IronSharpensIron
Personal Coaching Program
friends sharpen the minds of each other. Proverbs 27:17 |
Now these were more noble than those in Thessalonica,
in that they received the Word with all readiness of the mind,
searching the Scriptures daily, whether these things were so.
Acts 17:10-12
Imagine it: If Samuel Adams, John Hancock, Patrick Henry, or any other "Founding Father" of America could travel through time and spend a few weeks in your home watching TV, visiting your local public school, and learning about the federal government in 2013, what would he think? I believe he would be shocked at what America has become. He would be horrified that you are not horrified . America's Founders risked their lives, their fortunes, and their sacred honor to resist a government that they called a "tyranny." But the reign of George III was a kindergarten class compared to the vile, murderous, atheistic, imperialist, planet-suffocating tentacles of the regime we call "Washington D.C." You watch late-night comedians joke about taxes, but you really do nothing, even though taxes are 20 times greater than in 1776, and we undoubtedly have less representation. You're afraid that if you speak out, you'll be audited by the IRS -- the 21st-century Red Coats. Samuel Adams would say you are:
Harsh words? IronSharpensIron is an online distance-learning program guaranteed to make you
These were the three goals Samuel Adams set before the American Colonists in the first letter he circulated through a network of communication known as "the Committees of Correspondence." Sam Adams became known as "The Father of the American Revolution," and America became the most prosperous and admired nation in history. Today America is bankrupt, not prosperous, and despised, not admired. What happened to America?
You are a Victim of Educational Malpractice.IronSharpensIron is the educational program that every American child had in colonial America. We don't teach "the 3 R's" (reading, writing, arithmetic), but we do provide the intellectual foundation of "Liberty Under God." This Program will give you the personal character that made Americans courageous and prosperous. You will experience the most massive, profound, lasting,
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Here's how we do it.
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You may think you're a "believer." But you're still not free. Look at this passage of Scripture carefully:
The Bible says Jesus was killed by people who "believed" Him. But they didn't know the truth, and they were slaves to sin, and His Word had "no place in them." Can you be a "believer" and not know the truth? Do you want to be this kind of "believer?"
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The IronSharpensIron program helps you read through the entire Bible from cover to cover in one year, creating sparks along the way. We grab you by the hair and stick your face in the Bible, forcing you to see what it really says. You're not going to agree with what we say it says, and sparks will fly, just as when Iron Sharpens Iron. But by the end of our 365-day program, the Bible will be a new book to you, because you will be a very different person.
We will also help you see that you are a slave, that you have been taken captive, not just by sin, but by political slavemasters. |
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Samuel Adams, John Hancock, Paul Revere, and more than 100 other Americans orchestrated a "Tea Party" in the Boston Harbor -- over a tax of three pence per pound of tea.
Today's Americans pay a tax TEN TIMES GREATER on every gallon of gas without a peep. The total tax burden on the colonies was 1-2%, maybe 3% in Virginia. If you pay a single dime in federal income tax, then you're losing over 50% of everything you earn to the Tax Man. What would America's Founding Fathers say about you? Sam Adams, speaking at the State House in Philadelphia, “to a very numerous audience” on August 1, 1776:If ye love wealth better than liberty, the tranquillity of servitude than the animating contest of freedom —go from us in peace. We ask not your counsels or arms. Crouch down and lick the hands which feed you. May your chains sit lightly upon you, and may posterity forget that ye were our countrymen! You are dull.
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Why are you so dull? Why don't you "get" what America's Founding Fathers got?
