GOD - HEALING AND MIRACLES - 2 - ELIGIBILITY

GOD / HEALING AND MIRACLES / 2 – ELIGIBLITY

Your eligibility for receiving a miraculous cure or other aid came with your birth as a child of God.  Do you think the only God created you with an evolutionary process of near infinite complexity and duration and then would give up on you?  Not a chance.  

http://evolutioninsights.blogspot.com/2013/06/god-and-people.html  is an early post that may give you a reason to think God loves you.  If you read the Bible you can see how even people with serious failings were and are loved by God; but that is not an endorsement for deliberately failing.  Jesus makes statements showing that God desires salvation for all of us.  Luke 4:38-44 is a gospel reading that tells of Jesus curing many with no indication of his using an interrogation process or evaluating them.  Moses and David play significant roles in the history of God’s people and each was involved in the killing of another person.

To determine your eligibility for divine help, use the following check list and check items that describe actions you did without being forced to do so,

Have you ever? -

___ smiled at someone

___ helped someone without being asked

___ complimented someone

___ put a penny in a donation receptacle

___ donated a million dollars to charity

___ helped in a soup kitchen

___ put a dollar or a dime in the Salvation Army bell-ringers pot

___ said a prayer for someone else

___ said thank you

___ voted for the best candidate

Count the number of checks.  If 0, keep trying.  If 1, you are eligible.  If 2 to 10, you are still eligible.

Remorse for past moral failings is often expressed by prisoners who seem to accept their confinement.  Unfortunately, the legal system is not geared up to return them to a free life, execution or confinement is still continued, but they are often more content (I have no statistics to support this statement, just a lifetime of reading news accounts and magazine articles of such instances).

People in danger of death during wartime and peacetime personal disasters that usually do result in death have appealed to God and received remarkable and miraculous rescues.  I used to keep such things in a file, but most were a bit long to include here, even if I could find them.

I have been the recipient of a few things that I put in the miraculous category because they were so swift in timing and duration.  Because some involved personal failings and/or are of embarrassing content I will not relate them.  If you have such things, talk to Jesus about them, he already knows more about it than we do.  Then don’t dwell on the past, accept the present, and just revel in the future.

Joe Engemann    Kalamazoo, Michigan     September 13. 2016

GOD - HEALING AND MIRACLES - 3 - EXPECTATIONS

GOD / HEALING AND MIRACLES / 3 – EXPECTATIONS

Answers to prayers may not come in the form we expect.  It may not be just a joke when someone says “I got the answer to my prayers, it was “no”’.  The answer may vary in its time scale.  If you are praying to find a suitable life partner, don’t insist that the next person to ring the doorbell will be the one.  It is possible that you won’t get the hoped for answer to your prayers, but later realize how fortunate you are that your prayers weren’t answered to your specifications.  The traffic jam that made you miss the plane that crashed may be in that category of answers.

Cure, relief, or the outcome you want is likely to be the outcome most pleasing to you.  But other answers are also worthwhile.

Acceptance of the unwanted condition is a satisfying outcome.  It should not be just giving up, but it can be a happy life anyway.  If you are not miserable and dwelling on your problems, the people around you will be happier and it should make you happier too.  But keep the prayers going, maybe better times are coming.

Understanding

When acceptance is based on a fatalistic view of the world it may provide some degree of release from anguish.  But true peace may be within reach if you consider how many of the first apostles suffered worldly woes and martyrdom.  They knew the worldly life was temporary and expected an eternal spiritual life with rewards far beyond worldly suffering, even though their vision of that world was clouded by earthly limitations.  Being witness to the life, teachings, suffering, death, and resurrection of Jesus made that belief and their expectations a certainty.  The certainty is not about the details of the future as seen by those who think in terms, of health, wealth and wives, those may be meaningless as our relationship with God reaches fulfillment.

If your expectations aren’t met, I hope you will at least have happy surprises.  I’ve heard it said, if your goals are met, you’ve set your sights too low.

Joe Engemann    Kalamazoo, Michigan    September 12,  2016

GOD - HEALING AND MIRACLES - 4 - WHO TO ASK

GOD - HEALING AND MIRACLES - 4 - WHO TO ASK

INTERCESSORS

The need for an intercessor is a natural part of our individual developmental history.  Our parents arrange things for us when we are young.  Unfortunately, some of us never become independent.  In church we learn about a God so supreme, yet invisible to us, we may think we need someone that speaks his language and is on intimate terms with him and thus has the opportunity to submit our requests.  We often turn to some of those listed below to do so, although we can, and maybe should, go directly to the source.

Family and friends

Those closest to us probably already know about our problems and needs, already are concerned for us, and may already be praying for us.  Praying with them may be a step ahead of the problem because, as Jesus said, “where two or more are gathered in my name, there am I also.”

