Marvel not, my brethren, if the world hate you. (I John 3:13) |
How do people adopt these "ways" of Babylon? It, ultimately, begins in the human mind - and the way we think about things! The people of Noah's day sure knew of God, and what His judgments were on the pre-flood world. Evidence of this flood was everywhere. Some people were even still alive who lived through it - with a horrible tale to tell, no doubt. It must have been terrible to learn that the world you once knew - the entire world - was devastated. Yet, it only took a couple of hundred years, and the people of the post-flood world had, again, the desires to come together - and stake their claim against the same God![1] Why? Why unite like this again so soon? What had changed their minds - to be against the God who was ultimately responsible for their own creation? Simply, there was ideology behind most of it; ideology being pumped into the masses - on a large scale. This would be the same ideology introduced before the flood, as well; producing similar changes of heart. As we'll see, the seductive ideologies of today seemed to be linked to those of the past - because the past had their own, ancient version of our "political correctness." Eerie and scary. But, how? Culture - a definition: …a pattern of behavior, learned, developed or otherwise… that has worked well enough to be considered valid and, therefore, to be taught to new members as the correct way to perceive, think and feel in relation to those problems. (Schein, "Organizational Culture and Leadership 201", p. 1) The great "veil" that Mystery Babylon often hides behind, back then - as it does today - often seems to involve these cultural thoughts of political correctness: peace, freedom, love, safety, equality, and so-on. As one could guess, this political bombardment often comes to our minds through a progressively-leaning news media, entertainment media, as well as from academia. Only one way to view things is the goal of these progressives, liberals, and secular humanists. All others need to be crowded out - and this includes conservative and Christian thought. This style of one-sided talk is beginning to sound a lot like, say, Hitler's propaganda "machine" of the 1940's! Back then, people were seduced by certain ideologies bombarding them, as well as their not able to really hear any other alternative... as well as the desires to feel "politically correct" in front of their peers. It may have even went on the same way in the "days of Noah;" helping spring the building of the Tower of Babel! For example, tradition tells us that only a few people - among them Abraham and Shem's son Eber - actually were able to refuse going along with the collective thought of the day. Most others began to adopt whatever the "movers and shakers"of the time (i.e. Cush and Nimrod) said was the right "ways" - the same is going on, today. As we've seen, in Politically Correct Babylon, those who take on seemingly-worthy sentiments are, often, really in the dark about the possible, sinister underbellies to it all; where a lot of it might really come from; and what direction it all might easily take someone. Regardless, to many people, facts seem to mean little - it's their feelings on something that matters. It's their perceptions on the humanistic interpretation that's important. And, it's important how they might look in front of their friends and neighbors - for adopting "ways" they think everyone will approve of. Sad, but often true. But, how does this all begin to "take hold" of so many? A decision to follow these modems of thought often begins when a person is at a young age. Most everyone suffers some kind of trauma throughout their life. All people have that pride emotion embedded inside of them. Add in sympathetic individuals around them, as well as the increasingly-progressive media, and a few traumatic events in a person life allows them the opportunity of "victim" status. Sure, bad things happen to good people. Sure, there are true victims in the world. But, what is overlooked by so many of these like-minded people is one's own contribution to what happens to them; their own personal responsibility in the matter. Of course, some things happen that are entirely not a person's fault. But, there are probably a great deal more situations that involve a little more than a persons being able to claim "victimization." In fact, people may have more of a role in their own situations than they might even consciously realize, or admit to. Human pride could easily rear its ugly head at this time - allowing people to be willfully ignorant of their own situation, or caring a lot more about themselves than others around them. This pride is the same pride that Satan and the Serpent, both, were famous for - they practically "wore it on their sleeves." Many who maintain these "Left Winged" thoughts previously mentioned (in Politically Correct Babylon) often feel that the world should be a certain way, and just plain are not ready to accept the reality that it isn't... case in point: The Garden of Eden! The typical