You are a Victim of Educational Malpractice.What would Samuel Adams say about you if he could follow you around for a week?If you're like me, he would say you're a lousy Christian and a stinking rotten American. Ouch! Why would Sam Adams say that? Compared to colonial Americans, you are an ignorant barbarian. The average teenager in 1776 knew more about what it means to be a great American, a great Christian, and a great Human Being than you do. Sure, you know how to use your Blackberry and the microwave. But bring a 9-year-old into the 21st century from 1776, and the colonial kid would be able to figure out how to use your computer and remote control in a matter of days. But it would take you months, maybe years, to learn as much about geography, morality, history, religion, political science, virtue, and develop the habits of character which the average American possessed in 1776. There were three things that America's Founding Fathers believed schools should teach, and you were deprived of all three. Two of these three things were made illegal by the U.S. Supreme Court. The third was gradually eliminated as a logical consequence of that Supreme Court ruling. Do you know what three things were deemed the essential purposes of schools? These three things are still listed in several state constitutions, such as Nebraska, Ohio, and Michigan. But the federal government has banned them. These three things are listed in our nation's "organic law." “necessary for good government and the happiness of mankind.” |
We will tell you what these three things are. Then we'll tell you how you can get them. |
There were two things that made America the most prosperous and admired nation in human history. Repudiating these two things also brought about its present downfall. Ignorance of these two things is enslaving you, and blinding you to the truth in the Bible that will make you free.
The philosophy of the Declaration of Independence can be summed up in three words, encompassing two ideas. Liberty Under God1. America Appreciated LibertyThe Liberty Bell is inscribed with a verse from the Bible:
Colonial preachers have been credited with rallying Americans into the Revolution, often relying on texts like this one:
The American colonists so prized liberty that when the red-coated tax collectors demanded tribute, the Americans were willing to kill them. Big mistake. The Bible is clear: Pay your Taxes. Honor the King. Violent revolution is un-Christian. A lot of people in our day talk about the Second Amendment (the "right to bear arms"), but the Second Amendment is saying the same thing the Declaration of Independence says: we have not only the right, but the duty to abolish any government that becomes tyrannical. That's what the Second Amendment is for. Not for hunters, gun collectors, or even self-defense against robbers. If George III was a tyrant, then Bush-Obama is a mega-tyrant. We should be seeing armed revolution by the Second Amendment crowd. But they are slaves. The government promises them something for nothing. Washington D.C. tempts us with the Keynesian miracle of "stones into bread." When Americans see a ponzi scheme, they want to get on board before the suckers do. Everyone knows this can't last, but they want their piece of the action before it collapses. But the Bible is also clear: taxation is theft. Modern "liberals" have transformed the 8th Commandment: "Thou shalt not steal . . . except by majority vote." So America's Founding Fathers were right to criticize colonial taxes, but wrong to use violence against the State. Here's where the sparks start to fly: The Bible opposes violence and affirms pacifism. Pacifism means beating "swords into plowshares," and the total disarmament of the State means the Bible affirms anarchism. Maximum political liberty. I can see you disagree. But the sparks are just beginning to fly. 2. Americans Trusted in God.The modern doctrine of "the Separation of Church and State" is a myth. Technically, legally, officially, constitutionally, organically, America is a Christian Theocracy. In 2009, America is an apostate Theocracy, but still legally a Theocracy. Many of America's Founding Fathers were libertarians, hence critical of religion being imposed by the coercive machinery of the State. But that's not because they were atheists. Not a single atheist or deist signed the Constitution. The word "theocracy" simply means "God governs." A nation like America -- which claims to be "under God," whose national motto is "In God We Trust" -- is claiming that God is our Lord and Ruler, and is irrebuttably claiming to be a nation where "God governs" -- a Theocracy. But a libertarian Theocracy. Not rule by priests, or rule by mullahs, or rule by a police state, but rule by the "Invisible Hand" of Providence. A completely different kind of "Theocracy" than the mainstream media has conditioned us to think of. If you are living your life "under God," you are not taking vengeance on your enemies, killing people who are in your way, stealing from people to get what you want, or in any other way being what Jesus called an "archist." This is why Christianity has been the foundation of Liberty in the western world. Jesus Forbids His Followers to be "Archists."You've never heard the word "archist." It's the opposite of an "an-archist." The Biggest Government Lie in all of human history is the lie that "anarchists" are bad. The opposite is true: archists are bad. The "archist" is someone who believes he has the moral right to initiate force against you, to compel you to do what he wants done by threats of violence. We here at IronSharpensIron believe in persuasion, not compulsion. The clearest passage in which Jesus forbids His followers to be "archists" is Mark 10:42-45
