How to run Kubernetes on Windows 11

 I am documenting this because it took a lot of effort to get to these steps and will be useful to someone else.

One cannot use WSL and Docker to run networking on Kubernetes. See this note

> The network is limited if using the Docker driver on Darwin, Windows,

> or WSL, and the Node IP is not reachable directly.

The solution was to 

1) remove minikube from WSL

    minikube delete --purge

2) Then installed VirtualBox on Windows

3) Install Ubuntu

4) Install docker then minikube on Ubuntu

5) Start minikube

    minikube start --memory=6g --cpus=4 --driver=docker --cni=calico

If necessary, set the context:

kubectl config view

kubectl config use-context minikube

kubectl config set-context --current --namespace=default

Now

$ k get pods -A

NAMESPACE     NAME                               READY   STATUS    RESTARTS      AGE

kube-system   coredns-787d4945fb-c5lf2           1/1     Running   0             76s

kube-system   etcd-minikube                      1/1     Running   0             90s

kube-system   kube-apiserver-minikube            1/1     Running   0             88s

kube-system   kube-controller-manager-minikube   1/1     Running   0             88s

kube-system   kube-proxy-ctcsl                   1/1     Running   0             76s

kube-system   kube-scheduler-minikube            1/1     Running   0             90s

kube-system   storage-provisioner                1/1     Running   1 (64s ago)   85s

Now all the networking that earlier failed, is now working!

TaDa! 😋

Stop the appeasement of suicide, Christianity's new battlefront

 Stop the appeasement of suicide, Christianity's new battlefront

10/13/2019

After I wrote this article, I read on the BBC news about a young Olympic hopeful who hanged herself in the woods behind her home. A year later, her grieving mother said, “Your children… are people and they've got minds of their own, but you can have time to sit and listen to them, or just take on board if they have said something to you, don't just disregard it.” [1]

It is disturbing to learn that in the USA alone, 129 people kill themselves daily [2]. The government agency Center for Disease Control says that, “Suicide rates went up more than 30% in half of states since 1999” and “More than half of people who died by suicide did not have a known mental health condition” [3]. “In 2017, suicide was the second leading cause of death for persons aged 10–24,”.[4, 15]  With the recent high profile suicides of pastors (Jarrid Wilson, Jim Howard, John Garner, Andrew Stoecklin, Bill Lenz, Berry Dambaza [13]...), and of the family members of Christian leaders in the recent past (son of Rick and Kay Warren, son of Jack Deere...) we realize that even Christian families are not immune to this scourge.

But what is new is the appeasement of suicide. I was reading the responses to those suicides and was surprised at some of the responses by even church leaders.

Every response I read spoke of mental illness and depression. To repeat, even though the CDC says that, “More than half of people who died by suicide did not have a known mental health condition”. Just a sampling:

This article on Break Point by a well known Christian leader says it is all due to mental illness [5].

Jarrid Wilson’s boss, Greg Laurie, “addressed the subject of suicide among Christians, arguing that you will not be judged for the last thing you did before death. He was dealing with challenges, medical challenges and other extenuating circumstances we know nothing of.. It's really not fair to pass some judgment”.  [6]

On Howard... “.. would sometimes fail to take medication prescribed for his condition” [7]

On Wilson… “No more pain, no more struggle, you're made complete and you're finally free.” and “Happy 1st birthday in heaven” [8]

On Lenz… “Mental illness is a very dark thing. ” [9]

On Stoecklein... “People often see anxiety and depression as problems fixable with prayer alone.” and "We Don’t Believe it was a Decision” [10]

Rick Warren wrote, "this was an illness that was never fully controlled and the emotional pain resulted in his decision to take his life." [11]

They blame depression and mental illness and that is it. Yes, there is depression and mental illness but that is not all. Depression and mental illness are not the only villains in many cases - but they are easiest to blame. They are easy villains but not the only ones. Christian leaders should stop the appeasement of suicide because once they remove any stigma and it becomes justifiable and something to sympathize with then you will have a flood of suicides within the Christian community.

It has already lost its stigma in Europe.This Olympic medalist at the recent paralympics had a degenerative muscle loss but was otherwise in superb physical condition. Since she was Belgian, she wrote out euthanasia papers in advance like one plans for retirement. When she reached age 40, she summoned a doctor who put her to death last week. [12]

Suicide is the latest battle front in Christendom. Like opposing ends of a pincer, on the one side you have euthanasia which is propagated and promoted by the secular Left and now you have suicide by prominent Christians. I fear this will lead to legitimizing of suicide. In the rush towards grace to not condemn the suicide victim for his or her actions, they forget that there are many more victims those he left behind, those of his family members and people he had connections with.

Free Will and Personal Responsibility for one’s actions is replaced by, “you never had a choice because you are mentally ill or depressed”. 

It does not help when they say he's now in heaven celebrating his 1st birthday in heaven. It sounds like an escape mechanism from his troubles. I believe it is not established doctrine what exactly happens when we die. I know the passage where Jesus told the thief on the cross today you will be with me in paradise (Luke 23:43) and the passage that absent from the body and present with the Lord (2 Corinthians 5:8) but Paul also spoke of the saints being resurrected from the dead only when Jesus returns (1 Thessalonians 4:16). But suicide is not mentioned in these passages. Notice that even when Paul and his companions despaired of life, they never tried to kill themselves. I suggest we stop preaching and teaching as established doctrine where there is uncertainty. 

