Vanity Fair

I just had a plan snag this morning. Apparently the bank rejected my request for a temporary credit increase. In my perspective, I seriously need that as a second safety net. I felt if this was not approved, I will have a hassle in how to buy the item that is about $5000. Since this is not likely to happen, they suggested one more idea. Add the advance amount to your current credit account and charge the amount from there. I hope it would be a good thing.

The current events that shape the world, particularly the Middle East crisis in which accusations without proof from the west revealed the West's vanity - their ego, their reputation, and their sense of invincibility. The United States in particular felt themselves being invincible as their doctrine indicates their intention of being the only superpower unchallenged by the rest with Israel as their extension. Britain too is joining the fray, with Tony Blair indirectly denying that Britain did not make the mistake of trespassing the Iranian waters whereas the fact was they did. Is is not the citizens but their leaders; - their arrogance, status and reputation elevated them into vanity and complacency. Mahatma Gandhi quoted, even the high and invincible and those committed evil will eventually fall no matter where they are or what they will do.

Looking back at our country, the recent Flood of the South end of last year demonstrates Johor's arrogance, ignorance and their excessive pride of what they are. They lack the vision, the anticipation and safety nets to safeguard the state from potential disasters. It is this state that records the highest number of criminal cases than any other states. The social state there combined with the sins of the past which were kept silent culminates in the disaster that plunged the state into attention-begging and sympathetic dog.

I went to church with Edmund the other day and the '2012' thing still lingers in my mind. The world is about to enter a new state by 21st Decemeber 2012. The Mayan timekeepers predicted that there will be things changing our lives forever. What will happen, we don't know. I kept theorizing about the End of Times. Astronomers predicting about the change of the planet's polarization. Maybe this is actually Zarathura's prediction that man will eventually evolve into a new breed or race as you see in Kubrick's 2001. Natural disasters? May happen. Al Gore tried very hard to convince us to be awaken of the possible environmental damage that we're doing or else it will trigger devastating disasters like the hurricane, earthquakes and various things.

But I know of one thing that shows that we might be approaching the moment of truth. Malachy's prophecy never lies. Currently, Pope Benedict XVI (Cardinal Ratzinger) is the 111th pope , the penultimate of the list written by Malachy himself. His symbol of olive was accurately described. Who would be Peter the Roman after Ratzinger? The ending of the list did state, "He will feed the flock to various tribulations and soon the seven-hill city (Rome) will be destroyed."
Whatever it is , I had a hunch that it will happen sooner than expected.

Cases of villains fell because of vanity was clearly shown in World War II or the South African Apartheid. These supremacists think that only the pure will survive whereas those who are mixed and non-pure are cast out as coolies. People are starting to wake up from slumber, accepting the reality, realizing the tyranny that the leaders are doing but lack the unity to bring them down. Clearly Chomsky, Chavez and some of us do know about this. Chavez is the most outspoken of all, he sees the weaknesses in capitalism. Nikolai Zakharov, the Man of Stone did feel that Communism would have win out at this time. China also knew those things. No wonder they are being labeled as unfair by the U.S.

Whatever that thing happens will likely to herald the much more turbulent times coming. The bible did spoke of the Kings in the East coming to battle evil in Armageddon. I am not sure whether it's us in the East or not.

Edmund commented that I was like getting dull in listening that sermon on that day. The thing was it's just like learning in school. You can't just learn whatever that is theoretical. Those concepts are best accompanied with real-life examples that demonstrates that the fact is correct and it can be used in our daily lives. I was invited a few times over to David Swan's church and I know those readings by guess speakers or the pastors. It's like being in school as a kid. But on that day itself, I turned to the last part of the bible, and did some research online as kind of to know more.

Reading the post, I realized that he wept for me. Though I touched briefly, it was like getting a better understanding from the perspective of a friend who goes to church service more than I do. True to the word, I had a mild interest. The real fact is that I don't really go much of those teachings and ideas of those mentioned. It's like being torn into listening to either one's words, unsure of whose concept is the right one, therefore the statement "back to the scriptures". It's better to listen to your own conscience, instinct and doing the right thing.

In Edmund's post, he described the warning delivered by Apostle Paul himself:

"For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear." (II Timothy 4:3)

In the movie Driving Lessons, starring Rupert Grint and Julie Walters (Ron and Mum Weasley in Harry Potter movies), Ben's father said this:

"If you say to me, "Am I a Christian?" I say to you, "If you strive to do good, then you are a Christian." If you don't seek to hurt or betray others, you're a Christian. If you're true to yourself and treat others as you'd have them treat you, you're a Christian. The more a person parades their Christianity for the benefit of others, the less I'm inclined to trust the Christianity they claim to bring...How you express that - the way, the manner, the means at your disposal - these things are of no consequence, be you Christian or atheist, unless in your heart you are true."

The actual answer to the action that we should take is based on the quote above. As long you believe in the doing the right thing, actions that are deemed right in God's sight, we are doing fine, even though it may result us of being persecuted, hated or even cast out. Many leaders of the nations playing the Middle East game are in the state of vanity - it resulted in the sufferings of the rest of us who had no part in the game.


Or if this thing doesn't convince us, maybe the Seven Churches can tell us what we need to do.
If you connect all the points together and join the last one to the beginning, you will find the first and foremost church is always the Ephesus. The seven churches aren't there for the mere purpose of past evidence. It actually represents the models and the characteristics that everyone should be, to be a good person overall. Hence, T.E Lawrence used this as the title of his book: Seven Pillars of Wisdom.

I think that man will eventually go back to the basics now and later. A good man, disregarding whatever religion they belong to should carry these seven models / principles.

1. Ephesus - You should remember your first love of God.
2. Smyrna - Never be afraid of death for it is not the end of everything.
3. Perganum - Never be misled by false teachings and allow sins to enter within you.
4. Thyatira - Even though you are persecuted and hated for refusing to give into temptations or compromise by the bad, hold on, have patience and faith.
5. Sardis - You should be physically AND spiritually be afresh.
6. Philadelphia - Your faith sustains yourself. Remember that the big man cares for you.
7. Laodicea - It's your heart that counts. Be earnest to yourself.