God of the Old Testament/God of the New...

I have no idea why the paragraphs are not appearing on the blog and spaced as written as they appear in editing. I've edited and re-edited, spaced and re-spaced to no avail. Can anyone tell me how to fix it? It's frustrating. Oh well.

The readings today at Mass, in Mark, where Jesus asks, "Who do you say that I am?" brought up the old nagging question of who people wanted God to be. The Pharisees, religous leaders, scribes wanted the God of the Old Testament, not the God of the New, as Fr. Alexander said today in his homily. That of course, got my mind a'whirring! There is ONE GOD. TRUTH never changes. The God of the Old IS the God of the New, right? Yes. But how he had to deal with those in the Old Testament times is far different than today.

Culturally we can't comprehend what it was like, it's so foreign to our modern thinking, lifestyle. The thinking of those "religious" was wrong in the time of Jesus, because they'd been seduced by power. They held esteemed places of honor, and their sinful pride and power-mongering caused them to hate the God Jesus was speaking of and wanting God to be the God of the OT, and not a God of grace/mercy, as THEY perceived Him. The OT and NT God is the same God, but it's man's perception of God, due to concupiscense, that becomes distorted, by lust for fame/fortune/material gain/power. Notice the simple sinners that were attracted to Jesus, and trusted in the God of mercy, the "Father" Jesus showed them, knew that He was the same God who delivered the Jewish nation, but also hated and destoyed sin. The 'sick' know they need a doctor to heal them, not the [so-called] "healthy."

As I pondered on that reading at Mass and driving home, I think Father A. maybe should have clarified it more, that BOTH the OT & NT GOD is the same GOD. But it was that the self-abosorbed "BLINDNESS" of religious leaders, clinging to their power that wanted the judgemental God to "smite" and to "smote" so they could justify being harsh and keeping the less educated under their thumbs. They wanted that God because of their own hardness of heart, so as to still wield power over those peasants and those "less" in their eyes. That of course is blatantly wrong in ALL ages, past and present. "Religious" leaders, either priests, pastors, rabbis, or college professors, politicians anyone in a governmental postition are wrong to usurp power over others, for their OWN gain, whether it be spiritual, financial, physical, etc.

Those of us who hear and have heard over the years the many "sickeningly gooey" sacchrine homilies, about a cozy-wozy God who is ALL LOVING, winks at sin and NEVER punishes or chastises His children anymore, (as if sin isn't real) need to emphasize the BOTH AND of the Catholic Church and the "both and" of the OT,NT God. If the OT God is NOT our God now, then why is the OT still included the bible? Jesus didn't expunge or erradicate the Law, but FULLFILLED it! God doesn't 'wink' at sin in the NT either and woe to those who think otherwise!

To be counter-cultural today isn't to still be in the "spirit of Vatican II" which was a syrupy sloppy theology. That "GOD" has never existed! That is a "GOD" of man's making! To be counter-culture now, is to speak of God AS the God who DOES STILL JUDGE, but because He IS LOVE. BUT HE IS TOUGH LOVE and that needs to be heard from our parish pulpits! Not 'either' 'or' but BOTH AND. I left Mass hoping that THAT GOD was understood, but I'm not all that sure...sadly. Father A. is wonderful and his homilies are usually very good, but God help us if SIN is not confronted from the pulpit and left unchecked in the congregation! Being counter-culture now is to NOT be P.C.! The culture that never offends is La La Land! La la Land is a fairytale, and GOD is NOT A FAIRY TALE GOD!

I had to do some searching, but found a good thread on this topic at Catholic Answers. Then while reading that, there was the link to Jimmy Akin's blog post on the topic, which has further helped me to see and understand the apparent "difference" in the OT and NT God. He IS the same God, but we as people and cultures have changed to some degree. Yet SIN is still sin and needs to be dealt with AS GOD SEES FIT--- NOT US! We didn't make ourselves and have created no universes that I know can find. We as people are NOT GOD. God gives and God alone takes away. God did strike some dead in the NT, too, although not in as great of numbers.

When watching MONGOL last week, (didn't see it all so need to rent it) and to see that barbaric, brutally horrific culture of ancient China, (Genghis Kahn era) and how they treated others, deemed unworthy, was sickening to see. Like "Braveheart" only Chinese. The wars/the complete brutality of killing is mind boggling! So, of course, God would handle those of that time differently than we who are for the most part more civilized today. We have courts and prisons now, and in most parts of the world, countries are not taken over, as in those days, by brute, bloody force.

And in cultures where that does happen, well, we see genocide. God didn't stop the genocide in Rwanda, but for some reason beyond our understanding, it was allowed...and for a "greater good" that we, in our puny minds, simply cannot fully comprehend. But we can't deny the GOOD that has come from that, i.e. Immaculee and her story, and so many like her. Also in Stalin/Lenin days, the horrible loss of religious peoples was not thwarted. Why? We can't completely say, but has good come out of such immense persecution and brutal killings? Yes. Is it God's perfect will that people treat eachother that way? Of course not. There is FREE WILL at work. Does that mean God is unmerciful, and unloving? Of course not! HE IS GOD, though and WE ARE NOT.

To mock or rebuke God for being God won't get one very far, and if not repented of, will send one, by his own doing, to eternal damnation, where there will be eternal torment, for rejecting the mercy and grace of God NOW...at this moment. To dwell on the OT and NT God and debate all of the 'if's' is really a distraction for us in this day. TODAY if you HEAR HIS VOICE, harden not your hearts! GET before your God now, while there is still day, while you can still see and work.

