Holographic Immortals

Death is something that binds all of us. Technology is the weapon of choice to combat it. Today we live in a world where technology has unlocked God mode and begun to resurrect deceased celebrities. While they may be a revenue stream for Hollywood and family members, it will come from a place of wickedness crafted by sordid blacksmiths. This paradigm shift is bringing with it new gods preaching a new gospel; one of self-importance packaged as one's "legacy." 

Roughly a year before Kobe Bryant died, he was virtually cloned to celebrate 50 million visitors coming to Los Angeles in 2018. I have a feeling this will not be the last we see of Kobe being that Whitney Houston and many other dead artists are now doing virtual tours. 

Combine this with the hustle culture that is arising and promotions of hard work, patience, discipline, benevolence, and humbleness; these holographic stars appear more sinister than one might initially think. It is essential not to forget that we live in the middle of a warzone, and only one side, truly, makes out alive. 

Jesus has taught us on numerous occasions to anticipate false prophets and messiahs. He has also told us in  Luke 10:3 "Go your way; behold, I send you out as lambs among wolves." Therefore, we must use prudence to avoid a snare set by the enemy. His pseudonym isn't the Deceiver for no reason. Build your ark and weather the storm. 

Line in The Sand

I've heard some say this pandemic is our generation's 9/11, and I think that is a fair comparison. After 9/11, the government passed the Patriot Act allowing them to essentially spy on every citizen in the name of combating terrorism. Now, the masses are dubious of 9/11's veracity for multiple reasons. However, this doesn't translate to the objection of spying for "protection." Collectively, America has accepted the idea that losing privacy for safety is fine. Times like these are where governments test their limits. Therefore, times like these are where citizen draw the line.

The American government has discussed working with Facebook, Google and other tech companies to track smartphones. This will allow them to identify newly infected areas quicker, and that can help mitigate the spread. The duration of this idea is unknown meaning it will become indefinite. Sure there are benefits, but is the action required appropriate? 

In New York, some hospitals attempted to ban birth partners from the delivery room. Those hospitals face quick backlash. However, Governor Cuomo has overruled this outlawing the practice. People drew a line and refused to waiver from their position. All must have something to fight or die for something otherwise life becomes meaningless. 

Yes, we should render to Caesar what is Caesar's, but we mustn't sell our souls in the process. 

Trump The New Fed Chairman

Nationalization of US finance markets are becoming a reality. Also, the potential for the US to create a digital dollar has become a topic of discussion at the highest levels. Change is coming; post covid-19 America will operate significantly different than the one we presently know.

President Trump has felt that the stock market should have been much higher than it was by at least 10,000 points, and the fed was to blame. However, with this plan to nationalize parts of the financial market Trump essentially usurps Chairman Powell. Could this mean that we plan portions of our economy mimicking the Chinese economic system? After all, Neoliberalism has proven to be more destructive than helpful. It’s time for us to stop acting like a maid for the world and rather focus on getting our house in order. The age of America First is here to stay (hopefully).

Hope Trumps Despair

Rumors of rent strikes have been inundating my news feed as of late. The first of the month is only a few days away and tensions are rising. People living in constant increditude. Unemployment has skyrocketed. COVID-19 has caused states to shutdown. As of now, these shutdowns appear to be indefinite. With no end in sight, hope tends to get obfuscated by despair. For some, the thought of a higher power assisting them through turbulent times is ludacris. Others become so absorbed by this world they forget about their Heavenly Father. However, all of us forget that this life is merely temporal and that we should focus on the things above. That doesn't mean we shouldn't enjoy life. God wants us to enjoy life. Therefore, let's remember faith and hope are powerful weapons to combat times of despair and confusion.

Matthew 19-23:30 Jesus has used a wealthy man, who was willing to sell his soul for riches, as an example. That a rich man will struggle to enter heaven. He must decouple himself from worldly riches to receive heavenly riches. As Americans, I feel the majority of us struggle with this. We are comforted by luxurious amenities, so in times like these we become concerned because our worldly lives are changing. This reality constantly changes because the master Deceiver runs it.

Our culture propagates the belief that only you can save you, which is simply not true. Verses 25-26: “When His disciples heard it, they were greatly astonished, saying, ‘Who then can be saved?’ But Jesus looked at  them and said to them, ‘With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.’Find comfort in the Word. Discover truths that will better equip you for times like these. God is good and does all for good. Therefore, have hope for a better tomorrow. Look for God's hand and follow His path. In Him we are united, so let's come together and share hope, love, and faith. The landlord you are thinking about not paying has a family they must look after too. Division is what  our greatest enemy wants and incessantly works towards. As Jesus says, "The gates of Hades will not prevail..."

