[NJKProject]

I. The Crisis
II. The Cause
III. The Root CauseIV. The Alternative
V. The Resources
VI. Decision Time
VII. The Endtime Mandate
VIII. The Biblical Challenge
IX. The Project
X. Further Information

I. The Crisis
One of the foremost questions posed by unbelievers concerning Christianity, and God in particular, is: How could God exist when there is so much suffering in this world? Where is "your God" when so many people are gratuitously dying? They cannot reconcile how a loving God can allow all these things to go on. But in reality, the question that should be asked is : Where is God’s Church and His people in this world? Where are his supposed “ambassadors” and “representatives” in the face of the world's humanitarian needs? There are hundreds of million suffer and die from chronic malnutrition. Around 1.1 billion do not have access to clean freshwater, with an additional 1.5 billion not having proper sanitation resulting in a total of over 5.3 million deaths a year. An estimated 1.3 billion people lack access to basic healthcare resulting in the suffering and death of tens of millions each year from preventable and/or treatable diseases. Over 46 million babies worldwide are killed every year through the practice of abortion. Many more are orphans without a proper home; abjectly poor; uneducated and without the hope of an education. Many more are unable to be functional in society due to a disability which, with the proper aids and/or assistance, can be surmounted or coped with. Can God’s Church do something to redress these injustices and downright evils? And if yes, then should it not do it?

II. The Cause
To state it frankly there is a single, subtle, yet powerful (actually: “empowered”) evil that is preventing the Church from “Triumphing” over these problems. It is “subtle” because no one seems to recognize it as what it really is, or even wants to denounce it. It is “powerful” (actually “empowered”) because it only gets its power from those who consider it to be worth the godlike status that it has been given. What is this hidden evil. Well to find out one simply has to ask "why is the Church actually not doing works that will heal the world of its problems. Why isn’t the Church growing crops to feed the world’s hungry? After all were not Adventist Educational Institution established in areas where agricultural skills can also be developed. Why is freshwater unavailable to so many when the world surface is 70% water, and that thousands of feet deep? Why is there not a better alternative for women when they are intending to have an abortion for social and/or economic reasons? And so on. Well, the primary, if not, the only reason that comes to one’s mind is that: ‘the Church does not have that kind of MONEY to provide such resources.’ And that usually silences that debate. This supposed “reality” is viewed as the final arbitrator in these matters and comes to decide how much, if any, humanitarian work the Church will or could do. Sure this is the right answer for many in this world, but should it also be accepted as truth by God’s people? Is this world economic’s system a true measure of the world’s (i.e., this planet’s) “economy”, or is it just a subjective spurious system driven by, and at the profit of, those who have, at whatever level of this pyramid-like scheme they are on, at the expense of those who do not have. In the end, it is those who are at the very bottom of this pyramid who have all the weight come and crush them (i.e., the poor and suffering of the world).

III. The Root Cause
Consider this fact. The single most influential factor in any nation’s economy is not the value of raw materials and natural resources, nor the tools and machinery needed to process theses materials, but it is the “human factor.” It is what men and women believe that their knowledge, innovations and services are worth to others. This is tangibly reflected in “labor costs.” These labor cost almost always make up 70-75% of the value of a nation economy. This means that in a powerful economic engine like the United States of America, if labor costs were subtracted from its economy, its GDP/per capita value would go from its present value of $41,800 to around $10,000. Furthermore, consider this other fact. In 2005 the U.S. had a $12.5 trillion dollar economy, yet the total value of non-fuel raw materials used domestically during that year was a mere $58.9 billion dollars (source: usgs.gov). That represents a meager 0.005% of its economy. This is all due to the fact that by the time a shapeless raw material has reach a final useful form, it has gone through and been affected by so many cumulative and varying levels of this “human factor” that it suddenly is now worth up to hundreds of times its primitive value. As a consequence, a house that has a value of well over $750,000 in the American economy actually only has less than $2,500 worth of raw materials in it; or a mid-size car worth around $18,000 has less than $250 worth of metals and raw materials. Compounded to that (pun will be intended), have you ever, or are you having to, pay a mortgage almost 3 times more than what its principle value was. Or does anything justify a professional athlete making in 8 month of work, or rather play, 3 times more than what a surgeon will make in a lifetime. There is a widely accepted saying that states that: “Money makes the world go round” but the facts clearly indicate that it is ‘People who make the world go round.” All this to say that it is the human factor in economies that have come to make things so unbalanced and so unattainable for many.

