OT to indicate Israel. When the fig tree brings forth new buds, Israel is again expressing an interest in becoming God’s obedient nation. They are again wanting to reconnect with God.
2: - “summer” is a “season” when the harvest is brought in. The word “season” is used in Isa 50:4, Jer 5:24, Eze 34:26, Dan 7:12, and Hos 9:10 with respect to a period which is not quite a “Day” or and Age in duration. Dan 7:12 tells us that the four beasts will be kept for a “season”, and after which, they will be punished.
3: - “generation” from the Greek Root Word which has the following Strong Definition: -
G:1074 γενεά genea (ghen-eh-ah'); from (a presumed derivative of) G:1085; a generation; by implication, an age (the period or the persons): –– KJV - age, generation, nation, time.
Which indicated that Jesus was not referring to a “descendant generation” but to the last period of time, the Millennium Age when the great harvest of souls will take place before the time when the heavens and the earth will melt away.
Now whether the above is correct, is the providence of how a person understands the scriptures within that person’s particular bias.
Because there is a different understanding of Mark 13:28-31 presented, can you still justify your pointing of your finger at C.J. Lewis views?
Initially, you presented a good case for consideration, but you then went on to spoil your blog post by going to your hobby horse of women in leadership.
Beating the same horse for as long as you like, will kill it, and it will be on the nose for everybody.
If, as you believe, your understanding on women in leadership, is right, then the example of its success in your church will speak louder than any words on the subject matter you may write to the stubborn deaf ears of other pastors in church leadership. When other adherents of God’s faith see and experience the wonderful blessing that come with having women in mutual leadership roles within the body of Christ, then they too will want, and advocate for, the same model.
As is the case above, God does not effect change immediately, and the fig tree did not begin to bud for another ≈1,900 years. Accepting that Israel has now budded, other signs will also follow.
Shalom
Wade,
There are other Scriptures that back up that Jesus is referring to the Nation of Israel when He referred to “generation” in Mark 13:30 that states: “I tell you [Nation] the truth, this generation [Nation] will not pass from the scene before all these things have taken place.”
“He came into the very world he created, but the world didn’t recognize him. He came to his own people [Nation], and even they [Nation] rejected him.” (John 1:10-11 NLT)
“Oh Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city [Nation] that kills the prophets and stones God’s messengers! How often I have wanted to gather your children [Nation] together as a hen protects her chicks beneath her wings, but you [Nation] wouldn’t let me…For I tell you [Nation] this, you [Nation] will never see me again until you [Nation] say, ‘BLESSING ON THE ONE WHO COMES IN THE NAME OF THE LORD‘ ” (Matthew 23:37-39 and Luke 13:34-35 NLT)
Wade, I agree with you that C.S. Lewis was wrong in saying Mark 13:30 is the most embarrassing verse in the Bible. That verse leads to Scriptures that say before Jesus returns, Israel will believe Jesus is the Messiah.
Rex,
I understand the point about "nation" - but Israel as a "nation" passed from the scene in AD 70. There remained ethnic Jews, but not a nation until 1948.
Tom,
As I said, I admire C.S. Lewis. I don't believe Mark 13:30 is an embarrassing verse. Not at all. I don't intend to "point a finger," just clarify the differences between two positions.
Wade,
You’re right that Israel lost the war with the Romans in 70 AD, and President Truman declared Israel was a Nation in 1948.
But if Israel wasn’t a Nation BEFORE Truman declared it was, his saying so couldn’t make it so. Did Germany stop being a Nation because it lost two wars?
Rex: Israel as always a nation. Before 1948, it would have been the Israeli Diaspora. A nation without land.
Wade,
What I find embarrassing with respect to, but not limited to, the verses around the Parable of the lesson of the Fig Tree, is the woeful interpretations and understandings concerning the respective gospel accounts of how God’s salvation plan will unfold.
The same is also true with respect to "church" leadership, when we consider the applied interpretations and expressed understandings that is peddled on this issue and the "special" qualifications that is used to define who is suitable to hold any particular role within the various localised gatherings of the church body around the world.
