The Tao of Pop-Culture

THE TAO OF POP-CULTURE

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This is a real chat between co-workers discussing a situation at a real company. All names have been substituted with [Generic] words that describe their function. The chat transcript has been changed to resemble Plato's form of the dialogue, it's participants with names from Plato's 'Republic': The Cave

Glaucon: please back me up on my last

Socrates: ??

Glaucon: check your Email
Glaucon: [Management] is on his, 'how can [The Software] lose sales' kick
Socrates: oh, i already told him
Socrates: long story short, they brought you in because [The Customer] freaked out on me when i told him the file was gone
Socrates: [The $%#!@] wanted it 'escalated'
Socrates: they just wanted you to confirm my work because it was....'escalated'
Glaucon: ya but there are underlying issues with [The Software] and redundancies that needs to be addressed
Glaucon: and yes feeling the pain about being overworked now ... lol
Socrates: it's [The Company] man
Socrates: it's standard operating procedure
Socrates: hahah
Glaucon: ha
Socrates: they talk about the glory days of [The Company], the 'gilded age'
Socrates: but i remember when they had our feet under the fire every three months
Glaucon: omg all the time
Socrates: [The Company] has always been, and always will be kray-kray
Glaucon: I have told [Management] like 100x to call [Person who can help] to do an L1 training and if she wanted too much I would undercut it just to get these people trained to know what to ask
Socrates: nope
Socrates: it's much better to have a situation that's totally reactive
Glaucon: lol
Socrates: you remember the movie the fifth element
Glaucon: ya
Socrates: remember the speech with zorg, about destruction
Socrates: the order out of chaos
Socrates: it is the philosophy of the destroyer, the black hole that kills souls, sucking the light of life out of it
Socrates: this is the monster that orbits our reality, and why it will always and forever will be, kray-kray

Socrates: management and executives are people that somehow exist on it

Glaucon: lol
Socrates: they feed off it, because it rewards obedience
Socrates: like servants of the nothing, the destroyer from the never ending story
Socrates: they help it along, assist it
Socrates: even though they are in the process of being devoured by it. [The Office] by its nature is inherently violent; mentally and spiritually
Socrates: and won't change
Socrates: so no, there will be no training to make things easier. k? Mhhh, k!
Glaucon: lol ... and [Management] wonders why I keep saying no about moving out there no matter how enticing he makes it ... lol
Socrates: yeah, you're like rowdy rodney piper, and i'm the black guy, and we're the one's who can see
Socrates: 'weeee got one who can SseeeEE!'
Socrates: haha
Glaucon: lol
Socrates: run man, ruuuuuuuun!
Socrates: for you LIIIIIiiiiiffffFFFFFEEEEeeeEEE!!!!
Glaucon: is typing...
Glaucon: ok time to play WoW

Global Jubilee?

Bloggers Note: I was reading through Leviticus and thought Chapter 25:8-55 was particularly prescient and applicable to our world today. I wondered what kind of blessing would be poured out on the world if it was applied globally. I also wondered if anyone else had a similar idea. I did a google search for Global Jubilee and I found this article. I thought it was wonderful, so instead of reinventing the wheel I decided to repost it here. Enjoy!

No Global Jubilee
By Wilfred Hahn ((Eternal Value Review)

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The Global Financial Crisis (GFC) of the past few years has ravaged many households. Millions are living in dire conditions not dissimilar to those experienced in the time of the 1930s Great Depression. Over 42 million American households today rely upon food stamps.1 That is an increase of 44% since the start of the GFC (considered to be early September 2008 when the firm of Lehman Brothers collapsed). One of the busiest times of the month for Wal-mart is now early in the morning on the first day of the month, when the food stamp cards are transactionable.

