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alliluyevas · 6 months ago

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book recommendations on mormon history?

oooh worm. very excited. I'm going to focus for now on what I would consider the best introduction books to Mormon history (of the ones I have read).

the number one book I would recommend for people who know little to nothing about Mormon history is American Zion: A New History of Mormonism by Benjamin Park. I think it is an excellent new entry to help fit a much-needed niche of "overview broad-brushstrokes history of Mormonism that is not written from an explicitly faithful perspective." (The author is LDS, but it's definitely written to appeal to secular audiences in a way that the other existing overview books which are mostly church-produced are not.) It goes from Joseph Smith all the way up until Mitt Romney, essentially.

If you want something that goes a little bit deeper and doesn't cover quite as much time, I actually would also recommend Dr. Park's other book, Kingdom of Nauvoo, which covers the period of Mormon settlement in Illinois from 1838-1846, including the advent of polygamy and Joseph Smith's assassination. The Nauvoo era is really interesting and arguably the most crucial period in very early (pre-Utah) Mormonism.

For a narrower focus within the Nauvoo era, American Crucifixion: The Murder of Joseph Smith and the Fate of the Mormon Church is also pretty good and is a very accessible read. Joseph Smith for President: The Prophet, The Assassins, and the Fight for American Religious Freedom covers a lot of the same ground. I would still recommend these books for Mormon history "beginners" because Joseph Smith's life and death is so pivotal.

In terms of reading more about Joseph Smith, I would recommend Fawn Brodie's biography No Man Knows My History, with some caveats. I think this is a beautifully written book and a lot of the scholarship does hold up, but a) it was written in the 1940s b) it was written by someone who was in the process of leaving Mormonism and definitely takes the position pretty stridently that He Made It All Up and it's controversial within Mormon history as a field because of that. There have been other biographies of JS written since Brodie: Dan Vogel's is good but extremely dense, and Richard Bushman's I have not read so I don't feel like I can recommend it. (Side note: I think it is very difficult to write biography about Joseph Smith because the question of whether or not the author believes he was a prophet and the subsequent question of whether or not the author believes he believed he was a prophet is really omnipresent. I don't think you can really evaluate his life and work without also evaluating the truth claims of Mormonism as a religion in a way that is not quite as true for subsequent church leaders.)

Speaking of subsequent church leaders, I would really strongly recommend Brigham Young: Pioneer Prophet by my former professor John Turner, who is really getting gassed up on this blog today, lol. Great bio of the man who shaped Mormonism more than anyone except Joseph Smith (and, arguably, just as much as Joseph Smith.) I actually think this would work fantastically as an overview too because Brigham Young joined the church very early so you basically get a front row seat from origins well into the Utah period.

I wish I had more intro recs about the Utah period or about Mormon women's history/polygamy, but a lot of what I've read on that is either really niche in focus or really dense, so I'm not sure it is a great place to start. That being said, if you want a female perspective on early Mormonism, you should read Mormon Enigma: Emma Hale Smith which is a biography of Joseph Smith's legal wife. It's a great book and was a really ground-breaking classic in Mormon history that imo totally changed the mainstream LDS narrative about Emma.

#mormonposting tag

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resonmalvo · 2 years ago

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My Moon Knight Season 2 ideas cause I lost trust to D+ Marvel TV after Secret Invasion

Oscar Isaac as Marc Spector/Steven Grant/Jake Lockley

Marc trying to have a normal life after the event of last season，but the shadow of Khonshu and the darkness from his past make this difficult.

May Calamawy as Layla El-Faouly

Layla finds herself in a dilemma，whether to become a superhero or just use her new power to do she used to do，and a vengeful force is dragging her back to Marc's life.

LaMonica Garrett as Raul Bushman

A merciless mercenary，one of the cause of Marc's trauma，he and Marc's path are going to be crossed again，and Bushman doesn't mind taking Marc out again if Marc blocks his way to what he wants.

Assaad Bouab as Jean-Paul“Frenchie”Duchamp

Frenchie is an old but estranged friend of Marc and Layla's，Marc felt guilty about him because of the catastrophic events of the past，and they have to reconnect because of an old enemy.

