Blogcritics Author: David Ben-Ariel

Aid for Africa?

David Ben-Ariel — Sun, 5 Feb 2006 02:33:14 EST

Why, after all these years, are so many countries in Africa still dependent upon Western aid? Has such aid truly helped the situation or encouraged them to let others do for them what they won't do for themselves? (As the saying goes, you can give a man a fish and he'll eat once or you can teach him how to fish and he'll eat plenty of times). Has such assistance truly served the long-term interests of Africa or merely the self-interests of burgeoning bureaucracies?

Why does the white world of the Israelite West (Brit Am Israel) seem more concerned for the welfare and security of Africans than do many of Africa's tyrannical leaders? I raise this question because the West is usually despised as former colonialists and imperialists and is no longer welcome to rule with its law and order but is begged to bail African countries out once their elected leaders rip them off (bloating foreign bank accounts) and strip their countries bare by grievous mismanagement.

Productive white farmers in Zimbabwe, for example, have viciously been driven off their family farms for black squatters who do just that - squat - and the orphaned land lies fallow and the country starves. Yet racist Mugabe's still in power (no visits by Jesse Jackson or by an African-American coalition of outraged ministers over this reverse discrimination or threats of sanctions by the divided UN).

These are some of the points (sharpened by my own experiences and observations) travel-writer Paul Theroux makes in his work: Dark Star Safari: Overland from Cairo to Cape Town.

I've been blessed to have also visited parts of Africa, having taken trains, planes, and automobiles (hitchhiked for the most part) from Johannesburg to Cape Town, South Africa, up the Garden Route to Durban, Swaziland, Kruger National Park, and back to Johannesburg, on to Pretoria and the Voortrekker's National Monument (does it still stand?) while en route to Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe (Rhodesia).

I met up with an English lass on the train in Bulawayo whom I had met near George, South Africa and bunji-jumped with off a bridge weeks before while travelling back to Johannesburg.

I then went to Tel Aviv, Israel before coming to Home Sweet Home (USA).

May God bless Africa with genuine leaders who love their people and who put their people above their personal ambitions and greedy temptations.
Edited: [GH]

Scarlet Letter - A Christian With AIDS

David Ben-Ariel — Fri, 3 Feb 2006 20:05:33 EST

The following is an actual letter I sent to a close Christian friend in 1999, immediately after I was diagnosed with HIV. Since then the HIV has progressed on into AIDS.

I hesitated going public with this now, not wanting to throw fuel on the fire of those who would cruelly use this information against me in a vain attempt to discredit what I say and write on many controversial topics, narrowly focusing on this imperfect messenger rather than concentrating on my God-given biblical message.

However, I trust that the many principles involved here - the process of conversion, love and forgiveness, faith and patience, how perfection is our goal and destiny, how deadly serious sin is, making the most of our experiences, the amazing grace of God, etc., can benefit others who are able to glean something positive from such life experiences to bless their own lives and others and glorify God.

July 2, 1999

Dear Carl,

My Christian friend Jen emailed me when she found out about Tony being diagnosed with HIV. She was sorry to hear about it and said, "I really hope this may be some sort of wake up call for you. You're too smart to do some of the stuff you do, and you have a lot of friends who worry about you..."

I've talked with Jen a lot and she knows that I've been far from a disciplined Christian when it comes to sex outside of marriage. She's a "born-again virgin," to her credit, vowing never to have sex again until marriage -- so help her God!

It turned put the wake up call is too late for me, in one sense. After finding out that Tony had the dreaded disease, I thought it's more likely I would have it since I've been more "risky" than him (he and I are only friends), so I went and got tested to play it safe (pun intended). Well, I was devastated yesterday morning to have the nice and pretty lady tell me that she "didn't have good news."

I've been diagnosed with HIV by the Eliza test and it's been backed up/confirmed by the European blot test. My first thought was where is the highest building to jump off of, as tears filled my eyes, and then I was in that dream state where this can't be happening, this is all unreal, I'm watching a movie, how will I tell mom and Kim and Lisa and everybody, why did I have to be so stupid? Why couldn't/didn't I stop sinning and live? As Cher sings, "If I could turn back time." But the woman tried to comfort me, saying that whereas most people used to die within two years, now many are living up to 10 years without any symptoms. I also don't have any symptoms now.

