"Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed."

Monday, March 15, 2010

The Ides of March!

Goooooood morning! It's a lovely, almost-spring day here in NC. Daylight Savings Time began yesterday so I'm trying to adjust to losing an hour of sleep and get used to the fact that it's already 8:17 AM when it feels so much like it's only a bit after 7! ;)

Thankfully I got over my anger after writing the post that I did yesterday about honor killings. It was one of those things I'd just read about (finished the book yesterday morning) and needed to "discuss." Someone said "I'm sorry you have to put up with this" and in reality, I don't have to put up with it! Those are not my people who are killing their own daughters. I don't know those women. I don't feel I am at risk of being murdered by a male member of my family. I could very easily do the American thing of not reading or caring about what goes on elsewhere in the world and never be troubled by what women are enduring at the hands of their own men. But I chose to read this book and in the process it boiled my blood when I dared to think and put myself in such a situation. I could have been born in Jordan or Pakistan or other places where men's honor are more important than a human being's life. As Andrew put it so well, "I can't even imagine cutting the throat of a stranger. These men have to be demonic in order to kill their own children."

Thank you, Andrew!

Yes, exactly! This is the influence of pure evil and these men are only following what Satan wants them to do. For sure, this is not the direction of God! In fact, I told Andrew I need to do a post on "What happens when land & your honor become your god." Because there is waaaaaaaaaay too much evil being done for the sake of land and the sake of honor. When land and honor - and might I add oil into the mix - become more important than humans, it's gone too far!

Andrew joked that I'd read another man-hater book, but I blamed him because the only reason I stopped at the library was to return two books he'd checked out. I've been avoiding the library this year since I have some of my own books that need reading, but I was lured in there and for some reason checked the section that has books on the Middle East and Islam. I can't help it that book jumped off the shelf into my hands and begged me, "Please take me home and read me!" Andrew said from now on he'd return his own books. :)



In other news, I'm now reading Anne Frank: The Book, The Life, The Afterlife by Francine Prose. The author shares many interesting tidbits about Anne's life and family and even ways her life and journal influenced world culture. She wrote, "[An] episode of 60 Minutes reported that North Korean schoolchildren were being assigned to read Anne's journal with instructions to think of George W. Bush as Hitler and of the Americans as the Nazis who wished to exterminate the North Koreans." (pg. 21) Also did you realize "Anne's diary is one of the texts most frequently read and studied by incarcerated men and women in prisons throughout the United States"? (pg. 19)

I didn't either.

Someone made an interesting comment yesterday about Jesus and dietary rules and why Christians reject the Jewish law regarding eating pork, shellfish and other things God forbade the children of Israel to eat. I think I'll write up a post at least sharing my own thoughts on it. Stay tuned for that if you're interested in such things.

Anything else I should discuss? Thanks to all who have contributed to the Matthew study thus far. I've enjoyed your feedback.

Better get a few other things done now. Have a wonderful Monday!


4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Well Hello Beautiful! I should first apologize for not replying to your comment yet-I had a wonderful weekend away from home and will write about it tomorrow...kinda kept me busy with only a few moments here and there to sneak on here and read a little. I have SO much to say and by the way..did you get in my head with some of those points? You were spot on!
As for the book you read..I need to stay away from those books...my over active imagination and magnetic pull towards unnecessary drama are heightened after reading stuff like that :P It's horrible...pointless..and such a disgusting, inhumane way of dealing with hurt pride. What else can I say.

So I will try to come here in the morning and write you back and maybe post a blog. Been thinking about you and hoping you're okay.

Lots of love,
Shell

Susanne said...

Awwww, thanks so much for leaving me a comment, Shell. It's always fun hearing from friends. I'm glad you had a lovely weekend. I enjoyed reading about it a few hours ago. Thanks for sharing.

Yeah, I don't know why I read that book. Well, I find all that cultural stuff rather fascinating - and maddening at times. :)

Good hearing from you!
Hugs,
Susanne

Texan after UAE said...

This is a really sick and sad act. I condone these awful killings. There's more to say, but I need to go. I will give your blog link to one of my best friends, she's more into this stuff. She brings up a lot of good points.

A lot of people always assume that this is from Islam. It's not from islam. It's not from our religion. It's a sick act and these people who do this, should be shot!

Susanne said...

Ms. Texas, :)

She writes in the book that it predates Christianity -- like for ages! :) So I know it's not Islamic. It's just, unfortunately, kept in place by Muslim countries when they could (in her opinion) get rid of it since it's NOT Islamic. I wrote about that in previous posts when I was venting on this book. Hehehehe.

Thanks for your comment!