Again, if suicide is harmless and a lesser sin, then why didn’t apostle Paul and his companions attempt it when they were severely beaten, and lost hope of life”? How come even today, Christians who are persecuted, imprisoned and tortured do not take their own lives as a shortcut to heaven?

“We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about the hardships we suffered in the province of Asia. We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired even of life. Indeed, in our hearts we felt the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead. He has delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us. On him we have set our hope that he will continue to deliver us.” — 2 Corinthians 1:8-10 (NIV84)

I believe it is wrong for teachers to say those who commit suicide will go to hell - we do not really know. But it is even greater harm to just equate and normalize it as just another sin like greed or gluttony or lying. It is final with no return. It will destroy families and it will replicate itself among younger generations of that family - why would anyone want to do such a selfish thing, to bring this generational curse upon his or her own family?

The most compassionate thing one could do is to disapprove of the decision and the act of the suicide victim. Failing to do so will gain it legitimacy and justification and will encourage many more people to kill themselves [14]. Suicide is an act of utter selfishness. My heart anguishes over the agony that the wife and young children of these pastors who kill themselves. How will they go on living; how will the kids grow up? Utter selfishness. Yet everybody only has words of compassion for the suicide victim and Depression is the evil enemy that caused all this. Christian leaders should step up and teach that it is a choice,  an act of extreme selfishness and a sinful act. It is final. There is no turning back.  Nobody can come back to life after suicide at least not in this lifetime .... They should teach what trauma will result on those who are left behind,  on your family members. I read that adultery and suicide travel down generations ÷ it is true. 

Are you thinking of killing yourself or do you have friends and family who are despairing of life and you fear they could be next?

I would like to propose something to both of you.

If you are thinking of killing yourself then stop and consider that it is an incredibly selfish thing to do. Then look around you at the people in your family, extended family, friends and anyone connected to you . They could end up doing the same thing under your influence. 

Another thing to do is to stop the focus on yourself and help less fortunate people in the local community. For instance some good volunteer organizations help abused and neglected children. 

Instead of trying to take the solution into your own hands seek Jesus - cling to Jesus and let him rescue you from your pit of despair. Surrender to God and trust him with your situation. Read the Bible often and pray with the expectation that he will speak through the Holy Spirit to guide and help you. Also seek out another Christian (s) to read the Bible and pray together with - powerful things can happen. Allow others to help you by telling them what you are feeling and thinking, without shame or embarrassment. 

Long ago when I was a teenager growing up in India I reached the same point of contemplation but even though I was growing up in an evangelical Christian family and my grandparents were leaders in the local church there was a lot of dysfunction and spiritual pride, lack of openness and humility. Parents in those cultures could never apologize for wrong actions done to their children.

It is very awkward to suggest that the family members could be directly responsible or be a contributing factor for a person committing suicide. It is easier to blame the villain of depression or mental illness. It is easy to absolve oneself and the victim of responsibility. In the end it's not just one person  who kills himself who's the victim but all the people he leaves behind, to shatter their lives by his uncaring monumental selfishness. It is very difficult and painful for family members especially Christian leaders to face the fact that they maybe a contributing factor in the person committing suicide. 

About that time, I read a Reader’s Digest article on suicide that resonated with me. It said people commit suicide because they have lost their reason to live. The support that caused them to want to live is taken away from under them and they lost their reason to live. A second point is if you kill yourself look at your niece or son or nephew playing over there; they will do it 10 or 20 years from now. Just as Margaux Hemingway killed herself in the same way decades after her father, the famous author Ernest Hemingway shot himself.  A third reason to not kill yourself is you just might not succeed but would be left crippled or with disabling health conditions resulting from your failed suicide. 

For those who are connected to someone trying to kill themselves, please open your ears and have genuine conversations with the person. Do not turn a deaf ear. From my own experience I have seen that family members are a likely cause of people trying to kill themselves. If there's  dysfunction in the family,  address it; repent of any sin toward each other and stubbornness. Listen to the person with a tender heart. Do not be manipulated but allow your heart to be touched by God. Engage in genuine conversations.

A caring person does not have Deaf Ear disease. This goes both ways - the family of the despairing person should open their deaf ears to really listen, and the person himself should unblock his or her deaf ears.

It is a Western fix not just to blame depression but also to recommend clinical psychotherapy alone as the cure. Yes, there may be a medical basis for mental illnesses but can I suggest something else? Christians frequently grow up in very dysfunctional families. The family should sit down and honestly confess and repent of sins and ask for forgiveness from whom they have wronged. This will promote healing and love and life within the family. 

