Dear Mr. Perez, I would like to hear your views on relations between people of different races in prison, especially in Mass. From the recent protests in Georgia and California it appears that prisoners are banding together across racial divides to address injustices in the prison system. Do you see signs of prisoners in Mass. working together for common goals? What issues bring people together?
thankyou for the birthday wish baby. you know i love you to life. you are the missing person in my life, and i can't wait to hold you. I finally got the photos ready. by the time you get this comment, you should already have them. tell me how you like them.
Nephew I am proud of your blog and the professionalism presented. I love you so much and I know your dad & grandma Frances would be proud of how you are serving your time. I love the organization you iniated, considering the victims of crime. I often share your ideas with friends and co-workers. I love that you are not playing the "blame game". God is truly watching over you and always remember His Grace and Mercy. And always know that Auntie Mary loves you forever. Keep running and keep the faith!!!!
Hi Battites Wesley, I just wanted to let you know that I read your letters online and even though people do not always answer, I hope you will continue to write down your stories and tell them to the digital world. What's the name of the last book you enjoyed reading? Take care, Linda
Hiya Precious – This is so cool. I was browsing through the blogs on BTB when I saw your name and wondered if it was you – lo and behold, there you were – large as life and twice as beautiful. I’ve heard so much about you it was nice to read about you in your own words. I would love to write to you, but you understand why I can’t. I think about you and Chyna often. How could it be otherwise? You’re family now. I’ll visit your blog often from now on, I go there every day as a matter of course (for obvious reasons) so if you want me to know anything just put a little message at the end of one your usual blogs. I’ll make sure it gets to the right destination. Much love to you and Chyna – always Axel.
I finally found the reference to the part where Jesus tells His disciples to obey the religious authorities: Matt. 23:1-3 and onward.
He refers specifically to "Moses' seat" so I'm not sure if this only applies to the Jewish religious governmental system, or if it applies to us today. Surely similar authorities we have over us now that they had then, such as parents, and general governments, must be obeyed. But I'm not sure about the churches.
For in the following verses, Jesus tells us not to be called master or rabbi, and not to call anyone father. So while the old testament seems to have "Moses' seat" in which the people sitting must be obeyed, for Christians that related seat of authority is filled by Jesus, and we are all brethren, submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ (Eph. 5:21), where the greatest among you is the servant of all.
I liked your post on Birth Control and Catholicism. I agreed with most of it.
One thing that bothers me about birth control, not in the actual mechanics of it, or even in the doing, but in the attitude it promotes. Society at large is already programmed to be all about "me me me"; and birth control, and then abortion, just continues that trend to larger extremes.
Just like people postpone marriage these days, believing they'll "get around to it when I'm ready" I wonder if birth control enables the believing of similar deceptions. i.e. "We'll get around to having kids when we're ready financially, emotionally, have a house, have a new car, have a new stereo, etc, etc, etc."
And in this sense, the story of Onan comes into play, at least peripherally. He did what he did because he was selfish. We do what we do because we are selfish, much of the time. What's the real difference?
If we're afraid of kids because it might mess with our lives, then why are we married? Maybe there are valid reasons, but I think it's to our own benefit if that fear is examined and understood before slapping on a condom and assuming all is well.
Strong words, and words we need to hear. If we were more honest with ourselves, I think we would be shaking in our boots, if not falling on our faces before God.
One thing I find interesting is that Jesus preached repentance because the Kingdom of Heaven is near. And the rules of the Kingdom of Heaven are different than any of the rules of the kingdoms of earth. They are different, because none of the evils from the kingdoms of earth will ever get into the Kingdom of Heaven.
This distinction is important. For in the body, we are still subject to kingdoms on earth. But in the spirit and the body, we are subject to the Lord and King of Heaven.
Interestingly, none of the rules we abide by in the Kingdom of Heaven conflict with our living in kingdoms of earth. The rule of love works on both sides. So this seeming duality is not inconsistent.
But.... if "we are Caesar" as you say, are we a part of the Kingdom of Heaven or a kingdom of earth? If we are not to offer any resistance to those who are evil, as you quote Jesus saying in Matt. 5:39, then are protests an option? You write that "Christians should be marching in the streets", but isn't that a form of resistance too? Verbally we must speak the truth in love, but physically, in imposing numbers, a protest does seem rather resistive.
