Mystery and Meaning: Christian Philosophy & Orthodox Meditations

By Gebre Menfes Kidus

"MYSTERY and MEANING" is a compilation of inspirational quotes, mystical prose, philosophical polemics, and poetic verse from the mind and heart of GEBRE MENFES KIDUS ("Servant of the Holy Spirit"). The authors words provide a unique and valuable perspective on many of the vital religious, social, and moral issues of our time. Gebre Menfes Kidus balances contemplative reflections with impassioned argument, leaving the reader both challenged and inspired. These essays and aphorisms provide edification for the philosopher, the theologian, the spiritual seeker, and the lay Christian.

The author addresses a variety of topics, such as:

+ Orthodox Theology

+ Spiritual Warfare

+ Mysticism

+ Social Justice

+ Metaphysics

+ Christian Pacifism

+ Biblical Commentary

+ Human Rights

+ The Teachings of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church

This book was written with the permission and blessing of the author's Priest, Tsebate YemaneBrhane Asrat GebreMariam. All opinions and views contained within are subject to the scrutiny and correction of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church.

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse
• Release date: Aug 5, 2011
• ISBN: 9781452051505

Gebre Menfes Kidus

As a 19 year old college freshman, Gebre Menfes Kidus (birth name, Reynolds Wood) had a mystical encounter with Christ. This experience awakened a heart and soul which had long been captive to the clutches of a fallen world. For the first time in his life the author felt that his existence on earth had meaning, and he resolved to fulfill that meaning by devoting himself to Christian truth. But this righteous resolve was often deterred by doctrinal division, theological confusion, and the author's many personal failures, disappointments, and sins. The Protestantism that led him to initially embrace Christianity was unable to lead him to experience Christ in His fullness and depth. For almost 20 years, the author struggled to find peace and security in his Christian calling. His heart for ministry, his passion for social justice, and his intense contemplative mind were left without adequate spiritual accommodation. After years of failing to find consistent Christian truth in Protestant sects and denominations, the author eventually became disillusioned with organized religion. His spiritual journey had at times seemed to take him through the very corridors of hell itself. But the Christ he met at the age of 19 had not abandoned him; and through divine providence he discovered the ancient, authentic, and true Christianity of The Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Faith. The author finally entered his spiritual home on earth when he and his family were baptized into the Ethiopian Orthodox Church in 2008. He received the baptism name "Gebre Menfes Kidus," which means Servant of the Holy Spirit. Having endured many trials, failures, and struggles - and now striving to work out his salvation with fear and trembling (Philippians 2:12) - Gebre Menfes Kidus offers powerful spiritual insights and provocative social commentary that will leave readers edified, challenged, and inspired.

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© 2011 by Gebre Menfes Kidus. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.

Published by AuthorHouse 04/12/2013

ISBN: 978-1-4520-5148-2 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4520-5150-5 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2011908939

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Thinkstock are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

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Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

