Annuit Coeptis

The purpose of the seminar was not to give a history lesson; rather to find a deeper relationship with our Heavenly Parent, God.  During one of the session, our presenter, Ron Pappalardo, directed our attention toward some unknown events of the history of America and how the founders of our country have been depending on the input of Divine Providence.   In formulating the constitution of the United States and some other resolutions, the founders made sure that they gave honor and praise to God with emphasis on the great spirit rather than any particular religion; with focus on principles of nature and separation of powers. 

That’s why in 1782, Charles Thomson as the secretary of the Continental Congress, suggested the motto Annuit Coeptis which he took from writings of Virgil, the Roman writer.

At one point Ron asked us to take out a one dollar bill.  We all learned something about the Latin words printed on the bill and gained a deeper respect for our founding Fathers.

Annuit Coeptis

~ Motto Above the Eye of Providence on the Great Seal, Charles Thomson (1729-1824)  Patriot leader during the American Revolution

Here is the best translation of these ancient words:
“He has favored (blessed) our endeavors (activities).”

That was only one titbits we learned about this weekend in the seminar conducted by Ron Pappalardo.  He teaches about connections with the spiritual world and how we can all access a closer relationship with the Divine.  His approach requires humility and diligence seeking out our Heavenly Parent.

Here is a link to one other presentation Ron gave:

I was very moved by Ron’s incredible enthusiasm and passion to communicate with God and find answers to some of the deepest human secrets.

 

Cast Down Your Bucket Where You Are

The only thing I knew about Booker T. Washington was that he found many ways of using peanuts.  In the process of my research I learned that he wasn’t a farmer after all rather than a teacher and educator who became a leader of the newly emancipated African-Americans after being liberated from slavery.  George Washington Carver who was a student of his school in Tuskegee, Alabama was the one who experimented with growing better yields of peanuts, sweet potatoes and pecans. 

I was very much moved when I read Booker Washington’s biography Up From Slavery.  I was mostly impressed by his humble and grateful attitude regarding his upbringing.  He never blamed anybody for his circumstances or was resentful for his life.  Even after being freed his family was very poor and had little to eat.  Even young children had to work from morning till night in the salt mine, coal mine or the mill.  But because of his determination to make something of himself he found a way to learn, adopt and even go to school.  His desire to learn was so strong that he eventually was accepted at the Hampton School in Virginia.  He was so motivated to learn that he started out with night classes at Hampton’s.  He spend the whole day working for a white family doing basic homemaking chores.  Because he wanted to do a good job, he excelled in all his doings which not only gave him the confidence of his employer but also helped him eventually to work at the school in the same way, while going to classes.  He became an exemplary student and showed many of the new pupils how to learn physical skills while also absorbing the book knowledge. 

“I have learned that success is to be measured not so much by the position that one has reached in life as by the obstacles which he has overcome while trying to succeed.”

~ Booker T. Washington (1856-1905), Up From Slavery: An Autobiography

In time, his supervisor, General Samuel C. Armstrong chose Booker to open a new school in Tuskegee, Alabama, to further the education of the children of the freed slaves in the south.  In all his doing Prof. Washington encouraged the students to apply their physical skills.  In fact, the whole curriculum of the school was designed so that the students worked half a day and the other half was for studying and recreation.  Dr. Washington saw the Tuskegee school as his life’s work.  He invested himself completely and won the support not only of his own people but also the influential white folks.  He traveled all over the country presenting his work with the students at Tuskegee which resulted in the financial support of many of the former slave holders as well the generosity of Northern businesses.  During that time he became a well-spoken public orator which gained him even greater funding.  His address known as the Atlanta Compromise Speech in 1895 brought him more fame and requests for presentations and appearances to benefit the cause of the black people.

“Those who are happiest are those who do the most for others.”

After some 18 years of total dedication to the education of the black population of the south, some of his supporters decided that he needed a break.  Some of his Northern benefactors got together to plan a trip to Europe.  Mr. Washington in his humility didn’t want to accept at first the expenses for the fare across the Atlantic.  None-the-less, he benefitted greatly, not only from the rest and relaxation the voyage provided for him and his wife, but also from the many new contacts he made while overseas.

“Character, not circumstance, makes the person.”

He often reflected on how far he had come ‘up from slavery’ meeting with presidents, royalties and high society.  He always went back to his own roots deeply planted in his faith in the greatest benefactor, God.  His involvement was never political: rather, he proposed education and raising the standard of living for his own people.

