2001-2-21 10:48:00
The fact that we are getting a number of different opinions on my last questions is good. To differentiate thought on the Beast is to shed light, for light is only seen when a shadow is cast. Therefore, this exercise should allow us to see the Beast more clearly.
First, let me issue congratulations to Gloria for she gave all the right answers as I see it. Even so, some of the rest of you presented very good reasoning for your answers.
Let us go through the questions:
Which people have the mark of the Beast? Answer Yes or No.
(A) Abercrombie joins a martial arts class given by a very experienced teacher, but with a reputation of being very dominating. Joe listens and obeys the teacher even though he doesn't understand the reasoning behind some of the instructions.
Gloria writes:
"No. The teacher is an earned authority. (See 'very experienced)"
In addition I thought Peter gave a very good explanation here:
"Abercrombie decided to join the class knowing full well that the teacher was dominating. The teacher is very experienced so, has the authority to teach. The teacher knows his techniques are effective because of his experience. It is not necessary that the martial arts student understand in detail the reasoning. If he understands that the teacher is effective, then it is natural to follow his directions with out needing explanations of every detail. Abercrombie's will is not broken because he has already made the choice. No mark of the Beast here."
JJ
Even though the teacher was dominating he was still an earned authority and Abercombie seems to have made a mental rather than emotional decision to submit.
A mindless or emotional decision to submit indicates the mark of the Beast, but a rational decision to submit does not.
Lesson: There is a time and place for everything. Not all submission to authority is negative. A positive submission for the sake of true learning elevates us above the Beast.
(B) Richard is a member of a service group with a goal to paint the homes of elderly people and the leader is presenting a plan to reach the goal. The leader teams Richard up with Tim and Jock. Richard does not want to work with Tim and Jock, but he goes along because he does not want to rock the boat.
This also tripped many up. Gloria answered:
"Yes, he 'just went along without question. Could he have suggested another pairing?"
JJ
Suppressed desires and feelings give unearned authorities a strong lever for control.
How many Nazi soldiers do you think felt a suppression of their true feelings when they were preparing the Jews for the gas chambers? If they had not of suppressed earlier on more harmless sounding activities then perhaps Hitler would have had a more difficult time in controlling them.
(C) Mark is a member of a gang. The gang leader says "Tonight, we are going to rob Joe's Hardware Store. Mark you will be the getaway driver."
Mark obeys without question.
JJ
Answer: Yes. This was a no brainer. I think everyone got this.
(D) Jim is a Congressman listening to his majority leader present the reasons to support a farm bill. He hasn't read all the details of the bill, but everything he hears sounds good and he votes for it.
Gloria answered:
"Yes, he should have read all the details himself. He just 'went along with the flow'."
JJ
They say a little knowledge is a dangerous thing. So is incomplete knowledge. A large element of control by unjust authority is selective incomplete knowledge that can completely distort reality.
For instance the media wants us to think that the electrical shortage in California is because of "deregulation." One can find 100 examples of over regulation problems to one of deregulation, but by only feeding us the tiny speck of deregulation information it seems to those who to not think to check the facts that deregulation is the problem. In other words, we should fear more freedom for we cannot be trusted with it.
The Congressman hears his fellow legislators talk about the farm bill and the information circulated about it comes from their party leaders and who knows where they got their information. There may be a rider in the bill to have all stray dogs shot on the spot.
Often when bad legislation has been passed, those who passed it express alarm and explain that they were completely unaware of the implications of the bill.
(E) Paul is in an advanced history class given by a famous professor of great reputation. Paul himself has been a history buff all his life and sees many flaws in the teacher's presentations. About a half dozen times in each class he raises his hand and attempts to set the teacher straight.
This gave many of you difficulty.
Gloria answered:
"Yes. The other students are there to learn from the famous professor of great reputation. He's earned the respect of his students. If Paul, or should I say 'The Disruptive Student', wants to teach the class, he should start his own."
Susan also gave a great answer:
"It seems like the teacher is a justified or earned authority that Paul is rejecting in favor of his own studies. It seems like Paul is following the Beast of ego instead of listening to the teacher and seeing if there is any validity to what he has to say instead of being a constant disruption. The class isn't there to learn from Paul."
JJ
People like Paul often pride themselves on their independence of thought and never in their wildest dreams would they consider that they are giving in to any unjust authority. He probably even has a bumper sticker saying: Question Authority. Even his friends and associates would see him as the last person on the earth who may be subject to Beastly authority.
After all, is not Paul taking on an established authority and putting him in his place? Isn't that what we are supposed to do with the Beast?
Maybe, but the professor as a teacher of "great reputation" is not necessarily a part of the Beast. He has gone through many studies and hard work to earn his position and reputation and obviously is an earned authority to a degree. He also is forcing no one to attend his class. All are there through their own free will.
Now this teacher's status does not mean that an amateur history buff like Paul cannot prove him wrong now and then and it may even be appropriate to disagree with the teacher now and again, but six times a day? Can you visualize the reaction of the students who came to the class to learn? This would be a major disruption. And what would be Paul's motive in causing so much disturbance and distraction?
The motive would be to feed the ego. If he can show the class that he is smarter than the teacher then the ego is inflated.
Control of the individual through the feeding and control of the ego is perhaps the greatest tool that the Beast has to work with.
Copyright 2001 by J.J. Dewey, All Rights Reserved