MYSTERY and MEANING

Image6336.PNG

CHRISTIAN PHILOSOPHY

&

ORTHODOX MEDITATIONS

Second Edition

Gebre Menfes Kidus

CONTENTS

Introduction

1.   God Is Truth

2.   Great Art Is The Product Of Great Faith

3.   Morality And Orthodox Faith

4.   Attack Ideas, Not People

5.   True Liberation

6.   A Perfect Love

7.   Intellectual Error And Moral Error

8.   Social Problems / Spiritual Solutions

9.   Two Types Of Darkness

10.   Adoration Eviscerates Pride

11.   Violence Victimizes The Innocent

12.   Beware Of The Whisperings Of The Senses

13.   Material And Spiritual Realities

14.   An Open Mind

15.   Righteous Commitment Brings Evil Opposition

16.   Was The Pacifism Of Christ Immoral?

17.   The Impotence Of Hate

18.   Light And Darkness

19.   The Devil Wants To Drive Us To Despair

20.   Miseducation Is Worse Than Ignorance

21.   Rationalism

22.   Relationship

23.   God Of The Darkness And The Light

24.   Convenient Condemnations

25.   The Purpose Of Science

26.   What Is The Emphasis Of The Gospel?

27.   The Impotence Of Empiricism

28.   The Error Of Egalitarianism

29.   Ambition Without Morality

30.   Effective Apologetics

31.   Science, Materialism, And The Occult

32.   Fulfillment

33.   Supreme Logic And Reason

34.   On Rights

35.   On Authority

36.   Do Not Debate The Devil!

37.   The Bullet, The Bomb, And The Ballot

38.   Superstition And Narrow-Mindedness

39.   Faith

40.   The Paragon Of Righteousness

41.   A Spiritual Law

42.   On Ecumenism

43.   The Wise Man Is The Learner

44.   Evangelical Irony

45.   Intellectual Impotence?

46.   Spiritual Rebellion

47.   A False Dichotomy

48.   Mystery And Meaning

49.   Christian Perseverance

50.   The Most Revolutionary Force

51.   Faith And Works

52.   Personal Peace

53.   Utopia And Hell

54.   To Truly Love Peace

55.   The Idolatry Of Violence

56.   Revolution Or Righteousness? Pray For Ethiopia!

57.   Study The Wise, Not The Fools

58.   Equality

59.   No Solution

60.   On Spiritual Effort

61.   The Faith And Fate Of Freethinkers

62.   The Gates Of Hell

63.   Confronted With Mystery

64.   A Doctrine Of Demons

65.   Hate, Violence, And Politics

66.   A Parable About Prejudice

67.   Martyrdom And Militancy

68.   Is Apostolic Succession Essential To Salvation?

69.   Understanding Mysteries

70.   Standing On Principle

71.   We Are All Susceptible

72.   Truth And Reason

73.   The Essence Of Revolution

74.   The Heart And The Mind

75.   The Ultimate Naïveté

76.   Art

77.   Forgiveness

78.   Individual Liberties And Divine Rights

79.   The Preservation Of The State

80.   No Escape From The Eternal

81.   Desiring Lies More Than Truth

82.   War And The State

83.   The Best Form Of Government

84.   God And The World

85.   The Spiritual Significance Of The Days Of The Week

86.   The Seven Times Of Prayer

87.   Mercy And Severity

88.   Mysteries And Humility

89.   Crime And Capitalism

90.   Great Hearts / Brilliant Minds

91.   Defending Truth

92.   Two Conditions Of The Heart

93.   Two Views Of Holy Scripture

94.   Reciprocity

95.   War’s Victor

96.   Defending The Faith

97.   A Question Of Inheritance

98.   A Hellish Fate

99.   The Greatest Name

100.   Entertainment Is Elevated Above Knowledge

101.   Life And Love

102.   A Destructive Word

103.   The Limits Of Science

104.   Facts And Truth

105.   Real Prayer

106.   God Is Known With The Heart, Not The Mind

107.   Our Three Great Enemies

108.   Intellectual Courage

109.   Strong Woman / Weak Woman

110.   Revolutionary Studies

111.   Just War Theory

112.   God’s Transcendence And Immanence

113.   Apophatic Theology

114.   Confidence

115.   Do Not Mistake My Pacifism For Weakness

116.   Conservatives, Liberals, And Humanity

117.   Meaningless Religion

118.   War Will Establish Peace?

119.   Follow Me

120.   Politics And Pacifism

121.   Truth, Division, And The Church

122.   To Live Is To Struggle

123.   Violence Against God

124.   The Confusion Of Man

125.   Demonic Pressure

126.   A Cause Of Chaos, Confusion, And Injustice

127.   On Church Tradition

128.   Destroying Evil

129.   Concerning The Eating Of Meat

130.   Vain Rebellion

131.   The Demonic Origins Of Violence

132.   A Question About God’s Judgment

133.   Chaos, Order And Responsibility

134.   Grace

135.   The Essence Of True Spirituality

136.   The Ability To Choose God

137.   Comparing Ourselves To Others

138.   Remember Those Whom The World Ignores

139.   Dangers Of The Spiritual Realm

140.   To Seek And To See God

141.   Understanding The Incomprehensible

142.   The Foundation Of Spiritual And Physical Health

143.   The Endurance Of The Church

144.   A Sick Society

145.   Compromise Is Not Peace

146.   Those That Condemn Pacifism…

147.   Revolution Is A Process

148.   Reformed Theology?

149.   Theodicy

150.   Consistent Pacifism

151.   Capitalism And Spiritual Socialism

152.   Philosophy And Christianity

153.   Violation

154.   The Ultimate Measure Of Our Spirituality

155.   Experiencing God In This Life

156.   Casualties

157.   Embrace God / Flee Idolatry

158.   Threats To Social Stability

159.   Don’t Fear

160.   Demonic Answers From Demonic Sources

161.   Children Teach Us The Greatest Lesson

162.   Right Religion

163.   Tolerance

164.   The Fulfillment Of Wisdom

165.   Orthodoxy And Aesthetics

166.   The Creativity And Influence Of Woman

167.   Guns And Guilt

168.   Real Solutions Are Spiritual Solutions

169.   Science And Consciousness

170.   Antidotes To Despair

171.   The Fire Of Grace

172.   Peace, Tolerance, And Human Rights

173.   The World Wages War Against Life

174.   The Concessions Of Faith

175.   Female Power

176.   The Ruin Of Civilizations And Societies

177.   Understanding Divine Mysteries

178.   Education As The Answer?

179.   What Great Artists Teach Us

180.   Do Not Despise The Truth!

181.   Look To The East

182.   Once Saved Always Saved?

183.   True Repentance

184.   An Evil And Idolatrous Nation

185.   Individual Development

186.   Defeating Evil

187.   How Can We Shun Our Brother?

188.   Our Worst Enemy

189.   Choosing Our Destiny

190.   The Greatest Act Of Worship

191.   Humanity’s Futile Attempt

192.   Confessing Our Unknowing

193.   The Most Profound Apologetic

194.   The Invisible And Universal Church?

195.   Prejudice And Pride

196.   What To Seek

197.   The Synthesis Of The Subjective And The Objective

198.   Love And Expectation

199.   God Is Not A Tyrant

200.   Our Value In God’s Sight

201.   Being Right Or Being Righteous?

202.   No Escaping God’s Truth

203.   Destruction Is Weakness

204.   Truth Is The Judge

205.   The Essence Of Orthodoxy

206.   Unconditional Love

207.   The Verification Of Faith

208.   Our Deepest Desires

209.   A Superficial Peace

210.   A Christian Evaluation Of Violence

211.   Study The Children

212.   Taking Up Arms

213.   Protestant Problems

214.   Sin Has Corrupted A Good Creation

215.   Authentic Pacifism

216.   God And Guns

217.   Anarchy And Democracy

218.   Balance And Harmony

219.   Pragmatism And Pacifism

220.   Light And Darkness

221.   Apostolic Tradition Trumps Individual Opinion

222.   The Ultimate Hypocrisy

223.   Wisdom

224.   Blaming The Devil

225.   Africa: The Origin

226.   Creativity

227.   A Taste And A Feast

228.   The Wiles Of The World

229.   The Arrogance And Ignorance Of Man

230.   The Divide Of A Desk

231.   Truth Over Conformity

232.   The Whole Counsel Of God

233.   Belief In Vampires?

234.   Support Righteousness, Not Evil

235.   Righteous Judgment

236.   Bob Marley: Spiritual Revolutionary

237.   Thoughts On Tolstoy And Kierkegaard

238.   Lucifer Falling / Christ Rising

239.   The Mystical Properties Of Mountains

240.   Knowledge Of God / Knowledge Of Self

241.   The Essence Of True Religion

242.   Intuition And Perception

243.   Theology And Psychological Comfort

244.   Fighting Witches And Demons

245.   Understanding God?

246.   Reconciling Divine Paradoxes

247.   On Our Christian Confidence

248.   On Our Lady The Virgin St. Maryam

249.   Protection From Evil Metaphysical Forces

250.   The Result Of Evolutionary Theory

251.   The Whispering Of Witches

252.   Prejudice And Patriotism

253.   Protection Against Nightmares

254.   The Book Of Answers

255.   Logic, Philosophy, And The Apophatic Approach

256.   True Reverence

257.   Good Over Evil