F. Murray Abraham as Khonshu

The God of Moon continues to manipulate Marc，Steven and Jake，but he needs to pay attention to a new supernatural threat

Joe Dempise as Jeffrey Wilde-Mogart

The brother of Anton Mogart，a arms dealer cartel leader in Madripoor，after the death of his brother，the fire of vengeance towards Marc and Layla let him make deals with two dangerous existences，one is a supernatural force，and the other is Raul Bushman

Amirah Vann as Gena Landers

A local cafe owner in London，a good friend of Jake，she's a widow with two kids，and is

currently struggling because of the lease. Jake is trying his best not to involve her into his own mess

Shaun Scott as Bertrand Crawley

A street performer in London，Jake's friend，promise Jake to look out for Steven and Marc when Jake is not in control of the body（and give their information to Jake），he's also a know-it-all，he knows what happened in the underworld of London

Rashida Jones as Dr. Andrea Sterman

Marc's therapist，she cares about Marc a lot，she guides Marc through his entire life trying to find the real cause of his trauma and his personality，she also devoted to build a therapy clinic for people who aren't wealthy enough to get help.

Julianne Nicholson as Scarlet Fasinera

The owner of the shelter where Marc volunteered to help，she's a kind， caring but mysterious woman，offering places for women who can't find a home，she also have many dark secrets from her past.

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kwebtv · 4 months ago

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Stand Up Comedian and Actor

Alan King (born Irwin Alan Kniberg; December 26, 1927 – May 9, 2004) Actor and comedian known for his biting wit and often angry humorous rants. King became well known as a Jewish comedian and satirist. He was also a serious actor who appeared in a number of films and television shows. King wrote several books, produced films, and appeared in plays. In later years he helped many philanthropic causes.

His Television Credits:

1974-1984 The Dean Martin Celebrity Roast as Himself

1980 Pinocchio's Christmas as Maestro Fire-Eater (voice)

1990 Thirtysomething episode "Prelude to a Bris" as Dr. Ben Teitelman

1990 Alan King: Inside the Comedy Mind Host and (producer)

1990 Great Performances - The World of Jewish Humor [8]

1991 The Golden Girls (1991); episode "Melodrama" (guest), as Mel Bushman, Blanche's On-Off Beau

1992 Blossom episode "Losing Your … Religion", as Rabbi Hyman Greenblatt

1993 Law & Order episode "Securitate" (guest) as Jonathan Shapiro

1995 The State (TV Series) The State's 43rd Annual All-Star Halloween Special as Himself

1998 Murphy Brown episode "Now You Can Say Goodbye" (guest) as God

1999 Chicago Hope episode "Big Hand for the Little Lady" (guest) as Larry Lensky

1999 Family Law episode "The Nanny" (guest) as Hy Adlin

2000 Family Guy episode "There's Something About Paulie" as The Don (voice)

(Wikipedia)

#Stand Up Comedian #Actor #TV #Alan King

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erinptah · 1 year ago

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thoughts on the comics villians of Moon Knight?

Is bushman overused? is he even a good foil to Marc?( I think so but see.. in the handbook he too had a father he saw as weak for letting their town/village be taken over by mercenaries so young Raul joined the mercenaries.... but do the ACTUAL COMICS mention this noooo)

Thoughts on comics Harrow? What about the sun king? Or the fact that show Harrow is a composite of the two?

What about all the evil therapists?

Bushman was a good foil to Marc early on, but he got overplayed, especially when the writers launched into the "he's dead -- oops, we brought him back!" cycle. At least it's not as bad as how much they've overplayed and recycled poor Randall.

Comics Harrow was totally forgettable. Only thought I remember having about him is "huh, the MCU really didn't take anything from this guy except the name."

Sun King had potential as a concept...alas, he was introduced in the Bemis run, where potential goes to die.

"Evil therapist" is such an exhausting cliche. I thought it worked well in the Lemire run, as just one part of the greater setup, but that's the only time. Having Dr. Sterman be a good person, and a competent supportive therapist, and in-touch with the specific weird needs of the superhero world, is so refreshing.

In general, I like it better when the MK villains have their own lives and goals going on that MK has to thwart, rather than "my driving goal in life is a fixation on making Marc Spector unhappy."

...although Reuben Davis struck a pretty good balance of "I do have a personal grudge against Marc, but it's just some extra flavoring on the side while I work on this zombie project." Forget bringing Randall back every other run, how's Reuben doing these days?

If you're counting characters who later got redeemed in the "villain" category, my favorite is the House of Shadows. If you're not, well, the evil boy band is hard to beat.

#Moon Knight #Ptah's inbox #Moon Knight comics

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ladywynne · 1 year ago

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📘 🦸‍♂️ for your marvel asks!

