wisdom of the wise is a blog that looks into the questions that the wise raise and try to draw lessons from them. it is a blog that discusses the problems of our common human existence and the way forward. it is a blog for those who love wisdom .this blog gives you first hand inspirational talks to see you through your day. This blog basically features 4 article series which are: wisdom series, motivational series, rhapsody of thoughts, and nature speaks.

Sunday 9 September 2012

christian persecution- Pst youcef Nadarkhani's case

An excerpt from CNN BELEIF BLOG— A Christian pastor
sentenced to death in Iran for
apostasy was reunited with his
family Saturday after a trial court
acquitted him, said a nonprofit
group monitoring the case.
Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani, born
to Muslim parents and a convert
to Christianity by age 19, was
released after being held in
prison for almost three years
under a death sentence, said
Tiffany Barrans, international
legal director of the American
Center for Law and Justice.
Setting aside the death sentence,
a trial court convicted
Nadarkhani of a lesser charge —
evangelizing Muslims — and
declared that his prison sentence
had already been served, Barrans
said.
His case drew international
attention after his October 2009
arrest, and the 34-year-old
pastor refused to recant his
Christian beliefs.
Nadarkhani was greeted by his
wife and two small sons upon
his release, but it's unclear
whether the pastor will continue
preaching, said the center, a
conservative organization
founded by television evangelist
Pat Robertson.
"His ability to preach in Iran, I
don't know," Barrans told CNN.
"But I think at this point, he's
going to have to some time to
assess the situation and all the
emotions wrapped up in that
before he makes any decision."
Persecution of religious
minorities in the Muslim country
remains a problem, Barrans said.
Hundreds of Christians are
arrested, detained for months
and then released without formal
charges "as an intimidation
tactic," she said.
As an ordained minister,
Nadarkhani led a network of
house churches in Iran.
He was arrested in 2009 after he
lodged a protest with local
education officials after learning
his child was being forced to
read from the Quran, the Muslim
holy book, in school.
He was charged with apostasy
and convicted in a provincial
court — which sentenced him to
death.
He appealed, and during a trial in
a lower court, refused to recant
his beliefs.
The case made its way to the
Supreme Court, which said
Nadarkhani's sentence could be
overturned if he recanted. The
pastor refused.
On Saturday, he was released by
a trial court in the Gilan Province,
Barrans said. The pastor had
been held in Lakan prison in the
same province, she said.
Nadarkhani is from the
province's city of Rasht.
Even though the constitution of
Iran — a predominantly Shiite
Muslim country — guarantees
equality to members of religious
minorities, that has not been the
case in practice.
And while apostasy is not an
offense codified in Iranian law,
converts from Islam often face
the death penalty, Amnesty
International said.
Persecution has increased since
Iran's disputed presidential
election in 2009, with Baha'is,
Christian converts and even
Sunni Muslims bearing the brunt.
In April 2010, the U.S.
Commission on International
Religious Freedom reported a
rise in church raids and
harassment of worshippers by
Iranian authorities.
And Amnesty International, in a
report released earlier this year,
said "repeated calls by the
Supreme Leader and other
authorities to combat "false
beliefs" — apparently an allusion
to evangelical Christianity,
Baha'ism and Sufism — appear
to have led to an increase in
religious persecution."
In February, the White House
issued a pointed statement in the
Nadarkhani case, strongly
condemning the reports of an
execution order.
"This action is yet another
shocking breach of Iran's
international obligations, its own
constitution, and stated religious
values," the statement said. "The
United States stands in solidarity
with Pastor Nadarkhani, his
family, and all those who seek to
practice their religion without
fear of persecution — a
fundamental and universal
human right. "
From small churches to large
organizations, Nadarkhani's case
has galvanized American
Christians.
The Voice of the Martyrs, an
organization that monitors and
attempts to assist with
persecuted and minority
churches around the world, has
closely followed Nadarkhani's
case and other developments
involving Christians in Iran.
But the issue has not been solely
spearheaded by Christian
groups; Muslim organizations
have also been vocal about
condemning Iran.
The American Center for Law and
Justice — a group "specifically
dedicated to the ideal that
religious freedom and freedom
of speech are inalienable, God-
given rights" — was asked by
the pastor's lawyers last year to
help publicize Nadarkhani's case,
according to Jodran Sekulow,
executive director of the group.

Readers, what do you think about this? Pls leave your comment.

Thanks,
NESIMEYE OSWALD
Blog author

Saturday 4 August 2012

WORDS OF WISDOM

15 Rhapsodies of Oswald


  •  The greatest men that ever lived are not those of physical strenght but of spiritual strenght. 
  • Our limitations exists only in our thoughts. 
  • Sorrow is a friend of the foolishly minded one but merry is his sworn enemy. 
  • Procrastination is an enemy of progress. 
  • The greatest us are revealed in times of our distress.
  • A mind occupied with duties cannot house grudges. 
  • Only beautiful flowers attract buterflies. 
  • Science is simply a replicate of nature for nature had it first. 
  • The real beauty lies not in the outward appearance of a man but in the innermost part of a man. 
  • Most great men had ugly beginings. 
  • It is easier to listen than to hear for our heart ponders when we hear. 
  • Some have meal and still ask for desert while some are praying for a quater of the meal they have.
  • Nature houses the beauty of God.
  • The art of living is not to do what pleases the heart but to do that which has to be done.
  • Be good to all if you can but remember you will still have enemies.

      thanks,
Nesimeye I. Oswald  
  blog author

Monday 16 July 2012

WHY ARE WE HERE?

