UN suspends Russia from human rights body over atrocities in Ukraine

Event:

United Nations (UN) General Assembly hall at the UN Headquarters, New York City, 2006

The United Nations general assembly has voted to suspend Russia from the human rights council after images of atrocities apparently showing civilians left dead in the streets with their hands bound emerged following Russian troops’ withdrawal from around Kyiv. The call for Russia’s removal from the UN’s top human rights body was led by the United States, which concluded that Russian forces had committed war crimes. In a vote yesterday it gained the support of 93 countries. They were urged on by Sergiy Kyslytsya, Ukraine’s ambassador, who told diplomats that “pressing ‘no’ means pulling the trigger, and means a red dot on the [voting] screen, red as the blood of the innocent lives lost”. Russia had said it would consider a yes vote an unfriendly act that would affect its bilateral relations with those countries. President Biden said he applauded the “overwhelming vote.”

WWW Comment

Russia has become a pariah state and is being ostracised by the majority of nations in the world. It is hard to see how Russia comes back from this. Such is the violence and horror that Putin’s soldiers have carried out there is no chance he will ever be welcome in the institutions the world has created. But this makes Putin even more dangerous. Many analysts say he will resort to ever greater levels of atrocity. Isolated, angry but surrounded only by people who agree with his every word Putin will look to avenge his humiliation in Ukraine. Daniel 8 says that Putin (latter day Antiochus Epiphanes the original king of the north) will “cause a shocking amount of destruction”. Another version says he will “cause astounding devastation.” The AV says “he shall destroy wonderfully.”

Putin will not be cowed by events turning against him in Ukraine – he will destroy more.

At the end of their rule, when their sin is at its height, a fierce king, a master of intrigue, will rise to power. He will become very strong, but not by his own power. He will cause a shocking amount of destruction and succeed in everything he does. (Daniel 8:23-24 NLT)

Andy Walton

> Find the Weekly World Watch to download.

 

The Difference Between Reading the Bible and Meditating on God’s Word

There always has to be a good reason to read the Bible. Even

“simply wanting to know what all the hoopla was about and why people were so hyped up on it”

could already be a good reason to start reading the Bible. From that point of view, it could give some good idea of what others are saying, what would or would not be in Scripture.

Best is to read the Bible to study it and to gain more knowledge of what is written inside it. Then it will give also a good idea of what others, like clergy, are insinuating what would be standing there in those 66 books of the Book of books, the Bible, and coming to see what is really written in it.

When

“in no way shape or form, did reading the Bible had anything to do with God.”

then it would be a very difficult start, already closing some gates to receiving knowledge or to coming into conversation with God. Reading the Bible is namely like being present by someone, listening to what He has to say. Reading the Bible also gives an opportunity to come into conversation with the Divine Creator of heaven and earth, the God of gods. When starting to read what He has to say, there has to be a willingness to listen to Him.

For sure, several people coming to read the Bible,

“some of their reasons aren’t particularly holy.”

Several people want to find reasons and words to attack those lovers of God, who find those words in the Bible sacred.

Sometimes, as the article writer mentions, coming to read the Bible is

“done out of curiosity”

as her friends in school did for religious studies

“and other times it’s for understanding the religion better.”

And that is a very good reason, more people should consider why reading that book is as important as reading other basic scriptures of certain religious groups.

All people should learn about the different religions and have to go through their basic scriptures. When the reason to read the Bible is to debunk the Bible, like some atheists and other (religious) people do they would often be surprised where they end up. More than once, an atheist or even a Christian or other religious person came to see the truth and came to look for a church that is living according to those Words of God.
That

“they use part of the bible to show why other Christian religions are wrong”

is not such a bad idea, when they do it with the right intention and lovingly, to bring people closer to the One and Only Real God, the God of Israel, the Elohim Hashem Jehovah, Who is One and not two or three.

Too often, people who call themselves Christian, do not dare to open their ears fully to those words of God, but prefer to be chained to the doctrinal teachings of their church, be it a Catholic or Trinitarian Protestant Church, instead of trying to read and understand the words like they are written black on white.

