FROM THE BARREL OF MY PEN
By Jun Policarpio

BEWARE OF THE SIN OF ENVY

A live television microphone caught Rev. Jesse Jackson while waiting for an interview badmouthing Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama to a fellow television guest heard round the world. I think the former presidential candidate and first Black to run for the White House behaves like typical Filipino losers towards another Filipino aspiring for higher public office. The usual cause for such frail human reaction is the insidious sin of envy direct from the bloodline of Cain.

The element of envy is both ungodly and satanic. It is the prime characteristic of Lucifer who became envious of God and tried to usurp His throne. He failed and turned from being the most beautiful angel in heaven to be the ugliest fallen angel named Satan.

Because of envy, a person steals, kills, and lies. Cain killed his younger brother Abel because he thought Abel was God’s favorite. King Saul tried to kill David because of David’s rising popularity due to his many victories in war. Joseph’s brethren sold him to the slave traders because they perceived him to be their father’s favorite.

The annals of crime will show envy to be the root cause of most murders and other sins. For an envious heart to be cleansed, a person really needs to be reborn spiritually.

Spiritual rebirth cannot be bought with material wealth. A person has to ask God for it to be born again. It is mysterious and cannot be explained mathematically or scientifically.

The first requirement to undergo the experience of being born again spiritually is faith. A person without the element of faith in God is a hopeless case unless a miracle happens like what happened to Saul of Tarsus, a persecutor of Christians. On the road to Damascus, according to a biblical account, Christ appeared to him and Saul became blind. Christ gave him specific instructions to regain his sight. So the former Saul, the Christian hater, became Paul, the greatest and last of Christ’s apostle, when he obeyed Christ’s instructions faithfully that made him see again.

Back to Rev. Jackson’s unfortunate comments against a fellow Black political leader, it may not constitute the element of envy yet. I really don’t know what caused it. But the former civil rights leader and Martin Luther King’s contemporary needs to cut the re-emerging old human nature that is sinful.

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junpolicarpio@gmail.com

FROM THE BARREL OF MY PEN
By Jun Policarpio


2008 AMERICAN PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS: HERO V. COWARD

July 4th 2008 should be the most opportune time for us all Americans to consider who between the two presidential candidates, Republican John McCain and Democrat Barack Obama, is the better leader of the most powerful and richest country in the world.

Rivers of American blood have been shed to claim independence from England during the American Revolutionary period and oceans of the same precious blood of our American troops have flowed during the first and second world wars in our fight to protect our independence and liberty from totalitarian regimes.

Our first American patriots did not sacrifice their battle cry: taxation without representation is tyranny. They revolted and fought hard with their precious lives and won American Independence.

Our military and political leaders did not compromise with the enemies of democracy to save the world from dictatorship and tolitarianism then spearheaded by such countries as Germany, Italy, Japan, China, and former Soviet Union. Our country, the United States of America, is the only superpower in the world today committed to promote the spirit of freedom and democracy.

Now, it’s Islamic terrorism that threatens world peace and security. 9/11 is a day to always remember that a small group of Islamic Jihadists burning with hatred toward freedom-loving people can be so destructive. Intelligence reports have identified that Iran has assumed the role as main sponsor of Islamic terrorism following the fall of Iraq and Afghanistan.

Iran’s main strategy, I believe, to counter the spread of democracy in Iraq and Afghanistan initiated by the Bush Administration is to support an anti-war movement in the United States demanding a quick withdrawal of American troops from Iraq and Afghanistan. A retreat and surrender would no doubt hasten the fall of the pro-democracy regimes now in place in both countries.

Put 2 and 2 together and you got 4. In short, Republican Candidate McCain favors a victory in the war against the Islamic terrorists and insurgents whereas Democratic Candidate Obama calls for a withdrawal of our American forces fighting the enemies.

You may now tell me who between the two candidates is the hero and who is the coward.

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