To say the least, I was very moved reading the accounts of Dr. Booker T. Washington’s experiences following his way with strong determination, hard work and deep faith.  His motto never changed: cast down your bucket where you are.  This is a great lesson for all of us, be grateful for what you have and where you are, but follow a greater vision with passion and persistence. 

 

Honor another Peace-Maker: Martin Luther King

In an earlier blog I wrote about peace makers. 

Since today is a national holiday, where we celebrate Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s birthday, it is appropriate to write about his contribution to peace making.  Here is the link to his Nobel Peace acceptance speech: The Nobel Peace Prize 1964.

We all have heard about Dr. King’s famous “I have a dream” speech and are touched by his determination to fight for that dream.  Dr. King’s greatest contribution to peacemaking is portraited in the recent release movie: Selma.   In Selma we witness a chronicle of Martin Luther King's campaign to secure equal voting rights via an epic march from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama in 1965.

As the story goes, from January to March of 1965 Dr. King along with hundreds and thousands of fellow African-Americans as well as some white folks from the northern states participated in marches between Selma and Montgomery, the capital of Alabama.  Even though the demonstrations were peaceful several protesters were injured and some even died.  Their demands?  The equal rights of American citizens to vote.  Finally, in August, President Johnson signed the Voting Rights Act.

I like to finish my tribute to Dr. King with a quote by the late Rev. Sun Myung Moon who considered MLK “The Greatest American Citizen of the 20th Century.”

“On the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, we recall Martin Luther King’s stirring ‘I Have A Dream’ speech which captivated and inspired all of us to put an end to racial injustice and bigotry. We have before us the responsibility of fulfilling that dream. Whether the coming future will bring war or peace depends largely upon our efforts today.”

~ Reverend Sun Myung Moon

 

 

Who are the Peace Makers?

Last month I wrote about "peace by any other name."  This time I want to elaborate some more on the nature of peace makers.  Making peace is an action; it is not just enough to love peace or declare peace.  It is an ongoing task to bring reconciliation among all people and show them a common denominator (ideal).

"Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God."

~Matthew 5:9

What is the Nature of a Peacemaker?

·       Acts as a servant leader
·       Adopts the discipline of the parent/leader
·       Becomes a mediator between the physical and the spiritual realms
·       Brings reconciliation among all religions
·       Empathetic to others, and willing to help
·       Encourages compassion/communication
·       Exercises spiritual muscles
·       Has the innocence of a child
·       Lives in the present moment/the NOW
·       Lives by the heavenly rules and values
·       Opposes violence
·       Practices obedience to God, the parent
·       Resolves conflict among followers
·       Speaks the truth
·       Takes responsibility for mistakes
·       Teaches atonement
·       Understands human nature 

Jesus is a Peacemaker

The words from the Beatitudes by Jesus show us the essence of the New Testament.  Jesus taught us that God is our Heavenly Parent, who can unite all His children.  Jesus was not only a great teacher but he was the utmost example of a Son of God by demonstrating how to live and how to love.  With His compassion He took upon himself the role of a peacemaker, calling all of us to follow his standard.

Throughout the ages there were many who called upon the goodness in mankind and demonstrated a better way of life.  They made an important contribution and brought us through the dark ages to a time of greater tolerance and unity.  Here are some people who made a great impact for peace in their country and with that for the larger good:

“Women are, in my view, natural peacemakers. As givers and nurturers of life, through their focus on human relationships and their engagement with the demanding work of raising children and protecting family life, they develop a deep sense of empathy that cuts through to underlying human realities.”

~ Daisaku Ikeda (1928), Japanese Author on Buddhism and leader of Soka Gakkai.

“Peace will not come out of a clash of arms but out of justice lived and done by unarmed nations in the face of odds.”

Mahatma Gandhi (1869-1948) Leader of the Indian Independence Movement

“You cannot shake hands with a clenched fist.”

~ Indira Gandhi, prime minister of India (1917-1984)

 

"One day we must come to see that peace is not merely a distant goal that we seek, but that it is a means by which we arrive at that goal. We must pursue peaceful ends through peaceful means."
~Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr (1928-1968),  American Pastor and Civil Rights Leader

"When you find peace within yourself, you become the kind of person who can live at peace with others."

