{"id":492,"date":"2011-07-26T22:25:34","date_gmt":"2011-07-27T03:25:34","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.vitwministries.com\/wordpress\/?p=492"},"modified":"2011-09-28T10:11:09","modified_gmt":"2011-09-28T15:11:09","slug":"elephant-rides-and-a-vindictive-jesus","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.vitwministries.com\/wordpress\/2011\/07\/elephant-rides-and-a-vindictive-jesus\/","title":{"rendered":"Elephant Rides and a Vindictive Jesus"},"content":{"rendered":"

So, did I get your attention?\u00a0\u00a0 I intended to do just that, and I will return at some point in today\u2019s ramblings to the header.\u00a0\u00a0 However, the main question on my mind right now is \u201cwhy did Jesus die\u201d?\u00a0\u00a0 I will return to that at some point as well in my meanderings through today\u2019s session on the \u201cinsanities of Steve\u2019s brain\u201d.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

Temple with idols<\/p><\/div>\n

Let me bring you up to date on other important matters first – what is that crazy guy up to now?\u00a0\u00a0 Where is he now?\u00a0\u00a0 Is he still alive, or laying dead at the side of the road somewhere in S.E. Asia? – and other pertinent issues.<\/p>\n

I am indeed alive.\u00a0\u00a0 I can do nothing other than sit and shake my head at the absolutely lousy and almost insane timing of this summer.\u00a0\u00a0 James finally got his long awaited research visa for Indonesia and managed to plow his way through the final maze of bureaucracy in Jakarta, Java (the capital of Indonesia), just in time for my two month visa to expire for Indonesia.\u00a0\u00a0 I got a call from him from Jakarta at about midnight on the night before I was heading for the airport for Thailand that he was finally able to come to Bali the next morning – the exact morning that I was leaving.\u00a0\u00a0 There was still hope that we might be able to meet at the airport and have a quick hug before I boarded for Thailand.\u00a0\u00a0 As things turned out however, no-go on that either.\u00a0\u00a0 He had some trouble with his credit card that prevented the purchase of the ticket and was delayed again. \u00a0 He made it to Bali on the day following my departure for Thailand – the exact day after I left.\u00a0\u00a0 Go figure! Has God got a sense of the bizarre or what?<\/p>\n

So I am now in Thailand (or \u201cToyland\u201d as I like to think of it.\u00a0\u00a0 This is a little family in-joke dating back to when the children were much younger.\u00a0 In Canada I had a brass souvenir knife and sheath that I had bought in Thailand during one of my travels.\u00a0 One of the neighborhood kids was at our place and was asking about it and where I had gotten it \u2013 he was quite taken by it.\u00a0\u00a0 I explained that I had bought it when I was in Thailand.\u00a0 His eyes got very big, and in his child\u2019s lisp he asked \u201cYou got this sharp thing in Toyland\u201d? \u00a0 Well, it wasn\u2019t sharp, and it wasn\u2019t Toyland, but the name has stuck).\u00a0\u00a0 I am in Thailand, and James is in Bali.<\/p>\n

I am here because I have reached the 60 day tourist visa limit for Indonesia and needed to physically leave the country and reenter in order to renew.\u00a0 Next time I can only acquire a 30 day visa (ie., from within the country of Indonesia, rather than from its embassy in Canada where I got my 60 day visa).\u00a0 This I will be able to do, Lord willing, when I reenter Bali.<\/p>\n

While James and Jessica were working in China and North Korea James had spent some time in northwestern Thailand at a little place called Fang with a Christian organization there called Upland Holistic Development Project<\/em>. Their website may be of interest to you at: http:\/\/www.uhdp.org\/index.html<\/a><\/span>.\u00a0\u00a0 Their mandate is working with the marginalized tribal groups in the golden triangle area of Thailand in the areas of agro-forestry and sustainable farming as well as in water and sanitation, women and gender issues, micro-enterprise and micro-finance, and probably much more.\u00a0\u00a0 James was very favorably impressed by their work and spoke very highly of them to me at the time.\u00a0\u00a0 Because we knew that I would need to leave Indonesia in order to get a new entry visa, and because this was originally going to be somewhere mid-research time for him we had planned to go to Thailand together and revisit UHDP.\u00a0\u00a0 This was to have been a time to filter and refocus for him after two months of intense research on his Masters Thesis in Bali, and a time to introduce me to their work with the tribal groups in Thailand.\u00a0\u00a0 Well, as you already know\u2026<\/p>\n

