Holy Week

Only when one follows the casket of a loved one to an open grave does one really realize the significance of Easter. This is Holy Week, the most religious week of the year. Yesterday was the beginning of the Jewish Passover. Passover was the time in Jewish and Christian Biblical history when the Jews, after 430 years of slavery in Egypt, were finally delivered by God from their bondage. The Pharaoh of Egypt wanted to keep his slaves; those of us who have seen the great edifices at Abu Simbel, the pyramids and burial places at the Valley of the Kings can understand his addiction to their hard work. The plagues had not affected him, it was only the Passover deaths that brought him---at least for a while—to his senses.

The Jews were instructed to kill a lamb, put the blood of the lamb on their doorpost, prepare to leave with their shoes on, staffs in hand, having eaten the flesh of the lamb with unleavened bread. The Passover death angel went across Egypt killing the first born of every human and animal, with the exception of those with the blood of the lamb on the doorpost. The Bible tells us that they left healed, with not a sickly one among them. Thy shoes shall be iron and brass; and as thy days, so shall thy strength be. (Deuteronomy 33:25) Their shoes never wore out. They did not wear sandals or flip-flops, or even combat boots. Instructed to plan one day at a time.Although infiltrators (mixed multitude) were among them, complaining and dissatisfied, they saw the power of God. A great wind parted the Red Sea, and they passed over these many miles on dry land, waters piled up on each side. Again they saw the power of God, when, of course, Pharaoh changed his mind and pursued them with his horses and chariots. Then, as the spiritual says, “O Mary, don't you weep, don't you mourn; Pharaoh's army got drowned.” Much later, King Solomon put pillars to mark the place of their exit; Much later still, archeologists have retrieved chariot axles.

The message of Easter, the Passover, the Red Sea: the worst things are not the last things. Your personal circumstances may not be changed, you still may have cancer, you still may lose your job, but there is life after death, none of our human circumstances are the end of the road.

We worship a God of tomorrow; when we get there, He is already there. In the council chambers of eternity, He designed everything, even your individual life, your fingerprints, the iridial flex in your eyes, your voice. Of the billions of people who have lived on this earth, there never has been—and never will be---another like you. Like every individual snowflake, you are one of a kind, personally designed by the omnipotent hand of God. (Psalm 139)

Yesterday's challenge is a piece of cake, today. Most spend too much time worrying about tomorrow; tomorrow will take care of itself. (Matthew 6:34) You are standing in the reviewing stand of history...you know about the parade that has gone by; God knows the end of the parade. Faith is a verb; action based on belief sustained by confidence. The scripture describes faith as like the security found in the cleft of a rock or that found by a small bird under the mother bird's wing. Wonderful is the human being who has the security of knowing he is living the eternal life...already. The promises of Jesus Christ are only effective if the Holy Spirit of Jesus Christ lives within you...good luck to the rest of you!

Many times we think we have hit bottom today, but the problems of tomorrow will knock the bottom out of that bottom. In these days of deceit and deception, promiscuity and permissiveness, playing church, perjury from every international voice. When you are standing on the edge of the abyss, and the ground is crumbling under your feet, celebrate Holy Week, the promises of Easter. Remember, everlasting arms are below you.

The first religious act of man: constructing leaf aprons for himself to face the Creator of the universe, Who was already protecting him by immortal flames. We are told that robots have entered the destroyed nuclear plants in Japan, robots do not fear radiation, contamination. Arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light. (Ephesians 5:14) We have risen with Him from death, alive in Him forever.

I have walked down the streets of ancient Ephesus. As I recently told my son, a Ph.D professor at the world's largest seminary, in Jerusalem, in Bethlehem, in Damascus, and certainly in Ephesus, I was filled with the knowledge of the “Magna Carta” of Christianity. For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them. (Ephesians 2:8-10)

Many Gospels are being preached today, the Gospel of prosperity, universalism, the “purpose-driven life”, “love is all you need”, Sinatra's “I did it my way”, or—God help us!---Oprah's New Age Gospel. There is only one Gospel, sin's ruin and Christ's redemption, the message of Easter-Holy Week.