References: 

[1] Snowboarder and Olympic hopeful https://www.bbc.com/sport/winter-sports/49991840

[2] AFSP "Suicide statistics" https://afsp.org/about-suicide/suicide-statistics/ 

[3] CDC "Suicide rising across the US" https://www.cdc.gov/vitalsigns/suicide/index.html 

 

[4] CDC https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/databriefs/db352-h.pdf

[5] Jeremiah Johnston "A Light in the Darkness: How We Can All Help Prevent Suicides" http://www.breakpoint.org/2019/09/a-light-in-the-darkness-how-we-can-all-help-prevent-suicides/

[6] Greg Laurie "Greg Laurie on Jarrid Wilson suicide: We will not be judged for last moment before death" https://www.christianpost.com/news/greg-laurie-on-jarrid-wilson-suicide-we-will-not-be-judged-for-last-moment-before-death.html

[7] Howard "Pastor who fatally shot himself would sometimes stop taking medication, megachurch leader reveals" https://www.christianpost.com/news/pastor-who-fatally-shot-himself-would-sometimes-stop-taking-medication-megachurch-leader-reveals.html

[8] "Pastor Jarrid Wilson’s wife celebrates his first ‘birthday in heaven’ after suicide" https://www.christianpost.com/news/pastor-jarrid-wilsons-wife-celebrates-his-first-birthday-in-heaven-after-suicide.html

[9] "Bill Lenz, Pastor Who Dedicated Ministry to Suicide Prevention, Takes Own Life" https://www.christianpost.com/news/bill-lenz-pastor-who-dedicated-ministry-to-suicide-prevention-takes-own-life.html

[10] "‘We Don’t Believe it Was a Decision’: Pastor Andrew Stoecklein’s Wife Discusses Suicide With Lysa TerKeurst." https://www.faithwire.com/2018/11/29/we-dont-believe-it-was-a-decision-pastor-andrew-stoeckleins-wife-discusses-suicide-with-lysa-terkeurst/

[11] "Pastor Rick Warren blames son's death on depression" https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/04/06/church-pastor-rick-warrens-son-commits-suicide/2059193/

[12] "Marieke Vervoort: Paralympian ends life through euthanasia at age of 40" https://www.bbc.com/sport/disability-sport/50145393

[13] "Zimbabwean pastor with family history of suicides takes own life" https://www.christianpost.com/news/zimbabwean-pastor-with-family-history-of-suicides-takes-own-life.html

[14] Judoka Jack Hatton and Olympic hopeful 

https://www.bloodyelbow.com/2019/10/6/20899028/loss-of-olympic-hopeful-jack-hatton-highlights-mental-illness-in-top-athletes-jeremy-stephens-judo

[15]    "Suicide rate for kids ages 10 to 14 nearly tripled in last decade: CDC" https://www.christianpost.com/news/suicide-rate-kids-ages-10-to-14-nearly-tripled-last-decade-cdc.html

The Relapse of the Reformation

 The Protestant Reformation was supposed to correct the ills of the Catholic church. Instead, in America resembles what it tried to correct and dismantle. Senior pastor = Pope, Church building = Cathedral, Tithing = Sale of Indulgences (both false teachings), Pastor = Priest and so on. "Submission to Authority" is the iron rod used to beat us and that is why the flock is completely fleeced. The spiritual work is handled by the professionals. That is why it is a spectator sport now.

The Christian establishment in America has created a caste system in Christianity - the church staff and ministry leaders in the upper caste and the rest of us in the lower castes. We stopped attending "church" and only pray and worship together and have communion in our family at home. ("where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them" said Jesus).

Christian Elites and Lay Christians

 It is a holiday today and I called in on the AskDrBrown radio show.

I was on hold the entire hour. Towards the end, Michael Brown asked my question for me and when I tried to ask further, my line was cut off and dropped from the program. While I was patiently listening to them and waiting for Mattera and Brown to let me speak, I was thinking how true and relevant my question was - not just to prophets, but also the "offices" of pastor, teacher, prophet etc. Are they roles or offices? Professional Christians  including the two gentlemen (both PhDs) have defined them as offices. This has split American Christianity into two castes. The upper caste of Christian Elites, and the lower caste of us Ignorables. The Christian Elites have the microphone. They are pastors, worship leaders, church staff, seminary graduates, ministry leaders. The rest of, the Lay Christians are Cannon Fodder. We are to give 10% of our incomes as tithe, make up the numbers and volunteer when childcare, office cleaners and ushers are required. They say they are the church and quote all the scriptures to make us think that giving to them is giving to God. Serving them is serving God. They are destroying the real church. No wonder there are so many scandals among professional Christians (just go to christianpost.com to see one almost daily). No wonder so many lay Christians are wounded and devoured by the wolves. We were meant to be Living Stones (1 Peter 2), not Cannon Fodder! I have experienced this part of American Christianity for 24 years, and I am done with it. No More!

The solution to the Tithe controversy

 The solution to the tithe issue is found in the book of Acts. Seminaries should turn out bi-vocational pastors so that they can meet their financial needs and also earn some money from preaching. Seminaries should teach skills and trades like Plumbing, carpentry electrical, computer software, medical assisting Etc. Or even better, they should have tie-ups with the local trade schools so that those trade schools can teach them the skills. Then no pastor needs to feel he has to compromise and insist on people's tithing 10% of their income. Then whoever preaches the sermon and not just professional pastors, but even people from the congregation, can get paid for their sermon preparation and teaching. This is completely biblical. Then the line between professional Church staff and the lay congregation will be completely removed. This is biblical.