When there is a willingness to listen carefully to God’s Word as presented in the Bible, the reader shall be surprised how a whole new world might open up before him or her. But then it becomes most important also to accept those Words from God and to act to the received new insight. And that last bit is one of the very difficult parts when one has lived for several years in a certain Christian denomination. Often it is easier for an atheist to become a true Christian than for a Christian to become a real follower and believer in the son of God, Jeshua or Jesus Christ. Most people coming from a certain denomination have difficulties changing their lives and changing church, after they discovered that there are differences in the teachings of their familiar church and the contents of the Bible.

The difficulty for reading the Bible is that it has to be done with an open mind geared toward spiritual growth and with a willingness to change.
The writer of this article still has to go a long way, because she writes

“After all, the time He walked the earth stone was the paper of choice”

giving an indication that she still considers Jesus to be God instead of him being the son of God. God never walked this earth. God is an eternal Spirit Being (meaning having no beginning or birth and no end = no death) no man can see. Clearly, the writer of this article is still confusing and mixing two different Biblical characters. This comes perhaps because she is so clinched or stuck by her Catholic upbringing, where they worship a Trinity and other gods and saints.

We can only hope that those who read the Bible also one moment come to listen more carefully to the Words of God and start meditating on them as well, giving a two-way communication platform to the Author of the Book of books, so that more insight and wisdom will come to them.

The writer of this article (Marita) ends very nicely but also hits the nail when she writes

“Basically, meditating on God’s word is supposed to bring about change. Change in you and the world around you.”

And changing direction and adapting their belief unto what is really written in the Scriptures is one of the most difficult tasks for people who grew up in a Christian church tradition and who have come to read the Bible more thoroughly.
And the Bible deserves a thorough reading and study to be moulded by God and filled with biblical clarity rather than church indoctrination.

 

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Preceding

People Seeking for God 1 Looking for answers

People Seeking for God 2 Human interpretations

God of gods

The Almighty Lord God of gods King above all gods

Is reading the Bible necessary?

Being in tune with God

How Social Media is Shrinking the Bible

Ways to Approach Difficult Bible Passages

Followers, protestors and reformers

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Additional reading

1. Bible
2. Unread bestseller
3. What Is: The Bible as Originally Written
4. Bible Word from God
5. Word of God
6. Bible Inspired Word of God
7. Today’s thought “Word of the Only One God – To be read and listened at” (November 21)
8. Bible Word of God inspired and infallible
9. Moshe Rabbenu and Torat Moshe
10. Bible in the first place #2/3
11. Appointed to be read (Our World) = Appointed to be read (Some View on the World)
12. Best to read and study the Bible
13. Not studying an abstract and arcane text of the ancient world
14. Best intimate relation to look for
15. No other god besides Jehovah who gives all explanation
16. Main verses in the Bible telling us Who God is #8 Some more attributes of God
17. Today’s thought “Jehovah God makes us dwell in safety and confident trust” (January 02)
18. Fill your hands with the Lord’s work
19. A living Word giving confidence
20. Praying and acts of meditation without ceasing
21. Trusting, Faith, calling and Ascribing to Jehovah #3 Voice of God #6 Words to feed and communicate
22. Pray that we will make the time to listen: listen to God and listen to each other
23. Today’s thought “On the eternity of God” (December 17)
24. Today’s thought “Ability to circumcise your heart” (May 13)
25. Conversations that Matter
26. Necessity of a revelation of creation 10 Instructions for insight and wisdom
27. Necessity of a revelation of creation 12 Words assembled for wisdom and instruction
28. Fear of God reason to return to Holy Scriptures
29. From nothingness to a growing group of followers of Jeshua 3 Korban for God or gods
30. Making time for God is crucial
31. 500 years of a provision of the Word in the language of the peoples
32. A special anniversary for the Church where Catholics and Protestants find common ground
33. Accuracy, Word-for-Word Translation Preferred by most Bible Readers
34. A Bible Falling Apart Belongs to Someone who isn’t

