The Joshua Tree

 

I know the Joshua Tree in passing but do not really know its significance. Having read two people I look up to mentioning it this time made me curious. Wiki says "The name Joshua tree was given by a group of Mormon settlers who crossed the Mojave Desert in the mid-19th century. The tree's unique shape reminded them of a Biblical story in which Joshua reaches his hands up to the sky in prayer."

I think I have seen one but it turns out similar and different at the same time. Probably what I seen is another palm tree specie for the tropics like in Palau.

With the Mormons I know their leader supposed to have received commandments from God and he wrote their own texts like a Bible. Thing is the leader has many wives and consequently his successors. Which is in direct conflict with what the Bible says. The ancient texts are in congruent with each other and if it is really from God, it would lead you to good work. Like we talked before the qualities of leader in the Bible. If the leader is corrupted, the pillars are to collapse.

1 Timothy 3
1 This is a true saying, if a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work.    2 A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach; 3 Not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre; but patient, not a brawler, not covetous; 4 One that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity; 5 (For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?) 6 Not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil. 7 Moreover he must have a good report of them which are without; lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil. See related post:

http://lukasabridged.blogspot.com/2015/05/how-to-elect-leader.html

With the Moslems, we have discussed before that these are misunderstood texts. Four wives means women will be disadvantaged. Which should not be because they are the weaker sex. Wives means books in this commandment. How many books you have when you study?

1 man 4 wives
That is in Islam but if I were to interpret this using the essence of the Bible, this is about a man studying knowledge and he has to cross reference other books to be clearer. Not to be taken literally in my opinion. I think the guide when you study the Bible, or other books for that matter, is that to take into consideration the three things I am reiterating - intuition, logic and heart. One woman is already a handful, what more if you have two or more? People should open their eyes to logic, science and technology to destroy established dogmas and traditions.

http://lukasabridged.blogspot.com/2015/03/these-days-3.html

If you want to truly learn you will consult more than 4 books. Just the same when you search in google, you click more than one link. I am a book lover you see I have a mini-library with books I have not read and some are To read and some To be continued and some Not reading. There's truth in what they say as Too many books, Too little time.

In cross-referencing, sometimes TV can get you hooked with books. I watched Season 1 of Game of Thrones on HBO and continued the story on the books. You see with faces on the names and places, its easier to visualize the books. I guess I will have marathon viewing of GoT from Season 2 up to the current.

The last time I had marathon viewing was the Samurai X. Man you have to see Kenshin versus Shogo Amakusa. Kenshin is a man of peace and in a turbulent and transitioning era in Japan after the Civil war, he used the reversed-edged sword to teach people. Not to kill them. Just noticed Amakusa is roughly translated in Filipino as He is my father. Which means I am the antagonist?

That is why I am happy. You see here plenty of kids and that you know they will have stricter standards means they will have smarter kids. Because they will follow the guide. That is the progression were looking for. Fellow book lovers are my kindred spirits.