Thanks so much for the ask! ❤️ Sorry it took me so long to answer.

5. 📘In general, do you think it's worth it for MCU fans to check out the comics about movies they love?

Short answer - Yes : )

Having a little background really increased by enjoyment of The Marvels recently. I knew who the Prince was before he appeared, and the singing planet wasn't as confusing since I already knew his planet spoke in rhyme in the comics. I also understood who the Kree and Skrull were a million times better than I would have otherwise.

Comics can also really enrich the world you see onscreen. Think of Moon Knight. We only got the barest glimpse of Jake, and from that you would never know that he is a social guy, a cabbie. Even if the show changes him entirely from his comics persona, it's still nice to know about his friends, like Gena and her diner. Similarly, Bushman, who was only mentioned in the series, is a huge part of Marc's backstory.

I think one thing that holds people back from comics is the accessibility. There is no need to scrounge for print copies (unless you want to!). That can get expensive and some characters go back sixty years or more. Instead you can research and check out the best runs. There are synopses online, podcasts, and Marvel Unlimited, which I think will soon be included in a deal with Disney+.

6. 🦸‍♂️What is your most rewatchable Marvel movie?

For me, it has to be Dr. Strange. I love his origin movie. I gravitate toward fantasy so I enjoy the magical more than the tech-based heroes. It's also a really character-driven movie. Stephen Strange is not the same man at the end as we see at the beginning. I just really enjoy it.

Thank you, thank you again for sending this. It was super fun to answer!

#ask #marvel #comics #doctor strange #moon knight

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reasoningdaily · 2 years ago

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Ota Benga was kidnapped from what is now the Democratic Republic of Congo in 1904 and taken to the US to be exhibited. Journalist Pamela Newkirk, who has written extensively about the subject, looks at the attempts over the decades to cover up what happened to him.

More than a century after it drew international headlines for exhibiting a young African man in the monkey house, the Bronx Zoo in New York has finally expressed regret.

The Wildlife Conservation Society's apology for its 1906 exhibition of Ota Benga, a native of Congo, comes in the wake of global protests prompted by the videotaped police killing of George Floyd that again shone a bright light on racism in the United States.

During a national moment of reckoning, Cristian Samper, the Wildlife Conservation Society's president and CEO, said it was important "to reflect on WCS's own history, and the persistence of racism in our institution".

He vowed that the society, which runs the Bronx Zoo, would commit itself to full transparency about the episode which inspired breathless headlines across Europe and the United States from 9 September 1906 - a day after Ota Benga was first exhibited - until he was released from the zoo on 28 September 1906.

But the belated apology follows years of stonewalling.

'He was a zoo employee'

Instead of capitalising on the episode as a teachable moment, the Wildlife Conservation Society engaged in a century-long cover-up during which it actively perpetuated or failed to correct misleading stories about what had actually occurred.

As early as 1906 a letter in the zoo archives reveals that officials, in the wake of growing criticism, discussed concocting a story that Ota Benga had actually been a zoo employee. Remarkably, for decades, the ruse worked.

Who was Ota Benga?

Captured in March 1904 by US trader Samuel Verner from what was then Belgian Congo. His age is not known, he may have been 12 or 13

Taken by ship to New Orleans to be shown later that year at World's Fair in St Louis with eight other young males

The fair continued into the winter months where the group was kept without adequate clothing or shelter

In September 1906 he was exhibited for 20 days in New York's Bronx Zoo, attracting huge crowds

Outrage from Christian ministers ended his incarceration and he was moved to New York's Howard Coloured Orphan Asylum run by African American Reverend James H Gordon

In January 1910 he went to live at the Lynchburg Theological Seminary and College for black students in Virginia

There he taught neighbourhood boys how to hunt and fish and told stories of his adventures back home

He later reportedly became depressed with his longing for home and in March 1916 shot himself with a gun he had hidden. He was thought to be aged around 25.

Source: Spectacle: The Astonishing Life of Ota Benga

In 1916, following Ota Benga's death, a New York Times article dismissed as urban legend tales of his exhibition.

"It was this employment that gave rise to the unfounded report that he was being held in the park as one of the exhibits in the monkey cage," the article said.

Ota Benga (R) pictured at the World's Fair in 1904 where he and others were exhibited as "pygmies"

The account, of course, contradicted the numerous articles that a decade earlier had appeared in newspapers across the country and in Europe.

