Evils of Capitalism

    Let's take a look at the Master. He left all to complete his mission to go to the cross. His twelve disciples did likewise. As per tradition eleven of the twelve were martyred with John being exiled on the Island of Patmos. The early church did indeed flourish in the Roman system but it flourished under severe oppression. So much as far as I am concerned it will prosper under any economic system. Jesus said "If you wish to be perfect sell all you have, give it to the poor and come follow me." Some like Paul did do that. Again in the early church Barnabas took all he had and gave it to the disciples. You are right that is a free will offering. It furthermore said they all had in common. God says greater Love a man does not have then to lay down his life for his brother. Christians should be bound in this Love. We should be willing to sacrifice all we have for our brothers and sisters even our lives. You are right that this system would not encourage laziness. For it also says is one doesn't work one doesn't eat. However based on circumstances in the world it is quite possible that many will not have work, including you, very soon. What I see Jesus saying is to abandon this Earthly dwelling place for a heavenly one. The Master said "My kingdom is not of this world." Again "Store you treasures in heaven for where your treasures lie so does your heart."

          As far as capitalism when taken to the extreme, it is a godless uncaring society. Capitalists claim to believe in Laissez Faire which says the government should not interfere in the market. They claim that this is a free market. That is an outright lie. Freedom is not allowing whatever somebody to do what they want. In America we like to believe we are free yet we cannot steal or murder. So it is not free markets they want but markets of license. That is they can do whatever they want. There should be no government oversight at all. No food inspection, no safety inspections, and so forth. However the hypocrisy was shown when the saving and loans needed bailing out. All of a sudden all of the followers of Milton Friedman were crying out too big to fail. And despite 95% opposition of the public the government bailed out Wall Street. It is a crisis when rich people are going to lose their money but we sit idly buy when poor people remain poor. Laissez Faire also says that the "invisible hand" will guide the market by supply and demand. Once again the theory fails. It is futures sales people that dictate prices.

          Furthermore there is the theory of Social Darwinism. That is superior people will succeed financially. That goes back to the Puritan's health and wealth gospel. If one examines the development in American society you will see the tremendous abuse of power on behalf of the wealthy capitalists both domestically and internationally. You see the capitalistic system is all about making money and puts the welfare of human beings far down the scale. When I mentioned 40 million people on food stamps you brought up the word parasites. I would not call children, elderly and veterans parasites. Or those who cannot find a job. If anything you should be outraged at how businesses go without paying taxes or receive huge subsidies. Or the immense amount of money spent on warfare and aggressive warfare at that. You should be outraged that in the financially richest country in the world not every citizen has health care or is guaranteed a safe and adequate education. From the genocide to the Native Americans, to the chattel slavery of the African Americans to the abuse of immigrant labor this country has been built on the backs of the less fortunate for the privilege of the few. And when people who represent the common man rise up they are quickly killed by reactionary forces. Martin Luther King, Joe Hill, Malcolm X, Fred Hampton and many, many others.

          Perhaps my vision will never come to fruition. However your vision is already in place and it is terrible. And the things I cherish in this country, the Bill of Rights, you desecrate. "If you want a Marxist country go to some place that it exists" it is said. So much for your free speech because there are others who have enforced those beliefs with guns or illegal methods. What do you think McCarthy or the Palmer Raids were about? The things they did were highly illegal but in the name of the system they were overlooked. But let's bring it back to the Master once more. Let's look at his apostles who were very eager to remember the poor. Let us look to Paul who worked with his own hands so he could share with others. A man who became all things to all men including the poor. Please read Hebrews 11 especially the end chapter. This society is going down the drain. Yes abortion and homosexual marriage plays a large part. But the callous Love of money is the dominating force of evil. Jesus says you cannot serve two masters for you will Love one and hate the other. You cannot serve God and mammon. Why did Jesus choose mammon as his chief competition? Once again Love of mammon is capitalism at it's extreme and it is what we are experiencing now. What would Jesus do in a society like our today? Sadly he would find little he would praise.