The GFC is not over; it is still morphing through various stages. Lately, financial troubles are ripping through parts of Europe. Much more trouble surely lies ahead elsewhere. The GFC indeed could represent a preliminary phase of the global economic travails that ultimately manifest in the final economic collapses detailed in the book of Revelation. However, events can unfold in unexpected and deceitful ways. A deceptive aspect of the times is that even as many more people have fallen into difficult circumstance, perhaps losing all or a considerable part of their savings in the real estate crash, the wealthy seem to be doing fine. Yes, many wealthy people also suffered loss throughout the GFC. However, as a group, they nevertheless today account for a greater share of national wealth than likely ever before in America’s history. According to one recent estimate, the richest 20% of all U.S. households now account for 84% of all wealth.2 Another survey dating back to 2006 data, focusing on the top 0.01% (1 hundredth of 1%) of the U.S. population, shows this group earning 976 times the income of the bottom 90%. That ratio by far exceeds the extremes of 1928, the last peak period of an extreme wealth distribution in the U.S. Therefore, even while we see luxury goods in high demand today, we also observe that the majority of households have reduced their overall spending … even on staple goods.

We live in a period of time where the financial world has become decoupled from the real world. In other words, the realm of financial wealth and asset markets has become its own master, seeking to insulate itself from the real-life underpinnings of the day-to-day world of labor, income and massive household indebtedness. Today, rather than money being in the service of mankind, societies have been taken into the bondage of servicing money. Whenever such a state of affairs has occurred in past history, it has ultimately led to a demise of that society. Unless things change, this same outcome is likely to befall America, Canada and a host of other countries. In fact, today these conditions impact the entire world, not just individual countries. The globalized financial edifice is looting entire countries, progressively forcing governments to appropriate taxpayer monies to bailout banks and global sovereign bond markets.

The Façade of Rich Hopes

The topic of wealth … should we even discuss it? According to the prophet Amos, perhaps we shouldn’t. He said: “Therefore the prudent man keeps quiet in such times, for the times are evil” (Amos 5:13). To have any opinion on the accumulation of riches in these times is to be branded of a particular political persuasion—perhaps Democrat, Republican, Libertarian … even a Socialist or a Communist. It is a particularly treacherous topic in North America. Why? Because the ideas of opportunity for all … the freedom to excel … property rights … human rights … etc. … run deep. These represent the very foundation of the American Way. It is not that any of these notions are unreasonable or reprehensible. They should be upheld. However, along the way, the object of worship has changed. The focus has turned from these ideas to the acquisition of money and wealth itself—in short: greed and humanistic materialism.

None of these comments are meant to support any one particular political view. They are simply Biblical statements of fact which confirm the vulnerabilities of the human heart to corruption. We are therefore speaking here of human affections, not political philosophies.

Capitalism and Other Views Not Sanctified

For some, the objective of the maximization of wealth is a religion itself… an “ism.” Anything that would stand in the way of this Mammon edifice must be struck down and removed. To them, money exists for its own sake. All policies of state and matters of human life must be in subservience to increasing wealth. And so, increasingly for the entire world, wealth has been transformed into a highly visible financial form, one that is narrow and deceiving.

Without naming names or politicizing the views being expressed here, it is very evident that many rich and powerful individuals, the corporate sector represented by the large multinational corporations, as well as the parasitic financial community (collectively referred to as Wall Street), are run by the interests of money. They have tremendous influence and lobby hard to continue the pursuit of even more wealth. That societies may be crumbling; that the global economic standing of entire nation states is being sacrificed; that an ever larger portion of humanity is being enslaved are just part of the competitive scoring game.  Quoting Dr. Michael Hudson, in America: "We are dealing with shameless demagogy. The financial End Time has arrived. […] The argument is made that ‘The rich create jobs.’ After all, somebody has to build the yachts. What is missing is the more general principle: Wealth and income inequality destroy job creation. This is because beyond the wealthy soon reach a limit on how much they can consume. They spend their money buying financial securities – mainly bonds, which end up indebting the economy. And the debt overhead is what is pushing today’s economy into deepening depression." 3

Being or becoming wealthy is not a sin, though few are able to remain untainted by its influence. On the other hand, desiring to be wealthy or to oppress others in the effort to attain or preserve wealth is a sin. Such motives, if not curtailed, lead to destruction, as the Bible outlines. In fact, it could be considered a physical law that applies to anything that draws the affections of mankind. “[…] Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs” (1 Timothy 6:10). Today, we see ample evidence of the destructive trends of wealth hoarding at work.

