Wednesday, October 9, 2013

Totalitarian Culture


What is not to understand?

1.     The Unites States, for the past 50 years or longer has pursued an expanded worldview of Manifest Destiny in which it is the savior of the world: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manifest_destiny.  It should be clear to Christians that the substitution of the Unites States for the LORD Jesus Christ is a very wicked, anti-Christ, and anti-Christian thing to do.  It should be equally clear that in support of this doctrine that we reach out in care to other nations, and even animals, while people are going hungry on our own doorsteps.  The adage, “Cast out the moat in your own eye first,” comes to mind.  The point is not to change and neglect a different part of these obligations.  The point is that we must care for all: hungry on our own doorstep, the foreigner and stranger, as well as created animals, plants, rocks, and rills.  Such care is to be extended, not coerced, in the name of the risen Jesus Christ who offers freedom and peace to all.  The Unites States does not offer freedom and peace to all: it offers capitalism and economic slavery under the guise of a false-democracy.  It should be clear from the Ancient Greeks that the extension of a pseudo-democracy was merely a political-ploy to put a corrupt man in office: it resulted in a loss of, not an increase in freedom, and ultimately led to the downfall of Greece to the Roman Republic.  There is really no point in protesting that democracy is better: historically, democracy always deteriorates into anarchy and autocracy.  The Republic prevails because it is a better deal.  Even some monarchies are preferable to the sort of autocracy that democracy spawns: Hitler, Mussolini, and Stalin, for example.  The Unites States, in extending welfare, is simply playing with political manipulation.  The Church, on the other hand, in relationship with Jesus Christ, through the Holy Ghost, is merely doing its duty.

2.     There are not enough jobs to go around.  When the family farm was the predominant economic structure, there was always work to do.  The home was the castle, the family was the organization, and people could not be fired.  In our society, we are now dependent on jobs, get fired and poverty, even famine immediately threaten.  On the farm, if you were sensible enough to avoid mortgages and other debt, even in a bad year, you would probably still have: a roof, food, work, and a barn to shelter strangers.  The link between farms, jobs, and debt slavery should be obvious and not need development here.  The necessary jobs, through the combined efforts of government and industry have largely been deported through the guise of a global economy.  Ostensibly, in a global economy, jobs like making shoes and welding could be farmed out to third-world countries while jobs requiring more difficult technical skills would remain.  Now we live with the bitter irony that the technical jobs are all farmed out: engineers can’t find work, employers can’t find skilled welders, and Keds cost $100 (This is a joke.  Nobody wears sneakers anymore.  Everybody needs expensive specialized athletic shoes.  Keds retail between $20 and $100.)  The complaint about illegal immigrant labor is also a red herring: we wanted and demanded illegal immigrant labor ever since I was a small boy: but now in economic downturn we need a scapegoat.  How can this be?  Downturns occur naturally.  Some years we just don’t get enough rain, which is why we have barns and root-cellars.  The real reason that this is such a disaster is that we have not been dealing with it one year at a time: we’ve been postponing the inevitable by debt.  Everything is mortgaged from lunch, to gasoline, to wars.  The irony of putting lunch on a credit card ought to grip us all: it just doesn’t.  People ought to be able to get jobs and do them.  A thriving economy has a surplus of jobs, everyone who is able works, everyone has a place of respect at the table.

3.     Nazi Germany and euthanasia.  That’s what my doctor said.  He had a point.

4.     Chomsky’s point that we really live in a Totalitarian Culture is well taken: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OcSBqkLDxmo.  Our government lies to us.  Our government manipulates us with propaganda: we are told what to think, when to think, and how to think.  God and the Bible are no longer central to our thought processes.  The Decalogue, which is designed to abolish slavery among the people of God forever, is now reduced to the ten suggestions.  Our education system, which was originally considered a way to defeat evil (The Deluder of Satan Act: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Massachusetts_School_Laws), has been manipulated to become the means of controlling thought.  Children from K through PhD are not being taught how to think, but how to give the right answer.  Real thinkers, like Chomsky are a rarity in our culture: most of them have been marginalized.  The scientific community is commonly instructed by their political or other overlords, how to spin the facts.  If the scientists doesn’t “get it” the first time, they get retrained: failing at retraining they get fired or otherwise marginalized.  Many excellent scientists, realizing that this is who the game is played, go along with the lie so that they can get back to their work.  There is no freedom of speech in this.  Chomsky is tolerated only because he sounds like a raving madman to most people.