How can we, in the role of Caesar, use a government that uses force to effect change, when we also want to be subjects in the Kingdom of Heaven where resistance is not allowed?
I have not solved this puzzle completely to my satisfaction. But before I condemn Caesar, I think I need to work to extract myself from him, at least in the areas where God has given me light enough to see.
Because a police officer is a "minister of God" (Romans 13:4), a servant of Caesar, and a user of force. And I am supposed to love him, and go two miles if he asks me to go one.
Perhaps by not resisting him, I have separated myself from him and his tactics as well.
RSS
I would like to hear your views on relations between people of different races in prison, especially in Mass. From the recent protests in Georgia and California it appears that prisoners are banding together across racial divides to address injustices in the prison system. Do you see signs of prisoners in Mass. working together for common goals? What issues bring people together?
A friend in the struggle
God is truly watching over you and always remember His Grace and Mercy. And always know that Auntie Mary loves
you forever. Keep running and keep the faith!!!!
I just wanted to let you know that I read your letters online and even though people do not always answer, I hope you will continue to write down your stories and tell them to the digital world.
What's the name of the last book you enjoyed reading?
Take care,
Linda
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He refers specifically to "Moses' seat" so I'm not sure if this only applies to the Jewish religious governmental system, or if it applies to us today. Surely similar authorities we have over us now that they had then, such as parents, and general governments, must be obeyed. But I'm not sure about the churches.
For in the following verses, Jesus tells us not to be called master or rabbi, and not to call anyone father. So while the old testament seems to have "Moses' seat" in which the people sitting must be obeyed, for Christians that related seat of authority is filled by Jesus, and we are all brethren, submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ (Eph. 5:21), where the greatest among you is the servant of all.
One thing that bothers me about birth control, not in the actual mechanics of it, or even in the doing, but in the attitude it promotes. Society at large is already programmed to be all about "me me me"; and birth control, and then abortion, just continues that trend to larger extremes.
Just like people postpone marriage these days, believing they'll "get around to it when I'm ready" I wonder if birth control enables the believing of similar deceptions. i.e. "We'll get around to having kids when we're ready financially, emotionally, have a house, have a new car, have a new stereo, etc, etc, etc."
And in this sense, the story of Onan comes into play, at least peripherally. He did what he did because he was selfish. We do what we do because we are selfish, much of the time. What's the real difference?
If we're afraid of kids because it might mess with our lives, then why are we married? Maybe there are valid reasons, but I think it's to our own benefit if that fear is examined and understood before slapping on a condom and assuming all is well.
Strong words, and words we need to hear. If we were more honest with ourselves, I think we would be shaking in our boots, if not falling on our faces before God.
One thing I find interesting is that Jesus preached repentance because the Kingdom of Heaven is near. And the rules of the Kingdom of Heaven are different than any of the rules of the kingdoms of earth. They are different, because none of the evils from the kingdoms of earth will ever get into the Kingdom of Heaven.
This distinction is important. For in the body, we are still subject to kingdoms on earth. But in the spirit and the body, we are subject to the Lord and King of Heaven.
Interestingly, none of the rules we abide by in the Kingdom of Heaven conflict with our living in kingdoms of earth. The rule of love works on both sides. So this seeming duality is not inconsistent.
But.... if "we are Caesar" as you say, are we a part of the Kingdom of Heaven or a kingdom of earth? If we are not to offer any resistance to those who are evil, as you quote Jesus saying in Matt. 5:39, then are protests an option? You write that "Christians should be marching in the streets", but isn't that a form of resistance too? Verbally we must speak the truth in love, but physically, in imposing numbers, a protest does seem rather resistive.
How can we, in the role of Caesar, use a government that uses force to effect change, when we also want to be subjects in the Kingdom of Heaven where resistance is not allowed?
I have not solved this puzzle completely to my satisfaction. But before I condemn Caesar, I think I need to work to extract myself from him, at least in the areas where God has given me light enough to see.
Because a police officer is a "minister of God" (Romans 13:4), a servant of Caesar, and a user of force. And I am supposed to love him, and go two miles if he asks me to go one.
Perhaps by not resisting him, I have separated myself from him and his tactics as well.