Snickers

Today is the day of prayer in Muslim countries, including Egypt. The 18^th day of the benign coup d'etat. The country which has been the cornerstone in keeping middle east peace (Israel-Egypt peace accords), suddenly achieved world headlines. The dictator, for 30 years, Mubarak, has played the citizens of his country, Mr. Obama, world leaders, like a violin. Unemployed people, who have nothing else to do, very much like those who demonstrate in this country, did not change anything.

There has not been enough bloodshed for a real revolution. When a man has been in total control for 30 years, has socked away $70-$80 billion, which the US has presented him for keeping the peace, you know he has his military and everyone else on the job under his thumb. Egypt gets $315 million a day from tourism, like England and Japan, whose natural resources are zero, there is nothing else in Egypt from which the millions can make a living. The tourists have disappeared, one shop owner said he had sold nothing for two weeks. So, those in tourism, shop-owners, like their fellow Egyptians on the streets, are all facing starvation, things might have been bad before, but they can get worse, especially if the Suez canal is brought into the picture, 1/6 of the world's commerce going through that one vital waterway.

At the end of WWI, Lawrence of Arabia brought some of his Arab leader-friends to Paris to participate in the peace talks. There, Arabs nomads had never seen bathrooms, faucets, from places where water is so precious, they were amazed that you could turn a handle and water would come out. On returning, they all removed the faucets from their bathrooms, thinking that they would have an endless supply of water. Nothing has changed in the history of the world, men still forget that there must be a power source for everything.

The news in this morning's newspaper all started with one baby, in one pitched ark, floating in a river many years ago. Jochebed, the mother of Moses, just as Jonah, saving his sons from the water, left a long history of the salvation of the people of the world. It all took place in the middle east, then and now. Mr. Harold Campen, 85 year old radio talk host, for 59 years answering questions on family radio, states that Christ will return April 21^st, 2011. A Russian scientist has just announced that world will end in 2036. I don't believe either of them know but everything in God's Word tell us that the time “is drawing near”.

John, the beloved disciple, youngest, but the one who lived the longest, the only one not martyred, on the island of Patmos, wrote the book of Revelation, the last book in the Bible. Chapters 4-19, tell of the end times, chapter 3 tells the history of the church, the seven churches describe the history of the church age, there can be no doubt that were are living in the Laodicean church age.

And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God; I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth. Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked: I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see. As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent. Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches. (Revelation 3:14-22)

God, like us, nauseated by lukewarmness in any drink, we want our drinks either cold or hot. Rich, having need for nothing, sounds like today's “prosperity gospel” preachers, wealthy denominations (SBC, Episcopal, Catholic, etc.). Dignified, sophisticated, beautifully attired, groomed, perfumed; what pulpiteer will tell these folks that they will go to hell unless they repent of their sins? Most, self-satisfied, really have no need for God.

I was reared in the Great Depression, country church, cotton was selling for 3 cents a pound (USDA Market News, January 2001: $1.78 a pound). At that country church, the new pastor, James Evans, wore such a ragged suit that the equally ragged women of the church sold butter and eggs from their farm homes to buy him a new suit. His Christianity was real, their Christianity was real.

A wonderful baptist son, married an equally wonderful Presbyterian daughter, they could not agree on going to one church or the other. He finally said to her, “if Jesus were to return to earth and say that he was a Baptist, would you change denominations then?” She said, “no because I'd know he was a fake, our Blessed Lord is a Presbyterian.”

We are in the final hours of the church age, there can be no doubt about it. The world snickers when the world speaks about Jesus Christ, and if the so-called Christian is going to be popular with the world, you must snicker along with them. The good ol' boys who control everything, do not believe in redemption.

100 people in Japan commit suicide every day, 9 out of 10 Japanese will not buy a house where there has been a suicide. You always deduct at least $30,000 from the selling price of a house where such has occurred. Christians love life, non-Christians do not believe in life (and this 16% of the American population), even in giving life to the most innocent, babies. This is the abortion crowd, and yet there are so-called Christians in both white and black churches who will support the Democrat party who promote the atrocities of abortion, euthanasia, same-sex marriage. Today, in South Africa, unemployment is 25%, it has been that way since the communist, Nelson Mandela, took over. Unemployment in America is edging toward 25% since the communist Obama took over. Unemployment in Egypt is almost 25%, Cairo, 18 million population, people sleeping on the street, prisons known for torture, Coptic Christians persecuted.

