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America Under Attack
Sermon by Bob Benchoff 10/25/01
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Christmas is just two months away at the time of writing this sermon. It is a hectic time of merriment and celebration; a time of thinking of others, visiting others, presents for others, remembering how much our creator and leader Jesus Christ gave for us, and celebrating how much Jesus Christ continues to give.
Thanksgiving is next month, a traditional feast: families, friendly get togethers, exchanges of recipes, and appreciation of this land's founding fathers.
As Christ taught us, we need to reach out to others for their benefit. This leads to the glorification of Christ. As the founding fathers of United States taught by example, we need to feast with friends and others, such as the Pilgrims with the Indians in United States, of which Indians are traced the original founding fathers of the land.
As generally agreed among USA citizens, and as indicated by it's laws of the land, we need to reach out compassionately to help people join together in united joy.
This includes our not offending of Americans living beyond USA borders, such as for instance Mexicans, or Puerto Ricans (although Puerto Rico is a USA possession).
Careless words affect us all. If we mean to say USA, let's not say America, let's say USA. If we mean to say America, let's remember that the word America includes more than USA.
Distinguishing language, such as North America and South America will expectedly become more important as civilization advances.
Peace hardly stems from verbal abuse. Let's have peace within USA, and let's have peace within the Americas. Things we do affect many others for years to come.
We can relax with friends, yet we need to strive to see things from their point(s) of view. We might agree or disagree with them, yet the idea remains that we need to have others rejoice with our point of view following Christ, for their benefit.
This can include things for our personal benefit.
Idealogically our friends are always with us, so strangers need our help the most.
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America is under attack. Let's try to not be it's attackers.
Puerto Rico has repeatedly voted to not become a USA state. Why?
Mexico went bankrupt, yet chose to not become a USA possession. Why?
Leadership starts at home, with yourself, with Holy perfection. Do people follow you only when you control them (such as a boss or an officer)? Why?
Why doesn't your boss follow you? Why doesn't your boss always see your leadership, responsibility, creativity, helpfullness, success, and other good qualities?
Why don't other nations see our good qualities?
You chose to read this sermon (which is for the glorification of Christ), so I forgive you (even if you are Christ and do not need forgiveness); go and do likewise. Go and do likewise preaching the acceptable year of the Lord, and to those who listen to you, offer forgiveness and redemption from sins.
When people do a good job, reward them, when people offer kindness, return kindness. Do all you can, be all you can be.
If you are given authority, use it wisely. If that within your authority is under attack, weigh your responsibilities; with counsel, if appropriate.
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This sermon is not simply about philosophy or education, but it is about vital and immediate action; severe action if necessary. It is about technical precision. It is about preparing and having capabilities in place and available at a moment's notice. It is about being ready.
Vengence, retaliation, and intent to do harm have no place in this sermon.
America was attacked, so if you are in charge of America pursuant to that, did that which is under your authority reasonably act properly according to the above ideas? If not, deal with that issue; or if yes, all good and proper under your authority, deal with that issue.
If there is sufficient time, deal with any internal issues first, before dealing with others outside of America.
Focus on the solution, the goal. Offer good and fair treatment, even if what you offer is an advocacy system. Discern between logical goodness, and freedom goodness, and offer such appropriately according to the user's application needs and concerns.
Don't just give to them; give them something they can use and appreciate. Don't just offer; let them be able to receive with joy and friendship. Give them that which they'll treasure and protect. Give them yourself according to these criteria.
Giving of yourself, only to be cast into slavery may be, but generally can hardly be considered, as fitting into the "treasure and protect" criteria stated above. In other words, if they are just going to disgard you and/or kill you, and not take you seriously, and not follow you and/or your way on the path toward perfection, then that type of giving is hardly a solution. This is not an excuse for cowardice. More importantly, losing is hardly the path to mission success.
Remember to focus on the sum of your authority in such matters. To reasonably completely overcome an attack on America, you only need to accomplish the minimum necessary to achieve success. Anything extra should be considered separately, such as perhaps ongoing augmented controls, support, and/or other.
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If you can thwart an attacker using very little, then there can hardly be a need to sacrifice more, unless separate additional criteria apply.
You may want to make a checklist of the ideas in this sermon, or you may want to make a checklist of itemized areas pertaining to your authority responsibilities, as a preparedness measure. Emotions are good, unless they disrupt good works. A list may help you overcome emotional discord for you and/or others in times of distress, and may clarify response parameters.
The best plan gives the most at the least, if any, cost. The best plan gives the most at the greatest profit for everyone, for the greater glory of Christ.
The best plan increases grace and freedom. The best plan is kind and charitable, not dealing with force. The best plan comes not from government control, but from the governed; from those having the least authority.
Idealogically, if people in mental hospitals and/or prisons, afflicted with sick minds, unite in the good cause of helping America, then the benefits are multiplied far more than if healthy smart people simply follow orders. This is presented to you to help you formulate a useful and practical priority list and prayer.
Get the important priorities organized first, and the other matters will more easily fit into place. Build on logic, grow in love, help the disadvantaged, protect the innocent.
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Using good to overcome attacks on America means helping those involved. This is not to say that you should throw pearls before swine. People have great value, yet if some people choose to recklessly destroy, such people should be controlled, reduced in power and limited, to the extent necessary to the best of your ability according to the authority empowered and bestowed upon you.
Normally authority comes with normal expectations of decency and conduct. Traditional patterns generally govern many aspects for mutual good. Non-tratitional aspects rely more heavily on your ideas, including priorities.
These include stated or unstated time limitations. Time and/or other factors are helpful tools in gaining insight and perspective as to options.
Prior to, during, and after attacks, are priorities options clear? If not, costly decisions may ensue.
Prioritizing helps for delegating responsibilities to those suitable for such. This helps remove non-traditional problems for you, and places them on delegated experts used to easily handling such problems in the best way within their respective areas of authority. It is not about passing the buck, so to speak. Your authority includes responsibility for those under your authority.
Swift and righteous action are valuable features of the best plan. This means not dwelling in misery, but dealing with it and moving on to greater matters.
Creation is among top priorities. Your authority should focus on creation. If in a timely manner you (with your group of experts and others, as applicable) do not see a creation path to follow as related to a technical point, you focus on the next lower priority point. This is not about loss of principles, but is about fearless action to do that which is right in the best way available.
Having focused on the next lower priority, it may give reason to reconsider a higher priority, or act on the current priority, or if need be, consider the next lower priority.
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Many of the good things in life deal with everyday issues. As we strive to each do our part without hope of earthly reward, but of heavenly rewards for the greater glorification of Christ, we need to work toward perfection for others, not by force, but freely.
We need to change the concept of needful work, into the concept of joyous activities which unify people and motivate them to do good for others.
If America is to be attacked, start now to control the attack so that it is an attack of good tidings and prosperity; so that gifts are sent to you instead of bombs.
We had a war recently in Germany. In Berlin, the wall known as the Iron Curtain was attacked. We thank those courageous people for demonstrating to us what a war should be, as a minimum.
One person can make a difference. In China, one person influenced one other person by standing in front of an oncoming tank, causing the operator to stop the vehicle and thereby stop the procession.
In America, one person helped someone else.
You could be next.
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