God did not stop the Hitler regime in WWII from slaughtering 6 million Jews and the some 600,000 Catholics/Christians that were also killed/martyred for their faith. Do we continually have to rehash this? No. Only people "hellbent" on choosing AGAINST GOD, are the ones who want to do that all of the time. I do see where I would never want pride to cause me to "hope for the physical death" of particular persons, and to curse those I don't agree with politically or spiritually. Heaven forbid! But to ask God to allow whatever it takes to bring souls to their knees and cry out for that mercy, and receive the grace to repent is what we can and should do.

Today is a very dark, dark time in history. We've never had babies "created" outside of the womb until the last few years. We have sperm banks where you can 'create' the 'dream child' of your own design now! We now have potential to "clone" human beings and the technology to make that desired 'super-race' of the Hitlerian/Sanger ilk that will always be "in the prime of life" minus the disabled, the poor, and those peoples of color, which is completely diabolical and Satanic! Those that want "health care" for all, need to ponder what it really means and do their research into the pioneers of eugenics whom they are 'hellbent' to learn from and study and revere. They in fact, do hope to kill off the grannies and grandpas, and the little babies who they've not invested money in and that is the truth behind what appears to be so very "compassionate" and for the global "common good."

They hope to "create life" (in the 15-40 age group) that will "NEVER DIE" and constantly look their best, be forever in their prime, therefore, never having to stand before the God they don't believe in to give an account of their lives. They are blind. They do know, in their heart of hearts that THAT GOD does exist. Why? His LAW is written on EVERY HEART. They, like Satan, choose 'NOT TO SERVE" that God, however. So if they can get rid of the old people, who are religious, and know the Truth of history and the Truth of God, and they can abort babies and kill the young who take time and money to raise, and just have the "Race" of the perpetually virile, youthful, energetic, physically at their peak, yet mature enough to not be "goofy" as teenagers, then "they win." That is the mindset, in my opinion of the far left and atheists, secularists, humanists now. It's the same spirit of Anti-Christ that's polluted the minds and hardened the hearts of people since the Fall of Lucifer. Early in the population of the world, it was more a barbaric culture.

We have matured inch by inch with each passing generation. God does deal with the human race differently now, but in some ways, still the same. He will tolerate and tolerate and tolerate the evil-doers and their ways, but as in the days of Noah, that tolerance will be DONE away with, because of HIS MERCY. HIS LOVE. He won't be mocked. He won't dole out His mercy forever, because there will be a time of judgement for one and all. Try as they might, the "universal health care" crowd, the animal rights crowd, the "Greenies" are still just 'anti-life' anti-Gospel, anti-Christ, anti-Church. Anti-God as their father is. The father of lies.

Liars won't inherit the Kingdom of God. The more one lies, the more hard their heart becomes. The more hard their heart, the more seared their concsience. The more seared their conscience, the more lack of love and respect for life, and destruction of life results as "good." The will come the day for God's justice and retribution. He's promised 'vengeance is Mine, saith the Lord." God has to and will step into time and avenge the deaths and rivers of blood of the innocent. That's for certain.

But when the "universal health care" crowd cry for it to be for "our good" it's code for abortion on demand, the killing of the elderly, euthanasia, and 'disposing' of those that are disabled either physically or mentally. That's the truth, too. They can deny that until they're blue in the face, but it's only a LIE, because that's the only way to draw in the 'voters' to keep them in power so that they can continue to restore "science to its rightful place" and realize their dream of the "Super Race." That will never happen. God will wipe out by "divine genocide" if need be, those that are in such complete arrogant defiance and total rebellion to His authority! He will not be mocked. Don't be fooled.

God's Right Hand (Christ the annointed One) is even now casting the shadow of coming judgment upon a cruel and sinful nation/people and world. As He says in scripture, "Will I find faith on the earth when I return?" Only a few, I believe, will be found with faith, just as in the days of Noah. I believe that to be true. The world clamors for social utopia, and thinks it attainable by killing off as many people of faith/virtue as they can. Their RELIGION is man/science. The creature will never be greater than the Creator, however. No matter how intelligent, smart, sophisticated the appear, they are mere foolishness compared to God.

So back to the OT and NT God. GOD IS the same God of both. He is all merciful and all loving in both testaments. He always was and always is and always will be. But any father who never punishes or chastises his children is no father. A father who does not protect his own family is worse than an infidel! A father who does not discipline a child, is not a loving father at all, but a selfish, narcissistic, pathetic excuse for a father/a man. He puts his child in more danger than ever by his INACTION and passivity to fail to chastise/instruct as appropriate for his child's age. Early on, you might swat a butt. Later, as the child develops, you reason together. Same with mankind down through the ages.

You teach/discipline as the pupil can understand. But to NOT teach, to NOT warn of danger, is a most dispicable trait/sin, and not loving at all. To want to be "liked" by your child is not the goal of a parent who's raising and training a child. To be a good mother or father to that child means that at times, you might have to suffer some of their "wrath." Oh well. When he or she grows, they will respect you, and respect life. They will grow and seek God and redemption and salvation if you've done your best. That is the goal. That child needs a FIRM hand on the rear-end at times when a tot, as much as a FIRM discipline later in life, by taking away certain privileges they've gained. A car and cell phone are not 'rights' and entitlements. They are given as a result of growth and maturity, or so they should be.

So down through the ages we have 'barbaric brats' and little by little we grow and mature, still failing, but trying to improve as a culture. But we still need a GOD who doesn't give us everything we whine for, but who knows us better than we know ourselves, and gives us what we need, and occasionally, when we've obeyed His will in our lives, maybe a "play time" and a reasonable gift or toy He will gladly give us. That only makes sense. God and His Church are "reasonable." That's why He calls to us daily, "Come let us reason together." Seek His way and path for your life. Don't be misled into buying the LIES of the age we're now in, for it's only a Culture of Death and those leading the way, apart from God, are blind and leading many into the eternal pit!