~ Peace Pilgrim (1908-1981)  American Peace Activist

“People respond in accordance to how you relate to them. If you approach them on the basis of violence, that's how they'll react. But if you say, 'We want peace, we want stability,' we can then do a lot of things that will contribute towards the progress of our society.”

~ Nelson Mandela (1918-2013), South African Apartheid Leader and President of South Africa

“Forgiving is not forgetting; it’s actually remembering--remembering and not using your right to hit back. It’s a second chance for a new beginning. And the remembering part is particularly important. Especially if you don’t want to repeat what happened.”

~ Desmond Tutu  promoting Ubuntu.  Ubuntu (philosophy) is an ancient African word meaning 'humanity to others.'

"The order of existence in the universe is rooted in acting for the sake of others.

The world of true peace, true love and the true ideal is both the ideal of God's creation and the desire of humankind.
Therefore, the origin of happiness and peace lies in living for the sake of others."
~ Sun Myung Moon,  (1920-1992), Korean Religious leader, author of Philosophy of Peace

Sun Myung Moon is a Peacemaker

Rev.Moon has lived his whole life promoting peace.  It has been his deepest desire to teach mankind that we are God’s sons and daughters and as such are meant to live together as one family.  He has revealed to us the heart of God which is broken because of the way we live: fighting wars, living in strive, killing and conquering each other.  He has inspired members and leaders around the world to overcome differences in religious beliefs, cultural traditions, political opinions and scientific viewpoints to find the common denominator through his conferences and rallies.

The following video was recorded in 2012 and portraits the life and works of Rev. Moon.

“Rev. Moon has emerged as a great peacemaker and unifier on the world stage. He is a leading force for interreligious dialogue and understanding between people of all backgrounds, and for global peace and security.”

~ Alexander Haig, (1924-1990) former Secretary of State (59th)

Our greatest challenge today is to resolve the conflicts among people of different opinions and viewpoints.  It is not just enough to fight wars with weapons, overpower another country with strategies or battle the enemy.  By recognizing the spiritual nature of man, we need to develop that spiritual quality and absorb each other’s resentment and ill feelings.  We can exercise our spiritual muscles with forgiveness and tolerance.  By accepting each other for who we are and seeing the “Christ-consciousness” in each other peace can be a way of life.  It can only be possible when we see each other from God’s point of view, the view of the parent looking down on His children.  On the world scene politics have taken the upper hand over religious practices.  Or religious opinions have taken the liberty to dominate other’s beliefs rather than demonstrating the mastery of their principles by manifesting acceptance, forgiveness, kindness, tolerance, and other forms of love.

Even science has now confirmed that we are hard-wired to have a relationship with God, the creator.  That connection lays in the foundation for internal unity between mind and body.  Even those who are not looking for a spiritual experience like artists, athletes and inventors have had profound ‘aha’ moments where they could encounter an internal peace.  For most of us these kind of ephemeral moments come and go. 

Here is an historical example of how enemies can make peace: 

I like to finish with the words of the song by John Lennon:

IMAGINE

“Imagine there's no country,
It isn't hard to do.
Nothing to kill or die for
And no religion, too.
Imagine all the people
Living life in peace.”
– John Lennon, British musician (1940-1980)

Jesus Christ And His Country

This being the Christmas season I like to introduce a passage from a talk given by the Reverend Sun Myung Moon:  

God's Providence And Search For The Ideal Country

A people living in a country without sovereignty are pitiful people. Therefore, Jesus said "Do not worry, saying, what shall we eat? Or what shall we drink? Or what shall we wear? For the pagans run after all these things, and your Heavenly Father knows that you need them."

What did Jesus say? To save your son or to save your country? He told you to save the country; God is looking for that. God's providence to find the ideal country can only be accomplished through a human being, and not through breaking off human beings and creation. It will be accomplished through the assimilation of God and creation through truthful human beings. That is why God sent Jesus to the fallen people of this earth as a substitute for God and as a person who could represent the Heavenly lineage. That is, Jesus was the first one who came to this earth to accomplish God's historic purpose.

After four thousand years, it was Jesus who was sent to the earth as a descendant of Joseph's family centering upon Judaism. At that time, Satan's side had already established a country that attacked the heavenly side. Heaven's side had no ideal country. That is why God worked so hard for four thousand years to organize one country. Based on God's hard work and achievement, the Israelite people were supposed to accept Jesus and secure a stepping stone to accomplish the worldwide salvation on this earth where God and Jesus could be the center. However, because of Jesus' death only the spiritual side of this was accomplished.