What are my impressions of Thailand?\u00a0\u00a0 Well, first of all, my last time here was about 19 or 20 years ago.\u00a0\u00a0 My first time here was over 31 years ago.\u00a0\u00a0 In fact, I watched 1979 pass and brought in the new year of 1980 in Thailand.\u00a0\u00a0 Obviously a lot has changed with the passing of all these years. \u00a0 South East Asia is now modern and quickly coming up in the world.\u00a0\u00a0 Actually, I was recently sent an article which places Bangkok, the capital of Thailand, as being rated #1 as the world\u2019s best city by the influential U.S. travel magazine Travel + Leisure. <\/em>This was announced as part of its World’s Best 2011 Awards issue to be published July 22.\u00a0\u00a0 The prestigious title was awarded based on the votes of thousands of Travel + Leisure <\/em>readers who voted for cities around the world. (http:\/\/www.travelandleisure.com\/worldsbest\/2011\/cities).\u00a0\u00a0 Sounds strange, but apparently it is so. \u00a0 Hmmm…<\/p>\n

At any rate, as I already said, things are modern, up-to-date, and most surprisingly, very, very clean.\u00a0\u00a0 But not all changes are for the better.\u00a0\u00a0 There is a price that always comes with change and modernization. \u00a0 To be certain, I am probably one who like all who are well, well past their prime, prefer to revel in the nostalgia of antiquity and resent the realities of the present.\u00a0\u00a0 I am a dinosaur, or more aptly stated, I suppose that I am a Luddite at heart.\u00a0\u00a0 If I had wooden shoes, and if the march of change could be halted with some well thrown clogs into the gears of the machinery of time, then nine times out of ten I would be throwing mine.<\/p>\n

I resent the specialty coffee shops and sushi bars which have sprung up in the \u201cfar corners of the earth\u201d.\u00a0\u00a0 With the specialty coffee shops and sushi bars come designer sunglasses and designer jeans, and with these designer jeans come designer tourists, and with designer tourists come designer tourist prices. \u00a0 Oh, the knockoff Rolex watches are still there to be sure, but the knockoffs are much more sophisticated and much, much more expensive now, and are being flogged to rich, gullible designer tourists who bat their eyelids in an awed stupor at being so far from home and in such a strange, foreign world, as they sip their specialty coffee in little mugs in their knockoff Gucci jeans and RayBan sunglasses.\u00a0\u00a0 I miss the days of knockoff Rolex Diamond watches for $4.00 from the street vendors.\u00a0\u00a0 Oh, where are the good old days that once were Asia?<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

I landed in Phuket, Thailand but stayed only long enough to board the first bus north for Bangkok \u2013 a 13 hour \u201cred-eye special\u201d.\u00a0\u00a0 Actually, to be fair, it was a really nice, air conditioned bus with nice, large seats and I slept quite well \u2013 as well as one can sleep on a bus.\u00a0\u00a0 Immediately upon arriving in Bangkok I caught the first bus heading northwest towards Chiang Mai, but instead of going directly there I decided to follow the advice of a fellow traveler that I had met on the bus and take a stop over at a place called Sukhothai, about half way to Chiang Mai.\u00a0\u00a0 Almost 8 hours later I arrived after another uneventful bus trip.\u00a0\u00a0 Sukhothai is a very interesting old city with tons of history. \u00a0 Since it was the weekend anyway, and since I didn’t have any reason to show up at the doorstep of UHDP until Monday I decided to check it out.\u00a0\u00a0 It was an interesting stopover and I took tons of pictures of ruins of old Buddhist temples (or wats) with their associated stupahs and smiling Buddhas\"\"<\/a>.<\/p>\n

After spending the night there in a little guest house I caught a bus to Chiang Mai.\u00a0\u00a0 This time around the bus service hit a bit of a decline.\u00a0\u00a0 Let\u2019s just say that there was no attempt to sell tickets as related to seat numbers. \u00a0 If one could physically get on the bus, then it was fair game. \u00a0 No worries \u2013 actually I got a seat fairly quickly, and kept it \u2013 thank you very much! \u00a0 No \u201cmister nice guy\u201d for me this time.<\/p>\n