Currently pastors are only trained in theology and languages like Hebrew and Greek. They are unemployable in the secular world. If they leave their pastoring vocation they usually end up in lawn maintenance or sales jobs that don't require training or specialized skills. The income gap is too high. Hence they should learn a specialized trade as part of their Seminary degree and requirements.

As a software professional myself I can tell you that anyone who can get through Seminary can also learn 1 or 2 programming languages and a few computer subjects at the same time as part of their Seminary training and learn the basics of software and get a job as a software QA tester at least. This will help them in the hard times.

Are Evangelical Leaders Using Trump?

 Anil Philip 18 October, 2020

The split between the liberal and conservative factions of Evangelical Christianity is now well-known. The secular media covers it with glee; even Reuters front paged it [1] and the Atlantic claims Trump is using Evangelicals 2[]. 

Since Trump came to office he has enacted a mostly conservative policy. This has enraged the liberal factions but delighted the conservatives. As a result the liberal factions of evangelicalism have allied with secular liberals to support his impeachment and now, removal through the elections - should he lose. The conservatives are anxious that the causes they are passionate about and are biblically aligned should not be abandoned.

Are evangelical leaders really concerned about Trump (and his family’s) spiritual walk with the Lord?

Both factions are more concerned with his policies and personality than with his spiritual condition. It is almost as if they have turned into political leaders themselves.

Liberal Evangelicals despise Trump for his policies on Obamacare, Illegal Immigration, Environmentalism, his personality, past affairs and untruthfulness (when it concerns himself). They consider him to be a heathen.

They forget that all of us have sins in our past. Trump is not committing his infidelities now. They are in his past. He is a self-admitted Christian. They are not God to decide whether or not to admit him into Jesus’ Kingdom.

Conservative Evangelicals love his policies and ignore his personality and other traits. They have written articles and books seeing him as a God-appointed heathen King like Nebuchadnezzar, Cyrus and Darius [5,6,7]. They forget that we are in the New Testament church. Trump is a self-admitted Christian [3,4]. They had a responsibility to pastor his soul, not his administration. Has there been any attempt to disciple the "new born Christian"?

In 4 years, what has been the fruit. Does Trump read the life of Jesus in the Bible for himself and pray regularly? Does he have family prayers with his wife Melania and son Barron? Given he is silent on this topic, I suspect the answer is, No. 

The photo-ops with conservative evangelicals in the Oval Office praying for Trump seems like a political image intended to convey Support, Unity, Strength. But it also comes across as self-serving of them. 

It is almost as if they are attracted to the power rather than speaking truth to it - especially when it is uncomfortable. Paula White, Robert Jeffress, Brian Houston, Franklin Graham, Pat Robertson, Michael Brown and others[8]. 

Even if Trump’s faith isn’t sincere they should have walked with him towards a genuine and living faith. They could have encouraged Melania and Barron to have family prayers every night where Trump reads a passage from the gospels and they each pray in turn. Perhaps even sing a worship song together. Seeking God as a family.

Within Christianity, the real elites are those who have the microphone. The rest of us, our voices are not heard.

Pastors and Christian leaders, both local and national, call for repentance of the nation, but it seems to apply to others and not themselves. In the Old Testament, God rebukes the spiritual leaders for their unrighteousness. God is again shaking everything that can be shaken.

“Woe to you shepherds of Israel who only take care of yourselves! Should not shepherds take care of the flock? You eat the curds, clothe yourselves with the wool and slaughter the choice animals, but you do not take care of the flock. You have not strengthened the weak or healed the sick or bound up the injured. You have not brought back the strays or searched for the lost.” (Ezekiel 34:1-10)

“For the lips of a priest ought to preserve knowledge, and from his mouth men should seek instruction—because he is the messenger of the LORD Almighty. But you have turned from the way and by your teaching have caused many to stumble; you have violated the covenant with Levi," says the LORD Almighty.” (Malachi 2)

“And His voice shook the earth then, but now He has promised, saying, ‘Yet once more I will shake not only the earth, but also the heaven’.” (Hebrews 12:26)

It should concern us that Trump is untruthful, especially with regards to Covid-19 [9]. It should bother us that he never admits wrong nor apologizes nor asks God for forgiveness. Review the September 29 debate when we cringed to watch Trump behave rudely and embarrass us supporters [10]. 

This is not Christ-like. We are to be imitators of Christ. 

“Love is not rude” (1 Corinthians 13). 

“Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls.”. (Matthew 11:29)

Yet, there is no rebuke from any of the pastors and leaders close to him. They refused to scold him into behaving decently but instead sought to blame both participants equally [11].

Please note that I am not suggesting they get involved in his policy actions - that would be wrong. That would subvert our constitution and democracy by making the religious leaders kingmakers, so to speak. They would use scripture to manipulate the president into their agenda.

