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THE FUTURE OUTLOOK J. F. JOHNSON?L Editor & Publisher MISS EMMA P. JOHNSON News Reporter L. A. WISE Staff Photographer Make all checks payable to and mail to: THE FUTURE OUTLOOK P. 0. BOX 20331? GREENSBORO, N. C. 27420 PHONE 273-1758 Second Class Postage Paid at Greensboro, N. C. 10c Per Copy Published Weekly $6.00 Per Year ? ????? The Declaration of Independence "When in the course of humas events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume, among the powers on earth, the separate and equal station to which the laws of nature and of nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation." We present here the opening paragraph of the un animous Declaration of the Thirteen States of America, on the 192nd birthday of our country. As a holiday, we too often forget the real reason for the celebration and look forward to the day as a time to enjoy the outdoors with picnics, fireworks, fishing, sprees, etc. Maybe a few veter ans will recall, or the survivors of those who died to pre serve our way of life will think of the causes of the cele bration, but to be truthful we have a designated Memorial Day to honor our war dead and July 4th is our Indepen dance Day. The educational processes of our country are under constant pressure in regards to what and how they shape our young people. Especially is this true in regards to the recent show of a lade of patriotism in some instances among our armed services. What we are wondering is, is it possible to teach patriotism? It is possible to teach history, to demand respect, to inclucate ideals, but to actually teach love and patriotism seems an impossible task to impose on instructor* Better is it to teach history, to impress ideals andA* 'treat* 4 low for our way of life and thereby to GBagb'feklgfctr degree qf patriotism. It is inter wttafr 4tf jfcft IgUape Court de cision concerniaf (Bwlittl schools camt ipet about a week before tlw eelebratioa tf LadipWden? fiSjr of 1964 and to note ef God in tile D*cl&i%tioa ^Inde pendence and in ?B cdeUMMto of the gwetroSRllM the use of the Bible in most pahlic functions.' I famy tttftgs have been said concerniaf the decision both in agnqpient and in disagreement. It is unnecessary to repeat them here except to say that while patriotism may not be a "taught" subject, religion is considered such. The United States established as a Christian nation offers freedom of, not from religion. And while the nation is established as Christian, it welcomes other religions and creeds and the Supreme Court has attempted to prevent the imposition of a religion on anyone not desiring it. It must be carefully stated that to pray, or not to pray, or what to pray is left to the local authorities. Actual religious instruction has been eliminated from the curricula or public schools for some time and at the same time the opportunity for the teaching of moral maxims and principles which would be advantageous in the training of the young is eliminated. Recognizing this fact, many denominations have maintained private and parochial schools so that instruction in the particular faith of the group can be maintained and religion taught on a proper prospective with other subjects. This year the 4th of July comes on Friday which pro ceeds the first Sunday of the month at which time most churches celebrate communion and Christ with the sym bols of bread and wine which represent the broken body and the blood of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. May we wish you a safe and happy Fourth and re member safety begins with you ? on the highway, in the home or wherever and however you celebrate the holiday. This Weed's Sunday School Lesson. 5. THE BIBLE SPEAKS TO THE SOCIAL ORDER What I, Our Concern? J Frederick the Great of Prus I fir" a remarkably successful soldier, a powerful ruler, a re former of sorts _ was 'a good candidate for the title of en lightened despot. srs? a iv m^OCiety~-'ust as He has given the bees the honey; and as our social system could not subsist without the sense of justice and injustice. He has given us the power to acquire that sense." ^ The sense of justice and in justice is strong in the Bible. It undergirds the law codes, stirs SI2hetS to Vl?orous word and deed, and inspires the poe try of the Psalter. In the New Testament the concerns of jus tice remain, but they are trans muted into the language of liberty and love. The interrela tionship of love, justice, and ?*dom within the intention of God is the theme of this lesson. Before Yon Read the Scripture Luke 4.16-18, 21. The scene m the synagogue in Nazareth sets the tone and outlines the Program of Jesus' ministry. When Jesus had finished read ing the Scripture passage (Isa iah 61:1-2), he astounded his hearers by declaring that it was being fulfilled in their presence. "The acceptable year of the Lord (verse 19) 0r, better. The year of the Lord's favor" was the long-awaited time when the Messiah would come and usher in the kingdom of I C_rOd. I Lhe Messiah's work is to bring liberty. He sets free all those who are In any way cap "i10 sufferinK or poverty, Physical or mental blindness or oppression. He labors to cor rect every inequity and injus tice that society inflicts on its weaker members or that men ^ "?? Isaiah 5:16, 18, 20-23. Chapter 5 begms with the lyric mood and beguiling softness of a ,7? ??? (Verse 1) The author I 016 metaphor of the vine yard to describe the care of a loving God for his people. I (7en,ea *-??) Then, like light ning striking, he accused the People of willful rebellion I against God. (Vene 4b) He * #eile? of dirges over the doomed nation, each begin ning with the dang of the | funeral bell: "Woe!" J* Z?