To redeem means to gain (or regain) possession of something in exchange for payment. To the ancient Hebrews, a redeemer (“goel”) was a relative who would purchase back someone who had been sold into debt slavery (a “bondservant”), or repurchase and return property that had been sold due to poverty. Jesus Christ is the great … Read more
In the book of Leviticus, the Lord commanded from Sinai that when the children of Israel came to the promised land they should keep every seventh year as a Sabbatical year (Shmita) for the land. They were not to sow the fields or harvest (except that anyone could pick the fruit for personal use). Shmita … Read more
But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition.For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. 1 Timothy … Read more
I could stand in the middle of Fifth Avenue and shoot somebody and I wouldn’t lose any voters. Donald Trump, Iowa, January 23, 2016 Donald Trump’s approval rating among Americans has always been between 37 and 45 percent. Just over a third of our citizens seem to support him no matter what he says or … Read more
It has become clear to me recently that the reason rampant wickedness causes great civilizations to fall is because wicked societies allow selfish incompetents to take over the government. Then, when a crisis comes along, it gets mishandled and turns into a disaster. (Yes, the coronavirus pandemic is what helped me see this). In the … Read more
Marxism, at least as implemented in the failed former Soviet Union, was heavily criticized in the United States in 1950s and 60’s as “godless communism.” However, despite the efforts of the Soviet Communist Party to destroy religion by confiscating religious property, harassing, persecuting, even executing believers, and promoting atheism in the schools and in the … Read more
3 And because my words shall hiss forth—many of the Gentiles shall say: A Bible! A Bible! We have got a Bible, and there cannot be any more Bible. 2 Nephi 29:3 I was an LDS missionary in the mid-1970s in the Southern United States — the Bible Belt. We missionaries had a special connection to … Read more
For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect. Matthew 24:24 In 1978, the IRS revoked the tax exempt status of “Christian” Bob Jones University (Greenville, South Carolina) due to its racist policies. The next year, … Read more