She gave me all the information and numbers and places like David's House and MCO [Medical College of Ohio] to help out people like me with no insurance (and now I'll never be able to get any), all the information that I never wanted to hear or have to receive (probably like you now, sorry)....

I went and told mom in person, as Bob suggested, and she told Kim who cried with me on the phone, and they're going to tell Lisa. Of course, I could live a "normal" life and outlive everybody, one never knows. All I know is I prayed to God years ago, in my beloved Israel, that I wanted to be in His Kingdom no matter what -- even if it took AIDS to help me get and stay straight. Well, it looks like God might let my body be destroyed to save my soul; or He'll let me have it, if He doesn't heal me (and He could), to keep me celibate (since He knows I won't go out and give it to others like some wicked people I know).

Mom said, "God hasn't let you live this long to let you die now." I just hate the selfishness of sin, how I've now hurt and affected my family, and then there's the stigma that a struggling Christian writer would have AIDS! But God promises everything works together for good, for those of us who are called according to His wonderful purpose.

This is only my second day of "living with AIDS" and I'm already sick and tired of thinking and/or worrying about it. Of course I had another test done right then and there just in case, however unlikely, that they switched my blood tube with someone else's. Anyway, life goes on.

Shabbat Shalom,

Your bro,
David

Does God Heal Today?

David Ben-Ariel — Fri, 3 Feb 2006 16:10:37 EST

I'd never faced this decision before... I didn't know what to do. When I was first diagnosed with the HIV virus, I read innumerable articles on it and later suffered from an information overload and depressing confusion. One article would speak in favor of taking the highly toxic HIV/AIDS medicines, and then I'd read another one that spoke against it with just as convincing of an argument.

As a Church of God member, I know we encourage members to have faith in God and teach that doctors have their place but that it is very limited. As I told my doctor: "Miracles have no side effects and are free." We're all familiar with the poor lady in the scriptures who spent all she had on doctors and wasn't any better for it and then Jesus mercifully healed her.

I cried out to God: "I don't know what to do. What should I do? I know you can heal me, but what am I supposed to do for myself?" And shortly thereafter called my mother, who simply said: "You could always try the medicines and if you don't like them, you can always stop taking them." How logical!

I immediately began my HIV drug therapy, my AIDS "cocktail." I know some who have taken meds with few side effects but I could hardly walk when I first started -- it was worse than being a staggering drunk -- and the nightmares were out of this world...when I finally fell asleep. Later I regained my balance but the nightmares, night sweats, and irritability continued. I would be drenched like I had just gotten out of the shower and I would have some tingling in my arms and legs. Regardless, I strictly adhered to the program for over a year and then said enough was enough. I admit it reduced the HIV viral load to "undetectable" (although it's still lurking).

I decided I wanted quality over quantity of life. I would rather feel good for less years than have more years in misery. At least that sounded good. Again, I saw stories on television about others who praised the meds and were near death and bounced back, but one thing is sure: everybody is an individual and everybody must make up their own minds about whether or not to take medicines.

My infectious disease doctor wanted me on the meds and encouraged me to try another regimen. So I tried nine pills a day of this with two a day of that and endured it for several weeks and then said I would rather be dead and stopped again. Later I went on still other drugs, and took Bactrim to fight off infections. Although I didn't have any serious side effects, I just didn't feel right.. I actually felt so much better off the drugs!

So I created my own program: on drugs for 6-8 weeks to knock my viral load down (because I start to get scared as it escalated) and then go off them. I discovered it's called "Systematic Treatment Interruption" which some studies suggested is good but now the consensus appears to be that it's bad, although I'm skeptical about the drug industry.

I've seen scriptures where God promises to forgive all your sins and heal all your diseases (Ps. 103:3), and wonder why God hasn't removed this self-inflicted dreaded disease from me since I have confessed and forsaken my sins (Jer. 30:15, 17). (Some have diseases through no fault of their own). I also know AIDS has helped me to stay celibate, as the Bible prescribes for all singles, and that God says, "My grace is sufficient for you" (2 Cor. 12:9).

