><> : <>< : ><> : <>< : ><> : <>< : ><> FreEzine -FreEzine -FreEzine -FreEzine -FreEzine -FreEzine - ><> : <>< : ><> : <>< : ><> : <>< : ><> Issue Vol 2 # 10 Oct 2001 ><> : <>< : ><> : <>< : ><> : <>< : ><> FreEzine is a free email magazine/newsletter containing articles of interest from a Christian perspective and is published no less than monthly. FreEzine is NOT Spam and is only sent to people who request it. If you ever want to stop (or start) receiving FreEzine you'll find instructions at the end of this newsletter. A special "hello" to all of our new subscribers. We welcome and appreciate feedback on how we can improve this e-zine for you. IF YOU FIND THIS NEWSLETTER USEFUL... ... PLEASE FORWARD IT TO FRIENDS AND COLLEAGUES! ><> : <>< : ><> : <>< : ><> : <>< : ><> IN THIS ISSUE: Editorial: Minor & Major Trials Administration request: Other-than-English Language Editions of FreEzine Prayer: Magnificat (Song of Mary) What's On? Seminars & Workshops: Divorce Recovery Seminar Repeatable Quotable: Praying without ceasing… Broadening Our Horizon: 8 & 9. Jainism and Sikhism Article: Understanding Islamic Fundamentalism by Bettina Krause Havagiggle: We're Saved! The Extensive Exposition: Watch Your Language! By Annagail Lynes The Extensive Exposition: Handling The Losses of Life By Dr. H. Norman Wright The Funny Bone: Work Sermon Snippet: Beating Boredom From My Case Files: The Problem Solver Take a Hint: VCR Repair Instruction Letters to the Editor Watch This Space Subscription & Other Information The Last Word: The Three Trees ><> : <>< : ><> : <>< : ><> : <>< : ><> FreEzine -FreEzine -FreEzine -FreEzine -FreEzine -FreEzine ><> : <>< : ><> : <>< : ><> : <>< : ><> Editorial: I was recently sitting quietly in a physician’s waiting room when I met a certain young man under interesting circumstances. Eager to be helpful by watering the flowers in the waiting room, he ran into the room with a large bucket of water in his hands at a time when he thought the waiting room would be empty. As he came around the corner in haste he ran straight into me, emptying the entire bucket of cold water into my lap. At that same instant, the receptionist called my name to say that the physician was ready to see me. As I tried to stand up, dripping water everywhere, I again met the young man as he and a nurse collided in front of me while both trying to mop up the water with towels. I felt somewhat relieved to be ushered into the surgery away from the seeming chaos in the waiting room. Sometimes our silence is shattered by minor crises, yet for many of us the intrusions into our peace are crises of a more major nature. By comparison, grief, loss, pain, anxiety, death, and disease made my uncomfortably wet lap seem so trivial. The water quickly dried and I (and my clothing) fared none the worse for the experience. However we have a promise in Isaiah 54 that the Lord will hasten to be with us during all our trials, major and minor. He promises we will not be forsaken. If the Lord is allowing a trial in your life just now, remember he is not choosing that you should have to bear it alone. Call upon him now. He will never leave you nor forsake you (Hebrews 13:5). -- Lionel Hartley, Editor ><> : <>< : ><> : <>< : ><> : <>< : ><> Administration request: FreEzine is distributed internationally, with subscribers currently in Australia, Brazil, Canada, Denmark, Germany, Italy, South Africa, Spain, UK, USA, and some subscribers whose location is unknown. It is currently published in English and we have been advised that translated into Spanish, Italian, and French by subscribers who re-distribute it in their own language. If you are one of these translator/distributors, could you please contact the editor as we have recently had a number of requests for other-than-English language editions. We are happy to have you continue, and would appreciate copies of your translations to be available to other readers. ><> : <>< : ><> : <>< : ><> : <>< : ><> Prayer: Magnificat (Song of Mary) My soul doth magnify the Lord, And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Savior. For he hath regarded the low estate of his handmaiden: for, behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed. For he that is mighty hath done to me great things; and holy is his name. And his mercy is on them that fear him from generation to generation. He hath shewed strength with his arm; he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts. He hath put down the mighty from their seats, and exalted them of low degree. He hath filled the hungry with good things; and the rich he hath sent empty away. He