The cyber-battle of Jericho

News media obsession with cyber meddling in the last election focuses only on the tip of the iceberg. Beneath hacking into voter registration computers are enormous cyber warfare capabilities, likely in all major nations. Disruption by cyber-criminals, who steal credit card information to sell on the dark web, encrypt hard drives for ransom, or cause other disruptions to manipulate stock prices, is only a small sample of what international cyberwar might include.

Our economy’s complete dependence on the internet, coupled with these capabilities to bring it down, risks catastrophe. Firewalls and malware scans unable to keep out cyber-thieves and cyber-data-kidnappers will collapse under the assault of state-sponsored cyberattacks. The denizens of evil have some justification for their belief that they have the upper hand, or so it appears.

When Joshua and the Israelites marched around Jericho for seven days, most likely the residents had no idea what was going on. On the seventh day after seven loops around the city, the Israelites blew their trumpets and the walls fell down. (Joshua 6:20-21) The residents of Jericho were killed (except for Rahab and her family), which probably was not what they expected. And so, when the walls of western civilization are destroyed, whether by cyber-warfare or moral collapse (whatever tools the devil plans to destroy humankind with), the kingdom that God is building in plain sight, unseen by the world, will stand. (Hebrews 12:27)

This kingdom that Christians pray frequently to come is characterized by God's love and operates according to His ways. This includes doing His will on earth, His daily provision, forgiveness by Him and by His people of each other, choices to steer clear of temptation, and His deliverance from evil. (Matthew 6:9-13) Since the Internet aggressively counters all of these values and practices, the coming cyberwar will be God's instrument to destroy it. Western "civilization" may be collateral damage, when that which can be shaken is removed and that which cannot be shaken remains.

Healthcare superficiality

Healthcare Superficiality

What no one wants to discuss. The real challenge in the healthcare debate is the absolutely antipodal desires of more coverage and less cost.  Are these even possible to reconcile?

There seem to be a few key drivers to healthcare costs:

·    Development of new treatments to remediate health problems that were previously untreatable.

·    Extended life expectancy with increasing senior living spans, resulting from the above.

·    Unhealthy life choices.

·    Bureaucracies and infrastructure built to deliver healthcare services.

What can the government, at any level, do about these root causes?

·        It seems unlikely that the government will ever say that some treatment is not cost-effective, except comparatively.

o   For example, generic drugs are generally less costly than name-brand, but if the original developer is not allowed to recoup development costs, life-saving research will cease.

·        It is safe to aver that the government will never adopt a policy that at a certain age, an individual should be left to natural causes because we cannot afford to treat them. Hospice care is simply a result of admitting that no treatment is possible.

·        It is possible that the government might incentivize healthy lifestyles and penalize unhealthy lifestyles, but efforts so far have had marginal results.

·        The government is the very last on anyone’s list of entities that could formulate an effective policy to reduce bloated bureaucracy.

An interpretation of Psalm 84, with apology to David, King of Israel

1 How lovely are Your dwelling places, O Lord of hosts!

2 My soul longs and yearns to live as the Lord’s temple.

My heart and my flesh sing for joy to the living God.

3 The Holy Spirit also has found a house,

A nest for Himself, where He may bring His new creations for nurturing,

Even as I offer myself on Your altar, O Lord of hosts, My King and my God.

4 How blessed are those in whom You dwell!

They are ever praising You.

[That  is something to ponder!]

5 How blessed are those people whose strength is in You, In whose hearts are the highways to God’s kingdom.

6 Passing through the valley of Tears they make it a spring of living water;

The outpouring of the Holy Spirit covers it with blessings.

7 They go from strength to strength, Every one of them appears before God in His kingdom.

8 O Lord God of hosts, hear my prayer; Give ear, O God of Jacob!

[Let’s meditate on this prayer for a while.]

9 Behold our shield, O God, And look upon the face of those the Holy Spirit anoints.

10 For a day in Your presence is better than a thousand elsewhere.

I would rather stand for one day as God’s dwelling-place than live a long life in sin.

11 For the Lord God is a sun and shield; The Lord gives grace and glory;

No good thing does He withhold from those who walk uprightly.

12 O Lord of hosts, How blessed are those who trust in You!