5.     Power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.  Our ever increasing omnipotent central government is a disaster.  We continue, uninvited, to meddle in international affairs.  The fine balance between inclusivism and isolationism is rarely achieved.  Rarely do we approach the family of nations as brothers and sisters: usually, we come as know-it-all lords.  This is a byproduct of our folly, because only Jesus is LORD.

Many of us believe, and I proclaim that our forefathers envisioned a united STATES, not a UNITED states; which is to say that all truly important action is local action.  The home is the Castle, it is being invaded by government.  We need to get out of debt, and stay out of debt: in doing so we break the slavery leverage that crushes us.  We need to stop listening to government/corporate propaganda, learn to think, and start doing things for ourselves.  We really need to return to God and His Word.

The CBS link is: https://www.facebook.com/CBS.  Unfortunately, yesterday’s news is already buried deeply in the pile.

“Why do we always hear about Social Security [and Medicare] running out of money, But never hear anything about welfare [or Medicaid] running out of money. The problem is the [Social Security participants] worked for their [benefits], The [Welfare recipients] didn't [work for anything]!”

Tuesday, October 8, 2013

Two Homes, Two Destinies

Making Too Much of Bones

The cartoon made the point that one could not distinguish between sinners by looking at their skeletons.  In doing so, it glossed over the reality that sin must be forgiven; never excused.

A great deal has been said about the bones of man, recently. Certainly, bones are of great concern for man. However, we care only a little for the bones of man, as Christians, or for the flesh, skin, organs, even the brain: for all of these will die, be buried, and return to the dust from which these things were all made. Yes, it is true that these bones will be raised again at the last judgment.

Nevertheless, our principal concern is with the spirit of man: for God breathed into man the spirit of life and man became a living soul. Well, all animals have souls (Nephesh), don't they? Of all the animals, man (both male and female) is special; man is marked with the image and likeness of God Himself. So when the Son of God becomes man by adding to Himself a complete Human nature, something Cosmic is going on; an event so enormous that it shakes every star and planet in the universe. When Jesus is born of Mary, the stars and planets paid attention and worshipped: angels sing, shepherds bow, kings march forth. And when Christ is crucified....

This spirit of man, this immaterial aspect of man is capable of doing something that angels and animals cannot do. Man can sin. Worse yet, man is capable of suppressing the truth, and denying that he has sinned. Still more deceptive, man is capable of being an atheist. And man is capable of sweeping all of this under the table, with the words, "It is my genetic tendency, my DNA strand made me do it."

Frequently, man desires to embrace such folly, and yet claim the name of Christian. This just won't work. Such a person is no Christian at all. God is not deceived by such antics, neither is He mocked by them.

A Christian follows Jesus, and that always carries a price. For those who follow Jesus, He has prepared an eternal home. God's destiny for men and women is that they might become Christ-like, god-like. This takes a lot of hammering, but God is well able to do it. God has in mind the perfection of the image and likeness of God in man. What an enormous gift. This too is Cosmic.

Nevertheless, there will always be those who reject such a gift. Tragic. They follow the counsel of fallen angels, or demons. God has also prepared an eternal home for these angels: namely Hell, which is more accurately described as the Lake of Fire. Men who follow fallen angels, will follow them right into the Lake of Fire. How can one convince such men that this is a bad idea: an idea so bad that God has spent the whole course of human history persuading men not to do this, not to follow demons, not to see themselves as mere bones.

What a shame. Those who only look to bones can never comprehend the glory God wants to give to sinful man. What a shame.

Saturday, October 5, 2013

Debt Slavery 4


Debt Slavery 4

Saturday, October 5, 2013

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,


Here is where we left this topic, just about a year ago:

The bottom line is, we are in trouble as a nation.  This debt-slavery is no joke.  Please take it seriously.  I still trust the solution recommended by Moses and dozens of other prophets, and guaranteed by Jesus Christ, the Son of God.
Jesus, I trust.  Moses, I trust.  Any other opinions, I don’t trust.  The specifics change day-by-day, but the long-term principles never change.

·       Get out of debt and stay out of debt.

