A New Voice of Freedom

Season 4 Podcast 91 Edmund Spenser’s The Faerie Queen, Canto 1 C Episode 3 “Archimago.”

In the previous Podcast, # 86, The Red Cross Knight defeats the dragon and earns his armor. He and Una and the Dwarf, who because of a storm had divagated from the straight and narrow path and wandered in the wilderness seeking shelter. That is how they came upon the Dragon’s lair. They leave the wild wilderness and get back on the path. Proud of his accomplishment, the Red Cross Knight is unprepared for his next test which comes in disguise.

The three meet a holy man.

At length they chaunst to meet upon the way

An aged Sire, in long black weeds yclad,

His feet all bare, his beard all hoary gray

And by his belt his book he hanging had;

Sober he seemed, and very sagely sad,

And to the ground his eyes were lowly bent,

Simple in shew, and void of malice bad,

And all the way he prayed, as he went,

And often knockt his breast, as one that did repent.

Fooled by appearances the three feel perfectly safe. The adventurous knight asks the holy man if he knew of any strange adventure that needed his attention.

He faire the knight saluted, louting low,

Who faire him quited, as that courteous was:

And after asked him, if he did know

Of strange adventures, which abroad did pass.

Ah my dear Son (quoth he) how should, alas,

Silly old man, that lives in hidden cell,

Bidding his beads all day for his trespass,

Tidings of war and worldly trouble tell?

With holy father sits not with such things to mell.

The old man assures them that he is but a hermit and doesn’t meddle with worldly things; however, he does know someone who can answer his question.

But if of danger which hereby doth dwell,

And homebred evil ye desire to hear,

Of a strange man I can you tidings tell,

That wasteth all this country far and near.

Of such (said he) I chiefly do inquire,

And shall you well reward to shew the place,

In which that wicked wight his day doth wear:

For to all knighthood it is foul disgrace,

That such a cursed creature lives so long a space.

Far hence (quoth he) in wasteful wilderness

His dwelling is, by which no living wight

May ever pass, but thorough great distress.

The Red Cross Knight, seeking adventure, wants to meet this strange man. It is the same curiosity that enticed him to look into the Dragon’s lair. He feels it is his duty as a knight to challenge such an evil man. Having learned nothing from his first experience, again he desires to run to a battle he never should have fought.

Una, however, immediately senses danger and as she warned the Red Cross Knight not to get too close to the dragon’s den, she warns him again not to go to this “wasteful wilderness.” Even the sun rests after a weary day and so should the Knight.

Season 1, Podcast 15, “What is Man?”

We cannot understand man unless we first understand God, who God is and what his relationship is to man. God is a self-existing intelligence without beginning or ending. He has always existed through all the eternities. That which has life in itself cannot be created or destroyed. God has life in himself. He cannot be created or destroyed. God is the greatest of all intelligences. He is omniscient, omnipotent, and omnipresent. He is all knowing, all powerful, and though he is an individual with flesh and bones, his presence is felt throughout the universe. There is no greater intelligence than God, and there can never be a greater intelligence than God.

Man is also an eternal intelligence as old as God is. Intelligence can be defined as life, consciousness, and intelligence, with thought processes and self-awareness. It must be so else how can we account for the existence of life or the existence of God. Something can never come from nothing. What is intelligence? Intelligence is who we are. It is what makes us unique. Intelligence must have the following attributes:

· It must be made of matter and energy.

· It must have life in itself.

· It must have consciousness.

· It must have infinite potential.

· It must self-exist.

· It cannot be created or destroyed.

· It can have no beginning or end.

That, of course, leads to some fundamental questions. If intelligent life self exists, what is man’s relationship to God? Why do we refer to God as our creator? The answers are actually very simple. We must refer back to who God is, omniscient and omnipotent, all knowing and all powerful.

God is an intelligence. We are intelligences. God saw the potential in us, and he wanted to make us like him; therefore, he invited us into his Kingdom. Like him we were self-existing intelligences, but unlike him we were not omniscient and omnipotent. God invited us onto the path of eternal progression, the same path that gave him his Godhood, that we may become like him. What other purpose would he have? Isn’t that what we want for our own children. Life on earth is patterned after life in heaven. That is why we have the Fifth Commandment, “Honor thy father and thy mother that thy days may be long on the land which thy Father in Heaven giveth thee.”

God has a body of flesh and bones. We didn’t. We wanted a body of flesh and bones. To enter the kingdom of God, he first had to become the Father of our spirits. In other words, we were born into his kingdom, becoming his spirit children. That means our self-existing intelligence was placed in our spirit body, just as our spirit body is placed into our physical body. That also means that we have heavenly parents just as we have earthly parents. Through birth we were giving a divine nature. That is what Peter meant when he said,

2 Peter 1:1-4

“Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that have obtained like precious faith with us through the righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ: Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord, According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.”

