China and Iran : Verbs becoming Nouns? ( Rework A)

 

China and Iran : Verbs becoming Nouns?

 (Rework A)

 

It's been said that China may be an unofficially Christian nation in the next 30 years. 

Iran with its underground church is similarly poised to be a Christian majority nation by the next 50 years as some estimates go! Some sooner,some later!

Estimates vary from 130 million to 300 million Christians in the current state in China!

As the underground church in China continues to grow, efforts to suppress it seem only to fertilise its growth instead.

I've flagged similar smuggled out  documentaries/whispered narratives/ confessions about the underground church in Iran. With a senior Iranian  cleric confessing that they've had to close 50,000 mosques out of 75,000 total there. For lack of interest.

Either  Axis nation is mirroring each other in their response to significant changes within. 

 

What began as anecdotes about Iran and the Middle East with many citizens talking of visions/ dreams of a white robed figure explaining how 'I am Jesus whom you are asking for' during the watches of the night. Seems now peace by piece in the Middle East.

Even closer is the reality of Christian faith growing in increasingly hostile Western societies with real precedents of surprising survey outcomes in the UK and AU.  Such results are heartening and illustrated the uptick in interest and resurgence of the ancient Faith. 

Gen Z globally is now leading the way in the light of recent events  in the US revealing previously hidden but solid substratum of tantalisingly conservative political and cultural significance. This above statement does not ignore the very massive numbers pivot point in Turning Point USA. While a few universities plumb the dark depths,others highlight the sunshine of mountain-top youth with rallies bordering on ecstatic revivals.  

 Older Wisdom is relevant and remarkably relatable in our contemporary societies.

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The tectonic shifts of centre -right from centre-left populations are more 'realistic' with each passing solar revolution!

Meanwhile in Nigeria and Sudan, thousands of Christians are being slaughtered monthly by Muslim extremists or Islamists.  Realistic numbers of refugees,churches torched and martyrs killed vary, but the international community is silent as a noisy wheel hub greased by elitist ruling Gov'ts of some major Western nations.

 Noisy fortunately on Gaza, silent  unfortunately elsewhere.

Is this some sort of political whack- a - mole deadly game? I say this hesitantly because i don't wish to trivialise real deaths of real people who live under the tormenting threat of Muslim political violence daily.

Their only aim is to destroy the Christian community of their countries. A kind of Klingon inspired surreptitious global War on Christians by stealth. 

Why, you ask?

It seems,why not ? [notably the international press lacking any real journalistic favour or fervour in reporting the ongoing  deadly reality]

What is it about Christianity that so much visibility about it sunrises upon this  thawing hyper- connected  world?

(Opinion and fact  by Digital Anvil)

 

 

Empires Rise and Fall:

 

 

When I am in a mischievous mood, I say to people

‘I was born in a country that no longer exists.’ When I tell people that, they give me strange looks, as if I was maybe born in Saturn or Narnia.

But I assure them that my place of birth is not the stuff of futuristic scapes or fantasy. After they make a poor guess or two I put their confusion to rest by way of clarifying, I was born in the Federal Republic of Germany or West Germany for short.’

The Federal Republic of Germany came into existence because of a string of empires that rose and fell before it: the Kingdom of Prussia (1701–1871), then the German Empire (1871–1917), then the Weimar Republic (1918–33), then the German Reich (1931–45).

After the Second W. War, the country was partitioned into West and East Germany (1945–90), by the victorious Allies and then, after the Berlin Wall came down, the country was again unified as a new nation.

 

Of course if you are from the continent of Africa, something like that could play as well. Or from a nation in the shifting sands of the Middle East. The above illustrates well the morphing nature of the world around us and  humankind's role.

If you have a similar story, drop a comment,let us know?

 

Bravely Fought World.

In this bravely fought world the maxim or tagline of the philosopher, Descartes: "i think therefore I am" is replaced by " i feel therefore I am right."

Agree or ?

( Opinion by Digital Anvil)

Material Wealth does not provide happiness?

Daily Nudge by Karl Faase and Olive Tree Media

Materialistic Values Not Making Us Happier

US academic Tim Kasser from Knox College Illinois has done a study on what makes us happy.

Surprisingly he has found that material prosperity, rather than making us happy, has, in fact, the very opposite effect. He found that those focused on materialism have a greater risk of depression, physical irritations, drug abuse and poor personal relationships. This was true whether you were successful at acquiring wealth or just motivated by acquisition.

So where do we go to find happiness and a sense of personal well-being? Another study by David Meyers says that the answers can be found in four areas:

1. Be sure to have good friends and build deep personal relationships

2. Reach out to those in need. Look beyond yourself in life

3. Find work which engages your skills

4. Look after your soul.

Meyers wants to remind us of the importance of looking beyond the physical to the spiritual, to take time to reach out to God. A personal relationship with God is the best investment you will make.

(My earnest thanks for daily-reading by Karl Faase.)

(The) Use of Broken Things

 

   

(THE) USE OF BROKEN THINGS

God uses broken things?

 

 THE SKILLED BLOWS OF GOD

 

 It takes broken soil to produce a crop, broken clouds to give rain, broken grain to give bread, broken bread to give strength. It is the broken alabaster box that gives forth perfume … it is Peter, weeping bitterly, who returns to greater power than ever. Vance Havner

Many years ago, there was found in an African mine the most magnificent diamond in the world’s history. It was presented to the king of England to blaze in his crown or state. The king sent it to Amsterdam to be cut. It was put into the hands of an expert lapidary. And what do you suppose he did with it? He took the gem of priceless value, and cut a notch in it. Then he struck a hard blow with his instrument and lo! the superb jewel lay in his hand cleft in two. Did he do this out of recklessness, wastefulness, and criminal carelessness? Indeed not! For days and weeks that blow had been studied and planned. Drawings and models had been made of the gem. Its quality, its defects, its lines of cleavage had all been studied with minutest care. The man to whom it was committed was one of the most skillful lapidaries in the world.

Was that blow a mistake? 

It was the climax of the lapidary’s skill. When he struck that blow, he did the one thing which would bring that gem to its most perfect shapeliness, radiance, and jeweled splendor. That blow which seemed to ruin the superb precious stone was, in fact, its perfect redemption. From those two halves were wrought two magnificent gems which the skilled eye of the lapidary saw hidden in the rough, uncut stone as it came from the mine.

Sometimes, God lets a stinging blow fall upon your life. The blood spurts; the nerves wince. The soul cries out in agony. The blow seems to you an appalling mistake.
 

But it is not, for you are the most priceless jewel in the world to God. And He is the most skilled lapidary in the universe.

Let us beware of questioning the methods and approaches of almighty God. We lie in His hands, and He knows just how to deal with us.

 

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 James S. Hewett, ed., Illustrations Unlimited:

 

"CK... showed people the Light"

'CK was murdered by the dark because he showed People the Light.'

 Was His End just the Beginning ?