The New Safe Haven

For the past few years, China has been embracing the new world of finance. After all, they have been attempting to improve the infrastructure of the world. By now, everyone knows about Bitcoin and some know about Blockchain.Many countries have begun to adopt this new technology. America, however, has been slow to act when it comes to the crypto scene, but that may be changing.  The leader of tomorrow nyst work to adjust and improve their financial foundation. Ladies and gentlemen the war of this generation will be fought digitally resulting in a paradigm shift.

As of March 26th Brian Brooks, a former Fannie Mae executive and former CLO of Coinbase, has accepted the position of COO at the U.S Office of the Comptroller of Currency. This is a clear indication that the US is preparing their entrance into the world of digital currency. My guess is that Coinbase will gain access to the US market with their new Visa card based on current trends.

Timing is everything, and China appears to be positioning itself to jump in at the right time. Two days before Brooks accepted the position, China grew closer to their goal of releasing the digital Yuan.  Many "private" companies in China have completed the groundwork for a digital currency. This is the new Cold War.

The currency of tomorrow will likely be hybrid: digital coupled with physical; i.e.  a form of cryptocurrency backed by physical gold and silver. Despite our delayed start we still have time.

Safe Haven turned Prison

Banks, at least for my generation, have been thought of as a safe haven to store your cash. This makes perfect sense considering the risk one takes by storing their cash at one's house. Therefore, it is prudent to give these large institutions one's money; who in return, use that money to let others borrow, and the interest rate on that money is how they make money. However, economic downturns cause people to withdraw their money due to ambiguity surrounding the bank's longevity. Disregarding the convenience aspect of depositing Trump bucks directly into one's bank account, this, in my opinion, is a tool the government is using to prolong a run on banks. Trump buck's will be nothing but numbers on a screen that will never materialize into tangible cash. Big brother is always there to help out its younger siblings. Hence the rapid spike in the stock market. Remember the government is not your savior; their survival is contingent upon submission.

Are Guardian Angels Biblical?

This week I read Matthew 18, and it became clear to me that, as Christians, we do have guardian angels. Coming from a baptist background, this thought had never occurred to me; that is until my wife and I started to venture away and investigate the Catholic and Orthodox faith. Although attending a few divine liturgies and latin masses didn’t provide me with a reason for the guardian angel, they at least presented the idea. The more I study the Word the clearer it becomes that the Christianity of old has been lost and convoluted into something nearly unrecognizable today. A new believer eager to learn about God and His Word will inevitably be misguided, sometimes due to sheer ignorance and other times due to ill intentions, this is troublesome. I am hoping sharing what I have learned in regards to this topic will be of value to those new believers and even those who have known Christ for most of their lives. 

Matthew 18 begins after Jesus told his disciples to pay the temple tax. Verse 1 Jesus is answering another question they asked- Who is the greatest in heaven? The answer- little children. For one must humble himself like a child, to receive the gift of salvation. Those who do this will be the greatest in heaven. The children, Jesus says in verse 10, have angels looking after them. Christ himself had angels minister to him after he fasted for 40 days and 40 nights (Matt 4:11). This is supported in Hebrews 1:14; we learn that angels are spirits with a duty of ministering to those who are inheriting salvation. Church Father St.John Chrysostom writes that all humans have a guardian angel, and that may be true, but from what we know from the Word are those starving to be Christ like have guardian angels. 

There are numerous cases of angels appearing in times of desperation and  or uncertainty throughout the entire Bible.  Luke 1-5:25 tells the story of Zacharias- a high priest and father of John the Baptist- praying in a temple. When, out of nowhere, an angel appears and tells him that he will have a son and he shall be named John. John will be a great sight to the Lord, and he will lead many children of Israel to the Lord. A similar event happens in Luke 1-26:25 with Mary and Joseph, and before that in Matthew 1. The book of Acts is also littered with events where angels are helping the disciples. For example, the story of Peter being freed from jail by an angel. This is not exclusive to the New Testament. The Old Testament is too filled with stories of angels assisting individuals. As one can read in Genesis 16,17,18,19, 21 33, Exodus, and a few more.. In the book of Daniel (chapter 10), the concept of angels being assigned to certain nations is alluded to as well. 

God provides all of His creation with a purpose, and that purpose is always for good. Angels play a vital role in this cosmic battle we are fighting. The Kingdom of Heaven cannot perish. We all play our roles in defending and preserving that Kingdom, and each of us has a guardian angel helping us. This is a truth that is important to grasp. Satan possesses an army too, so there are forces greater than you or I attempting to steer us away or towards God (Jude 1:9). Pray for strength and guidance. Pray for protection. Pray to God and your guardian angel. They work congruously for your betterment.