hath holpen his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy; As he spake to our fathers, to Abraham, and to his seed for ever. (Amen) Source: Luke 1:46-55, KJV ><> : <>< : ><> : <>< : ><> : <>< : ><> What's On? Seminars & Workshops: Recovery from Divorce and Dysfunction Tuesday November 13th. 2001 Choose from two identical sessions: 10:30am-12:30pm or 1:30pm-3:30pm NSW time Community Room, Public Library, Kingscliff NSW Limited numbers. Booking essential: (02) 6672 5629 Enquiries to your editor: All inclusive fee: $5.00 per person ><> : <>< : ><> : <>< : ><> : <>< : ><> Repeatable Quotable: Praying without ceasing… When I awake in the morning I thank God for the day He has provided When I dress in the morning I ask God to clothe me with His righteous character When I wash my face I ask God to cleanse me of impure thoughts & desires When I shave my chin I ask God to scrape away any fuzziness from my character When I sweep the floors, I ask God to clean the dark corners of my mind When I fetch in an armful of firewood I ask God to be in his arms if I am headed for the fire When I prepare the fire I ask God to help me to be ready to meet the trials of the day When I stoke the fire I ask God to kindle in me a desire for Him When I prepare the food I ask God to daily provide When I cook the food I ask God to convert me into something useful too When I eat the food I thank God for His daily provision When I wash the dishes I ask God to make me sparkle for Him When I dry & put the dishes away I ask God what special place he has for me today When I wash the clothes, I ask God to wash my sins away When I peg the clothes to dry I thank God that my secret thoughts aren't also on public display When I fold the clothes I ask God to fold me in His loving care When I iron the clothes I ask God to take the wrinkles out of my personality When I travel to work I ask God to travel with me When I work at my desk I thank God for the work He has done for me When I return home, I thank God that He has an eternal home prepared for me When I lay down to rest I thank God he has a Sabbath prepared for me. - Lionel Hartley (c) April 1967, (c) Copyright renewed 2001 ><> : <>< : ><> : <>< : ><> : <>< : ><> Broadening Our Horizon - different world religions in relation to Christianity - helping our readers to relate to those of other faiths. Broadening Our Horizon: 8 & 9. Jainism and Sikhism Mahavira, a contemporary of Gautama Buddha, founded Jainism in India during the sixth century B.C. The religion has as its basis the principle of two opposing forces in the universe: good and evil. The Jains practice severe asceticism and have made the prohibition of killing any single living creature, large or small, a cardinal doctrine. While Buddhism has virtually ceased to exist in the land of its birth, Jainism survives even though its adherents are small in terms of numbers compared to the masses of Hindus. The founder of this religion was a somewhat legendary character. Mahavira, a name meaning "a great man" or "hero," is said to have sacrificed everything in order to follow austere Brahman asceticism. He also provided for a lay order of persons who could join Jainism and yet carry on their married life and follow occupations in the everyday world, relationships denied to the monks and nuns. The lay order furnished Jainism with its power and resulted in its continuity. It gave the religion an influence far beyond what secluded priests and nuns could have exerted. Many of the lay people were wealthy traders who provided contacts and funds for promulgating their faith. Sikhism is a Hindu sect founded by Guru Nanak in the early 1500s in the Punjab. The name Sikh means "a disciple." The Sikh religion involves belief in one god, prohibits idolatry, abolishes caste, and refuses to recognise the supremacy of the Brahmans or priestly class. Sikhism combines features of Hinduism and Islam. The millions of followers of these two religions include many noble, high-principled persons reaching out for the finer things in life and searching for life's meaning. These people need more than ritual and philosophy. They need the Saviour. Colossians 2:8 says, "Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit; according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ." The people of the Punjab have a population of 18 million comprised of 40 languages and over 30 small minority tribal groups. Known as the "breadbasket" of India, Punjab is a fertile wheat-growing area, and is the only state in India where Sikhs form the majority. There are 45 caste groups that are untouched by Christianity, and