I've had miraculous answers to prayer; I'm confident God can heal: "I shall not die, but live and declare the works of the LORD. The LORD has chastened me sore, but He has not given me over to death" (Ps. 118:17-18).

Thy will be done.

Brokeback Mountain Blues

David Ben-Ariel — Fri, 3 Feb 2006 06:04:21 EST

I wanted to see it, but I didn't want to see it. I'm talking about the "gay cowboy" movie called Brokeback Mountain (even though I read Jake Gyllenhaal, one of the two major actors - "Jack Twist" - wants it to mean much more than that to its audience).

I didn't want to see Brokeback Mountain because I felt it could be considered some type of tacit approval of two men "falling in love," which goes against my Christian grain and biblical beliefs, but I wanted to see it because I am humanly "gay all the way." However, I am not a practicing homosexual (some would say I'm a professional one), sober and celibate by choice, so help me God, because of deep spiritual convictions.

I went and ran errands with a gay friend (who knows my beliefs and knew me wild and now knows me tame), visiting his "lover" in the Bowling Green, Ohio jail where he's doing ten days for a drunk driving, donated an autographed copy of my book Beyond Babylon: Europe's Rise and Fall to the main library in downtown Bowling Green (since I was born there 46 years ago, but never lived there), we picked up some fast food and visited my friend's mother where we ate and then he asked if I wanted to see Brokeback Mountain that would be showing at Franklin Park Mall (now called Southfield or something since the Brits took it over) in Toledo shortly, so I said yes and we rushed to get there and made it -- ten minutes late. He had seen it a week earlier up in Michigan with some gay and lesbian friends, thinking it wouldn't be shown around here -- wrong!

Immediately you have to stand in awe (or sit and watch) the scenery that is most spectacular and moving, especially as the sheep are being herded and moving on the big screen in front of you like you could reach out and pet one, and the mountains are majestic aspiring to reach Heaven with their snow-capped tops and trimmed with forests here and there, evergreens, and of course I couldn't help but think of the irony of nature playing such a prominent role in this film that the Apostle Paul would say is against nature....

I was surprised to see so many older folks in the audience. I thought they would all be set in their ways (I'm not saying that's wrong in some ways), traditional, opposed to such a real or imagined threat to "family values." Maybe they just wanted to watch a movie that looked interesting or they're also jaded, or desensitized to the seriousness of sin like too many, or recognized that it could provoke discussion or a greater understanding (without necessarily approving of it) of this whole issue of homosexuality.

I thought the first sex scene was rather abrupt, nothing really leading up to it, no mating game or cruising or furtive glances or hints of anything out of the ordinary. Must have all been buried underneath all that butch (masculine) appearance, simmering somewhere, and the fuel on the fire was a tad too much liquor, true to life. Alcohol can strip away any inhibitions some might have or offer an excuse later to help cover your butt (which is why I am sober and celibate by the grace of God). The movie does help blow the stereotype that all homosexuals are limp-wristed, sissy faggots - but didn't Rock Hudson already prove that? Among others.

The whole idea (or unwholesome idea) of two men on a mountain, far away from rules and regulations and norms, reminded me of a passage within a little booklet I wrote years ago (God and the Gays: What the Bible Really Says About Homosexuality) to address many of the issues Brokeback Mountain broached: about how some men who are basically "straight" (heterosexual) will engage in homosexual acts while in prison or a monastery, but will quickly revert to their preferred heterosexual passion as soon as possible and pretend nothing ever happened.

In BM, which we called "Bareback Mountain" among ourselves (no "safe sex" practiced in it among the men or women involved since it was set in the sixties), the fellows went their separate ways initially and got married and thereby proved they were hybrids - bisexuals - since they could obviously get sexually stimulated by men and women. A curiosity to both heterosexuals and homosexuals. But the first chance they had to get back together, in every way, they jumped at it like a raging bull let out of his cage. "Free at last, free at last!"