The word translated "rulers" comes from the Greek word from which we derive our word "anarchist." Jesus clearly says His followers are to be servants, not to be "archists." From a Christian perspective, two things characterize pure religion. They can be summed up in the words of the Apostle James:
Christian non-archism is the "one pure religion." If you want to be the kind of person who spontaneously and from the heart has the compassion of Jesus, and visits the weak and afflicted, you must keep yourself unspotted from archism. The world-and-life view of archist culture is summed up in these phrases:
It is an impure religion of the worship of self, and the denial of the executed Christ. As a product of government media and schools, this religion has left your spirit spotted and impure. You must get these ideas out of your head if you are to find yourself at Christ's right hand (Matthew 25:34). You must become "unspotted." You must become "a Christian anarchist." Political science nerds say that the Vine & Fig Tree model of society and the idea of "Liberty Under God," applied with logical consistency and Biblical rigor, results in something called "anarcho-theocracy." You've never heard of that before. Phancy phrase. Technical term. Sounds controversial. Ignore it. Think about "Vine & Fig Tree." Think about "pure religion." Think about being a servant of God and man. Thinking about being a servant will make you sharp. It will -- ironically -- make you free. What were the three things that America's Founding Fathers believed were the primary purposes of public schools? Religion, Morality, and KnowledgeOne of the Justices who concurred in the decision of the United States Supreme Court to remove religion from public schools, admitted:
After the First Amendment, Congress repeatedly required all territories that petitioned to become admitted to the Union as states to promise that they would encourage education in religion and morality, consistent with the requirements of the Northwest Ordinance. Many state Constitutions added these very words. Teaching "religion and morality" in schools is now prohibited by law. Teaching "knowledge" is prohibited by custom, because without true religion in schools, every student becomes his own god, and the "self-esteem" of a student without knowledge can be bruised by the student who possesses knowledge. Finite gods always demand that other gods be brought down to their level. Even if you attended a religious private school, if it was "accredited" by the State, you were deprived of religion, morality and knowledge. That's what anyone who signed the Constitution would say. |
So here's the program that is going to sharpen you and make you free.
During the next 365 days, you'll spend 11 minutes a day reading the Bible from cover to cover. Adding just a few additional minutes per day will enable you to read four of the most important works in the history of Western Civilization. Our unique function is to ask troubling questions. We will cast doubt on things you believe, like
You won't agree with everything we say or imply. But Iron will Sharpen Iron. If you actively engage us, wrestle with the ideas, and don't just sit there passively, you will benefit even if you end up still disagreeing with us. This is like a "contact sport." Sharpening only comes with contact. |
Our "Hidden" AgendaThere is no such thing as a "neutral" or "objective" Bible Study Program. Everybody has presuppositions, biases, or an axe to grind. Every Bible Teacher is pushing an agenda. We're up front about our agenda. We'll set it out starkly, even "in your face." We know nobody is going to agree with the whole enchilada. The point is, by wrestling with the ideas like the Bereans did, you become a better version of you. You 2.0 We may not like the fact that when you finish our program, you don't turn out to be our clone, parroting our every word, and a tithing member of our cult. You will make choices, you will come to conclusions, and you will agree that you have a better understanding of the Bible than you did when you started. And a better understanding of yourself. And the world around you. |
The "Vine & Fig Tree" society -- the original "American Dream."This website is sponsored by a non-profit educational organization called "Vine & Fig Tree." The name "Vine & Fig Tree" comes from the fourth chapter of the prophet Micah. It's possible you've heard Micah's words before -- we beat our "swords into plowshares" and everyone dwells safely under their own "Vine & Fig Tree." Here's the passage:
More details are set forth below. America's Founding Fathers were familiar with this vision: "Vine & Fig Tree" is the worldview that made America "the greatest nation on God's green earth." You are a victim of educational malpractice. Your schools systematically deprived you of access to the "Vine & Fig Tree" worldview. You can play no conscious part in creating a Vine & Fig Tree society if you've never heard of it. Micah's goal was to create a global Christian Theocracy. This was America's goal. And in order for you to become
this must be your goal as well. Nobody in 2009 likes that word "Theocracy." (It means "God governs." It does not mean "priests govern." You can have a "Theocracy" with no priests or clergy whatsoever.) A nation "under God" is, by definition, a Theocracy. The "Vine & Fig Tree" society is a Christian Theocracy, where everyone believes that God says "Thou shalt not steal" and "Thou shalt not kill." When this happens, your life, liberty, and property are safe. It will take you 3 minutes to read the next few paragraphs, a survey of America's Theocratic history. In the 1600's, the Puritans created America as a "City Upon a Hill." Their first goal was to convert the natives to Christianity, and then transform the entire planet into a Christian Theocracy. The first Virginia Charter, 1606, issued by King James I, recited the purposes of the colony:
Every subsequent charter for every other colony had the same purpose: propagate the Christian religion.