So, I arrived in Chiang Mai on Sunday evening.\u00a0\u00a0 I found a little guest house that James had recommended and decided that since I was in Chiang Mai I really should see what all of the kerfuffle is about in all of the guide books about the place.\u00a0\u00a0 For years now, whenever I have met travelers who have been to Thailand and Chiang Mai comes up in the conversation, there is a kind of holy hush that settles, their eyes sort of glaze over, and they begin to mumble in a far-off introspective way.\u00a0\u00a0 It has been touted as the Mecca of Meccas.\u00a0\u00a0 The supreme of all supreme s.\u00a0\u00a0 Chiang Mai sehen und sterben, and other such drivel.<\/p>\n

I found it to be okay as cities go, and once again I have tons of pictures gold-leafed Buddhas, tons of wats, stupahs, etc., etc.\u00a0\u00a0 The food is good, the city pleasant, and I am not sorry that I spent a day here.\u00a0\u00a0 Still, my eyes will never glaze over and I will never whisper in awed tones whenever I mention the name.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

Buddhist Monk<\/p><\/div>\n

Today I head over to Fang where UHDP is located.\u00a0\u00a0 This is another 4 hour bus ride up toward Myanmar.\u00a0\u00a0 They are located just a stones throw from the actual border. \u00a0 I look forward to spending the next week and a half there soaking up all that I can from them because I believe that there will be very direct and important transference of the work that they are doing with the work in Mexico. \u00a0 I hope to be able to gain immensely from this visit and be able to find ways to take knowledge back to the farming work at the Bible School and Training Center that we are involved with in Mexico, as well as from other areas of their work with the tribal and marginalized groups. \u00a0 So, as soon as I finish punching out this blog for Theresa to post, I will head over to the bus station and catch the next adventure-filled jaunt across the mountains.<\/p>\n

Okay, so that is an update about me \u2013 but why the rather crazy header?<\/p>\n

As you know by reading my recent \u201cAsia blogs\u201d God is raising some very basic questions in me of late. \u00a0 Who ever it was who made the statement about the \u201cGod-sized vacuum in all of us\u201d hit the nail on the head.\u00a0\u00a0 There is a God-seeking journey in all of mankind.\u00a0\u00a0 If there is anyone sitting in North America who doubts what I am saying, I challenge you to spend two months in Asia or Africa or any other continent where you are out of your \u201cnatural element\u201d as I have just done.\u00a0\u00a0 Perhaps in the self-sufficient and affluent world of North America this driving force is somewhat masked (however, even there it is very evident and cannot be denied).<\/p>\n

It is the seeking for God (or gods) which drives my Balinese Hindu friends to spend hours of time, many resources, and much energy making sacrifices in prayers and offerings daily.\u00a0 While in Lombok, a Muslim island, the mosques were constantly full of the devout praying, and the loudspeakers mounted on the roof of each mosque were constantly chanting, bringing people to prayer.\u00a0\u00a0 Here in Thailand men, women and children are constantly in worship and obeisance in front of statues of Buddha, monks, and other objects, making offerings and burning incense and bowing and stooping in reverence and prayer.\u00a0\u00a0 We are broken people with a vacuum which we desperately know must be filled, and can only be done so by one who is supreme \u2013 who is bigger than us.<\/p>\n

In the new age movement in North America and Europe this vacuum is attempted to be filled by higher enlightenment and self actualization and other such rot. \u00a0 But it is still trying to be filled.<\/p>\n

So, why did Jesus die? \u00a0 Did he die so that we \u2013 us the privileged few who \u201chave the knowledge\u201d – and forget the rest of these heathen blighters out there – can live a happy, well adjusted, and even good life relatively free from pain, and expecting the goodies that daddy God must give us \u2013 thank you very much?\u00a0\u00a0 Why did Jesus (God) pay such a high price for our salvation (and we do Him injustice if we focus only on the physical suffering of His death.\u00a0\u00a0 Nonetheless, if you doubt the physical agony that Jesus did suffer than just rent Mel Gibson\u2019s movie The Passion of the Christ<\/em> again and have a little reminder.\u00a0\u00a0 Even Mel glossed over the physical horrors which Jesus underwent for our sake). \u00a0 But the physical, as blatant as it was, is only a little part of the agony which God when through for our salvation.\u00a0\u00a0 After all, there are many who lived brave and exemplary lives and who died even braver agonized deaths.\u00a0\u00a0 While we have Mel Gibson on our minds, just look at his portrayal of William Wallace in the movie Braveheart. <\/em>Wallace was a man who lived a life of bravery at the extreme, and who died a death of bravery to the max.<\/p>\n

