DUPED

                                                                DUPED

    Everyone has probably been duped at one time or the other, but it really hurts when you realize you lacked the personal initiative to prevent your victimization. Christians are a prime example as targets for those employed in Satan's business. Let's just explore this premise a bit. Do you know a major difference between an American citizen and a Christian? A person can be both, but there is a difference. People make the same mistake when they label anyone from Israel as a Jew. Israel is a country, just as America is a country. Jewish is a religion, and non Jewish people also live in Israel. A person born in America is an American, but no one
can be born a Christian. If you aren't born in America, you can become an American by studying the culture and laws of the nation and passing a citizenship test. Many, many Americans born in America would have a difficult time passing this test because they accept America's freedom as their right.

    We go now to Christianity, which only happens when someone accepts Christ's offer of salvation and eternal life at absolutely no material cost. You cannot buy or trade for salvation. Many, if not most, American Christians don't seem to understand that Christianity bears a contract just as American naturalization does. Only, this contract is not written on paper. Signing a pledge or statement promising to be a good person means absolutely nothing in God's registration office. All Christians should know all mankind will continue to sin as long as they are on earth. We're born to sin... check Genesis. John the Baptist told us we need to repent to gain salvation, and Christ came to tell us how to be saved.

    I've said it before, and I'll say it again. Your pledge to Christ in accepting salvation is written in your heart; not on it, in it. There really is no maybe or part way. Perhaps, in the heat of the moment or because of a seemingly impossible need, you write your acceptance on your heart. Like cheap erasable ink, it will wash off. If being a Christian was a slam dunk, everybody would be one. Don't you think being a real Christian could possibly be as difficult as being a real physician or business person? After all, those positions are temporary, while eternal life is...well, forever. So why do so many self righteous people walk around proclaiming their FAITH,  when they are empty Christians?

    If you think you are someone who can claim brotherhood or sisterhood under Christ, you had better carefully read the contract with Christ you signed in blood. You may not realize it, but you did sign it in blood. The term suffering for Christ is totally real, and every Christian should expect some suffering. If you think you are immune because you're such a goody-goody, check out the fate of the apostles and early supporters of The Way. Satan doesn't have to bother with those who have a simple verbal agreement not signed in the heart. He already knows who you are, and he'll encourage you to continue getting away with sins when you think God isn't looking. You do know He sees everything?

    My problem in being duped began before kindergarten, and you 
probably have been duped as well. I believed all the flowery stories about Pilgrims, Indians, missionaries and such. Before I admit falling for unsubstantiated history, you need to review the provisions of your
Christianity contract. These rules of acceptance are real and binding,
just as a mortgage or car purchase contract. And, remember this: if you don't follow contract provisions, you are in danger of losing all the promised benefits. If salvation was written IN your heart, you will not lose it if you seriously repent from your sins. You will retain your relationship with God. Romans 6:1 warns us, "What shall we say then? Shall we continue to sin that grace may abound? (v 2) Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it?"

    If that's not clear, look at verse 3. "Or do you not know that as many
of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death?"
Christians are united with Christ, not through His life, but through His
death and resurrection. (see verse 4) If your contract with Christ is valid, you can't continue free wheeling in life. Now, read your contract again, and realize it's not for 5 years, 20 years, or 50 years. It is an eternal contract. Christ won't break it, but you may conclude it is okay to bend or break certain provisions. Your terms of agreement are explained in the four gospels; Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. There are cultural and additional guidelines elsewhere in scripture, but the gospels are the terms you MUST fulfill.

    Back to that word DUPED. It is my own fault for believing what I read and considered to be truthful and accurate.  It turns out there is a problem between what is written and following actions. Some Christians believe that mixing politics and religion is wrong; yet they loudly proclaim their political beliefs in the church. The first Christians did that (Acts 4:32). Christians label this verse socialism because they are ignorant. Harsh, yes. Some sects have sold all possessions in error of this verse. These early Christians did not  sell or give away everything. They shared as needed. Think about  early Christians, and how they lodged missionaries and apostles, fed them, and assisted within their means. This was socialism, but not communism or capitalism. The sharing was not done with any expectation of personal gain. To help you understand the meaning of this socialistic act, read Matt. 25:31-46. Real Christians care and act to help others; pretenders are interested in themselves.