In 1775, America consisted of 13 Christian Theocracies. This is an indisputable fact. The Declaration of Independence (1776) is a Theocratic document. It says things that cannot be said in nations which claim to be "secular."
James Madison, "the Father of the Constitution," told his fellow Virginia legislators in 1785 that they should keep in mind the original purposes of Virginia, and vote against any proposed legislation if
When 13 Christian Theocracies ratified a new Constitution in 1789, not one of them believed they were ratifying a secular Constitution which empowered the federal government to impose atheism (the absence of true religion) on the 13 Christian Theocracies, including their schools and all public buildings. In 1844, the U.S. Supreme Court decided the case of Vidal v. Girard's Executors, 43 U.S. 127 (1844), which said that government-funded schools must teach "the Bible, and especially the New Testament" "as a divine revelation," and that a secular school "is not to be presumed to exist in a Christian country." In 1892, a still-conservative U.S. Supreme Court looked back on this case and the rest of American history and reminded a post-Darwinian America that she was still legally and officially a Christian nation. Most Americans have been trained to believe that they are uncomfortable with America's Christian Theocratic past. They are relieved, therefore, when they learn that the U.S. Supreme Court threw out that 1892 case in the 20th century and swung to the opposite (secular) extreme. A government that will not admit it is "under God" is a government that believes it IS God. Whereas America was originally conceived as a Christian "City upon a Hill," to export Christianity around the world, the United States is now a secular "City upon a Hill," exporting atheism, weapons, pornography, and fascism around the world.
The United States is now the greatest source of atheism and evil on the planet. And most Americans are just as uncomfortable with that unpatriotic judgment as they are with the claim that the Theocratic Puritans who Christianized the New World are the source of America's prosperity and greatness. Most Americans want to be "Mr. In-Between." They want to be "moderates." They don't want to be "extremists" like the "Vine & Fig Tree" Puritans, or "extremists" like the atheistic pro-homosexual ACLU. Unfortunately, this "middle of the road" attitude makes Jesus puke:
If you disagree with this -- if you want to avoid "extremes" -- then you want to be at point "M" on the chart below: |
Extreme |
Middle of the Road |
Extreme |
A B C D E F G H I J K L |
M |
N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z |
"Anarcho-Capitalism, Free Enterprise, Prosperity | Apathy | Tyranny, socialism, poverty and mass death |
Theocracy | "Secular" | Atheism |
Love | Indifference | Hate |
Do you want to be a Grade "A" Christian? Then you had better avoid being a Grade "Z" Christian with all your heart, mind, soul and strength.
Anybody who does something with all his heart, all his mind, all his soul, and all his strength is an "extremist." |
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George Washington was an "extremist." This is how he became "the Father of his Country."
Washington's Diaries are available online at the Library of Congress. That website introduces those writings with these words:
The best place to see the Vine & Fig Tree ideal is in the book of Micah. |
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Let's look at Micah's prophecy (on the left) and ask a few questions (on the right): |
And it will come about in the last days That the mountain of the House of the LORD Will be established as the chief of the mountains And it will be raised above the hills |
Are we in the "last days?"