IV. The Alternative
What would happen if God’s people pooled their knowledge, know-how and resources, to labor for those in need. For example, what if instead of Seventh Day Adventist working for various secular industries and companies, what if they instead came together and formed denomination owned and operated companies/industries. If they in turn did not charge labor cost, but had their needs met by the other, similarly operated, denominational companies/industries, then at the base of all of this, and at the very least, only the money needed for raw materials would be needed.
So many humanitarian accomplishments could then be made because of such a system by those who would benefit from it:
-Intensive, and more efficient farms can be established and operated for those in need of adequate nutrition.
-Proper sanitation and freshwater could be supplied to many. (If the oil and gas industry can retrieve oil from hundreds of feet below the ocean floor, process it and then transport it thousands of miles away by tankers and/or pipelines, overland and/or under sea, with pumping stations and all, surely freshwater can be produced and/or filtered from various bodies of water and distributed to those who need it.)
-Would-be aborted babies could be spared by being purchased for adoption through legal means from willing mothers who would also not incur any debt from the expenses related to the pregnancy and birth of the child.
-The sick and those with health ailments would receive much more medical care. -Many would receive an education and would eventually help themselves out of poverty.
-(And the addition of a church annex and fellowship hall would not cost, e.g., $4 million at the detriment of the needy who would greatly benefit from these sums of money).
Consider this alternative method as a mega-do-it-yourself project, in essence similar to, e.g., a group of construction friends getting together to freely build a backyard deck for a friend with materials they purchased at a hardware store and equally shared the costs.

V. The Resources
Of course, one will now ask: Where will all these raw materials come from? Isn’t the world running out of sufficient resources? The answer is actually: no. What the world is supposedly running out of is what economist considered as “economically viable" resources, i.e., what would not demand more effort and better technology to procure. This planet contains sufficient resources to meet this world present and future needs many times over. The oceans alone are a vast reservoir of untapped resources ranging from polymetallic nodules and metal rich sediments to dissolved minerals. While these resources (in International Waters) are freely available for exploitation, the UN Law of the Seas (LOS) requires that developing countries receive (at least) 1%-7% of the withdrawn resources, which is exactly what this project plans to do. Furthermore, if all known technologies today were fully and widely implemented in world economies, the present need of resources would drop considerably. All energy needs would all be met by renewable, clean systems. How much waste is generated annually because things are subjectively considered to be “uneconomical.” Many times it is less costly to discard something that requires a trivial repair and buy a new one. The same goes for items and materials that can be recycled but are not. The $140+ billion dollars spent annually in the U.S. alone on commercial advertisements could easily feed all of the world’s hungry. All of these wastes are a direct result of individualism, commercial competition and the profit-making mentality. In actual direct contradiction to the supposed “economical” argument they propose, these actions rather significantly waste and reduce the amount of resources that could be available to help others with.

VI. Decision Time
Do the people of God have to live that way? Do they have to be constrained by such an unGodly system? Yet we are either convinced that this way is the only way to live by, as if it was God’s own way, or we are left with no other apparent choice than to go along with it. Whether we believe in this system or not it still greatly affect our every day life and our ability to minister in behalf of those who really need it. How many would like to become missionaries, but under this current economical system, it would not be feasible. How can God’s people help others in need, if they in turn become people in need. Clearly there must be a way to overcome this major hurdle. And if ever the people of God can rise above this worldly system and live according to the many Godly principles found in the Bible which are categorically opposed to all of this, it is now. In this computer age, when the basis of most technologies are in the public domain, (or, if need be, can be licensed), the knowledge, the freedom, the educational resources and the human power (i.e., 20+ million people) are all available to accomplish this through a Biblical, needs-based economy (cf. Acts 2:44,45; 4:32-35 [36, 37]) of Apostolic times that will allow for the mandates of God to be carried out. (e.g., Isa 58:6-12; Mat. 25:31-46). (And no, there would not be a need to "sell all.")