Most things go in opposite directions, the needle does not hurt as much if you look at it entering the body. The brain modifies pain. When will the world learn that the only way to escape the pain of unemployment, political corruption, is to face it head on, and start with the best psychiatrist, the one looking back at you in the mirror. We are living in a time of the apostate church, corrupt government everywhere. Faith is 90% courage, cling to your Christian faith.

Valley of the Kings

As I have discussed in several commentaries, I have been blessed to travel the world. (Eight around the world trips, passport stamped in 157 countries) Mark Twain said that India is the ultimate travel destination, without a doubt, India is the photographer's dream, unforgettable sights anywhere you look, but I still believe that Egypt is the traveler-historian's Mecca. Just think, the 17 million population city of Cairo, Luxor, Thebes, Abu Simbel, the temples and the archeological greatness of the Valley of the Kings. The great plateau at Giza, the Great Pyramid.

I have traveled through Egypt several times, entered the Great Pyramid, explored the tomb of King Tutankhamen, was in the temple of Queen Hatshepsut when they were uncovering it. She was a female pharaoh of the eighteenth dynasty, one of the more successful pharaohs.

I think the traveler-historian-Bible scholar falls in love with Egypt because of its antiquity and the fact that so much of its ancient greatness is well-preserved. Egypt is referred to in the Bible many times. The baby Jesus probably saw the Great Pyramid when His parents fled to Egypt, the only long trip He ever made. In other commentaries I have described my thoughts on the Great Pyramid.

I was in the Hilton hotel in Cairo, the great Egyptian museum is just to the rear of this hotel...right on the Nile. I am not a large man, and I was in the back of the elevator, probably not noticed by the Egyptian officials who entered the elevator. One was complaining about the hotel being filled with Americans. The other Egyptian official said, “we are overrun with Americans constantly, they have all the money, all the influence. Many of our brothers cannot stay here, because we never have a vacancy, we cannot afford to anger the Americans, or even the Europeans.” I believe the thing that amazes every tourist in Egypt, is the same thing that amazes Egyptians in America...disparity, a few very wealthy living off the fat of the land, masses of the poor supposed content with crumbs from the table.

Egypt is the most populated Muslim country, 83 million. Staying in various cities, I found the people very friendly, they are beleaguered by government control. I understand that not more than 10 can assemble in a place. After President Sadat was assassinated 30 years ago, Mubarak took over, he is one of the world's strongest dictators. He has been the pet of American presidential administrations, because they want he and Egypt to be a stabilizing force in the Middle East. America gives Egypt as much money as America gives Israel, about $12 billion each year. Very little of it gets down to the common man, as was the case with Yassar Arafat, who cleaned up from American largess, I think most of it goes into dictator's European bank accounts.

The thing about television, internet, radios (Al Jazeera) you cannot keep the people in darkness, many have seen the light of liberty. With all the tourists who pollute their country, the rewards of freedom. The old mantra of “going along to get along”, just surviving, dictator's promises, knowledge of prison tortures and other corruption has gotten old. The people know they are pawns in international geopolitical intrigue. They know about the 100 ton bomb which Israel set off in the Negave desert last week. They know about food shortages which will afflict the world, that Saudi Arabia has purchased enough wheat for one year. They know that America, in the final analysis, will defend Israel. They probably know that Secretary of State Hillary Clinton recalled 180 ambassadors to Washington, probably to prepare them for a greater Middle East conflict. The news is out, mostly from Wikileaks about consistent inconsistencies in Egyptian politics.

I am convinced that great civilizations like Greece, Persia (Iran), Iraq, Syria, Ireland, Portugal, and Egypt, people who have shown their greatness in so many ways throughout history, will not be humiliated by dictators, will not have their humanity and common sense abrogated by other nations, even the United States of America.