When did this establishment take place? |
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And the peoples will stream to it. And many nations will come and say, "Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD And to the House of the God of Jacob, |
Is Christianity doomed to minority status throughout history? | |
That He may teach us about His ways And that we may walk in His paths." For from Zion will go forth the Law Even the Word of the LORD from Jerusalem. |
What should be the Christian's attitude toward the Law? | |
And He will judge between many peoples And render decisions for mighty, distant nations. Then they will hammer their swords into plowshares And their spears into pruning hooks; Nation will not lift up sword against nation And never again will they train for war. |
Are we commanded to beat our swords into plowshares today? Or do we wait for the Second Coming? | |
And each of them will sit under his | What about private property? | |
Vine and under his fig tree, With no one to make them afraid. For the LORD of hosts has spoken. |
What about technology? What about the military? What is it that really brings "security?" | |
Though all the peoples walk Each in the name of his god, As for us, we will walk In the Name of the LORD our God forever and ever. |
What if all the politicians, university professors, TV commentators, newspaper editors, rock stars, CEO's, athletes, authors, and think-tanks repudiate the Vine & Fig Tree vision and tell you not to believe it? | |
In that day, saith the LORD, will I assemble her that halteth, and I will gather her that is driven out, and her that I have afflicted; And I will make her that halted a remnant, and her that was cast far off a strong nation: and the LORD shall reign over them in mount Zion from henceforth, even for ever. |
Should we strive to be on top, or to help those on the bottom? Is God on the side of those who have accomplished much by their own power and initiative, or is He on the side of those who are willing to be used by God to accomplish much to His Glory? |
The Five Books You'll Read This YearThe Bible is the most important book in the history of Western Civilization. It is also the book more people own but have never read. Yet these same people have dogmatic opinions about the nature of the Bible and what it says. Because you are a victim of educational malpractice, and lack a colonial American education, you may have erroneous pre-conceived ideas about the Bible that close your mind to the conclusions to which we are trying to lead you. You may doubt our credibility and reliability to the point where you will not be persuaded by anything we say about the Bible. Therefore we will require you to read four (4) other works which are widely regarded as being among the most important in the history of Western Civilization. Reading these four works, in addition to the Bible, will re-create a colonial American education in just one year. These four credible, reliable, and time-honored works will abundantly confirm our "anarchist" and "Theocratic" interpretation of the Bible and the human condition. We will show you how to download these works for free from the Internet. Success experts like Brian Tracy say you should read for an hour each day in your chosen field to be successful (that's more than a dozen books a year). George Washington read the Bible for an hour in the morning and an hour in the evening. Your "chosen field" was chosen for you by God: to be an extraordinary human being. If you can't read just four of the most important books in the history of Western Civilization next year, you'll never be a success in the human race. "The Westminster Standards"
It takes approximately 11 minutes per day to read through the Bible from cover to cover. It only takes a couple of minutes to read through the Westminster Catechisms and Confession. They were written around 1645 and the drafters unequivocally opposed "anarchism." But they believed that God is God, and denied that the State is God, a necessary first step on your road to becoming a "Vine & Fig Tree" anarchist. This is not a seminary course in the Bible. That is, it's not boring and academic. It's not about "religion" (sacraments, incense, etc.). It's about doing what God created human beings to do on this planet. Most seminary students are just as unprepared for this program as you are. The next book highlights this fact. Capitalism Smith's book is not easy reading. A more recent treatise is: Capitalism by Prof. George Reisman. We will assign Reisman's text. Consistent socialism is maximum government. We believe consistent capitalism is anarchism, the absence of government force. Prof. Reisman disagrees with us, but his book will help us prove our point with credibility and impeccable logic. Theocracy But there are good theocracies and there are bad ones. A nation can be attempting to be a Christian Theocracy and do a very poor job of it. We do not believe that a good Christian Theocracy is a police state. We believe a good Christian Theocracy is one where all the priests and princes have resigned and gotten real jobs where they serve others. A Christian Theocracy seeks to give God all the glory. It's hard to see that God rules when the State claims to be the Messiah. Americans today have been misled by the myth of "the Separation of Church and State." This mythical idea -- not found anywhere in the Constitution -- has come to mean the separation of God and State, with God being separated into the private world of fantasy and imagination, and the State having omnipotent power in public, "the real world."