VII. The Endtime Mandate
It was Christ’s method to meet the needs of the people he taught, and it is his method alone will give true success in reaching the people (MH 143). Surely this is also to be the Church’s. If we were to present this dilemma to Jesus, He would, as He did before, likewise say: “You give them something to eat. (Mark 6:37). As “the decisions of the last day turn upon our practical benevolence” (TM 399); and as Isaiah 58 is indeed stipulating the conditions for God’s covenant with His people through the fuller understanding/observance of His Glorious Sabbath (by taking care of those in need); and since Christ's main criteria in separating the sheep from the goats mainly focuses on how those in need are treated (Matt 25:31-46), then shouldn’t God’s people be taking all the necessary means to bring about these works? Indeed: “there is need of a deeper, stronger, more constraining testimony on the power of the truth as seen in the practical godliness of those who profess to believe it.” (Mar 107). Then will the ‘good news of God’s Kingdom’ be fully preach as a witness to the nations of this world (Matt 28:13) as the world will clearly see what healing the principles of God bring. Then will the (benevolent) character of Christ be perfectly reproduced in his people (COL 69; read in its context of pp. 62-69). The world will no longer ask: “Where is your God?” or “What kind of God is this?”, for His people will truly be representing Him on earth (COL 68).

“It is the darkness of misapprehension of God that is enshrouding the world. Men are losing their knowledge of His character. It has been misunderstood and misinterpreted. At this time a message from God is to be proclaimed, a message illuminating in its influence and saving in its power. His character is to be made known. Into the darkness of the world is to be shed the light of His glory, the light of His goodness, mercy, and truth. This is the work outlined by the prophet Isaiah in the words, "O Jerusalem, that bringest good tidings, lift up thy voice with strength; lift it up, be not afraid; say unto the cities of Judah, Behold your God! Behold, the Lord God will come with strong hand, and His arm shall rule for Him; behold, His reward is with Him, and His work before Him." Isa. 40:9,10. Those who wait for the Bridegroom's coming are to say to the people, "Behold your God." The last rays of merciful light, the last message of mercy to be given to the world, is a revelation of His character of love. (COL 415)

VIII. The Project
You may have noticed that such an undertaking takes extensive planning, precise structuring, and efficient organization. Among other things it will require the establishment of a legal entity to “house” and facilitate this project and for physical provisions to be made to accommodate a potential membership/population that can grow, through the project's various ministries, by as much as 50 million people per year. Yet in terms of the required finance and work time needed to implement this project, extensive feasibility studies have shown that each participant in the project aged 21 and older would only have to spend up to a total of US$2,800, disbursed as needed over a period of 7 years; and some would have to work onsite for only 2 weeks per year over this same period (e.g., during a work vacation period).

