Can an Ethiopian Change His Skin ...?

An insult that is not understood is a pointless insult.

Would you believe there is such as thing as a random insult generator? Played with the generator at The Insult Project and decided to copy this one below for my blog post.  Checked this site Jan 19, 2018, and it no longer exists.

“People don't dislike you because you're revolting. I mean you are astonishingly revolting, that's just not why people dislike you.”

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Was watching a Denzel Washington movie and there was a brief intense exchange of words between Mr. Washington's character and another character who was playing a support role. Possibly not the exact quote but the character scoffs and says: “You better watch out or I just might call you an Ethiopian!” Mr. Washington's character's defensive reaction and response was: “You know you're probably stupid enough to think that's an insult!”


Huh? What?? (???) Didn't get it! My limited exposure to Ethiopia and experience with Ethiopians left a void in my mind. Could not comprehend the meaning of the dialogue at all. (O.o) Dismissed it and finished watching the movie, The Siege.


Was doing research about one of the Jewish prophets in the Old Testament and came across this scripture:

“Can the Ethiopian change his skin or the leopard his spots? Then may you also do good who are accustomed to do evil.”

(Jeremiah 13: 23)

Let's place this quote in context.

• Which Ethiopia are we talking about??
  

There is a modern day Ethiopia and there is an Ethiopia which is a land that existed during ancient times. Since it's a scriptural reference, we're going to go with the latter.


Modern Ethiopia is located in the horn of East Africa. Ancient Ethiopia, also known as Cush, was located to the south of Egypt. Cush is the Hebrew name. Ethiopia is the Greek name. (FYI. The Egypt in the Bible and the nation that exists today are both the same.)


Ethiopia translated into English mean “burnt face”. The Ethiopian people we see today are known for their smooth beautiful practically flawless chocolate brown skin. There's no reason why a talented photographer couldn't make a small fortune traversing the country taking pictures of the “humans of Ethiopia”. Evidently, the people who lived in the land called Ethiopia, the in the Bible, also had really nice skin!


So!! Uuuhhh … back to square one! My brain is still registering blanks!


Imagine you get into a heated argument with someone.

The person snarls at you angrily and warns:

“You better get out of my face! You … you … you Ethiopian!!” 

You puff up with righteous indignation and shout back:

“Yeah! That's right! I got nice skin!! HATER!!”

(??) Where would this argument go?? (??)

There is a famous world-class chef from Ethiopia. There was a young woman, born in Ethiopia, who was crowned Miss Israel in a beauty pageant. Madonna adopted a baby or babies from Ethiopia. (That's what I heard.)


Opening this topic up for discussion hoping someone can shed some light on it.

WHY would it be an insult

 to call someone an Ethiopian?

Religion within the limits of my reason: ​​Christianity and IS (Reblog)

Below is a link from a blog that I am occasionally invited to read and my comments are being provided in the form of a blog post because it is too much information to be included in a Comments box.  (You can refer to the statements as "my crazy thoughts" if you don't want to call it "information".)

Religion within the limits of my reason: ​​Christianity and IS : max-aschmann-park

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MY COMMENTS:

In Judaeo-Christian history, for the period between the Testaments (which many in our circles refer to as Malachi to Matthew), there were no prophets. Before Jesus arrived there was one prophet, known as John the Baptist, “the voice of one crying in the wilderness”. His “voice” was to let others know the Messiah was come. He accomplished his mission and lost his head. By the time of his death, the ministry of Jesus was in full force. The ministry lasted for 3 years. Jesus also accomplished His mission, was crucified, died, resurrected, ascended back up to heaven and now “has all authority in heaven and in earth”.

By His authority he never authorized the killing of anybody!

Jesus made it very clear to Pontius Pilate and others while He was here on the earth, that His kingdom is not of this world.  

John 18:36

Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence.

His disciples were COMMANDED to “Go into all the world and preach the gospel. He who believes and is baptized and shall be saved.”  Converts are not to be FORCED into conversion.  They must hear the Word, believe it, become convinced and convicted of sin in their life, repent (turn away from the sin), publicly confess that Jesus is the Christ, the son of the living God, and be baptized for the forgiveness of the sins and they are "born again", a new creature, prepared to live a sanctified life and work out their soul salvation.

Christians don't want to conquer or rule the world!

We just want to live our lives in peace on this earth being a "peculiar people, zealous of good works", and go to heaven when we die! 

If we can not live our lives in peace, without persecution, then whatever happens in this life … it's God's will.  We were also warned that we would be persecuted FOR OUR FAITH.  We trust Him.  All we need to do is stay faithful.

Romans 8:33-39

33 Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth.

34 Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.

35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?

36 As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.

37 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.

38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,

39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

As for ISIS, the establishment of the Caliphate, etc., etc. and any other movement based on religious, philosophical, political or any basis or foundation for their motivations and mission to gain power IN THIS WORLD … as far as faithful Christians KNOW … “this too shall pass”.

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The Passion

Often if an article is about to discuss a topic that can be categorized as "religion", the author may feel the need to state that the writing is not an attempt to convert people to their "way", i.e. beliefs, convictions, faith, etc. Point noted. However that same point can not be made by me.