I must therefore conclude that just because Jesus lived a life of bravery and died a heinous death of torture this alone is not why his life and death have become the pivotal point in all history.\u00a0\u00a0 After all, we have already stated that many have lived exemplary lives and died heinous, and torturous deaths.<\/p>\n

But Jesus paid an unthinkable price for us. He \u2013 God \u2013 took on sin and died for us.<\/p>\n

Why?<\/p>\n

Is it enough that I live a nice life? \u00a0 That I don\u2019t do too many bad things and try to live like a \u201cnice Christian\u201d should? That I try to be a nice neighbor, and a half-descent friend to those that I like around me? \u00a0 That I try to be good as long as I live and then have a nice little life insurance package with the \u201cbig guy\u201d when it is feierabend and I start pushing lilies?<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Come on, get real!\u00a0\u00a0 I know many people who are nicer, friendlier, live more Christ-like lives, and make much better neighbors and friends, and hands-down are much more devout men and women who are Hindus, Muslims and Buddhists than many who call themselves followers of Jesus Christ. \u00a0 Many of these people exhibit more of what we would refer to as the \u201cfruits of the Spirit\u201d in their lives than many Bible touting believers do.<\/p>\n

So, why did Jesus (God) pay such an unbelievable price for us? \u00a0 I am convinced that there is a lot more than just the nice little cozy lives that we want to live. \u00a0 Jesus didn\u2019t die so that I can be a happy, reasonably well adjusted \u201cmister nice guy\u201d, or so that I can have a nice American life.<\/p>\n

Why the \u201celephants and vindictive Jesus\u201d<\/em> header?\u00a0\u00a0 Most people think of Chiang Mai as the Mecca of traditional tribal markets, the old walled city, trekking trips into the mountains, or elephant rides.\u00a0\u00a0 Last evening I was checking out the night bazaar (for knockoffs as mentioned above), and had the evening disturbed by some man yelling in a staccato monotone in English on one of the street corners \u2013 he was obviously occidental, and according to his accent, American.\u00a0\u00a0 He was standing in a white shirt with a BIG leather-bound Bible tucked under his arm. \u00a0 It was what he was barking at the crowd that burdened my soul and made me feel sick inside and for which I began apologizing to God on the man\u2019s behalf.\u00a0\u00a0 He was machine-gun firing scripture verses at the crowd \u2013 Jesus, the vindictive God. \u00a0 Presumably he was trying to convict the expat. tourists, I\u2019m not sure.\u00a0\u00a0 At any rate, all my spirit could groan was \u201cGod, I am so sorry.\u00a0\u00a0 This is never what you meant Jesus to be\u201d.\u00a0\u00a0 How can we make such a mockery of Jesus before the unsaved world? \u00a0 As God\u2019s scathing words to Israel through Isaiah, is it because of us that God\u2019s name is mocked and blasphemed?<\/p>\n

I am sure that my friend on the street corner saw himself as a modern-day Old Testament prophet or something.\u00a0\u00a0 I am sure that he had all of the best of intentions and most likely loves Jesus.\u00a0\u00a0 But, oh the mockery.\u00a0\u00a0 Where is our heart of compassion? How can we ever, ever be Jesus to a desperately seeking world full of lost, longing souls if we don\u2019t even know Jesus\u2019 heart ourselves?\u00a0\u00a0 How can we scream at them of a vindictive God when they are so desperately longing for a soul-cleansing and healing Christ?<\/p>\n

So, why did God pay such a high price in Jesus?\u00a0\u00a0 Think about it and let him speak to your spirit through his Spirit.<\/p>\n

Okay, I must pack and head for Fang.\u00a0\u00a0 Tempus fugit.<\/p>\n

Until next time\u2026<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

So, did I get your attention?\u00a0\u00a0 I intended to do just that, and I will return at some point in today\u2019s ramblings to the header.\u00a0\u00a0 However, the main question on my mind right now is \u201cwhy did Jesus die\u201d?\u00a0\u00a0 I will return to that at some point as well in my meanderings through today\u2019s session […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ngg_post_thumbnail":0},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vitwministries.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/492"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vitwministries.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vitwministries.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vitwministries.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vitwministries.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=492"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/www.vitwministries.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/492\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":502,"href":"https:\/\/www.vitwministries.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/492\/revisions\/502"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vitwministries.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=492"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vitwministries.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=492"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vitwministries.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=492"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}