I've watched Oprah have men on her program who have been married for years, with children, who have suddenly "discovered" they're gay, and in "finding" themselves - isn't that just interestin'? - lose their wife and children. What about the commitment they made before both God and man? I don't care if you're gay or straight, if you make a vow you should keep it! Why make victims of the truly innocent wife and children who didn't ask for it? Of course some will say they're all victims, and that's true to an extent, but even if someone has "feelings" they should control them or nip wrong thoughts in the bud - not permit them to take root and grow.

Why do some find it fascinating for a man to cheat on his wife with another man, but would stone someone who was going through his "midlife crisis" sleeping around with younger women to prove some point to himself? It's not that the thoughts aren't there, it is possible to lust after your neighbor's wife or husband (or both), but you're supposed to rein in such maverick thoughts and not let them run roughshod over your life and marriage!

Of course two men can fall in love, or a married man and woman can fall in love with someone other than their spouse, but you're not supposed to set yourself up for a fall, you're not supposed to let yourself flirt with forbidden love, you're supposed to control the thoughts rather than let them control you (Genesis 4:7).

Brokeback Mountain forcibly brings all these tumultuous thoughts, tormenting conflicts of interest and personal struggles to the surface, surging like lava from a volcano, which I'm now wrestling with and pouring out for others to consider.

We can feel hopeless and all too human or we can transcend human relationships, overcoming sin rather than being overcome by it, by going up to the Mountain, following the path paved by the Suffering Servant (Isaiah 53), who gave His back to be beaten for us to break the power of sin over us, by whose stripes you are healed, who bears our heartaches, sorrow and sin; by going up to Mount Zion and "to the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels..." (Hebrews 12:22).

Instead of wrong desires that only lead to self-destruction, please let us yearn to return to Zion, time and again.

Shimon Peres Came To Power Over Rabin's Dead Body

David Ben-Ariel — Thu, 2 Feb 2006 22:40:40 EST

I met Yitzhak Rabin in the Israeli Parliament in 1982 during Hanukkah. I was able to talk with him briefly and mention I was associated with Ambassador College in Pasadena, California.

That was a tactful way of saying I'm a Christian since I knew he personally knew Herbert W. Armstrong and the Worldwide Church of God, including the Plain Truth magazine. Mr. Armstrong had presented him with a gift of Steuben crystal before.

I was a volunteer at Kibbutz Ramat Yohanan at the time, in Northern Israel near Haifa. Just so happens Rabin had lived there for over a year in the late '50s.

I initially considered Rabin - born in Jerusalem - a traitor for surrendering too much to sworn Arab enemies who had not changed their goal of genocide, only their tactics; for going against clear security concerns he once expressed. (I was in a cafe in Jerusalem when he was shot in Tel Aviv). I refused to attend his funeral, although I had attended Rabbi Meir Kahane's some years before.

Later I found out Rabin was apparently being pressured by the dark powers that be to continue to go against what he knew was wrong and that he resisted and was therefore MURDERED by them for coming to his senses.

I do not believe Yigal Amir murdered Rabin. ( I've met Avishai Raviv several times at demonstrations - he's the government agent provacateur who goaded Raviv to murder Rabin). Amir is a patsy, the fall-guy, as is thoroughly expounded upon in Who Killed Yitzhak Rabin by Barry Chamish, his first book that broached the subject and clearly indicts the traitor and murderer Shimon Peres (whose Hebrew name appropriately means vulture).

I repeatedly condemn Peres as a kapo of compromise, a prostitute who serves his German-Jesuit EU masters, a traitor who has sold and is selling out Jews, Jerusalem and Israel and say as much in my book Beyond Babylon: Europe's Rise and Fall I am on public record against his perfidy and continue to expose him. He was the Bolshevik in charge during my unjust deportation, who was very much aware of an article published in Jerusalem where I mention the EU plans for Jerusalem's occupation.

The Israeli Secret Police (six men interrogated me) had a computer disk with Beyond Babylon on it and said many would read it/examine it during their investigation of me during their wild goose chase. I told them to make sure Shimon Peres read it.

New evidence further PROVES Yigal Amir did not kill Yitzhak Rabin. It's past time Israelis demand: REOPEN THE RABIN FILE.

