Thursday, July 18, 2013

Evil Sometimes Wears a Mask of Justice



Evil Sometimes Wears a Mask of Justice
Rabbi Yehudah “Tochukwu” ben Shomeyr

Our fallen and deprave nature, our Yetzer Hara (Evil Inclination) the Rabbi’s say is there to challenge us, not to “tempt” us, but to keep us in check, challenge us to actually look toward and choose the Yetzer Tov (Good Inclination). Yet we often times use it as an excuse and guise for false piety and “righteous indignation.” Our flesh so wants so bad to be the Jesus with the whip, chasing out the money changers, when in fact it is just that our fallen selves simply loves a blood-bath and a good ol’ lynching (character assassination). We will even go so far as to twist Scripture to justify our witch hunts. Romans 16:17 is a classic, we quote that with chest puffed out and declare, “See! I am just in my campaign against so-and-so!” But if you care to take the verse in context with the passages before and after you will see that it is a last resort and reserved only for those who teach contrary to the cardinal and essential doctrines of our faith and are trying to claim they are not, so as to infiltrate and corrupt our circles. This verse is not speaking of those who simply have a different Halacha (tradition) than our own.

Why do we not instead focus on these verses?

For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only [use] not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another. – Gal. 5:13

With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; - Eph. 4:2

This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you. – John 15:12

Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another; - Rom. 12:10

Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law. – Rom. 13:8

But as touching brotherly love ye need not that I write unto you: for ye yourselves are taught of God to love one another. – I Thess. 4:9

For this is the message that ye heard from the beginning, that we should love one another….And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment. – I John 3:11, 23

Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love… Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another, No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us… And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him. – I John 4:7-8, 11-12, 16

And now I beseech thee, lady, not as though I wrote a new commandment unto thee, but that which we had from the beginning, that we love one another. – II John 1:5

And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: - Heb. 10:24

Finally, be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous: - I Pet. 3:8

LOVE AND EDIFY! THAT IS THE ODER OF THE DAY!

Shalom,
R. Yehudah “Tochukwu” ben Shomeyr