The Definition of Insanity

The human condition, encompassing physical illness, psychological illness, emotional high’s and low’s, varying degrees of skill and knowledge, varying degrees of aptitude and gifted ability, is inescapable.

The human race has demonstrated every combination of those dynamics ever since Eden.

Human history is repeat with examples of selfless bravery, and depraved cruelty.

An excellent example of cruelty is one particular Mental Asylum during Europe’s Middle Ages, known as Bethlem Royal Hospital.

It’s had many names: St. Mary Bethlehem, Bethlem Hospital, and Bedlam. The word bedlam, meaning uproar and confusion, is a definition derived from this hospitals name, and you’ll see why in a moment.

It was founded in 1247 as a priory (similar to a monastery), and in 1330 became a hospital. In 1357 they started to admit some mentally ill patients. This would mark the beginning of their extremely cruel “patient care”.

The care in question was not to any degree diagnosis and treatment, but of restraint and abuse. The noise was, “so hideous, so great, that they are more able to drive a man that hath his wits rather out of them.” [Wikipedia - no source sited]

Johann Christian Reil (1759-1813) describes the conditions: “We incarcerate these miserable creatures as if they were criminals in abandoned jails, near to the lairs of owls in barren canyons beyond the city gates, or in damp dungeons of prisons, where never a pitying look of a humanitarian penetrates; and we let them, in chains, rot in their own excrement. Their fetters have eaten off the flesh of their bones, and their emaciated pale faces look expectantly toward the graves which will end their misery and cover up our shamefulness."

Patients were often naked, and locked into what we would consider cages today, fed through holes from copper plates attached to chains. Their theory was that the more painful the restraint, the better the results. Therefore, Strait jackets and chains attached to walls or beds were used, particularly with “difficult” patients. These restraints often inflicted wounds on the patients, who received little of what can be considered care from the attendants who were uneducated, and could find work in no other field.

Two 17^th century physicians described the reasoning of why the mentally ill were thus treated. Thomas Willis, author of "Two Discourses Concerning the Soul of Brutes" claimed that the insane can: "break cords and chains, and break down doors or walls... without any sensible hurt." Willis declared that, "Discipline, threats, fetters, and blows are needed as much as medical treatment." And Dr. Isaac Hawes wrote, "Nothing is more necessary for the recovery of lunatics than forcing them to respect fear. This is why maniacs recover much sooner if they are treated with torture instead of with medicines."

This line of thinking was adapted full bore by Bedlam Hospital, which allowed the general public in on “tours” of the facility. For the price of one penny, tourists could peer into cells and look at the deranged and naked patients for entertainment, which consisted of sexual exploits and rantings, or fights.

In 1814 alone, there were 96,000 such tourist visits. [Wikipedia]

Visitors were allowed to bring sticks which were used to poke at the inmates in order to enrage them.

"If they are not mad when they go into these cursed houses, they are soon made so by the barbarous usage they there suffer... Is it not enough to make anyone mad to be suddenly clapped up, stripped, whipped, ill fed, and worse - used? To have no reason assigned for such treatment, no crime alleged, or accusers to confront." (Daniel Defoe - quoted on MentalHealthStigma.com)

One of the best portrayals of a “Bedlam” type of institution was in the movie “Amadeus”, directed my Milos Forman, written by Peter Shaffer. This youtube clip is 9 and a half minutes, but in our discussion here one need only focus on the very first half minute of the clip, which illustrates beautifully how mental hospitals, like Bedlam, were operated:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VBWCSc8CspA

Today care for the mentally ill is more humane.

Years ago I spoke with a Psychiatrist who was a guest speaker at a Church in California. I raised with him the premise that when a Psychiatrist studies a particular case history of an individual who has wreaked havoc on people in their life, and the background of abuse, and background of a severely dysfunctional home life is examined, it suddenly becomes very easy to forgive aberrant behavior once we know the full story of what may be causing it.

He agreed with me.

The Born-Again Christian also has that advantage, in that, we know of the human condition of sin, and this sin is what causes aberrant behavior such as violence, theft, slander, adultery, idolatry, abuse, laziness, and the list goes on.

The Bible is the best “bench mark” of proper mental health.