only two of the 30 tribal groups have Christian churches. Next Month: Islam ><> : <>< : ><> : <>< : ><> : <>< : ><> As mentioned above, next month we will have the article on Islam in our series on world religions. However, because of the recent event in the USA and the way westerners have viewed Islam, independent of next month’s article, I have included the following article provided by Bettina Krause (Adventist News Network - adventistnews@lists.gc.adventist.org) Article: Understanding Islamic Fundamentalism Tolerant or bigoted? Peace-loving or militant? Reasonable or fanatical? In the days following the September 11 terrorist attacks, the Western media has taken a closer look at Islam, presenting a confusing, often contradictory, picture of a faith embraced by more than 20 percent of the world's population. One of the most prevalent myths about Islam is its apparent monolithic character, says Dr. Børge Schantz, one of the Seventh-day Adventist Church's foremost scholars of Islam. "There is no single face of Islam," he explains, just as there is no one face of Christianity capable of reflecting the many, many variations of the Christian faith around the world. The 10th century split between Shiite and Sunni Muslims continues today as the most significant division within Islam. Among the world's more than 1 billion Muslims, a mass of divergent religious practices and beliefs exists, says Schantz. The differences arise not only from conflicting religious interpretations of the Koran and the Traditions, but also reflect cultural and regional influences. Osama bin Laden claims what he is doing has a basis in the Koran and the teachings of Muhammad, says Schantz. "But of course more moderate Muslims can also defend their positions, and counter bin Laden's interpretations, using the same Koran." "You could look at the Koran and the teachings of Muhammad and, just like some Old Testament Biblical passages about 'destroying enemies,' take one part of the text to justify acts of violence," says Schantz. "It's a matter of what parts you pick and how you interpret them." It is religious extremism, or fundamentalism, that can distort Islam, allowing adherents to justify horrific acts of violence in the name of their faith, says Schantz. Fundamentalist strains--present also in Christianity, Judaism, Hinduism, and other faiths--are characterized by a harking back to an older, "more pure," form of the religion. "Both fundamentalist and more liberal Muslims want to preserve the Islamic faith," says Schantz, "the fundamentalists by turning the clock back to the 13th century, and the liberals by reinterpreting the Koran to fit the 21st century." For more than a decade, Schantz has tracked the rise of Islamic fundamentalism not only in the Middle East, but in parts of Asia and Africa as well. In 1989, Schantz was asked by the Adventist Church's office of Global Mission to establish the Seventh-day Adventist Global Centre for Islamic Studies, an organization he headed up for eight years. "Fundamentalism can be described as such a strict and detailed adherence to traditional orthodox tenets, that there develops a militant spirit of resistance to everything in society considered to be in conflict with the accepted scriptures," Schantz wrote in a 1993 article exploring this extremist trend (Dr. Børge Schantz, "Some Fundamentals about Fundamentalism and Fundamentalists," Adventist-Muslim Review, Vol. 1, No. 1, Spring 1993, p26-27.) The individual Islamic fundamentalist can be described, in part, as a person "looking for simple answers to big issues," says Schantz. The distinction between "secular" and "sacred," a concept that is basic to Western societies, is not found within fundamentalist Islam, says Schantz. He explains that in most Muslim regimes, politics, law, and religion are indivisible. "The one system of law, Sharia, takes care of inheritance, treatment of criminals, women's rights--or lack of rights, however you want to interpret that--and also religious issues, such as the consequences of apostasy." "We can bomb Afghanistan and say this is a response to terrorism, not a war on Islam," says Schantz, "but in the fundamentalist Muslim mind, the distinction between civil and religious, or political and sacred, cannot be made. It is all one." The animosity felt by many fundamentalist Muslims toward the West is an "extremely complicated matter," says Schantz. Socio-economic issues play into the situation--the extreme poverty in places such as Afghanistan can act as a spur to renewed religious fervor. "The belief is that by practicing their faith in a more