My Book

Culture Shock

The Congregation Between Sundays

If you take one thing from this book, take this.

Do not change your life for me

Do not change your life for you

Change your life for God

Timothy A M Favelle

Contents

Introduction

Part one: Christian Life

Chapter 1 Born Again and Baptised

Chapter 2 In Church Every Sunday

Chapter 3 Rallies, Conventions and Revivals

Chapter 4 Bible Study Home Groups

Chapter 5 Personal Daily Devotions

Chapter 6 Volunteer Work

Chapter 7 Tithes and Offerings

Part Two: Western Life

Chapter 1 Systematic Education

Chapter 2 Nothing’s Free

Chapter 3 Addicted to Something

Chapter 4 The Headstrong Pursuit of Happiness

Part Three: Authentic Christianity

Chapter 1 They Say It Is Hard: I Say It Is Impossible

Chapter 2 The Awesome Power of Godly Wisdom

Chapter 3 Guiltless Living

Chapter 4 The Freedom of Contentment

Chapter 5 Life to the Fullest

Appendixes

1: Two Rebuttals

2: The Church and the State

About the Author and Acknowledgements

This book is dedicated to

Hard working God loving

People everywhere

INTRODUCTION

I have been reading now for about eighteen years. The first book I read on my own was Genesis, followed by Exodus. I did not fully understand everything that I was reading being so young, but by First Samuel, I was engrossed in the story. I did not think that I enjoyed reading until I read Ecclesiastes after dropping out of school. I am currently reading Why I Write by George Orwell, which has given me new inspiration to complete this book.

Why I write is to read this book sometime, if I happen by it in a book store and I like the cover. My inspiration for this book came from a beautiful young single woman I had the pleasure of meeting and had an amazing conversation with on a three-hour bus ride. Being a single young man, I took her advice to write, but have not seen her since. Good thing too, I am sidetracked well enough on my own.

This book is not actually seventeen chapters long but nearly two hundred paragraphs long, because as I have said many times, “I’m too scatterbrained to write a book.” I have work to do, beers to drink, books to read, and the music is always playing; this book should not be. I wrote the outline nearly a year ago and have not altered it, but I have altered everything that fills it. I find that certain paragraphs have needed to be rearranged, so I am organizing the flow a bit today and writing the introduction. I am fortunate enough occasionally to get a lay-off, as it forces me into about a week of my soberest, bar none. In addition, there really is nothing better to do with my time than read and write. I went to two churches here in Sherwood Park today, the first was very small and yet undiscerning of the truth. When I walked out of that one I went to a typical Lutheran mass, and found out it is the fifth week of lent. There was not one person in the room who had the capability to carry a conversation beyond how are you.

This book has had much potential to be a thousand pages long more than a hundred different ways because I am not a very good prose writer. Knowing the volume of volumes about self-help, I have decided to make mine a little lighter. I will tend to write from the third person through most of it but that will be only to keep the point tighter. My grammar will often fail, but fortunately, my computer will correct it all.

I hope to disappoint many people who read this and if everything turns out right, I will offend all who ever read this and will never write again. Maybe it will be published by this fall or maybe never at all, but I will write it for those who want to read it. I have actually had this book idea for quite some time but never had the ink to feed it. Now that I have my laptop, I am afraid the whole thing might be deleted, but that is nothing worthy of my fear. If I lose it, it is not as if I wasted all my time this last year.

Six months ago, I read Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis for the first time ever and I almost stopped writing, knowing I am writing nothing new. Then when I came to realize he wrote that in post-WW II times I came to my sense and got back to writing. This book was right nearly never written, and I am sure it will be nearly never read. I do hope never to write again, it is a very taxing chore.

Everyone has a preconception and a world-view, and I think this writing will cater to most, if not all. Politically, I believe in Canadian style socialism and secularism, but I could never say it is perfect; it is the best human idea so far: closest to resembling heaven. If ideas come that are better than I will be sure to support the idea. A perfect society is impossible for any human to design, but the closest is what I am writing about and I am calling it a failure.

Honestly, I have no political agenda whatsoever. A Michael Moore production will say there is no political agenda, but he is obviously bent on splitting leftist votes everywhere. Either that or he is ignorant to the fact that he is the biggest puppet of imperial-capitalistic society there has ever been. For me, the only political motivation would be to get the vote out. No matter if the Big Red Machine has a conservative running during peacetime, or if the Democrats have a hard-liner running in wartime, vote if you can, a lot of the world cannot.

My book contains the entire lucid contents of my mind, unfortunately it takes a mere three hours to read slowly. It breaks down in three parts: my imagination, my angst and my composure. Part 1 is about christianity in today’s society. Part 2 is a comprehensive look at the flaws I see in society. Part 3 is an all-encompassing look at authentic Christianity or a C.S. Lewis called it a few generations ago, mere Christianity. Appendices can be taken out with no great loss. I honestly must recommend either reading the whole thing or stopping here.

Many a man and woman have called themselves a Christian over the ages: identifying themselves with the impossible task of being perfectly holy. The act of baptism can make a whole congregation remember what it was like, at first, to believe. All day long, there is a party in heaven for a new believer. But as the weekend ends the congregation heads out to the dreaded job to make money for their creditors. The result is universal; christians fill pews, and true Christians will skip church for God’s work.

Part One: The Modern Christian Life

I want to write in this part

How a new believer had a new heart

And how corruption gets its start

Seeping into the believers mind

Causing the newby to fall behind

How the corruption begins to bind

And from there revive the weary soul

But not to the truth in whole

Holier than thou and all untruth so foul

Attitudes of blind misguided fools apart

From the truth of “how great thou art”

Chapter 1 Born again and baptized

The appearance of good, and the evil that causes

I arrived at the saying, “the appearance of good and the evil that causes” one night as I was walking a newly baptised young woman home. After turning down what men my age would typically not turn down for the umpteenth time it occurred to me; the idea of christianity has been reduced to repeating a few words and taking a two second bath. Although I have, in my life, been very cynical of motion following so-called-ness, (and very hopeful for the emotion checking matter-of-fact-ness of authentic Christianity) I want to write this section of my book with my utmost cynicism.

We all know that Christians are hypocritical; it is no new thing to say that by any means. Why would someone who knows that want to join their ranks, especially ex-cons and junkies? They cannot even fake their way to having lived a good life. The trick is with the wording: imputed righteousness does not rely on one’s own righteousness at all, so believers can do anything they want and still be righteous.

In today’s christianity, congregational growth in quantity appears to be better than its growth in quality. A youth group with some forty members is seen as a better group than one with five members to most of the church’s adults. In contrast, a group of five can grow much more spiritually as one and theologically sound than the group of forty. Youth groups aside, the congregation as a whole can just as easily be forty members who are all in tune with one another and God. Could be that a congregation has over two hundred members, and even the air is too stale to breath.

I will now offer the accounts of two fictional people.

Jayson was always a good kid; his mother told him so, and he believed it, and he lived it. He had never been a bully, and usually was a B student. He graduated three years ago and has found a decent job in construction. Since his father was an atheist, he figured on being one himself. Eventually he felt the urge to check out what church was all about. Taking the advice of a co-worker, he went to a small church in his neighbourhood. When he got there, a frail little weather-beaten man who he had seen on the bus most weekdays greeted him at the door. After some polite introductions, he was invited to lunch with the college and career group after church. He told them he would go, but had no desire to honour that statement. He found a seat far from those who invited him and had every intention to scrutinize all the actions the service had to offer. That plan changed as one of the young women in the band gave a passionate performance of love to her creator. Jay became indignant, presuming there was no creator. The sermon was harder to sit through being about the evidence of creation, and the outdated faulty sciences that thought they proved the evolutionary theory. Praising the Lord that we are fearfully and wonderfully made was despised by his atheism. He left as soon as was afforded, after standing and sitting a few, more times. He went out the side door only to find one of the C&C guys enjoying a cigarette. Upon seeing this, Jay blurted out, “That’s how you give thanks for being created?”

“No, this is how I enjoy my redemption. I know it might kill me but God hasn’t asked me to quit yet.” was the unexpected response.

“How does that work?” asked a piqued curiosity.

“I smoke, but I’m not a smoker. I sin, but I’m not a sinner. God’s forgiven my future as well as my past. The things I do don’t define me because Jesus defends me.”

Jay went to lunch. Jay enjoyed lunch. Three months later, he was a baptised member. A year and a half later – with no one being told – Jay took his fully-grown, unharvested pride and joy to the local authorities for incineration and has not thought of pot since.

Sam was born baptised at his christening in the christian faith. Never once in his life did he consider his sins too great not to be forgiven. Now forty-three he has not been to weekly mass in about a decade or so. A well-paid executive with capital gains double the size of welfare payment, he decided to go to church with his twenty-four year old wife. Sam’s tithe and age put them in a position of authority at the church they found. This passionate charismatic businessperson was hardly seen making a motion on Sunday morning. The only time he did anything is when Jayson asked the pastor if they could start an Alpha course at their church. (Alpha is a interdenominational course that teaches all who are interested about theology and mere Christianity.) Sam was passionately opposed to it. The thought of Sam leaving the church cancelled the program; the pastor borrowed his reasons why from Sam’s arguments saying, “Church laymen shouldn’t interest themselves in such things. It is more important that christians don’t worry their little heads about such things as the Holy Trinity and what not. Besides that, our church isn‘t big enough for the influx of new believers coming and going.”