Signing off for now,

John FeatherLeaf Kaniecki 

The Hardest Command

The Hardest Command

Mathew 5:43-48.

Verses 43-44 “But I say unto you, Love you enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you.”

These are hard words to obey.  But let me say that they are a command and not an option. We accept these Words as truth because we have faith. As Christians we must listen to the entire counsel of the Word of God. We are not at liberty to pick and choose what we want to obey and what we don’t want to obey.

Loving others is the fundamental job or service of a Christian. After all as 1 John 4:8 says “He that loveth not knoweth not God for God is Love.”  Note the two parts of this if you don’t Love then you don’t know God. Furthermore God is Love. God is all powerful but the Word doesn’t say He is Power. God is all wise but the Word doesn’t say He is wisdom. God is all knowing but the Word doesn’t say He is knowledge. Instead God is Love.

When Jesus was asked the greatest commandment the Bible tells us this in Mark 12:29-31 “And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear O Israel: The Lord our God is one Lord: And thou shalt Love thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength” this is the first commandment. And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt Love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these.”

You see thou Jesus was asked for the single greatest commandment he felt compelled to give two. It is impossible to Love God and to not Love your neighbour. Here the words of 1 John 4:20 “If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he Love God whom he hath not seen?”

You see we are commanded to Love everyone that comes along our way. God makes this specifically clear. Everyone fits into the category of neighbour and enemy. There are no exceptions! We are to Love people no matter how they treat us. “Bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you:”

If we we’re judging by worldly standards we might say this is madness. Somebody might say that we are weak and have no backbone. Somebody might say if we are attacked we must fight back. But I say that when we Love our enemies we have defeated them. When we Love and refuse to hate we are doing God’s will. There is no greater way to destroy the works of the Devil than to Love others.

But first we must understand what Loving our enemies really means.

How Do We Love Our Enemies?

Jesus is God’s only Begotten Son. H.O.P.E. --- He’s Our Perfect Example. By examining Jesus we learn the pattern for our behavior. He is the one we should try to imitate in our walk of life.

First of all Loving our enemies does not mean we water down the gospel. We must preach the entire gospel whether or not we hurt feelings or we are rejected. In John 6:53-55 Jesus makes these bold statements. “Verily, verily I say unto you, except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, he have no life in you. Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life: and I will raise him up at the last day. For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed.”

Jesus told his followers the truth. He didn’t back down one bit. He knew what the outcome of His Words would be before he said them. John 6:66 says “From that time many of his disciples went back and walked no more with him.”

We too must proclaim every bit of truth to the world. To do any less would be wrong. I’m not saying to go around to everyone and tell them they are going to hell. Jesus didn’t do this. Instead as 1 Peter 3:15 says “...be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear.” In a kind, gentle and meek way we should be able to tell the truth of the gospel. But we must be firm and not back down one bit.

Next Loving our enemies doesn’t mean we shouldn’t criticize others. Please read Mathew 23:13-19. Jesus calls the Pharisees “hypocrites, blind, fools, serpents, and a generation of vipers. Jesus told them the truth we should do also no matter whom it offends. Listen to the Word is Isaiah 5:20 “Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil, that put darkness for light and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter.” We cannot but criticize the evils of this world.

The best way to condemn the world in its evil ways is to live the good example. We speak volumes by the things that we do. Titus 2:6-8 says “Young men likewise exhort to be sober minded. In all things shewing thyself a pattern of good works: in doctrine shewing uncorruptness, gravity, sincerity, sound speech, that cannot be condemned; that he that is of the contrary part may be ashamed, having no evil thing to say of you.”

When we live a godly life we put together our words and actions, in doing so we will be the Salt of the Earth and a light unto the world. Just like Jesus the vast majority will reject us. They will even hate us for doing righteousness. But there will be some that will come to understand and turn and repent from their wicked ways. If we water down the gospel, if we do not condemn what is evil, if we do not teach and live the Way then we have no testimony in our lives. We are no better than the world.  We must be a peculiar people who live contrary to the world.