IX. The Biblical Challenge
On the one hand there is a worldly system known as “capitalism”. A spurious, unwritten, enslaving, survival-of-the-fittest/richest law which encourages unbridled selfishness, greed, strife and oppression. On the other hand there is the liberating, caring, peacemaking, Sabbatical system of God, which reaches out a saving and indiscriminating hand to all those in need. Therefore “choose you this day whom you will serve” (Jos 24:14, 15). If you consider this man-valued system, championed by western nations (of which 80% of their population are Christians) and obediently adhered to or desired by the rest of the world, whether rich or poor, to be worthy of the godlike value it is given, then by all means, do no changes. Give it its “worth-ship”! Let it continue to dictate who will eat or starve, who will live or die, who will hear, understand and experience the Gospel or go to Christ-less grave. Let it continue be to god (1 Kgs 18:21, 24). There is really no difference with this and when ancient pagan nations would themselves mold and shape little statuettes from various metals and then ascribe to them godlike qualities and do whatever these gods supposedly told them they should do, even passing their children through the fire, and then the people of God virtually or actually adhering to these standards in trying to conduct the work of the Creator God. (cf. PK chap. 14). But remember, you actually cannot serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other (Matt 6:24). Hundreds, if not thousands, of times more can be done than what is currently being done. [Matt. 25:14-30]. Case in point, while the Church has a net growth of around 1 million members per year, yet the world has over 130 million new births each year, with another ca. 56 million people dying to mostly Christless graves. Clearly there is much more that needs to be done in regards to global evangelism. Furthermore a global Church of over 14 million baptized members only has around 16,000 credentialed missionaries worldwide, and much more can be done than only employing 4600 people for global humanitarian work with the paltry results of reaching out to only 0.009%, at the most, of the actual number of people in need, and with about US$ 7.00 worth of annual aid per person aided (ADRA). In this light of what is not being done to even “one of the least of these” (Matt 25:46), the Church can only expect one judgement if Christ was to bring about the end now. (vs. 41-44, 46). Under the proposed economic plan of the NJK Project, the output of all of these areas of missions and ministry would be significantly increased. Literally every member would be able to participate in global evangelism, missions and humanitarian work. The annual average of $7.00 per person aided would come to represent at least $1400 worth of annual aid.

And in case you have not noticed it yet, “Revelation’s Babylon” does not solely have influence in ecclesiastical matters but her “sensuous” i.e., contra-God, anti-Sabbath, principles and practices also lead to the rise and propagation of a worldwide spurious economic system (Rev 18). Clearly God considers His Sabbath to be more than a day of Worship or a day off occurring every seventh day. It is also the basis the everyday lifestyle and "economy” of His people. Correspondingly, the Mark of the Beast, to be enforced through economic means by the second beast of Revelation 13 is based on more than only a day of the week as it seeks to completely undermine and obliterate the true character of the Creator God by substituting His Sabbatical economic principles for self-centered, materialistic ones. The combined, threefold light of the Three Angels’ Message (MS 52, 1900) must be given to counter this religious, socioeconomic counterfeit.

X. Further Information
To have more information concerning the accomplishing of this endeavor to help those in need, you can go to www.njkproject.info. If you would like to participate in the project’s web-based Biblical Research and Productions Institute, simply email WBSC@njkproject.info.

Ronald Monestime
Director of the NJK Project
(a.k.a. Mount Zion Project; Holy City Project)
Email: contact@njkproject.info

“In God's great plan for the redemption of a lost race, He has placed Himself under the necessity of using human agencies as His helping hand. He must have a helping hand, in order to reach humanity. He must have the cooperation of those who will be active, quick to see opportunities, quick to discern what must be done for their fellow men.” (1 SM 99)

[Clay]

welcome NJK, glad you joined... this is a discussion forum first and foremost so we ask that you interact rather than post long treatises about something that interests you..... Please take this recommendation to heart, you don't want to be accused of pushing a product or advertising something.....

this thread will be closed for now....

[Clay]

after talking with NJK via PM, he assured me that he was interested in starting a discussion, so let the discussion begin....this topic is now open....

[NJKProject]

Update:
Visit the NJK Project's blog at http://njkproject.blogspot.com
It presents some pertinent issues that form the basis of, and show the necessity for, this planned Global Humanitarian Mission and Ministry, both using Biblical parameters.

Currently examined topics are:
1. Book Preview: The Biblical Interpretation of Daniel's 70 Weeks (Dan 9:1-27)
2. Testimony to the Church - Part 1
3. Book Preview: God All Mighty! (Divine Foreknowledge or Divine Foreplanning?)
4. The Church Triumphant
5. Ed Reid: 7 Year Christian Mortgage
6. Text Proof - Reply to TC1 Message
7. The Ministry of David Gates
8. Daniel 11 - The Text - North vs. South
9. Our Final Test
10. The Sealing of God's People - Part 1 (Ezekiel 8)
11. The Sealing of God's People - Part 2 (Ezekiel 9)
12. The Heart of the Elijah Message (Malachi 4:5, 6)

[These topics can be discussed here]

This post has been edited by NJKProject: 17 November 2009 - 11:22 PM

[AzA]

I think there's great value in the concepts of Sabbath/jubilee economics, justice, and relating. Totally agree that the root of the day is more than a comment on timekeeping. It speaks to creation's universal connection under God.