These two pieces of fiction might exaggerate the double standard in any given church but it is important to remind ourselves occasionally that the double standard does exist. I was actually quite surprised by how Jayson turned out; for one thing, good people tend not to be converted so easily. I thought he was going to hate church, but his co-worker would bring his thinking around. Then, I thought no he would think his co-worker was an idiot, but that old man on the bus would talk to him and that might be the last straw. No, he would carpool, but his driver would give him a Gideon’s New Testament with Psalms and Proverbs. He will read that and half way through Proverbs he will understand. Not necessarily though, he did enjoy the song that young woman sang, and I am sure she has an amazing personality. He really could have come back to church with every intention of converting her, but thinking of the odds against date-evangelism*, I decided to write him into a very uncomfortable position. It was only a nicotine-fit, that God gave, which saved the story from getting long. The second story was a disgrace, but that is only because I hardly know how that man will ever be saved. He bought a church with a tithe, and changed the atmosphere. Turning it into a typical church of the dark ages, he still fronted himself as a good man. What a shame to think that God who gave Sam everything he has can be bought at one tenth of what he had. A bus hit Sam just now.

What is worse is that when Sam thought he was buying his way to heaven, he only bought a pastor. That pastor accepted bribes in his minute position, thinking he was more than he was. Unfortunately, for the pastor, he was hit by two buses just now.

*The odds of date-evangelism works in favour of Christians more often than atheists, but, it rarely works at all.

Chapter 2 In Church Every Sunday

Acclimatization and blindly following

Everywhere in North America (accept some “special” areas), one Sunday every spring, the church is half-empty. Nobody actually forgot that we switched to daylight savings time; they generally just enjoyed the excuse to not go to the same building and see the same people that they see fifty-one other Sundays a year.

Acclimatize Jayson

After the funeral, the congregation started looking for a new pastor. Once they found one, Jayson’s Alpha course was started, more as a move to enlarge the congregation than to strengthen the faith of the congregation they had. They had to do something to find more tithe money, now that their sacred cash cow was gone. Pastor James, himself, hosted the course and Jayson was an extraordinary understudy. He might even be able to describe the Holy Trinity twenty ways in four minutes, from what I‘ve heard. Pastor James left Jayson the whole course the next semester, busying himself with other important and necessary changes to the church; like why would they have all that tithe money with no soup kitchen in a working class neighbourhood? Furthermore, there should be some home groups and Bible studies for the new believers and returnees that Alpha will likely bring in. Moreover, when Missions Fest comes to town, they should go there as a group. Meanwhile, Jayson is quite comfortable sharing his beliefs to newer believers.

Every Sunday, it seems, more and more people are coming in to have their souls fed. Jayson is hosting lunch after church, and things are going very well for about a month or so. Having led some fifteen people to Christ, including both parents, he was feeling that his faith was very mature. He told himself that he could never become too arrogant, because he was simply incapable. When he lost his job, he became rather bitter. You could see it in his walk, if he were not fictional. He continued to lead Alpha, but now for the business contacts more than any other reason. You could hear it when he talks, if he were not fictional. Then when his dad died, he started to wonder what was happening to him. He carried on fairly well but his fine reply to “how’s it going” sounded like it was an acronym for freaked-out, insecure, neurotic and emotional, so his girlfriend broke up with him.

Feeling comfortable in his position in the church, Jay was blue. Pastor James was confronted with the issue of Jayson being such a new believer and quite young, so should he not be removed from his position? Instead, James asked Jay to give a sermon from the book of Job.

It was a very good sermon and a good number of the membership thanked him for sharing what he thought God was doing in his life. His confidence was great because he thought he knew suffering by now, but he was much more arrogant than I wanted him to be, so when he got a new job he fell two stories onto rebar. Pastor James, for allowing him to get excessively cocky way too early in his Christian life, fell four stories. Since he was relatively ignorant to the fact that Jayson was a new believer or that he had deep seeded arrogance, he fell onto pillows and only broke his leg.

Blind Guides

It is hard to find excellent leadership these days. Maybe I am coming down a little hard on James, but he should know that a little leaven, leavens the whole loaf. Jayson could have learned a lot by listening to what the unbelievers, he had been talking with, were saying. Instead, he just gave his testimony and told them what was going on in his fictional life, making comparisons to Job; he was always thinking of himself first. He thought God was setting him up for greatness in the church, but I was setting him up for a fall. What’s more important is that he was used in spite of his shortcomings, and now his mother, Susan, is a faithful, widowed, childless, volunteer at the soup kitchen. She’s come to understand that she has nothing but what God gives her, so now she has her son’s one million dollar life insurance payout that she didn‘t even know existed. She gave a lot of that money to many different charities very discretely, but someone had to happen by who was desperate to sell his condominium before she ran out of money. Now she has a place to host the new woman’s group.

You cannot trust any pastor without a limp, or at least scars; if he is blind to what happens between Sundays, do not trust him. Pastor James, like his namesake, took a fall, but I still need him. He has a very good church, with some excellent leadership in place. Even though a large number in his church only come because what else are they going to do with their Sunday mornings, there are not too many ways to kill him off just yet.

Chapter 3 Revivals

Christian pop culture

Once acclimatized to any situation, certain staleness sets in for anyone. For example, when I first started to do my job, it was exciting to be doing something new with my time and learning something new. Now that I have been doing it for quite some time the excitement has worn out, and my enjoyment of that work has grown stale. Revival happens when I get a chance to work on some unique structure or do some new, remedial but different task. I have somewhat revived my original enthusiasm, although not all. Churches have the same thing.

Water in the desert

For all the books out there on the topic of how to be a better Christian, I am doubtful I could get this published if I did not throw in so much fiction. Fortunately, Pastor James’ church is quite stale right now. They do not want to do anything, good or bad, for fear of buses and heights. It is a good thing that everyone in the college and career group is in some small leadership role and Missions Fest is next month.

“Wow, that was a quick month,” Jackson said to Diane. Both of them have been working with the youth group, teen boys and teen girls respectively.

“Yeah, it went fast ‘cause we didn’t really do much” she understated.

Missions Fest is a weekend full of things to do. There is a huge conference where missionaries from all over the planet talk about what God is doing everywhere else and what you can do to help. There are booths and exhibits for local and international organizations, and nearly a million local christians walking by most or all of them on their way to the music. I know better for my little church. They have compassion; hardly one of them will walk by without pouring out their money.

“Well, the boys are mostly just here for the concerts, but I’m going to make sure they stop in and see the exhibits too.”

“Yeah, the girls are mostly here for the exhibits, you have been slacking?” She said giving him a little jab.

“Well” was all he could really say, but he threw in “the girls are here for the boys actually.” Pointing to a group of them huddled around one Bible College exhibit full of guys.

“Don’t point, it’s rude.”

At any rate, a speaker from Australia gave an impassioned speech about his trip to, and returns to, Western Australia. “I went for the waves, I stayed for the unsaved”. He let the people know that “there is a lot of Christian work to do in your own backyard that you probably didn’t even know about.”

A speaker from Rwanda let Pastor James know the value of good, useful, calm leadership. He really needed to hear that, so did the other seventy pastors in the room.

A bunch of the youth and College and Career signed up to volunteer at Creation Fest, which is a Christian rock festival put on with Compassion International. That is good; it’s geared more towards their age group.

Fast forward a few months though to Creation Fest, dozens of thousands of orphans from around the world got western sponsorship. The boys only went for the girls, and the girls only went for the boys. But hey, that’s rock and roll. The life changing messages from the likes of Bob Lenz or Pastor Harry at the festival were enough to keep the youth focused on God’s love and compassion for the rest of the summer, all the way through to the third week of school.

Well that went pretty well, nobody even died. Unfortunately a few of the congregation members picked up some political material and now some of them are active socialists and others are loud capitalists. Oh well, that’s not a problem until I fast forward to the congregation being split on Bill 46 and it caused a huge ruckus. The marching on city hall and praying for certain laws of the land to change is retarded. I am only concerned with my church. I do not care what happens to the rest of the fictional world. In fact, World War III broke out when Canada joined OPEC and America invaded Alberta. The President was assassinated by a poorly trained CIA monkey with a toothpick. Switzerland declared war on Mozambique. I do not care that the world I made is full of darkness as long as my church is the light in it. Moreover, this is fiction, but I know the God of fact wrote pretty much the same thing.

Chapter 4: Bible Study

Mid-week booster

New believers are often coerced to attend a mid-week booster semi-sermon known commonly as a Bible Study. The actual study of the Bible at these meetings and gettogethers, range from little if at all, to otherwise no word in edgewise. At either extreme or in between the common theme is to have good times with good friends, known in christianese as fellowship. By covertly infiltrating one of these groups, a wolf in sheep’s clothing can do much damage. The eventual, and rarely unavoidable, staleness in these groups breeds gossip, cliques and overtly slanderous leadership. I am not saying that Christians should not meet like this; in fact, it can often have the best results on one’s relationship with God and others. I am saying, gossip, cliquishness, and slander should be avoided as often as possible.

Gossip and Tea

I need another construction worker. No. Rewind. I will jump back a year or so. Jayson was a good Christian even though he had a difficult time finding a hard hat that was big enough. He went to two Bible studies; Tuesdays with the college and career group, and Wednesdays at the Jackson house, on top of hosting Thursday Alpha, and cleaning up at the soup kitchen daily. A phrase he was well known for saying was, “Is it still arrogance if it’s true?” and it suited him while he was immature.