This sounds odd when the skeptics raise their voice in protest of this, that the Bible is the Word of an Angry God who only goes around punishing people, and asking Israel to kill in His name.

But just like those mental patients in Bedlam in the Middle Ages, mankind is kept in the cage of immorality - tormented by the deceiver and his minions - only to be fed scraps of reason and dignity passed to us on plates of promise, attached to chains of sin, provided by caregivers who could no more care about us than the devil himself.

Jesus said, "A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.”

Weinberg, Higgins, And A Well-Dressed Emperor

I’m finding that there is a lot of satisfaction at being in complete control over my own Blog.

I can say what I want.

But this satisfaction is not inherent in the human condition of sin - because you‘ll notice that a “worldly” lifestyle leaves one dissatisfied, disillusioned, distracted, and very disappointed at the results generated by the very “freedoms” that so many in the world chase after.

They are like a dog chasing its tail - always running around in a never ending circle, at a prize that would only result in finding something unsanitary, but exhaustion sets in and that sought after prize is never caught, anyway! (But all hope is not lost for the dog, as it returns to its vomit)

Only a life in Christ, and His Peace, along with His “self-contained” satisfaction that He has within His own Autonomous Divinity - He is THE Absolute Creator - can give us the satisfaction we desire, because we are not driven by a sinful misdirection, but rather are drawn toward Spiritual satisfaction based upon the foundation of the Rock - the very Savior Himself.

In the comment under the previous article, titled, “A Guitar, A Taste Of Wine”, Chuck Weinberg provided a reference to an ‘09 Snow Retreat, and Youth Pastor Sean Higgins.

I encourage you, whoever you may be, to follow the link provided here, and listen to the message. There is a written transcript provided at the site, but the spoken presentation is recommended. (At the top of the page, directly under

"Be Zealous and Repent", is a "play now" option that opens the audio player)

It’s a very good “The Emperor Wears No Clothes” kind of message.

I’ve made comments about how the Church in North America is currently going through a cultural shift, with visible lines being drawn with more clarity as time goes on. There will be a day when any observer will see plainly which of us are the real Christians, and which of those being lost are the “Spots among the love-feasts”.

http://www.one28ministries.org/2009/01/26/be-zealous-and-repent/

A Guitar, A Taste Of Wine

To be a professional Wine Taster, according to Yiannos Constantinou,

winner of ‘Best Wine Guide in the World’ book competition,

you need three qualifications.

1) a “taste memory”

Wine tasters evaluate thousands of different bottles of wine, and are able to remember them, creating a “flavor and aroma storage room” in their mind.

2) a “cool and calm character”

You should be able to be objective and view the wines in their entirety, observing the quality of color, taste, aroma, how original it is, how it would be accompanied with food and, of course, what it will taste like in years to come.

3) you need to have “a nose for it”

“It’s something you could work on but I personally think that you’re either born with this ‘talent’ or not”, explained Yiannos.

In his 15 year career, Yiannos estimates that in that time he has assessed over 40,000 different types: “I think I’ve tested wines from every corner of the planet”.

We now shift our focus to Guitars. Our third category will be Sermons. How do these three subjects tie together? In an amazing way!

The correct name for a Guitar Maker, is “Luthier”: someone who makes, or repairs, stringed instruments. The word comes from “Luth”, French for “Lute”.

The city of Paracho, Michoacan, Mexico, is home to nearly 2,000 Luthiers - some 2^nd or 3^rd generation in their families - even though the town has a population of 30,000.

There are more guitar makers in Paracho than in the entire United States. It is identified as the Guitar making capitol of Mexico, and some insist that the very best crafted guitars in the world come from only from this town.

The method in making a great guitar is to assemble - using the right “recipe” - different components together in exactly the right way. In a sort of “Perfect Storm” scenario, the best guitar is built only when the desired sound quality is achieved through it’s choice of wood, coupled with the right depth and size of the main body, as well as the physical shape of the main body. These components work together to produce the desired sound.

The selection of wood is critical. Woods, known as Tonewoods, are selected for their acoustic qualities generated through vibration. All woods vibrate, but Tonewoods achieve the most pleasing results upon the ear. Although a Guitar can be made out of a single species of wood, the common practice is to assemble a mixture of different woods in different parts of the instrument.