The New York Times alone had published a dozen articles on the affair, the first under the 9 September 1906 headline: "Bushman Shares A Cage With Bronx Park Apes".

Then, in 1974, William Bridges, the zoo's curator emeritus claimed that what actually occurred could not be known.

In his book The Gathering of Animals, he rhetorically asked: "Was Ota Benga 'exhibited' - like some strange, rare animal?" a question that he, as the man who presided over the zoo archives, would know best how to answer.

"That he was locked behind bars in a bare cage to be stared at during certain hours seems unlikely," he continued, patently ignoring mountains of evidence in the zoological society archives that reveal just that.

An article about the exhibition, written by the zoo director, had in fact appeared in the zoological society's own publication.

Nonetheless, Bridges wrote: "At this distance in time that is about all that can be said for sure, except that it was all done with the best of intentions, for Ota Benga was interesting to the New York public."

'Friendship between captor and captive'

Compounding these deceptive narratives was a book published in 1992 and co-authored by the grandson of Samuel Verner, the man who went to Congo heavily armed to capture Ota Benga and others to exhibit at the 1904 St Louis World's Fair.

The book was absurdly characterised as the story of friendship between Verner and Ota Benga.

In at least one newspaper account since the book's publication, the younger Verner also claimed that Ota Benga - who had vigorously resisted his captivity - had enjoyed performing for New Yorkers.

So for more than a century, the very institution and men who had so ruthlessly exploited Ota Benga, and their descendants, contaminated the historical record with untrue narratives that circulated around the world.

Even now, Mr Samper has apologised for exhibiting Ota Benga for "several days", and not for the three weeks he was held captive in the monkey house.

The Wildlife Conservation Society, which runs Bronx Zoo, said it condemned certain dishonourable chapters in its history

The zoo has now posted online digitised documents it holds of the episode, among them letters that detail the daily activities of Ota Benga and the men who caged him.

Many of those letters are already cited in my book, Spectacle: The Astonishing Life of Ota Benga, published in 2015.

In the five years since its publication, zoo officials had inexplicably refused to express regret or even respond to media inquiries.

And while I had the opportunity to visit the primate house where Ota Benga was exhibited and housed, the building has since been shuttered to the public.

'Best room in the monkey house'

Now, Mr Samper says: "We deeply regret that many people and generations have been hurt by these actions or by our failure previously to publicly condemn and denounce them."

He also denounced founding members Madison Grant and Henry Fairfield Osborn, both ardent eugenicists who played a direct role in Ota Benga's exhibition.

Grant went on to write The Passing of The Great Race, a book steeped in racist pseudo-science that was praised by Osborn and hailed by Adolf Hitler.

A return to Congo would have been prohibitively expensive for Ota Benga

Osborn went on to lead for 25 years the American Museum of Natural History where in 1921 he hosted the second International Eugenics Congress.

Curiously, Mr Samper did not mention William Hornaday, the zoo's founding director who was also the nation's foremost zoologist and founding director of the National Zoo in Washington, DC.

Hornaday had littered the cage housing Ota Benga with bones to suggest cannibalism and had brazenly boasted that Ota Benga had "the best room in the monkey house".

Some feel the conservation society now needs to follow its incomplete apology with rigorous truth-telling befitting a leading educational institution.

The episode offers the zoological society the opportunity to educate the public about the history of the conservation movement and its ties to eugenics.

The Bronx Zoo's founding principals were among the most influential disseminators of specious racial inferiority theories that resonate still.

One suggestion has been that the society might also consider naming its education centre for Ota Benga, whose tragic life and legacy is inextricably bound to the Bronx Zoo's.

#Ota Benga #Caged Congolese teen: Why a zoo took 114 years to apologise #enslaved in bronx zoo #human zoos #Africans #Congo #Congolese

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tf2shit · 8 months ago

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edited up the BLUs intro pics since they got their redesigns done, i’ll get to RED soon :)

YOOOO whattup? Welcome to the blog of tf2 shit, you can call me Demo or Tav, I rb tf2 stuff, as well as create content of my lovely tf2 ocs! Sooo

MEET THE BLUS!!

First up, Scout! The meanest (not actually) of the bunch. They’re basically your stereotypical teen lol, angry abt nothin always, mean for no reason, and is pretty petty. Though they do have a secret soft spot reserved only for Emm.