It is my observation that it takes around 40 or so years for the rising up of a dominant and particular "understanding" and after another 40 or so years we realise that the particular understanding in question has ebbed away and has become of no significance for the adherents until it is apparently rediscovered once more by a “scholar” with a particular bent/bias.
In your blog you stated that you believed C.S. Lewis and most modern evangelicals make a massive theological mistake around the understanding of the parable of the fig tree with the inference that you are clarifying the right position that people should hold too. In your response to my comment you claimed that you were clarifying between two positions on this subject matter where your understanding should be considered more pertinent over that of Lewis’ expressed view. In the comments both Rex and I offered up another two possible views on the understanding of this parable.
Perhaps a better timeline understanding of the End Times is needed.
We also need to clarify which expressed view should be held in the highest regards with respect to the “right understanding” of God’s truth.
Can we say that we have gone off the rails because of our flawed starting points in our understanding of God’s word and promises.
When leaders fall for the need to control every aspect of a person’s life right down to the fundamental beliefs that they should hold and adhere to, leads to the outcome where many people go searching for a better fold to belong to where they can be safe. In other words, the problems encountered within churches are self-correcting, but we need to be patient for the Working out of God’s desired lessons that need to be learnt by all involved and understand that God will need sensitive people to help in the recovery processes to heal the people that have been burnt/hurt.
Shalom
Tom,
I think we agree.
I do believe the massive theological error is that many don't see Christ's Kingdom now. They're righting for it "to come."
But whether someone ever changes their view to mine is beyond my scope of interest. :)
Bob Cleveland,
Jews may be a nation without land, but there sure is a lot of them, and think how many there’s been since God told Abraham:
“…I will make you the father of a multitude of nations…Your descendants will become many nations…This is an everlasting covenant: I will always be your God and the God of your descendants after you.” (Genesis 17:4-7 NLT)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jewish_diaspora
“As of 2010 Jews live in:
Israel (5,703,700)
United States (5,275,000)
France (483,500)
Canada (375,000)
United Kingdom (292,000)
Russia (205,000)
Argentina (182,300)
Germany (119,000)
Brazil (107,329).”
Rex: they are now a nation with a homeland. The Diaspora would be those not still there.
Bob Cleveland,
The number of Abraham’s descendants are: “I will multiply your descendants…like the stars in the sky and the sand on the seashore…” (Genesis 22:17 NLT)
https://www.jpost.com/Israel-News/Ten-things-to-know-about-Christians-in-Israel-575354
“Christians in the Holy Land are a very small minority group of 175,000 comprising
two percent of the population.” Which is 2% x 175,000 = 3,500.
https://www.answers.com/Q/How_many_Jewish_Christians_are_in_the_world
"Jews for Jesus," and "Messianic Jews," turned up a claimed worldwide total of 350,000.
“Oh Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city [Nation] that kills the prophets and stones God’s messengers! How often I have wanted to gather your children [Nation] together as a hen protects her chicks beneath her wings, but you [Nation] wouldn’t let me…For I tell you [Nation] this, you [Nation] will never see me again until you [Nation] say, ‘BLESSING ON THE ONE WHO COMES IN THE NAME OF THE LORD‘ ” (Matthew 23:37-39 NLT)
Bob, do you think Jesus won’t return until the majority of Jews become Christians only in Jerusalem or worldwide?
For me, that question is above my ‘paygrade’. All I know: “…the day of the Lord’s return will come unexpectedly, like a thief in the night.” (Thessalonians 5:2 NLT)
Rex: I have no idea, as to your question. The only Pastor I've heard address it, said they'd all become Christians, but through normal church evangelism (not some miraculous flash of light thing). But I didn't believe that. He was a Presbyterian.
Bob,
I’m with you on not believing Jews are all going to become Christians.
