A Righteous Gentile Lectures Christians on the True Redemption

The ever-amazing Camie Davis breaks the news to Christians about what the true Redemption is all about. (from Templenow.blogspot.com)

"It's not about you. It's about Israel. Yes, Israel meaning the Jews. Still God's chosen people, i.e. still the chosen representatives of God, still the light to the Nations."

Camie Davis

A Challenge to Christians

Christians, how can I put this delicately? Okay, I can’t. So I’ll just say it. “It’s not all about you.” When the Bible speaks about Israel, it’s not talking about you. The End Times that you seem to get a bit overly excited about, are not all about you. And when the Bible speaks about a Temple, it’s literal, i.e. its about a building, it’s not waxing poetic about a figurative you.

Okay, I’ll be nice now. Because if you are a Christian I really do want you to keep reading. So let me start over with a little story. My sister and her husband just returned from a business trip to China. As their tour guide showed them Tiananmen Square she said, "I heard that there might have been some demonstrations here several years ago. But I've never been able to find out if that is true or not. Is it true?"

That is one of the saddest commentaries on life that I've heard in a long time. Suppression of information. Disinformation. People are kept from truth in so many areas, be it religion, health, governments, the economy, etc. Being a card-carrying Temple fanatic though, my thoughts quickly jumped to one particular subject in which people are sadly, and even pathetically uniformed or misinformed. The subject being Christians' beliefs about the Temple.

For those of you who don’t know, the Christian Bible consists of the Chistian books attached to the Tanach. It’s great on one hand that Christians can so conveniently read the Tanach. What’s not so great though, is a nasty little theological habit Christians have. They write-off whole books of the Tanach in favor of a belief they have based on one or two New Testament scriptures. This is partially how the Holy, awe-inspiring, haven of peace, dwelling place of God, desire of God, command of God became reduced to a temple for the malevolent boogeyman known as the anti-Christ. Christians read the lines in 2 Thessalonians 2:3&4 and snub everything the holy Prophets of Israel had to say about the importance of the Temple, not only in the past, but in the future as well.

So I’ll just stop right here and commence to begging. Please. Please. If you are a Christian who associates God’s Holy Temple as the temple of the anti-Christ, don’t do that. Ever again. Take a break from reading fictional books about the End Times. Take a break from reading theological guesses about the End Times. Instead read Books like Isaiah (especially chapter 2 & chapter 60). Read Ezekiel (especially from chapter 40 to the end of the Book.) Read educational materialbased on Jewish thought and theology. Come on, I dare you. And read these things without the ignorance or arrogance of “it’s all about me.” It’s not about you. It’s about Israel. Yes, Israel meaning the Jews. Still God’s chosen people; i.e. still the chosen representatives of God, still the Light to the nations.

I’m not interested in challenging all of Christian theology. But I know so many Christians who love and support Israel, yet remain clueless about the Temple. To them the Temple is just another game-piece in events they think must happen in the End Times.

When I read the following quote from the novel The Sweetness of Tears, I thought it was an apt, sad summation of most Christians’ mind-set about the Temple, “When I see your friends on television, going around rubbing their hands with glee at the thought of Armageddon, it makes me cringe. All this talk of End Times! It’s like they’re playing some kind of board game with the Bible. Like the war and death they see happening in the world is just another move forward, roll the dice, and full steam ahead. Yippee! Jesus is coming! And we’re all going to win!”

If you are going to get excited about the so called End Times then get excited about how an original Jewish source, Isaiah, said it would end. The affluence of the West will be turned over to Israel. Kings and leaders from the nations will lick the dust at the feet of the Jews. A Body of Justice will be established in Jerusalem that the entire world will look to for decisions. No more suppression of information or disinformation as the Torah will be taught to all and will be accepted as the supreme Truth. The Jews will live in peace and security in the Land of Israel. People from around the world will come to Jerusalem, to the Holy Temple, each Sabbath and New Moon to worship the God of Israel. (See there’s a little bit about you!) And the Jewish leader and figure-head known as the Messiah will partake in the Divine Service and offerings at the rebuilt Holy Temple.

Not exactly the scenerio you are expecting? That’s okay. It will happen whether you believe it or not. But do you know what else could happen. You could let go of man-made traditions and theology and jump on board to God’s way of thinking. You could ask God to show you what to believe about the Temple and perhaps for the first time open your heart and mind to the beauty, the holiness, and the need for the Temple. Come on, I dare you.

Business Tip in Forbes Magazine: Try Acts of Kindess

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Submitted by Y. H.

FORBESWOMAN 

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4/30/2012

By Natalie Peace, Contributor
Building successful businesses based on integrity and generosity.

The Right Side of Your Brain, Acts of Kindness, and The Power of a Story

As human beings, we make meaning of our personal lives through stories. Same thing for our businesses. So, why not ensure that the stories told about your business are great ones?