We lived with God as spirits in heaven. Even in heaven we had agency. There was a War in heaven in which Lucifer drew away a third part of the spirits. The others followed the archangel Michael, who acting under the direction of Jesus Christ, defeated Lucifer and hi

Season 4 Podcast 3 “We the People vs Globalism”

It is common for members of the same party to excuse every faux pas of members of their own party and condemn every fault of members of the opposing party. It is obvious, when listening to the news, which party the newscasters belong to by the way they spin the news.

But we need to bypass the spin and listen to the language of our leaders and hold them accountable. On the one hand, we must show charity for simple verbal blunders spoken extemporaneously, sometimes in a fluster. We all stumble. On the other hand, we must hold them accountable for what they say. In prepared speeches, every word matters. In extremely important events, such as an Inaugural Address of a President or a State of the Union Address, they should be accountable for every word, every phrase, every clause, every proposition. We must be wary of rhetorical devices and dissembling words.

In President Barrack Obama’s First Inaugural Address, he uses the phrase “We, the people” only once; however, he uses phrases that mean “We, the people” over fifty times. In other words, he uses the clinical we as if “we the people” were in entire agreement with every assertion he makes. It is one thing to use the phrase “we the people” in the preamble to the Constitution, it is another to assume that what a president or any other politician says represents ‘the voice of the people.’

For example, examine the following statement By President Obama:

· “At these moments, America has carried on not simply because of the skill or vision of those in high office, but because we, the people, have remained faithful to the ideals of our forebears and true to our founding documents.”

Noble words, but that is the heart of the problem, isn’t it? They may not mean what you think they mean. The liberals, who are trying to turn us into a socialist state and a globalist community, have not “remained faithful to the ideals of our forebears and true to our founding documents.” Our forebears would be appalled at where the liberals are taking our nation.

As a conservative, ask yourself if President Obama speaks for “We, the people” when he says the following (taken from his First Inaugural Address):

· Our health care is too costly, our schools fail too many -- and each day brings further evidence that the ways we use energy strengthen our adversaries and threaten our planet. These are the indicators of crisis, subject to data and statistics. Less measurable, but no less profound, is a sapping of confidence across our land; a nagging fear that America's decline is inevitable, that the next generation must lower its sights.

And what did Obama replace our health care system with—Obamacare which is twice as expensive for those who must pay for it and free for those who don’t. We don’t even get to choose our own doctors. Many prefer to pay the penalty and go without health insurance rather than pay the high premium of Obamacare. Obamacare is socialized medicine and a gross form of redistribution of wealth. Furthermore, members of Congress, whose health care is paid for by tax-payer money, exempted themselves from Obamacare, making it mandatory only for “we the people.”

· On this day, we come to proclaim an end to the petty grievances and false promises, the recriminations, and worn-out dogmas that for far too long have strangled our politics.

Season 4 Podcast 149 Edmund Spenser’s The Faerie Queen, Book I, Canto 8 Pt II Episode 21 “King Arthur Slays the Giant Orgoglio.”

In last week’s episode, King Arthur, his squire, and Una are led to the giant’s castle by the dwarf. The squire blows his magic horn and all the gates of the castle fly open. Duessa riding a many headed beast and the giant Orgoglio attack King Arthur and his squire while Una looks on from a distance. This podcast tells how Arthur slays the Giant and how Una and King Arthur find an emaciated Redcross Knight deep in the dungeon. We ended last week’s episode with King Arthur cutting off the giant’s arm and by King Arthur scalping one of the many heads of the beast that carried Duessa. We begin today by hearing the beast roar in pain causing the beast to nearly throw off his gorgeous rider. However, the giant rushes to her aid and forces King Arthur to back away.

Thereat he roared for exceeding paine,

That to have heard great horror would have bred,

And scourging th' emptie ayre with his long traine,

Through great impatience of his grieved hed

His gorgeous ryder from her loftie sted

Would have cast downe, and trod in durtie myre,

Had not the Gyant soone her succoured;

Who all enrag'd with smart and franticke yre,

Came hurtling in full fierce, and forst the knight retyre.

King Arthur had cut of the giant’s left arm and he was left to fight with only one hand. However, because of his rage, his right arm was doubly strong, and he raises his club high with the strength to cut a mighty oak tree into two pieces. He strikes King Arthur’s shield with such force that King Arthur falls to the floor. No mortal could have endured such a blow.