But Paul writes; “Does this mean that God has rejected his Jewish people forever? Of course not! His purpose was to make his salvation available to the Gentiles, and then the Jews would be jealous and begin to want God’s salvation for themselves. Now if the whole world becomes rich as a result of God’s offer of salvation, when the Jews stumbled over it and turned it down, think how much greater a blessing the world will share in later on when the Jews, too, come to Christ.” (Romans 11:11-12 Living)
Politics :)
Written by Bill Thompson:
“On the “Sherriff Andy Griffin Show”, Barny Fife had a habit of firing his gun into the floor, so he had to keep one bullet in his shirt pocket. Like Barney Fife, Pelosi should have kept her commemorative impeachment pens in her pocket.”
https://youtu.be/ttkBP2XDZvE
honor in competition
honor of which this video delivers to us its soul
https://youtu.be/aZpYYSxYvEg
Wade,
I’d suggest removing the last comment made on post 1-20-20 and 1-14-20.
In Bonham, Texas, last Friday, a chiropractor was working on my back (my alibi) when a bank was robbed.
http://theparisnews.com/article_5838a8d6-446f-11ea-ab09-5b7c3620d8ab.html
“Bonham Police Department, Texas Rangers, and FBI are seeking a suspect who is believed to be on the run with an undetermined amount of cash after robbing CapTex, Friday morning.
The suspect is a white male of unknown age and last seen wearing camouflage, Capt. Wendell Bockman with the Bonham Police Department said.
According to eyewitness accounts, the man wearing a ski-mask, followed a female employee into the bank around 7:40 a.m. while three tellers opened the building. Without displaying a weapon or using force, he told her to open the safe. The man then locked all the tellers in the bathroom using a chair propped up against the door handle, then taping the handle so it couldn’t be moved, Bockman said.
The man took cash from the safe — amount yet to be determined — and is now on the run, investigators believe.
Anonymous,
I don’t believe your link showing honor in competition, can ever be ‘outdone’. Thanks!
I love the post, Wade, but the comment promoting Electric Universe theory/plasma cosmology and the work of Wallace Thornhill seems very out of place. As far as I can tell, plasma cosmology has an even smaller following than Flat Earth does. I'd be cautious about using theories like that to connect to or back up any theological claims or arguments.
Tanner,
EU plasma cosmology will win the Nobel Prize in 2020/2021. Einstein physics is in crisis. The electric magnetic universe (plasma) negates the idea that the universe is "billions and billions of years old" (Carl Sagan) because electromagnetic fields travel 10 to the 39th faster than light. I appreciate your caution, but you should know that I'm far more familiar with theoretical physics and its problems than I am the flat earth. In fact, the "myth of the flat earth" is a modern scientific invention, and I would caution you to not assume "the flat earth" had - or has - a following. See https://www.wadeburleson.org/2016/08/five-things-ive-learned-from-flat-earth.html
Wade,
Science has its place, but it shouldn’t mess with God in trying to prove how old the earth is. How old did Eve look when she was one minute old? The same with rocks etc.
Found an old picture of my wife and I posing with a grizzle my brother and I killed.
Belle and I’d been married 6 weeks when she watched from a tree-stand my brother, Hez, and me shoot a grizzle bear for the fourth time.
He was so close; I could almost spit on him. She saw me jerk the rifle bolt back, but it came out of the gun. (Hez was backing me up with an empty rifle and an empty pistol.)
I couldn’t get the bolt in while looking at him taller than me. Belle thought she’d be a young widow. I looked down, got it in; looked up and he’d run away for the last time as he’d run out of blood.
I believe in two days; Democrats still won’t believe the shame they’ve brought on themselves.
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/rush-limbaugh-diagnosed-with-advanced-lung-cancer-2020-02-03/
CHRISTIANE,
Old friend, are you feeling OK these days?
Wade,
I still see those last comments on posts 1-9-20 & 1-14-20 that are disgusting.
Hey out there, REX RAY
I am very worried about many things and my husband is headed back to the hospital tomorrow for some important tests.
I'm still around, but much troubled. Thanks for thinking about me. Hope you are as well as can be. Take care.
These are difficult days, yes.