258.   Revolutionary Endeavors

259.   Divine Knowledge Comes By Faith

260.   On Aquinas And Necessary Cause

261.   Evil And Utopia

262.   When Philosophy And Poetry Wed

263.   The Christian Mystic

264.   Witchcraft And Sorcery

265.   An Excerpt On Math And Metaphysics

266.   Are We Inherently Good?

267.   Peace On Earth

268.   The Mystical Power Of Words

269.   Fear, Sin, And Faith

270.   Our Destiny Is Determined By Our Reach

271.   The Balance Of Logic And Emotion

272.   The Unity Of Love And Pain

273.   Is God Knowable?

274.   The Enemy Of Our Own Sin

275.   Fires Of Love / Flames Of Fear

276.   A Personal Relationship With Christ?

277.   Anger Is Not A Defense

278.   Politicians Idolize The People

279.   Orthodoxy And Mystery

280.   Who Are The Children Of God?

281.   Science Verifies What The Human Soul Knows

282.   The Light Of Haile Selassie I

283.   The Highest And Lowest Of Creatures

284.   A Peaceful World

285.   Against The Doctrine Of Total Depravity

286.   Evangelicals And Liberation Theology

287.   To Speak The Truth In Love

288.   Lose The Argument And Win Your Soul

289.   Divine Darkness

290.   Friendship

291.   Self-Reflection

292.   Arising From Failure

293.   Fanatics

294.   Hatred For America?

295.   Peace, Prophecy, And Judgment

296.   Pleasure And Pain

297.   Mind, Heart, And Mysteries

298.   God Bless The Women Of The World

299.   The Key To Human Fulfillment

300.   Against A Schizophrenic Christology

301.   Logic And Mysticism

302.   On Suffering

303.   Easter Reflections

304.   The Demonic Origins Of Abortion

305.   Psychic Vampires

306.   Nonviolence Is A Metaphysical Morality

307.   Are We Saved By Faith Alone?

308.   Why I Believe In God

309.   Human Methods And Eternal Values

310.   The Demonic War Against Children

311.   Evil And Responsibility

312.   Christianity And Existentialism

313.   Who Is Mary?

314.   Protestantism And The Orthodox Church

315.   New Ageism And Demonic Spirituality

316.   Synonyms

317.   War Rationalized

318.   The Gospel Means Struggle

319.   The Heart Of Justice

320.   Can Christians Become Demonically Possessed?

321.   The Impotence And Arrogance Of Violence

322.   Faith And Rationalism

323.   Love Of Truth

324.   Interpreting Dreams And Visions

325.   Friendship And Family

326.   Sola Scriptura?

327.   Over Our Heads But Within Our Hearts

328.   The Battle For Our Minds

329.   God Is Not Understood; He Is Known

330.   Despair And Hope

331.   Foolish Men

332.   Mortal Reason Must Submit To Eternal Truth

333.   Prioritize The Children

334.   Creativity And Corruption

335.   Subjectivism And Pragmatism

336.   Politics Precludes Social Justice

337.   Disappointment

338.   Evil Spirits And Human Will

339.   The Plain And Simple Truth

340.   On Apophatic Theology

341.   Fate

342.   Friendship

343.   To Side With Christ

344.   Encouragement For Those Who Fall

345.   Nonviolence Relies On Christ And His Truth

346.   Mysticism And Morality

347.   Let Us Not…

348.   What The World Values And Esteems-9/24/1998-

349.   Authentic Freedom

350.   The Doctrine Of Theosis / Deification

351.   Justice Is Not Achieved By Violence

352.   The Tapestry Of The Universe

353.   Our Christian Duty

354.   Prayers For The Dead?

355.   Facts About Emperor Haile Selassie I

356.   Order And Responsibility

357.   The Infallibility And Inerrancy Of Scripture?

358.   To Truly Love God

359.   Pacifism And Vengeance

360.   What Disturbs Us More?

361.   Social Ills And Personal Responsibility

362.   Orthodoxy Is One

363.   Land Of Mysteries

364.   Martyrdom

365.   The Cancer Of Apathy

366.   Something From Nothing

367.   The Sedative Of Superfluous Information

368.   The Fallacy Of Democracy

369.   Enlightenment And Attachment

370.   A Dearth Of Creativity

371.   Orthodoxy And The Reformation

372.   Science To Be Praised, Not Worshiped

373.   The Choice Of Suffering

374.   The Seven Elements Of Man

375.   Serpentine Voices Of Satan

376.   Against The Denigration Of Human Personality

377.   Orthodoxy And Reason

378.   The Efficacy Of Intercessory Prayer

379.   Evolution, Immorality, And Pseudo-Science

380.   Christian Hope

381.   The Sign Of The Cross

382.   Rejoice In Mystery

383.   Idolatry And Child-Sacrifice

384.   Objective Truth And Subjective Experience

385.   Humility

386.   To Those In Prison

387.   Tewahedo Truth

388.   Spiritual Discernment And Spiritual Shields

389.   The Sacred Revolution

390.   Meditations On Bob Marley

391.   The Body Is Either A Servant Or A Slave Of The Mind

392.   Agonizing Intoxication

393.   Art And Creativity

394.   The Power Of The Psalms

395.   Confidence And Insecurity

396.   Stand Firm In Faith

397.   Prosperity, Poverty, Prejudice, And Paranoia

398.   Antichrist On The Rise

399.   Brazen Arrogance

400.   Can Women Serve In The Church?

401.   Illusions

402.   Necessary Evil?

403.   On Prayer, Fasting, And Feelings

404.   First Principle Of Theistic Religion

405.   Our Suffering Is Not In Vain

406.   Aristocracy In Danger!

407.   If Peacemaking Is Wrong, Persuade Me

408.   Cowardly Excuses

409.   The Bitter-Sweet Call Of The Prophet

410.   Defining Worth

411.   Real And Lasting Pleasures

412.   The Struggle According To The Spirit

413.   Ignoring The Present Evil

414.   Necessary Evil And The Mind Of Christ

415.   On Prayer

416.   Free Will And Conscience

417.   Pacifism And Opposition To Evil

418.   Vain Pursuit

419.   Finding Reasons Not To Kill

420.   The Error Of Western Epistemology

421.   Blindness And Beauty

422.   Natural Reason And Unnatural Lives

423.   Do Not Divide The Nature Of God

424.   Brainwashing

425.   For Peace In The Middle East

426.   Freedom And Slavery

427.   Christian Relevance

428.   Rebellion

429.   Evolution And The Sanctity Of Human Life

430.   The Beginning Of Love Is Truth

431.   Refusing Divine Grace

432.   Prophets

433.   Taking Sides

434.   Sanity Is Contingent Upon Morality

435.   The Church And Individualism

436.   Religious Superstition

437.   Cowardly Condemnation

438.   Praying For Our Own Needs

439.   God Transcendent

440.   Attack Ideologies, Not Individuals

441.   Justice For The Judges

442.   Christian Fellowship

443.   Prejudice

444.   Is Orthodoxy Nonsensical?

445.   The Mysteries Of The Kingdom

446.   If There Is No God, There Is No Good

447.   The Path That Leads To Hell

448.   Sin Itself Is Our Greatest Punishment

449.   Hedonism Is The Enemy Of Mysticism

450.   Divine Affirmation

451.   The Hubris Of Humanism

452.   Joy

453.   Within Evil And Within Righteousness

454.   Don’t Argue With Satan’s Surrogates

455.   No Tolerance For Evildoers!

456.   Wisdom

457.   Humanity And Environmentalism

458.   Capital Punishment, War, And Romans 13

459.   Strength In Weakness

460.   True Leaders / False Leaders

461.   Volitional Deception

462.   Analyzing The Existence Of God

463.   True Spiritual Freedom

464.   Why…?

465.   Theistic Evolution?

466.   Wisdom Conquers Evil Minds

467.   The Consequences Of Sin Are A Means Of Grace

468.   True Female Power

469.   Objective Efforts And Pre-Suppositional Truth

470.   Why God Hates Sin

471.   Honoring The Gift Of Scripture

472.   Luciferian Spirit Of Post-Modern Man

473.   Capitalism, Violence, And The Church

474.   Approaching God

475.   The Tyranny Of Tolerance

476.   Rationalizations Of The Rich

477.   Natural And Spiritual Metamorphosis

478.   History

479.   Spirituality And Science

480.   America Is Not A Chosen Nation

481.   Falling Off The Ladder

482.   Faith In God, Not In Humanity

483.   On The Supernatural

484.   To Fight For Women’s Liberation

485.   7 Principles For Peace

486.   The Obstacle Of Obstinacy

487.   Subversive Spiritual Powers

488.   The Pagans’ Biblical Knowledge

489.   Spiritual Work Takes Time

490.   Save The Dream

491.   Community Crippled By Globalization

492.   The Roots Of Real Knowledge

493.   Disturbed By Injustice And Evil?

494.   They Attack Themselves

495.   The Vision Of The Spiritual Mind

496.   Christian Profession

497.   Ethiopia And Egyptology

498.   Moral Solutions From A Materialistic Worldview?

499.   Curious Atheistic Attacks

500.   A Divine Opportunity

501.   The Spirit-Formed Life

502.   Broken Swords

503.   Man’s Two Great Errors

504.   Holidays / Holy Days

505.   Spiritual Surgery