If followed to its full end, however, it does away with the distinctions between insider and outsider. This is not something that many people are prepared to embrace because the consequences for doctrine and living are significant.

It's still early but the OP sounds as if it too holds an insider/outsider view of humankind. Which is interesting.

[Avonia]

At first glace this seems to be a mix of good ideas about humanitarian efforts and bizarre ideas - like floating cities that separate the Christians form the others. It's bad enough that in the future we are going to separate the Christians (heaven) from the others (hell), do we really have to start now? It seems the work to be done is not more separation, but working in the existing cities we have.

Having said that, I may have missed the point - will have to take a closer look.

[EliYahh]

These subjects are too serious unto our soul & salvation to bundle them up like this. This is a dis-service to YHWH & us, pls less discuss one of these subjects at a time?

[EliYahh]

NJK, will you pls start a couple of new threads from this one?

[awesumtenor]

Capitalism as defined in the dictionary is this:

"an economic system characterized by private or corporate ownership of capital goods, by investments that are determined by private decision, and by prices, production, and the distribution of goods that are determined mainly by competition in a free market"

That is biblical and allowable to the people of God. Paul when he was making tents was a capitalist and he used his access to the marketplace as a means of ministering the gospel. The virtuous woman of Proverbs 31 is a capitalist; she makes goods and sells them; she invests in property. Lydia in the book of Acts was a capitalist; she was a seller of purple (which means she was wealthy). Nowhere is it stated or implied in scripture that one could not make money by running a profitable venture.

What is not allowable is covetousness, exploitation and greed... and if you think those things only occur in capitalism, you are delusional.

In His service,
Mr. J

This post has been edited by awesumtenor: 03 December 2009 - 07:26 AM

[NJKProject]

Sorry for the delay in response here. Although I had kept this forum page active on my browser tabs, I did not notice the comments that were being made here.

Important: I have discussed in length the various issues on the Holy City project on another discussion forum and have reposted it on my website’s CAQ section. You may want to browse through that discussion first as it may answer many ‘commonly asked questions.’

Aza

Quote

I think there's great value in the concepts of Sabbath/jubilee economics, justice, and relating.

I agree. In fact, I believe that the reason why God gave these principles in Israel’s Economy was to safeguard His people against such literally “murderous” injustices we also see in today’s economic world, where “live and let die” is the dominant and prevailing philosophy.

Quote

If followed to its full end, however, it does away with the distinctions between insider and outsider. This is not something that many people are prepared to embrace because the consequences for doctrine and living are significant.

It's still early but the OP sounds as if it too holds an insider/outsider view of humankind. Which is interesting.

Could you elaborate on your insider/outsider view. I do not quite get it?

Avonia

Quote

At first glace this seems to be a mix of good ideas about humanitarian efforts and bizarre ideas - like floating cities that separate the Christians form the others....

The point of this Humanitarian Works and Gospel Ministry Project is not to ‘separate just for the sake of separation’ in a reclusive monastical way. The separation that will inevitably take place by this endeavor is both necessary and practical. First of all, none of the global and significant ministries that are planned by this project can be done if there is not a large gathering of Biblically-like minded people. If great distances have to continually be overcome, then that will be a crippling obstacle. Secondly, as stated above, the most resource intensive work that this project will do is to engage in preserving the very life of would-be aborted babies in a ministry that is currently being called Aborting Abortion. Now, as stated in the initial post, as this ministry alone can cause the (dependent) population of this project to grow by, now, as much as 60 million people per year, then the project’s cities and dedicated industries will be a necessity to adequately house, and provide for, this rapidly expanding population. I currently do not see any country in the world that would accept to see such a growth within its territorial borders as they are ultimately still liable for this population in its borders, even if they were granted some sort of political autonomy (which is not likely to be done). Case in point Native/Indigenous populations in western countries. So the only option that is left is to build floating cities, and in international waters. The recent popularity of large cruise ships shows that this is all quite feasible, and really more exotic/luxurious than “bizarre”.