During Jesus' three years of public ministry, centering upon Judaism, he desperately attempted to restore through indemnity everything that had been lost. But he failed due to his crucifixion. That is why Israel, which had been established as God's stepping stone on this earth, perished. Through Jesus' death Christianity could only keep the spiritual foundation for the ideal country. The Israelites lost their country and were in a miserable situation wandering from place to place. They became the laughing stock of Satan's world. Therefore, today, the Lord of the Second Advent must restore through indemnity all that had been lost due to the distrust of the Israelites who were ignorant of God's four thousand years of preparation for their country.

Jesus came to this earth to search for his country, to establish one country for God. However, he could not establish the country with both his body and soul but was able only to establish a spiritual foundation. That explains why today's Christians do not have an ideal country as an entity. It means that God cannot call any country or any people on this earth His country and His people. It also means that no foundation has yet been established for the Kingdom of Heaven on this earth. If Israel had become one centering upon Jesus, then God could have been able to restore the whole world with Israel as its center. However, since the foundation to unite body and soul together on this earth was lost due to the death of Jesus, only spiritual restoration had been possible.

Therefore, till today, Christians have been in a similar position of being a people without country and sovereignty, and have been martyred wherever they went. Christianity grew to its prosperity only through the bloody death of religious martyrs. Why? Because it was the way Christianity was born. Without the bloody sacrifice of the Christians, Christianity would not have prospered. Now the period of persecution and bloody sacrifice has ended, yet, based on the spiritual foundation of Christianity the search for the lost country continued as had the anticipation of the Second Coming of Christ.

Jesus is still waiting in Paradise. You have to know that Jesus could not proceed to the heavenly royal throne. Jesus should have established the country that had the authority to communicate directly from Earth to Heaven. Nevertheless, since Jesus could not establish the country God desired, Jesus could not stand in front of God. That means that Paradise is a waiting room to enter into the Kingdom of Heaven. Yes, a waiting room! Also, no individual, alone, can enter into the Kingdom of Heaven. If Adam and Eve had not fallen, their family could have gone into the Kingdom of Heaven. Isn't that right? Sons and daughters should come together. Otherwise, we cannot enter Heaven.

To restore through indemnity the past two thousand years until now, Christianity had to fight to establish the groundwork to unite the world. Who is going to succeed in establishing this foundation on the earth where no true country is available? To make this happen, God prepared a new religious movement centering on Christianity and other conscientious people.

We are living at a very providential time in history.  2,000 year ago we changed the calendar to A.D. (from B.C. before) because the birth of Jesus had such a dramatic impact on the whole world.  Even though he could not establish a country as Rev. Moon was talking about, his birth mattered because he came to unfreeze this world.  His teaching was so revolutionary, his way of living and loving so dramatic that it shook the whole universe.  He showed us what love truly is: to express the heart of God as our parent.  He also came to expose the enemy of love with his self-centered ways.  He was and is truly revolutionary; that’s why he had so many enemies and eventually had to die.  None-the-less, the Christ Consciousness is with us today and forever, and it is up to us to manifest it in our everyday life.

Merry Christmas!

 

Know Thyself

Know thyself (Gnothi Seauton) - It was inscribed above the entrance of the Apollo temple in ancient Greece and the Delphic maxim.  People believed that the Oracle would tell them their future and would guide them to the truth for their life.  It has always been man’s desire to ‘know thyself.’  This knowing is not based on feelings or even thinking.  It is an awareness of how ‘to be thyself.’

“If most of us remain ignorant of ourselves, it is because self-knowledge is painful and we prefer the pleasures of illusion.”

~ Aldous Huxley (1894-1963), English Writer of Brave New World

Awareness

For all of us the question is: who am I?  Who we are does not depend on beliefs, on how we feel or what we think about.  Even education can only help us discover better how to perceive the inner world.  Who we are is inborn.  New Age teachers suggest that it is all about becoming the observer of our feelings and thoughts.  It is their idea of creating consciousness by becoming aware of one’s awareness, to become self-aware.  Self-awareness is not being identified with feelings, thoughts or external circumstances because we are just observers of them, like a radio positioned on a certain dial.  Self-awareness or mindfulness (Zen) creates a window into ‘beingness,’ the ultimate essence of reality. It takes us into the NOW; it also helps us to bring the unconscious into consciousness.