Jason Hunter (my brother-in-law, Rollie Rinker’s, nephew) wrote:
2020 Democratic Primaries Latest Update.
So, the Iowa Democrat Primary results are in and it appears “Undecided” has taken the lead. By how much? Well that’s still unclear. But for how long can, he/she/other, continue to hold the lead?
Stay tuned folks this is gonna be a nail biter. But you might want to go to bed first, results won’t be in till tomorrow, maybe, we hope…
Don’t worry Bernie’s $15/hr. guys are working hard at tallying the vote, but because of budget cuts their work day ends at 11:30 AM before all the votes are in.
While Bernie’s guys are taking a break, the Russians are hard at work trying to fix a new electronic fail proof dew-hickey voting machine.
Meanwhile to pass the time, Elizabeth Warren stayed busy weaving dream catcher key chains. She accepted Joe Biden’s offer to help, but gave Bernie Sanders a dirty look.
“Other” or ‘it’ may take the lead.
CHRISTIAN,
Praying your days become better.
Wade,
I was going to delete my comment of quoting ‘trash’ but couldn’t find it. Thank you.
President Trump’s State of the Union Speech tonight was great. Pelosi threw a temper tantrum by tearing up a copy of his speech. The link below tells of her ‘stupidity’ better than me.
https://nypost.com/2020/02/04/nancy-pelosi-shamed-herself-at-trumps-state-of-the-union-address-goodwin/
https://www.vox.com/2020/2/5/21123597/rush-limbaugh-medal-of-freedom-trump-racist-sexist
“Rush, in recognition of all you have done for our nation, the millions of people today that you speak to and that you inspire, and all of the incredible work you have done for charity, I am proud to announce tonight, you will be receiving our country’s highest civilian honor, the presidential medal of freedom.”
Here's an interesting interview to read, Rex: https://www.naturalnews.com/2020-02-04-transcript-dr-francis-boyle-interview-coronavirus-biological-weapon.html
Maybe Trump will tell the truth about it. :) Ken
Wade,
You predicted at the next “Presidential Election”, Trump would win in a landslide.
With his GREAT “State of the Union Speech” and being announced INNONCENT at his Senate Trial today, that “landslide” could be so steep it could be dangerous. :)
'BY THE TRUTH OF HIS RIGHT HAND'
https://youtu.be/s-rnsJo0_yI
I am very moved by this man's stand for what it will cost him . . . for the hope it returns to people who needed witness to that which is intangibly beyond all 'politics'
sometimes the voice of ONE PERSON matters, when it comes from a place of honor and conscience, when it costs him, when a promise before God is honored above all considerations
for this witness, I am thankful
I also am a CS Lewis fan and a great fan of his friend JRR Tolkien. When I heard Romney's speech in the Senate, I thought of this by Tolkien:
"“There, peeping among the cloud-wrack above a dark tor high up in the mountains, Sam saw a white star twinkle for a while. The beauty of it smote his heart, as he looked up out of the forsaken land, and hope returned to him. For like a shaft, clear and cold, the thought pierced him that in the end the Shadow was only a small and passing thing: there was light and high beauty for ever beyond its reach.”
--The Return of the King"
For the return of 'hope' in what is honorable in our land, even if only from one strong voice, in honoring 'the truth of his right hand', I do hope all Americans can step away from politics for a moment, and appreciate what this man has done for ALL of the people of this country. . . . he has put aside his own interests and honored a promise to God, for which he will be 'taken outside the gates' and punished by his own;
but after they consider what he did and what it costs, they might recognize in his stand that it was FOR THEM ALSO in the end, and for all the 'others' who needed the return of hope and a reminder of what it means to be 'above partisanship'.
CHRISTIANE,
You seem to think Romney’s speech was great and noble the way he spoke against Trump.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mitt_Romney
Romney is a Mormon who campaigned to be the Republican nomination for President in 2008, but lost to John McCain.
https://www.smu.edu/News/2011/william-lawrence-fwstar-3nov2011
“Mormons believe that in 1823 their prophet and founder, Joseph Smith Jr., had a vision of Jesus and God and was directed by the angel Moroni to thin gold plates with text written in an ancient language, which, when translated by Smith, became the Book of Mormon.”