+++

Related

1. Are you making time or making excuses?
2. Practical Christianity: Give Your Time
3. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom
4. Seeking God’s manna
5. The Book
6. Our Amazing Bible
7. The Original Biblical Writings
8. Scriptures
9. Purpose of Scripture
10. God breathed
11. Bible Reading Discovery
12. Conversation between God and Me
13. How to Begin Conversations with God
14. Conversations with God part 2
15. Talkative God
16. Confirms the Word
17. The Word, Faith, and Testing
18. The Word – Good News and Bad News
19. Believing God
20. A way to look for Christ, the Bible, Word of God
21. Light Unto My Feet
22. Practical Christianity: Don’t Be A Jerk
23. When My Mental Health is Suffering
24. Bad News and Good News
25. How Do I Read the Bible?
26. How to Interpret Scripture
27. Book: How (Not) to Read the Bible
28. Read the Bible in a Year
29. The Bible Tells Me SoFall in Love With Reading the Bible: 10 Tips to Keep You Motivated & Passionate
30. The Not-So-Quiet Time

Seeking Redemption

To those now deep into biblical scripture you are probably aware of the difference between reading the bible and meditating on the world. Naturally, like many young Christians, I had assumed that once you read the bible, and you knew God’s words and it was enough. But I kept hearing about ‘meditating on the word’ and never understood what it meant. Until over a decade later when I began meditating on God’s word.

“All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and, training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work,” 2 Timothy 3:16-17

2 Timothy 3:16-17

Reading the Bible

I’ve read the bible twice, decades ago and still could quote a single lick of scripture. I read it just like I did with any storybook. Enough to know all the main characters and get a clear…

View original post 1,410 more words

A Word on Bible Versions

EttingerWriting.com

By David Ettinger

A Fruitful Discussion
I recently had a nice discussion with a blogging friend regarding the Bible version I use.

This fruitful dialogue led to this post, which won’t analyze the many English versions of the Bible, but serve merely as my commentary on the issue. This is one of those topics many Christians can wrap their brains around, so, by all means, let your voice be heard in the comments section!

Bible Fascination
After I gave my life to Christ in 1986, I went shopping for a Bible. Not having much money, I was limited. I knew nothing about the many Bible versions, so I purchased the least expensive. It turned out to be an original New International Version (NIV), and am I ever glad it was!

I tore through my new Bible in just 4 months, and then started all over again. At the time, I…

View original post 779 more words

A puzzling text from a prescientific age

 

“The Bible is indeed the greatest book ever written.
It has shaped the cultures of the world in countless ways, and it contains the words of everlasting life.
But for so many today, it is largely opaque, indecipherable – at best
a puzzling text from a prescientific age.”

Bishop Robert Barron, The Word on Fire Bible

Ways to Approach Difficult Bible Passages

A book for Christianity

To come to know God or come to know how to live best and how to find a good church, one is best to consult the Bestseller of all time, the Bible. When looking for a church it is not so important to search for Christianity or Christendom. Best is that one starts by reading the books which are the foundation or the cement of what has become the Church.

In Christianity it is all about having a relationship with God by the intermediary Jesus Christ. One first has to get to know the Divine Creator before one can go looking for His houses.

Bible texts, languages and translations

Bible texts are not always easy to follow or understand. Though it is one of the best guides for life, it requires attention from the reader and persistence and will to follow and understand.

When we want to read the Bible we have first of all to choose a translation and should remember that it is only one of the many translations that there exist. Do not worry too much about what translation you would like to buy. Go to a bookshop and read some paragraphs in different bible translations. When you find one which is in a language that suits you best, try that first. Later on, you always can come to read the literal translated and more accurate Bible translations, in case you had not chosen directly for a literal translation. Youngsters and beginners are often better off with a paraphrased Bible, though we would not recommend that. There are Bible Students all over the world who offer very good contemporary literal Bible translations in many easy to read languages. Do not go for those big Bible translations where there is more space given to the notes than to the Bible Words of God. A Bible with just cross-references is the best solution.