Saints and Holy People

Saints are known intercessors as they are recognized today.  Like Mother Theresa, who completed the process of official recognition with canonization September 4, 2016 after investigation and acceptance of the second miracle, and a first one earlier needed for beatification, there are undoubtedly other instances of miracles to her credit. 

Holy people you know personally may be effective intercessors.  Historically, there seems to be one or more Saints for every need.  I think that there are so many people beseeching the Blessed Mother of Jesus with remarkable success that I came up with the thought that there were too many for her personal attention (although I have no idea what Saints in Heaven are capable of doing personally); it seemed logical that God was listening in (he knows all of us and our inmost thoughts) and grants things to us to show his love for us and for the intercessor we have chosen.  That was perhaps in my subconscious when I brought St. Ann, the grandmother of Jesus, in as my go to Saint when asking for miracles.  Grandmothers have a special place in the hearts of children, so how could Jesus refuse her request or intercession?  I still ask Jesus to show his love for his parents and grandmother, as well as my parents and many others in heaven as well as for family and friends there.

If you give something to charitable organizations, they often share your address with other similar organizations.  The pleas for money are often accompanied with requests for your prayers and monetary contributions and the promise that you will be included in their prayers.  They have honed their appeals to touch your heartstrings, and I suspect the most extreme or effective ones are prepared by hired consultants that will do the job regardless of the merits of the organization.  I am inclined to limit my responses to ones I know are effectively pursuing the designated charitable cause.  Scams can often follow natural disasters faster than reputable charities in making their requests.

If you give to a fake charity it is possible God will reward you for your good intentions.  I am sure he will reward you for your good intention even more so when it is a legitimate charity.

THE SOURCE

Father, Son, and Holy Spirit

God is the source of all good, the Creator of the world and all that is in it.  God is the lover of his creation including each of us.  God demonstrated his exceptional love for us by becoming human for us and redeeming us by his suffering for us, all things foretold in the Old Testament.  He is with us always inspiring and guiding us via his Holy Spirit if we are willing to listen.  As the world goes on, with outcomes resembling the chance events we consider are explanations of the course of worldly events, God is willing to make special concession to his ultimate creative result on planet earth; we can ignore similar possible events on billions of other planets in the universe.

So, as the one that made the rules governing the universe, God is the one that can ultimately insert miraculous events without disrupting the creation he made.  Don’t worry about it.  God knew it would happen over twelve billion years ago when he created the universe.  As the ultimate spiritual being, God is outside of time by our perspective, eternally aware of the whole scope of time.

Ask away.  And grow closer to God (from your point of view).

Joe Engemann     Kalamazoo, Michigan     September 10, 2016

GOD - HEALING AND MIRACLES - 5 - HOW TO ASK

GOD / HEALING AND MIRACLES / 5 - HOW TO ASK 

Humility not defiance

It is certainly easier to ask God for help when you believe he exists.  Mouthing words that are not believed is not going to fool God.  There is nothing you can do that will.  If things like that don’t work, child-like defiance won’t either, even though Jesus said “let the little children come to me”.  The biblical “fear of the Lord” that is recommended for our attitude was more “give God the deserved respect”.

Realize there is no way you can bribe or threaten God to get your favor answered.  Realize God will do what is best for you.  Realize God is waiting for your request, if it comes from an intercessor or group praying for you, it may be granted quicker if humility due to asking others accompanies your request.  The more you fill your life with good works and actions showing (to yourself) your love for others, the more God will likewise treat you.  For the busy mother the attention and love given her family is worth more than joining a dozen organizations doing good work.  Regardless of our vocation in life, the “Golden Rule” is a practical guide to ethical conduct pleasing to God.

Sincerely and repeatedly

When you are desperate, sincerity is not likely to be missing.  When you are not desperate, frivolous requests should be self-evident.  If you keep asking, it is probably not a trivial request.  If it is important, keep asking; I think that is clear from the parable about the man knocking on his friend’s door at night after it had been locked.  Repeated requests may evolve into a request more likely to be granted.

Can you think of how a granted request would make you a better person?  Maybe you can include that improvement as part of the request.  You certainly shouldn’t want your request granted if it would be detrimental to you or others.

Joseph Engemann     Kalamazoo, Michigan     September 9, 2016

GOD - HEALING AND MIRACLES - 6 - SAYING THANK YOU

HEALING AND MIRACLES / 6 – SAYING THANK YOU

“Thank you Lord” may not be part of your vocabulary.  Even when it is, if you are like me, it may be seldom said.  I wonder, if I had said it more frequently in the past, would I have the need to make requests for help.  From things I have read, some in scripture, I think God is pleased to have us make frequent requests.  Most of us, when free of depression, have many things we should thank our Creator for – life, family, friends, health, home, freedom, and country.  But life being what it is, we all will have things we think need attention or improvement.  There are many things we may want beyond healing or miracles that are worth asking for divine help to attain, so whether you need a parking spot, a better job, or improvement in a relationship, it is a good idea to enlist God’s help.