God Is In Control

How do we respond to acts?

If somebody was gossiping against us would we gossip in return to get back?

If somebody insulted us or cursed us out would we return the insults and cursing?

If somebody punched us in the face would we strike back?

If somebody sought to take our life would we kill them first?

When we are in a situation that recalls for restraint we must hold back.

Listen closely to the scripture “Bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you.”

Listen to Mathew 5:39 “But I say unto you, that ye resist not evil; but whosoever shall smite thee on the right cheek, turn to him the other also.”

Some misunderstand this scripture in thinking that turning the other cheek is doing nothing. Turning the other cheek is bearing the blow and then offering the aggressor to strike once more. In effect one is saying you have done your worse and I will allow you to strike me once more. Regardless of what you do I will not sink to your level instead I will Love you.

This is hard teaching. But what are our alternatives. Should we meet evil with more evil? God forbid.

Understand this that turning the other cheek is not letting the person get away with evil. It may be true temporarily. But everybody is going to stand before God and give an account to what they have done?  Romans 12:19 says “Dearly beloved avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath, for it is written, vengeance is mine: I will repay, saith Lord.”

You see the punishment is only put off for a period of time. God will dish out justice. Now listen to the harmony of the scriptures in Romans 12:20-21 “Therefore if thine enemy is hunger feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.”

We should be willing to lay it all down and give everything. Look at Stephen.  Stephen preached the gospel. He told the truth and proclaimed Jesus as Lord and God. When the Jews heard it they were so angry that they took him and stoned him to death. When Stephen was being hit by rock after rock what were his final words? Acts 7:60 tells us what happened. “And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord; lay not this sin to their charge.”

Now look at Jesus, a man who had done no wrong. He was arrested, mocked, beaten, flogged, spit upon, given a crown of thorns and was made to carry his cross to be crucified between two thieves. And what did Jesus say on the cross?  Luke 23:34 records his last words. “Father forgive them for they know not what they do.”

This Is A Hard Teaching

I have told you before that one day I hope to be blessed by being able to give my life to the Lord by being a martyr. But let me say I have many many things I’d like to accomplish before then. I am willing to die for the Lord but not just yet. That is the truth that is how I feel.

Let me tell you I can’t predict how I would react in a bang bang situation. What if I walked out on the street after church and a man came up and hit me? I would like to say I would turn the other cheek that is what I would like to do. But I just might not. Because when these things happen they come so suddenly sometimes we react without thinking. I’d like to do what the Lord has commanded but I am not perfect and I just might not do it.  But I have this assurance from the Word of God. 1 Corinthians 10:13 says “There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye area able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bare it.”  You see this scripture promises me God won’t send me something that He and I can’t handle together.

Let me explain that we are in a war. It is a spiritual war. No in wars of flesh everybody knows that people will get hurt and killed.  Generals of the flesh and blood send their troops out knowing that they will die. This is just a fact of war. In the same way the Lord sends out his soldiers to do battle. He knows that some will be slain.  There are places where just confessing that sweet confession that Jesus is Lord will bring imprisonment and death.  Why should we not be willing to lay it all down?

It all goes back to Love. It was God’s intention that man would Love God and that man would Love his fellow man. It is because this world is fallen and sin stricken that we do not see this great Love demonstrated. Could you imagine what a wonderful place this would be if we all Loved one another? Ninety nine percent of our problems would disappear. When people hate one another for any reason it is a grave, deadly and destructive sin. It leads to war, strife, oppression and evil. When a Christian takes the high road and refuses to hate and then instead Loves when by worldly wisdom they should hate it is a very powerful statement. People will take notice and wonder what is going on.

Let me conclude by reading the scripture one more time, “Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt Love thy neighbour and hate thine enemy. But I say unto you Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you. That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and the unjust. For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? Do not even the publicans the same? And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? Do not even the publicans so? Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.”