"Observe all men; thy self most."

~ Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790), American Founding Father

I learned of who I am from studying the Divine Principle.  Reverend Sun Myung Moon taught me that I am the child of God, the creator.  Living in harmony with that knowledge gives us joy.  It also lets us know, through our conscience, what we are to do; without it we are miserable.  Traditionally, people have been looking for a leader to follow.  By learning who we are, we discover the vision for our life (like a calling) and can become the pure channel of God’s love.  We also learn that God does not judge or punish us.  We rather do this to ourselves. 

"But I have no leisure for them at all; and the reason, my friend, is this: I am not yet able, as the Delphic inscription has it, to know myself; so it seems to me ridiculous, when I do not yet know that, to investigate irrelevant things."

~ Socrates

Talk to yourself

It all depends on how we talk to ourselves.  Positive affirmations help to keep a certain attitude and keep us aligned with the center. 

“I call to remembrance my song in the night: I commune with my own heart: and my spirit made diligent search.”

~ Psalm 77:6

Communication with the Divine is available to all of us.  Jesus (Lord’s prayer Luke 11:1-13) taught us how to pray and other religious teachings have introduced us to meditation.  The Buddha who has been called the “Awakened One”  has demonstrated how to be mindful and present by listening to the silence within us.

Life is Fair

I always hear people say; life is not fair.  We all come into this world in different circumstance, countries and families.  Each of us has already a history though our ancestries.  The law of Karma works for everybody the same way.  Some of us have a heavier burden than others.  None-the-less, we are here on earth to learn certain lessons and to heal our past (or that of our ancestors).

Be a victor or a victim, that’s the question. Being in the realm of abundance or scarcity, it comes down to our choice.  We may not recognize it that way, but the truth that sets us free, declares:

“The Truth that sets you free is that you can experience in imagination what you desire to experience in reality, and by maintaining this experience in imagination, your desire will become an actuality.”

~ Neville Goddard (1905-1972), spiritual teacher à The Power of Awareness

Do we believe to be ‘little me’s’, nobody loves me, we have nothing to give or others take advantage of us? It all depends on how we see ourselves.  When we gain awareness of who we are we discover the source of abundance within us, a power of endless possibilities.  The fullness of life lies right before us when we approach it with gratitude and compassion.  Everyday situations become an endless spring of giving and contribution when we step away from ‘poor me.’

The Oracle (Know thyself) - The Matrix (1999, L. & A. Wachowski)

The Essence of Knowledge

Most of us identify ourselves with the content of our lives, knowing about our lives: what we perceive, experience, do, think, or feel; our goals, ambitions, and situations.  To know ourselves in essence is to be who we are without identification of the ego.  It is not what we know about ourselves but what we know of ourselves.

We are part of long lineage who has existed for thousands of years.  Some people believe that we came into this world with a clean slate.  It has now been scientifically proven that we don’t just inherit physical DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) but also Spiritual DNA which is our divinely embedded design for personal development, spiritual identity and function.  We are here to learn certain lessons, heal relationships, and grow spiritually.  After all, we have an eternal existence, we may as well make the best of it.

“What is there other than content?  That which enables the content to be—the inner space of consciousness.”

~ Eckhard Tolle (1948), author and spiritual teacher à A New Earth
 

Why do we only use 10 % or whatever small amount of the human brain?  We all know that we have greater potential.  Is it because we approach the discovery from the wrong angle?  Do we have to enter the formless realm of consciousness to come in contact with the universal intelligence? By connecting with that universal intelligence we become conscious participant of our lives and can realign ourselves with the wholeness of life.

"It is a myth that we only use 10% of our human brain."

You Are Worthy
As children of the creator, God, we are worthy and have the value of all of creation.  Because of the “Fall of Man,” Satan has claimed rights to accuse man and claim us partially.  When we are listening to the voice of Satan, the loud, nagging voice we get discouraged and disempowered.  God’s voice is the small voice, imperceptible and subtle, but none-the-less there, when we create awareness and discernment.

The greatest deficiency from knowing ourselves comes from our feeling of unworthiness. Know that without you God cannot be happy.

“‘Know Thyself’ was written over the portal of the antique world. Over the portal of the new world, ‘Be Thyself’ shall be written.”