EliYahh

Quote

These subjects are too serious unto our soul & salvation to bundle them up like this. This is a dis-service to YHWH & us, pls less discuss one of these subjects at a time? NJK, will you pls start a couple of new threads from this one?

I understand and will work shortly on posting some of my blog’s posts in separate threads.


awesumtenor

Quote

Capitalism as defined...

In the light of what the Bible actually teaches, I cannot fully agree with your wishful/rationalized view of what Capitalism is in inevitable reality. If it is to be such a harmless and pure system then why can’t the 81% of Christians in First World countries model this. (And just for the record, the “rhetoricized” ‘delusional comment’ you made, which, at best, is a “sucker punch”, and at worst, a cheap shot, was not at all necessary. You could have ascertained my actual understanding on these socio-economic issues if you had bothered to find out what I have said on these issues, e.g., on my linked website. At the very least, ask the simple question instead of veiledly casting aspersions. I fully know that other worldly economic systems have their faults, many common to Capitalism. I am however not even defending any of these worldly systems. I am rather defending what the Bible has to offer, and surely it has much more to offer than Capitalism. Also, for your own benefit, I must also tell you that, I have dealt with such sly attitudes as yours in the past discussions on this topic, and those who have had such attitudes have only proven them to have been the desperate, hysterical, defensive tactics of people who feel threaten by what the Bible actually has to say on these issues. They’ve all acted as if their cherished gods were being reduced to rubbles right before their eye, which in fact is the very case. So may I recommend that you first thoroughly verify your views with what the Bible really teaches before making such false, and “straw man”, insinuations. I have seen this “pretext” approach used before and it really is not Biblical.)

In regards to your comments, first of all, Paul was working on an extraordinary, extensive, itinerant ministry, which had more financial needs than regular ministries, and he did not want it to be an added burden on the quite poor and stricken Jerusalem Church, so he engaged in tent making to also provide for the cause by (self-)supporting his own ministry. However Paul himself strongly encouraged a willful collective wealth sharing for believers, based upon the God-ordained example in the distribution/collection of manna (2 Cor 8:7-15). All of the early believers worked in some sort of trade. The disciples themselves had been fishermen. The “Virtuous Woman” of Proverbs 31 is engaging in work to ultimately provides for her family and also for those in need (vs. 20). Jesus’ father, and Jesus Himself were engaged in carpentry. That is not the “capitalism” per se, that I have denounced. (In fact, these are merely all varying forms of “employment.”) What the Bible teaches, and recommends, especially in times of need as it exists today, is that these externally obtained funds be used to meet the collective needs of all other believers. This is the Inspired and Endorsed, Biblical example that I am advocating and seeking to (re-)implement so that God’s work can be done without having to pay the exorbitant, senseless prices that competitive-based Capitalism compiles and then dictates. The Spirit of Prophecy is quite clear that it is this ‘Systematized Benevolence’ that God wholly approves of (2 SG 230, 231; MB 137). So the issue here is not that I am saying that ‘all work is evil,’ it is what is done with privately obtained wealth in regards to meeting the needs of other that makes all of the difference between today’s practised Capitalism and a Biblical Economy. And additionally, there really is absolutely nothing Biblical about “competition”, and without it, Capitalism, as it exists today, would completely “deflate.”

Furthermore, it must be stated that the “Virtuous Woman” in Proverbs 31 is being cited as an example in Israel to what a woman can be. From the opening question in vs. 10 it can be seen that this was indeed rare in Israel. The pro-active, collaborative efforts on her part, to come to the aid of her working husband, will help to improve the fortunes of her family as a whole. In other words, it was being shown here that the woman’s active participation in the income of her family was perfectly within the will of God, and the increase from her work, based on this foundational spirit of collaboration, was part of the blessings which He envisioned for His people. This is also how the Spirit of Prophecy understood this. (See e.g., FLB 256 and RC 173).