Woods such as Brazilian Rosewood, East Indian Rosewood, Honduran Mahogany, Cuban Mahogany, European Flamed Maple, Western Hard Rock Maple, Koa from Hawaii, and Walnut are used for the Back and sides.

Sitka Spruce from Northwest Canada and Alaska, Adirondack Spruce from the East Coast, Norway Spruce, Western Red Cedar from Canada, and Western Larch from North America is used for the Soundboard (top of the instrument).

Making a Guitar is a skilled trade, as well as being truly an art form.

Luthiers at work:

http://www.amicortina.com/diapogran/lut20.jpg

http://www.lutherie.net/mozzani.shop.1906.jpg

http://www.blue-g.com/luthier_images/kim_walker_4b.jpg

Wine tasting may be a mystery to the average person, and even seem unnecessary, but it is very relevant to the person who has developed an extremely good taste for wine. The slight nuances of the flavor, one way or the other, can change the entire bouquet, and for the connoisseur, potentially ruin an evenings dinner.

We listen to a talented musician playing the Guitar, and we wish we could do that, but we don’t pay attention to the craftsmanship of the Guitar. One sounds like all the rest. But to the talented musician who has an ear for this, they go into the Music store to choose yet another one to add to their collection, and they try them all, looking for the one that has the slightest advantage to it regarding its tone.

A good Sermon is no less a gifted and skilled endeavor.

There are Preachers who open up the Bible and talk for an hour, but most people who go to Church don’t notice anything different from one Preacher to the next. They all sound alike: boring.

But to the connoisseur - the Christian who has spent years in personal Bible study, years of devotion to looking for skilled Preachers, and years of fine tuning an ear for Spiritual things, all Preachers are not alike.

Some have very good public speaking skills; they can take a boring subject and make it interesting, or a very sensitive issue, and not make it so embarrassing, or a very common social issue, and not make it insulting.

They not only have the ability to defend God’s Word, but inspire the listener to rise to the challenge of defending it as well.

Like a fine Wine, or a well crafted Guitar, a good sermon doesn’t just come by accident. The Preacher himself can only preach an excellent sermon when he has been buffeted by the enemy, had his speaking skills honed by criticism, his knowledge of the Bible sharpened by much study, and his compassion and tact made warm and forgiving by years of service to God’s people.

Sadly, like Wine and Music, the best Preachers are not nearly appreciated for their value, like they should be.

The Creation Of Atheism

Sort of an odd title, because Atheists are adamant that there is no Creator.

I don’t know the origins of Atheism in other parts of the world, but in North America, Atheists are Created by Christian Churches.

I used to wonder why it is that Atheists seem so well versed in the Bible, and can speak “Christianese” fluently. I now know that they learned all this from being in Church for years.

How does this happen?

Many people in America go to Church for all the wrong reasons. Some go because they are pressured by a spouse, or a family member, some because they’ve just “always gone there”, and some because at first they tasted the “sweetness” of Salvation - an idea that seemed “palatable” to them - but then the cost of such a Walk as this, made it a “sour” taste in their mouth.

How does it happen that a person within the very walls of a building that should show the way to Eternal Life, decides that their best course of action is to “escape”?

At first, they go for the aforementioned reasons, but after a while, they become like the kid taking piano lessons looking out the window at his friends playing baseball.

The person sits there in Church looking out the stained glass windows at the rest of the world having a more fulfilling life.

The “Pleasures of this world” distract them.

Most of the time this is the Pastors fault. Many Pastors in America do not do their Job even as “the hirelings” that many of them are, in conveying to the congregation the necessary tools a believer needs to understand the Bible, to understand the trappings of the world, to defend the Bible and their Faith from attack, and to understand the cost of Salvation.

The Pastor looks out among the congregation as they preach, and are deaf, dumb, and blind to what their congregations are really experiencing. Just because people in a Church are sitting quietly, and politely, doesn’t mean they agree with everything in the sermon, or even that they really care.

Most sermons are presented in such a poorly executed way, by a Pastor who has atrocious public speaking skills, and is either insensitive in his comments, or is inept at skillful teaching methods, that the person sitting in the pew says, “What am I even doing here? I don’t need this. There’s other interesting things I could be doing on a weekend.”

