Greetings everyone!
Dorothy and I enjoyed a few days off in Montana over the 4th of July week. Last Sabbath I was in Reno, Nevada for services. There were a number of guests at Sabbath services because there was to be an outing Sunday at Lake Tahoe. Dorothy and I left Sacramento early Sunday morning so that we could get through the Los Angeles area before the rush of motorists returning from vacation or a weekend in Las Vegas.
Most, if not all, of the membership has received Mr. Meredith's letter announcing the fast this Sabbath, one question we have received was why fast on the Sabbath—since the Sabbath is a feast day and we normally do not fast on the Sabbath?
I think it is obvious that circumstances dictate when a fast is called. If one is doing an extended fast (seven days or more) it is obvious that one or more Sabbath days will be included.
The Bible nowhere prohibits fasting on the Sabbath, Mr. Herbert Armstrong did on occasion call a church-wide fast on the Sabbath. The more critical question is what is the purpose of a fast. As physical leader of the Living Church of God, Mr. Meredith decided on this day, after due consideration of the circumstances. If your circumstances prohibit fasting on this day that is a personal matter which you may deal with according to your circumstances. You may choose another day in the same week because of your particular needs. Some may not be able to fast at all due to health problems. This fast has been called to bring us into greater unity, not to divide us. If we fast to draw closer to God, we will draw closer to one another through our closer relationship to Him.
We are warned against "fasting for strife and debate" (Isa. 58:4). "Behold, ye fast for strife and debate, and to smite with the fist of wickedness: ye shall not fast as ye do this day, to make your voice to be heard on high, [or, ye fast not as this day]".
Festival Announcement:
Pigeon Forge, TN —2001 Feast of Tabernacles Children's Festival Choir:
Don't let your child miss out on one of this year's great festival highlights in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee: The Children's Festival Choir. All children three (3) through twelve (12) years old are eligible to participate. Parents please contact James or Connie Sweat for rehearsal tapes and lyrics at:
James & Connie Sweat Phone: 423-870-4416
E-mail: [email protected]
Personal Comments:
Journalist Alex Kuczynski addressed the current phenomenon called "Me-Zine Journalism" on the Internet in an op-ed piece in The New York Times. "Me-Zine" journalism is "electronic magazines that feature the opinions of one man or one woman, writing alone, often late at night and often wearing pajamas, and indulging in the opinionated wordplay they all went into print journalism for and now find is much more fun—and sometimes profitable, however slightly—on the Internet." One journalist defined "Me-Zine" journalism as, "I think this enterprise is about self-expression."
Self-expression indeed! Journalist Andrew Sullivan expressed the motivation for contributing to the "Me-Zine" format as "You get to write things and you don't have to put all the substantiation you'd put in a print article in a little online posting." But, he notes, "that freedom also comes with peril—the ability to make mistakes, easily and often…. It is a little scary because you have no filters."
Why do I mention this to you? Because many former members and ministers have fallen into the snare of "unfettered freedom" to write comments and religious articles without "filters" for Internet posting. Some do not realize the liability—even peril—of their actions.
What are the liabilities? Jesus said it best in response to the Pharisees who condemned His Work:
"He that is not with me is against me; and he that gathereth not with me scattereth abroad. Wherefore I say unto you, All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men: but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men.
And whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in the world to come. Either make the tree good, and his fruit good; or else make the tree corrupt, and his fruit corrupt: for the tree is known by his fruit.
O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things. But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment. For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned (Matt. 12: 30-37).
Does every man/woman have freedom to write comments and articles and publish? Of course! Is there accountability for publishing doctrinal error that "offends a little one?" Absolutely. Jesus will judge both action and motivation.
The Apostle Paul wrote concerning some in his day who insincerely "preached Christ," hoping to "add to" his bonds in Philippians:
"But I would ye should understand, brethren, that the things which happened unto me have fallen out rather unto the furtherance of the gospel; So that my bonds in Christ are manifest in all the palace, and in all other places. And many of the brethren in the Lord, waxing confident by my bonds, are much more bold to speak the word without fear. Some indeed preach Christ even of envy and strife; and some also of good will: The one preach Christ of contention, not sincerely, supposing to add affliction to my bonds: But the other of love, knowing that I am set for the defense of the gospel," (Philippians 1:12-17).
And Paul's personal response was:
"What then? Notwithstanding, every way, whether in pretence, or in truth, Christ is preached; and I therein do rejoice, yea, and will rejoice. For I know that this shall turn to my salvation through your prayer, and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ. According to my earnest expectation and my hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life, or by death," (vv: 18-20)
I hope we who use the Internet as a tool for research and communication keep in mind the responsibility and accountability of our personal actions and the need for caution in what we accept as fact or doctrine. And those who write should guard against what Mr. David Talbot (editor in chief of Salon) characterizes as "one-man vanity presses.." Mr. David Patrick Columbia, the editor in chief of Quest magazine described "Me-Zines" as, "Oh, the ego." "The ego has landed." There is precious little profit in "Me-Zines" so it must be ego.
Have a great Sabbath, and travel safely.
Carl E. McNair