One Author is telling as it is

Taking up the Book of books, we should remember that though it is a compilation of several books written by different people, the author or principal to write down everything is only One Person, namely the Divine Creator of Heaven and Earth, the Elohim Hashem Jehovah.

Keeping that in mind, we should also remember that That Task Giver is a man of truth Who is not telling lies, and as such all what He says should be taken as one opinion which does not contradict.

“God is not man, that he should lie, or a son of man, that he should repent. Has he said, and will he not do it? Or has he spoken, and will he not fulfil it?” (Nu 23:19 RSV)

“Once for all I have sworn by my holiness; I will not lie to David.” (Ps 89:35 RSV)

“in hope of eternal life which God, who never lies, promised ages ago” (Tit 1:2 RSV)

Intended message

When reading the Bible we should always remember the basics of interpretation: looking for the Author’s intended message, reading it in context and with the whole of Scripture in view, even considering how believers throughout history have interpreted it. Hereby not forgetting that many human beings gave their idea about the text, but that those interpretations should be taken as such being ideas of fallible men and not always telling the truth or giving the right interpretation to a certain part of a text.

Construction for all to see and understand

We also should not believe those priests and pastors or other clergies that say it is not up to non-clergy to read and understand the Bible. The Bible is a God-given present for all people, not for a few exceptions or studied people. We always should give the Bible time to give us the necessary spiritual food, when we are ripe for it. We should consider the Bible as the tool of a Masterworker, the Architect, giving Him time to mould us and prepare us for building His righteous creature.  Look at the Bible like a huge building, where you can not see all the rooms at once. You need your time to investigate all the places. The instruction the word of God gives is like a building construction Engineer telling the other people involved in raising a building what should be done at every stage of the building, so the building can be done exactly as it was planned as the Architect wanted it.

When looking at construction plans, they are not always easy to read at first glance. The same with the Plan of God or with the bible. We should give it enough attention to see all the details and to understand why certain things are like they are designed.

We should also not avoid difficult ‘drawings’ or texts when we encounter such in our reading sessions.

When we come across a problematic passage, we might prefer to focus on the verses that are more accessible or understandable. But avoiding these texts doesn’t make them disappear. Eventually you or someone you love will want an explanation.

writes Elliot Clark in his article 6 Wrong Ways to Approach Difficult Bible Passages.

Requesting the Planner for more  information

We should remember also that when a passage is not clear to us, the best Person to ask about it is God Himself. Therefore, do not forget to pray about it and ask God for more insight.

Some Christians assume that Scripture’s perspicuity implies that its interpretation should be straightforward. But that is not always so. God has given us a brain, a mind, and we should use our brain to come to understand.

the Bible isn’t a pocket dictionary for faith and practice.

In his Word, God has spoken through complex narrative and poetic philosophy. He’s recorded commands complete with rationale, motivation, and explanation. He’s provided principles, then called us to thoughtful application and situational wisdom. That’s why he’s given us minds for thinking, pastors for teaching, a community for learning, and his Spirit for illuminating. These good gifts would be gratuitous if God’s words to us were always clear—which, by its own admission, simply isn’t the case (2 Pet. 3:16). { 6 Wrong Ways to Approach Difficult Bible Passages.}

When encountering a difficult passage, we, next to our prayer, could also speak about it with others around us and ask some church leaders for more information on that part of scripture.

Comparing

It is up to us to compare the explanation of those people with the sayings in other parts of the Bible. All texts in the Holy Scriptures must be in agreement and do not contradict each other. If there is any contradiction, it is due to a wrong assumption. In that case, one will have to become better informed and read the text according to its correct interpretation.

We should be wary of scientific diagnosis or endless speculation, especially if it’s absent of a warmed heart and any bedside manner that demonstrates genuine love for others — and ultimately for God.