For past help, present conditions, or prayers answered, it is never too late to say thank you.

This post will be the last of six.  I intend to post the others (5, 4, 3, 2, and 1) very soon.  This will make the six appear in proper order for those accessing this blog after a week or more.  One will be the introduction to healing and miracles, two will discuss eligibility (all are eligible), three - expectations, four – who to ask, five – how to ask, and six –  saying thank you for answered prayers.  Then I should be back to evolution topics.

To prepare yourself for the project, you might contemplate the one infinite God by considering the creation that he made and knows from the most distant reaches of the universe to the smallest subatomic particles.  Before you dissolve in panic before the infinite pure existence that made everything, realize that he knows and loves you better than you do.  Don’t worry about his creation in the many other habitable planets throughout the universe, just realize that his love for you is personal and understandable through his son, Jesus Christ.  We all share in that love.  That is reason for an enormous thank you.

Joe Engemann      Kalamazoo, Michigan      September 8, 2016

GENETIC ENGINEERING

 DNA manipulation

DNA REVOLUTION is the title of an interesting update on the topic by Michael Specter in the December 2016 issue of National Geographic, pages 30-55.  The prospects of using CRISPER, for genetically modifying organisms such as mosquitoes, was discussed along with the need for understanding the benefits and dangers of such genetic manipulation.  The article following, Science vs. Mosquitoes, by Cynthia Gorney, on pages 56-59 of the same issue helps demonstrate the positive value such genetic manipulation could have.

GMO’s, or genetically modified organisms, are often assumed to be dangerous when they occur in the food chain.  Although they could be made so, they also can be harmless as food.  A high level of safety as food can be achieved if goals and procedures are appropriate.  The speed of developing beneficial traits can be much greater than with conventional breeding programs.  Waiting for natural selection to produce useful natural variants through evolution is not an assured way of getting new useful variants in our lifetime.

Some possible benefits of genetic engineering of food organisms. 

Greater yield and/or better adaptation to agricultural processes and environmental conditions may be expedited by finding useful genes for transfer from other organisms unlikely to interbreed naturally.  More success may be found by transferring genes from different strains of the same species.   Examples of expected benefits include drought resistance, stronger stems to resist breakage due to wind or heavy rain, resistance to disease organisms and insects, higher ratio of edible parts versus other structural parts, higher nutrient content, and improved flavor or other attributes.

The uniformity achieved by planting hybrid seed for crops might possibly be accomplished by genetic engineering.  The reduced variation in size and shape of plants makes it much easier to effectively harvest them by machines.

Some possible hazards of genetic engineering of organisms.

Every engineered organism released into the environment has the potential to disrupt the ecological balance achieved by natural populations in much the same way an invasive species or introduced organism may disrupt the balance.  Just as with introduced species, sometimes we like the result.  But the potential for disaster is what we fear.  There is usually no reset button we can push to start over without the disastrous introduced organism.

The relative simplicity and/or ease with which genetic manipulation can be done makes it possible for laboratory errors or contamination to result in release of dangerous GMO’s into the environment.

One of the greatest fears that made pioneers of genetic engineering pause and help put safety procedures in place with strict containment and decontamination procedures was the inadvertent release of normally benign organisms containing toxins of disease organisms.

A fear that terrorists might inadvertently destroy the world, with release of lethal organisms that do not recognize boundaries separating friends from foes, could be disastrous for civilization as we know it.  The suicidal mentality projected to that scale seems unlikely, but we seem to get a foretaste of it in past terrorism events.

Molecular biologists initiated standards for recombinant DNA research beginning over 40 years ago.  Containment and other standards were a feature incorporated in federal research grants as a consequence.  But the tremendous progress in the field has simplified the process so that it is feasible for individuals to undertake projects outside of grant supported research programs and regulated facilities.

Ecological considerations.

The success of engineered species could make their use so prevalent that related native ones might not survive.  The diversified gene pool of native species is conducive to some surviving both new and old strains of fungi, bacteria, and viruses.  If a new insect pest or a disease develops for the engineered species it could spread very rapidly through all the closely adjacent populations of it.

Diversity of species is high in most undisturbed natural communities.  As the area of a natural community is reduced, diversity is usually reduced as well.  The interdependence of species is shown by the loss of one species causing the demise of species dependent on that species.  Even predators can help preserve their prey species by keeping their numbers at reasonable levels.  Reasonable levels include population levels that do not destroy their own food supply and make infectious disease transmission more of a certainty.