The force which wont in two to be disperst,

In one alone left hand he now unites,

Which is through rage more strong than both were erst;

With which his hideous club aloft he dites,

And at his foe with furious rigour smites,

That strongest Oake might seeme to overthrow:

The stroke upon his shield so heavie lites,

That to the ground it doubleth him full low:

What mortall wight could ever beare so monstrous blow?

However, King Arthur is no ordinary man. He has on the full armor of God. He has the shield of faith. As Arthur falls, his shield which before was covered shakes the veil and a light reflects from the shield so bright that it blinds Orgoglio. The giant drops his arm and withdraws from the battle.

And in his fall his shield, that covered was,

Did loose his vele by chaunce, and open flew:

The light whereof, that heavens light did pas,

Such blazing brightnesse through the aier threw,

That eye mote not the same endure to vew.

Which when the Gyaunt spyde with staring eye,

He downe let fall his arme, and soft withdrew

His weapon huge, that heaved was on hye

For to have slaine the man, that on the ground did lye.

The many headed beast that carried Duessa was so amazed at the flashing beams of the shining shield that he was blinded, and all of his senses dulled. The beast tumbled to the dirty ground and yielded his powers. When Duessa perceived the fall, she cried aloud to the giant to come back to her rescue.

And eke the fruitfull-headed beast, amazd

At flashing beames of that sunshiny shield,

Became starke blind, and all his sences daz'd,

That downe he tumbled on the durtie field,

And seem'd himselfe as conquered to yield.

Whom when his maistresse proud perceiv'd to fall,

Whiles yet his feeble feet for faintnesse reeld,

Unto the Gyant loudly she gan call,

O helpe Orgoglio, helpe, or else we perish all.

Season 4 Podcast 182 Edmund Spenser’s The Faerie Queen, Book I, Canto 10 Pt V Episode 32 “The Celestial City.”

In last week’s episode the Redcross Knight met the greatest of the seven Beadsmen, Humility who welcomed the guests. Humility led the Knight to Charity who instructs the Redcross Knight in almes and charity and how to frame his life in righteousness. Led by Mercy, the Redcross Knight then climbs a steep hill. Exhausted, Mercy had to help the Redcross Knight climb the mountain. On the top they meet blind Contemplation who teaches the Knight the way to heaven. However, Contemplation admits that it is mercy that sends the prayers of the righteous to God and ask God for clemency. Contemplation reminds the Knight that on the straight and narrow path to heaven they will meet long labors and sad delays; therefore, he must endure a season of fasting and prayer until his spirit is cleansed from all sin and his strength returns. Contemplation leads the Redcross Knight up an even higher mountain. Contemplation tries to elevate the thoughts of the Redcross Knight by introducing him not only to holy scriptures but also to the best of great books. He shows the Knight a small path in the distance that led to the New Jerusalem, the celestial city. He describes the walls of the city where inside he will have peace and happiness.

As he thereon stood gazing, he might see

The blessed Angels to and fro descend

From highest heaven in gladsome companee,

And with great joy into that Citie wend,

As commonly as friend does with his frend.

Whereat he wondred much, and gan enquere,

What stately building durst so high extend

Her loftie towres unto the starry sphere,

And what unknowen nation there empeopled were.

Contemplation tells the Knight that it is the New Jerusalem built by God for those who have purged themselves from all sin with the precious blood of Christ. He reminds the Knight that Jesus shed his blood on the cross to cleanse all who come to him and repent of their sins.

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Faire knight (quoth he) Hierusalem that is,

The new Hierusalem, that God has built

For those to dwell in, that are chosen his,

His chosen people purg'd from sinfull guilt

With pretious blood, which cruelly was spilt

On cursed tree, of that unspotted lam,

That for the sinnes of al the world was kilt:

Now are they Saints all in that Citie sam,

More dear unto their God then younglings to their dam.

The Redcross Knight, stunned by the Celestial City, exclaims that before he thought Cleopolis was the greatest city on earth and that Panthea was the brightest thing there was. Those of course symbolize the architecture of man which can have no comparison to the architecture of God. For him London would be Cleopolis and Westminister Abby Panthea. One may just imagine other knights using the greatest architecture or cathedrals of their own country. The point is that nothing on earth compares to the New Jerusalem.

Till now, said then the knight, I weened well,

That great Cleopolis, where I have beene,

In which that fairest Faerie Queene doth dwell,

The fairest citie was that might be seene;

And that bright towre all built of christall cleene,

Panthea, seemd the brightest thing that was:

But now by proofe all otherwise I weene;

For this great Citie that does far surpas,

And this bright Angels towre quite dims that towre of glas.

Contemplation tells the Redcross Knight that becoming for noble Knights to seek to be included in the books of immortal fame, that they may be eternized or made famous forever in the annals of history in doing service to their queen. Serving their queen who is heavenly born will also receive heaven’s rewards.