·       Show mercy, hate cruelty, help others in trouble; love your neighbor as yourself.

·       Never forget where all blessings came from, love God with all your heart.  You have a job because He gave it to you.  Become a more thankful person.

·       Enjoy sunrises, sunsets, and the simple pleasures of life and remember that your Creator gave them all to you.

·       Go to Church on Sunday, and remember that the most powerful person in the universe is still in charge of this mess.

Debt Slavery, an Update


I believe that debt slavery is a wicked and cruel social malignancy.

I believe that Moses specifies the only acceptable and possible working model in Exodus, where he requires zero interest,[1] very restricted debt on a 7 year cycle, and total debt absolution on a 7 x 7, 50 year cycle.

Our Prayer


We regularly pray, “forgive us our debts,” where the Greek word, ὀφειλήματα, refers specifically to duties, fiscal debt, and other obligations at law in exact conformity to the law of Moses.  Yet we consistently ignore this requirement.  We are nothing but a bunch of unrighteous hyocrites.

The Law of the Kingdom


Jesus says, I have come to fulfill the law . and the prophets, that is the entire Old Testament.[2]  Hence, this is the unmovable law of God's kingdom.  All Christians are bound to submit to it.

I, as a Christian, have no choice.  My King outranks my earthly nation.  I must hate and war against interest, and long term or predatory debt wherever I find any of them.  I must hate and war against any group that supports them.  Hence, the Federal Government of the United States and The Federal Reserve Banking system are in defiance of God’s unmovable Kingdom Law insofar as they promote and tolerate either any interest or any debt outside of the strict limits imposed by Moses.  Yet, at the same time I must find a place in my heart to love those involved in this sordid work.  Specifically, I must love them enough to tell them the truth about their sin, and faithfully pray for their repentance, so that they may escape the wrath of God brought down upon them for their own cruelty.  No one is allowed by God to be involved in this sordid mess in any way.  It is forbidden.

Nothing short of Moses’ full plan is acceptable to me.  To rub salt in my own wounds, Moses just makes good sense.  All this would fall to the ground had not Christ Himself made such a point of it in the Gospels.

What Matthew Says


For instance, the Gospel of Matthew divides itself into five main Sections.  Two of these Sections end with an exhortation on debt: Matthew 18 and 25.  Elsewhere, I have written extensively on Matthew 18,[3] but have not yet had time to pursue Matthew 25, or all of Matthew in detail.  The evidence is overwhelming.  Jesus is most certainly preaching the fiscal law of Moses.  It is the law of the kingdom.  It is not a suggestion.  Those who persist to live in defiance of it are asking to be thrown into the Lake of Fire.  In Matthew 6:15 a new Greek word, παραπτῶματα, is used.  This word means misstep or stumbling.  It is one thing to stumble at the law as we all must.  It is another thing to openly defy the law: this is not of faith and is unforgivable.

The Result is Freedom


The direct result of the Mosaic code is to obliterate slavery and the cruelty of it.  The only way to truly escape slavery is to enter God's kingdom by faith in Jesus Christ, the King of that Kingdom.  It appears that this Kingdom proclaims the final application of the Mosaic code in an eternal form, because Jesus fulfills it, and His blood is eternal.[4]

What Luke Says


Mary foresees all these things and sings of its future reality.[5]  Finally, Jesus Himself proclaims this teaching openly and clearly in Luke 4:14-21.  His words cannot be misunderstood, but they are certainly denied.

The Impact on our Nation


Shakespeare understood this when he wrote, “Neither borrower nor lender be....” Merchant of Venice.  We know it too, but by our open refusal to obey, we bring down well deserve fire upon our own heads.  Debt and usury are both cruel forms of slavery.  A slavery which God forbids, but we flaunt openly.  If we don't get this right, our nation will surely be destroyed.  At that point, I say, “good riddance.”  “Give me Liberty or give me death.”  We heard the alarm and did nothing about it.  Our house is on fire, and it will surely burn to the ground.  It's just a matter of time.

The Purpose is Love for God


The purpose of this strong law is plainly stated.  God wants people to love Him freely.  To this end, He openly displays His goodness everywhere.  “Everything we are and have, stems from His relationship with us.”  The Federal Government supplies nothing: it is simply a conduit.