At the C&C, the topic was other world religions the whole year he went. Jay could be counted on to start an argument with the born and raised christians, and always took the side for the foreign. Of all the contradictions and holes in other religions, none was strong enough to convince Jay that Christianity is the only way. He only believed that Christianity is the only way because of what Jesus said, but he believed it with his whole heart. Resentments formed in the hearts of a few of the other young adults, but generally, they were easier to cool than the adults at the Jackson house were.

The Jackson Bible study was more of a book club. Every so often a Christian book makes the Times best-seller list, (obviously not this one) in the Jackson household they read it; at the book club they discuss it. The Case for Creation by Lee Strobel was the first one that Jayson came to (about a month or so after he started coming to church), and that is when his father came. Pastor James found out real fast why acorn Jay was so good at debate not long after meeting his oak father.

Jay’s father was very active in politics his whole life and was an ardent Capitalist. He and Pop Jackson used to be golfing buddies some fifteen years ago, when they worked for the same company, and they shared the same world-view. When he and Sue converted, it was an entire conversion. He would never admit it, but he became much more social. Relations started to become strained between the two old chums when Canada was starting talks with OPEC.

When Jayson started having a hard time, he stopped going to the College and Career study. Most of that crowd started assuming many things about Jayson and formed a small clique in the church. When times continued to be tough for him, he quit smoking grass and started reading his Bible more – which he had already read twice through. For a while, the Alpha course was bringing in new people, but they generally did not fit in with the born and raised crowd.

The Jackson house was divided between Christian Socialists (a new political party I just made up, if they actually do exist, sorry for making you feel so small) and neo-conservative, and so Jayson, did not want to be there anymore. Every Wednesday – the book being some neo-con propaganda that Jackson picked out – both sides were patronizing Jayson. Jayson started arguing that he no longer had any citizenship in the world, but that only set both sides against him. It was very important for him to get his last job; otherwise, what he would have seen in the church would have put him out.

The B&R clique started pestering the pastor about Jayson’s age and immaturity, and rumours were all over the place saying “Jayson goes to the soup kitchen cause he‘s broke” and “God doesn’t even like him anymore”. Jayson’s funeral brought the church together again, because everyone has always been perfect at his or her funeral. There is still a picture of him in the soup kitchen. Sometimes pastor James limps over to see his big smile on his huge head.

Clashes in fringe beliefs between group leaders and pastors

Okay, lets fast-forward to where I left the last chapter.

“Wow, did you hear what happened to the president?” Pop Jackson asked his uninterested son.

“Yeah, real tragedy,” came an unconvincing response.

“You’re right it’s a tragedy, that vice he’s got is no pacifist. Are you paying attention to what‘s going on in the world? You might have to go to war.”

“That’s your vice. You’re always thinking about politics. You never see what’s going on. I‘m not going to war to fight.”

“Pacifism is dying pretty fast. Didn’t you hear Switzerland declared war?”

“Now I’m convinced, sign me up for the infantry. I’ll die a little slower than I would as a pacifist right?”

“Don’t mock me, and pass the peas.”

Now that was a good dinner conversation, or at least the best one they have had at the Jackson house since the fictional world turned upside down. At least they are still eating together as a family, but even while he eats his peas, he has no peace. Piecing together what I can, I would have to say; they should have no more talk of politics any more.

Meanwhile, across town at the pastor’s house, James has invited a new believer for dinner. The conversation came to Christian Socialism and OPEC.

“Yeah, that Prime Minister sure sold Canada pretty cheap,” said Miguel.

“Well America just reacted too quickly,” James replied, hoping to steer away from side taking. “Hey, I don’t even know what country I’m in sometimes. It doesn’t matter, my citizenship is in heaven.” (I do not even think I will mention what country they are in. They are in North America though, and definitely not Toronto.)

“Wow, you know there might be something to this Christian Socialism.” Miguel assumed James had something to do with the party.

“I don’t know what that is really. Compared to heaven even socialism is imperfect at its perfection. One can’t be caught up in political affiliations and still have his eyes on God.” Truer words were never spoken, even in fiction.

Unfortunately, Miguel came from Cuba after Castro turned the island into a perfect socialism. Now that Miguel has been stripped of social politics, it would be a good time to keep him away from neo-con propaganda. When Toronto was levelled, Pop Jackson was obviously quite active in stirring up dissensions in the church, and the easiest target was Miguel. It would not take long for Miguel to champion Neo-Conservatism. The young church was nearly split in two. The Jackson parents moved away, because it sure beats a car wreck.

Chapter 5: Volunteer Work

Do anything, if you want, for God

Every city has its poor. Every poor has his needs. Most cities have soup kitchens, food banks and emergency shelters. These provide for the most basic human needs to those who qualify. The problem is not that there is a need for these places, or that some abuse them, the problem lies with the attitudes of those working there. If they are not working there to work out some karma-like deal with God, the tendency is to work there with a feeling of superiority. In spite of good intent, the volunteers have the irritating tendency to, at some point; find themselves to be better people than those served. There is hardly a man, woman or child who wants to need these facilities, yet many a man finds himself in such a circumstance. The most basic need that they have in their situation is the need for compassion and empathy, yet it is hard to find, even while providing for their more basic human needs.

Pity?

Diane has been trying to get the youth involved in something since she was one herself. Rather typical, church youth groups have merely been a place for young christians to hangout together. In such tumultuous times as they are now having in my fiction, the tendency is to be actively involved in peace movements or war efforts. I can only avoid that nonsense by rewinding and ignoring.

When the soup kitchen opened, only Jay, Jackson and Diane volunteered. Jackson dropped-out; his Pop gave him a well paying job. Jay rarely spoke while he was there, just cleaned dishes and occasionally blessed the food. His Alpha poster was up and anyone who wanted to hear him without being listened to could go there. When he lost his job, he started talking to the clientèle and actually led some people to the Lord before he snapped and told them all to get jobs. He was removed and Diane broke up with him. People get so edgy when they quit smoking grass.

Susan was kitchen manager during the war. She had many opportunities to serve, what with most of the young men being drafted. Seventy-eight new believers were added to the small congregation from the soup kitchen’s work while it lasted for five years: two years in peacetime, three in wartime. Of that seventy-eight, no one stayed in memory, more than one middle aged Toronto man. He had been a very successful professional business tyrant, with huge shares in big oil. He had a pair of mansions in the richest end of his home city. Coming out of a coma as John Doe, with no amnesia and the world flipped upside down, he had no means to get back on top. When he finally came to the point he came to the busier-every-day soup kitchen, he was a man without the means for suicide. Jaydad and Jayson had been dead now for about two years, if you asked Susan she would tell you it has been one year, ten months and fourteen days since Jayson died. Sam limped into the first room he had not owned in his life when he went to that soup kitchen thinking he needed a last meal and a knife, if he could pocket a knife big enough. What he had no idea about was the compassion he would receive from the church he had once nearly killed.

“Sam is it?”

“I don’t know a Sam,” the broken man replied.

“No, you got your membership here with my son, Jayson. I never forget a face.” Susan insisted without knowing the emotion that was caught up in his being recognized. “How have you been?” The sincerity of voice in a question like that was one that Sam had never heard. He poured his soul out.

Diane was the only one there from start to finish humbly doing as she was asked. She proved herself very versatile; cooking, serving, and cleaning and then closing up nearly every day for no pay. Her parents were hoping she would look for a paying job while the war was on, but she knew where she was needed more. When she was a youth leader it was next to impossible to convince her group that serving unbelieving people in need is equal to serving God. Still, she worked and still she tried.

A local businessman appealed to city council that the homeless are sleeping in his parking lot. Restrictions on the soup kitchen activities came at once. The local economy has dropped very sharply and he probably saw the soup kitchen as the reason he was not getting as much business as before. Fairness aside, he continued to badger after the restrictions had been placed. He even went as far as talking with the denomination that placed James there. James was eventually removed as pastor and the kitchen was closed.

The good thing is, the businessman was way too cool for a safety belt and had shatter-proof windshields installed. I do not know if anyone aside from James even visited him the whole week he was in intensive care. James died in his sleep five months later, having served a good purpose.

Rewind twenty two years

Evelyn was in distress when she came to the Church. She had been the victim of a rape. This is hard to write. She was going to the Church’s victim support group and found herself a Saviour who wiped every tear away. About six months later she was confronted for the first time with the idea of forgiveness; The thought of which had never occurred to her. Jeremy had turned himself in to the police (who had stopped looking for him) on the advise of his new found Christianity. He apologised profusely, plead guilty, and skipped every parole hearing. James visited him every Saturday, and in their ten years they saw forty eight hardened criminals turn their lives over to God.

For herself Evelyn found a way to pick up her life. Now Evelyn Jackson with a beautiful home and a wonderful family is chairing the victim support group. She had been confronted with forgiveness throughout the years. First by finding out about her own sins, which will remain unwritten. Sometime later, the government was drafting up new legislation to reduce sentences for first offences. Evelyn voiced the opposition pointing to Jeremy who had served his whole sentence without complaint and had not committed another offence. About this time her son started smoking and taught her some new meaning of forgiveness. By the time the young bill was cancelled young Jackson was addicted. Now legislation came into place with a new government that was stricter on violent offenders, this legislation was hugely endorsed by Eva, whose new pastor James was opposed to it. The Jacksons and James had been good friends since Jeremy’s conversion and conviction. He had long been sermonising them on the subject of forgiveness to little avail, so he cancelled the victim support group until further notice.