The danger is, I fear that Trump will get disillusioned with Evangelical Christians once he realizes they're using him and then he will fall away from Christianity and he may end up doing what the cynics had unfairly predicted about his motives. 

I fear there will be a backlash after the November 2020 US presidential elections - and not just in the USA alone. Why?

Given the polls, unless God wills otherwise and does a miracle, it is possible that Trump will lose and conservative evangelical Christians have staked their all on him.

When Biden comes to power his administration will target conservative evangelical Christians as being of the "enemy". It will be either active hostility or indifference to the concerns and needs of Christians.

Internationally, this will translate into more persecution of Christians because those governments will believe they are immune to sanctions from the Biden White House.

If you don't believe me, just look at history:

1) In Japan, in the 16th Century, a Christian young man, Amakusa Shiro, led a rebellion (Shimabara Rebellion) which was crushed brutally and tens of thousands of Christians slaughtered. Apart from small numbers of hidden believers, Christianity was wiped out from Japan for about 250 years.

2) Even in Jesus' time, there were rebel leaders and in AD 70, was brutally crushed by the future Roman emperor Titus. He burnt the temple, razed it to the ground, destroyed Jerusalem

and an estimated 1 million Jews were killed. The nation of Israel was demolished and the Jews dispersed throughout the world. This was the destruction prophesied by Jesus in Matthew 23.

3) There were successful Crusades and Christians "won" for a few decades  - but in the end, Christianity was almost wiped out from the lands of its birth - especially from Turkey which had several of the early churches in the New Testament like Galatians, Ephesians. Now, Turkey is 99.8% muslim [12].

References:

[1] Reuters: Christianity Today's split with Trump highlights deeper issue in white evangelical America

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-trump-religion/christianity-todays-split-with-trump-highlights-deeper-issue-in-white-evangelical-america-idUSKBN1YX09N

[2] The Atlantic: claims Trump's faith isn’t genuine. https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2020/09/trump-secretly-mocks-his-christian-supporters/616522/

[3] The faith of Donald Trump https://uscatholic.org/articles/201701/the-faith-of-donald-trump/

[4] God and the Don https://www.cnn.com/interactive/2017/politics/state/donald-trump-religion/

[5] Two Men from Babylon: Nebuchadnezzar, Trump, and the Lord of History https://www.amazon.com/Two-Men-Babylon-Nebuchadnezzar-History/dp/1713529009

[6] Is Donald Trump Like Cyrus From the Bible? https://www.christianpost.com/news/is-donald-trump-like-cyrus-from-the-bible.html

[7] Looking to the bible to justify allegiance to a flawed leader http://www.sfltimes.com/opinion/looking-to-the-bible-to-justify-allegiance-to-a-flawed-leader

[8] ‘I hope it’s true’: Trump responds to claim he was chosen by God https://www.foxnews.com/politics/trump-god-appointed-christian-interview

[9] Trump Consistently Bends Reality, Sells His Narrative In Interviews For Woodward Book https://www.npr.org/2020/09/09/911138032/woodward-book-says-trump-chose-to-downplay-deadliness-of-virus-to-avoid-panic

[10] ‘How did America reach this level of political decline?’: Foreign observers shake heads at debate https://www.latimes.com/world-nation/story/2020-09-30/foreign-observers-note-chaos-rancor-trump-biden-presidential-debate

[11] Michael Brown: Presidential debate was snapshot of America https://onenewsnow.com/perspectives/michael-brown/2020/09/30/michael-brown-presidential-debate-was-snapshot-of-america

[12] Cia Factbook https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/tu.html

Are Evangelical Leaders Using Trump?

 Are Evangelical Leaders Using Trump?

18 October, 2020

The split between the liberal and conservative factions of Evangelical Christianity is now well-known. The secular media covers it with glee; even Reuters front paged it [1] and the Atlantic claims Trump is using Evangelicals 2[]. 

Since Trump came to office he has enacted a mostly conservative policy. This has enraged the liberal factions but delighted the conservatives. As a result the liberal factions of evangelicalism have allied with secular liberals to support his impeachment and now, removal through the elections - should he lose. The conservatives are anxious that the causes they are passionate about and are biblically aligned should not be abandoned.

Are evangelical leaders really concerned about Trump (and his family’s) spiritual walk with the Lord?

Both factions are more concerned with his policies and personality than with his spiritual condition. It is almost as if they have turned into political leaders themselves.

Liberal Evangelicals despise Trump for his policies on Obamacare, Illegal Immigration, Environmentalism, his personality, past affairs and untruthfulness (when it concerns himself). They consider him to be a heathen.

They forget that all of us have sins in our past. Trump is not committing his infidelities now. They are in his past. He is a self-admitted Christian. They are not God to decide whether or not to admit him into Jesus’ Kingdom.

Conservative Evangelicals love his policies and ignore his personality and other traits. They have written articles and books seeing him as a God-appointed heathen King like Nebuchadnezzar, Cyrus and Darius [5,6,7]. They forget that we are in the New Testament church. Trump is a self-admitted Christian [3,4]. They had a responsibility to pastor his soul, not his administration. Has there been any attempt to disciple the "new born Christian"?

