Hopewit

This stuff used to cure just about everything . . . It’s common in the democracies to hear someone say, without contradiction, that people should be free to express their opinions without fear of reprisal. At the same time, it’s easy to support this view by pointing out that its opposite—the repression and punishment of expressed, alternate worldviews—is a trademark of tyranny. When we viewed the Soviet Union as a repressive dictatorship, we coined a joke: In the USSR you can say anything . . . once.  We have slander and libel laws, however, that restrict malicious speech and writing. We generally approve the constraint on speech and writing that foster prejudice, discrimination against identifiable minorities. Blabbing state secrets is treason. False advertising is punishable. Racial slurs on the sports field result in suspensions and/or, possibly, a fist in the chops. I don’t mean to argue the merits, the downsides of embedding “free speech” in bills of rights...

“Amira Elghawaby, spokeswoman for the National Council of Canadian Muslims, said the term Islamophobia is commonly used in Canada [ ] to describe the irrational fear or hatred of Muslims that leads to discrimination or actual acts of harassment or violenc e. Phobias are irrational fears, fears that are unreasonable but have become so strongly embedded that they precipitate acting-out or avoidance behaviour as if the feared danger were real. Flight phobics, for instance, will stay at home, avoid traveling to see a family member overseas even though air travel is statistically far safer than auto travel. A young Canadian man will walk into a mosque and shoot 18 people, 6 of whom will die. Many Christians are somewhat fearful about admitting refugees to our country and communities, but if that fear should escalate to “acts of harassment or violence,” according to Elghawaby, the word Islamophobia would apply. A motion in the Canadian parliament to study and propose ...

But a new time is coming. In fact, it is already here. True worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth. They are the kind of worshipers the Father is looking for. (John 4:23) God is spirit . His worshipers must worship him in the Spirit and in truth. (John 4:24) That friend is the Spirit of truth. The world can’t accept him. That’s because the world does not see him or know him. But you know him. He lives with you, and he will be in you. (John 14:17) But when the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own. He will speak only what he hears. And he will tell you what is still going to happen. (John 16:13) Merriam-Webster lists 13 different uses of spirit , with a number of those carrying sub-meanings. A few that might possibly apply here are: “ an animating or vital principle held to give life to physical organisms;” “a supernatural being or essence: such as Holy Ghost;” “the a...

Burning Flax straw east of Rosthern And all is always now.   Words strain, Crack and sometimes break, under the burden, Under the tension, slip, slide, perish, Decay with imprecision, will not stay in place, Will not stay still.   Shrieking voices Scolding, mocking, or merely chattering, Always assail them.   The Word in the desert Is most attacked by voices of temptation, The crying shadow in the funeral dance, The loud lament of the disconsolate chimera. (From Four Quartets 1: Burnt Norton by T.S. Eliot) It surpasses belief ; that one man could so dominate the political dialogue around the entire world as President Donald Trump has been able to do. But here we are. Donald Trump is first subject of conversations virtually everywhere. Some voices support fervently the far-reaching, brash executive orders coming out of the White House; some think more broadly and say, “let’s wait and see.” But shouts of deri...