    There's plenty of blame to go around, and the number of misled
Christians is small in comparison. It remains, however, that our failure to point out the truth is a Christian failing. When we, or our pastors and leaders, fail to research statements and claims from politicians or non Christians, we are guilty of the sin of omission. A Christian MUST tell the truth, not rumors. I accepted the stories about Plymouth Rock and the Pilgrims. I'm going to relate the whole story of immigrant Americans and the Indians who lived here for generations. I can't quote scripture, but I'll base the story on two solid things: full history, and actual heritage and knowledge. I was born in America. I didn't need any other qualification to be a citizen. My wife was born here, too, but her father is the only non immigrant in either of our backgrounds. He was a Seneca (one of the 5 tribes comprising the Iroquois Nation) of the Turtle Clan. He qualified as a citizen because he and his ancestors were the  original settlers of the land. He was an army veteran and successful businessman. I sometimes call my wife a squaw, and sometimes I call her Queen. Her heritage goes back to Chief Cornplanter, head of the Senecas who lived in this area. Her father and grandmother  could give you a living history lesson.

     Just when I think I've dispelled with the bad taste of believing watered down history, something happens to rekindle my disgust. The news story of treatment suffered by a group  of Indian elementary students in South Dakota describes the continuing racist element in our nation that won't go away. Consider how we have treated these native Americans since Plymouth Rock. We brought deadly disease from Europe, bought valuable land for trinkets, took land away from them by force, moved them from one state to another in a forced march, moved them from reservation to reservation when reservation land was deemed too valuable for Indians, and cheated them through corrupt Indian agents. Some of the early missionaries actually used Indian children for forced labor and sex, and brutally controlled the lives of these children. There are Christian organizations working today to try to help these victims who are adults. These children abusers included church funded missionaries. Liquor and guns were supplied to speed the demise of Indian culture. Is it any wonder the Indians were hostile? Don't forget, greedy white men killed off buffalo (bison) on the Great Plains, destroyed the natural vegetation of the
region, and created the dust bowl. We've polluted our air and are now
polluting our aquifers with fracking, after polluting our lakes and rivers. The Indians lived here for thousands of years. We've  accomplished this nightmare in 500 years. Not everything has been bad, but our record reflects the lack of following God's principles. 

    Now to South Dakota, where racism isn't about blacks, but rather
against other non whites...Indians. These children were being  rewarded for school  achievement with a trip to a professional hockey game, accompanied by a teacher and chaperons. Directly above the children was a private box sponsored by Budweiser Beer. The men in the box seats wanted to know where the children came from. The teacher asked the men to leave the children alone, but the men persisted, using racial terms such as "go back to the Rez." The teacher and chaperons 
attempted to get official  help, but none was forthcoming. The men then started pouring beer on the children. The youngest ones--third graders--began to cry. The management did nothing and didn't even call the police.

    When the police were later contacted by the teacher and school, Rapid City sent three officials who claimed they investigated and would charge only one of the men with a less than slap  on the wrist. They added insult to injury when one of the officials holding a microphone asked if anyone wanted to use the "talking stick" to say anything. Most of our ancestors were  immigrants. Obviously some should have gone to the Australian penal colony. Among the  immigrants were some people who brought the principle of racial discrimination. Their offspring are again rearing their ugly heads.

    American Christians are sending missionaries to foreign countries in an effort to spread the faith. Meanwhile churched Christians in America are permitting racists to get away, literally, with murder. Again I say, when you don't follow Christ's instructions from the gospels, you are guilty of the sin of omission. Just because you personally aren't affected by some action doesn't mean God will excuse your "blind eye" attitude. He has all the evidence if your spiritual walk takes you to the White Throne. God is watching you to save you. It's your responsibility to keep from condemnation.

Rev. Walbear

The link to the news story mentioned here is 

http://indiancountrytodaymedianetwork.com/2015/02/09/drunks-dump-beer-native-kids-cops-no-rush-investigate

And a follow up--

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2015/01/29/1360934/-Native-American-school-children-taunted-with-slurs-sprayed-with-beer-at-South-Dakota-hockey-game#

PS-- on a personal aside, I myself (web mistress) have been to rapid City and the Black Hills and witnessed the treatment of Natives. It is just as bad today as the treatment of blacks in the south prior to segregation. Hate crimes and abuse are common against Natives.