While Americans celebrated the American Revolution, as a Canadian, I was having the best time of my life living in Venice Beach, California in the Spirit of ´76. It was my first winter in the warm sun in my lifetime. The Times and Winds of Change were favorable toward me since this unexpected Day.
At that time, Venice Beach was the self-proclaimed, last bastion of Freedom in the un-United States. The idea was anyone was Free to do anything, as long as there was no harm done to others, or diminished their equal rights.
One Day, I decided to test how real this right of Freedom of Speech was practiced in Venice? Sitting on a bench on the Boardwalk with my back to the ocean, I started to read from the Bible in a very loud voice. It seemed as though the Wind from the sea carried the words so that they reverberated among the buildings and along the Beach.
Watching the passersby, there were so many comments to the effect, ¨You can´t do that here. Go some place else.¨ People actually covered their ears, saying ¨Stop that! Stop that!” It was appearing more and more, many people don´t practice what they preach or believe in Freedom of Speech except for their own.
Continuing to read, someone came up to me sitting on the bench and cracked an egg on my head!
I was temporarily stunned, as the yoke dripped down my hair and face, onto my shirt and the Bible in my hands.
How to react? Should I stand up in the anger and wrath of God? Should I condemn him to Hell? It took a few seconds, but recovering, I stood up and said,
¨Have you never read these words in this Book? Learn of me, for I am meek and lowly. Take my yoke upon you, for my yoke is easy and my burden IS Light.”
Matthew 11:28-30
After that, others came apologizing for that one and cleaned me up.
The glitz and glamour in seeing the pantheon of stars turn out for the Academy Awards was always impressive watching it from CanaDa.
Since I unexpectedly and powerfully came alive to God on February 1, 1975, I have experienced many unexpected surprises and wonders. One of them was during the 1976 Academy Awards.
Nine months after that awakening at the age of 30 going on 31, I sold all my possessions in Montreal and put on a back pack, entering the Unites States to discover the Spirit of ’76. That Spirit led me to so many places I never could have imagined prior to February 1, 1975.
I spent some time in Venice Beach, California. It was an awesome time for me, especially because it was my 1st winter in a warm, sunny climate. I had a free place to stay half a block from the ocean. I was invited to party more than I could accept.
I held two jobs. At 7am, I set up the tables and chairs on the patio of the Sea & Shore Restaurant on the Boardwalk. For doing just that, I received a full breakfast, and I could sit on the patio whenever, and drink free coffee until closing. It was a wonderful place to meet and greet, discussing the issues of the day.
My other job was washing dishes for $1/hr at Suzanne’s Kitchen Friday to Monday, also on the Boardwalk. I toured to other places in between. Suzanne was a part time actress and an excellent cook. Her most famous movie part I am aware of was in ‘The Parallax View.”
Graceful words dripped from her lips like milk and honey. Then there were times when it seemed she just suddenly snapped and her words were like icy daggers, making everyone within hearing distance feel like they were guilty for whatever it was.
For the 1976 Academy Awards, she brought a portable television to the Restaurant so we could watch the spectacle. I marvelled I was so close to where it was happening for the 1st time in my life. History was made that night. For the 1st time ever, a live trans Atlantic TV broadcast with Diana Ross in Amsterdam was part of the show.
During the presentations, a stranger I had never seen before came into the Restaurant and handed me a brown paper wrapped package and disappeared into the night before I opened it and could ask questions.
To my great wonder and surprise, it was a black leather bound book with the gold embossed title, ‘The Words of Jesus.’ It contained only the words of Jesus from the four Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.
To me, it was much more valuable and uplifting than getting a golden statue/false god/idol. I view those things, like Grammy’s, Nobel Prizes, etc. as they’re described in Daniel 3 of the Bible.
The king of Babylon gave a command to ‘all People, Nations and tongues,’ that whenever they heard the sound of any musical instrument wherever they are, they bow down toward the Golden Statue erected in the Capital of Babylon, like Muslims bow toward Mecca. The penalty if anyone was caught not bowing down was to be burned alive in a fired up furnace.