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I’ve seen firsthand how this works beautifully. My business story comes from a unique program invented during a brainstorming session with my management team. We created an event called 22 Days of Kindness.

Over these 22 days, rather than paying my employees for their regular work duties, I paid them to spend their entire shift doing acts of kindness for others.

I empowered my employees to make their own choices about how to “spend” their kindness. One employee put flowers and inspirational notes on car windshields outside our store front. Another employee offered to wash neighboring business’s windows.

Each of my 50 employees could choose to do anything they wanted for their shift, the only request I made was that when someone thanked them they would suggest that the recipient of the act of kindness “pay it forward.”  At the end of their shifts, each employee would record their acts of kindness in a team journal — where they would gain inspiration from each other.

Altogether these acts of kindness created a beautiful collection of stories, and the entire event left a lasting impression on our community and my employees.

My business story continues to reap rewards. How? Even though I sold my businesses a few months ago, the new owner still receives resumes from highly qualified applicants who specifically say they’re applying because they’d heard and loved the story of our 22 Days of Kindness event.

What’s even more amazing is that those 22 days took place nearly two years ago! People continue to share the story of a business that went above and beyond to make an intentional community contribution.

Let’s be honest, when the idea for the 22 Days of Kindness event unfolded with my management team, I had no idea just how many rewards it would reap. I knew it would generate goodwill in the community, through the kindness acts themselves. I also knew it would offer rewards for my employees, who felt amazing doing the acts of kindness. But I could not have predicted how beneficial this would become for my business itself.

Every act of kindness became a story worth repeating – and the entire event itself is a great story now synonymous with my business.

I made a purposeful investment in integrity and generosity. Although I wasn’t looking for a specific return, this investment clearly paid off on multiple bottom lines.

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As Daniel Pink shares in his book “A Whole New Mind,” the new world of business is increasingly responsive to “right-brain” thinkers. This is great news because our right brain is responsible for empathy, connection, our sense of a greater meaning in life, and surprise surprise, the processing of stories.

Instead of sharing only numbers, charts, and graphs with your stakeholders, I’m suggesting you tap into the right side of the brain and bring humanity back into your business.

Redemption Inspires A Rabbi's Music Video.

Redemption is catching on.  Rabbi Pinchas Winston has set his yearning for Redemption to a soulful, catchy beat that earnestly reaches out to fellow Jews. However, a few caveats regarding his lyrics: First, the Lubavitcher Rebbe has said that the "sparks" (a Chassidic concept) have been elevated. The Jewish people have completed the work of the Exile. We are actually in the time of the true and complete Redemption. Rabbi Winston asks, "What do we have to do?" The answer lies in opening our eyes to the time we are in, refining ourselves further through learning about the era of Redemption, through prayer, and through adding in goodness and kindness. Also, it is incumbent on the Jewish people to publicize the 7 Noahide Laws to the nations of the world. And one further thing: acknowledging the Rebbe as Moshiach.  This is our part. And the One Above will do (and is doing) His part. And together, all of us. with G-d's help, will reveal this new era.

Flying Whale by Baruch Nachshon

Crowd Cheers As High School Track Champ Helps Competitor Over the Finish Line

When helping each other becomes more important than your own personal goals, you can say that this is "Redemption behavior." The best part of this story is that it made national news.


WLS state champ lends a helping hand

Meghan Vogel

By Dave Long, Contributing Writer, Springfield News-Sun                                          Updated 11:37 AM Sunday, June 3, 2012                             

COLUMBUS — Lending a helping hand was more satisfying than winning a state championship Saturday for Meghan Vogel.

The West Liberty-Salem High School junior was the surprise winner in the Division III girls 1,600 meters in the finals of the state track meet at Ohio State’s Jesse Owens Stadium.

She broke away from race favorite Tammy Berger of Versailles and Delainey Phelps of Toledo Christian with 300 meters to go. She won going away in 4:58.31. It was the first time she had broken the five-minute mark.

What Vogel did at the end of the D-III 3,200 meters, however, got her a standing ovation.

Within 20 feet of the finish line, Arden McMath, a sophomore from Arlington High School, collapsed in front of Vogel. Rather than run by her, Vogel helped McMath to her feet and helped her across the finish line.

The crowd came to its feet with the roar growing louder with each step.

“Helping her across the finish line was a lot more satisfying than winning the state championship,” admitted Vogel.

By rule, a runner in track or cross country is automatically disqualified for aiding another runner. In this instance, however, meet management took no action. McMath was given 14th place in 12:29.90 and Vogel 15th in 12:30.24. Vogel made sure McMath crossed the finish line first because she had been ahead of her.

“What a selfless act,” said Arlington coach Paul Hunter. “She could have just gone around Arden. But she chose to help. I’ve never seen that at a state meet. That’s real sportsmanship.”