The great conflict in Western Civilization today is whether our world will become
The third reading assignment will be the history of Christian Theocracy and "Western Civilization." Excerpts from these books are freely available on the Internet. Only one of the authors agrees with our anarchist conclusions, but their arguments lead to our conclusions if consistently held. One of the most popular objections to undertaking the task of abolishing an atheistic dictatorship by working to persuade archists to repent (resign) is the belief that Christ is going to return "any day now," and "you don't polish brass on a sinking ship." Christians are soon going to be "raptured," it is believed, so why work against the tyranny of "The New World Order" or invest energy in a defense of "Liberty Under God?" Those voicing such objections will be assigned an 1876 book entitled The Parousia: This book is simply a catalog of all New Testament prophecies concerning "the second coming." The result of looking at all the evidence will be a "paradigm shift." Other objections will be prescribed an appropriate remedy on an individual basis. |
This will be the most exciting year of your life. Then, every subsequent year in your life will be far more valuable than they would have been if you didn't sign up for Vine & Fig Tree Coaching. If you don't spend the next year making the rest of your life valuable, then the rest of your life will make Jesus puke.
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It's time to take action. You should either sign up or get any question you have answered. This Saturday at 10:30 am Central Time, there will be a live Q&A session where you can ask your question and get an answer.
Type in your question. Include an email address and get an answer, or listen to the live webcast this Saturday morning. |
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The question is not whether some governments should be abolished; the question is how.
From a Christian perspective, governments are not to be overthrown by violence. In its attempt to overthrow the government of Saddam Hussein, the U.S. Federal Government killed nearly two million innocent men, women, and children, many of whom did not like Saddam Hussein any more than we did. In 1822, Thomas Jefferson wrote,
Killing two million people -- and more children than the total number killed by the Atomic Bombing of Japan -- will probably not be one of the acts that will be rewarded in a future state. We have suggested that missionaries would have done a better job of bringing about the downfall of Saddam Hussein. The government of the United States should be overthrown, but only non-violently, using persuasion, encouraging government officials to repent of their tyranny and abolish their office. Submission to Tyranny: A Christian-Libertarian FrameworkThe Biblical prohibition against overthrowing tyrants by force and violence is very clear and bold. Throughout His earthly ministry, Jesus was in conflict with the Herodians (Jews who collaborated with the Roman military occupation of Israel) and the Zealots (Jews who wanted to resist the occupation using violence if necessary). Jesus did not take the side of the popular uprising, though it was clear He viewed the occupying Empire as ethically illegitimate. Christ's apostles spoke of the reigning empire as "the powers that be," using a word that everywhere refers to demonic forces. But the teaching of the New Testament is that we are to overcome evil with good. That means overcoming statist tyranny with good, not with violence. Let's compare New Testament principles with the American Revolution. Pardon us for taking some liberties with the text, but we think the "dynamic equivalence" is fair: Romans 12-13 {1} I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.{2} And be not conformed to the world of the Scottish Enlightenment: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. {3} For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith. {10} Be kindly affectioned one to the British with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another; {11} Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord; {12} Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer; {13} Distributing to the necessity of saints; given to hospitable quartering of troops. {14} Bless the "Red Coats" which persecute you: bless, and curse not. {16} Be of the same mind one toward another. Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate. Be not wise in your own conceits. {17} Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men. {18} If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with the British. {19} Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord. {20} Therefore if an enemy soldier hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. {21} Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good. {13:1} Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are set in place by God. {2} Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, throwing tea into the harbor, or firing muskets upon them from behind trees, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation. {3} For archist red coats are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? Do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same: {4} For he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil. {5} Wherefore ye must needs be subject, not only for wrath, but also for conscience sake. {6} For for this cause pay ye taxes without representation: for they are