One day in Luxor, where horses and carriages are used to transport you to various scenic spots, hot weather, files...I saw one horse fall over dead from being pushed too hard. Much to my surprise, no matter how bad a civilization/culture/society/citizens are treated, they usual profess pride and support for their country. You must really push them to the brink in order for them to turn on you. The dictator of Egypt, the dictator of Tunisia, the dictator of Jordan, even the dictator of America are all learning that the people will push back.

George Santayanna said, “those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” Gamal Abdel Nasser had a heart attack, Sadat was assassinated, I understand there have been many assassination attempts on Mubarak. As with most dictators, Tito – Yugoslavia, Mussolini – Italy, the people have been stripped of their weapons. But, even if Mubarak's army supported him, mass killings will not be permitted by the world. We know that the Pharaohs army drowned as he pursued Jewish slaves. We have found chariot axles in the Red Sea. Again, Egyptians slaves (21^st century Egyptian slaves), hanging onto buses trying to get somewhere, sleeping on the streets, are not making bricks without straw, but have had enough enslavement.

One bad decision can change the rest of your life. You reach the place when you have had enough manipulation, especially in-your-face manipulation. It astounds me that people cannot understand simplicity, the simplicity of the Gospel, the simplicity of the deity of God. The simplicity of one man being humane, decent to another. We cannot control everything, you take life one day at a time and do the best you can with it. These are your days, it is your life, you do not live in submission to any other man.

Jelabiya

#547

Jelabiya

I have visited many crowded cities around the world, Mexico City, the worlds largest city situated in the mouth of a volcano, but the one I remember most is Cairo, Egypt. The population of Cairo is about 17 million. It has been said that in the city there is standing room only for the population. The garb for both men and women in Egypt and throughout the Persian area of the world is the Jelabiya, a gown like structure which goes over the head and covers the body from neck to foot along with a turban. This type outer garment is warn by both men and women and it is very difficult to tell the expensive ones from those worn by the poor. But, there are expensive Jelabiyas, tailored for the more successful. Recently, there has been much publicity about Egyptian men starting to wear Western type clothing, suits, ties and shirts, even Western loafers. Most of Egypt's past political leaders have worn the Jelabiya including Nasser. Today's politicians and power brokers in Egypt wear Western suits.

I owned a condominium in Manhattan for many years, used it when I was there...about one week each month. This was an extravagance but it provided me a chance to meet some of the world's great people since the apartment was near the United Nations. Leaving the apartment one Sunday morning, heading to church, rain was threatened so I had an umbrella. When in New York, I attended the Fifth Avenue Presbyterian Church...one of the great Presbyterian Churches of the world. I made my regular turns, a blind man must count his streets and be very careful, when the Heavens opened up and it began to rain. I knew I was near the church. A man on the street, seeing my desperate situation, asked if he could help me. I said, “I'm trying to get into the church”. Now it just so happens that the Great Saint Thomas Episcopal Church is on the corner of 54th street and the Presbyterian Church is on the corner of 55th street. The man helped me get into Saint Thomas Church.

Of course, as is the case in most churches...even the church here in this city which I attended as a member for many years, disabled people are ignored. I don't believe anyone ever spoke to me at the Presbyterian Church in all the years that I went there and certainly no one spoke to me at Saint Thomas Church.

The service at Saint Thomas was spectacular...the great organ, the brass ensemble, the great choir...trained, paid voices. I knew one choir member from Saint Patrick's Cathedral. When you hear the voices from the choirs at the Crystal Cathedral in California, where Dr. Schuller is Pastor, or many of the other great church choirs, you can know that these are trained, paid, performing voices.

As I sat in the service, listening to the impassioned music surrounded by people of wealth and prominence, listening to a liberal theologian, the thought occurred to me and has never left that this is what liberal, agnostic theology is all about. It is matter of “Jelabiya”, having a cloak of religiosity, simply from habit, family or partial conviction...hanging on to a remnant of faith founded and floundered somewhere...and finding, here in, a cathedral of worship, anesthetic massage of “feel good” escape, although not convicted or convinced of anything. Others would call the participating in this charade hypocrisy. But, these attendees, although not there for worship...more for the theater and drama involved, at least have shown their allegiance to the history of the church.