rigorous, more faithful manner, they will receive the blessings of Allah," he explains. "No doubt bin Laden is concerned about Palestine, the suffering children in Iraq, United States support of Israel, and the stationing of U.S. troops on Saudi Arabian soil," says Schantz. "But the secular influences from America and the West--democracy, individual freedom, pornography, alcohol, women dressed immodestly, and so on-- are also significant factors." As military action in Afghanistan continues and bin Laden calls for a "Holy War," Adventist Christians should continue to recognize the complexity of the situation and resist the temptation to generalize about Islam, says Schantz. "And we should never forget that Christian and Muslim alike are all children of the same Creator, dearly loved by Him." (Lord willing, next month’s article on Islam will appear as planned - Ed.) ><> : <>< : ><> : <>< : ><> : <>< : ><> Aside: We need your help! Your editor has been commissioned to compile for publication a humorous compendium and needs your help. He is collecting palindromes, oxymorons, and humorous definitions. (A palindrome is a word or phrase that reads the same backward as forward eg. 'We panic in a pew', Glenelg, or Hannah; an oxymoron is conjoined yet contradictory terms (such as, 'deafening silence', or 'Microsoft Works'); and a humorous definition is any definition that makes you smile (such as, 'Computer technology: The science of finding the right spanner to hammer in the correct screw'). The source of all contributions will be acknowledged and may be sent to the editor. ><> : <>< : ><> : <>< : ><> : <>< : ><> Havagiggle: We're Saved! A friend of mine and her husband were on vacation. They visited an Episcopal (Anglican) Church on Sunday. The pews in this older church were in those little box-like enclosures that have a "gate" entry to each one. My friend likes to sit close to the front. So they entered a pew in the second row. Shortly after settling into the pew, an usher came up to them, tapped lightly on the gate, and said, "This pew is saved." Her husband replied, "So are WE!" Thanks to <> ><> : <>< : ><> : <>< : ><> : <>< : ><> The Extensive Exposition. Each issue we will make available a longer article available by email free to those who request it. This is to keep the FreEzine a readable length yet make available more in-depth material for those who are interested. Articles provided under this section do not always reflect totally the beliefs of the editor. In some issues more than one article will be available under this section and articles will need to be asked for by name to save confusion. We have no separate mailing list for the automatic despatch of articles in The Extensive Exposition so a separate request will need to be made for each article. This month's articles: Watch Your Language! By Annagail Lynes Handling The Losses of Life By Dr. H. Norman Wright Articles may be obtained free by writing to the editor and asking for the article by name. ><> : <>< : ><> : <>< : ><> : <>< : ><> The Funny Bone: Work I like work. It fascinates me. I can sit and look at it for hours. I love to keep it by me. The idea of getting rid of it nearly breaks my heart. -- Jerome K. Jerome ><> : <>< : ><> : <>< : ><> : <>< : ><> Aside: Are you a writer, a poet or an illustrator? If you have something you have written or illustrated that you would like to consider having published, a free 60 page Style Guide is available online at , or from the Editor of this FreEzine. There is no charge for publishing and YOU receive payment on publication (see the free Style Guide for details). Publishing formats include Books, Pamphlets, Leaflets, Magazines & Ezines, Online video & audio, CD-ROM & floppy-disk electronic books & multimedia, Video & Audio tapes and Talking Books & audio CDs. ><> : <>< : ><> : <>< : ><> : <>< : ><> Sermon Snippet: Beating Boredom Last issue I included a list of things families could do together. This generated some mail from a few readers who wanted a similar list of things one can do on his/her own, to beat boredom. This list has been put together at short notice, so if you have any great suggestions (for either last month’s list or this one) please email your ideas to me before the next issue. 1. Clean your room or the house. 2. Cook a meal for yourself or a shut-in neighbour. 3. Cuddle every soft toy in the house. 4. Draw a picture or scribble a pattern and then colour in shapes between overlapping lines. 5. Exercise or work out in some way. 6. Go for a drive. 7. Go for a walk 8. Go shopping (or window shopping if you're broke) 9. Listen to or play some soothing music. 