Collection of Asides

Several small things on my mind today.
1. I’m a little concerned about official belligerence toward Pakistan. This won’t be the same as bullying Iraq and Afghanistan, or places like Libya and Somalia. I tend to think China doesn’t kid around and back down from promising to treat an outright invasion of Pakistan as an invasion of their own territory. The concern is we have such a large number of plutocrats who think this is a good idea, that war with China is worthwhile. If this proceeds any farther, I will regard it as confirming my predictions regarding a major change in things close to my birthday. This is really stupid and will bring about an apocalyptic change in things.
2. The Freedom Box is a little closer to reality. It’s a tiny home server, plugs into the wall as a single block about the size of a fat paperback novel. The box comes with software already to run, and the whole thing has scripted setup and configuration options so you really don’t have to know anything more than what you want from it. It has the capability of creating a local mesh network. If any one machine in that mesh can connect to the Net, you can share it with the rest of your local network. Best of all, it restores the balance of power to the user, by taking away the central points of surveillance. If every home has their own server, with built-in encryption, it cripples the government and corporate surveillance programs. The predicted price point ranges between $30 and $50 (US).
3. I’m watching with some interest the shenanigans in Europe regarding complicated deals to create a fund which will keep the banking system alive in the PIIGS countries (Portugal, Ireland, Italy, Greece and Spain). So far, every proposal has died for one reason or another. The situation is hopeless, anyway. Even the bigshots are saying Greece will default soon. Just how soon that is no one is saying, but it’s almost time to get out the popcorn and watch the show. Most experts believe when Greece defaults, the Euro currency will go down the tubes, and most of the European banking system will take a huge shock. It’s possible a great many banks will collapse and it will affect ours here.
4. In my series on the Oracles of Marriage on my other blog, I emphasize the Fall and how it affects the marriage covenant. I was asked if there was any way around this. Of course there is; grace trumps Laws every time (and by extension, trumps Game). We aren’t doomed to live with this totally. The problem is no one in the flesh will ever avail themselves of the full extent of grace’s power. The division is not cut and dried. So I use this handy rule: If your spouse, or anyone else, acts in the moment as controlled by the Fall, treat them according to the Laws. If they tend to show the effects of grace, give them more grace in response. A husband or wife showing no Fruit of the Spirit should be treated as bound under the Laws of God, and your expectations of their behavior should predict a lack of grace. Use Game strategies to handle them until they show the Fruit. Then make adjustments in your strategy to match so much as they have changed their response.
5. Yesterday’s rant about the Bible does not mean I don’t believe, I simply don’t worship the artifact. The biggest argument here is not whether I intend to obey the Scriptures, but how to read and apply them. Using the Bible like a book of magic, as if the very words themselves have some miraculous power, is contrary to what the Book itself has to say. Any comment which reflects the contents of the Book has the same power, because truth is truth. There’s nothing objective about this at all. Declarations about infallibility and verbal inspiration are moot points, because we don’t have any originals. But I hold myself accountable to the revelation contained in that Book as it now exists, and I find this one of the primary keys to how I discern whether someone should be treated as spiritually awakened.