The web of life encompasses more than many appreciate, but it should not be ignored.

Ethical considerations.

Genetic engineering is here.  We should insist that benefits clearly outweigh the penalties and risks of each project and that no victims are trampled in our blind enthusiasm.  Are there some things that should not be attempted?

Consider the pesky mosquitoes.  Yes, they have killed millions by their role in transmitting malaria, yellow fever, and other diseases.  Does their value in the food chain, for bats and swallows, fish and many other aquatic organisms as well as possible role in plant pollination, mean they should not be eliminated?  They probably do not play an essential role in survival of most, or perhaps all, of those organisms; that makes the targeting of particular mosquito species easier to advocate, especially using CRISPER if it leaves no toxic residues.

Presumably, CRISPER includes improved techniques for controlling mosquitoes by targeting only the species that are vectors of importance in disease transmission.  A few decades ago targeted DNA adjustments of male mosquitoes, producing only males in their offspring which would then only produce males also, was demonstrated as a way of eliminating a species in a limited study.  Since only females feed on blood needed to produce viable eggs, blood feeding and disease transmission ends.  The result would seem to be one of the least disruptive control mechanisms possible.

Because engineered species may affect other nations directly or indirectly, international agreement should be obtained if they have not already done so.  The United Nations would be a proper entity to provide oversight by establishment of an appropriate commission or process.  Genetic engineering of one's own cells for cancer treatment would be an example of an exempt activity if viral vectors are not part of the process.

I would suggest praying for divine guidance be a personal matter in our philosophical pluralistic society, although it is much needed.  Fortunately, all major elements of our society share most values in their moral codes; peace, personal freedom for all, save our environment, and help those in need seem to be givens.

Joseph Engemann      Kalamazoo, Michigan        August 25, 2016

ELECTION YEAR COMMENTS

SOME ELECTION YEAR COMMENTS AND ISSUES

It seems like this is an election campaign unlike others.  Many of the issues are the same, but in some ways they seem to have switched political parties. Both claim the high ground of truth, social responsibility, fiscal responsibility, and other good qualities with the hope you will think the other party lacks such good judgement.  The problems we face do not seem to be things that will yield to quick fixes.

Rev. William Barber

He made a point in the Democratic convention and the following evening on CNN that LOVE is the solution to many problems.  He was inspirational is stating that health care, education, and many such issues are moral issues and both political parties should support them whether liberals or conservatives.

I found his message to be in the mold of Martin Luther King’s, although MLK had a much softer delivery.  Today, I hope, few would disagree with his message of the dignity and rights of all people regardless of labels given them.  Jobs and health care can do a lot for the eventual cure of the problems generated by past inequities.  I hope he can get his message to everyone.

Hacking

The party and campaign computer systems that were hacked, presumably by Russian hackers, were given a sinister interpretation by some commentators.  I think is more likely that they wanted a better understanding of whomever they would be dealing with post-election.  It does, however, demonstrate the capability to be destructive if they so choose.  I presume the potential for hacking is more widely distributed than just to Russia or the United States.

Guns

Banning guns is not likely, but keeping assault rifles legal to appease the NRA is poor policy.

Immigration

The plight of the family in Texas, on one of the convention programs or subsequent news coverages, illustrates the importance of bringing long-term established families into citizenship acquisition programs, an important step.  She was Hispanic by virtue of the Mexican border being moved south years ago and making the region part of Texas (an over-simplification, but we need a more humane approach to the problems).  

Economic Issues

Trickle-down economics has not work as envisioned.  Low tax rates for the super-wealthy do not help the economy.  The wealthy would benefit more from full-employment and reasonable profits.  Unions need enough strength to help workers compete with the legislative care provided select businesses and wealthy segments of society.  The runaway costs of medical care might be held in check if drug costs and health care administration costs were not so inflated.  The ineptitude of congress for approving budgets to prevent Medicare fraud is part of the runaway cost cause.

Abortion and drugs

The moral aspect of capital punishment, abortion, and drugs are divisive when the solutions infringe on the religious views of some.  It is unfortunate when extreme positions are advocated by either of the parties.  Some are then conscience bound to become one-issue voters and then may consequently support otherwise objectionable policies.

Hyperbole

I experienced great discomfort in my youth when a heard some political candidates demeaning their opponents party.  So it is nothing new and we survive the extreme accusations and distortions that rouse the crowds.  Who started it?  Does it matter if both participate?

[some material deleted 11/13/16]

Joe Engemann      Kalamazoo, Michigan      August 2, 2016