The story of the softened criminal or the hardened victim is one that is played out in society but must never be played out in the church. He who is forgiven much must forgive much.

Chapter 6 Personal Daily Devotionals

Read, pray, go about your day

Now we will have some time with our Bibles and our selves, before another day starts and we spend our quality time at work. The self-imposed chore of having daily scripture reading and praying creates a relationship with God that equals a son visiting his father in the old age home that he imposed on his dad. On the other hand, to make a daily effort to consult God on day-to-day decisions is like a relationship between a son, learning the family business, and his father.

The Chore

Jay’s conversion was a whole-hearted buy-in to Christian life. He was given a copy of Our Daily Bread that he read every day super-religiously. Reading the Bible in one year was not fast enough for him, he was eight months early. He found on-line devotionals like C.H. Spurgeon’s Morning and Evening. When trouble hit, he stopped reading. “How could mass produced articles mean anything to what I’m going through?” The worse part of it; he had more time on his hands and started doing less with it.

The Jackson family was a prime example of how daily devotionals become a chore. Every day of their childhood, before work and school they sat down at the kitchen table and read a passage from the Bible and a devotional book. Mom would read the Bible, and the boy would read the devotional one day. The next day, the daughter would read the Bible while the mom read the passage. Time and again, household chores were left undone for weeks on end. The Bible was still read every morning. The unfortunate acclimatization that did happen changed the meaning of the word ‘devotion’ in that household to mean no more than ‘dishes’ is in other homes. When Jackson started smoking his Pop realized that the devotions were not enough if it did not come from the heart, so they started their little book club. At first Pop-Jackson just wanted his children to read a good Christian book and give a sort of book report to the family. When Jackson read some socialist book for his first book report – his sister had not read a thing knowing she would be ignored anyway – Pop cancelled the idea and picked out some close-minded book to reinforce his world-view.

Pop-Jackson, an owner of a demolition company, had many difficult decisions to make daily. After devotions, he would drive 30 miles to his office, grab a coffee and get at work. He was sure to heartlessly oppose any demonstrations for affordable housing, and fire anyone in his company who sided with the squatters. He had no idea how hard and cold his heart had grown because he heard the message every day. He never realized he heard without listening. After he moved, he noticed an old deteriorating affordable housing project was growing closer to his ever-expanding city. Eventually, he put an offer in to demolish it at the same time as an organization offered to the city to renovate it. Without flinching, Jackson made his case for demolition sound so impressive I might have even sided with him. That was his day; the widow Jackson moved in with her son and his new family.

The act of devotion should never be reduced to a morning and evening event in any relationship. The best relationship anyone can have is with God, the best consultant, the best comfort, the best friend. To think that attitudes at work do not affect relationships is pure ignorance. Most people are at work for a majority of their lives, what you are like at work is what you are like.

Chapter 7 Tithes and Offerings

I tithed, now I shop. I sinned, now I offer.

When Jesus said, “render to Caesar what is Caesar’s and to God what is God’s,” he did not say it to enforce a 10% income tax on his followers. A tithe of money is worthless when it comes from one who wastes 90% on selfishness. The sense of ownership of that ninety percent of net pay inflates the idea that we should have a say in where the money goes. It was after all my blood, sweat and tears that earned me 90% of my net pay, so why should I not feel a sense of ownership? The problem lies in this; we are owners of our money just as we own our next breath. We have no real control of anything, but we always feel that we own.Offerings are supposed to come from true devotion to God. We should want to offer, we have no need to sacrifice anything at all for redemption. Is it something new to suggest that God loves a cheerful giver?

I was reading Acts 5 a few nights ago to my enwombed first child when my wife and I started talking about what was so wrong with giving less than all when Annanias and Sephira laid the profits of their property sale at the apostles feet. In historic Israel, land wasn’t sold like it is now, it was more like a lease until the year of Jubilee, when everyone would go back to their own inheritance and all slaves would be freed with all debts erased, which was to happen every fiftieth year. What was at issue was that Annanias had lied to the Holy Spirit, although there was no record of him saying that he gave all. What is recorded is that Barnabas, sold his property and brought all the money from the sale to the apostles feet. This shows me that he was probably the first to do so, and that he did so with every good intention for the furtherance of the message. Now a common theme in the first quarter of the book of Acts is that the first church had everything in common and did everything with one mind, and so when Barnabas did this as an act of servitude to his Lord, the rest followed his actions. When Annanias sold his land, he and his wife conspired to hold some back, as if it were their own. They were expected to give it all since they were following the same motions as those who did so out of their desire for the church’s work. They didn’t lie to the church like they supposed they would, but to the Holy Spirit by following the motions without the intent. (I always wanted to put this paragraph in, but never found a way to express it. It’s true, even ask my dad.)

Sub-chapter – The eulogies

Sam was always a presentable good man. He went to church every Sunday until he was about thirty. He never stole as far as he defines to steal. He has never murdered as far as he defines to murder. He was always intentionally polite to pretty much everyone he met, as far as he defines polite. Nevertheless, he had to be hit by a bus, and it is unfortunate that good people generally do not go to heaven. I was sure I did not create him for heaven but then it hit me. One thing I had to do instead of kill him was have his trophy leave taking his wealth with her, even though he made wrong investments with it, like investing in big oil and the City of Toronto. Just break the man; he was a good client at the soup kitchen.

His only folly was one common in imperialistic capitalist societies, the illusion of ownership and the belief in complex hierarchy. He had never owned a thing that I could not take and he was no greater a man than anyone else. He was a man of great means, but he thought them ends. Your job is in God’s hands; your house is in God’s hands; your every limb is in God’s hands; your portfolio is in God’s hands; this book is in God’s hands, it might not even sell, and still I feel the urge to write it.

James was an excellent leader and very useful in every situation. He always took what he got, always used what he had, always learned his lesson. He was a very good speaker whose church grew in quantity and quality of people.

His only folly is common to christian socialism, the idea that anyone in the church should be able to do anything in the church at any given time. It may be true that churches should only allow members that can do anything at any time, but this is not always the case. For the sake of numbers and tithes, many pastors do not confront their membership on certain sins that should be dealt with. He had a short time to deal with Jayson, but he assumed too much about Jayson.

Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him

Jay was an amazing character, and if I am ever unfortunate enough to write again, I think he will be reanimated. If fictional Kenny McCormick can come back every episode, I think Jay can die again. He learnt his lesson very well about the weed, but he could not see his own arrogance. Arrogance is a much bigger problem than any addiction. It was the churches arrogance as much as it was Jays that gave him trouble. When he saw how arrogant the church was when they tried to remove him from his position, he should have realized that it was also his problem, especially having read the book of Job.

Jackson and Diane got married, and even though most christian marriages end in divorce, they lived happily ever after.

Part Two: The Modern Western Life

Here we have a system by self admission flawed

But the child raised by it will try it, how odd

Vain chores hold the system to stay

Illusions are strived for in a peculiar way

Patriotism reigns in spite of its vanity

Because all dreams have replaced all reality

And I write in it, right in it, if I can hold it at bay

This insanity could stop if God had a say

Chapter 1 Systematic Education

Get’em Young

A major challenge to freedom of thought and expression is the manner in which thought is developed. An ignorant definition of the word ignorant is formally uneducated; thereby ignorant people who do not wish to appear ignorant complete their formal education. The elite in intelligence gain an air of arrogance while the mean average person remains uninterested in learning anything just to keep from turning into one of those snobs. People generally do not read books to learn anything. Those that do read typically agree with most or all points mentioned in the book and read for the sake of having a more productive argument for whatever the topic is. Look at the cover, read the excerpt and praise for the book, if you think you might like it, take it and read it. You did not learn anything about an opposing point of view to your prejudice; you merely reinforced your bias.

Getting educated has nothing to do with learning

There is no greater proof that educated people are stupid than a college graduates first day at work. I have no need to offer any more fiction to express my point, you are probably already thinking about the punk in your office right now. Personally, I have never worked in an office, but the same theme generally runs through college graduates in my field. Trades schools are an even bigger joke. A typical ticketed journeyperson is a lazy incompetent student of nothing, who has no desire to work better than the unschooled.

When I was in the dreaded school system, I was constantly told that I have to learn how to learn. That was because I already knew what they were trying to teach repetitively. Although working quite well for most, repetition as a method to teach has never suited me. I have always learnt the most through advancement but the schools only teach through tautology. There are many ways I can humdrum the idea that I am not suited to the system, the synonyms for monotony are seemingly endless. Nevertheless, most do learn, although not me, from being taught the same thing over and over again.

I am only going back to trade school because we live in a society that intends to give me a paper-cut once before I die. I cannot continue to exist as an apprentice with foreman experience. Not by choice, I am quite content. I am forced to go and get the proper documentation to prove that I know what I am doing. Fortunately, thus far, I have not been asked to take a creative writing course.

Higher education, borrowing from your supposed future

There are those who suppose they oppose the idea they will grow old broke. To me personally, we will see in the end what way is a joke. To beg and borrow from a supposed tomorrow seems to me a laughing matter. Then again, what could happen if one day I fall down a ladder? I would be forced to get re-educated and working in some other field. That is life. The difference is, I would not have to beg or borrow a dime to be re-educated and can pick an education for a job I know I would like.

