Posted by
peripheral on Sunday, March 01, 2009 7:50:50 AM
From My Perspective - - -
To
indicate that our nation is living in changing and strange times is an
understatement. What is occurring is something more than just a mere
transition. If our nation shifts from being Capitalist to Socialist –
that is a major revamping of the very foundations upon which we were
founded. Additionally, if we somehow lose our moral compass and
conscience as a nation, we will become directionless and susceptible to
new behaviors that are borne out of a personal rationale that has freed
itself from either ethical or moral values and standards. We are
beginning to see sad evidences and consequences of these behaviors.
Last
month (February 12), we were confronted and shocked by the headline
that read: “Bridges TV Founder Charged with Wife’s Beheading”! This did
not occur in some other country where beheading is a so-called
“religious practice.” This occurred in Buffalo, NY
at a radio station. Sadly, it leaves two children aged four and six
deprived of their Mother and separated from their imprisoned Father.
Also, we read and hear all too frequently about missing children and
their subsequent deaths. A lurking question pertains to whether or not
“filicide” lurks in the psyche of a growing number of people within our
culture.
FILICIDE is not historically new. It is the deliberate act of a parent killing his or her own son or daughter. The word filicide derives from the Latin word “filius” meaning "son". In some cultures, killing a daughter who is deemed to have disgraced the family is a common occurrence (see honor killing). A 1999 US Department of Justice Study concluded that between 1976 and 1997 in the United States,
mothers were responsible for a higher share of children killed during
infancy while fathers were more likely to have been responsible for the
murders of children age 8 or older. Furthermore, 52% of the children
killed by their mothers were male (maternal filicide), while 57% of the children killed by their fathers were male (paternal filicide).Sometimes there is a combination of murder and suicide in filicide cases. There are some historical examples of Filicide:
We
also forget the example of Forms of Filicide in the Bible – (a) Cain
killing his brother Abel; (b) the sacrificing of children to Molech in
the fire (Leviticus 20:1-5). The force of the Lord’s intent is
summarized in Leviticus 18:21, “Do not give any of your children to be sacrificed to Molech, for you must not profane the name of your God. I am the Lord.”
Consider
these things with me - - - It is obvious that we need to return to our
moral base and core values. In the midst of changing and difficult
times, the compassionate Lord’s invitation remains as the clarion call
to the troubled in heart, or soul, or mind – Matthew 11:28-30 where
Jesus said: “Come
to me, all you who are weary and burdened - I will give you rest. Take
my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in
heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and
my burden is light.”
REST for your soul! These words resonate for the confused,
disenfranchised, uncertain, directionless, weary and oppressed. Just
COME! Seek the Lord while He may be found, call upon Him while He is
near! Just COME! Implement Proverbs 3:5-6 (The Message): “Trust
God from the bottom of your heart; don't try to figure out everything
on your own. Listen for God's voice in everything you do, everywhere
you go; He's the one who will keep you on track.” You’ll be glad you
came to Him!