And then on a certain Sunday, the person decides to skip Church, which is something within their heart that they’re grateful for. This taste of freedom is hard to resist, and like sinfully cheating on a diet with a bowl of ice cream, the person can’t resist a few more servings.

This eventually leads to the person no longer going to Church.

They are now an Apostate.

The Book of Acts in the Bible is called the “Acts of the Apostles”. It is the opening of the Church Age, and the beginning of Christianity for the past 2000 years. Following Acts, you have the Letters from the Apostles, until you get to Revelation.

But just one book before Revelation, is the book of Jude.

Jude is the “Acts of the Apostates”. It is the “closing” of the Church Age, followed by the last book: Revelation.

Jude gives several examples of Apostates in the Bible.

It should be highlighted that no Apostate in the Bible has ever “turned around” and “re-acquired” Salvation.

Once you turn away, and your heart is hardened, there’s no hope for you.

So what about the Atheist?

We take a further look at our wayward Apostate who left the Church, and find them living in the world resembling a garden-variety Pagan.

Joyfully living in the world, with a sigh of “relief” that they no longer “need” to go to Church.

They then happen to speak to a Church-goer, perhaps a their work, or other common ground, and say to them, “Well, you can’t even prove that the Bible is true.” The Christian, because they have been ill-equipped by their “Pastor”, and have no defenses against this challenge, stammer with the tried and true stuttering of a person who stands there with no answer.

The wayward Pagan says to themselves, “Hay now! I’m more in control here than I was in Church. I could get used to this!”

Thus, because they are getting more results from this approach, and are enjoying the ability to have the upper hand, (something they never had in Church), they are drawn more to this mindset, which only travels toward Atheism like a canoe that lazily floats along with the current of least resistance on the river heading toward the waterfall of destruction.

They do more research on Atheism, which is easier and faster now with the Internet, and quickly adopt a mindset much like that described by “Yoda” in Star Wars, when asked by Luke Skywalker if the “Force” is stronger. “No!” says, Yoda. “Quicker it is…more seductive, but stronger it is not.”

This Atheism is more seductive in its immediate results, and a person who was once within the grasp of Heaven, has walked away from their only chance.

“No one ever won a race by quitting in the middle, or stopping 6 inches from the finish line” - Dr. Walter Martin.

Who Created Atheism? The enemy, the Devil.

His best tool is the inept, or lazy, Pastors of Christian Churches.

Judgment begins with the household of the Lord.

There will be a lot to answer for.

Letting go of Lost Sheep

Jesus said, in Matthew 18:12-14, “What do you think? If a man owns a hundred sheep, and one of them wanders away, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the hills and go to look for the one that wandered off? And if he finds it, I tell you the truth, he is happier about that one sheep than about the ninety-nine that did not wander off. In the same way your Father in heaven is not willing that any of these little ones should be lost.”

The Barna Group Website - a “Gallop Poll” type of organization, but with a Christian foundation, found here:

http://www.barna.org/FlexPage.aspx?Page=home

states that 9% of all Born-Again adults, and 7% of Protestants subscribe to a Biblical worldview.

In a survey of 601 Senior Pastors nationwide, 51% of Protestant Pastors have a Biblical worldview, defined from the survey parameters of 6 core teachings: 1) accuracy of Biblical teaching, 2) sinless nature of Jesus, 3) literal existence of satan, 4)Omnipotence and Omniscience of God, 5) salvation by grace alone, and 6) the personal responsibility to Evangelize.

51%.

Now frankly, those 6 core values are really not a lot to ask.

What person would take a college course in Physics, taught by the professor, who said, “Class, today we’re going to open our text books, and study Isotopes. Now…I don’t believe everything the textbook says. It says, for example, that heavier Isotopes tend to react somewhat more slowly than lighter Isotopes. I don’t believe that.”

Wouldn’t you have a great deal of anxiety at that point?

Wouldn’t you be thinking, “I’m working toward a career in this field, and this Professor is either a Genius who I should be lucky to study under, or a crackpot that will derail my success.”