506.   Finite Views And Infinite Realities

507.   The Philosophers’ Pursuit

508.   The Idolatry Of Human Reason

509.   Beauty Is Born From Hardship

510.   The Bravery Of Accepting Truth

511.   God Above And Within

512.   Objectivity

513.   Transubstantiation?

514.   To Live Is Holy, And To Be Is A Blessing

515.   How The West Will Fall

516.   Desire And Desperation

517.   Faith And Hope

518.   Endeavors Of The Spiritual Soul

519.   Do You Recognize The Truth?

520.   Just War And Unjust Action

521.   The Crucial Questions

522.   Faithfulness

523.   The Façade Of False Christianity

524.   No Peace

525.   Successful Parents

526.   Repentance And Hope

527.   The Basis Of Western Theology

528.   The Spiritual Courage Of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

529.   Subjective Despair And Objective Hope

530.   Deep Prayers / Great Praise

531.   American Equality

532.   Perseverance

533.   Drifting From Reality

534.   Struggle

535.   Insult Is Not An Argument

536.   Utopian Dreams

537.   Spirituality And The Status Quo

538.   Let Us Begin With Ourselves

539.   Divine Justice Tarries At This Temporal Hour

540.   Simple Spiritual Acts

541.   Truth Cannot Be Confined

542.   On Holy Icons

543.   Consciousness Of The Eternal

544.   The Agony Of Beauty

545.   Intelligent Minds / Open Minds

546.   To Forsake God Is To Forsake Ourselves

547.   How To Nourish Our Souls

548.   Divine Pleasures

549.   Salve For The Soul

550.   To Accept War Is To Mock God

551.   The Blessedness Of Suffering

552.   Violence Or Faith?

553.   To Effectively Fight Evil

554.   Developing The Total Person: Body, Mind, And Soul

555.   The Image Of God

556.   Reflections On Black History Month

557.   Social Victory Through Spiritual Sacrifice

558.   A Prayer For Woman And Child

559.   Can Religion And Science Coexist?

560.   Approaching The Apocalypse

561.   Knowledge Without Love

562.   A Word Of Hope

563.   We Are Our Brother’s Keeper

564.   Engaging A Fallen World

565.   The Idolatry Of Individual Rights

566.   Words Reveal The Soul

567.   Pain And Sin

568.   Cultivating A Consistent Pro-Life Ethic

569.   Affluence And Violence

570.   Infinite Heights

571.   Faith

572.   Getting And Giving

573.   Delusional Knowledge

574.   Divine Light

575.   The Power Of Grace

576.   The Truth Brings Enemies

577.   Love

578.   Success And Failure

579.   Blind Faith

580.   An Act Of Worship

581.   Struggles Endured

582.   This Is What I Ask Of You

583.   Collective Acknowledgment

584.   A Miracle Of St. Abba Matewos

585.   Motivations Of True Repentance

586.   Love Of Country?

587.   Man / Fool

588.   Superstition And Ignorance

589.   Pray For The Prophets

590.   Faith, Repentance, And Hope

591.   Community, Social, And Individual Development

592.   It’s Hard To Be A Christian

593.   Pharisees And Pagans

594.   Manifestations Of Gnosticism

595.   Politics, Protests, And Love

596.   Unity, Ecumenism, And Truth

597.   Christ Or The Crowd?

598.   Objective Realities And Subjective Experiences

599.   Support The Troops?

600.   The Struggle And Result Of Spiritual Revolution

601.   They Teach That There Is No Truth

602.   How The World Receives Healing And Hope

603.   Atheists Prove God’s Existence

604.   Ironic Idolatry

605.   A Question Regarding Sola Scriptura

606.   Government And The Good

607.   Christmas Is Our Daily Celebration

608.   Desiring God

609.   My Hope

610.   Transcendence

611.   Lucifer And Enlightenment

612.   The Subjectivity Of Secular Science

613.   Violence And Righteousness

614.   On Hypnotism

615.   On Freedom Of Religion

616.   We Are What We Choose

617.   Enlightened Man And Absolute Truth

618.   Truly Righteous Works

619.   Pleasure And Pain Both Teach Spiritual Truths

620.   The Age Of Antichrist

621.   My Human Value

622.   Mankind Accepts The Wrong Answers

623.   Wisdom And Foolishness

624.   Do Not Seek To Suffer; Learn To Suffer

625.   Battles I’ve Lost

626.   Bothered More By Failure Than By Sin

627.   Respect

628.   Fairness Or Justice?

629.   An Objective Point Of Reference

630.   Open Minded Oppression

631.   Fact-Filled Fools

632.   The Specter Of Contradictions

633.   Leadership

634.   Amazing Arrogance

635.   Christian Love Is Not A Sentimental Love

636.   Forgiveness

637.   Orthodoxy Is Ortho-Praxis

638.   What We Can Control

639.   The Seamless Garment

640.   On The Killing Of Abortionist George Tiller

641.   War Is Hell

642.   Truth In All Religions?

643.   Capitalism And Economic Colonialism

644.   Logic And Mystery

645.   Balanced Prayer

646.   Zealous Promotion And Poor Practice

647.   Politicians And True Leaders

648.   What I Know

649.   We Cannot Run From God

650.   The Orthodox Emphasis

651.   Orthodox Objectivity And Schizophrenic Society

652.   Criticism Apart From The Political Process?

653.   Freedom, Justice, And Truth

654.   False Leaders

655.   Pray For Peace

656.   The Least Of These

657.   America Ruled By Two Pro-Death Political Parties

658.   Fools For Christ

659.   Orthodoxy And Ethnocentricity

660.   Unconditional Love

661.   Suffering And Creativity

662.   Immunity From Societal And Cultural Influences

663.   Faith Alone Or Works Righteousness?

664.   Wake Up!

665.   Siding With Truth

667.   Aspiration From Adversity

668.   Christianity And Social Agendas

669.   Temporal And Eternal Torment

670.   Dissecting Divine Truth

671.   A Portrait Of The Gospel

672.   Preserving Human Icons

673.   For Those Considering Orthodoxy

674.   On Poetic And Artistic Expression

675.   Man Has The Truth

676.   Circular Reasoning

677.   Soteriology And Justice

678.   Breath, Blood, And Fire

679.   Faith

680.   The Foundation Of All Good Works

681.   Expectation, Preparation, And Hope

682.   Theological Implications Of Evolutionary Theory

683.   Suicide

684.   Blessings Returned

685.   The Church, Government, And Provision

686.   To Pray For The Devil?

687.   Collateral Damage And Necessary Evil?

688.   The Mysteries Of The Universe Lie Within

689.   The Olive Branch And The Freedom Fighter’s Gun

690.   The Urgency Of Action

691.   A Deep Well

692.   Violence Stems From A Lack Of Faith

693.   Progressive Orthodoxy?

694.   Time For America To Examine Itself

695.   Where There Is Life There Is Hope

696.   Logic Is Irrefutable But Impotent

697.   Easy Profession, Difficult Practice

698.   The Art Of War

699.   Holy Tradition And Human Tradition

700.   America’s Tolerance For Christians

701.   A Matter Of Perspective

702.   Violence Cannot Establish Peace

703.   Answering An Evangelical Fundamentalist

704.   Empty Rhetoric And Hollow Persuasion

705.   Human Rights

706.   Evolution And Church Teaching

707.   The Focus Of Our Fasting

708.   Good And Evil

709.   The Mystery Of Evangelical Atheists

710.   Discerning The Source Of Spiritual Phenomena

711.   Holy Treasures

712.   Character And Choices

713.   Sincerity And Truth

714.   The Arrogance Of Evolutionary Theory

715.   If We Cling To Our Cross, We’ll Rise To Eternal Life

716.   An Empty World

717.   Reason And Truth

718.   Socialism And Capitalism

719.   God And Good

720.   The Epitome Of Foolishness

721.   Arrogance

722.   Considering Human Nature

723.   3 Gifts That I Desire

724.   Heresy And Piety

725.   In The Absence Of God

726.   How Fools Are Born

727.   Joy Or Pleasure?

728.   Salvation

729.   Naïve And Simplistic?

730.   Don’t Give Up!

731.   The Glory And Depravity Of Man

732.   Coming Into Orthodoxy

733.   Mystery And Intimacy

734.   Morally Eviscerated

735.   The Veneration Of Icons

736.   The Struggle To Reconcile Relationships

737.   Mystery And Paradox

738.   Love And Pain

739.   The Spiritual Revolutionary

740.   Consequences Of Misguided Pursuits

741.   May God Grant You Peace In Your Orthodox Quest

742.   The Validity Of Church Tradition?

743.   God Is Not A Puzzle

744.   Faith In God

745.   Arguments, Love, And The Kingdom

746.   Victims Of The Status Quo

747.   Life, Meaning And The Afterlife

748.   To Suffer Injustice

749.   A Christian Nation?

750.   Pragmatism, Utilitarianism, And Christian Action

751.   Pacifism And Logical Consistency

752.   Truth And The Truth

753.   The Rich Liberal

754.   Perception And Reality

755.   Pacifism And Justifications For Violence

756.   Scripture And The Church

757.   Grace And Struggle