                                 WISDOM SERIES








Have you ever asked yourself why you exist ?.In this complex system of unseeming varsity, we've found our existence in this habitable niche called earth. The sumary of all our activities as far as can be thought of are these: children are born unto men, the old men of the system after their working and toiling strifing after the wind are found to leave the system empty handed. They were born with nothing and when they were leaving, everything was taken from them even despite all the work and troubles they had to go through. This process is the same for the young that are born into the system and it will continue for generations unending. The process has always been and it's still and will continue to be. I gaze upon this whole process and all i see is purposelesness and unending vanity , every activity is always tending to nothing. I look at the vanity in everything and i ask myself 'why am i here?'. Why should i have to toil day and night only to leave the system empty handed?. The vanity in this system is realy a great injustice and it sickens my heart.

But if there is one thing that has given me comfort in everything there is, then it will be this: I know for sure that beyond this system, there exists another system. There the rich, the poor, the great, the small, the mighty, the little, kings and the commoners have all gone and will continue to go. There do you find equality. There is no title given to anyone there nor is there a supercesion of one more than the other. This is the system of our eternal existence. In this system, the reward due to each one according to his/her activity on earth is given to them. Some to eternal damnation and some to eternal life. I in my own understanding corellated this system and the earthly system and drew my conclusion of why i am here. And this was my conclusion : I exist in the earthly system simply to make eternal life in the other system and my existence in the other system would be simply for fellowship with the God of the systems. This is true and valid for all existing homosapien. Thus its invariably foolish to go after vanity in this earthly system. The much needed activity is for us to wash our garments clean and try our best to make eternal life in the system beyond this one. This itself is the purpose of our existence in this system so live wisely.

    


        Thanks,
NESIMEYE I. OSWALD
   Blog Author

Tuesday 24 April 2012

A SINNER'S PRAYER AND THE MERCY OF GOD

 WISDOM SERIES












       Most often at times, many Christians turn away from the path of righteousness. Some turn away from God when they have plenty, i guess they've probably been sticking around because they had need. For some, the cares of the world tempts them and they give in and turn away. While for others, stubbornness and folly overshadows their sense of perception of realities and they turn away believing that they're in the right. What a great deal Satan has blinded these ones from. Their ignorance kills them slowly without them knowing for the the easiest way to kill a dog is by dulling his sense of smell. While the circumstances surrounding the turning away from the light might vary with Christians, the fundamental issue is that we Christians at one time or the other fall and turn away from salvation. We turn away from doing right to doing things that displeases God and break His heart. Yes we bite the fingers that fed our infant soul into the men and women that we become. For some of us, we know we're traveling the wrong way  yet we still keep on going anyway. We probably pray thus: "Lord I know I'm very far away from home. Like the prodigal son I left home and traveled far away from you. Lord I'm even afraid to say I'm sorry because i probably will go back to my sin and thus make a mockery of your grace. Father I don't know how far east I've gone but I know your eyes are still upon me and you await my return but father i don't know where to start from. When I left your presence I left the vision you gave me behind and lived a purposeless life. But father I've been traveling on this road too long and I've been trying to find my way back home but i don't know if you will still accept me.
Father I betrayed your trust and lived like a dog even when you've already prepared a banquet for me. Oh! Foolish me, what do i do now?"
 I know a story of someone who has tread this same path. In the middle of his distress , a voice called out to him saying :"son!  son! I'm not going to let you go. I'm not going to let you slip away so you don't have to be afraid because my mercy has said no to turning my back on you and my love said no to letting you go". This was the voice of his father, the one he deserted and ran away from. The same father he has sinned against. Yes this was the voice of God to his disobedient son. What an extravagant love and grace.
If you are reading this article and this defines you. If you like many others have turned away from the way of life and traveled the path of death. If your guilt is weighing you down and you say in your heart "God will not accept me", then hear what the Lord has to say . Thus sayeth the Lord: "son!  son! I'm not going to let you go. I'm not going to let you slip away so you don't have to be afraid because my mercy has said no to turning my back on you and my love said no to letting you go. So come unto all ye that have labored and are heavy laden and I shall give you rest". Honor this call this very minute and head back home. If you are thinking "where do i start from?" where you are right now is a good starting point. Go on your knees , confess your sins and ask God for forgiveness. Ask Him to help you overcome sin because only when you head back home will you find the peace you've been seeking in the road of death.
 Thanks,           
NESIMEYE I. OSWALD
   Author            

Sunday 15 April 2012

WISDOM OF THE WISE: THE RACE OF HUMANITY AND ITS REALITIES

WISDOM OF THE WISE: THE RACE OF HUMANITY AND ITS REALITIES: The universe is composed of species which are on a constant race for survival. This article concerns itself with the race of humanity  and i...