“The aim of our charge,” Paul says, “is love” (1 Tim. 1:5). { 6 Wrong Ways to Approach Difficult Bible Passages.}

Judging

Some people want to look at the Bible for being able to judge God or to ‘attack’ believers. they want to undermine the faith of lovers of God, by twisting the words of the Bible, or to show others how the clergy is just doing the opposite of what is written in the Bible. They do forget that perhaps those clergy or not the right people for God and do not belong to a church that really is in line with God. We may not forget that the majority of churches in this world do have another God than the God of Jesus Christ and lots of them even use graven images of their god and other gods or saints.

E. Clark warns

We can easily study the Bible in such a way that we preside in judgment over it — as if we’re the ultimate arbiter of what is true and right and good.

Instead, we must allow God to sit in judgment over us through sacred Scripture. His Word is what discerns the thoughts and attitudes of our hearts (Heb. 4:12), exposing our sin alongside his provision of salvation. When we confront difficult texts, therefore, we must be careful not to cross-examine the witness of God. We are ultimately the ones in need of scrutiny, not the other way around. { 6 Wrong Ways to Approach Difficult Bible Passages.}

It is not for us or anyone else to judge the ways of God. Instead of looking at Him with judgment, we should try to understand why God works in any way.

Reaching for quality

It does not matter how fast you go through reading the whole Bible. The best is to give it some time each day. Each day reading a chapter for example. Either by going from the first until the last book, chapter after chapter, or by choosing some book of interest and going from there, not reading the whole Bible in the order of the books.

When reading a book, do not forget to take time to think about what you have read. Ask yourself what it was about, what the message is, and what you can learn from it.

In case you come up against difficult verses, do not worry to read them over and over again. Chew on them. do not mind reading them again the next day. Try it again the next day, reading the whole paragraph now, and wonder about the verse in context. In case there are cross-references, go and have a look at those verses, and see what is written there.

Tuning in

When taking the time for yourself and the Bible, make sure there is nothing to distract you. ‘Tune in’ to that one channel of God, listening in yourself to what you are reading in that Book of books. Do not let social media messages interrupt your reading. Put your phone aside for some time … the reading time … for listening to the Speaker God. It is with Him that you are in conversation when you are reading the Bible. It is Him that you should then give your time … Listening to Him.

When there is enough willingness to listen to the Words of God, they shall come over properly and not like a badly tuned radio, with crackling and distorted sounds.

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Preceding

Is reading the Bible necessary?