758.   Political Thievery

759.   Hollow Outcries And Empty Laments [September 2011]

760.   Speaking Of Peace

761.   Is Voting Our Christian Duty?

762.   On Economic Justice

763.   Extraterrestrial Life?

764.   Don’t Tell Them They’re Not Free

765.   Democracy And Lesser Evil

766.   The Purification Of Heresies And Poisons

767.   Savages And Fools

768.   Burning Babylon

769.   Condemning The Homeless

770.   Oppressive Language

771.   Speak Of The Devil

772.   Scientific Objectivity In A Fallen World

773.   Mississippi Votes Down Human Rights

774.   Laughter And Tears

775.   Bootstraps, Self-Made Men, & Self-Sufficient Souls

776.   Orthodoxy And Grace

777.   Sola Scriptura And Human Tradition

778.   Why I Condemn Violence

779.   Bow, Prostrate, Humble, And Fight

780.   A Gentle Heart

781.   Winning And Losing

782.   Giving Freely

783.   Babylonian Enemies [October 2011]

784.   The Orthodox Church Is An Ark

785.   Faith, Suffering, And Uncertainty

786.   Cowardly Curses And Shameful Attacks

787.   Confessions Of An Arrogant Man

788.   Are We Holier Than Christ?

789.   Presumptive Judgment

790.   Futile Searches / Faithful Endeavors

791.   Abortion, Capitalism, And Human Rights

792.   Honoring The Scriptures

793.   Resentment And Betrayal

794.   Poetry, Art, And The Christian Life

795.   Bearing Our Cross

796.   The Idolatry Of The Apotheosis Of The Individual

797.   The Preservation Of The World

798.   Salvation

799.   To Love And Attain The Truth

800.   Loyalty, Friendship, And Idolatry

801.   The Sword And The Cross

802.   Casting Judgmental Stones

803.   Burn Ism/Schisms!

804.   Teach Me To Pray

805.   Mind Of The Pharisees Or The Mind Of Christ?

806.   Guilt And Innocence

807.   World Peace

808.   Indifference To Evil Is Evil Itself

809.   The Faithful Few

810.   Delayed Justice And Rash Judgment

811.   Thoughts On Charismatic Experiences

812.   Material And Spiritual Realities

813.   Who Will Stand?

814.   Seeking Crowns Or Seeking Christ?

815.   Orthodoxy And Individual Interpretations

816.   A Meditation For Election Day

817.   To Live And To Love And To Suffer

818.   Seeking Mystical Experiences

819.   Babylon

820.   Divine Justice

821.   Unlocking Divine Mysteries

822.   Nonviolence, Non-Resistance, And Nuclear Weapons

823.   Biblical Preaching

824.   Psychiatry, Psychology And Sorcery

825.   This Is Not The Church

826.   Christians In Babylon

827.   Homosexuality, Addiction, And Christian Identity

828.   Compassion Of The Christian Mystic

829.   Self-Control

830.   Christ Is Born! Glorify Him!

831.   The Seeds Of Evil

832.   Weeping For Sins

833.   Compassion Is The Bridge To Communication

834.   Finding True Christians And Faithful People

835.   The Weight Of Enlightenment

836.   Pains Of The Poetic Soul

837.   Exalting Wisdom

838.   Christ Is A Shepherd, Not A Tyrant

839.   Christianity And Pagan Ideals

840.   Cling To Christ!

841.   Philosophy And Truth

842.   Determining Why We Have Enemies

843.   Christian Compassion And Revolutionary Injustices

844.   Stoic Virtue And Solomonic Wisdom

845.   The Answer To All War And Human Conflicts

846.   Unraveling Mysteries

847.   Babylon Slave

848.   Trials Of Original Thought & Conformity To Christ

849.   Anti-Religion Pharisees

850.   Causes And Rights

851.   Do We Deserve Hell?

852.   Seeds And Roots

853.   Struggling With Justice

854.   Our Orthodox Concept Of God

855.   Wise Words From A Fool’s Lips?

856.   The Mind Of The Conqueror Or The Mind Of Christ?

857.   Simple Pleasures Ad Simple Truths

858.   Communism And Capitalism

859.   The Evangelical Apologetics Movement

860.   Religion

861.   The Irrationality Of Violence

862.   How To Search The Scriptures

863.   Final Solutions Of The Secular State

864.   Trust And Freedom

865.   A Wake Up Call To American Christians

866.   Struggling To Understand

867.   No Weapon Shall Prosper

868.   Remember Paradise

869.   Frightening Thoughts

870.   The Road Of Compromise

871.   The Lies Of Abortion

872.   Christian Focus / Christian Progress

873.   Selective Truth

874.   Enslavement And Change

875.   The Roots Of Racism

876.   The First Step Towards Christ

877.   Discerning Spiritual Writings

878.   Idealism And Idolatry

879.   A Brief Critique Of James Madison’s Quote

880.   It Is Not Easy To Stand For Truth

881.   True Christian Prophets

882.   Rastafari And The Orthodox Christian Faith

883.   Arrogance Of The Western Mindset

884.   To The Leaders Of Protestant Congregations

885.   A Shared Idolatry

886.   Orthodoxy And Social Justice

887.   Fools

888.   Revolutionary Jesus?

889.   Evil By Any Other Name

890.   Poverty

891.   Christianity And Safety

892.   Playing Chess With The Devil

893.   Marxism And Capitalism

894.   Our True Identity

895.   The Illusion Of Democracy

896.   Share Your Wisdom

897.   Hell

898.   Abortion And Justifiable Violence

899.   Sin Nature?

900.   Thought, Love, Truth, And God

901.   The Profit Motive

902.   Tact And Truth

903.   The Devil’s Prey

904.   Judgment And Unconditional Love

905.   Liberation And Enslavement

906.   Voting And Complaining

907.   Creativity And Scientific Truth

908.   Undermining Women’s Empowerment

909.   Perpetual Oppression

910.   Illusions And Ideals

911.   The Oceans Of Orthodoxy

912.   Bullets And Love

913.   Demonic Political Distractions

914.   The Culture

915.   Harsh Judgments

916.   A Strange Love

917.   Gun Control?

918.   Freedom And Order

919.   Capitalistic Crime / Capitalistic Choice

920.   Is This How We Shall Win The World?

921.   Blessings And Pain

922.   Monasticism

923.   Liberal, Conservative, Or Christian?

924.   The Challenge Of Love

925.   Receiving The One I Refused

926.   It’s What God Thinks About You That Matters

927.   Nonviolence, Obedience, And Church Authority

928.   Splinters And Scars

929.   Vulnerability And Faith

930.   The Lie Of The Political Process

931.   Finding And Facing Truth

932.   Predators And Prey

933.   Guilt And God’s Love

934.   The Way Of Cain Or The Way Of The Gospel?

935.   Is The Bible All That Is Necessary?

936.   A Man’s Confession

937.   Seeking Solutions

938.   Thoughts On Abortion

939.   The Devil’s Lies

940.   Thoughts On The Great Commission

941.   Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. And Communism

942.   Consensus Of Fools

943.   The First Step Towards Christ

944.   Eternal Security And St. John 10:27-28

945.   Idolatrous Achievements

946.   The Priority Of Self-Sacrifice

947.   Educated Fools

948.   Grace, Truth, And Love

949.   If You Fast And Feel Far From God…

950.   Forsaken By Blood

951.   Villains And Vision

952.   Violence And Worldly Justifications

953.   Blaming God

954.   Hierarchy And Authority

955.   Serving Our Country?

956.   Salt, Light, And Oil

957.   A Free Man In Babylon

958.   Strengthening Our Vision

959.   Carrying Our Crosses

960.   Political Idolatry And Demonic Deception

961.   Please Don’t Ask, So What Do You Do?

962.   Evil Fruits Of An Evil System

963.   Evangelicals And Abortion

964.   Healers

965.   Searching And Salvation

966.   Ethiopia’s Hour Of Decision [8/24/2012]

967.   Preserving Freedom?

968.   War On Women?

969.   Flawed Foundations Of America’s Political System

970.   Lies Of The State

971.   How To Get Elected In Babylon

972.   The Individual And The Collective

973.    Social Justice

974.   Why I Don’t Vote

975.   The Greatest Lie Of All

976.   The Sword And The Cross

977.   Robbing Babylon

978.   The Epitome Of Spiritual And Social Sickness

979.   Feelings, Faith, And The Christian Struggle

980.   Understanding Holy Mysteries

981.   Politics And Cultural Influence

982.   Evil And Apathy

983.   On The Anniversary Of The Terrorist Attack Of 9/11 [September 11, 2012]

984.   To Suffer For God Or To Suffer From God

985.   Emmanuel And Imago Dei

986.   Two Dangerous And Idolatrous Extremes

987.   Christianity And Pacifism

988.   Political Abstention

989.   Embracing The Difficulty Of Truth

990.   Justifications For Killing / Justifications For Peace

991.   Christian Faith In Democracy?

992.   Against A Patriotic Elitism

993.   Profound Truth

994.   A Question Of Idolatry

995.   Notes On Evolutionary Theory

996.   Searching For God

997.   Satanic Soothing And Prophetic Discomfort

998.   Bullets And Prayers

999.   Johnny One Note?