It was most probably rare for the average person to hear a musical instrument in those Times, and actually be caught not prostrating according to the king’s command. If that commandment was still enforced Today, not much work would get done.
This theme is carried over to the last temptations of Jesus recorded in Matthew 4 when the devil took him up to a very high mountain, and showed him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them; and said to him, all these things will I give you, if you WILL FALL DOWN and worship me. Jesus said to him, Get outta here, Satan: for it is written, You shall worship the Lord your God, and him only shall you serve.
On the inside front and back covers of the Book there were words written: to be given to – and there were many names written in the Book between the covers. There was one name written I did know, my Sales Manager in Montreal in 1967, nine years earlier. Chances are it was the same name, but not the same person. The next recipient was probably living in Kansas City.
June 1, 2014 – The marvel of the Internet. I had no contact with Suzanne since I moved on in 1976 and she just contacted me Today with pictures from her Kitchen. See her comment below.
In this letter to the Ottawa Citizen, the writer uses a Bible verse from the great Prophet Isaiah in chapter 42:2 to say my Public speaking is contrary to the Word of God. He objected to the header ‘Christ Didn’t Whisper’ in a letter to the editor by an earlier writer defending my Public speaking. That letter can be seen below.
Looking up that scripture to see it in context, in the very same chapter, at Isaiah 42:13 it reads,
The LORD shall go forth as a mighty man, he shall stir up jealousy like a man of war: he shall cry, yea, roar; he shall prevail against his enemies.
Citizen photo
The header to this story would have attracted readers so it is good. I also like the ad placed underneath it about being a winner with the Christ of Christmas. I also like the thought of “I” ARKS from Noah’s ARK in the MARKS & Spencer Business sign in the background. As Mother Teresa realized, You see, in the final analysis, it is between you and God; it was never between you and them anyway.
The story records I did say,”I’m a nut,” but like lazy news media tends to do, it was taken out of context:
“some of you may think ‘I’m a nut.’ Have you never read these words in the Bible? I went down into the garden of nuts to see the fruits of the valley, and to see whether the vine flourished, and the pomegranates budded. Song of Soloman 6:11
The flowers appear on the earth; the time of the singing of birds is come, and the voice of the turtle is heard in our land.” Song of Soloman 2:12
The turtle has no voice like most people when it comes to the weightier matters affecting us all. This was a parable/prophecy saying the world is going nuts. Most people would agree the Vision has Generally been proven True after all these years.
This is the same Police Officer assigned to stopping me from exercising my Democratic right to Freedom of Speech in the image above it. After these incidents, I saw this Officer several times on the Beat and always acknowledged him with a cheerful, respectful greeting, but never stopped to talk with him.
Two years passed by and finally the Time arrived when our paths crossed by chance and I stopped to engage him in conversation. I was surprised when he told me he is indebted and grateful to me. He said he was only doing his job as he had to do. He said he realized the people were with me and I could have made him the scapegoat focusing everything on him and I didn’t do that. That was never my style with him or anybody anyway.
For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
What I find interesting to note, is how ancient Jewish Biblical History is repeating itself these Days in a new phase.
The Jewish Bible refers to the Prophet Micaiah for only one Day, one scene and situation of his life.
About 3000 years ago, the kings of Israel and Judah held a Summit meeting to discuss going to War with Syria.
The king of Israel gathered the prophets of Israel, 400 of them, to tell the kings if God was with them in the War?
They were unanimous, with no dissent at all, telling the king, “Ascend, and the Lord will deliver [it] into the hands of the king.”
I can only think king Jehoshaphat of Judah was somewhat skeptical of the unanimity, and asked the king of Israel if these were ALL the Prophets in Israel?
The king said, ‘there is 1 more, but I hate him. He never says anything good about me.’
After those 3000 years, what king of the earth is like like that these Days?