liberal ideologue often has thoughts on how to get our society back to that point (in a hypothetical sense) - a place where there is no pain, no crying, and no hurt; a place where there is peace, safety, and, most important of all, no death. It all sounds good on paper; but, as most know, it's unobtainable in this real world. Why? We must recall that it was Adam and Eve's decision - their decision to sin - which brought us to this state... not God. And, it was the Serpent himself who defrauded the human race, to bring them down! Instead of blaming God, we should be blaming the Serpent and Satan for it all! Yet, many still can't seem to understand why mankind was to blame. Human rationality over God's rationality gave us practically all of our problems, as a society - and continues to! Yet, human pride continues to dictates to individuals that it can't be their fault, nor their "feel-good" ideologies... it has to be someone else's (even God's) fault! We must remember that the Serpent told Eve that she was the "victim" in the Garden; she was actually the oppressed one. Whatever God was up to, it wasn't in their best interests. And, if Adam and Eve only followed other "ways," they'd be much better off! This is exactly what Satan and the Serpent want mankind to believe, from the beginning! The reason life doesn't seem fair and equal is because of Adam and Eve's choice. Compassion often lacks because of human choices. People decide not to be safe. People want to engage in strife against their neighbor, etc. What about our roles in it all? People also may think that: just because someone else has something that they don't, they should be entitled to have the same thing; even to take it! People want to be free - but, the formula of their freedom often may not include the responsibility of facing any of the negative results which might accompany all of what they did. Yes, it's, ultimately, "all about them." And, to top this all off, the acceptance of those "Ways of Cain," mentioned previously, are also coming back to us, again - accepted as completely understandable, and viable (see The Way of Cain). Can we do anything about it; to, somehow, slow our world from collapsing under the weight of these detrimental, self-centered ways of life? First, we need to realize that it's so easy to "play the victim;" as Cain did. It's so easy to try to complain and stay bitter. It's the easy way out to try to avoid the real truths of our existence; and what may have brought our lives to the point it is in. As well, it's so easy to twist the reality of things, to try and get away from the acceptance of personal responsibility. Understand that its not all God's fault. These humanistic ideologies, ultimately, don't work. A pride-filled life ultimately does not point us towards "loving thy neighbor as thyself." Use humility instead - a completely self-volunteered humility - to those around us; instead of the Serpent's pride. There was a reason God created Adam out of lowly dust: (Adam was made)... with poor material, that in this way might be shown the admirable skill of the craftsman. - Barhebraeus' Scholia on the Old Testament 6b 7 The Serpent and Satan used envy - to the extreme. They were envious of Adam and mankind, and hated God for the situations they were in. Yet: A sound heart is the life of the flesh: but envy is the rottenness of the bones. - Prov. 3:31 (KJV) Regardless, they also did whatever they could to take the world away from Adam and Eve - they went beyond this envy, and made the decision to take action. They coveted Adam's position in the Garden, and worked hard to upstart what Adam and Eve both had - of which they succeeded. These same thoughts of envy and covetousness go on today - on a grand scale... in socialist and communist societies. For these sakes of "equality" and "fairness," people think they have the natural right to go to these "extremes" of envy, and hijack the wealth of others; even though the Bible clearly commands us not to do it this way. Ones individual effort and hard work are replaced by lethargic and idle complaints of "human rights." Of course, its people - with their pride - that, again, maintains "its all about me" (or should be). It is this whole socialistic sense of "entitlement without effort" which, in the end, actually drains the money and strength from a society - devastating human independence and achievement. These kinds of thought happened way back then, and still do. Even in our not so distant past, we see cultures collapsing because of the imperfections of secular humanism. What happens when a lot of these "Left Wing" ideologies begin to fail? Of course, something has to be blamed - and it can't really be these thoughts! The true ways of God and the Bible often begin to be twisted around, to front the thoughts on how "oppressive" they are; or how "unfair" they are. They are now the new problem at hand. God and the Bible are the ones which promote taking away individual freedoms; the stifling of compassion, etc! Through these manipulations, people begin to migrate from God in droves. They start