Phyllis Beveridge Nissila
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Like nuclear power that has both good and bad applications, the same goes for coming up with ways to fight pandemics such as COVID-19.
There are several models out there including, just now, the controversial, “Artificially Intelligent,” as it were, computer program model, the so-called “herd immunity” model, to the old-fashioned (with new additives) vaccinations, all of which are being discussed; some are underway.
Where it comes to the pandemonic aspect of fighting COVID-19, this is where the edges get fuzzy, because pushing and shoving up against the literal virus are figurative viruses of political, economic, and power-mongering natures; opportunistic, visible and invisible– blatant and subtle–leeches of another species that await some crisis or other to which to attach and wreak what havoc they might. My previous posts, featuring guest experts, detail several of these themes.
Of course it is not always easy at first to discern which antidote for either kind of virus is best and untainted by political or biological pollution.
Advertising, public relations efforts, and propaganda have roles in informing, persuading–and warning–us regarding best and worst practices in each case.
But to today’s post script, I would add one more aspect of the situation, another view, this, from ten-thousand feet: how to tell when good is infected by bad (and not just the error part of trial and error) and altruism is contaminated by avarice.
Because when it comes to choosing best (and discerning worst) practices in any aspect of human endeavor it is invariably true: caveat emptor.
In short, the topic here is how to know when the opportunistic parasite called evil, aka wickedness, whatever its form, snakes into neutral territory–and when to armor up for battle whether on the biological, political, social, and/or spiritual field.
For this reason I am re-posting an excerpt of a feature that appeared last May that seems very apropos and that both elaborates on the above and includes some practical guidelines for today’s fray.
The post concerns something else that is part and parcel of certain crises, like today’s, if not at first, soon; if not obvious right away, wait. This would be the contempt that rides the rails with wickedness–a true and dangerous marker of the reality behind both visible and non-visible scenes where evil waits–and baits.
One we must not ignore.
You see, this kind of evil is not some spontaneous reaction to an enemy or even a planned attack. It is the kind of evil that has been waiting near the edges for opportunity, feeding spores of envy, greed, and ambition until the soul is blackened…
(Side note: perhaps “it” has failed a few times, at first, sparring against a more seasoned opponent.
I mean, if you’ve noticed any real-time examples, have you also noticed the anger? and soon, the rage?
I would cite, for example, from the U.S. Congress, the speedy evolution, or shall I say, devolution of certain young, new members of the Democrat Socialist so-called “squad” who desperately believe they want–we should ALL want–a socialist America and who in just a few months turned from slick-tongued, polished-faced, well-rehearsed propagandists to arm-flailing, finger-jabbing, potty-mouthed, ranting, well, middle-schoolers–it looks like to a lot of us–devoid of any sense of irony let alone the maturity, if you will, to pull off such a massive, over-arching coup d’état. They likely don’t even realize they do far more harm than good for their cause. This might be due to the Dunning–Kruger effect, of course; nevertheless, I am sure it frustrates their mentors no end…)
To wit, when it comes to wickedness and its twin, contempt, there is never “enough;” there is no cessation of pushing and shoving in this ancient, ever-morphing, and always present battle of evil versus good. Only the players and the field change.
Some people and situations are subtle, but as wickedness and contempt gain ground and spread their own kind of disease, for those with eyes to see, ears to hear, and minds to perceive there ain’t no mistakin’ what’s up.
And pretty soon, everyone else catches on, too–hopefully, in time.
When Comes Contempt–On Sheltering in (God’s) Place…
First posted May 20, 2019
When wickedness comes, so does contempt, and with shame comes reproach… (Proverbs 18:3, NIV)
I previously wrote about why it may be so very difficult to reason with radical left ideologues who would rather ramp up rage than agree to disagree and work together from there. Their goal is different. They want control not compromise. See what you think.
It is now time to move beyond just identifying the issues from a believer’s (and citizen’s) point of view to ways to overcome them–for both believers and others in harm’s way–and to move forward.
For there comes a point when opposition becomes anarchy (and there are those who encourage this and work it to their best advantage).
When this kind of anomalous behavior in a free society becomes the norm, we are all in trouble, not only on the streets but also in classrooms, churches, homes, and halls of power.
In part we face danger and need to move forward not only because “good people do nothing” (often the charge) but also because the best anarchists, i.e., the best-dressed, best-educated, and best-spoken, con their way into minds and hearts much more easily by a veneer of virtue, or you might say, appearing as angels of light to foster a dark revolution. As to the reality, Psalm 35:20 comes to mind:
For they speak not peace: but they devise deceitful matters against them that are quiet in the land.
[Regarding the politicization of today’s COVID-19 crisis, you might say “…they devise government takeover* against them that are hoping to just survive the virus in the land and get back to work.”]
Consider also:
I am for peace; but when I speak, they are for war. (Psalm 120:7)
[Regarding today’s crisis, you might say “…they are for economic chaos and revolution**.”]
But the truth will always come out.
Trouble is, is it too late? continue reading…
Nevertheless, carry on.
~~~~~
*Consider: https://newspunch.com/ny-socialist-mayor-de-blasio-demands-govt-nationalize-private-industries-covid-19/
**But even more frightening, consider (right from the “[Jacoban] horse’s mouth,”) something today’s radical-left, Green New Democrat Socialist Dealers long for, indeed advocate and opine for: https://jacobinmag.com/2020/03/quarantine-coronavirus-economy-left-organizing
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Post Script: On Pandemics and Pandemonics–“When Comes Wickedness, and Its Twin”
Phyllis Beveridge Nissila
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Like nuclear power that has both good and bad applications, the same goes for coming up with ways to fight pandemics such as COVID-19.