Second up is, Soldier! The obvious American lol. He’s crazy obsessed w war and his lovely boyfriend Devon, but when not around his honey, he really leans in to the strict General he’s always wanted to be.

Next is Pyro! Flames is def the second worst of the BLUs, nobody can ever read him. All I can say is his name fits him, as his anger is as strong as flames themselves.

Ohhhhh Devie! my fav lil man. One of the sweethearts among the BLUs. He’s got a big heart, a big smile, and a huge love for explosives, who loves taking care of others. In addition to his kindness, he will absolutely destroy you in the blink of an eye if he feels you’ve deserved it. Oh boy can he hold a grudge

The Heavy!! The main star if this blog! (Along w// Matéo) she’s back and nicer than ever, still bein the shy lil one she’s always been. But now with wrestling in her blood 😈

Engie!!!!! The final instalment of the kindness within the BLU team. Just like Devie however, she has a dark side, coming up with the most sinister plans for her enemies, and she will kill you if deemed necessary…

Medic… The ACTUAL worst of the BLUs. She’s cold, distant, and couldn’t care less abt anybody or anything around her. One wonders why she wanted to be a medic in the first place

The Sniper. Mystery Mann, mystery mannnnn, myyysteryyy mannnnn.

Spy. There’s only one thing you need to know abt him. He’s an A S S H O L E

Feel free to ask about em, since this is an ask blog lol, and enjoy the other content scattered around this blog lmao

RED intro, hot n ready!

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died-but-not-dead-propaganda · 2 years ago

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Moon Knight Propaganda

Marc Spector, better known as the vigilante Moon Knight, was once a mercenary left for dead in the desert while on a mission in Egypt, where he was revived by the Egyptian Moon god Khonshu after collapsing in front of an idol of the god. In exchange for being brought back to life, he was appointed as Khonshu's fist and high priest, Moon Knight, and enacts justice to protect those who travel at night. Marc also has dissociative identity disorder, some of his alters being (now former-)millionaire Steven Grant and cab driver Jake Lockley. Moon Knight has "died" on multiple occasions since then, but keeps being brought back by Khonshu or, more recently, Dr. Badr (The newly revealed other Fist of Khonshu, Hunter's Moon).

He has died THREE times. Each time he has come back. He LITERALLY QUOTES WILLIAM AFTONS “I always come back” IN THE NEW MACKAY RUN. This man is a dumpster fire and is such a closeted bisexual it’s insane. My man also looks like a wet paper bag and has shrimp posture. He is one in a krillion. Please ignore every comic run of him except Ellis’, Lemieres, or Mackay‘s. He is the definition of “had a rocky transition into the 2000’s” - maybe IGN should’ve said that to the MK runs instead of Sonic. All offense, and a little bit of salt. I am as salty as the ocean. Yeah. That’s it I think.

Moon Knight is my favourite Marvel superhero!! He dies for a short period of time in his backstory, which goes as follows: Marc Spector served as Marine and briefly as a CIA agent before becoming a mercenary. While on a mission in Egypt with fellow mercenary Raoul Bushman, he witnesses the other man murder an archeologist and his team, leaving the archeologist's daughter alive to watch. Enraged by the awful act, Marc picks a fight with Bushman and loses, being left for dead in desert all alone. He manages to drag himself into the tomb unearthed by the archeologists and collapses in front of a statue of the god Khonshu. He dies before the statue and is soon revived, fully healed, by Khonshu. Khonshu begins speaking to him and tells him that he is to become the god's Moon Knight, the Fist of Khonshu, and redeem himself from all of the violence of his past life by protecting all those who travel in the night. Marc agrees, and the rest is history!

The whole origin of how the sys became moon knight is that Marc spector was shot after going up against his superior on an unethical mercenary job in the desert. He crawled to the statue of the Egyptian god Khonshu and died at the foot of it but was resurrected as his Fist of Justice to carry out his protection for the travelers of the night. Dying and getting resurrected then happens multiple times over Moon Knight’s appearances, including in the Disney Plus show where they are in the Egyptian afterlife before making their way back to life via accepting themselves as a system and choosing to live. One of the most famous quotes from the comics is “I’ve died before. It was boring, so I stood up.”

#moon knight #marc spector #jake lockley #steven grant #Marvel Comics

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askprofessorwacky · 29 days ago

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Did you just leave Pothead's body in that room? If not, what did you do with it?