to believe that the ways a human thinks and feels are those which represent the real keys towards understanding compassion, fairness, and personal freedom - and these include those rationalities which come from the Serpent, Cain, and Babylon! Just notice how many Judeo/Christian values are being shunned, today - their ideologies being substituted by none other than these self-centered, quasi-pagan concepts. We, at Mystery-Babylon.org, ask the individual not to be influenced by empty thoughts of "political correctness," or man's humanistic rationales; but rather work to discover just where these ideological thoughts might come from - and how there might, actually, be a lot more to it. God truly wants us to be blessed; not burdened by the results of humanism's imperfect outcomes. He wants strength, not weakness; a chance for us to "stand on our own two feet," not someone in dire need of government intervention. He wants us to live out our lives in positive, simpler means; not strive to make a life for ourselves - on our own - which, in the end, ends up as more and more complex, incomplete, and chaotic. Again, we see this struggle seems to go back to the Garden of Eden: But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtility, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. - II Cor. 11:3 (KJV) According to ancient sources, the times just before the flood - back in "the Days of Noah" - had a society which actually devolved; not improved, over time. Interestingly enough, it devolved into those "ways" which might sound hauntingly familiar to a lot of us: - ...their souls were empty because they did not know the Lord Jehovah nor did they call upon His holy name. - The concern for each other grew less and less and love for self grew more and more... - They only thought of intent upon pleasure rather doing duty to the human race. - ...the extension of dominion was sought by violence rather than through godly labor. - ... the envious covet the possessions of others... they entered homes without right, and took whatever they wanted... they rigged the laws in their favor. Did they go in the same direction many societies, today, are going; or have gone, already? And, of course, when people discover these ideals don't really work - when one's life actually becomes more complex, chaotic, and miserable, because of following these "ways" - those around them with Republican, conservative, and Christian thought typically need to get the blame. It's never their ideology. It's never anything of our imperfect world which may help contribute to their evils. It's, naturally, got to be God, and all that points to Him, or that comes from Him. And, if anyone challenges them, they often begin to double-down on those liberal, progressive, and pagan thoughts - because their pride tells them their "ways" can't be wrong. See how this cycle works? In the end, to break out of this merry go round of insanity, we need to ask ourselves a couple of questions: where could many of these "politically correct" ideologies and pagan thoughts come from - if they don't come directly from the Bible, and/or of God? Also, in what direction might these thoughts ultimately head an individual towards, if things, ultimately, don't seem to work to our humanistic expectations? Human attempts to do everything according to "his own eyes" have plagued God's true ways to spiritual growth since the dawn of time. Satan uses mankind's thoughts, his emotions, and his willingness to look to other "ways," as his modem of regression; not enlightenment (as he promised to Eve in the Garden). Our personal lives, and world, are actually getting worse - not better - overall, with the adoption of these Serpent "ways." It's all around us. But this thing I command them, saying, Obey my voice, and I will be your God, and ye shall be my people: and walk ye all in the ways that I have commanded you, that it may be well unto you. But they harkened not, nor inclined their ear, but walked in the councils of their evil heart, and went backward, and not forward. - Jer. 7:23-24 (KJV) Could these ideologies being heading us - not progressively forward - but, ultimately, backwards? Could we be heading towards this same negative time before the flood - where God had to destroy almost everyone, because of their sin? Could we be heading towards this same "one world government" - established under pagan Cush and Nimrod - which also had to be toppled, because of man's unbelievable hate and vanity towards the Creator? Are we, again, heading ourselves into the modern parallel of ancient systems of self-destruction, which were, then, established, way back - and once upon a time - in ancient Babylon? They say that: The road to hell is paved with good intentions. - Samuel Johnson (1709-1784) Now, we're beginning to see the reasons why. There is so much more in the book The Rise of Mystery Babylon, which could explain this in further detail. Footnotes: [1] Rev. Alexander Hislop, The Two Babylons (Neptune, New Jersey: Loizeaux Brothers, 1916), 133. Copyright 2010, Brett T., All Rights Reserved |