I do not know the actual toll that four-wasted years plus tuition adds up to for any given individual, but I have an idea that it is in the ballpark of a lot of money. In the building trades and the military – as well as many other fields I can’t fathom the quantity of – the only education you need is Grade 10, so in those industries, two years of college wastes four years, four wastes six, and so on. When I was in high school, most of my peers were hoping for computer related careers. A high school of two thousand students, with three other larger high schools in town, teaches most students everything about computers. I learnt how the word processor works and moved on. The computer industry, from software to hardware, every field of it is an overcrowded job market. There is much more money to be made in the oil patch doing construction. Americans and Chinese are both pouring money into Alberta, which is where I will be.

Being around your peers

I’m sure that most North Americans are aware of the growing drug problem. It has grown. It continues to grow. It will continue to grow until people who are not high have better friendships with one another than people who are high. That is sad! It’s sad that people share their drugs but people don’t share their faith, and, aside maybe from Campus Crusade for Christ, colleges and universities prove this point the most.

Systematically making a nation of mindless money makers

The system exposed in all its glory. Imperial capitalisms made its finest accomplishment, systematic education that makes mindless moneymakers of all. Not that all make money or that all are mindless, but all that the system makes is mindless moneymakers. Nobody really knows where it comes or goes it just flows. Money is the means to anything possible and yet by systematically teaching through repetition, money is ends. I hope this book makes my ends. I have tried all too often to make ends meet, the meaning of which has changed from generation to generation. Semantics has finally bought capitalism its perfect generation. George Orwell has turned to the right in his grave because those fictional characters he had changing the dictionary came to be.

Chapter 2 Nothing’s Free

And the perpetual want to need more money

I can honestly write that I wish I lived a lifestyle that required more than a hundred grand a year to afford. My own, usually well controlled, covetousness and jealousy compels me to stop giving to charities that I used to love giving to. When it gets out of control, I forget why I loved giving to those charities in the first place. Out of my own selfishness, I force myself to need a better paying job or make sacrifices that I normally would not.

Many in this culture are actually living beyond their means

Too many in this society are living beyond their means. This means their ends are to require more means, which is how the semantics have changed. A bachelor should be more than comfortable in this day-and-age with a couple grand a month. Unfortunately, though, the trend is to follow ever-changing trends and waste so much of their money that even that twenty-four thousand dollar annual salary does not cover half the needs. I use that term needs very loosely in this instance. Most young families are also living lifestyles well beyond their needs.

As of yet personal budgeting, is not something taught in schools as far as I know. Therefore, the average graduate is stuck with the bill for life without any formal training in money handling. Not to mention, having student loans thrown at them, they are then in debt. Once out of the dorm life or home life, with a tremendous burden, they struggle to find employment in some overcrowded job market. When they actually start working at some taxed job, they have to meet their basic human needs, resulting in credit cards, vehicle loans; maybe a mortgage and I do not know what else. The result is usually starting ones own family much later in life when finances are better, and having grown accustomed to owing monies many different ways. The Grade 11 drop-out however cannot even get their own credit.

When society is addicted to money, is it free?

Here in social-capitalistic Canada, my citizenship is paid for in heavy taxation. Socialism is not cheap, and Canadians do owe for their citizenship. Fortunately, Canada is also capitalistic; those who use our social programs will have to pay back. Since I have no idea how to explain Canada’s unique marriage of socialism and capitalism, I will drop the subject save only to say it is good (aside from the slum-like conditions of the reserves). In America as well, I have no idea how they married imperialism with capitalism but I am sure it has its good points and its slums.

It is no new thing to say that the borrower is servant to the lender, it just got lost in all the pages. Many student loans require a certain amount of time be spent working for the company responsible for the lending, as a prime example. Since we owe such a high price for our citizenship here in North America, not filing taxes could land anyone in jail, even Capone. Thereby I pose the question; is a society that is addicted to money truly free at all?

Depression, over something as useless as money

Since life is unpredictable – in spite of the strongest illusion that it is not – the suddenly penniless person should not be taken by surprise. Rather we see in this society that depression sets in for most people who lose a little capital. Now, during peacetime, there are many chemists wasting much talent developing all sorts of drugs to fight the problem of depression. Doctors and psychiatrists are prescribing society into dependences that have previously been useless. Advertisers are wasting good skills trying to get you to ask your doctor if such and such is right for you. Meanwhile people are losing capital investing in big oil instead of the pharmaceuticals they are about to be prescribed. Capitalisms only folly is its high place for money, all the while saying that money does not buy happiness, poverty does not buy happiness. Happiness cannot be bought, no matter how many chemists and pharmacists want to sell it to you.

Uncle Dad

I am currently in Ft McMurray Alberta, an oil boomtown. There are many men here with families many a mile away, but they press on working because this is the way to make the money for their families. It is true, there is a lot more seasonal than full time work here, but most of the full timers are divorcees who are paying for a family that does not even want him anymore. Uncle Dad is that social phenomena we only have in this money and debt driven society. I am an uncle, and I see my nephew nearly as much as most of these dads see their sons. I am here to get my money drive over with while I am still young; most of these co-workers of mine look down on me for not starting my family life while I am young. I have no response for that, save only, “How’d that work out for you?”

Chapter 3 Addicted to Something

Money, sex, drugs, alcohol, oil

When you want what you want, you give your control of self to he who has. If you want money, you can come to work for me, and I will show you how much your want of money controls you. When a man is horny, a smart woman can get a bar-tab paid out of it. That same woman might flirt with the bartender on another night when she wants a drink. Drugs and oil are much more obvious addictions. South America has them, the US wants them, and so the media in the North paints the whole continent as evil; even Venezuela’s Chavez. Chavez would be a hero to the lower and middle class in North American media if he were North American, but since he reformed OPEC and has become good friends with the aging Fidel Castro, he became easy to paint evil.

Cartel Control

The fight for more power than anyone deserves has good and bad points. The good is for capitalism. As long as there is more than one cartel, they can be pushed into a competitive nature that will give better wages and better prices. However, in the early seventies, the power that big oil showed they had caused a revolt of those who were being taken for granted. That is the story of the formation of OPEC. OPEC is currently in the same position of having more power than anyone deserves, but big oil is still turning a tremendous profit. Those two cartels currently need each other. The oil super gang formed when there was one leader, Rockefeller, of one company, Standard Oil. The company took over so many small refineries and oil companies he can be seen as the ultimate hero of capitalism. During prohibition, there were many little heroes of capitalism running around with Tommy guns in Chicago. The fight for more power is shown more clearly with the Hell’s Angels and their rivals. I would prefer to keep my life rather than fill in any details, but you may be aware of what I’m typing about there.

Addict life

Addict life consumes you while you are enjoying what it is to which you are growing addicted. It destroys you while you hate that to which you are addicted. There is no better way I can think to explain North America’s dependence on money. While you enjoy the many uses of money, you are consumed by the addiction to it. When you learn to hate the money, as many rich and famous people say happens, it destroys you, but you cannot stop making more.

It is easier to write about addictions to drugs, sex and alcohol. There is so much literature on the subject I do not want to contradict even a word, so as not to inhibit anyone’s recovery. I will say this for them though; they need to be dealt with on an individual basis.

The DEA finally caught Mark Emery last year; congratulations; it is not as if the whole world had no clue about his activities. DEA agents probably just asked their kids whom they should arrest in relation to marijuana. Meanwhile, cocaine and your favourite brand of baking soda flow Northward into Canada and the DEA has no concern with them. Maybe you should take the plank out of your own eye before you try removing the speck in your neighbour’s eye next time. It is obviously just for the ‘profits of crime’ auction when they arrest a drug dealer anyway.

I shall not want

I do not need my job; I just prefer it to joblessness. Sure, I want employment, but I can be content without. I could not put up with myself if I were some constant complainer. I do not need my pleasure; I just prefer it to self-sacrifice. Although I desire, I can find happiness without the object of my desire. How could I live with myself if all I did was whine?

Chapter 4 The Headstrong Pursuit of Happiness

The blindfolded wild goose chase

Happiness is not a fish you can catch. Maybe that is plagiarism (Our Lady Peace should get a dime from me sometime) but it is true. If you have ever tried to grab a fish with your hands you would know, you cannot grab happiness and hold onto it. Denis Leary found happiness to be a cigarette or a cookie. It comes, enjoy it, it passes, do not worry, there is more cookies and cigarettes out there. Life in this society is not typically enjoyable. Enjoyment comes in short busts, just like writing a book of this size. Life being cyclic and moving forward often feels like it is moving backwards excessively quickly. When it does, let it, we need down time to enjoy even more the moments when you find your greatest hits. Throughout life, anyone can pursue happiness and never find it.

Money cannot buy happiness

Capitalisms only folly is its high place for money, all the while saying that money does not buy happiness. Poverty does not buy happiness. Happiness cannot be bought, no matter how many chemists and pharmacists want to sell it to you. This was just inserted from the money chapter as a reminder. I can teach by repetition although I do not learn from it. Happiness to me right now is enjoying writing.