Has our entire national ethic become a matter of Jelabiya...patina or veneer? Is there a dearth of depth to any conviction anymore? Are we so busy with our own evaluations of everything...our own wisdom, that we cannot accept basic values founded on the firm foundation of Christian belief and even patriotic providence?

We have a hyperbole resulting in the high flying, juxtaposition, of the importance of faith in a community...the importance of God, family and country. We want God on our terms, not his terms. We are willing to forsake the most basic principles of freedom, liberty, and the true republic form of government, for the man made idealism flowing from the adultery of such weasels as Marx, Lennon, Stalin, Mao or even, a Castro, Mugabe or Obama.

Satanic forces have won when real Americans have doubts about this nation and it's constitution. Satanic forces have won when Christians doubt the very foundations of their faith. Satanic forces have won when Catholics doubt the universality of their faith when the sordid history of the Catholic Church is presented referring to the Doge's Popes, recent pedophilia among priests or a general attempt by the world to cheapen and nullify Christianity such as the constant...”Christian Militia”.

Nothing in world history is as exact as the history of the Jewish people and culture. 659,000 Jews were captured and taken to Babylon as slaves. 50,000 were allowed to return to rebuild the temple, totally destroyed by the Babylonians. It took them four and a half months to return to Jerusalem. The city had been totally destroyed. Removing the rubble of the temple, the foundation of the the temple was the first thing to be restored. The first thing these people did on their return was to have a worship service and take up an offering for the construction of the new temple. When the new temple foundation was completed, there was a time of great worship and celebration. In the rebuilding, they became very discouraged. For 15 years they did nothing.

The greatest weapon Satan has in his arsenal is discouragement. Before the Bible, with only the words of prophets, these people had to be brought back to the realization of the building of Solomon's Temple, still one of the greatest architectural feats of the world, the most expensive building ever built (estimate 14 billion dollars) and at who's dedication, 22,000 oxen and sheep without number were slain and sacrificed.

The world has always been better doing worldly things than the church, nations have always wanted to take off in a new direction...always studying but never learning the true values of freedom and liberty. Many nations thought they wanted Socialism until Anti-Christian Socialism took over. Many churches thought they wanted to win the world for Christ until the world took over the church

In one of the most Christian countries in the world, the Philippines, Ferdinand and Imelda Marcos, cradle Catholics, enslaved a decent people. Holding onto the church with one hand, the world with the other, they ruled desperately with greed and pride. While most of the people in the Philippines were starving and naked, at Ferdinand's death, Imelda left 1,220 pairs of shoes behind in the presidential palace. In the New York City townhouse where she sought refuge, one floor of the townhouse was a large disco with mirrors, revolving lights, where she would dance for hours at a time. The Marcos, Chicago's Reverend Wright, some of the world's pedophile Catholic priests, the Doge's Popes, even some of my country, fundamental, Baptist family members, have a “Jelabiya” of religiosity, a cloak of professed faith, a religion without possession, un-sustained by obedience.

In David Roeckefeller's 1978 Memoirs, his biography, on page 405, he lets us know that most of us are just slaves, slaves to a veneer of just hanging on to a depleted belief system.

Prophet of Thebes

On one of my trips through Egypt I spent considerable time at Thebes in the Valley of the Kings. The great temple of Ramses, with magnificent columns beyond compare has weathered many centuries. I saw one column from the Ramses Temple in Place de la Concorde in Paris, one in Hyde Park in London and one in Central Park, New York City. Egypt sharing this treasury of antiquity with other great cities.

Tiresias was the blind prophet of Thebes, born to a lowly shepherd, he had listened to the messages of the wind sweeping through the sands of the great Sahara Desert (the size of the United States) compensating for his blindness by the acute awareness of the messages of nature by his other senses. This blind writer can associate himself with Tiresias because he, too, must get messages from all sources. Today, if in America 5,000 years later, he would say, “What has happened to your country?”, a country discovered by a Christian explorer trying to escape the paralyzing ossification of the Muslim hordes who had invaded Spain. Puritans, undergoing immeasurable suffering on the shores of this inhospitable country just seeking religious freedom and the opportunity for responsible living.

