Hebrew meanings

[joasia]

Does anyone know the Aramaic words for lightning and heavens(or heights)?

[Macrina]

Not sure about the Aramaic but it would likely be similar to the Hebrew.
In Hebrew "lightning" would be baraq (pronounced- baw-rak). Semitic languages typically use 3-letter consonantal roots for the core meaning of their words. This words' root would be BRQ. Not to be confused with BRK in Hebrew, which can be pronounced the same but does not mean the same thing. BRK means "he blessed", as in 'he blessed God'.

"Heavens" in the Hebrew would be shamayim, not bamah which means a high place. The root for 'height' is BMH.

Why do you ask? Last year this was a big deal among Christians after the presidents speech in Cairo (see paragraph 41 where he refers to the Quran's story of Isra [which caused much distress to Christians] and paragraph 9 where is stated 'first Muslim American elected" and links Thomas Jefferson to the "holy koran" [this stirred up Americans in general], and the president seems to say he swore on the Quran rather than the bible when he took office ). There were many evangelical preachers who took offense and some took up the scriptures to try and align the presidents name with some Hebrew words to stir up even more trouble about this president. I would agree he is a socialist promoting his propaganda.

The Luke verse relates more about our Lord having beheld satan's transgression. Luke 10:18 (the Greek word translated as “fall” appears to be a rare form of a Hebrew word for “transgressions”)

[joasia]

Yes. Someone sent me these translations. Seems pretty close.

[Macrina]

Hope you understand that Christians in America don't need a man's name translated to know he is an Islamic supporter. Most conservatives in the US did not vote for Barak Obama because of his background. He will simply go down in the history books of our nation as the first negro president.

He does represent how foolish people are becoming in loosing sight of their basic Christians values over sensationalism. And he also represents how easily socialization can come about in the highest levels of government by the use of demographics in immigrating and populating. The latter being Islam's greatest tool against Christianity. Islam needs no sword or terrorist to accomplish such a task as immigrating and populating.

[Pravoslavnik]

Macrina,

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   I am responding to your political comments here in red.[/color]

Hope you understand that Christians in America don't need a man's name translated to know he is an Islamic supporter.
Can you tell us why you believe Obama to be an "Islamic supporter?"
It is true that the Republican propaganda mills around the country (the Heritage Foundation, right wing Protestant Evangelists groups, wealthy Republican industrialistslike Rupert Murdoch, the Koch brothers, etc.) have worked (and spent money) relentlessly during the past two years to portray President Obama as a Moslem, or at least a Moslem "supporter." What is less clear is that any of these Republican characterizations of Obama are based in reality. For example, Obama has prosecuted a rather relentless war against the Taliban Fundamentalists in Afghanistan, and has repeatedly denounced Al Qaeda and the Qutbists as terrorists.

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 Obama has reached out to moderate Moslems around the world in an attempt to diffuse the escalating Qutbist Jihad against the U.S. and the West, intiatied by Bin Laden and the Qutbists, yet this outreach seems more related to a self-interested American geopolitical strategy than to any gesture of "support for Islam." It rather appears that Obama has sought to drive a wedge between radical Qutbists and mainstream Moslems-- the flip-side of George W. Bush's "bring them on" approach to world Islam that dramatically increased Al Qaeda recruitment around the world after America's ill-fated invasion of Iraq in 2003.  

We have had rather extensive discussions about Barak Obama's putative religious views on several lengthy threads here at the St. Euphrosynos Cafe during the past two years.  [/color]

Most conservatives in the US did not vote for Barak Obama because of his background. He will simply go down in the history books of our nation as the first negro president.

Well that certainly remains to be seen, particularly since Obama took office during the worst American recession since the 1930s, and amidst widespread bank failures. He is now about 20 months into a four year term, and the recession is beginning to abate, partly as a result of an aggressive Keynesian approach to the Great Bush-Cheney Crash of 2008-09, that all reputable world economists now agree was the correct move.

He does represent how foolish people are becoming in loosing sight of their basic Christians values over sensationalism.

Which Christian values are those, Macrina? Are you referring to our "Christian" Republican Party values of waging high tech wars of mass murder with cruise missles, in lieu of diplomacy? Spending untold billions on high tech cruise-guide missles and nukes? Cutting taxes for the wealthiest Americans even as more and more Americans have descended into worsening poverty and lack basic health care? Please clarify which "basic Christian values" you are referring to here.

And he also represents how easily socialization can come about in the highest levels of government by the use of demographics in immigrating and populating.

Not sure what this sentence means, but immigration has long been championed by Republicans-- including Ronald Reagan, both George Bushes, and John McCain-- as a source of low cost labor for American businesses. As for socialism, what does your use of the word mean? Do you consider Medicare "socialist?" Social Security? Highways? Police and Fire Departments? Public schools? The Apostles, as desribed in the Acts of the Apostles by St. Luke?

The latter being Islam's greatest tool against Christianity. Islam needs no sword or terrorist to accomplish such a task as immigrating and populating.

So, would you advocate restrictions on immigration based on religion? An amendment to the U.S. Constitution rescinding religious liberty?

[Macrina]

Answers to the "red" questions.

I believe Obama is an Islamic supporter because he is a socialist who fashions himself after Malcolm X. That is however only my personal opinion from observing him and his style. To literally pin him down on any subject would be like trying to nail jello to the wall. Hard because of his "code switching" (in linguistic terminology) technique. Some people find such a thing amusing, I'm just not one of those people. I find it dishonest.

We have had rather extensive discussions about Barak Obama's putative religious views on several lengthy threads here at the St. Euphrosynos Cafe during the past two years.

Post the links to them, might be interesting.

As to the rest of your post. As an American I am aware of the Constitution, and because of the Constitution I am really not worried about Obama. He will come and go like the rest, leaving with us what he believes is the best thing for the country. Which includes things like his suit against a state of the union, something no president should consider. As if one person such as a judge can over ride our democratic right to vote. But then this sort of thing is happening more and more when people don't stand up against it.

Myself nor any one president has all the answers to the problems of the USA. Being a half century old myself now, I do not see where any will undo the past mistakes this country made in it's beginnings. Recall the Federalists had their way and here we are. Recession, depression, catchy words for a country that has long been in debt.

I remember when folks had to not have credit to get credit. Not the other way around. Cooperative banking has been radically redefined over the past century. The generation that screamed 'buy American' is not heard any longer.

Life is tough. Should people do like the Israelites did which made them slaves in Egypt. Recall they began by trading with the government for food to sustain their lives. They wound up selling their very being/persons to the government to "support" them when they ran out of goods.
As one who survived a natural catastrophe (hurrican Katrina) here, I can tell you for sure, it is not the government who will help you, it is your fellow man. And I'm not talking about the root of evil $$$.

Americans are charitable people, but that doesn't mean we can support the world. (Why would Obama go to China at the beginning of his term for money....) Immigration should be regulated according to what is feasible. But then according to the world bank, anything is feasible, whether their funding a war, or supporting a new "program" to "help" others.

My comment on demographics was a call to look at how that works. Nothing more. No political agenda involved.

[Macrina]

I must be missing your point on this quote.

As for socialism, what does your use of the word mean? Do you consider Medicare "socialist?" Social Security? Highways? Police and Fire Departments? Public schools? The Apostles, as desribed in the Acts of the Apostles by St. Luke?

Does this mean you equate the Apostles to a federal government?

And yes, what you've mentioned is socialist related. What do you think people did before such things. They relied more on God than government.