Pedro Melendez Amnesia: 1: loss of memory due usually to brain injury, shock, fatigue, repression, or illness 2: a gap in one’s memory 3: the selective overlooking or ignoring of events or acts that are not favorable or useful to one’s purpose or position (Webster).
Amnesia, as Webster’s definition #1 says, has been the subject of many stories — real or imagined. An outstanding example is the true story of Anastasia, the Russian czar’s heiress who had amnesia and had forgotten who she really was.
Many who profess faith in Christ believe in His first and second coming to this our planet earth. They would refer to the “first” coming as God’s miraculously becoming a human fetus in the womb of the virgin Mary. This is theologically called “the incarnation.” The well-told story is found in Luke 1-2 and in parallel accounts in Matthew 1-2 and John 1. Many people around the world celebrate December 25 as the supposed date of the birth of Jesus Christ. In fact, Christmas is also often called Jesus’ “Advent,” which is another word for “coming.” (As we’d say, “With the advent of the computer, manual typewriters have now become junk to most people, or at best museum pieces.”) [See: True Worship and Feast of John the Baptist.]
Grabbing the world’s attention nowadays, as I write, is the just over two-month-old “martial law” declared in May 2017, throughout the southern Philippine island of Mindanao, by President Rodrigo “Digong” Roa-Duterte. Martial law was imposed by Duterte because of “rebellion” and threat to national security and integrity by the ISIS [Islamic State]-inspired “Maute” group, comprised mainly by ethnic Maranao Muslims and led by one with the family name “Maute.” The 90% Islamic City of Marawi, in the Mindanao Province of Lanao del Sur, was the target of the “Maute” group for establishing a province of the Islamic “caliphate,” much like what happened in Syria and Iraq. [See: The Children of Abraham.]
On the 24th of June each year many people in the Philippines celebrate what the Roman Catholic Church has designated as the Feast of Saint John the Baptist. The same feast is also celebrated in most other countries where there are Roman Catholics.
In many cities, towns and barrios in the Philippines people would traditionally douse water on their neighbors and passersby on this day. This is supposedly to commemorate the birth of the prophet John, who went about baptizing in all of Judea during the time of Jesus Christ (the first century A.D.).
In the Philippines, as in other countries, great value, weight or importance is placed upon the firstborn child in the family. As the firstborn (eldest) son or daughter, the panganay (Tagalog) or kinamaguangan (Cebuano) is traditionally raised up to be a kind of surrogate father or mother to help take care of the younger siblings. This was the practice especially when Filipino families were large.
The kakâ, as Tagalogs address the eldest sibling in the family, often helps discipline the younger siblings. In some cases the kakâ is expected, or chooses, to help in supporting the schooling of their younger siblings. Some firstborn here have ended up becoming old maids or old bachelors while thus supporting their siblings and, in some cases, their elderly or sickly parents, too.
It is a long-accepted truism that mankind is a bundle of extremes. Like a pendulum, at one time men’s opinion on a matter may swing one way and the next time the other way. For example, years ago baggy pants were the fashion. Now trendy pants are as tight as they can be!
But at most times men tend to be “polarized” — some people are camped in one opinion while others are camped in an opposite opinion. America’s well-established two-party political system is a good example of polarity.
Hebrews 10:4 declares: “For it is impossible that the blood of bulls and goats could take away sins.” But how come, in Leviticus 4 and 5, for example, there is abundant mention of sin and trespass offering of bulls and goats, and through them the sins of the people of Israel were forgiven (Leviticus 4:19, 26, 35; 5:10, 13, 16, 18).
How do we reconcile this seeming discrepancy?
“Fake news! Fake news!” Just about the whole world has heard those words hurled at media in recent weeks by a head-of-state. And media has fought back in what would look like a protracted word war. That war is even threatening to escalate into physical violence!
Who’s to tell what’s fake and what’s real? Why do some people talk about “true facts” — insinuating that there are “false facts?” But a “fact” is fact because it is true! The Merriam Webster Dictionary defines “fact” as “something that truly exists or happens.” Otherwise, the thing is mere “fiction” — not real or actual. Fake! A product merely of one’s imagination!
John 3:16 — that famous quote from the “beloved disciple” of Jesus Christ (John 13:23; 21:20-24) — declares: “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” Yet the same apostle John also wrote: “Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him” (1 John 2:15).
As many people reckon time, a new year — 2017 — has just broken. [See: “Happy New Year!”] For many, this also is a time to make “New Year’s resolutions,” a time to change — usually for the better. But, as many ruefully find out while the days, weeks and months roll by, those resolutions are soon forgotten and fall by the wayside. “Maybe next year again?” they console themselves.
Why do men need to change, whereas God says, “I do not change” (Malachi 3:6)? Just what does God mean by that?