Let us be perfect let us be like our Father in heaven let us love all.

Signing off for now,

John FeatherLeaf Kaniecki

Why White People Don't Exist

Here is why pale folk are not white folk. Pale folk like to disassociate themselves from other groups. They call themselves 'white' and others 'colored' separating the groups. What color is a cloud? It is white. What color is cotton? It is white. What color is a pale person? It is not the same color as cotton or a cloud. Now in cowboy movies what color hat does the good guy wear? He wears the white hat. The bad guy wears the black hat. Once again in Star Wars, Luke Skywalker the good guy wears white while Darth Vadar the bad guy wears black. If pale people are separate from colored people then they can be superior. Go back to the Bible we all come from Adam and Eve. Adam was darker as he came from the soil and soil is dark. Eve was pale as she came from Adam's rib and a bone is light in color. Calling pale people white just buys into the racism inherent to this system. There have been plenty of evil people of all skin colors and good people of all skin colors. There is no superiority based on skin color. Now if you want to talk about superiority based on culture that is another matter. Here the indigenous people have proven their system is vastly superior then the domineering European system. Yet you have pale people living Native life styles and you have Natives living European life styles. All said and done we need to Love one another and rectify the theft of the world through imperialism and colonialism. 

The Myth of Nations

"Let God be true and every man a liar." Romans 3:4

There is something that exists out there that I call "The Myth of Nations".  I will begin to explain this with a postulate beyond my ability to prove scientifically. However I am quite certain that it is true. "Every nation lies about itself to it's own population to enhance itself in the eyes of it's citizens." I cannot prove this because it would involve researching every nation and having accurate knowledge of it's real history and it's taught history. When I began reading the works of the Jewish historian Josephus I was well acquainted with the history of Israel. Israel's history is well documented in the Old Testament. As a Bible student I knew the stories. However it wasn't long into my reading that I noticed a deviation from Josephus and the Old Testament. It had to do with Hagar and Ishmael. I believe Josephus claimed that God prompted Sarah to expel the young Ishmael. This is not according to scripture. Genesis 21 tells how God talks to Abraham to allow the expulsion to happen. But the point is that Josephus' enhanced the characters who created the foundation of Israel. This I contend was done in a deceitful and fabricated manner.

This I know for certain happens in the United States. Let's start with 1492. Children are taught that was the year Columbus discovered America. How can you discover something that is already inhabited by over a hundred million people? Now look real hard at the significance. If America was indeed some virgin wilderness there is no need to question the European expansion into the territory. However if it was a land occupied by sophisticated people with advanced societies a question arises. What happened to the indigenous people of America? But when we 'pale wash' history and twist reality things flow more naturally to enhance the powers that be. They boast and brag about themselves through lies, myths, distortions, perversions, and crucial omissions.

Comprehending the Myth of Nations of course complicates current events. Let's look at the Palestinian/Israeli conflict. Right away we have a lie or myth in the name Israel. The people inhabiting Palestine that was once Israel have nothing to do with ancient Israel. They cannot trace their blood back for one thing. Secondly the Talmud has perverted the Torah into something that God had never intended. So when these people contend their birthright or their 'promised land' it is really based on a lie. However to understand any situation we must know all the data. We must know the lies taught the Israeli people, we must know the lies taught the Palestinian people and we must know the truth. Once more although it is beyond the ability of me to prove I will make this postulation. If you asked a Palestinian teenager and an 'Israeli' teenager to tell the history of their lands, you would not think they were talking about the same geographical area.

I just want to orientate you to this idea of "Myth of Nations". It is crucial to understanding how decisions are made. It is even more crucial in understanding how policies fail. But let me state this ugly truth. "Satan is the father of lies". Thus if all the nations of the world lie then they are Satanic in nature.