~ Oscar Wilde (1854-1900), Irish Poet and Writer

The belief that we are not good enough is a product of the fear based society, and seems to have become built into our physical existence.  If we can accept that we are worthy because of the truth within us and pursue its virtues with integrity, competence and humility a whole new world of possibility will open up for us.

“Knowing others is intelligence, knowing yourself is true wisdom.”

~ Tao Te Ching,  Laozi (6^th Century) Chinese Philosopher

We are living now at a time when we can truly know ourselves.  Never before in all of human history have we had access to so many resources and teachings.  By living mindfully in the present moment, we can be truly alive because we are in direct contact with the Divine Creator, Infinite Intelligence, and our Heavenly Parent.

 

 

Remembering June 17th 1953

Since my family fled from East Germany in 1961, we celebrated June 17^th as a National Holiday or the Day of German Unity in West Germany.  The day was marked with parades, concerts and peaceful demonstrations to commemorate the Uprising of 1953.  It was the only National Holiday in West Germany since all other holidays are determined by the Bundesländer (states).  After the Berlin Wall fell in 1989, the Day of German Unity was moved to October 3^rd in 1990.

Since my family always believed in German unification we were very gladly celebrating that holiday after we arrived in the GFR (German Federal Republic).  The first year was the most dramatic since we had just arrived as refugees and still lived in a camp in Űlzen with many other emigrants.  I never will forget the exhilaration we all felt when we sang for the first time the German National Anthem or the Song of Germany.  It was composed by Joseph Hayden with words by August Heinrich Hoffman: Unity and right and freedom for the German Fatherland….  Those words alone brought some kind of elation even for a 12-year-old.  My parents also were moved by the occasion, especially as they had coordinated our escape under tremendous stress.

They had planned a family vacation in the north of Berlin with the scheme of staying in Rheinsberg for a few days and then leaving to Berlin instead of returning to our hometown of Nordhausen.  During those last few weeks before the building of the Berlin Wall in 1961, thousands of refugees went through the camps in Marienfelde (West-Berlin) and we ended up there, too.

 

The uprising in 1953 started with a strike on June 16^th by a few hundred construction workers in Berlin who were told to take a pay-cut but still do the same or even more work.  That strike spread like a wild fire throughout other cities.  Suddenly, there were demonstrations everywhere since the citizens did not want the ‘systematic implementation of Socialism.’  It alarmed the government of the GDR (German Democratic Republic) and they brought in Russian Troops with tanks and police to suppress the protests and some hundreds of Germans lost their lives during the uprisings and the following incarcerations.  It was a troubled time for the young country which was under the suppressing rule of the Soviet Union. The Soviet Union had never allowed East Germany to form an independent or democratic government (GDR was only a fake name). The protesters chanted: ‘Down with communism’ and ‘down with the government.’  The only way to silence the crowds was with force which is always the case in totalitarian countries. 

 

Today we celebrate June 17^th as the birthday of our son Jason who was born here in the USA in 1987.  In my heart I remember the brave men and women who risked their lives for freedom and the rights for the greater good.  It does not matter which country we live in, all men want to be free and enjoy the liberty to make their choices for their families, work and their social standings.  In the end, that liberty can only be granted when we reconnect ourselves with our creator and live our lives with our God-given purpose.  Anytime that autonomy is threatened our original nature feels uneasy and wants to protest.

A Woman Named Dinah

While I was traveling in Germany during the past month I was reading “The Red Tent” by Anita Diamant.  I have been reading some other books about historical woman from the Bible.  That's why I read the Red Tent with great interest. 

Ms Diamant introduced me to Dinah, the daughter of Jacob or as she portraits her, the daughter of Leah, who was Jacob’s first wife.

I was moved by how she describes the lives of the women in those days.  Their roles as daughters, sisters, and wives were defined by their femininity, mainly to give birth to children and with that to continue on the lineage.  I found myself envying the women because they had a special place where they could gather and find sympathy during their difficult times when felt ill or just didn’t want to see any man.  The red tent refers to the place where they would gather and sleep during their monthly menstruation, and also where they would birth their babies and be taken care of by the mid-wives and other women.  That must have been very comforting for the women during the ages where luxury and cleanliness was not as easily to come by.