God's ministers, attending continually upon this very thing. {7} Render therefore to all their dues: taxes to whom taxes are due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honour to whom honour. {8} Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law. {9} For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet; and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. {10} Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law. 1 Peter 2:11-24 Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul;{12} Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation. {13} Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake: whether it be to king George III, as supreme; {14} Or unto parliament, as unto them that are sent by Him for the punishment of evildoers, and for the praise of them that do well. {15} For so is the will of God, that with well doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men: {16} As free, and not using your liberty for a cloak of maliciousness, but as the servants of God. {17} Honour all the British. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honour king George III. {18} Slaves, be subject to your masters with all fear; not only to the good and gentle, but also to the froward. {19} For this is thankworthy, if a man for conscience toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully. {20} For what glory is it, if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God. {21} For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow His steps: {22} Who did no sin, neither was guile found in His mouth: {23} Who, when He was reviled, reviled not again; when He suffered, He threatened not; but committed Himself to Him that judgeth righteously: {24} Who His own self bare our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by Whose stripes ye were healed. Matthew 5:38-48 Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth:{39} But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also. {40} And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloak also. {41} And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain. {42} Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away. {43} Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. {44} But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; {45} That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. {46} For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same? {47} And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so? {48} Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect. Luke 17:7-10 And which of you, having a servant plowing or tending sheep, will say to him when he has come in from the field, "Come at once and sit down to eat"?{8} But will he not rather say to him, "Prepare something for my supper, and gird yourself and serve me till I have eaten and drunk, and afterward you will eat and drink"? {9} Does he thank that servant because he did the things that were commanded him? I think not. {10} So likewise you, when you have done all those things which you are commanded, say, "We are unprofitable servants. We have done what was our duty to do." 2 Peter 2:10-12/Jude 8-10 But chiefly them that walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness, and despise government. Presumptuous are they, selfwilled, they are not afraid to speak evil of dignities.{9} Yet Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, The Lord rebuke thee. {12} But these, as natural brute beasts, made to be taken and destroyed, speak evil of the things that they understand not; and shall utterly perish in their own corruption; Proverbs 24:21 My son, fear the LORD and the king; Do not associate with those given to change; for their calamity will rise suddenly, and who knows the ruin those two can bring?Exodus 23:2 Thou shalt not follow a crowd to do evil. |
Spiritual ExercisesThis is not an easy website. Not only are there more than 1,000 webpages, some of them are very controversial. They really make you think. It's like being on an athletic team and the coach ordering you to do 1,000 push-ups. It's not like the coach thinks that at the big game this weekend the teams are going to decide the championship by seeing who can do the most push-ups. The coach just knows that it will be easier to hit a ball over the wall in deep centerfield if you do your exercises before the big game. You don't have to agree with everything on this website to benefit from it. Check everything you read here by the Scriptures; test the spirits (Acts 17:11; 1 John 4:1). But if you stretch your spiritual muscles it will be easier to carry the Cross Christ asks you to carry. There's a lot of spiritual muscle-building here, and it's more entertaining than a Jane Fonda workout video. Examples:
Again, you don't have to agree that we're already in heaven, but if you work through those exercises, you'll find it a lot easier to believe what the Bible says, and you'll agree that after doing these exercises, you'll be strong enough to believe a lot more of what the Bible says than you could before. And isn't it your goal to believe as much of the Bible as you possibly can? That's our goal as well. |
Sure, we can give you the assignments. We can tell you which verses in the Bible to read in order to read the whole book in one year. But will you? If you can, great. But many people find a "personal coach" to be of great benefit. The assignments are free. Here's how to hire a personal coach: Every Great Athlete Needs a Coach
The Bible says life is like a race.