As the necessary and obvious byproduct of loving God freely, God wants people to love each other freely.  Why?  Because, all are created in His image, Christ became man to die for all, and all may receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.  It’s that simple.  It’s that complicated.  Debt Slavery is simply incompatible with this world and life view.  Debt Slavery is incompatible with God's Kingdom.

Yours in Christ,

Herb Swanson, aka Augie



[1] The Bible defines usury as any interest rate greater than zero.  Moses only applied this within Nation Israel-Judah.  Christ extends this law to the whole human race without exception.
[2] This figure of speech is a form of hendiadys, where two words, frequently the first and the last, are used to describe the whole: Alpha and Omega, first and last, hot and cold.  The Old Testament is often referred to as the Law and the Prophets, or as the Law, Prophets, and Writings, which are the three common Jewish divisions of the Old Testament, the TANAKH, which is an acronym for Torah (Hebrew for Teaching: namely, the Five Books of Moses; Nevi’im (Hebrew for Prophets) and Ketuvim (Hebrew for Writings).
[3] http://swantec.blogspot.com/2013/10/matthew-18.html
[4] Hebrews 13:20-21
[5] Luke 1:46-55

Monday, September 30, 2013

Freedom

Freedom of Religion, Speech:
Language, Law, Tradition, Culture


I strongly support the idea that any minority, from anywhere, if it wants to live in the United States, to work and eat in the United States, should consider learning English.  We expect all who dwell in the United States should respect the laws of the United States.  If they prefer other forms of government, other systems of law, and other cultural life styles then, perhaps they should consider living elsewhere.

 

In the same spirit the United States is home to several treaty nations, mostly Native American Indians.  The languages, laws, traditions, and cultures of these several nations are to be equally respected, and deserve the full covenant protection of United States law.

 

Individuals, who have no such treaty protection, or who are not indigenous to the geographic boundaries of the United States have no such covenantal rights under United States law, and must seek access to that law by the usual means: namely, citizenship, lawful appeal, and by voting.

 

By the same token any minority, from anywhere, if it wants to live in any other country, ought to respect the language, law, tradition, and culture of that country.  Specifically, Americans do not have the God given right to force their language, law, tradition, or culture on other countries.  On the other hand, any country that wishes to adopt American language, law, tradition, or culture is certainly free to do so.

 

Contrary to these ideas, Christians belong to a distinct nation, commonly known as The Church.  The boundaries of The Church are not limited by country borders, because God created all of the universe and there is no country that does not belong to Him.  He has given to The Church this mandate, to proclaim to every country, people, and tongue that Jesus Christ is the LORD of God's Kingdom (the entire created universe) and is seated on the throne of David by His Resurrection from the Dead.

 

All, without exception, are welcome to pray and receive the gift of the Holy Spirit, and other gifts from the LORD Jesus Christ, from God His Father, and become members of Christ's Kingdom.  There are no memberships to join, no proselytism need take place.  The LORD Jesus Christ respects your country, it's laws and culture; in fact He authorized them.  If changes need to take place, they must come freely from within, and not be forced from without: the Holy Spirit will lead you and guide you as you pray.  You do not need to renounce your culture or your people; on the contrary, the LORD Jesus Christ commands that you respect your culture and people: for He has written, "Honor your father and your mother."  Consequently, over time, the Holy Spirit will gently lead you to greater and greater honor and glory for your father and your mother, for your culture and your people, whatever they may be.

 

Christians everywhere make a sincere effort to help all those in need, so you need never feel alone.  Indeed, you will never be alone: for God will always be with you, even if you are the only Christian in your country.  It will be your excellent behavior, your respect for your father, your mother, your culture, and your people that will draw others to want to become Christians too.  You need not say a word; in fact it is better if you do not speak often: for your excellent behavior will speak for you.  If your country tolerates freedom of speech, your friends will ask, and you may answer.  But if your country forbids freedom of speech, and/or proselytism, respect your laws and traditions.  The Holy Spirit will change these laws when your country is ready for your free, unforced change.

 

Yours in Christ,
Augie-Herb

Tuesday, September 10, 2013

Does Changing Worship Change Theology?

Not that many years ago a fellow named Bill Gothard had arguments about "pop" worship music and "hard rock" in general laid out in technical music terms.  I guess I need to put Why Johnny Can't Sing Hymns on my reading list.  Does it have a sequel, Why Johnny Can't Sing At All? 