I had learned of all the sons Jacob had by the four different wives.  I was not aware that he had only one daughter.  In Genesis, Chapter 34, Dinah is mentioned as the one who was defiled by a young man from another tribe.    

 

Dinah must have had a special role among all the girls in Jacob’s tribe, since she is the only one mentioned by name (Gen 46:15).  In some accounts it is believed that she bore a daughter, Asneth, from her relationship with Shechem which was adopted by Potiphera, the priest of On, a priest in Egypt.  As by Divine Guidance, she was later given to Joseph as his wife when he became the prime minister in Egypt.  Aseneth became the mother of Ephraim and Manasseh (Genesis 41:50).  

 

As the story goes in the Red Tent, Dinah meets her brother Joseph (by the other wife of Jacob, Rachel) and his two sons after he became a high official under the Pharaoh.

 

The Old Testament is very clear about lineage.  God wanted to raise a pure family tree where the descendants would be obedient to God and his laws.  That’s why Ephraim and Manasseh are often mentioned as example of integrity and obedience; they were raised in Egypt, but with the values and traditions of their tribal father Jacob.

 

One thing I didn’t like about the book was how Ms. Diamant portrayed Jacob.  As Father Moon relates to us in his historical sermon on Jacob’s Course and Our Life in Faith from 5-27-1973, Jacob is the position to represent God.  With the help of his mother Rebekah, Jacob obtained the birthright from his brother Esau (Genesis 27)  and with the blessing of Isaac left for Haran to get married. 

 

Jacob agreed faithfully to serve Laban, his uncle for 21 years.  He was deceived by Laban who promised him to give him Rachel, the younger daughter, but as it turned out, Laban gave him Leah, the oldest daughter (Gen. 29:15-30).  He had to work another seven years to get Rachel, and finally another 7 years to qualify to inherit some of the herds he had tended and multiplied.  Because of Jacob’s endurance God could bless him with 12 sons and daughters, a total of 33 children (this included some grandchildren).  He also inherited animals and other goods before the whole tribe went back to Canaan. 

Jacob was in the position of Abel, restoring the position of the younger brother.  After he fulfilled his 21 years of service in Haran, he wrestled with an angel and was given the name Israel, the victor (Genesis 35:10).

 

It seemed that God was guiding Jacob’s family all the way.  When he returned to Canaan he met his brother Esau (Gen. 33:1-14) and they embraced and united.  Even after the tribe made the mistake regarding the revenge of Dinah (Gen. 34:18-31) God would blessed them again.

 

It seemed that many cruel things went on, when we think of the selling of Joseph into slavery by his own brothers.  But God has a longer vision for the lives of his children.  When Joseph arrived in Egypt (Gen. 39-41) he was able to interpret the Pharaoh’s dreams which gave him favors, and soon he was elevated as the ruler of Egypt because he had proven himself as a man of integrity.  When the famines came to Canaan, Jacob brought his whole tribe to Egypt and they lived there for a while in plenty under the protection of Joseph.

 

Only when we see our lives from a higher (God’s) point of view, can we make some sense of our lives.  Even that may take a lifetime, or even go beyond one generation, since restoration takes a long time.

My Own Memorial Day 2013

As we as we are celebrating this Memorial Day in these United States of America, as we are honoring our brave soldiers who served in foreign lands, I want to add reflecting and praying for those men and women who became heroes by default.  I am thinking of those whom I wrote about in one of my last blogs, those who lost their lives working in concentration camps.  We often hear about the 6,000 Jews who perished in the gas chambers of Auschwitz, Buchenwald or Sachsenhausen.  It was the most cruel and senseless crime ever committed on humans.  None-the-less let us not forget the other captives, who came from more than 21 countries who died working in the dark tunnels of the Kohnstein mountain.  They didn’t commit any crime; they became prisoners of war, many of them educated engineers and highly qualified men who were used by a brutal regime.  Or the many other humans who have fallen into slavery or tyranny at the mercy of bullies and dictators.  All of them had families, lovers, children, who often didn’t know how their loved one died.  They also deserve to be mourned and celebrated for their sacrifices.

 

If God listened to the prayers of men, all men would quickly have perished: for they are forever praying for evil against one another.
~ Epicurus

I build this small memorial in my back yard

 It is my own reflection as I am listening to the patriotic songs and hear stories of valor and service.  Wherever men and women give their lives for a higher purpose, they are worthy of our admiration.