There are several models out there including, just now, the controversial, “Artificially Intelligent,” as it were, computer program model, the so-called “herd immunity” model, to the old-fashioned (with new additives) vaccinations, all of which are being discussed; some are underway.
Where it comes to the pandemonic aspect of fighting COVID-19, this is where the edges get fuzzy, because pushing and shoving up against the literal virus are figurative viruses of political, economic, and power-mongering natures; opportunistic, visible and invisible– blatant and subtle–leeches of another species that await some crisis or other to which to attach and wreak what havoc they might. My previous posts, featuring guest experts, detail several of these themes.
Of course it is not always easy at first to discern which antidote for either kind of virus is best and untainted by political or biological pollution.
Advertising, public relations efforts, and propaganda have roles in informing, persuading–and warning–us regarding best and worst practices in each case.
But to today’s post script, I would add one more aspect of the situation, another view, this, from ten-thousand feet: how to tell when good is infected by bad (and not just the error part of trial and error) and altruism is contaminated by avarice.
Because when it comes to choosing best (and discerning worst) practices in any aspect of human endeavor it is invariably true: caveat emptor.
In short, the topic here is how to know when the opportunistic parasite called evil, aka wickedness, whatever its form, snakes into neutral territory–and when to armor up for battle whether on the biological, political, social, and/or spiritual field.
For this reason I am re-posting an excerpt of a feature that appeared last May that seems very apropos and that both elaborates on the above and includes some practical guidelines for today’s fray.
The post concerns something else that is part and parcel of certain crises, like today’s, if not at first, soon; if not obvious right away, wait. This would be the contempt that rides the rails with wickedness–a true and dangerous marker of the reality behind both visible and non-visible scenes where evil waits–and baits.
One we must not ignore.
You see, this kind of evil is not some spontaneous reaction to an enemy or even a planned attack. It is the kind of evil that has been waiting near the edges for opportunity, feeding spores of envy, greed, and ambition until the soul is blackened…
(Side note: perhaps “it” has failed a few times, at first, sparring against a more seasoned opponent.
I mean, if you’ve noticed any real-time examples, have you also noticed the anger? and soon, the rage?
I would cite, for example, from the U.S. Congress, the speedy evolution, or shall I say, devolution of certain young, new members of the Democrat Socialist so-called “squad” who desperately believe they want–we should ALL want–a socialist America and who in just a few months turned from slick-tongued, polished-faced, well-rehearsed propagandists to arm-flailing, finger-jabbing, potty-mouthed, ranting, well, middle-schoolers–it looks like to a lot of us–devoid of any sense of irony let alone the maturity, if you will, to pull off such a massive, over-arching coup d’état. They likely don’t even realize they do far more harm than good for their cause. This might be due to the Dunning–Kruger effect, of course; nevertheless, I am sure it frustrates their mentors no end…)
To wit, when it comes to wickedness and its twin, contempt, there is never “enough;” there is no cessation of pushing and shoving in this ancient, ever-morphing, and always present battle of evil versus good. Only the players and the field change.
Some people and situations are subtle, but as wickedness and contempt gain ground and spread their own kind of disease, for those with eyes to see, ears to hear, and minds to perceive there ain’t no mistakin’ what’s up.
And pretty soon, everyone else catches on, too–hopefully, in time.
When Comes Contempt–On Sheltering in (God’s) Place…
First posted May 20, 2019
I previously wrote about why it may be so very difficult to reason with radical left ideologues who would rather ramp up rage than agree to disagree and work together from there. Their goal is different. They want control not compromise. See what you think.
It is now time to move beyond just identifying the issues from a believer’s (and citizen’s) point of view to ways to overcome them–for both believers and others in harm’s way–and to move forward.
For there comes a point when opposition becomes anarchy (and there are those who encourage this and work it to their best advantage).
When this kind of anomalous behavior in a free society becomes the norm, we are all in trouble, not only on the streets but also in classrooms, churches, homes, and halls of power.
In part we face danger and need to move forward not only because “good people do nothing” (often the charge) but also because the best anarchists, i.e., the best-dressed, best-educated, and best-spoken, con their way into minds and hearts much more easily by a veneer of virtue, or you might say, appearing as angels of light to foster a dark revolution. As to the reality, Psalm 35:20 comes to mind:
[Regarding the politicization of today’s COVID-19 crisis, you might say “…they devise government takeover* against them that are hoping to just survive the virus in the land and get back to work.”]
Consider also:
[Regarding today’s crisis, you might say “…they are for economic chaos and revolution**.”]
But the truth will always come out.
Trouble is, is it too late? continue reading…
Nevertheless, carry on.
~~~~~
*Consider: https://newspunch.com/ny-socialist-mayor-de-blasio-demands-govt-nationalize-private-industries-covid-19/
**But even more frightening, consider (right from the “[Jacoban] horse’s mouth,”) something today’s radical-left, Green New Democrat Socialist Dealers long for, indeed advocate and opine for: https://jacobinmag.com/2020/03/quarantine-coronavirus-economy-left-organizing
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