Hey, Anon. Sorry I didn't see this, I was busy with my super badass and awesome experiments. And I was also trying to win the lottery.

I completely forgot about Pothead's dead body LOLOLOLOL yeah ill deal with it later

Funnily enough, SOMEBODY left me at Dr. Dingaling's lab. I am walking home AS WE SPEAK. Bushman and Frying Man ran out of there WITHOUT ME!!! UNBELIEVABLE. I am a few hours away from home.

Anyways, sorry for going off topic. Pothead's body. I am considering either calling a necromancer or taking care of it myself, because I do NOT feel like making ANOTHER dumbass "superhuman" again. I'll get on it when I get home.

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biblenewsprophecy · 6 months ago

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SA: Venting Doesn’t Reduce Anger, But Something Else Does, Study Says

COGwriter

Science Alert posted the following:

Venting Doesn’t Reduce Anger, But Something Else Does, Study Says

August 6, 2024

Venting when angry seems sensible. Conventional wisdom suggests expressing anger can help us quell it, like releasing steam from a pressure cooker.

But this common metaphor is misleading, according to a recent meta-analytic review. Researchers at Ohio State University analyzed 154 studies on anger, finding little evidence that venting helps. In some cases, it could increase anger.

“I think it’s really important to bust the myth that if you’re angry you should blow off steam – get it off your chest,” said senior author and communication scientist Brad Bushman when the results were published in April.

“Venting anger might sound like a good idea, but there’s not a shred of scientific evidence to support catharsis theory.”

That doesn’t mean anger should be ignored. Reflection can help us understand why we get mad and address underlying problems. It can also aid emotional validation, an important first step towards healthily processing emotions.

Venting, however, often goes beyond reflection into rumination. The study suggests that many people also try to exorcize anger with physical exertion, which can offer health benefits but may not lighten the mood in the moment.

The studies reviewed included a total of 10,189 participants, representing a variety of ages, genders, cultures, and ethnicities. The findings show the key to curbing anger is reducing physiological arousal, the authors say, from anger itself or from the otherwise beneficial physical activity it might inspire.

“To reduce anger, it is better to engage in activities that decrease arousal levels,” Bushman said. …

“I wanted to debunk the whole theory of expressing anger as a way of coping with it,” explained Kjærvik. “We wanted to show that reducing arousal, and actually the physiological aspect of it, is really important.” …

“It was really interesting to see that progressive muscle relaxation and just relaxation in general might be as effective as approaches such as mindfulness and meditation,” Kjærvik said. …

Rather than trying to vent anger, the researchers recommend undermining it by turning down the heat. https://www.sciencealert.com/venting-doesnt-reduce-anger-but-something-else-does-study-says

As far as turning down the heat, the Book of Proverbs teaches:

29 He who is slow to wrath has great understanding, But he who is impulsive exalts folly. (Proverbs 14:29)

1 A soft answer turns away wrath, But a harsh word stirs up anger. 2 The tongue of the wise uses knowledge rightly, But the mouth of fools pours forth foolishness. (Proverbs 15:1-2)

18 A wrathful man stirs up strife, But he who is slow to anger allays contention. (Proverbs 15:18)

The Bible also teaches self-control:

9 Do not hasten in your spirit to be angry, For anger rests in the bosom of fools. (Ecclesiastes 7:9)

5 give yourselves to fasting and prayer; … so that Satan does not tempt you because of your lack of self-control. (1 Corinthians 7:5)

While Paul did not write that specifically for uncontrolled anger, the principle is still applicable.

Also, do not sin when angry:

26 “Be angry, and do not sin”: do not let the sun go down on your wrath, 27 nor give place to the devil. (Ephesians 4:26-27)

If you stay angry, you are sinning and giving the devil a place to impact you. Notice you are not to stay angry.

The old Worldwide Church of God published the following:

Social psychologist Carol Tarvis, in her new book Anger: The Misunderstood Emotion, asserts that anger released, rather than anger suppressed or dealt with otherwise, causes stress and may well spawn more conflict.

Says Dr. Tarvis: “People who are most prone to give vent to their rage get angrier, not less angry. I observe a lot of hurt feelings among the recipients of rage. And I can plot the stages in a typical ‘ventilating’ marital argument: precipitating event, angry outburst, shouted recriminations, screaming or crying, the furious peak (sometimes accompanied by physical assault), exhaustion, sullen apology, or just sullenness. The cycle is replayed the next day or next week. What in this is ‘cathartic’ [bringing release from tension]? Screaming? Throwing a pot? Does either action cause the anger to vanish or the angry spouse to feel better? Not that I can see.”