In 4 years, what has been the fruit. Does Trump read the life of Jesus in the Bible for himself and pray regularly? Does he have family prayers with his wife Melania and son Barron? Given he is silent on this topic, I suspect the answer is, No. 

The photo-ops with conservative evangelicals in the Oval Office praying for Trump seems like a political image intended to convey Support, Unity, Strength. But it also comes across as self-serving of them. 

It is almost as if they are attracted to the power rather than speaking truth to it - especially when it is uncomfortable. Paula White, Robert Jeffress, Brian Houston, Franklin Graham, Pat Robertson, Michael Brown and others[8]. 

Even if Trump’s faith isn’t sincere they should have walked with him towards a genuine and living faith. They could have encouraged Melania and Barron to have family prayers every night where Trump reads a passage from the gospels and they each pray in turn. Perhaps even sing a worship song together. Seeking God as a family.

Within Christianity, the real elites are those who have the microphone. The rest of us, our voices are not heard.

Pastors and Christian leaders, both local and national, call for repentance of the nation, but it seems to apply to others and not themselves. In the Old Testament, God rebukes the spiritual leaders for their unrighteousness. God is again shaking everything that can be shaken.

“Woe to you shepherds of Israel who only take care of yourselves! Should not shepherds take care of the flock? You eat the curds, clothe yourselves with the wool and slaughter the choice animals, but you do not take care of the flock. You have not strengthened the weak or healed the sick or bound up the injured. You have not brought back the strays or searched for the lost.” (Ezekiel 34:1-10)

“For the lips of a priest ought to preserve knowledge, and from his mouth men should seek instruction—because he is the messenger of the LORD Almighty. But you have turned from the way and by your teaching have caused many to stumble; you have violated the covenant with Levi," says the LORD Almighty.” (Malachi 2)

“And His voice shook the earth then, but now He has promised, saying, ‘Yet once more I will shake not only the earth, but also the heaven’.” (Hebrews 12:26)

It should concern us that Trump is untruthful, especially with regards to Covid-19 [9]. It should bother us that he never admits wrong nor apologizes nor asks God for forgiveness. Review the September 29 debate when we cringed to watch Trump behave rudely and embarrass us supporters [10]. 

This is not Christ-like. We are to be imitators of Christ. 

“Love is not rude” (1 Corinthians 13). 

“Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls.”. (Matthew 11:29)

Yet, there is no rebuke from any of the pastors and leaders close to him. They refused to scold him into behaving decently but instead sought to blame both participants equally [11].

Please note that I am not suggesting they get involved in his policy actions - that would be wrong. That would subvert our constitution and democracy by making the religious leaders kingmakers, so to speak. They would use scripture to manipulate the president into their agenda.

The danger is, I fear that Trump will get disillusioned with Evangelical Christians once he realizes they're using him and then he will fall away from Christianity and he may end up doing what the cynics had unfairly predicted about his motives. 

I fear there will be a backlash after the November 2020 US presidential elections - and not just in the USA alone. Why?

Given the polls, unless God wills otherwise and does a miracle, it is possible that Trump will lose and conservative evangelical Christians have staked their all on him.

When Biden comes to power his administration will target conservative evangelical Christians as being of the "enemy". It will be either active hostility or indifference to the concerns and needs of Christians.

Internationally, this will translate into more persecution of Christians because those governments will believe they are immune to sanctions from the Biden White House.

If you don't believe me, just look at history:

1) In Japan, in the 16th Century, a Christian young man, Amakusa Shiro, led a rebellion (Shimabara Rebellion) which was crushed brutally and tens of thousands of Christians slaughtered. Apart from small numbers of hidden believers, Christianity was wiped out from Japan for about 250 years.

2) Even in Jesus' time, there were rebel leaders and in AD 70, was brutally crushed by the future Roman emperor Titus. He burnt the temple, razed it to the ground, destroyed Jerusalem

and an estimated 1 million Jews were killed. The nation of Israel was demolished and the Jews dispersed throughout the world. This was the destruction prophesied by Jesus in Matthew 23.

3) There were successful Crusades and Christians "won" for a few decades  - but in the end, Christianity was almost wiped out from the lands of its birth - especially from Turkey which had several of the early churches in the New Testament like Galatians, Ephesians. Now, Turkey is 99.8% muslim [12].

References:

[1] Reuters: Christianity Today's split with Trump highlights deeper issue in white evangelical America

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-trump-religion/christianity-todays-split-with-trump-highlights-deeper-issue-in-white-evangelical-america-idUSKBN1YX09N

[2] The Atlantic: claims Trump's faith isn’t genuine. https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2020/09/trump-secretly-mocks-his-christian-supporters/616522/

[3] The faith of Donald Trump https://uscatholic.org/articles/201701/the-faith-of-donald-trump/

[4] God and the Don https://www.cnn.com/interactive/2017/politics/state/donald-trump-religion/

[5] Two Men from Babylon: Nebuchadnezzar, Trump, and the Lord of History https://www.amazon.com/Two-Men-Babylon-Nebuchadnezzar-History/dp/1713529009