And yet, like “Quail” that just follow along behind the one in front, human beings go to these Churches and sit under a Pastor who doesn’t believe the accuracy of the very book he teaches from.

That’s fine.

But why be a Pastor?

Go do something else that you believe more.

America - right now as you read this - is going through a religious shift on the “Tectonic Plates” of Evangelicism. With more Churches accepting homosexuality (notice the wording very carefully - this has nothing to do with the rejection of the person), and more Churches accepting divorced people in positions of Ministry, the Church in America is causing a “polarization” of different Christian Walks.

These groups are beginning to coalesce together in demographic patches all over the country.

There will be a time when some Churches will be indistinguishable from some of the most liberal special interest groups. Already there are Churches that have adopted philosophies from Planned Parenthood, Homosexual Rights groups, PETA, and only the Good Lord knows what else.

Is Jesus going to continue searching for lost sheep, when they insist on being lost? If the sheep have no interest in returning to the Good Shepherd, then how will God violate each persons free will?

The separation of True Born-Again Christians from fake ones may be an interesting cultural dynamic to watch, but it’s best to watch it within the safety of Salvation.

Shielded from the Air

Sometimes I just go into my shop, fire up the welder, put on my welding hood (because I see through a glass darkly, 1 Corinthians 13:12), and let the sparks fly.

Iron sharpens iron (Proverbs 27:17), but iron also welds together very nicely.

I enjoy this.

The welding rod, which is what I hold with the welding handle (called the “stinger“), has a coating on it.

http://schools-wikipedia.org/images/362/36265.jpg

You can see the metal rod, with the thicker coating which covers the rod itself, here:

http://www.zverina.com/kalakala/images/rod.jpg

The coating on the rod, when superheated, turns to a gas, which is just enough to shield the metal being welded together. Where the metal is being welded, the gas displaces the air, and “pushes” the air away from the surface of the metal.

Metals won't bond together in the presence of the air we breath.

The air contains toxins, trace elements of other gases, chemicals, dirt, dust, and pollution. That accounts for about 80% of the air we breathe. The remaining 20%, is oxygen. (Thank God!)

This “junk” in the air prevents metals from bonding, so it is necessary to place a shield around the metal.

Christians also have a shield, which keeps the air (the prince of the power of the air, Ephesians 2:2) away from us, so that we (the iron which sharpens iron) can bond with each other (Ephesians 4:3).

When Christians put on the whole armor of God, which includes the "Shield" of faith, we have enough to shield us from the enemy.

After welding metal together, the heat from the process (the refiners fire, Malachi 3:2) has produced stresses in the metal.

The stresses need to be relieved, so I take a hammer (called a Ball Peen hammer) and beat the weld.

Striking the weld relieves the stresses built up when the metal has cooled.

This striking technique causes the stresses within the weld to be partially, or completely removed.

I know that my Redeemer is the master craftsman, refining me.

When I’m in my shop I focus on Spiritual things to such a degree, comparing the physical with the Spiritual, that if I actually get any work done, it’s a bonus. I'm just in my shop, I'm not under any pressure.

This is how I deal with “stresses” in my life, and I'm blessed by the Master Craftsman that He has provided an outlet for me.

My own Hand Crafted Halo

I'm thankful that God is the Author and Finisher of my Faith, and that my righteousness is made perfect in Him.

If I were to Craft my own Halo, that is, try to get to Heaven based upon my own righteousness, I wouldn't make it.

In fact, my very presence would be an insult to the perfection that God requires to be in His Heaven.

I don't think we have the capacity to understand what kind of exacting standard is acceptable to meet the required righteousness for Eternal life.

We often think we're good enough based upon our own subjective standards.

But, at the moment of our conception, when the "wheels" of our life were set in motion, we became obligated to God to be absolutely perfect.

If we can be perfect throughout our life, never make a mistake, never loose our temper at anyone, never be lazy, never slip into temptation (no matter how brief, or in what way, we were tempted), never to know what is the right thing to do and neglect it, or know what is the wrong thing to do, and do it, and such standards which are so subtle they don't even register in human thoughts, and maintain this standard up to the moment we breath our last breath, only then are we qualified to enter Heaven.

If we cannot meet that standard, we need a Halo.