Finally I have never investigate very much into indigenous peoples' history. That is for the most part what I know about the original inhabitants of these stolen lands came from the work of the conquering cultures. Albeit in some cases being very sympathetic in attitude. It is said that history is written by the victors. But there is a Truth. If ever there is to be healing and reconciliation on this Earth the Truth must be made known. All the dirty little secrets shall be revealed. The Myth of Nations shall vanish list a fog before the glory of the rising sun.

Signing off for now,

John "FeatherLeaf" Kaniecki 

The Poem That Will Never Die- Tea With Joe Hill

I will never write a better poem. It is simply the truth. This poem is part of my poetry collection "Poet to the Poor, Poems of Hope For the Bottom One Percent".

Here is the blurb for the book.

"Poet to the Poor is a collection of poetry written for the bottom one percent. This work draws from historical figures and everyday people from John's life, creating a powerful poetic testimony. In revolutionary fashion John defies both the politics of the day and the modern style of poetry. The poems are written in a wide variety of styles, and rhyming is prominent. Passion and purpose abounds in these words. With over forty of the poems previously published, this work constitutes John's best, including the award winning poem "Tea with Joe Hill". If you want something to inspire you to change the world, this book is a must. Take a journey into the lives of the bottom one percent. The poor."

Poet to the Poor, Poems of Hope For the Bottom One Percent

Of course many of you don't know who Joe Hill was. The corporate masters hated him so much that they had him executed on trumped up charges. You see the 'system' conveniently forgets anybody they can ignore. If not they hijack your past. Susan B. Anthony for example. Everybody identifies her with woman's suffrage. But hear her conversation with the Socialist candidate for president one Eugene Debs. Debs said, "Susan if you give me socialism, I'll get women the right to vote." Susan answered in turn, "If you give me women the right to vote, I'll give you socialism." Why was Susan's socialistic nature ignored in my experience of being taught about her in public school? The truth undermines the foundations of the United States being some paragon of virtue. Thus it is deemed a threat.

In celebrating Joe Hill I am in fact celebrating America. I hate war and deplore the insane notion that troops sent far across the world to rob some other country of their resources is somehow serving America. All our wars are doing is bleeding the common man. Whether it be some poor soldier in our army or the mother who gets blown to pieces by the dropping of a bomb upon her house. The weapons makers, the bankers, the mercenaries, are all getting rich. Meanwhile our infrastructure is in decay, poverty abounds, there are no jobs to be found. Worst of all fascism in the guise of the Republican party is on the rise. Fear mongering for self serving purposes will only bring about evil to all. When the United States spend more on military than the rest of the world combined these 'chicken hawks' are telling us we need more weapons.

If Joe Hill were alive today he would have wrote a song about it. That is after all what Joe Hill did. He wasn't a rock star by any means. He was a working man through and through. A member of the IWW. A good and honest man full of honor.

I mention other historical figures in the poem. I leave them to you to investigate.

And now without any further commentary 'the poem that will never die'.

Tea with Joe Hill

By John Kaniecki

Joe Hill and I had tea

He let his biscuits soak

They say America is free

Man how they love to joke

Ask Sacco and Vanzetti

Ask Red Cloud and Crazy Horse

And the way I see

Is things are getting worse

I said "Joe why ain't you dead?"

Righteousness is like Love my friend

Laughed Joe as he shook his head

Spirits never die and never end

A thousand tyrants and all their force

In truth could never compete

With the Love that is the source

Of one of my melodies sweet

You see death and life they coexist

Some never die and some never live

So songs of revolution will always persist

For unto themselves my songs give

So open your eyes and organize

Never give in to their lies and organize

Do not hate and despise but organize

Raise your voice in mighty cries and organize

Joe slurped the last of his tea

And bid me a final farewell

Above all fight to be free

You’ll get heaven when you give them hell

Singing off for now, John 'FeatherLeaf' Kaniecki

P.S. Buy the book. If you like this poem, you'll love the book. 