About the order of service: It has been changed and is still changing, even in conservative churches.  The altar is now a table and we are free to stand behind it.  It is no longer a representation of the ark of the covenant with the Law inside, covered by the Mercy Seat, which is the throne of Christ and sprinkled by His precious blood, attended by mighty angels.  We no longer fear it, because we no longer fear God. 

The service is no longer always the high and holy service of the Liturgy where we receive the Word and then the body and blood of Christ; it is frequently exchanged with Matins, the 3 AM or sunrise service: we have forgotten that one of the primary purposes of Matins is to prepare the heart for Liturgy.  It is one thing to move Matins to 9 AM on Sunday.  It is quite another to use it as an alternative Liturgy. 

The adoption of the Fisherman's Mass or double service system took place when I was a boy.  Nobody thought that it would do any harm.  It was easier and cheaper way for a church to grow than needing to build a larger building or plant a whole new church.  The outcome is that churches have not grown.  The original idea was to be divided and grow larger, not to have two mostly empty rooms.  The congregation is smaller, even though divided, really two smaller, shrinking churches with one building, one pastor, and an overworked choir. 

The meaning and function of Matins is totally lost.  Praying the Hours?  Nobody even knows what I'm talking about.  The usual response is a shrug of the shoulders, followed by, "We're not Orthodox."  Unfortunately, this is true, "We're not Orthodox."  What has happened in the hearts of many is an attendant loss of the awe and importance of worship.  It doesn't matter when I go to church as long as I can get to my paper and the football game, or get an earlier tee time.  Little-by-little our entertainments become our real god and religion.  Little-by-little we don't care anymore. 

By the way, where did the regular use of the Vespers service go? 

Many used to read the entire book of Psalms through every week.  Now we're content with three Psalms a day.  How can anyone hunger and thirst for God and his righteousness on a starvation diet of three Psalms a day?  Read Psalm 119 through in a single setting?  Are you kidding me?  That's way too long: let's take three days or a week to read it through.  I assure you that Psalm 119 cannot be understood if it is not read through on a regular basis. 

Nothing has changed in the order of service?  I assure you that everything has changed, including the hearts of the faithful.  Over sixty-years later (circa 1950) we are starting to awaken to the question, "Something is wrong, I wonder what it is?"

Saturday, August 10, 2013

Conversion Between Baptists and Orthodox; Which is Correct?


Conversion Between Baptists and Orthodox; Which is Correct?

 

“To understand these patterns better, it is important to know that in traditional Orthodox countries there is a large majority of nominal Orthodox.  They come to church services once or twice a year and almost never participate in the Church sacraments.  Most conversions away from the Orthodox Church happen from this class of people.”

“As a Romanian Baptist, I knew that the Orthodox practice a Christian faith “corrupted” by un-biblical human traditions.  I do remember that once a Baptist minister, who was well educated, told me that the Orthodox theology is much more profound and rich than ours.  My own pastor in Bucharest complained that while the Orthodox have a rich theology of the Church, ours was very weak and limited.  Coming in contact with some Orthodox books in 1999, I perceived a paradox: I could not understand why Orthodoxy is so corrupted and at the same time holds such a treasure of profound spirituality.  Trying to resolve this paradox I ended up by converting to Orthodox faith.”

“It is easy to perceive an asymmetry between the two directions of conversion.  In most cases, the Orthodox to Evangelical convert is one who was a nominal Christian and knew very little about the church in which he formally belonged, and through some friend has an encounter with an Evangelical service, where he has an emotional experience.  He discovers friendship and love and a sense of community which were previously lacking in his life.”

“The typical Evangelical to Orthodox convert is a knowledgeable and theologically literate Christian who searches for truth and the right Christian practice.  He discovers the Orthodox faith, but is first stopped by all the accusations which he had heard in his own church.  In Romania, the Evangelicals often define themselves in opposition to the Orthodox.  “Unlike the Orthodox,” they say, “we do not believe in…” After a careful study of the issues, he finds out that the accusations are either false or superficial.  Moreover, he discovers a huge body of tradition, practice and theology, which stands as an answer to his or her many old questions.”

Within the above lies the crux of the problem.