The Bible’s View on Today

Let’s allow the Bible to speak of the indictments and judgments that applied to Israel and Judah during similar times of elitism and economic oppression. Please read these statements and compare them to conditions evident in our day: Son of man, say to the land […], There is a conspiracy of her princes within her like a roaring lion tearing its prey; they devour people, take treasures and precious things and make many widows within her. […] Her officials within her are like wolves tearing their prey; they shed blood and kill people to make unjust gain. […] The people of the land practice extortion and commit robbery; they oppress the poor and needy and mistreat the alien, denying them justice (Ezekiel 22:24-25, 27, 29). Hear this word, you cows of Bashan on Mount Samaria, you women who oppress the poor and crush the needy and say to your husbands, ‘Bring us some drinks!’ (Amos 4:1). ‘So I will come near to you for judgment. I will be quick to testify against sorcerers, […] against those who defraud laborers of their wages, who oppress the widows and the fatherless, and deprive aliens of justice, but do not fear me,’ says the LORD Almighty (Malachi 3:5). For I know how many are your offenses and how great your sins. You oppress the righteous and take bribes and you deprive the poor of justice in the courts (Amos 5:12). Woe to those who plan iniquity, to those who plot evil on their beds! At morning’s light they carry it out because it is in their power to do it. They covet fields and seize them, and houses, and take them. They defraud a man of his home, a fellowman of his inheritance” (Micah 2:1-2). Do any of the conditions or attitudes exemplified in the Spirit-inspired statements of the prophets cited above, apply in our day? Most readers will likely agree.

Moreover, an attitude of rapaciousness and an incessant striving for gain is rampant. Attitudes such as these were also spoken against by the prophets. Consider Nahum indicting the brutal Assyrians, saying, “You have increased the number of your merchants till they are more than the stars of the sky, but like locusts they strip the land and then fly away” (Nahum 3:16). Today, avaricious actions such as these take different forms. For example, a company is taken over, its assets stripped, laborers downsized, and then it is laden up with debt to pay out gains to its acquirers. Not only do actions such as these undermine the strength of these companies, but also entire nations. As well, the obsession of multiplying wealth for its own sake, was also deplored by the prophets. Said Isaiah: “Woe to you who add house to house and join field to field till no space is left and you live alone in the land” (Isaiah 5:8). We see here that the objective of gaining wealth—of piling up and hoarding riches—is not to be the leitmotif of life. The incessant striving for “growth and increase” virtually ensures that a large number of poor will result, destroying society.

Points to Ponder

This writer believes that the conditions of materialism and economic oppression witnessed today—even in such advanced nations as the U.S., Canada and others—is at least as rampant as during the times that the prophets sounded the warnings and indictments against Judah and Israel. The divide between the rich and poor has become extreme. No Jubilee Year is practiced as in ancient times of the Hebrews, where all liabilities are forgiven and the forces of exponential gain are again reset to zero. (“In this Year of Jubilee, everyone is to return to his own property” (Leviticus 25:13)).  In today’s world driven by global materialism, there is no rebalancing of wealth and property other than through eventual calamitous financial busts and economic depressions.

To date, global leaders and finance ministers from the major nations have no answer to the Global Financial Crisis other than to reshuffle debt and to shift liabilities upon governments and aging populations. There is no possibility of a voluntary Jubilee Year. The net result is even greater financial slavery for the average citizen; even greater relative wealth of the “haves.” Yes, some leaders speak of a return to “stewardship” and stopping the march into greater indebtedness. However, for the most part, societies and their leaders will opt for policies that seem the lightest ... that promise deferral of the ultimate consequences, even if only for a period of months.
But surely, the judgments that were carried out against Israel and Judah for their economic sins could never happen to the U.S. or Canada, for example. Many refuse to believe that today’s generation will not be absolved of its idolatries and sins, on the good credit of prior generations that may have founded their nation upon Christian principles. Or, they may think themselves impervious to judgment because of the great evangelical outreaches and good deeds to the rest of the world that were birthed in their country.

They forget the lessons of ancient Israel and Judah and the principle illustrated in Ezekiel 18. Here Ezekiel provides a detailed illustration of the accountabilities of fathers and sons, concluding that each generation must answer for its own conduct. For example, the sins of the son cannot be absolved on the strengths of the good deeds of the father. Says Ezekiel: “For every living soul belongs to me, the father as well as the son—both alike belong to me. The soul who sins is the one who will die” (Ezekiel 18:4-5). As such, the immoral and evil conditions that we witness today will be accounted to the current generation. God is faithful, a respecter of no one. As Apostle Paul observed, “The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life” (Galatians 6:8).