Guards were sent to get Micaiah and told him all the other Prophets were unanimous. God would give the king a win, so don’t rock the boat, and go along with the others. He did in a way saying, “Go up and triumph, and MAY the Lord deliver it into the king’s hand.”
While the Bible has no mention of any other Time, the king of Israel said to Micaiah, “How many times must I adjure you that you shall not speak to me but truth in the name of the Lord?”
Micaiah, in ‘speaking truth to power’ then said, I saw all the Israelites scattered over the mountains like sheep who have no shepherd. And the Lord said, ‘These have no master. Let them return each one to his house in peace.’ ”
It got worse for the king of Israel as Micaiah continued, “Therefore, listen to the word of the Lord. I saw the Lord seated on His throne, and all the host of heaven were standing by Him on His right and on His left. And the Lord said, ‘Who will entice Ahab so that he will go up and fall in Ramoth-Gilead?’ One said in this manner and another one said in that manner. And a certain spirit came forth and stood before the Lord and said, ‘I will entice him,’ and the Lord said to him ‘How?’
‘I will go forth, and I will be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets.’ And He said, ‘You will entice and you will prevail. Go forth and do so.’ And now, behold the Lord has placed a lying spirit in the mouth of all these prophets of yours, whereas the Lord spoke evil concerning you.”
Naturally, 1 of the 400 other Prophets of Israel gave Micaiah a shot to the head.
The king ignored Micaiah and decided to go to War against Syria over the Golan. The king ordered Micaiah be sent to prison on minimal rations of bread and water, until he returns in Peace.
Micaiah said to the king: “If you will return in peace, the Lord did not speak to me.” And he said, “All the nations listen.”
The king of Israel divested of his royal robes and chariot, and went to War dressed as an ordinary soldier, and was killed.
I don’t think there are many Journalists or advisors to the kings of the earth having that kind of inner strength in speaking ‘Truth to Power’ these days.
In my view, God is not with Israel in their plan to start WWIII/Armageddon with a 1st strike on Iran.
There is a graphic video of the possible Global unintended consequence once Israel starts that war here.
There is a moral and premonition for Today to this ancient story. The seeds of Democracy were planted in that episode in Israel´s history. A fundamental principle of Democracy is, if the whole country disagrees with any one individual, that individual has the protected right to speak.
I attempted to do just that in Canada´s Capital, Ottawa, in 1977. Having no money to organize, advertise or rent a hall, I stood up as a free man on the Sparks Street Mall, the first street after Parliament Hill, and began to speak about God and the Global system of Babylon. People of their own free will started to gather, and eventually were backing up to the next block.
The Police came and stopped my speech. Arresting me for ¨shouting, causing a disturbance,¨ I was locked up in maximum security, solitary confinement for 5 days before appearing in front of a Judge, when I was remanded for trial.
At trial, I had 8 charges because I stood up on the Sparks Street Mall again and again, as was my right, and every time the people stopped to listen. The Police stopped my speech every time.
I was convicted, given a one day suspended sentence, and placed on a probation for one year with only one condition that was so unusual, there was no standard box to check off. Typed in at the bottom of the form were these explicit words:
¨Not to attend on the Sparks Street Mall, or any other street in Ottawa for the purpose of SPEAKING or shouting.¨
I made three more attempts to express my views of God and this world, and was sent to jail for 30 days.
The Ottawa Citizen and other newspapers who chronicled every incident, marking it in time, projected a positive image and reporting the crowds demanded the Police allow me to speak.
I was mindful and grateful in the knowledge other regimes in this world could have just made me disappear if I did the same thing over there.
That could change in our Democratic Future now that President Obama signed into Law a measure that takes legal effect this month
On getting out of jail I called the Ottawa Citizen saying, You projected a positive image. Now would you like to talk about the substance? They said, You´re not news any more. That´s the Free Press for ya! What can a solitary person do?
That was long before the Patriot Act.
There is a line in the Bible that says, ¨As it is with the prophet, so it shall be with the people.¨