Germany Behind the Mask: Monster or Marshmallow?

David Ben-Ariel — Thu, 2 Feb 2006 20:22:33 EST

For over 50 years, Herbert W. Armstrong warned that a German-led European combine would thresh the nations. When Germany lay in ashes after WWII, Mr. Armstrong had no doubt Germany would be back with a vengeance and he pounded this theme home through the pages of The Plain Truth magazine read by millions worldwide.

Are We Wrong About Europe? by Ryan Malone of The Philadelphia Trumpet magazine, reveals how they continue in Armstrong's tradition.

Konrad Adenauer said the West was "taking a calculated risk" when they started rebuilding Germany after the Holocaust. Before that President Roosevelt and Prime Minister Churchill agreed: "It is our inflexible purpose to destroy German militarism and Nazism and to ensure Germany will never again be able to disturb the peace of the world."

Nevertheless, Helmut Schmidt reported Germany was again putting on "imperial airs," and author Bernard Conally wrote that France was struggling to "hold the old demons of Germany's character in check." Margaret Thatcher warned her deaf audience that "Germany is very powerful now - her national character is to dominate." Are they all just crying wolf? Or is the German beast about to devour again?

Robert Locke, who is opposed to the increasingly fascist Europe (but doesn't believe Germany dominates it) stated: "I can't agree with you about Germany. It is a castrated PC marshmallow of a country, not a lion preparing to rule the world."

Consider Luigi Barzini's reference to "The mutable Germans" in The Europeans where he questions: "Which is the shape of the German Proteus this morning? Which will be its shape tomorrow?" Johannes Gross thinks his countrymen wear a mask. "But the day may come when someone lifts the mask," he wrote. "The face that appears may be less full-cheeked and rosy than today's... So long as we wear the mask, we remain hidden and continue to conceal the situation from ourselves.'"

Ron Fraser (Is a World Dictator About to Appear?) exposes: "Although Germany is the prime mover in all these [European unification] efforts, in order to dispel any idea that the country may have expansionist intentions, these initiatives have generally been made under the cloak of being for the common good of the European Union."

This sentiment concurs with Bismarck, who wrote in his diary (November, 1876): "I have always heard politicians use the word 'Europe' when they were making requests to other powers which they did not dare formulate in the name of their own country."

What is Germany hiding? Nuclear weapons? Who would be so foolish to imagine Germany without their own nuclear weapons when they were ahead of us in developing them? Certainly the grand design Franz Josef Strauss had in mind (with much at his disposal as Federal Minister of Nuclear Energy, and later Defense Minister) demanded independence from the United States. And Germany's Dolphin submarines delivered to Israel, equipped to handle nuclear weapons, underscore German military capabilities, yet the United States continues to blindly promote their control of the European continent, oblivious to the dangers in US-German European policy.

How many German plants in America are serving the interests of Germany's budding Fourth Reich? It's not only German factories and German businesses in America proving "that basic thoroughness of the orderly German" (Johannes Gross), since the secret Nazis had predetermined such a strategy, but bought and paid for American prostitutes in diverse and perverse positions of power aid and abet them! They expose our country to danger and will leave us infected as a nuclear wasteland!

What is Germany hiding behind the mask? Even if skeptics dismiss the mystic relationship between Germany and the Vatican (both forging Europe into their image believing "the German spirit will heal the world" - Emanuel Geibel), and doubt the Bavarian pope is soon going to promote a particular strong man and platform to save Europe and the world from the threat of Islam, shouldn't those responsible for our national security seriously consider the scenario of a United States of Europe betraying us? Shouldn't the intelligence experts consider that possibility and prepare for it? Why suffer the element of surprise that Germany is infamous for? "The German is acquainted with the hidden paths to chaos..." (Nietzche).

"...it is once again important to keep an eye on the German Proteus in an attempt to fathom the probable shape of things to come. What form will he assume next? After all, Germany is still le coeur de l'Europe" (Barzini). Is the German marshmallow about to mutate into the German monster? Will the EU mask come off and expose the beast? Will the heart be healthy for Europe or dark and dangerous?