Honest appraisal reveals that there are many nominal or sleeping people among both Protestants (Evangelicals, often specifically Baptists) and Orthodox.  These people should not be deceived into believing that they are Christians.  Christianity is about sincerely trying to follow Jesus, and actually achieving that as the gift of God’s marvelous grace.  Failure to follow Jesus as demonstrated in a lax, nominal lifestyle puts the sincerity of one’s confession in question.  Equally heinous is the fault or replacing Jesus with the idolatry of emotionalism, excitement, and sensationalism.  This idol exists in both Protestants and Orthodox churches as well.

Honest appraisal shows that in both cases, that is in either direction, the individual grew closer to Christ in the conversion.  Baptists showed the nominal, something precious about Jesus.  Orthodoxy showed Baptists, something equally precious about Jesus.

Common sense might indicate that our true brothers and sisters in Christ are those who are sincerely following Jesus by faith in His precious name, whether they are known as Orthodox, Protestants, or Romanists.  See Matthew 12:46-50 and Luke 8:18-21.  Those who are asleep in the pews or are overcome with idolatrous excitement and superstition are not our true brothers and sisters in Christ.

Honest appraisal realizes that many Baptist churches have a rich heritage of the Liturgy of the Word, but almost no Liturgy of Communion.  Many Orthodox churches have a rich heritage of the Liturgy of Communion, but almost no Liturgy of the Word.  Roman churches have their faults as well.  As a result the bulk of the laity are dying of starvation.  Few of the laity realize that they have a responsibility to awaken the sleeping and suppress the idolatrous among them.

This is not to overlook the fact that we are also failing to address the hateful masses seeking to destroy us both, and need to hear that Jesus died and raised again.  That as hateful as they are, Jesus loves them, He died to give them life, and He raised to give them a home.

When we fully realize the impact of these facts, we will see the need to come together sincerely as One in Christ, not by compromise, but by seeking the Truth together.  Throughout this reply, I have assiduously avoided the use of the word Catholic, simply because we will not be truly Catholic until we (all the sincere Orthodox, Protestants, and Romanists) come together as One in Christ.  Then and only then will we be effective in changing our fallen world to the obedience of Christ.  We must stop taking sides and figure out how to come together.

Which is Correct?  Both and Neither.

How to Face Commitment


How to Face Commitment

 
Know that all truth begins with and comes from God.  With that assurance be committed to being a lifelong learner.  Then, honestly embrace the fact that we see things in "a mirror dimly." and since we never see clearly, be ready to fearlessly say, "I was wrong."

In this context "sin boldly."  "Iron sharpens iron."  Butter doesn't sharpen anything.  Only in the spirit of earnest and sincere peer review is it possible to sharpen convictions.  Yes, we have convictions and hold to them tenaciously; but in honesty we realize that our convictions fall short of God's Truth.  We know that Jesus is that Truth, but our service to Him can always be better.  There is always a new Higgs particle to look for.  There is always room for improvement.

On the other hand, the same things are true of those who hold the opposite opinion.  Much of the time we fail to listen honestly, and we miss being sharpened by another because of spiritual deafness.

In this respect, theologians are often incredible liars: in the heat of conviction and debate they stop listening to what the other fellow is saying, focus on winning rather than learning, and produce schism rather than unity, heresy rather than growth, disaster rather than healing.  The phenomenon known as the “We-They Siege Mentality” lurks everywhere.

Nevertheless, we don’t have to put up with an endless barrage of inane senselessness.  Instead, find and be committed to close friends who think outside of the box; then we will challenge their ideas faithfully, being willing to be challenged in return.  Make friends with the “other side” if it’s open to debate.  We cannot undo the wreckage of the Reformation if we’re unwilling to have and love both Lutheran and Roman brothers-sisters.  We have to respect each other, we have to put away the weapons, and we have to talk.  The same thing is true of Orthodox and Western relations.

Also, we need to focus on key issues.  It’s too easy to get caught up in trivia.  The top two or three issues is where we need to be most active.  When our worthy opponent says, “Who cares?  You’re nit-picking.” Maybe that’s a clue that were off focus.  Hitting the nail on the head makes all the difference.

Finally, this all adds up to one big idea.  We should be listening far more than we should be talking.  The person we should be listening to, most of all, is God.