Based upon the Biblical template, in my project, I fully allow for the basic trading with other country as a means of revenue, even the lending with interest to foreigners, as God allows (Deut 15:1-11ff), however, as God wants it to be, usurious profiting will not be done “domestically” i.e., upon fellow believers. (See on this page) Interestingly enough, most of this foreign revenue will be used to provided for the infants that would more than likely have been murdered, but-for this ministry. So it also certainly is not a ‘Believers-enrichment’ scheme.

This common topic is discussed in more detail on the CAQ section on my website.

[AzA]

NJKProject, on 09 December 2009 - 09:18 AM, said:

Aza

I agree. In fact, I believe that the reason why God gave these principles in Israel’s Economy was to safeguard His people against such literally “murderous” injustices we also see in today’s economic world, where “live and let die” is the dominant and prevailing philosophy.

Could you elaborate on your insider/outsider view. I do not quite get it?

All human groups eventually have to deal with the questions of boundaries, sectarianism, and insularity. Groups formed to serve a narrowly defined population often come up on these questions early.

For example, the first generation of Seventh-day Adventists took the position that the door of salvation was shut behind them, that those peer Adventists who returned to mainline denominations had abandoned the truth of God, and those denominations were Babylon's harlot daughters. None of this sort of thing inclines one to be too neighborly; even Mrs. Jones' vegetable dish might be cooked with bacon fat... avoid it.

And so the insider group defines itself not just by what it is but also by what it keeps out, what it refuses to recognize as "alike", and what it treats as "foreign" or "other" and so withdraws from.

The ancient Israelites also came upon these issues, and several of their group rules highlighted the walls between their insiders and other nations' outsiders. They were reluctant to dismantle those walls when God called them on it.

What God has challenged for me time and time again is the tendency to translate difference into a value distinction: rather than stop at specializing in vegetarian products, I might go further and criticize competitor products and the local dairy farmer. I don't think that kind of approach is helpful to the wider food market, even if it temporarily advantages "me and my house."

[NJKProject]

AzA, on 09 December 2009 - 06:15 PM, said:

All human groups eventually have to deal with the questions of boundaries, sectarianism, and insularity. Groups formed to serve a narrowly defined population often come up on these questions early.

For example, the first generation of Seventh-day Adventists took the position that the door of salvation was shut behind them, that those peer Adventists who returned to mainline denominations had abandoned the truth of God, and those denominations were Babylon's harlot daughters. None of this sort of thing inclines one to be too neighborly; even Mrs. Jones' vegetable dish might be cooked with bacon fat... avoid it.

And so the insider group defines itself not just by what it is but also by what it keeps out, what it refuses to recognize as "alike", and what it treats as "foreign" or "other" and so withdraws from.  

The ancient Israelites also came upon these issues, and several of their group rules highlighted the walls between their insiders and other nations' outsiders. They were reluctant to dismantle those walls when God called them on it.

What God has challenged for me time and time again is the tendency to translate difference into a value distinction: rather than stop at specializing in vegetarian products, I might go further and criticize competitor products and the local dairy farmer. I don't think that kind of approach is helpful to the wider food market, even if it temporarily advantages "me and my house."

I honestly am not sure why what you have said should apply to the NJK Project, and this may simply be because I know what the project really is all about, while you seem to be speculatively dealing in what you think it is, or should be. As I have said before, the objective of this project is not to ‘separate just for the sake of separation.’ This necessary separation has quite practical reasons. Every country has its esteemed values that it wants to protect, and civil immigrants just cannot come to such a country, go against these codified values and expect to be accepted or stay. The NJK’s plans to fully adhere to Biblical values, mainly to continually be in a position to help the now over 100,000,000 human beings who die annually from quite preventable/curable causes (cf. Matt 25:31-46; Isa 58). Only adherence to the ways and principles of God can ensure that this can be done, hence, in part here, the (ideological) reason for a physical separation. The main practical reason has been stated in my last post. 