[6] Is Donald Trump Like Cyrus From the Bible? https://www.christianpost.com/news/is-donald-trump-like-cyrus-from-the-bible.html

[7] Looking to the bible to justify allegiance to a flawed leader http://www.sfltimes.com/opinion/looking-to-the-bible-to-justify-allegiance-to-a-flawed-leader

[8] ‘I hope it’s true’: Trump responds to claim he was chosen by God https://www.foxnews.com/politics/trump-god-appointed-christian-interview

[9] Trump Consistently Bends Reality, Sells His Narrative In Interviews For Woodward Book https://www.npr.org/2020/09/09/911138032/woodward-book-says-trump-chose-to-downplay-deadliness-of-virus-to-avoid-panic

[10] ‘How did America reach this level of political decline?’: Foreign observers shake heads at debate https://www.latimes.com/world-nation/story/2020-09-30/foreign-observers-note-chaos-rancor-trump-biden-presidential-debate

[11] Michael Brown: Presidential debate was snapshot of America https://onenewsnow.com/perspectives/michael-brown/2020/09/30/michael-brown-presidential-debate-was-snapshot-of-america

[12] Cia Factbook https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/tu.html

The Deal

In Acts Chap 6, there is a deal between the new, nascent church and God.

They pray that God will give them increased boldness to preach the gospel even in the face of persecution.

They pray that God will "stretch out his hand" to perform mighty healing works and signs and wonders.

Reading along, we see this came to pass.

What a loser, What a Failure, What a Tragedy, What a Waste!

I was reading the account of Stephen's stoning in Acts 6.

A sincere and godly young man is senselessly murdered.

Three likely reactions:

His enemies.
They would have reacted with contempt. "What a loser, What a Failure",
"We won".

His sympathizers.
"What a Failure, What a Tragedy".

His loved ones would have had unspeakable anguish and agony.

But there is a third reaction, a supernatural reaction.

Looking at this with God's eyes, not human eyes.

It is the same perspective that Jesus reprimanded Peter for not having when he said, "Get thee behind me Satan".

But in truth, stories like this are hard to accept.

Stephen cries out, "Lord, do not hold this against them".
There is no justice for him. The high priests Annas and Caiaphas are still alive some 30 years later.
There is no comfort that justice was done in AD 70 when Jerusalem was destroyed, because the high priests responsible, lived long lives.

Jesus, the worker

To someone who is an agnostic because of the violence and 'backwardness' of the Old Testament

October 2005

An email to someone who is an agnostic because of the violence and 'backwardness' of the Old Testament...

Some parts have a literal meaning, some parts are metaphorical, some parts are to be
interpreted. For example, prophecies like those about the Messiah's coming are to be
interpreted. We are to interpret it by the Holy Spirit because the Bible was given by the Holy
Spirit. Yes, sometimes Christians and churches interpret it by their flesh often because they
have an agenda of greed, ambition or sin, and want justification for it.

There is no place that God justified rape and murder - can you show me a specific example?
About genocide. Yes, when the Israelites were conquering Canaan, God asked them - only in
specific battles - to destroy all and everything because of the wickedness of those specified
inhabitants. (He mentions this explicitly and lists their wickedness).

Other places, the Bible simply describes what happened inasmuch as a historian would; this
does not imply God's approval.

This is not an exact analogy (because software does not have free will) but if you wrote a
program and found it not to work as designed and would be too much effort to refactor it, you
have the unquestioned right to delete (ie. destroy) it and start over.

God could have done the same with the whole world; instead, He sent His son Jesus to die in
place of the world. No amount of living like Jesus will do it for we have all sinned and God
does not recognize the plus and minus of good works canceling out sins - it is solely our
invention. We have to accept His terms.

Jesus is alive, Jesus loves us (The Happy Moment) - 3

Luke 24 The Ascension
Then Jesus led them to Bethany, and lifting his hands to heaven, he blessed them. While he was blessing them, he left them and was taken up to heaven. So they worshiped him and then returned to Jerusalem filled with great joy. And they spent all of their time in the Temple, praising God.

This is the happy moment in Christianity.
Reading the New Testament and in our Christian Life, one gets the feeling of a long struggle, persecution, trials, ridicule, sacrifice, bearing one's cross. A long journey. A race. A battle. Wanting this to be over.

But this is the Happy Moment. Savor it.

Jesus is alive, Jesus loves us. (an unusual victory) - 2

After the resurrection, it is striking to note how different this victory parade is.

Luke 24 The Ascension
Then Jesus led them to Bethany, and lifting his hands to heaven, he blessed them. While he was blessing them, he left them and was taken up to heaven. So they worshiped him and then returned to Jerusalem filled with great joy. And they spent all of their time in the Temple, praising God.

Contrast it with the victory parade of Elijah.

1 Kings 18Immediately the fire of the LORD flashed down from heaven and burned up the young bull, the wood, the stones, and the dust. It even licked up all the water in the trench! And when all the people saw it, they fell face down on the ground and cried out, “The LORD—he is God! Yes, the LORD is God!”
Then Elijah commanded, “Seize all the prophets of Baal. Don’t let a single one escape!” So the people seized them all, and Elijah took them down to the Kishon Valley and killed them there.