* ta ^ lesson come from two ?f the dirges. They set the character of God in sharp contrast with the be I havior of Israel. An object is holy because it is separated from everyday use and set apart for a sacred func tion. God's holiness is his sepa rateness, his otherness from men, or his exaltedness qbove them, as expressed in verse 18a. In the early days Israel saw God's holiness in his awesome power, always unpredictable and often destructive. Isaiah had a new idea of what sepa rated God from men ? his moral perfection. God shows himself to be holy by his justice and righteousness. (Verse 16) God's Perfection ? Our Imperfection The Hebrew word for moral perfection is translated as "righteousness." It signifies com plete rightness. The "Tightness" of God is best seen in his jus tice. The metaphor In verse 18 Is difficult to Interpret. "Iniquity" and "sin" can mean not only evil attitudes and actions but also their consequences to the one who does them. The second sense Is probably intended here. The verse might then be para phrased, "How miserable are those whose falsehood drags the results of Iniquity toward them as with a rope, the de structive consequences of their sin, as if with an ox's leather harness." Verses 20-23 detail the evils that had developed In Israel. "Heroes" and "valiant men" (verse 22) are military terms, usually used of men who have ' won fame on the battlefield. Isaiah's ironic comparison still carries its bite. | Hebrew law required the ? testimony of only two or three witnesses for conviction. (Deu teronomy 17:6) It was relative ly easy to win a case by bribery if either the judge or the wit nesses were corruptible, and this weakness of the legal sys tem was ruthlessly exploited by the wealthy. Society cannot sur vive If its laws are held in con tempt. Therefore, the prophets bitterly denounced bribery In the law courts as a typical ex ample of social injustice. What the Serlptore Says The Scripture for today is Isaiah 5:16-25; Hosea 12:6-9; Luke 4:16-21; James 2:1-9. Selected verses are printed below. See Home Bible Study suggestions In the back of the quarterly. Luke 4:16-18, 21 16 And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up; and he went to the synagogue, as his custom was, on the sab bath day. And he stood up to read; 17 and there was given to him the book of the prophet Isaiah. He opened the book and found the place where it was written, 18 "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he :>is anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclalrr release to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, 1 to set at liberty those who are oppressed." ?????????? ... 21 And he began to say to them, "Today this scripture has been fulfilled In your hearing." Isaiah 5:16, 18, 20-28 10 But the Lord of hosts Is ex alted In justice and the Holy God shows himself holy In right eousness. 18 Woe to those who draw In iquity with cords of falsehood, who draw sin as with cart ropes. 20 Woe to those who call evil food and good evil, who put darkness for light and light lor darknees. who put bitter for sweet and sweet lor bitter! 21 Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes, and shrewd in their own sight! 22 Woe to those who are heroes at drinking wine, and valiant men In mix ing strong drink, 23 who acquit the ^guilty for a bribe, and deprive the innocent of his right! Memory election: Let justice roll down like wa ters, and righteousness like an everflowing stream. ? Amos 5:24 How We Understand " The Scripture Justice is a quality both of God and of his people when their society is sound and healthy. As a divine attribute, justice is closely related to the creative power of God. As God had a plan for the universe, he has also a design for human society. It too ought to function in har mony and order, fulfilling his purpose. The power that God brings to bear in history to cre ate this concord and unity is his justice. Divine justice is God's creativity at work in history. What Is Sin? This conclusion leads to what might be called a social defini tion of sin. Sin is anything that hinders the realization of God's justice in society. Any social movement or practice that dis torts God's design or disrupts its ordered expression is by definition sinful. The nature of sin in society is clear in Isaiah 5:20. The prophet pictures a community in which all the values are turned upside down. What God calls good, Israel denounces as evil. What he calls darkness, they regard as light. Where values are wantonly and totally reversed, the order of society falls apart; and chaos and strife follow. The problem of human jus tice is the problem of the use and abuse of power. Whenever men think of their power as their own to use as they will, they introduoe the cancer of in justice isto society. Oppression of the weak is an abuse of power, and crooked dealing in the law courts Is a glaring example of such op pression. (Verse 23) But the spirit of injustire works in lass obvious ways. The man who fails to recognize his own fall ibility is a dangerous neighbor. He feels it is impossible for him to be in the wrong. There fore, blame and reprisal must fall on. those stupid and in ferior' "others" who cause all the trouble. (Verse 21) God's Design As surely as a cart follows the animals to which it la harnessed, injustice pulls aftar it a train of evil consequences. (Verse 18) These can ba checked short of the ruin society only if the abuse at power ceases end the forces of society are brought to the ser vice of God's design. As we saw in the lesson for June 22, personal obedience to the divine will is possible only
The Future Outlook (Greensboro, N.C.)
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June 27, 1969, edition 1
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