As stated in the front page of the NJK Project’s website, this planned country is fully open to anyone who wants to be able to do these much needed works. I really could care less how the rest of the world chooses to (continue to) live. That is entirely their problem and any resulting “Biblical peculiarity” from the NJK’s lifestyle stance, will not now cause me to shy from being different to the glory of God. Your apparent ‘conformity to everyone and everything else in the fear of seeming to be different’ is certainly not advocated anywhere in the Bible. In fact, it was when God’s people have chosen to live in this compromising way that they were in a state of full-blown apostasy. Israel did not fail in their mission because God had called them out to be a separate and peculiar people, but because they refused to accomplish the various outreach mandates that God had given them in regards to the rest of the world. Their separation was to aid in this Grand Mission, but they lost track of that fact. The NJK Project will ever have that failed example, among several others, before them as a warning of what the refusal to follow God’s “straight and narrow” ways will result in.

[Avonia]

NJKProject, on 10 December 2009 - 07:37 AM, said:

The NJK’s plans to fully adhere to Biblical values

It's so interesting that you say this with such ease. What I've noticed in the Bible is a whole array of values.

NJKProject, on 10 December 2009 - 07:37 AM, said:

As stated in the front page of the NJK Project’s website, this planned country is fully open to anyone who wants to be able to do these much needed works.

Let's assume you demonstrate something interesting. What are your plans for sharing it with the rest of the world?

[NJKProject]

Avonia, on 10 December 2009 - 10:17 AM, said:

It's so interesting that you say this with such ease. What I've noticed in the Bible is a whole array of values.

That is because of the fact that while the Bible does have “an array of values,” Jesus Christ has shown us which ones are still fully binding upon Christians. He has also given us the template on dealing with others that He did not specifically address. (Cf. Acts 15:1-29)

Avonia, on 10 December 2009 - 10:17 AM, said:

Let's assume you demonstrate something interesting. What are your plans for sharing it with the rest of the world?

 
I assume by this question that you are not simply asking how I plan to promote the Project itself to others. This will be done in the most effective way, which would be various forms of public announcements, mainly in Christian circles. I however suppose, and correct me if I am wrong, that you mean ‘how do I plan to share the values of the NJK with other peoples.’ Frankly the NJK will primarily, if not entirely, focus on meeting the vital needs of the affected billions of people in world. If the rest of the world wants to emulate this quite noticeable example, whether personally and/or nationally, will be their decision. The NJK can, and will only, lead by modelling a national Christ-like example which will serve as a tangible witness to other nations (Matt 24:14). In more practical terms, as stated on this page of the Project’s website, in implementing its humanitarian works, the NJK will be operating over 4000+ “missions campuses” located near the 4000+ population centers of the world that have a population of 100,000 people and more. From these campuses, missions to smaller and/or remote areas will also be done. In this way, and with a planned continual, but rotating occupation of these campuses by NJK citizens, the NJK will also always have a quite significant, permanent  “territorial” presence.

[AzA]

NJKProject, on 10 December 2009 - 08:37 AM, said:

I honestly am not sure why what you have said should apply to the NJK Project... I really could care less how the rest of the world chooses to (continue to) live. That is entirely their problem...

Why did I make the comments I made? Because of statements like the one you posted today. I can only respond to you based on what you say. Your thoughts are not yet accesible to me.

So... your not caring about how others live -- was that rhetorical overstatement for the sake of this conversation? Or how you truly feel?

NJKProject, on 10 December 2009 - 08:37 AM, said:

Your apparent ‘conformity to everyone and everything else in the fear of seeming to be different’ is certainly not advocated anywhere in the Bible.

I wonder what makes you think I'm afraid of difference. Diversity runs all through nature, and I enjoy it quite a lot.

What nature tends to do with its diversity is to make a willow a stronger willow, and an oak a stronger oak. It tends not to make willows into oaks.

I think it's great that you recognize the risk of insularity that comes with creating a specialist group. Outreach is one asset for people concerned about that. Another asset is a clear sense of the difference between function and value. As Paul wrote, the eye cannot say to the hand "I don't need you." There's a lot of positive potential in your commitment to service; I wish you well with it.