More Information On Poet To The Poor

HOME

When I hitchhiked across the United States in 1987 one of the many interesting places that I ran into was California. Los Angeles and San Francisco stand out in my mind. Actually those were the only two locations I actually visited. I had what was called an Ameripass from the Greyhound Bus Company. I only hitch hiked where it was legal. I didn't want to wind up in jail in some wretched place far from family and friends. The Ameripass allowed one to ride the Greyhound all you wanted for a period of one month. Many a night in my journey I slept traveling the highways of these stolen lands. It was on the Greyhound that I rode up U.S. Highway 1 on the left coast of the United States. In my opinion some of the most beautiful scenery of this land. Especially if the ocean thrills you. So in Cali I was cautious and stayed on the bus not wanting to hitch hike the long trek.

The City of Angels was of course purchased with the blood of the peaceful indigenous peoples who lived there. Thus it bears the Spanish name. I once read the history of how the Spaniard enslaved the Native population. Cruel as their English kindred in the East and in every way just as evil. City of Devils would be more appropriate title based on the oppressive action of the invaders. So like many things in America the name is an outright lie. Just like Philadelphia, the City of Brotherly Love, has the infamous distinction of dropping two bombs upon the Move home.  You can take the Bible and come in Jesus name, if you don't have Love you are nothing. I Corinthians, chapter 13 for book, chapter and verse for that one. So am I calling all these slave owners Satanic? You got it. But some will whine in defense that slaves are to be obedient to their masters. That is true. But put it into the context of the Word of God. The command to 'Love Thy Neighbor' supersedes all commands being the second greatest. So brutal chattel slavery is an offense to Almighty God. And without doubt anybody, regardless of what they claim, who practices such atrocities are not acting in Love. If you think you can own slaves, beat them, rape them and sell them on the auction block and be pleasing to God, then we serve different gods. It's as simple as that.

L.A. was a memorable place. I recall being by the food truck counting my money. I didn't have a whole lot. The man in front of me was placing an order. It came out to be five dollars and some pennies. He didn't have the exact amount so I offered him the change needed. That man was so delighted with my overture that he told the cook to give me whatever I wanted and that he would pay for it. I got a cheeseburger and fries. They tasted good and more importantly filled my empty belly.

I was hitch hiking in San Francisco when an Asian man pulled his car over. He promptly identified himself as a Buddhist. Then he informed me that he was seeking knowledge and that he wanted to experience homosexuality. He wanted to know if I'd like to go to a hotel room with him to have sex. Generously he offered to pay for the bill. He had a wife at home and didn't want her to know about his religious enlightenment. I promptly said "no" and quickly found myself to the trolley. I didn't pay the fare. The whole system to me was confusing being accustomed to the mass transit system of New York City. Better believe it that in Babylon Central they make you pay upfront before you get on the train or bus.  The open air car of the trolley eventually wound up passing by the bus station where I exited. From there it was a simple matter to get on the Greyhound bus and it's refuge.

So what does this have to do about home? It was written by the ocean on the wall in San Francisco. It was spray painted sloppily in white letters. "HOME IS WHERE I WANT TO BE". I pray that tonight that you are in your home. Many people live and never have a home. So many homes are stolen away by greedy men. So many homes are destroyed by the hostility of war. Millions of houses so few homes.

What is my home like? Home is a place of peace. Home is definitely a place full of Love. I am reminded of how Paul and Silas sung hymns to God while in jail. If you know Jesus, the real Jesus, he can lead you to a home. Any place can be made pleasant. I recall many good laughs in psychiatric hospitals. True seekers are after all only strangers and pilgrims in this world. 1 Peter 2:11. So then should we give up the struggle for righteousness for some pie in the sky halleluiah home to come. No! Quite contrary we should fight with every fiber of our being to make this Earth as much like Home, our Home as we can. We owe that to ourselves, to our God and to those who live on this Earth. 

I hope you find "Turn A Page or Two" to be a home away from home. Please feel free to add comments. Just be respectful and more importantly truthful.

Signing off for now,

John "FeatherLeaf" Kaniecki

Check out my story. "More Than The Madness"