Every Gold Medal athlete -- every one who's serious about competing and winning -- gets themselves a coach. If you've never heard of the concept of a "personal coach," please click this link:Human beings are created with an exiting purpose: exercise dominion over the earth under God. But mankind has rebelled against the Creator, bringing sin and death into the world, leaving us enslaved in darkness. Those who have been saved from this darkness now need to help one another. In theory, this is what churches are for, but churches tend to be spectator sports, where we passively watch an entertaining speaker and musicians. Church members don't usually help one another. You don't get help, and you don't learn how to give help to one another. This is why you need a "personal coach." But because you're a victim of educational malpractice, you need to go back to school, to lay a foundation. The Internet and modern technology makes it possible for you to gain a complete re-education in about one year, about one hour a day. It's intensive, but God gives you about 70 years in life -- shouldn't ONE of those years be spent making all the rest of the years productive and valuable?Your Personal Coach is not a guru, a warden, a drill sergeant, or someone whose every word you must agree with. This is inconsistent with the idea of everyone helping one another. The reason most people hate the word "Theocracy" is because they associate it with power-wielders like priests, pastors, popes, or police. In America, Christianity took a more decentralized, libertarian form. Clergy who demanded blind obedience and tax subsidies from the State were seen as contrary to the Vine & Fig Tree ideal, where "swords" (the State) are beaten into plowshares. Your Personal Coach is your servant, helping you become a servant. Your coach will work with you to answer every question you have. You will not be given a low grade. You will get answers to your questions. The Bible will become a completely different book for you. In fact, you will even worship the Bible when it's all through, because you'll know the Bible is the Word of God. |
In order to give yourself a fighting chance at succeeding in this education program, you must agree to give up 1 hour of "the mainstream media" each day:
You will substitute in its place 35-45 minutes of our daily reading program, 5 or 6 minutes answering no-trick questions, and a few minutes of prayerful thought.
In addition to reading the assigned portion of the Bible, you must agree to spend a minimum of 90-180 seconds per day meditating on Godly character traits, using guidelines we specify, with the goal of developing these traits in your own life. A partial list of required traits appears in the box on the right. Meditating on these character traits will transform you into a Christian Extremist. No judgments will be made by us as to how successfully you develop or practice these traits in your life. You simply agree to allow us to brainwash you by listening to our audio meditations. Your personal coach will help maintain your motivation and discipline. You will set up a weekly telephone check-in call. The check-in call will last a minimum of 5 minutes, up to 15 minutes at your pleasure, to be scheduled by you for a time convenient for you, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. You must be willing to become the person your family, friends, and co-workers most admire by the time you finish this program, even if you don't think that's possible. You must be willing for your family, friends, and co-workers to see you trying to make radical improvements in your life. We will ask for two or three letters of reference prior to commencing our program from people who know you and will attest that you are undertaking a program to become the person they most admire. It may be that the only people you know may be people that you don't admire either -- with good reason. In this case, you must commit in advance to become the kind of American that George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and Samuel Adams would have admired. If you attended a government-run school, you may not know who these men were. More specific details will be provided. (Hint: Some people called them "anarchists" because they abolished their government, and "theocrats" because they promoted Christianity.) Bottom line: We want you to make a commitment to be admired by admirable people. You must be willing to admit that if you are not already the most admired person that your family, friends, and co-workers know when you begin this program, that this is your own fault. (This is a requirement because many people subconsciously refuse to make a commitment to radically improve their lives because then they will have to admit that they weren't without fault all along. Better to just stick with the status quo (they think) than to admit their own shortcomings by resolving to improve them.) You must agree in advance that you will volunteer to be a mentor or coach to at least one other person each year for as long as you are able to do so. We will show you how to make a substantial commission every time you sell our home-study program to people in your church, at work, or in your neighborhood. We ask that you commit in advance to donate (to religious or charitable causes) a minimum of 10% of any windfall profits that accrue to you as a result of undertaking our program. The Bible promises that if you meditate on God's Commandments (the basis for the character traits you will be studying) you will prosper:
On the other hand, you may lose everything. In our day the "Bill of Rights" means nothing. You may become the object of government surveillance. The FBI or other government intelligence agencies may open a dossier on you and members of your family. Your participation and public affiliation with an "anarchist" website may lead to IRS harassment in the form of an audit or other legal inconveniences. You may be deemed an "enemy combatant." If your job required you to take an oath or sign a statement indicating your support of the U.S. Constitution, you may lose your job because you visit "anarchist" websites. Your house or place of business may be searched and your assets "forfeited." We cannot be responsible for these eventualities. You have to make the decision: will you be approved by the government, or will you be approved by God? |