Living in this dispensation upon earth, great and wonderful promises have been given to us in addition to salvation. While the world becomes mired in its humanistic materialism, losing everything, we can translate what we have into eternal riches, “where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal” (Matthew 6:20), gaining everything. “I tell you, use worldly wealth to gain friends for yourselves, so that when it is gone, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings” (Luke 16:9).

Revealing Heaven: A Book Review of Sorts

Something has been occurring to me over the past 7 months where a series of patterns and events have coalesced into one theme; God is speaking about his home and our future lives. I'm not sure if this is your experience, perhaps this could be one link in the chain of events leading down a similar path, but I have been guided overwhelmingly to works about Heaven. It started back in January when I heard a broadcast on Haven Today with Todd Burpbo, who had recently published a book about his son's experience in Heaven: Heaven is for Real. I went out and bought the book the same day.

Shortly after I stumbled across another book; Nine Days in Heaven. It is a re-write of a book published in 1848 where Marietta Davis experienced an amazing vision of heaven. There was much more detail about Heaven than in young Burpbo's account and her vision on the spiritual events that took place after the death of Christ is the most spectacular I have ever read. After reading that book I then came across another work, another and then another. What I started to notice is that each book revealed similar details. Instead of contradicting each other they built on each other, like harmonic layers, giving me a multi-dimensional picture of what Heaven is going to be like. Each book is annotated with scripture to support the vision as authentic, meaning that it does not deviate from the inspired Word. None of this proves the works are inspired of God, or that I was being led by God to them. I concede, I have no concrete proof to show this was the case. What I can tell you is that there was something more going on inside my soul while reading these books. It was the soulish response that piqued my interest. While reading them my soul was refreshed, encouraged and inspired. Many of the books are lined with my tears. It provoked intense longing and hope, and invigorated my works in the world. For example, I notice that I give generously and spontaneously with more joy, and when I perceive a wrong I pray to God and declare I forgive that person. In other words, these books in conjunction with scripture and daily teaching quickened my soul and had real world effect.

But why is this happening now? From my experience, works dealing with Heaven are usually in the realm of the New Age and the message varies from author to author, giving only a broad scope admonishment to 'love more' from a vague light. Christians by nature tend to shun these kind of works, but more and more of these books are coming from evangelical Christians. And in some cases they have been having these experiences for several decades and just now told by the Spirit to publish them. The fact is that increasing numbers of Christians have been having this experience over a span of 160 years and what they recall independently corroborates actual places in heaven and does not deviate from the main message; Heaven is real, it's better than you can ever imagine, God loves you more than you can ever know and Jesus is the way to get there!

While I have read many books on the subject of Heaven that have profound spiritual depth, there is one book that stands out among them: Revealing Heaven by Kat Kerr. For starters, it's the only book I have read that actually comes with pictures of what she saw, but it also provided a reason for why works on Heaven from Christian sources are flooding the world:

"This is a glimpse into Eternity! Prepare to read. Prepare to be forever changed. Prepare people of Earth, for in the year 2007, God is REVEALING HEAVEN!"

I can certainly testify to this fact. Unlike the other books, Revealing Heaven also comes with third party accounts of the people who were touched in tangible ways by her visitations to Heaven. How is this any different than someone like John Edward's Crossing Over, who also provides 'proofs' of his contact with the dead? For starters, these people aren't dead and she makes it clear that she did not have contact with them, but was allowed to observe. Another distinguishing factor is that the people still on this earth were not aware that Kat existed. They are not people in an audience seeking her out, nor is the evidence merely anecdotal; meaning she related vague events that happened in the past. She is merely relating what she observed about the loved one in Heaven, and the observations correlated to reality. In one case, there is an actual letter written by a young girl who moved on that corroborates Kat's visitation a decade before the person's passing.  That's on a level John Edwards could only dream of reaching. That's only something the Lord of space and time can orchestrate. However, it's not just the evidence that points to the validity of her account that I found impactful. Outside of the more concrete aspects of the book, it also helps illuminate who God is, how much he loves us and how much FUN heaven is going to be! This is by far the most important aspect that makes Kat's book stand apart from the others. It was just plain FUN to read and it treads where other books won't go; getting into depth about the structures of Heaven like the mansions, centers of learning, movie houses and even amusement parks.