With Elijah, the opposing team was publicly humiliated and even slaughtered.

With Jesus, Ananias and Caiaphas, Herod, Pilate, the Sanhedrin remained on their thrones and continued their evil.

With Elijah, God sent down fire from heaven as public proof which side was right. Which was the true God. This was the sign from heaven that the Pharisees demanded of Jesus.

With Jesus, he appeared only to his disciples. There was no public proof. As Jesus said, the only sign given to this generation is that of Jonah. The crucifixion of Jesus and his resurrection from the dead after 3 days.

With Elijah he spoke to rulers and authority.

With Jesus, he appeared to the most ordinary and inconsequential of people. Not because they were poor, but because they were seeking him.

Cling to this... Jesus is alive and Jesus loves us! - 1

As I commuted daily by train to my current workplace in downtown Chicago, I would often read the ReadScripture app on my phone. I was at Luke 23-24 and found myself stuck there for about a month, reading and re-reading the same passages over and over.

I think it is because this is the happy moment for us as Christians. The victorious moment.

On the Road to Emmaus

13 Now that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles[a] from Jerusalem. 14 They were talking with each other about everything that had happened. 15 As they talked and discussed these things with each other, Jesus himself came up and walked along with them; 16 but they were kept from recognizing him.
17 He asked them, “What are you discussing together as you walk along?”They stood still, their faces downcast. 18 One of them, named Cleopas, asked him, “Are you the only one visiting Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in these days?”19 “What things?” he asked.“About Jesus of Nazareth,” they replied. “He was a prophet, powerful in word and deed before God and all the people. 20 The chief priests and our rulers handed him over to be sentenced to death, and they crucified him; 21 but we had hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel. And what is more, it is the third day since all this took place. 22 In addition, some of our women amazed us. They went to the tomb early this morning 23 but didn’t find his body. They came and told us that they had seen a vision of angels, who said he was alive. 24 Then some of our companions went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but they did not see Jesus.”
25 He said to them, “How foolish you are, and how slow to believe all that the prophets have spoken! 26 Did not the Messiah have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?” 27 And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself.
28 As they approached the village to which they were going, Jesus continued on as if he were going farther. 29 But they urged him strongly, “Stay with us, for it is nearly evening; the day is almost over.” So he went in to stay with them.30 When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them. 31 Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight. 32 They asked each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?”33 They got up and returned at once to Jerusalem. There they found the Eleven and those with them, assembled together 34 and saying, “It is true! The Lord has risen and has appeared to Simon.” 35 Then the two told what had happened on the way, and how Jesus was recognized by them when he broke the bread.
Jesus Appears to the Disciples36 While they were still talking about this, Jesus himself stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.”
37 They were startled and frightened, thinking they saw a ghost. 38 He said to them, “Why are you troubled, and why do doubts rise in your minds? 39 Look at my hands and my feet. It is I myself! Touch me and see; a ghost does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have.”40 When he had said this, he showed them his hands and feet. 41 And while they still did not believe it because of joy and amazement, he asked them, “Do you have anything here to eat?” 42 They gave him a piece of broiled fish, 43 and he took it and ate it in their presence.
44 He said to them, “This is what I told you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms.”
45 Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures. 46 He told them, “This is what is written: The Messiah will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, 47 and repentance for the forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. 48 You are witnesses of these things. 49 I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.”The Ascension of Jesus50 When he had led them out to the vicinity of Bethany, he lifted up his hands and blessed them. 51 While he was blessing them, he left them and was taken up into heaven. 52 Then they worshiped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy. 53 And they stayed continually at the temple, praising God.

Why were the disciples confused?

He said to them, “How foolish you are, and how slow to believe all that the prophets have spoken! 26 Did not the Messiah have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?” 27 And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself.

We are given the completed Bible and with the hindsight of 2000 years of History it is obvious that Jesus was the spiritual Messiah to save us from our sins.

But the people of Israel were torn between two contradictory expectations of the coming Messiah who would rescue them from bondage.

• The prophecies where Jesus the Messiah would be physical savior saving them from the rule of oppressive Rome.
• The prophecies where the Messiah would be crushed and suffer and die.

The high priests and Pharisees rejected Jesus because they been insistent on the militant Messiah who would walk in the footsteps of David, Samson, Deborah, Joshua and even Saul who saved them from their enemies - the Canaanites and Philistines.

The ordinary people saw the miracles and the teachings of Jesus and accepted him. But they must have had this niggling question in the back of their minds - how is he a savior?

Given the completed Bible, we now know that the second coming of Jesus will be militant - to save us Christians from a physical and spiritual enemy - the devil and his agents.

But why did Jesus scold them? I believe it is because he was with them for 3 years and over and over, explained to them from scripture, that the Christ must suffer, be crucified and rose again. Yet, all they clung to was Jesus as the militant messiah.

but we had hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel

How Jesus loved them... and us

Jesus did not just leave them and ascend into heaven after he rose again. He wanted to see them again and reassure them so they would not remain in grief and doubt.

He showed his love for us by leaving us the Holy Spirit.