1000.   A Revolutionary Example

1001.   Pride And Humility

1002.   Life Conquers Death

1003.   Precious Worthlessness

1004.   At The Center Of Eternity

1005.   Love And Fear

1006.   Theological Purity And Human Oppression

1007.   A Stranger’s Feet, A Stranger’s Blood

1008.   Dr. Martin Luther King And Human Dignity

1009.   I Tried To Do Some Good Today

1010.   If The Gospel Teaches Violence, Then I Ask For Proof

1011.   Means And Ends

1012.   Self-Oppression

1013.   Babylon Witches And Grandma’s Hands

1014.   The Evolution Of Warfare

1015.   God Is My Judge, Christ Is My Commander

1016.   If We Really Understood Divine Love…

1017.   Oppressive Deception

1018.   The Unfailing Mercy Of God

1019.   Opposition To Injustice

1020.   Winners And Losers

1021.   Expectations Of Justice?

1022.   No Easy Answers [December 2012]

1023.   Oppression And Economic Reform

1024.   Creative Evidence For The Existence Of God

1025.   Violence Is Not Visionary

1026.   The Cross Conquers

1027.   The Resolute Voices Of Humanity

1028.   Slavery And Freedom

1029.   The Epitome Of Divinity

1030.   Foolish Knowledge

1031.   The Mindset Of Mercy

1032.   Our Willingness To Practice The Christian Faith

1033.   The Indispensible Honor Of The Virgin Maryam

1034.   Worthless Works And Fraudulent Faith

1035.   The Lordship Of Christ

1036.   Focusing On The Positive

1037.   Babylon, Gun Control, And The Christian Faith

1038.   American Democracy?

1039.   The Proper Preeminence

1040.   Equivocating The Language Of Evil

1041.   Overwhelming Truth

1042.   A Self-Defeating Preservation

1043.   The Violence Of Unbelief

1044.   Convictions And Hope

1045.   Orthodox Asceticism

1046.   Simple Servants Of Christ

1047.   Discerning Spiritual Experiences

1048.   Citizenship

1049.   Exposure To Truth

1050.   Thoughts On Gay Marriage

1051.   Self-Enlightenment

1052.   Salvation And Grace

1053.   The Experience Of God Is The Purpose Of Life

1054.   Organized Rebellion Against God

1055.   The Strength Of The Meekness Of Peace

1056.   Before The Cross

1057.   The God I Serve

1058.   Rejoice In The Lord Always

1059.   In The Midst Of Eternity

1060.   How I Fight

A Fist For All The Flowers

Eternal Mercy

Sunset / Sunrise

Burn Election Day!

A Fragile Thunder

When I Bowed

Make Room

Honor

The Cross I Love

Fight For Freedom

Struggle, Pain, Sorrow, And Faith

Babylon Fourth Of July

Soldier

Unity

Don’t Tell Me

Dishonorable

Come Follow Him

Labor And Capital

Cemetery Belly

Hold My Hand

Open The Doors

Haunted

Flesh Turns To Salt

Rising Tide

A Faith That Found A Home

Notes

Biographical Notes

Recommended Reading

About The Author

We speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God ordained before the ages for our glory, which none of the rulers of this age knew; for had they known, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.

Corinthians 2:7-8

For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh, for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, taking every thought captive and making it obedient to Christ.

Corinthians 10:3-5

…that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, and attaining to all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the knowledge of the mystery of God, both of the Father and of Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

Colossians 2:2-3

For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in high places.

Ephesians 6:12

…to make all see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the ages has been hidden in God who created all things through Jesus Christ.

Ephesians 3:9

And be not conformed to this world, but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God.

Romans 12:2

Great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifested in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen by angels, preached among the Gentiles, believed on in the world, and received up in glory.

I Timothy 3:16

For

Hosanna Maryam

Welete Mikael

(Daughter of St. Michael)

9/1/2010-11/22/2010

Hosanna’s precious life epitomized the life of Christian struggle. She struggled in the womb, and struggled for her 11 weeks on earth thereafter. She never complained, but only cried a little when she was hungry. She fought to live until she could be baptized, then peacefully departed this world with the escort of St. Michael the Archangel. She was pure and innocent, and lived every moment of her life in the full awareness of the presence of God. I have no excuse for my sins, for Our Lord gave me a shining example in our little daughter, Hosanna Maryam / Welete Mikael.

Memory Eternal

This book is dedicated to my Priest and Godfather, Tsebate YemaneBrhan Asrat GebreMariam, and to the faithful Christian community of St. Gabriel Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church in Atlanta, Georgia.

And to my wife Christi (Amete Menfes Kidus): I am a better man because of your love, your support, and your presence in my life. This book would never have become a reality without your patience, prayers, and encouragement. I love you deeply.

He who finds a wife finds a good thing, and obtains favor from God. [Proverbs 18:22]

To my children: Noah (Wolde Menfes Kidus), Zion (Haile Menfes Kidus), and Adayah (Wolete Menfes Kidus): You are the greatest proof of the existence and goodness of God. Every day, I experience His Light through your presence in my life. Your joy, your beauty, your kindness, and your love radiate the reality of Our Lord and His infinite grace. I know that the Holy Spirit will guide you always. Papa loves you!

To my Papa, who passed away before the second edition of this book was printed: His unconditional love and constant support enabled me to overcome many sins, struggles, and failures throughout my life. His spirit of integrity, kindness, and decency will guide me always.

To my Aunt and Uncle, Tante Alice and Uncle Lee: You are very special to me, more than you will ever know. Thank you for all of your love and support. I love you very much.

To my Father in Law, Mr. Toby Hite III: It would take an entire book in itself to convey my admiration, respect, and love for you. The Light of Christ radiates from your heart, your mind, and your soul. I cannot thank you enough for the countless hours you have spent listening to me, teaching me, and providing me with profound wisdom and much needed words of encouragement. The love I have for you is the love that Jonathan surely had for David.

To Dr. Wynn Kenyon: my college philosophy professor, whose patient Christian mentoring had an indelible influence upon my life. Unfortunately, God called him home before I had the chance to ask his critique of this book. May his memory be eternal!

To all my true friends: Thank you for enduring my arrogance, selfishness, sins, and mistakes. Thank you for believing in me, for keeping me honest, and for loving me even in disagreement. Thank you for making me believe that I have something of value to offer this world.

To Father Andrew Koufopoulos and the faithful community of Holy Trinity St. John the Theologian Greek Orthodox Church in Jackson, Mississippi: Thank you for welcoming and accepting our family with so much kindness and love. You have been a divine gift to us, providing a spiritual home away from home. Truly, our Churches are One!

To Abba Gebre Tsadik: Thank you for the prayers, guidance, and instruction.

To Mama Berhane Dorothy Allen: Give thanks for your light Babushka!

To Rasul: You are my brother. Your soul radiates with truth, beauty, and strength. Deepest thanks for drawing the wonderful portrait of Bob Marley for this book!

To Jim McCafferty and Tanya Britton: Thank you for your wisdom, grace, and friendship. I am eternally grateful for your patient mentoring and encouragement over the years.

To Eddie James (International Farmer): You are the conscience of the community!

INTRODUCTION

True religion is the discovery and fulfillment of the meaning of life through the acceptance of divine mystery. The God who created us is infinitely transcendent, yet He nevertheless reveals Himself to finite human beings.

We catch glimpses of God through His universal creation. We glean a partial knowledge of God through His universal laws. We hear the voice of God speaking through our consciences. And we feel His omnipresent existence through mortal expressions of love, mercy, justice, and compassion.