Dr. Tarvis goes on to show that anger and stress are not necessarily related — people who deal with anger in more mature ways may well be healthier than those who subscribe to the “let it out” theory.

Reflecting about a situation that makes you angry, deciding on a reasonable, effective, calm response and then executing the response is far more effective and healthy than erupting emotionally, increasing your blood pressure and exacerbating tensions between you and whoever else is involved in the dispute.

Rethinking a provocation and deciding on appropriate, intelligent action is a more mature emotional response. …

The Bible offers much sound advice on building successful human relationships. The book of Proverbs in particular contains much useful information on self-control, much of it dealing with emotional maturity. You might just read through these proverbs sometime. They apply to everyday situations and are easy to understand, especially if you read in a modern translation. You may be surprised at the wisdom you’ll find in them.

Lest anyone get the wrong idea, we must make this statement: We are not saying there is never a time for the proper expression of anger. God created our emotions and all of them have their right uses.

The Bible shows that there is a proper time to show “righteous indignation.” Even Jesus himself was angry on occasion, and with good cause.

But the type of anger Jesus expressed — the type we may express — is not selfish, depressing, resentful, hateful or violent toward other human beings. Righteous indignation seeks to teach people how to right wrongs. It feels stabbing sadness at the tragedies sin produces in this world. It is not destructive, but constructive. (Shoaf NL. A Much Overlooked Way to Assure Peace. Plain Truth, May 1983)

God told the prophet Jeremiah:

27 “I have set you as an assayer and a fortress among My people, That you may know and test their way. 28 They are all stubborn rebels, walking as slanderers. (Jeremiah 6:27-28)

Despite Jeremiah being God’s prophet, people rebelled against him and slandered him (e.g. Jeremiah 43:1-4).

Some people allow pride to take over and seem to want to be angry:

22 An angry man stirs up strife, And a furious man abounds in transgression.

23 A man’s pride will bring him low, But the humble in spirit will retain honor. (Proverbs 29:22-23)

The Apostle Paul stated that we needed to be:

5 casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ (2 Corinthians 10:5)

Yes, self-control is to also include your thoughts.

The Book of Hebrews teaches:

12 Beware, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God; 13 but exhort one another daily, while it is called “Today,” lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. 14 For we have become partakers of Christ if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast to the end, 15 while it is said:

“Today, if you will hear His voice, Do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion.” (Hebrews 3:12-15)

7 Today, if you will hear His voice, Do not harden your hearts. (Hebrews 4:7)

People who claimed to be God’s people rebelled against Moses. There have long been people who think they are right and who also rebel against proper theological governance (see also The Bible, Peter, Paul, John, Polycarp, Herbert W. Armstrong, Roderick C. Meredith, and Bob Thiel on Church Government).

Many have hardened their hearts. Look, when Pharaoh hardened his heart, he thought he was doing what was best for Egypt. When the children of Israel hardened their hearts and rebelled against Moses, they apparently thought that they were the people of God, hence they were doing the right thing. Laodiceans are like that.

Because of how many end time Christian believe they were treated and/or what they think is best, they are not Philadelphian (even if they claim to be). Jesus warned the Philadelphians:

11 Hold fast what you have, that no one may take your crown. (Revelation 3:11)

Many Laodiceans have let the actions of men (and women) take the Philadelphian crown away from them. They tend not to really accept BIBLICAL governance (see also The Bible, Peter, Paul, John, Polycarp, Herbert W. Armstrong, Roderick C. Meredith, and Bob Thiel on Church Government). They normally accept the fact that men ordained their leaders, but refuse to accept the fact that the Bible says that God reveals Himself to prophets via dreams (Numbers 12:9). True prophets of God are, from a hierarchical perspective, above evangelists and ministers per Ephesians 4:11 and 1 Corinthians 12:28. Yet, Laodiceans seem unwilling to believe God’s word about these matters (see also Dreams, the Bible, the Radio Church of God, and the Continuing Church of God)–they have hardened their hearts–though they tend not to realize that.