10. Make or work on a website. 11. Mow the neighbour's lawn 12. Play a game or colour in a colouring book. 13. Play a musical instrument. 14. Read a good book. 15. Read the newspaper in the Public Library 16. Sing. (even if you can't!) 17. Take a dog for a walk. 18. Take a long luxurious bubble bath. 19. Take a long shower. 20. Talk to yourself - tell yourself where and what you would like to be doing in five years, ten years, etc.. 21. Throw covers over the furniture and do the high dusting (picture rails, pelmets, etc). 22. Try to read a book lying down (and in reality take a nap). 23. Vent about what you are upset about. 24. Watch a video movie or documentary. 25. Watch television - write down what you like/dislike about your viewing. 26. Work in the garden. 27. Write a poem. 28. Write a song. 29. Write a story. 30. Write down your feelings in a journal or notebook. Now YOU think of some personalised ideas. Write them down. Copyright (c) Lionel Hartley, October 2001 ><> : <>< : ><> : <>< : ><> : <>< : ><> From My Case Files: After three decades of counselling, your editor (a retired sociologist) sometimes ponders some of the things which have come up in counselling that, in retrospect, contain an element of humour. This new feature section will be included from time to time to share some of these snippets. Names have been changed to protest privacy. The Problem Solver. During a counselling session a Egbert, whose wife Maggie had said that she no longer loved him, asked her why she always carried his photo in her handbag. Maggie replied, "When there is a problem, no matter how impossible, I look at your picture and the problem disappears." "Then you must still love me!" Egbert exclaimed. "Actually," Maggie responded," Every time I see your picture, I say to myself, 'What other problem can there be that is greater than this one?' ><> : <>< : ><> : <>< : ><> : <>< : ><> Take a Hint: VCR Repair Instruction Is your videocassette recorder broken? Well, this site can help do-it-yourself-ers to avoid costly repair bills and fix the thing themselves. "The Self Service Website" by Bruce J. Meehl, lists everything from safety, to database pages (for various brands of VCRs), to step-by-step instructions. He even has a statement on ‘how to eject a stuck tape’. You can find Bruce on . ><> : <>< : ><> : <>< : ><> : <>< : ><> Letters to the Editor ><> : <>< : ><> : <>< : ><> : <>< : ><> Watch This Space: Future issues will include other sections not listed here. Why not write to us suggesting what you would like to see included. ><> : <>< : ><> : <>< : ><> : <>< : ><> Subscription Information: FreEzine is a Free ezine magazine/newsletter, published no less than monthly and sent out only to those who request it. As FreEzine uses an opt-in email list, we never buy or otherwise obtain email addresses. We have a strictly No Spam Policy. To subscribe, please send a blank message to and type SUBSCRIBE in the subject line. To unsubscribe, simply send a message to and type UNSUBSCRIBE in the subject line (we invite your comments also). It is NOT necessary to access a website and go through a complicated ritual to unsubscribe! Privacy: Protecting your privacy is very important to us. We will not share, rent, sell, or exchange your e-mail address with a third party for any purpose. Unsubscribing permanently removes your name and address. A note on the format: Your editor has considered many possible formats, including a colourfully illustrated E-book, webpage, Portable Document Format (.pdf), etc. Reluctantly, plain text was chosen to make this ezine available to the greatest number of users - DOS, Windows(r), Macintosh, etc. Address all correspondence to the editor Please do not use "Reply To Sender" email option as this magazine may occasionally be sent out by a commercial or other distributor, unrelated to FreEzine. Free offers in FreEzine of CD-ROMs, Back issues, software, posters, additional articles, screensavers, etc. have a time limit which is normally until the issue of the next edition of FreEzine. Special exceptions are sometimes made. Contact the editor for information. In order to cater for a variety of tastes and beliefs, the content of FreEzine does not always reflect totally the beliefs of the editor. Contents of FreEzine are COPYRIGHT and we make every endeavour to acknowledge sources. You may freely quote from FreEzine PROVIDED is cited as a reference source. Occasional contributions from Good News Australia are used with permission. YOUR contributions and comments most welcome. E&OE PS. This could be your next home: Check out ><> : <>< : ><> : <>< : ><> : <>< : ><> Last Word: The Three Trees A reader recently asked me if we had the following story on file. The story has been retold countless times with many variations and I have quite a number of variations in my archives. I have selected the following version because it carries the moral that you don’t have to be the biggest and best to be used by God. The Three Trees. ><> Once upon a mountaintop, three little trees stood and dreamed of what they wanted to become when they grew up. The first little tree looked up at the stars and said: "I want to hold treasure. I want to be covered with gold and filled with precious stones. I'll be the most beautiful treasure chest in the world!" ><> The second little tree looked out at the small stream trickling by on it's way to the ocean. "I want to be travelling on mighty waters and carrying powerful kings. I'll be the strongest ship in the world!" ><> The third little tree looked down into the valley below where busy men and women worked in a busy town. "I don't want to leave the mountaintop at all. I want to grow so tall that when people stop to look at me, they'll raise their eyes to heaven and think of God. I will be the tallest tree in the world." ><> Years passed. The rain came, the sun shone, and the little trees grew tall. One day three woodcutters climbed the mountain. The first woodcutter looked at the first tree and said, "This tree is beautiful. It is perfect for me." With a swoop or two of his shining axe, the first tree fell. "Now I shall be made into a beautiful chest; I shall hold wonderful treasure!", the first tree said. ><> The second woodcutter looked at the second tree and said, "This tree is strong. It is perfect for me." With a swoop or two of his shining axe, the second tree fell. "Now I shall sail mighty waters!", thought the second tree. "I shall be a strong ship for mighty kings!" ><> The third tree felt her heart sink when the last woodcutter looked her way. She stood straight and tall and pointed bravely to heaven. But the woodcutter never even looked up. "Any kind of tree will do for me." He muttered. With a swoop or two of his shining axe, the third tree fell. ><> The first tree rejoiced when the woodcutter brought her to a carpenter's shop. But the carpenter fashioned the tree into a feed box for animals. The once beautiful tree was not covered with gold, nor with treasure. She was coated with saw dust and filled with hay for hungry farm animals. ><> The second tree smiled when the woodcutter took her to a shipyard, but no mighty sailing ship was made that day. Instead the once strong tree was hammered and sawed into a simple fishing boat. She was too small and too weak to sail to an ocean, or even river; instead she was taken to a little lake. ><> The third tree was confused when the woodcutter cut her into strong beams and left her in a lumberyard. "What happened?" The once tall tree wondered. "All I ever wanted was to stay on the mountain top and point to God..." ><> Many days and night passed. The three trees nearly forgot their dreams. But one night, golden starlight poured over the first tree as a young woman placed her newborn baby in the feed box. "I wish I could make a cradle for Him," her husband whispered. The mother squeezed his hand and smiled as the starlight shone on the smooth and the sturdy wood. "This manger is beautiful," she said. And suddenly the first tree knew he was holding the greatest treasure in the world. ><> One evening a tired traveller and his friends crowded into the old fishing boat. The traveller fell asleep as the second tree quietly sailed out into the lake. Soon a thundering and thrashing storm arose. The little tree shuddered. She knew she did not have the strength to carry so many passengers safely through with the wind and the rain. The tired man awakened. He stood up, stretched out His hand, and said, "Peace, be still." The storm stopped as quickly as it had begun. And suddenly the second tree knew he was carrying the King of heaven and earth. ><> One Friday morning, the third tree was startled when her beam was yanked from the forgotten woodpile. She flinched as she was carried through an angry, jeering crowd. She shuddered when soldiers nailed a man's hands to her. She felt ugly and harsh and cruel. But on Sunday morning, when the sun rose and the earth trembled with joy beneath her, the third tree knew that God's love had changed everything. It had made the third tree strong. ><> And every time people thought of the third tree, they would think of God. That was better than being the tallest tree in the world. -- Anon