Yet in spite of these things, God is still holy mystery. He is not a riddle to be solved, but an Infinite Reality to be worshiped and adored. And with humble hearts, human beings can experience the Lord of creation in mystical depth. For through the simple but sublime message of the Gospel, God has made it possible for finite human creatures to enter into His eternal embrace. By the power of the Cross, we can indeed know* Him Who surpasses all knowing.

The Cross of Our Lord Eyesus Kristos (Jesus Christ) is the gate through which sinful man can approach divine holiness. We cannot fathom the profound grace that has made this salvation possible. All we can do is accept the love and mercy of Our Lord with gratitude and thanksgiving. And we will never be able to fully accept the grace of the Gospel if we remain isolated from God’s true Church; for it is through the Church-the mystical Bride and corporate Body of Christ-that we receive the holy Sacraments, Teachings, and Truths that bring us salvation and sanctification.

We cannot rationally explain the glorious essence of God’s holy nature. Therefore, the ancient and holy apostolic Orthodox Church has been divinely instituted to convey infinite mysteries to the finite mind. The holy icons are windows through which we can glimpse transcendent truths. The Sacraments are supernatural graces through which our bodies and minds are edified and strengthened. The Divine Liturgy is the apex of our worship, the culmination of the power of the Gospel, through which we receive the actual Body and Blood of Jesus Christ into our lives.

The Orthodox Faith does not try to explain these ineffable mysteries to the satisfaction of human logic. Instead, the Church simply offers herself to the world as the purest earthly expression of holy Truth and divine grace. And "Whosoever thirsts may come and drink the water of life freely." [Revelation 22:17]

Christian faith is first and foremost the humble acceptance of the infinite, incarnate Christ and His Church. Secondly, it is the volitional endeavor to labor in this world on behalf of Christ and His Truth. This means submission to and participation in the life of His Church. It means reaching out to a broken world with the message of Our Lord’s love for suffering humanity. It means engaging society in order to proclaim God’s message of peace, justice, and human rights. It means being ambassadors of Christ (II Corinthians 5:20), showing compassion and mercy to the weak and the sinful, and opposing those forces that prey upon the weak and the sinful. For as Our Lord said, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me. [St. Matthew 25:40]

So, this book is a compilation of philosophical** reflections and spiritual meditations that essentially deal with Mystery and Meaning. Herein are some of the various thoughts and opinions that I have put into writing over the years. With the power of the pen, I have tried to express the spiritual ideals and social convictions of my mind, my heart, and my soul. Admittedly, many of my views are unconventional and perhaps even controversial, but I trust they are Orthodox nonetheless. I have tried to keep a clear distinction between the established Teachings and Traditions of the Church and that which I assert as my own personal opinions. I have prayerfully labored to make sure that my own views do not contradict Orthodox truth; but if I have in any way failed in this intention, then I ask forgiveness both from Our Lord and from the reader. I cannot emphasize strongly enough that my own personal beliefs are always subservient and submissive to the theology of Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church. Where I err, the Church does not. Therefore, I urge the reader to sift the philosophy and opinions contained herein through the trustworthiness of Orthodox inerrancy.

I dare not presume to speak for God. I am not His prophet, only his sinful servant. But within these pages, I have tried to reflect the divine harmony of grace, mercy, love, and harsh truth. Our Lord was born in a manger, meek and mild; He was the Lamb that was slain for our sins; but He shall return as a conquering lion. The consequences of sin are not gentle, and the severity of divine discipline is sometimes the greatest act of mercy. I do not wish to convey wrath, but I do feel the need to convey unvarnished realities and expose the raw truth of certain matters. However, I have tried to balance zealousness with compassion-incorporating gentle, encouraging, and uplifting meditations that provide necessary water for the provocative fires that I sometimes burn.

I am who I am, and my writing is shaped by my experiences and my convictions, all of which find coherence and stability in the Truth of Christ and His Church. Some of the meditations herein are indeed infused with anger. And I am not afraid to confess my anger-anger at false doctrines that confused and led me astray for many years; anger at injustices and evils like abortion that claim the countless lives of innocent human creatures; anger at the arrogance of worldly power structures and false leaders that deceive and harm sincere God-fearing people; anger at the various manifestations of the ideology of violence which result in the desecration of human beings created in the very image of God; anger at the profound betrayals of friends and family that I have personally experienced at crucial times in my life. And I believe that many people in this world also share a similar anger. I want to give voice to their laments and show them that someone else shares their pain and their struggles. I want my fellow sufferers to know that somebody else cares. I want them to know that there is solidarity in common suffering, and that there is healing and comfort in the common communion of authentic Christian worship.

St. John Cassian lists anger as one of the eight deadly sins, but St. Paul says, Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath. [Ephesians 4:26] I can only hope that my anger errs on the side of devotion rather than pride, and I supplicate the Son of God to burn away any self-righteous passions that reside in my heart. I pray that this book will uplift the faithful, give hope to the hopeless, and bring inspiration to those who sincerely search for God and His truth.

We know that Love conquers a multitude of sins. [I Peter 4:8] So, if my revolutionary zeal obscures my efforts to promote the unfailing love of Our Lord, then I have failed. The writer’s curse is that what he prints is usually irrevocable, so it has been a prayerful challenge for me to discern what I should actually include in this book. Numerous texts were omitted or excised because I believed they ultimately reflected my egotistical emotions rather than the true Spirit of Our Lord.

The tone, tenor, and topic of these meditations varies from page to page, and from text to text-sometimes drastically so. Therefore, I encourage the reader to continue reading even though he may encounter a text or meditation with which he strongly disagrees or finds particularly unpalatable. I sincerely believe that there is something edifying and uplifting for everyone somewhere within these pages. I certainly hope so. Yet I echo the thoughts of Miguel De Cervantes, who wrote in his Prologue to Don Quixote:

I am not interested in saying things just because everybody else does, or in begging you, dearest reader, with tears in my eyes, to please overlook my child’s (i.e., my book’s) faults. Your soul sits in its own body, you can make up your mind for yourself, with the best of them; and by God, you’re the boss in your own house. Which means you are under no obligation at all, so you can say anything you like about this; you don’t have to worry about being insulted if you don’t like it or rewarded if you do.

It is not easy to gaze directly into the light of spiritual truth, and it is never pleasant to disclose the dark realities of social injustice. But we have a Christian duty to proclaim the truth, regardless of whether that truth is comforting or convicting. I dare not pretend that my finite opinions constitute the truth; but I pray that they are in conformity with Truth, and I hope that they point to Truth. For I seek only to honor Our Lord Jesus Christ, Who alone is The Way, the Truth, and the Life. [St. John 14:6]

My words flow from a heart that struggles to love God more than sin. They stem from a finite mind whose arrogance often needs to be humbled by divine omniscience. They emanate from a soul that longs to see the realization of peace, love, and justice in this fallen and sin stained world.

Everything contained herein I have written to myself first and foremost; and there is no profit in these words unless I diligently seek to heed and apply them to my own life and to my own spiritual struggle. As St. Maximus the Confessor(r) said, Our devotion lies not in words, but in realities. I have learned that the actions do not come so easily as the ideas, and that it is easier to preach the Cross than to actually take it up and carry it. I am mindful of the exhortation of St. John Climacus(a), who writes:

Not all of us are required to save others. The divine Apostle says: ‘Everyone shall give account of himself to God.’ (Romans 14:12) And again he says: ‘Thou therefore that teachest another, dost thou not teach thyself?’ (Romans 2:21)This is like saying: I do not know whether we must all teach others; but we most certainly should teach ourselves… Words betray a soul’s ignorance; but the law of love is an incentive to attempt things that are beyond our capacity. [The Ladder of Divine Ascent; Step 3:4, 25]

The topics within this book are many, spanning the themes of spiritual warfare, mysticism, Orthodox theology, human rights, metaphysics, social justice, Christian pacifism,*** biblical commentary, cultural criticism, and the teachings of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church. I have also included my Testimony of Baptism into the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church, which I have placed at the end of the book.

