Some culture...

For those not familiar of my Bible study method, it involves a Bible, notebook, pen, and categories list. The list is one I made; things I'm interested in. I read the list to have the categories fresh in my mind; then start reading a part of the Bible. If I see something in the text that matches something in the categories, I make a note in the notebook. When I'm looking for things, I find more; as opposed to merely reading without the categories. They are whatever you're interested in; for example: Calvinism, end of O.T. law, miracles, etc.

  Recent notes for Genesis 31:52 are: 9 Political, 35 Forms of Government. These two categories are seldom used, probably because I'm more interested in others. The second one includes family as a form of government. The context is Jacob leaving Laban; this was long ago. I wrote:

In that time and place, what other government was there? Even if there was a government over the area; this monument stood as a reminder of a declaration between these two men. Maybe I could call it a culturally authorized arrangement. Is this why the current populace of the U.S. doesn't value its own constitution? Its a arrangement from a previous culture.

A different culture indeed. Notice the nurse that disregards her quarantine. Either she's privy to information the rest of us aren't; or she just says "the hell with everyone else." Speaking of Ebola, I was thinking about the way states are taking protection into their own hands. I thought that when I get time, I should make a cartoon of an angry President Obama gritting his teeth and wanting to retaliate against those states, the same way he forbade states to protect the southern border. Then on the radio, at about 4:38 pm Monday October 27th, 2014, on WUOT, I hear that over the weekend, the president was pressuring states regarding these protective measures. This is surreal man. The nurse isn't concerned with what happens to us, the president is, but his intent looks hostile. This is surreal man!

  There are a number of things to ponder here. Maybe a stretch, but I'm reminded of the days prior to our Civil War; a group of states resisting the will of the federal government. Then there's the Army setting up quarantine for its troops. Maybe a coup is a "million miles away", but could this be remembered as the day the military started acting on its own? What's more important to me is that I shouldn't any longer have to explain to people I know why I want to leave the country. There's no way of repaying the national debt, economic troubles are inevitable. When the collapse or civil war comes, a replacement government will be needed. But it's like the line from the movie, "who you gonna call"? Who will fill all the positions required? The nurse is a typical sample of Homo Americanus. Traits include re-electing a destructive president. Symptoms also include not being shocked that one of the largest states now has a law allowing transgendered school children to choose which bathroom they identify with. A majority of Americans are not capable of governing or selecting a government. If by some unbelievable stretch you actually put in a conservative government, at least half of the population will vote for self destruction as soon as possible. What will you do with these people? You're stuck. You're toast; I'm hoping to leave.

  Speaking of culture, I was sure I had previously written about an incident between our clan, and a neighboring clan over chonder in the other valley. I can't find it in a search, and, in order to relate what happened a few days ago, I need to tell it. Pardon the length of this post.

 At least a year ago, I was informed that a group of men from their family had beaten a lone member of our clan, my brother in law. People were quite upset about it. I guess charges weren't filed, but I was expected to go confront these guys. It's my thought that if a woman is left to do a man's job too many times, she'll start acting like a man. I have a keen appreciation of things feminine, and I'm not looking forward to any gender role modifications. "Tell them they had better stop doing this." Says I:Um, look, there are only two possibilities here; either I'm in essence begging, or there's a fight. And in my estimation, if they're not Christian, that's the appropriate response to a threat, to immediately challenge the enforcement of the order. Those are the only two possibilities. I don't mind doing your bidding, but I want you to at least acknowledge that this is most likely a fight.

It was a matter of serious prayer. Being that we try to keep government involvement to a minimum, and so do they, it was reasonable that we confront them, but I just couldn't see a third option. I had an afternoon off from work so I needed to deal with this; but had to wait till those guys got home. I thought about going out in the hay field and doing some martial arts stretches; which I hadn't done in 20 years. I never was a star student in the Dojo anyway; more like the cigarette smoking doof. That or I could go up to the ridge and split firewood for the widow lady. I went up the ridge, had a grand time splittin' and talkin'. She told me some history, and gave me a jar of home made Chow-Chow when I left. Never had it before, hit wuz right delicious.  Then it came to me, praise God, there IS a third option. I remembered Proverbs 15; where it says that the eyes of the Lord are in every place, beholding the evil and the good. I would go with a Bible in my hand, and point out that they shouldn't think they're getting away with this thing.

  That's what I did. It didn't mean I felt completely safe; I was headed toward a group of rough guys, and remember, up there in the woods, there's no eyewitnesses. I don't sing to myself often, and maybe the world's better off for it, but that day, I was a-singin'. Martin Luther's "A mighty Fortress" to be exact. I finally found these guys, they came out of the house as a group, and didn't look happy. I walked to them, large print Bible in hand. Conversation was tense at first, but a few of these guys are old friends, so things got more kindly as time went on. They related the incident from their perspective. I found it believable, because one admitted to throwing the first punch. He said he kept being pushed back, and realizing the inevitable, swung. They told how this was just the latest in a series of conflicts caused by my relative's 'condition'. I'll spare the details, but I'm well aware of the man's 'habits'. That, and I've been the 'black sheep' in our clan before; I prefer to do my own investigating before I take sides. Finally, I convinced them that I believed their account, and we were chatting like old friends would under other circumstances. We almost made a horse trade (literally) but I figured I didn't want to show up with news of an equine purchase. Not from them anyway. My report wasn't received at first, but later on, everyone was given solid evidence to validate it.

  So fast forward to the other day, there was another incident, no details here, other than it wasn't a repeat of the previous incident. I asked them if they reported it; they had. We conversed awhile, their intent was to inform our family about the situation unfolding. I guess that since I went before with a Bible instead of a fist, I'm now the liaison of sorts. Back to culture, the Hill People's like that, they sought a peaceful resolve. Be careful how the media portrays Hill People, it's usually incorrect. Be careful how they portray anybody, for that matter.