Life as a continual pursuit of something unknown

How can a culture of complainers ever find any true happiness? Can anyone who tries to keep up with the Jones’s ever find true contentment? Is there a form of happiness that is not based in contentment? Can anyone enjoy a moment of complaining? Has anyone found true and lasting happiness? If you have found it, write a book, or a song!

Know God, Love God, his love is the root of all happiness.

It Is Well With My Soul

Horatio G Strafford 1828 – 1888

When peace like a river attendeth my way

When sorrows like sea billows roll

Whatever my lot, thou hast taught me to say

It is well; it is well with my soul

Though Satan should buffet, though trials shall come

Let this blessed assurance control

That Christ hast regarded my helpless estate

And has shed His own blood for my soul

My sin, o the bliss of this glorious thought

My sin not in part but the whole

Was nailed to the cross and I bear it no more

Praise the Lord, Praise the Lord o my soul

And Lord haste the day when my faith shall be sight

The sky be rolled back as a scroll

The trump shall resound and the Lord shall descend

Even so, it is well with my soul

Unit Three: In the World But Not Of The World

In as much as many have set in order to write

Of Mere Christianity in his own generation

I find that the plight needs new oration

And so I work all day and type all night

The daily struggle I stumble through the most

This book could not be written by beginners

By no great boast, I am the chief of sinners

Therefore, somehow, I find I will be my generation’s host

Inspiration comes from all over, but only God

Can condone authorship of such a work of prose

Because I know He came, was crucified and rose

His and only His authority makes me unflawed

Part 3: In this part there are many Bible quotes, I generally do not know where they are quoted.

Instead of looking up the references and typing them in a notes section, all quotes are from the Bible.

Chapter 1 They say it is hard. I Say Impossible

All things are possible through Christ who strengthens me

An open letter to Timothy Favelle of the future

In so much as many have undertaken the task of setting in order a defence for the hope that is in Christ, so also I have decided to write, so that you may find instruction concerning the truth you know. To defend the truth you must first expose the lie, I have found that the best defence is usually a great offence. Argument will always revolve around issues of politics and religion, but I would encourage no such bickering. The world is flawed and it makes easy sport, but the worldly will never convert to Christianity by debate. If you want to witness to non-Christians so badly, think about why you do such things. Is it out of compassion for the hell-bound that christians are seen telling homosexuals they are going to hell? Not at all, but it is quite the contrary; these christians are concerned with the supposed heaven bound, so that homosexuality does not become a common part of society. Is it too little too late? It is not that. What is commonplace in society will always be changing; in the meantime, you keep yourself pure. Blatant promiscuity and abortion is legal, which does not mean it is right. Covetousness is rampant, that does not mean I should do it.

Some have said that living a holy life, pure and set aside for God, is hard. I have said this before and I will say it many more times I am sure; it is impossible, and all things are possible for God. The possibilities are endless, and to have no concept of that is to have no concept of who God is. Life is full of all sorts of mysteries, but God makes himself clear to everyone at some point or another. Then comes the choice, the choice is clear-cut and narrowly pointed. If the Spirit is not in you directing you, seek God first. Cleanse yourself of your impurities, as they are obvious. When the righteous King of Judah, Josiah, found the Law of Moses, he repented immediately, humbled himself before God and brought the Passover back to the people. For me, get off the bottle; quit being so arrogant and look at myself from God’s point of view for a second or two. It is hard to understand humility unless you think about it, all that you have and all that you are is from God, but it is the same for everyone else. Never think of humility as self-loathing, you are fishing for compliments you arrogant fool.

Do not go thinking that an expansive knowledge of Biblical theology is important for anything in life. Be fluid on fringe beliefs and explanations of all sorts of doctrine. There will always be One God, and you know that one God is much more than one person, just as one person is much more than one dog. That may never, or may always work as an explanation of the Trinity. Some times you might only have to say that ∞ x 3 = ∞ you may need both or more or neither to define the Christian Trinity. Misconceptions will always exist about these basic doctrines because people generally do not want to know God as being knowable. If they do want to know God, they might just think you are being arrogant in saying that you do know Him. You know Him because His Spirit is in you – sanctifying you, and His Son sacrificed his life for you. The doctrine of Hell is another that gets confused with traditional pagan beliefs. Hell is a prison designed by God to hold Satan and all the other rebellious beings in torture, but since Hades was a place that human rebels were tortured in by demons, many of the presumptions are that demons control hell. The Bible should be the trump card for any misinformed bias. Get to know it better, no matter how well you know it.

The reason you are having writers block right now is probably the same reason you are reading this right now. You have goals and ambitions but very little drive. Let God drive you, clear all those distractions that you have put in front of you and type. Do not worry about what you are typing, that is what editors are for. (I ended my sentence there with a preposition) The same goes for when you are talking, do not plan what you are going to say, if you say something wrong, you will hear about it. Then you can work out why you said that. If you plan your speech you wind up being tangled up, jumping ahead or backing up, always going off on a tangent. Right now, I have my outline for this book and each chapter written and the opening paragraph for each chapter. I did that and I am typing this chapter now because I know that about me, I need to see my goals clearly. I am not a very good writer, I am a poet, and this is a book. This chapter is just a letter to remind you to write it. It is hard, and for you, it is impossible.

In Christ

Timothy Favelle of the past

Chapter 2 The Awesome Power of Godly Wisdom

Powerful enough to make the world’s wisest into fools

It is one of the most difficult things ever to do in one’s life, to surrender, to give in and cede ownership of ones actions. Nobody likes the “s” word, but we will be slaves to our sins or slaves to Christ. There is no getting around it. There is however a choice to be made. God has already purchased every one of us, and he has invited us to be joint heirs in his family, to be his adopted sons. The beauty to it is that being a slave to our sins, we were unwittingly enemies of God and he had compassion to purchase us. What’s more, having now been justified by His blood, we are free of the wrath of God through Him. (That is plagiarism)

When a slave is perpetually slack in his work, he is sold. God is much better than that in that he typically gives us some eighty years of constant disappointment before he either sells or adopts.

The remarkable thing about complete surrender to God is that He will get His way in your life whether you yield or not. Since we have seen the world’s folly and the folly of religion organised by man, there leaves the wisdom of the founder of all good things. Luckily, he wrote a lot of it down in Proverbs. It is a good read, and the best advice I have ever been given is to write the whole book out with my own pen. It really made me see what the words were doing and helped inspire me to write this book.

The so-called wisdom of the world will always change. Different times will perpetually make old measures obsolete, in spite of the wisdom that might have been put into its creation. Rather, the book of Proverbs has not changed in some three thousand years, and even before it was written, the principles in it were taught to Moses and written in the Torah. If anyone would consider this generation more foolish or wiser than another he is his generation’s fool, unable to understand that other generations have their fools and their wise. There is no human advancement of thought. None can be explained by three generations of evolutionists even remotely the same way. That is why most evolutionists who see five generations in their one lifetime have a deathbed conversion. It is a real shame that most laypersons in society are ignorant to the science against evolution, but it just goes to show the strong ties that religion has with the state.

Self help advice from a high-school drop-out

Chose to either know nothing, or know every angle. Always be versatile. Different times call for different measures. Adaptability is better than dissention. The only self-help book that works for all generations is the Bible. Buy one. Let all opportunities pass by once, but never let a good opportunity pass twice. It is better to be seen as wrong and happy than always right. Every bad experience is to be learnt from at all times. Right your wrongs every chance you get. You only have parents for a short time, spend it with them, but not all of it. Your parents are the only adults who are glad when you are laid off, and they actually love you. If you have a chance to become a parent, take it the first time it comes up. Treat your children with respect; they are the ones who are going to find your retirement home. Read the book of Proverbs as often as you need to, write it with your own pen. Write only what you would want to read later in life. Only give advice you need to hear. Never spread a rumour, or a scandalous fact. Keep drama and paperwork as small a part of life as possible. Listen to every rumour: believe a quarter of them. Always know what to believe, and why. Do not believe everything you learnt in school, read in the paper, see on TV, or hear about. Never trust the good sounding advice of a high-school dropout.

Chapter 3 Guiltless Living

Although still not sinless

Absolute perfection is an entirely impossible achievement for any given person and so to take ownership of ones actions seems like foolishness, although it is necessary. Have you ever said, “I’m sorry,” only to hear, “Don’t be sorry, just don’t do it again”? I have no Idea where that saying comes from, but it could not have sounded any better than when Jesus said it.

The scene is ancient Palestine and the style is paraphrased plagiarism.

Early in the morning when Jesus went to the temple and people went to him to hear him teach, the scribes and Pharisees brought a woman to him. Making her stand before all of them, they asked Jesus, “Teacher, this woman was caught in the very act of committing adultery. Now the Law of Moses requires us to stone such a woman. What do you say?” Knowing their intention was to trap him in his words; Jesus bent down and wrote with his finger on the ground.

When they kept pestering him, he straightened up and said, “Let him who is without sin be the first to cast a stone.” then went back to doodling in the dirt. When they heard it, they went away, one by one, beginning with the elders. When there was no one left but the woman, Jesus straightened up and said, “Woman, where are your accusers? Has no one condemned you?”

“No one sir,” was all she could say.

“Neither do I condemn you. Go and sin no more.”

This powerful testament to Pharasitical social failure shows us that although Moses came to bring condemnation, Jesus’ purpose was forgiveness. In the verses that follow, Jesus does hint at the time that he will come as Judge, but not now. Now is the time to go and sin no more: do not be sorry just do not do it again.

