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Either way though, the second thing to address is what to do next? Here's where one philosophy that seems reasonable, (to fight back and fight the system or the oppressors), and this sounds reasonable on many cultural philosophies to fight back, stand against the bad guys or against the wrongs of the world. And yet counter to this is what Jesus taught. To trust God, even to put your faith in Him and not fear the people. This along side the teaching to obey those who rule over you is a very counter intuitive philosophy, even in the light of if the conspiracy theories we know of are true or not. Worse to make the point even more so Jesus taught this under Roman rule and oppression. The conditions that were likely much worse then most western countries are under.

With this in mind I thank you for giving the links to be aware of, and that way I can watch the world and test them as I observe what is happening. However. If you would like to understand my take on what we should do about the matter, then I have a book to recommend to you. Read Daniel in the bible. It's an old testament book in the setting when Israel was conquered and exiled to Babylon. In the book there are many themes in it from prophesy, obedience, conspiracies from jealous men in the government, and a few more. However the subject matter that I recommend the book for is based on Denial and his three companions reactions and behavior in those conditions. It's my best role model for what Christians should do to when the world keeps getting worse. Don't fight against them, but don't compromise on your faith either. That's the subject matter I see worth reading the book of Daniel for and recommending it to both Christians and nonChristians. To stay true to your values and faith without having to start a rebellion in order to defend our stances.

Hey Not_Now.Soon,

There's always been a handful things in the bible that didn't sit well with me.

'Turn the other cheek' is one of them.

If one were to consider themselves 'God's creation', then why would one support turning the other cheek?
If someone wished to harm God's creation, don't you have a right, obligation even to defend God's creation and / or others?

- 'Bad things happen when good people do nothing'

'Unconditional Forgiveness' being equal to unconditionally giving sins a free pass.

If your brother sins against you, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him. And if he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times in a day returns to you saying, "I repent", you shall forgive him"

This kind of seems a bit silly, it seems just as likely the person might be being played for an idiot.

I have a kind of a personal creed:
Stay on top of things;
Make the most of life's opportunities;
Don't allow others to get the best of you.

Thanks for Book of Daniel recommendation, I'll try to motivate myself to take a look; though usually my stance is that I don't wish to be tainted by the bible in the way I see others sometimes lose sense of themselves.

A thought about these global events came to my mind.

Order Out Of Chaos or

So I looked that up.
In Old Latin 'Ordo Ab Chao'

A Latin expression, meaning Order out of Chaos. A motto of the Thirty-third Degree, and having the same allusion as lug e tenebris, which see in this work. The invention of this motto is to be attributed to the Supreme Council of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite"

33rd degree Masons, that's interesting.
I think Freemasonry may be based on Kabbalah;
But in any case I know they have Jewish six pointed star on their buildings.

Now what's interesting about this?

Albert Pikes 3 World Wars, written in 1871.
http://safenetforum.org/t/albert-pikes-three-world-war-letter-1871/22051

Here's another reference to Order out of Chaos, within banking as you alluded to.
http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2014-08-15/order-out-chaos-doctrine-runs-world

To ArmChair.

The links you've provided aren't quite like the conspiracy theories I've heard from my uncle. But they are close enough. I would warn you about getting too close to those kinds of theories. There's always enough information out there to make a conspiracy out of, even ones that are ridiculously wrong.

However it's not the information out there or that they are right or wrong that I give this warning. It's the resulting mindset that I see from it. Once you start looking for the connections you can start seeing the connections. Even if those connections aren't really there. Look at it this way. A comedian can look at the world and look at it to angle it as a joke. It can come from practice but more so it can be from a mind set to just look at the world in that way. The same is true for a cooperate businessman can start looking at the world by the costs of it. Be competitive with the market your in so that you offer what everyone else does but not much more. That way you cut costs. The same is true for a police officer and a detective, to look at the world as suspects, because they deal with them all day, or a psychologist looks at the world and looks at the diagnosis of any and all people around him. Even everyday normal stuff can be changed to be something that can be "fixed."

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With conspiracy theory goggles. The world is looked at from what is underlying schemes, plots, and harms. The way I grew up and see my uncle when he was talking about politics or world events, versus on the rest of the times, he seemed like two different people. One that is kind, hard working, but a tease. The other very doom and gloom, angry at the world and what the agendas are doing to the people. Goes on to language of "you people" when family wouldn't listen. This mindset can consume a person and eat up all the good attributes they have in their personality. Take that into consideration ArmChair Critic. Especially if it is about things that are out of your control that are a focus to change you.

Just be careful, with your focus. But if it makes it easier I'll share my go to perspective when it comes to world power plays and conspiracy theories. No one is in that much control. Take heart that even with the most manipulative of plans and movements, plans fails and people are overthrown. The dynamic of control is out of even the most powerful person's hands. (Not to be blind of the issues and possible plots, but don't let them be a focus. It's a poisonous focus that can harm the personality and outlook of a person).

As for the bible and some of the philosophies and ethics of the world like "evil exists when good people do nothing." I have thoughts, but I think I'll have to wait till tomorrow. For lack of space to explain. (And lack of time today).

Dear Critic,

«I've heard you speak about your beliefs before but I'm not sure what religion it is?»

I try to follow the Hindu principles.

While having my own criticism of the bible, I find inspiration in the words of Jesus regarding the turning of the other cheek.

One is never slapped unless they had this karma standing against them for previously doing something equivalent to others, so rather than creating new karma and perpetuating the pain, one ought to thank their slapper for helping them to pay off their old karma, even turn the other cheek if we still have more outstanding karma to pay for (as most of us do).

However, it is usually best to thank the slapper only within our heart and turn one's other cheek mentally rather than physically as we rather not encourage the slapper to form violent habits. You quoted: "And if he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times in a day returns to you saying, "I repent", you shall forgive him" - Yes indeed, but it's not always wise to tell them that they are forgiven!

«If someone wished to harm God's creation, don't you have a right, obligation even to defend God's creation and/or others?»

Is there anything besides God's creation? If you took this logic to the extreme, then you would be obliged to kill birds because they prey on fish and the cows because they eat God's creation, grass!

You can never harm God's creation anyway - you can only change its expression (to a degree), say from a pale cheek to a blood-shot cheek: it remains God's creation just the same.

Hinduism teaches that not only are there no other Gods besides God, but that actually there can be nothing whatsoever but God. So in the case of slapping another's cheek, God is the slapper, God is the slapped and God is the act of slapping too - what a joke to think that anyone is hurt!

The slapper's sin, however, is in [mis]conceiving themselves as separate from the slapped, thus from God.

To ArmChair Critic.

Of all the things a person might have against Christian philosophies, turn the other cheek wouldn't be the one I expected. However it is one that has a lot of backing behind it in other places in the bible. "Do not return evil for evil, but conquer evil by doing good." "Love your enemy," even to to the point of showing kindness and blessing those who persecute you.

These are hard things to follow because there are also other philosophies in the world around us that seek to get even, right the wrongs done on you (regardless if there was anything actually wronged done to you), as well as the idea that "evil persists when good people do nothing." That and the general sense that no one wants to be harmed, and to restrain yourself from reacting (or over reacting to make the point clearer) even if the harm is accidental is a point of maturity and self control. The point is that turning the other cheek is an act of restraint in a world of vindictive over reactions and getting even. One other philosophy I've heard that makes sense is "an eye for an eye makes the whole world blind."

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