Some tend to develop a “root of bitterness” which is not good for them:

14 Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord: 15 looking carefully lest anyone fall short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this many become defiled; (Hebrews 12:14-15)

Yes, those with a root of bitterness can cause trouble–but it is their spiritual life that gets troubled the most. They sometimes think that they are making progress, yet instead of being like the Bereans of old who “searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so” (Acts 17:11), they tend to be focused on not wanting to believe the Philadelphian work we are leading in the Continuing Church of God.

Whether you have been one of them or possibly mainly one with anger issues, don’t think you cannot change for the better.

The Apostle Paul wrote:

13 I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. (Philippians 4:13)

13 No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it. (1 Corinthians 10:13)

Yes, you can improve and not harbor angry hateful thoughts and actions.

Instead, remember that Jesus said to love, bless, and be perfect (Matthew 5:43-48).

Notice also the following:

4 Be angry, and do not sin. Meditate within your heart on your bed, and be still. (Psalm 4:4)

As far as meditation goes, the Continuing Church of God put together this sermon on its ContinuingCOG channel:

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1:17:21

Christian Meditation

Is meditation mainly based on repeating a sound from the Vedas? What about Eastern meditation or Transcendental Meditation? What about mantras such as used by Hindus and Buddhists? What does ‘om’ (AUM) mean? Could Psalm 37 or 73 help some who are facing difficulties? What does the Old Testament teach about meditation? What does the New Testament teach about meditation? Are there differences between men and women when it comes to the brain and meditating? Are Christians to live a contemplating life as opposed to being involved with others? What about love, the Ten Commandments, and the reality of the Kingdom of God? What did Jesus say about what goes on in the heart and then actions? What about meditating on the Sabbath or while fasting? What did the old Worldwide Church of God teach about meditation? When should you meditate? What did the Apostle Paul teach Christians were to think about? Dr. Thiel addresses these issues and more by quoting numerous scriptures.

Here is a link to the sermon: Christian Meditation. We also have a free online booklet: Meditation for Faithful Christians.

Several decades ago, when I needed a roommate to help split the cost of an apartment, there was someone who approached me that I turned down.

Why?

Because of something the Book of Proverbs stated:

24 Make no friendship with an angry man, And with a furious man do not go, 25 Lest you learn his ways And set a snare for your soul. (Proverbs 22:24-25)

It looked financially difficult to apply that, but I did — which is why I turned him down. As it later turned out, I did end up with a roommate who was not an angry or furious man.

Self-control, based on the biblical admonishment, was exercised and that was spiritually beneficial.

I did not deceive myself that I would not be affected by the first man’s behavior. The Apostle Paul warned:

33 Do not be deceived: “Evil company corrupts good habits.” 34 Awake to righteousness, and do not sin; (1 Corinthians 15:33-34)

Yet, many are at the sleep spiritually and need to wake up (cf. Matthew 25:5; Revelation 3:14-22).

Proverbs also teaches:

11 The discretion of a man makes him slow to anger, And his glory is to overlook a transgression. (Proverbs 19:11)

You simply should not let every real or imagined slight make you angry. The prophet Samuel made some real mistakes in management, but God was displeased with those who wanted a government with a human leader other than a prophet per 1 Samuel 8:1-20.

The Bible also teaches that males are not the only possible problem when it comes to anger:

19 Better to dwell in the wilderness, Than with a contentious and angry woman. (Proverbs 21:19)

Some time back, we put out the following sermon:

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1:17:00

Murder, anger, kindness, and love

The sixth commandment states, “You shall not murder.” How did Jesus extend the understanding of that command? What did He teach about anger and treating enemies? What did the Old Testament teach about anger? What does the New Testament teach about violence, anger, kindness, and self-control? If early Christians would not voluntarily be part of the military, when did that change? Did Roman Emperor Constantine influence this? Did the Greco-Roman saint and bishop Gregory of Nyssa teach that it was fine to hate and fight against those with differing religious views? Would early Christians watch violent sport? Should modern Christians watch sports that, when played according to the rules, results in bodily harm? Have many religious leaders gone “the way of Cain”? How can you reduce anger? Dr. Thiel addresses these issues and more.

Here is a link to the sermon: Murder, anger, kindness, and love.

As far as the rebellious go, they need to repent.

As far as one way you may be able to assist with that, Jesus said:

43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, 45 that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. 46 For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? 47 And if you greet your brethren only, what do you do more than others? Do not even the tax collectors do so? 48 Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect. (Matthew 5:43-48)

Yes, we are to love, do good, and pray for those who curse and hate us.

Despite our personal flaws, we all need to be striving for perfection.