Category: Ethics

The following is just the facts. I have written nothing but this introduction. Everything else is from the dictionary and news sources. When does the victim become the villain? When does the persecuted become the persecutor?

Genocide is “the deliberate killing of a large number of people from a particular nation or ethnic group with the aim of destroying that nation or group.” (Oxford English Dictionary).

Holocaust is “a mass slaughter of people especially : genocide.” (Merriam-Webster Dictionary).

A recent report from the UN Special Committee states that Israel’s military actions in Gaza, characterized by mass civilian casualties and the intentional deprivation of essential resources, align with the definition of genocide. The report highlights the systematic destruction of infrastructure and the obstruction of humanitarian aid, which have led to severe humanitarian crises, including starvation and lack of medical care.

Amnesty International has published findings asserting that Israel is committing genocide against Palestinians in Gaza. The report details actions such as killings, inflicting serious bodily harm, and creating living conditions aimed at the physical destruction of the Palestinian people. It emphasizes the need for immediate international action to prevent further atrocities.

For first time, two leading Israeli human rights groups accuse Israel of genocide in Gaza. B’Tselem said in a major report released on Monday that it came to that “unequivocal conclusion” after an “examination of Israel’s policy in the Gaza Strip and its horrific outcomes, together with statements by senior Israeli politicians and military commanders about the goals of the attack.”

A second Israeli group, Physicians for Human Rights Israel (PHRI), announced it was joining B’Tselem in calling Israel’s actions in Gaza genocide. It published a separate legal and medical analysis documenting what it called “deliberate and systematic extermination of the health system in Gaza.”

Sources

• https://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2024/11/un-special-committee-finds-israels-warfare-methods-gaza-consistent-genocide
• https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2024/12/amnesty-international-concludes-israel-is-committing-genocide-against-palestinians-in-gaza/
• https://www.cnn.com/2025/07/28/middleeast/israeli-human-rights-group-accuses-israel-genocide-gaza-intl

“For out of the heart come evil intentions, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander” (Matt. 15:19).

Jesus condemns sexual immorality because it hurts other people. It is a selfish act and not an act of love. Because “Love does no wrong to a neighbor” (Rom. 13:10).

What is Sexual Immorality?

Sexual immorality is sex outside of a monogamous committed relationship. It doesn’t matter whether it’s homosexual or heterosexual.

Unfortunately, when people learn that a person is pro-LGBTQ, they assume that we are for any kind of sex. They basically assume that we have no morals. That we’ve sold out. That we have caved to the culture.

But this is not true. Rather, it means that we’re aware that the important thing is to avoid hurting others through sex. That’s the point of the Bible’s prohibition on sexual immorality.

They Didn’t Understand

We have to understand that during the time of the writing of the Bible, they did not understand homosexuality as we do today. They didn’t understand that some people are born with a same-sex attraction. And it was heterosexuals that wrote the Bible.

So the rules that apply to heterosexual sexual relationships also apply to homosexual and bisexual relationships. The sexual relationship must be among consenting adults in a monogamous and committed relationship (marriage), and not be members of one’s family (1 Cor. 5:1).

“You judge by human standards; I judge no one” (John 8:15).

Judgments distort the truth, they don’t reveal it. Judgments narrow our vision so we can only see things from one perspective. And that perspective is always limited.

Understand what a judgment is. It is taking a position. And then you can only see the situation from that position. That means that by making a judgment, you are blinding yourself from all other perspectives.

It is best to look at a situation from all angles.. You don’t have all truth. You don’t see all of reality. Which means then you must be open to different perspectives. And in order to see things from different perspectives, you need to not choose one.

For we are disturbed not by the event itself, but by our judgment about it. Making judgments causes pur suffering. For judgments make us attached to a certain outcome, and when that outcome doesn’t come to pass, we suffer. It’s just best just not to judge.

A virtue is a disposition, it is a propensity to act in a way that is good. It in a mind set that responds in a way that right, just, and loving.

The Aim

All dispositions are developed through two factors. The first is the aim or goal. That is, if you’re developing wisdom, the aim is to see clearly the true nature of reality. That’s the aim.

The Habits

The second part of developing a disposition, is the habit. It’s not enough to aim for a particular disposition, we must also develop the habits that support that aim.

If our aim is to develop wisdom, then we must practice deep thinking, reflection, and good reason. We must also practice looking at things from different perspectives. We must have deep knowledge of the subject we’re thinking about. So there’s a learning involved as well.

Plant and Cultivate

So it is through a proper aim and appropriate habits that we develop virtue
So think of a virtue you want to develop, think about the aim of the virtue. And then think about the habits that support that disposition. It’s the aim that plant the seed in the heart, is the habits that cultivate it.

Spiritual Disciplines

This is called spiritual formation. This is why the spiritual disciplines are so important. They are what makes the seed grow and survive the storms of life. We must make the aim to live the virtue, but we have to use the spiritual disciplines to develop the habits that support that virtue.

Caffeine is a drug. I have ingested caffeine my entire life. Only recently I have begun to understand the effects of caffeine on the body and brain.

Caffeine has to be the most acceptable drug in the world. But if you listen to spiritual teachers they will tell you that it is a drug, but it affects your mental clarity, and can hinder your spiritual journey.

So I have begun the withdrawal process. The biggest thing I notice is the headache. From what I understand it can last from 2 to 9 days.

I recently discovered that caffeine withdrawal is recognized as a diagnosis in the latest edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5), which is published by the American Psychiatric Association.

In other words, caffeine withdrawal is in the same category as cocaine withdrawal, and alcohol withdrawal. Caffeine is a real drug and can be a real problem.