How Social Media is Shrinking the Bible

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Additional reading

1. Unread bestseller
2. Bible
3. Bible Word from God
4. Word of God
5. Bible Inspired Word of God
6. Today’s thought “Word of the Only One God – To be read and listened at” (November 21)
7. Bible Word of God inspired and infallible
8. Appointed to be read (Our World) = Appointed to be read (Some View on the World)
9. Best to read and study the Bible
10. The Metaphorical language of the Bible (Our World) = The Metaphorical language of the Bible (Some View on the World)
11. The truth is very plain to see and God can be clearly seen (Our World) = The truth is very plain to see and God can be clearly seen (Some View on the World)
12. No other god besides Jehovah who gives all explanation
13. God’s Blog recorded in a Book
14. Creator and Blogger God 1 Emptiness and mouvement
15. Creator and Blogger God 10 A Blog of a Book 4 Listening to the Blogger
16. Creator and Blogger God 11 Old and New Blog 1 Aimed at one man
17. the Bible – God’s guide for life #7 Case example – King Josiah #2 Lessons from Josiah’s experience
18. Written for our instruction, that through perseverance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope
19. Scripture alone Sola Scriptora
20. Absolute Basics to Reading the Bible
21. Do Christians need to read the Old Testament
22. The importance of Reading the Scriptures
23. Challenging claim 4 Inspired by God 3 Self-consistent Word of God
24. Finding and Understanding Words and Meanings
25. A question to be posed
26. Bible Reading: is it worthwhile?
27. Bible in the first place #1/3
28. Bible in the first place #2/3
29. Bible in the first place #3/3
30. The Word itself should be enough reason to believe
31. A vital question for believers
32. Making time for God is crucial
33. When found the necessary books to read and how to read them
34. Necessity of a revelation of creation 9 Searching the Scriptures
35. Necessity of a revelation of creation 10 Instructions for insight and wisdom
36. How to Read the Bible
37. How to Read the Bible (sequel 1)
38. How to Read the Bible (sequel 2)
39. How to Read the Bible (sequel 3)
40. How to Read the Bible (sequel 4)
41. How to Read the Bible (sequel 5)
42. How to Read the Bible (sequel 6) an after thought
43. Thinking about the happiness by the Torah reading
44. When reading your Bible be aware of changing language
45. Reading to grow and to become wise concerning the most important thing in life 1 Times of reading
46. Reading to grow and to become wise concerning the most important thing in life 3 Light and wisdom in words
47. Reading to grow and to become wise concerning the most important thing in life 4 Words giving us wisdom and encouragement
48. Literalist and non-literalist views
49. Missional hermeneutics 1/5
50. Missional hermeneutics 2/5
51. Missional hermeneutics 3/5
52. Missional hermeneutics 4/5
53. Missional hermeneutics 5/5
54. We should use the Bible every day
55. Feed Your Faith Daily
56. 2 Easy Ways You Can Fit Daily Bible Time into Your Busy Life
57. 3 Keys to Reading the Bible with a Fresh Perspective
58. Bric-a-brac of the Bible
59. The manager and Word of God (Our World) = The manager and Word of God (Some View on the World)
60. If the Bible tells us not to lean upon our own understanding, are preachers, and Bible professors, leaning upon the theirs’?
61. A special anniversary for the Church where Catholics and Protestants find common ground
62. 500 years of a provision of the Word in the language of the peoples
63. Accuracy, Word-for-Word Translation Preferred by most Bible Readers (Our World) = Accuracy, Word-for-Word Translation Preferred by most Bible Readers (Some View on the World)
64. A living Word giving confidence (Our World) = A living Word giving confidence (Some View on the World)
65. Youth has difficulty Bible Reading
66. Lenten Season and our minds and hearts the spiritual temple in which God seeks to live
67. Not able to make contact with God because to busy
68. Coming to the end of the year
69. Summer holiday time to knock and ask, and time to share
70. Christian in Christendom or in Christianity
71. Today’s thought “… his word abiding in you” (April 13)
72. Be an Encourager

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Related

1. Tips for new Christians
2. Seeking God’s manna
3. God’s Shaping Tools
4. The Book
5. Our Amazing Bible
6. A Word on Bible Versions
7. Our LifelineRead the whole of the Bible.How to Read the Bible
8. Reading God’s Word (A basic guide to Bible reading)
9. Video: How To Read the Bible
10. Making the Bible More Approachable
11. The Easiest Book in the Bible to Read
12. Passive vs. Active Reading of Scripture: How to ignite a passion for the Bible
13. 3 Transformational Ways to Read Scripture
14. The Difference Between Reading the Bible and Meditating on God’s Word
15. Reading the Bible in a Year
16. A Sermon: Reading the Bible Together
17. Book: Reading While Black
18. Book: How (Not) to Read the Bible
19. How Do I Read the Bible?
20. How to Interpret Scripture
21. Purpose of Scripture
22. Reading Scripture as non-Scripture
23. Reading Scripture as non-Scripture: Sola Scriptura and the Hermeneutics of Historical Artifact
24. Reading the Bible Properly: John Behr, Stanley Hauerwas, and the Historical-Critical Method
25. How to Read the Bible from a Universalist Perspective
26. Simple Bible Study Tips – Old Testament & New
27. The Importance Of Reading The Bible Daily
28. Listening to God; March 14, 2022
29. Digging in Deeper: Psalms 119:27
30. Don’t Read the Bible Through in One Year
31. How I Read the Bible Cover to Cover
32. Hang Onto Every Word
33. Reading the Bible aloud
34. Some Things I Learned Reading The Whole Bible in 2020
35. 3 Reasons to Spend Time With God
36. Forgetting the Divine Word
37. Misinterpreting Scripture
38. The Danger of Error in the Church
39. We are what we read.
40. The Book That We Love: Uprooting & Planting
41. How can we help people to let Christ’s word dwell in them richly?