It is my hope that God will be glorified through what I have written. It is my desire that these words will inspire spiritual devotion, social consciousness, and an interest in the Orthodox Christian Faith. And it is my prayer that the Christian ideals I know in theory will eventually become the praxis of my heart and the example of my day to day life.

If within these pages I have expressed ideas or opinions that are errors of faith or theology, then I defer to the authority of the Holy Orthodox Church, whose Teachings, Traditions, and Truth shall rightly correct them. Lord have mercy.

This book is not divided into chapters, and it is not arranged according to specific topics. Therefore, it does not need to be read sequentially from beginning to end. These composed texts may serve as a manual for spiritual reflection, as a devotional guide, or as stimulus for philosophical and theological contemplation. I believe most readers will find opinions with which they may wholeheartedly agree, as well as views that they may adamantly oppose. If everything in this book is either pleasing to everyone or offensive to everyone, then I have failed both as a Christian and as a writer.

Humility is the evidence of courage. Servitude is the sign of strength. The willingness to see the truth indicates a desire for the Divine. My prayer is that the message of these pages will lead you to Truth, lead you to God, and leave you with abiding peace, love, and hope.

May Our Lord Jesus Christ be glorified, may humanity be edified, and may this writer continue to be sanctified through the power and grace of the Holy Spirit and the guidance of the Holy Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church.

One who is poor and does not possess the wealth of Christ in his soul, even if he wishes to offer a word of truth to gladden others, yet does not possess within himself the word of God in power and reality, but only repeats from memory and borrows words from various parts of the book of Scripture, or what he has heard from spiritual men, and relates these things-see, he seems to gladden others. But after he has gone through it, each word goes back to the source from which it was taken, and he himself remains once more naked and poor. For this reason, we should seek first from God with pain of heart and in faith, that He would grant us to find this wealth, the true treasure of Christ in our hearts, in the power and effectual working of the Holy Spirit. In this way, first finding in ourselves the Lord to be our profit and salvation and eternal life, we may then profit others also, according to our strength and opportunity, drawing upon Christ, the treasure within.

-St. Macarius the Great-(b)

Besime Ab, WeWolde, WeMenfesQidus, Ahadu Amlak.

In the Name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, One God

-Amen-

GEBRE MENFES KIDUS

Servant of the Holy Spirit

*Known-Many Orthodox theologians teach that since God cannot be comprehended by mortal reason, it is therefore erroneous to even speak of such a thing as the knowledge of God. Although I agree with this view to a certain extent, I nevertheless use phrases such as knowing God, knowledge of God, etc. throughout this book. Many sections herein discuss this very issue of the knowledge of God, and elaborate on what this means. For example, see text #316.

**Philosophy-Philosophy as an end in itself is thoroughly condemned in Orthodoxy. In fact, because of the numerous heresies and falsehoods that philosophy has produced, some Orthodox theologians have rejected the use of the term philosophy altogether. But everyone has a philosophy (or worldview), whether they realize it or not. Thus, I maintain the use of the word philosophy and attempt to articulate a sound Orthodox Christian worldview throughout this book. (Whether or not I have succeeded is for the reader to decide.)

Tertullian(c) famously said, Search that you may believe, then stop. In other words, the pursuit of knowledge and wisdom should lead us to faith in Christ, and any philosophical endeavor that does not facilitate the experience of God is nothing more than human vanity. And Clement of Alexandria(d) wrote, Philosophy was a schoolmaster to the Greeks, as the law was to the Hebrews, preparing the way for those who are perfected by Christ. Therefore, true Christian philosophy is concerned with analyzing ideas, condemning that which is opposed to Christ and His Church and striving to conform one’s life to those ideas which comply with Christ and His Church. As St. Paul writes: We demolish arguments and every pretension that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, taking every thought captive and making it obedient to Christ. [II Corinthians 10:5] (Also see text #152)

***Pacifism-Orthodoxy eschews the ideology of isms, and therefore usually speaks of peacemaking rather than pacifism. But for the sake of clarity, I have consistently incorporated the terms Christian pacifism and theistic pacifism throughout this book. I specifically use these terms in order to differentiate my position from both secular pacifist ideology and from Catholic just war theory. Rather than abandoning the term pacifism because of its various misconceptions and fallacious connotations, I hope instead to reclaim this label and infuse it with the spiritual vitality of Orthodox Christian meaning.

Do not pry into the mystery, but humbly accept what God has revealed, and do not be curious about what God keeps hidden.

-St. John Chrysostom-

The Cross is Our Power

The Cross is Our Strength

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The Cross is Our Redemption

The Cross is the Salvation of Our Souls

"And the Queen of Ethiopia said unto her subjects: ‘Ye who are my people, listen to my words for I desire wisdom and my heart seeketh to find understanding. I am smitten with the love of wisdom, for wisdom is far better than treasures of gold and silver, and wisdom is the best of everything that hath been created on earth. Unto what under the heavens shall wisdom be compared? It is sweeter than honey and it makes one to rejoice more than wine; it shines more than the sun and it is more beloved than precious stones. It fattens more than oil, and it satisfies more than dainty meats, and it gives more fame than thousands of gold and silver. It is a source of joy for the heart, a bright and shining light for the eyes and a giver of speed to the feet; a shield for the breast and a helmet for the head.

It maketh the ears to hear and hearts to understand, it is a teacher of those who are learned, and it is a consoler of those who are discreet and prudent. It giveth fame to those who seek after it. And as for a kingdom, it cannot stand without wisdom, and riches cannot be preserved without wisdom; the foot cannot keep the place where it has set itself without wisdom. And without wisdom that which the tongue speaks is not acceptable. Wisdom is the best of all treasures. He who heaps up gold and silver does so to no profit without wisdom, but he who heaps up wisdom no man can snatch it from his heart. That which fools heap up, the wise consume. And because of the wickedness of those who do evil, the righteous are praised; and because of the wicked acts of fools the wise are beloved. So I will follow the footprints of wisdom and it shall protect me forever.’

Then the Queen of Ethiopia set out on her journey with great pomp and majesty, and with great equipment and many preparations. By the will of God her heart desired to go to Jerusalem so that she might hear the wisdom of Solomon. And her heart had confidence in God."

The Kebra Nagast* 22

Ethiopia shall continue in the Christian faith until the coming of Our Lord, and she shall in no way turn aside from the word of the Gospel, and it shall be so even as we have ordered until the end of the world.

The Kebra Nagast 100:7

*The Kebra Nagast-The Kebra Nagast, or the book of the Glory of Kings, is an account originally written in ancient Ethiopic language of Ge’ez. It details the origins of the Solomonic lineage of the Emperors of Ethiopia. This sacred work is at least seven hundred years old, and is a divinely inspired text of holy Church Tradition in the Ethiopian Orthodox Faith. It contains an account of how Makeda, the Queen of Sheba, met King Solomon and how the Ark of the Covenant came to Ethiopia with Menelik I. It also describes the conversion of the Ethiopians from the worship of the sun, moon, and stars to the monotheistic worship of the Lord God of Israel. Professor Edward Ullendorff explains, "The Kebra Nagast is not merely a literary work, but-as the Old Testament is to the Hebrews or the Qur’an is to the Arabs-it is the repository of Ethiopian national and religious feelings."

Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my strength, and my redeemer.

Psalm 19:14

Pray for me, that utterance may be given to me, that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the Gospel.

Ephesians 6:19

1.   GOD is TRUTH

God is truth, and all truth is a manifestation of God. We do not know all truth, but the truths we do know are sufficient to give us an awareness of the Creator. Although in this life we see through a glass darkly [I Corinthians 13:12], God’s eternal truths can nevertheless be recognized and embraced even in our temporal, physical state of existence. But while all truths in some way enlighten us to the existence of God, it is only through the Truth that we can actually experience God. As Our Lord clearly said: I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life. And no man can come to the Father except through Me.