America, having achieved the wealth and super power status of history's greatest republic now finds itself entangled in a world of political correctness.

In the historic and very liberal state of Massachusetts, a second grade child was sent to see a psychiatrist because his teacher, having instructed the students to make a Christmas drawing, objected to him drawing Christ on the cross. The liberals in Massachusetts and elsewhere, have done everything possible to take Christ totally out of Christmas. Recent nativity scenes, first showed the baby in the manger as being a black child but since have put Santa Claus in the manger.

In a remote Colombian village, untouched previously by the Gospel, with great effort, a missionary had translated the Gospel of John into their native language. At first, the chief objected to the interference but later the natives, having seen the Gospel in their own language, received the “good news” with gratitude. This was further embraced when one of the village women died during child birth (she was buried under her bed). The surviving girl baby was near death and the village had spent much time in prayer to their false God. Then, the desperately ill baby needing formula to survive so they decided to pray to the God of the Gospel of John. The missionary who had first introduced them to this new translation had been lead to bring formula to them on his trip. The entire village, reportedly, was converted because of this one incredibly difficult translation.

In Santa Rosa County Florida, a court decision promoted by the ACLU, has forced public school teachers to go into the closet to pray about any matter. No public prayer is permitted. Recently, congressional influence was sought in a continued dispute with the ACLU to allow military chaplains to use the name of Jesus Christ in prayer.

With all these, and other matters, involving the constitutional rights of Christians, most churches have remained silent. Most pastors basking behind the firewall of political correctness, unwilling to defend the redeemer who's atonement, once and for all, paid the price for their freedom (John 8:32). And, most inside the church and outside the church have demonstrated how little they care for the thousands who died to give religious liberty (126,000 buried on foreign soil). One of my cousins was superintendent of a Baptist orphanage. He told me of an abusive father, court ordered, to bring his small son to the orphanage for care. The abusive father brought the small boy to the orphanage. My cousin, the orphanage superintendent, had to pry the child's fingers away from the father, who, although he had been abused, was still clinging to him. It is time for Americans to cling to the Constitution with such tenacity that we will have to be pried away from it.

I'm sorry to report that most of today's fathers are just wimps. Our forefathers would not have allowed their daughters on the streets with tattoos, piercings and clothing which make them look like common street hookers. Our forefathers would not have allowed their sons on the streets with trousers hanging down, underwear sticking out, making them look like common homosexual hookers. If an invading army had come into this country with the trash and pornography found in every living room via television and internet we would be on a war footing.

95% of all high school graduates do not believe in any truth at all. Those who go onto college, even though reared in church and filled with doubts and fears, disassociate themselves from all religious beliefs. Then comes Oprah, with her new age religions or witchcraft (fastest growing religion in America), and Satan has done his job. Then, we have 68% of all children in homes without fathers (80% black), 3,000 abortions everyday (1,400 black) and preachers, such as Jesse Jackson, Al Sharpton, Louis Farrakhan proclaiming, “Obama is the black Messiah, listen to him.”

White ministers have become more interested in their “pastoral package” than in shepherding the flock. Franklin Graham told his staff recently that he was cutting back his reported salary of $1.2 million. Another T.V. evangelist, Kenneth Copeland, reportedly a billionaire, travels in a jet worth $3.6 million. Dateline reveals that T.V. healer, Benny Hinn's salary is between one half and one million a year.

The Marie Antoinette of American economic depression, Nancy Pelosi, who flies around the world on her taxpayer-provided jet, as well as the black Messiah, Barack Obama, flying around the world in a fleet of taxpayer-supported jets, have little empathy for the many peasants who can barely pay their heating bills in this time of “global warming”. “Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof. “ (Romans 6:12). These words of God ,written by the Apostle Paul in a Roman prison, apply to pastors and politicians, as well as peasants. I thought of this when Senator Kennedy was eulogized by the hierarchy of the Roman Catholic church. The Gaither's said it best in their song “ I Believe, Help Thou My Unbelief”. The blind prophet of Thebes, Tiresias, would say, “America has come too far to stop believing in itself.”