Ambassador Nikki Haley is deaf and blind soon to be mute

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Appearing in New Hampshire, the Mecca of the secession of the southern states in the early United States of America, Nikki Haley, running for president, was incapable of stating unequivocally that slavery was the cause of the civil war. On hearing the question from a voter, Haley turned her back, took two or three steps, and then declared the question an easy question. She then recited what must be the practiced line, as dictated by the secessionist White fringe of American society, that the civil war was fought over how governments were going to operate. (AP report Nikki Haley on Slavery ) Her ability to speak ought to be matched with vetted knowledge of American history (it is less than 300 years!), and with the courage to defy the white supremacy clan, who seem to have infected justices of the supreme Court, preachers of the gospel and lawyers. Let’s pray she will soon turn off the taps of her ignorance.

Nativity lectures 2023d

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Christ is born: the God who is with us

22) Now all this took place to fulfill what was spoken by the Lord through the prophet: 23) “Behold, the virgin shall be with child and shall bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel, which translated means, God with us.”

Matthew 1:22-23, NASB

At home with us


God being among humans is the most consequential of all divine initiatives.  In Eden God’s desire to be with humans is unfulfilled and disturbing because humans shun God’s presence.  One of the outstanding pronouncements in the end of the age is  “Behold, the tabernacle of God is among men, and He will dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be among them,” (Revelation of John 21:3b, NASB)

In the birth of the Christ-child God begins his investment in the salvation of humans by entering the stream of human life.

God-with-us changes our view



The prophetic contribution consists of writing things with which he had no guarantee of intimate knowledge.
Mary’s unusual conception is not a prophet’s sign and wonder.


A chaste and pregnant woman is a rebuke to the proud religious people in every age.
The baby brings GOD within reach of humanity, removing the barriers that had defined divine mystery all over the world.

All previous and subsequent revelations of God are contained within the functions of prophet and messenger and guru, priest and shaman, but not this baby.  This is fraught with risk.  The prophet can choose to presume to interpret or simply say what God tells him or shows him.

18) I will raise up a prophet from among their countrymen like you, and I will put My words in his mouth, and he shall speak to them all that I command him. 19) It shall come about that whoever will not listen to My words which he shall speak in My name, I Myself will require it of him. (Deuteronomy 18:18-19, NASB)

When a prophet speaks in the name of the Lord, if the thing does not come about or come true, that is the thing which the Lord has not spoken. The prophet has spoken it presumptuously; you shall not be afraid of him. (Deuteronomy 18:22, NASB)


Jewish observations do not help.  A man cannot make himself God but God can become man. What better way could there be to realize a human-divine solidarity than
God in human flesh!


Along with the name Jesus (Salvation) the child is to be known as Immanuel.  Imma (with), nu (us), el (God) opens the door for humans to experience God in an unprecedented way.  He used to be identified by pillar of fire and pillar of cloud, by a voice issuing from the inner room of the sacred tent.  The thought of God living in a single human would become one of the reasons for conflict with Jewish authority.
The grown up Christ would be accused of making himself equal with God. This accusation lands him in court, accused of blasphemy.  The death penalty hangs over him, but he dies of his own accord and takes it back so he can guarantee God’s presence with anyone who wants it.

Fool the American people, not me

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If Israel says she intends to eradicate Hamas,  believe her. If she says deradicalizing occupied lands is a priority, believe her. If she says she is pulling out all stops to prevent civilian casualties, believe her. I have stopped believing in all things Jewish. I cannot be a committed Christian and align myself with Israeli and United States policy and practice regarding Palestine. Racism underpins the community that returned from Persia. Christians know that demons inspire marriage bans. Give us a break. How does the Bible relate the beginning of the Davidide clan in the book of Ruth? Marriage to a Moabite. Racism has hollowed out American culture both in the United States and Canada.

War crimes and crimes against humanity

When Israel gives us the body count of civilians first, before the number Israel Defence Force casualties, and the number of Hamas fighters wiped out, we will believe that a heart beats somewhere in Tel Aviv. They will give us the Palestinian civilian body count first to prove that they are the paragons of morality and deserve the world’s unconditional support. The glory has long departed from Jerusalem. Isn’t that obvious? Isn’t it horrifying that the only nation that the world has rallied around to support and empathize with over violence and hatred, has now turned on its hoses of revenge, ethnic cleansing, and the brutality of famine and disease against the people of the West Bank and Gaza? This is not some cute battle against the people of Persia when Esther was queen. My love stands with the bereaved families in Palestine and I will not take a side in a conflict which has no legs to stand on. My prayer is for Jerusalem to open the curtains to the world’s press so we can see the wickedness and utter malice that plays out as patriotism and biblical orthodoxy. Imagine Moses on Mount Sinai, quaking in his boots as he hears Yahweh’s voice and then hearing the people say they don’t want to hear this Yahweh anymore. Imagine him believing the Jewish people in the 13th century BCE.