Be Holy as I Am Holy

Sins committed in ignorance have never been held against those who have committed them. However, once confronted with the fact that what you are doing is a sin, you should do whatever you can to stop. Never feel guilty about having done what you have done, or doing it again, but stop doing it as best as you can. Once confronted with a sin, do not invent excuses. Christians are called to be Holy as God is Holy, which leaves no room for excuses.

Chapter 4 The Freedom of Contentment

Adaptation and the dissent of man

I was just laid-off from a well paying job. It gives me more time, I have not filed my taxes yet this year and this book might never be complete. I have been to the union hall here and phoned the one back home, I should be right back after this chapter is finished. If not, who knows? God knows. I could easily complain or worry if I still knew how. The illusion of having a future that I can control is completely meaningless to me. One should not say, “we’ll go into this town for a certain time and make money” when no one knows what tomorrow would be like. It is easier to say “God willing, tomorrow we’ll live, and maybe do such and such as well”. (That is plagiarism.) Optimists be warned; expectations often lead to disappointment.

Maybe just for the sake of showing the foolishness of the dissention of man I will complain. My foreman was such a jerk. I am not one to say what way is the wrong way of tying rebar and what way is my way, but there is more than one-way to do things. That close-minded arrogant troll aught to be the one kicking stones down the highway but if it were him, he would have the right connections to get right back. That is obviously how he got his job in the first place; knowing the right people means too much in this desolate province.

Adaptation is obviously a much easier route to take. My former foreman appreciates it more, keeping future options open; my blood pressure is lower, keeping future considerations more feasible. Being adaptable to any situation that comes up, contentment comes cheap and easy. To be a continual dissident, means contentment cannot be found. Dissention is easily caused by trying to keep up with the Joneses and feeling like falling short. The anger of man never brings about the righteousness of God. (That is plagiarism.)

Chapter 5 Life to the Fullest

The improbable

This is the first chapter I am writing, because as I am sure to mention later in the earlier chapters, I am not a very good writer. I need to focus on a clear goal. I find it highly improbable that this book will ever be written, but I have come to realize that nothing is impossible. Everything is impossible that is not attempted but I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. He will not be writing this, but he will strengthen me as I write. It is definitely an improbable road ahead; on my own, I dare not trek. I may stumble but he can carry me, as he has done to get me here. I know why I aught to do what I aught to do, and not do what I aught not to do. Now comes just doing it. I was not asked by any publisher to write this. For the most part, I’m about to write this book you’ve just read so I can see just how far from the truth I have gone and how to do the impossible – be in the world as an ambassador of the Kingdom of God.

Even the impossibility that daily faces every Christian, namely, to be a light in darkness, an air conditioner in the desert and to be warmth in this -40 North, takes a lot of versatility. If I do all I can to reflect the light of God in this dark world in this dark time, I still need to tell you, I am a poor reflection.

This book came to me as an idea. One idea: I should I show that after people organized christianity it turned to insanity; at the same time, modern society is badly flawed; still showing that authentic Christianity is the only social and yet individual solution. It seems especially improbable that this book will ever be written. If it is, it is more improbable that it will be published. If it is, it is most improbable that anyone but publishers, editors, friends and family will ever read it. Writing that last statement makes it even more improbable that publishers will consider it worth the paper, but human improbabilities are God’s biggest asset.

Here is some plagiarism

All we can do is declare what was from the beginning, what we have heard, what our eyes have seen concerning the Word of Life – this life was revealed, and we have seen it and testify to it. We declare the eternal life that was with the Father and was revealed to us – we declare what we have seen and heard so that you may have understanding with us, and truly, our fellowship is with the Father and His son Jesus Christ.

This is the message we have heard from Him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him, there is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with him and walk in darkness, we lie and do not do what is right. If we walk in the light, as He Himself is the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His son cleanses us from all sin. If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He who is faithful and just will forgive us our sins and cleanse us of all unrighteousness. If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.

Appendix 1

My Refutation to Two Jehovah’s Witnesses Propaganda

One of those necessary evils that strong Christians, laypersons or pastors, must do on a continual basis is pruning. This action often turns weaker brethren away from the folly of manipulative conniving followers of their own lusts. When Mohammed met the pope, the pope shunned him and he did not find as many followers of his cult as he could have. Today his cult is its own organized religion as it has been for the past millennium. More than a century ago, the church with reason shunned one Charles Taze Russell. Today his cult is one of the fastest growing cults in the world. The Watchtower Society will likely become another Islam; experienced Christians must refute them at every opportunity with good sound reasoning.

When my cousin joined their cult, I wished that she never told me that. I tried to explain just who Charles Taze Russell was and why he should not be trusted in. The problem with that lies in the fact that Jo-ho’s typically know what manner a man their first leader was; still, they chose to ignore simple reasoning. Unlike Mormons, Muslims or Bah’ais, Russellites have no trust in anything that Russell himself said, but rather the paraphrasing and redefining that has come since. I asked my cousin to give me some literature, which she gladly did. This is my formal response to everyone involved in killing the trees and writing that ass wipe.

(Note: I use the name Jehovah in place of where I would normally say Yahweh, a Hebrew variant of the verb to be, and most commonly thought to be the proper translation of the “Holy consonants” YHWH. Where the Hebrew religious leaders would not pronounce this name for reverent fear of the third commandment, many older European translations have translated it Iahowah imposing the first three vowels from the title Adonai, or lord into the consonants. When the letter J was invented, as a stylish I, it was given to many biblical names including Jahowah or Jahovah, which later evolved into Jehovah. Although I know full well that this is the Germanic bastardization of the Hebrew name of God, I will still use it for the sake of the ignorant.)

Upon reading, “Should You Believe in the Trinity?

Is Christ the Almighty God”?

Can it be proved that Jehovah created Jesus? Is the Holy Spirit no more than the sum of all angels (God‘s active force)? Is paganism to be treated as entirely untruthful? Are there any sincere believers who find Trinitarian Doctrine either unreasonable or confusing? Is there nothing like it in nature? (Worms have a body, dogs have a body and consciousness, and humans have body, consciousness and intelligence. In the same way we have one self, who‘s to say God only has one self?) When the Trinity is called a mystery, could it not be to say, “it is mysterious to those who do not believe Jesus is God or that the Spirit is personal”? If two people see the same thing one might say it is from China, another might say, it is foreign. If two perspectives are formed about a simple thing, something profound like the definition of God as trinity should have millions of different ways to word it. To imply otherwise is to admit ignorance. Are any two explanations of the Trinity incongruent with one another? If so, is it not obvious which explanation is incongruent with the basic understanding of the Holy Trinity?

Have Jews not grasped the concept of the Trinity? Are all Messianic Jews anti-Trinitarian in his or her doctrine? Does Trinity not exemplify a certain oneness, undiluted and intact? In fact superior to human oneness,

i.e. YHWH = GtF + GtS + GtHS = 1 God

Also ∞ x 3 = ∞

Also, ∞ is indivisible

Why did so few of the Jewish religious leaders recognize Jesus as the Messiah? They knew the implications of his message, their day was ending, the time of the gentile was coming and it was staying until they all fall away. The religious leaders wanted him to be a rabbi at first, until they realized his message was against them.

The Bible clearly does say who Jesus is! The Bible does have a doctrine of the Trinity, though not the word “trinity”! The Bible clearly lays out who the Son is, who the Father is, who the Spirit is, and thereby Who Jehovah is! A Yale professor suggested Jesus and Paul both were anti-Trinitarian simply because they say nothing directly about it. They say nothing about lots of things; The Church-state relationship, abortion, blood transfusion, does that mean that in another period they might not have spoken about slavery, homosexuality, pride or bigotry? If the issue never came up, should you infer either way? Obviously, you should if you are grasping at straws!

Melchizedek must be a grand fool for worshipping El Elyon; Abraham must therefore be a greater fool for tithing to the pagan priest. King David by reason was an even bigger fool for praising the order of Melchizedek and the writer of Hebrews must be the biggest fool for quoting David’s praise. Pagan beliefs are a perversion of the truth, but never throw the baby out with the bathwater. It is hardly believed among scholars that the trinity defined by pagan religions is at all related to the Holy Trinity. In Pagan religions, trinities (aside from Viracocha of the Inca) are usually three gods acting as one; in Christianity, we have one God, Jehovah, acting as three. We have one God who reveals himself to us as three persons, not three gods combined into one. Monotheism in its purest form does not allow for trinities. Trinities in their purest form do not allow for monotheism. Christianity in its purest form is not caught up in the most advanced or sophisticated reasoning in any field. All the wisdom of the world is foolishness to God. Christ gave no respect to the persons of man and his followers should be keen to do likewise.

The concept of one individual God never denotes one individual self. We humans have one individual self, just as a cube has a square. I seem shallow when you look at me from the side being a square, one dimensionally I am a line, but I am much deeper than that. If one God is any better than one human is, we should hope there is more than one self. Paraphrased your pamphlet says, “Why would all God inspired Bible writers speak of Jehovah as one self if he were actually three selves?” Jehovah is not one person. Jehovah is beyond personality in that he is three persons. The Bible never states, as Russellites assume, that God is one Person! The Bible states “The LORD your God, He is one God” not one person! If one God is superior to one person at all, one God could easily be three persons with no stretch of the imagination. Jehovah (God in modern English) alone is El Elyon (God Almighty in modern English) over all the earth, the only true God! That is the fullness of Divine strength! It is not polytheism to believe that one God can be three persons, and all, yeah ALL Trinity supporters reject the view that the Holy Trinity is made up of three separate or distinct Gods.