I consider myself a spiritual person who loves God. Imperfect, to be sure, but earnest in my desire and appreciation for the Gift of the Blood of the Lamb. I can only speak to my own experience, but sometimes I get so caught up in my pursuit of spiritual knowledge that I sometimes become severe, and unfortunately assume that as the only characteristic of God's personality. And while it is important to study so as to not be deceived and consider the content with sound counsel, I had hesitation accepting that there might be spiritual desserts too. And the book truly is a treat. I am glad that Heaven has roller coasters, movies theaters, homes, gardens of light, and best of all access to the throne room of God from anywhere in Heaven by riding the visible light of worship! Wow! (Ever since I was little I always wanted to put color to sound as it was being produced - I now know that thought was inspired by Heaven.)

I don't just like it because I want my ears tickled and want something that is familiar, rather, it speaks to the tremendous love God has for us in that he does not denigrate our creations, the things that we as people LOVE to do, but has taken what we have made (even in a fallen state) and put those things into Glory. God, through Kat, has taken my conception of him to a higher level than I could have imagined. I suddenly understood that the problem of my tendency to reject something that did not fit my conception of 'holy' was my lack of understanding the depth of God's love and respect he has for his children and the multitude of ways he communicates it. It also made me revisit verses and consider them within a new context:

Mark 10:15: Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it.” (I don't know about you, but I loved going to Disneyland as a child, so personally, I look forward to the amusement park)


1 Corinthians 1:25: For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men. (An amusement park in heaven was definitely a foolish idea, but given my new understanding about the nature of God, it is wiser than I could have imagined - and I am glad his ways are higher. My Heaven would have been boring!)

Books that are non-descript, such as Heaven is for Real and the most recent Flight to Heaven, are very comfortable. They are mainly about the story of how they had their experience and then how it affected their life afterward. Heaven is only mentioned briefly and rather vaguely.There is nothing about these books that moves anybody outside of their comfort zone, except that it appeals directly to the saving power of Jesus and emphasizes our need for him. However, I believe all these books are meant to reach the people who are deceived by the new age, or begin to open Christians mind to the possibility that God is allowing Heaven to be revealed. Paul states in 2 Corinthians 12:2-4:

"I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows. And I know that this man was caught up into paradise—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows— and he heard things that cannot be told, which man may not utter."

Could it be that Paul lived in a time when there were no words available to describe the world of Heaven and that is why no man could utter it? The Whorf Hypothesis does state that "The principle of linguistic relativity holds that the structure of a language affects the ways in which its speakers are able to conceptualize their world". We live in an age where we have words that help conceptualize the world of Heaven; we are aware of relativity, multiple dimensions, plasma, et cetera.  Aside from having the necessary scientific lexicon readily available to the layperson, I secretly wonder if Heaven is being revealed at this time because the end of the age is close and God is letting these things out now to help revitalize our hearts and remind us that no matter what the New World Order is offering, it cannot compare to the world that Christ, through his blood, opened to us. Or maybe the book is not only for us, maybe it is for those who go through the tribulation. Could it be these books will give the end times believer the courage to not take the mark and lose their heads? I don't know and I'm not a prophet, it's just an interesting thought.

Revealing Heaven is bold, simple, spiritually and scripturally sound and grand in scope. It will challenge the cerebral Christian and those who cling closely to the more worldly application of scripture. However, the reader will have to make up their own mind if they believe her or not. I for one, do. Revealing Heaven does not have a broad appeal (yet), but it will be there when people are ready to peek behind the curtain. If you are curious, please visit Kat Kerr's website and order the book. You will not regret it. I also urge you to buy a CD as well. Hearing the honesty in her voice will assuage any doubts you may have about her and buying the books and CDs goes directly to her ministry, which is a wonderful and specific vision. Also, please remember to pray for Kat. As she gains in popularity there will be increasing verbal and spiritual violence against her that will come from the more dogmatic and self-assured Christians. I can tell you, it is undeserved. I applaude her courage and look foward to the coming installments.

Peace and Blessings, Always!

PS - I do not know Kat, anyone in her family or friends. I have no association with her or her ministry, and am not receiving any payment for the endoresment.