Romney campaigned again to be President in 2012.
I believe Romney’s speech was not noble, but more like bitter grapes that Trump received what he never obtained.
Hey REX RAY,
well, we see things a bit differently here, but for me there is something MORE at stake than 'winning' or 'losing' and I do think Romney knew he what he was in for before he spoke out, but I think he felt he had no choice if he wanted to honor his oath.
This is a case of who wins in 2020 not being the issue so much as people of character sorting out what is dearest to them . . . what is expedient? . . . or something far more important than that, which may only in the end cost them everything if they stand up for it.
I think Wade has been through this fire and he knows what it means to stand up for what is right and to get slammed for his stand for those missionaries in gone by years. Sometimes people have to do what they think is right, or they lose something of their souls in the process of 'going along to get along' . . . and that's a hard choice, but a very human one in the sense that we were given 'choice' by God and we are expected to act upon honor and conscience.
It's like that new film that recalls to me the decisions made by Bonhoeffer, who died as a result. The film is called 'A Hidden Life' and it reminds us that IF God gives us choice, then we are responsible for what we do and for what we fail to do. I think Romney felt that, after all consideration, he had to do what he thought was honorable, and that choice is perhaps one we all will face in some way in life, and for some of us, the answer is that in abiding according to conscience, we will 'lose' in the eyes of this world, but we will keep our honor before God.
It's like example given about winning and losing, at the girls' softball game when the opposing team 'did the right thing' and helped Sarah who had fallen with an injury, by picking her up and carrying her around the bases . . . it made them 'lose', and Sarah's team 'won',
but there was a larger victory that day for all who participated and for all who watched and it had to do with sometimes, even if you know you will go down in flames, you still 'choose' to 'let right be done'.
I see Romney's action as one of conscience, and above any partisan winning or losing, but then, he also called for everyone to honor the choices made by each senator as he acknowledged that all had the choice to make and each had the right to choose as they did.
That was important that he said that. But it won't save him from being 'taken outside the gates' and slammed for his choice. He knew that also. To his credit, I believe.
How are you doing?
BTW, thanks for your prayers. Yesterday after my husband's tests were done, the doctor told us that he did not see any polyps and that my husband's troubles were not caused by colon cancer . . . I am relieved, but we still have a long way to go to sort out how to help him. I intend to do all I can, as he would for me, if I were the one in trouble.
I'm glad you have Judy. So there is much to be thankful for still, yes. I am more hopeful today.
You take care.
CHRISTIANE,
Glad your husband is doing better. I believe from you point of view; you’ve never liked Trump for trying to keep illegals from entering our country.
You said, “I think Romney felt that, after all consideration, he had to do what he thought was honorable.”
Was “honorable” stating the lies against Trump that were proven false?
I believe Judy’s program on TV “Outnumbered” gives both sides.
It’s just stated that Pelosi said, Trump would be “impeached forever”.
Someone said, “Yes, but he’ll also be exonerated forever.”
Hey REX RAY,
well, we do see things differently, but I think our sources of information are very different also, which accounts for it, in my opinion,
because I will always believe that you have a good heart, and nothing is more important than that in these times, especially.
What I do know is that, in the end, the truth will come out. And I also believe this:
"You can fool all of the people some of the time.
And you can fool some of the people all of the time.
But you can't fool ALL of the people ALL of the time."
I also believe that once a person shows us who he is, we should believe him the first time.
Take care. I think your prayers really helped! You've got good connections, just like the nuns! :)
CHRISTIANE,
I know your heart is good as gold. Yes, “The mills of the gods grind slow…”
Means justice may be slow but it will come eventually.
"The growing good of the world is partly dependent on unhistoric acts;
and that things are not so ill with you and me as they might have been,
is half owing to the number who lived faithfully a hidden life,
and rest in unvisited tombs."
(George Elliot)
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