Where does the Bible clearly state that Jesus’ pre-human existence was as a created spirit being? Did Jehovah create Jesus? Through Him, Jehovah created the heavens and the earth, but Jehovah created the heavens and the earth! The Father from whom are all things. The Son, through whom are all things. (Moreover, one face of the cube says to the other, “Let’s make a square in our image” but one square cannot say that to itself)

The temptation of Jesus in his human form was different from that common to typical man. He was offered the world, to give it to Satan and Jesus rather than the Father and Son. Satan has always wanted to be God, and if he could get Jesus on his side while he was human he would try, but he couldn‘t.

If a spirit were no more than the power of a person, my spirit would make the worms that ate Charles Taze Russell, Joseph Franklin Rutherford, Nathan Homer Knorr and Frederick W. Franz to spontaneously combust! are you unaware that you are not to blaspheme the Holy Ghost? Can a power be blasphemed? Can you call electricity a name it will not like? Can you lie to the sun and offend it? You are no better than a Spiritless pagan is! You have no concept of the infinite or the eternal! Your reason does not go past the finite at all. How can you dare to write about the infinite?

Before Reading it again

People often say they believe in the Trinity, yet they differ in their understanding of it. What is the Trinity? It is the belief in one God, as three persons. Does the Bible teach it? I would not believe it if the Bible did not teach it. Is Jesus Christ the Almighty God, and part of the Trinity? That depends entirely on semantics, which I will not delve into at this point. Should you believe in the Trinity? Yes, if you do not, you have no part with God. Is Jesus Christ the Almighty God? Did Isaiah not call Him Mighty God? Again did Isaiah not declare that there is no God beside Jehovah, so how is that Jesus could be a mighty god? Jesus is not all of Jehovah, but Jehovah is not without Jesus. Is there a passage that declares the Father is Jehovah? No. The Father is not all of Jehovah, but Jehovah is not without the Father. How is the Trinity explained? Whenever someone really wants to know, the Spirit draws him to find the truth about Jesus. Then Jesus petitions the Father’s mercy for him, and they impart the Holy Spirit to him. At that point, the person who earnestly sought can explain the Trinity. Is it clearly a Bible teaching? Yes it is, right from the first verse, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth,” through to the end, the message is clear. The message is “The LORD your God is One God,” “Worship God, and God only,” and “Let All God’s angels worship him (that is Jesus)”. How did the Trinity doctrine develop? It did when some Christians were worshipping the Father, some the Son and others the Holy Ghost, the majority of Christians understood that neither was greater and that all were coequal and coeternal and that they were one. They came up with various creeds and doctrines to describe how God is, culminating in the Athanasian Creed. What does the Bible say about God and Jesus? Jesus and the Father are one. The word for one used in Genesis 2:24 and Deuteronomy 6:4 implies a union. Is God always superior to Jesus? Is a marriage superior to a husband? or, Is God always superior to the Father? The Holy Spirit – God’s active force? If my spirit were my active force, I could understand what you mean in this pamphlet. What about Trinity “proof texts”? They are all right, but things must not be taken out of context for the sake of argument. One has no need for the proof texts when one has the Holy Spirit talking or typing for him. Worship God on His terms!

Upon reading it again, I find it to be a very compelling, one-sided, biased against the established church, piece of work. If I had only read that, and never known the Spirit in me, I would probably believe it, with no hope of conversion. I must implore all who have ever read that piece of work to look at both sides of the arguments of the Nicene Council and draw their own conclusion. Either that or believe that even political pressures and church politics cannot stop God from keeping His name from being blasphemed by millions of earnest God-fearing people for centuries. (And yes, I am implying that if you believe this tract, you believe in an impotent god.)

Before reading “Hellfire: Is it part of Divine Justice?”

There are many misconceptions amongst the church regarding Heaven and Hell. That is because no one in our lifetime has been to the spiritual Heaven. Even King Solomon would not write specifically about what happens to the soul after it leaves the body. Yet the Christian faith is based on the hope of knowing that we will join Christ in Heaven because we turned from our rebellion against God. We know how great that is by knowing where rebellion against God leads. This is the sole purpose of witnessing to the unsaved, to put every effort in witnessing so that we might save some. Hell is not to be treated as a scare tactic against sin or sinners, just plain fact; rebel against God and you will be punished. Everyone in their lifetime is given a chance to humble himself or herself before the Lord and repent of their rebellion.

Upon reading it, I have agreed with every word I have typed only to add that torture has been seen by many advanced civilizations as “necessary evil”. Some cultures put skulls on poles to warn enemies of their fate, others had public executions. At any rate, it is very close-minded to read into the Bible that Hell is no more than simple non-existence. If that is true, then Buddhists will reach their nirvana after life so they should not be witnessed to at all. In fact, Buddhism is entirely right if Russellites are right in this instance. The simple fact remains that Buddhists are in rebellion against God, and will receive the same fate as J.W.s if they do not repent, so they should be witnessed to, but not by you.

Appendix 2

My ideas about the churches relationship with the state

A few years ago, I wrote a letter to the editor of the BC Christian News that I never sent for my youth, inexperience and shyness prevented me. There was much debate going on about the idea of Canada allowing homosexual marriages. Many in the established church seemed to have no idea that homosexuality is a sin at all. Having proved their ignorance to basic biblical fact they had not touched on the fact that covetousness is legal and rampant in modern society. This brought me to questioning the motives behind the refutations of these ignorant sinners. It was obvious from the writing of most who did oppose that they had little to no love for the ignorant sinners whatsoever. This brought me to questioning why they were at all concerned with the law of the land whilst their own congregations were so blatantly ignorant to the laws of the Holy Scriptures. The christians were bickering and even though I wrote a rebuttal to all their bickering, I never mailed it. I have failed many times, and each time I have learnt. Here is my absolute rebuttal to all who oppose the legalization of homosexual marriages.

Do you prefer that all outsiders see Christianity as an insurmountable wall of hypocrisy and bigotry, or would you be an ambassador for light in a world of darkness?

Here is my absolute rebuttal to all who think homosexuals are not sinning.

You say you were born gay, I say I was born covetous. We both claim to have been cleansed by God, and we both disgrace that cleansing when we continue sinning.

Sin is rebellion against God; it is high treason. We have no citizenship on the planet that deserves more patriotism than the citizenship we have in heaven. If the Prime Minister of Canada is a Christian, he must still recognize Canada’s secularism while performing his duties. The greatest quote of them all was when Paul Martin said that as a Catholic he did not want to do what he did have to do as Prime Minister. It is a disgrace that the Protestants were too busy bickering to hear that. Paul Martin furthered another sin, but fortunately, for his soul he knew what he was doing.

The sin of Sodom was that it was over fed and unconcerned. (That is plagiarism, from Ezekiel) While the marching on City Hall and letters to Members of Parliament was going on in my hometown of Maple Ridge, the poor were being neglected. One soup kitchen was closed and Neighbour Link was cancelled indefinitely. One can only hope that the fate of Sodom does not overtake my hometown, conveniently located in an earthquake zone. This is not fiction.

BOUT THE AUTHOR

Philosophical poet, high school dropout, ironworker Timothy Favelle has had this piece of prose in his head for quite some time. With a million distractions in his hometown of Maple Ridge BC, he moved to CNRL Horizon Alberta. With pen to paper, he hit writers block a thousand times and so he bought a laptop. Now at my Pavilion this book writes itself. I am even writing about the author, not that I think anyone but my inner circle of friends will ever read this, but when they do they will get a good kick out of it.

My dad is even going to do some editing, so that is cool. I was thinking of just taking pictures of my camp room for bout the author, and some pictures of the jobsite, but I’ve come round. Maybe my dad will add to my bout the author or change how often I say bout the author or change it to about. This is immature of me, but I am only a young guy, do not hold it against me, I was born that way.
Now that it’s August 2008 a lot has changed in my life. I still haven’t tried to get this published and have been throwing in my two cents here and there as I get them. I still think I’m missing a chapter or two, but if I do that, then this’ll never actually happen. I never really grew up, but I did get married, and she is the lovely Rebekah Favelle. She’s brilliant with computers and knocked up. We live in Tumbler Ridge BC, and love it here. We go to House on the Rock which I guess is ACOP affiliated, but I don’t know if that’s for sure.

Bout the author anytime at timotheos@jesuslovesyourmom.net

INSPIRATIONS AND ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I would like to thank M’momnda, obviously God, most rappers who thank God, Sublime, The Third Day, Kanye West, Five Iron Frenzy (RIP), Blink, MxPx, and everyone I saw at warped tour.
Sasha Baron Cohen, Jon Stewart, Rick Mercer, Stephen Colbert and anyone like them.
George Orwell, C.S. Lewis, Josh McDowell, Don Richardson, Desmond Morton, Jack Layton, Bruxy Cavey, Justin Lookadoo and anyone else who wrote a book for me to read while I had writers block (most every day).
Any pastor who gave a sermon from the Bible that he does actually live; you are an inspiration.

I am sure I missed a lot. All my friends back home and Mike Thiessen. All my friends here in Alberta, even though you do not deserve it, thank you all.