Tuesday 3 April 2012

THE RACE OF HUMANITY AND ITS REALITIES

The universe is composed of species which are on a constant race for survival. This article concerns itself with the race of humanity  and its realities. On the first day of this journey called the human race, we thought that it will be easy all the way .So with hopes up we went on the frantic race of life.
But little did we know that the journey has something totally different install for us.
But as we journied on, we were in due time exposed the realities of the journey of life. These are some of the things we got to realize:
1.Great men are born from the thorns and thistles because only the turbulent seas could make the skillful  sailors.
2. The race is meant for all but only the steady wins the race.
3. Fearless men are the ones that discover unexplored lands.
4. The battle is meant for the brave and strong to win .
5. Only the men of wisdom are meant to rule.
6. If you have not gone over the obstacles, then you are not fit for the crown.
I guess we had a different view from this. But now we see clearly and we know better. The old men that have gone the length and breadth of the journey gives their advice to the young. This is what they say: "life is not easy , for nothing good comes easy . Because life itself is a challenge so if life gives us all we want then where is the challenge in life? So brace up  strong for the field of life is not for children minds. Lessen your burdens in the days of your youth and you will have an old age worthy to celebrate. As it is said "make hay  while the sun shines". If there is one sentence to describe the greatness that you can behold, then it is this "if you can dream it, then you can achieve it". There is no limit to the heights that you can attain except for that which exists in your thoughts. In all that you do bind your ways with honesty and truth and you shall have your rewards in due season".
This is the reality of the race of life itself so do not dwell in feebles.

Saturday 18 February 2012

A LETTER TO THE YOUTH

 Rhapsody of thoughts

To the youth it says:
Opportunity is yours child but you must use it well.
Greatness is placed before thee child but you must be willing to attain it.
The beauty of the youthful era is seen in the joy of the latter days .
There exists a time and a season for everything that berawyeth under the sun.
If there is a better time to plant child, it is now.
A time cometh when thy strength and agility will seize.
The fun and wildness of the youthful days will be no more in those days itself.
What remaineth with thee then is the fruit of the ways that thou walked in the days of your youth.
The way you make your bed child, so also do you lie on it.
Many has made their beds rough and they likewise had to lay rough on it.
These days that you behold seemeth unending in thine eyes but it's end cometh swiftly.
Rejoice in thine youth child but never forget your God and creator neither should you be blinded to the path that lay ahead.

SOME  WORDS THE OLD WORLD AS USED:
Berawyeth  ----  Happens
Cometh      ----- Comes
Remaineth ----- Remains
Seemeth    ----- Seems
 

      Thanks,
Nesimeye I. Oswald
   Blog author

Friday 3 February 2012

THIS GREATNESS IS POSSIBLE

  RHAPSODY OF THOUGHTS

Who said that this greatness was not possible? Who said that such beauty as this cannot be beheld? The potentials to achieve whatever it is our heart bid have we been given but lo we lie on the floor everyday weeping and cursing the constrain that restrianeth us. But would a door open without us pushing? Will there ever come to be light without someone putting on the source of illumination? I reason and laugh within me , how can someone that has been given everything not make a quarter out of his life? Greatness is not a destiny but a choice just as no one was born poor and neither was any one born rich. Everyone was born equal with talents to trade with. The greatest part of destiny resides with individual and not God. God gives us a choice of destiny , it is thereafter up to us to choose. In this monument of varsity called Earth, species make their niche with hard work not wishes. No wonder despite the size of  the ants, they build hills that the sloth cannot build. The  catastrophe of ignorance is failure, the beauty of hard work is success. It is only by continuous riding can the balance of a bicycle be maintained. The earth was not created by physical strength but by wisdom. The race is not meant for the strongest to win but for the slow and steady to accomplish. It doesn't matter if we walk, run or jog toward greatness, what matters is that we keep on moving. Nothing worthwhile will be presented on a platter of gold but on a plain of thorns , this is a universal law itself.

Monday 30 January 2012

WORLD IN CHAOS 2

   WISDOM SERIES

In my first write up of the world in chaos, i outlisted some mishaps in our worldly system of things. I thought of going futher to list other mishaps in other sectors of this system of things but what good will that do? . It would just be like adding insults to injuries. Are'nt many already aware of these problems?. So i decided that in the second part of the series, i would urge us to be awake to reality.
   Despite the many problems of our world, you would agree with me that a good number of people are not still sensitized and for some that are sensitized, they simply don't know where everything is heading.
Hey people , please join me as i gaze upon our world. I've looked to East and to the West. To the North and to the South also have i looked and all I see is a world in distress. Children are dying of hunger, many are bathing with urea due to drought, disaster, war and voilence abound in many fields. The play ground of many children are covered in blood, the weather is no longer friendly. The times are hard and poverty abounds in many planes. Look the plains that once offered many peace, comfort and hope, it is the same that tormenting them with night mares because of the violence that has been done there. Oh what distressing time it is for many. My friend, this is the common reality of our today world. I know that not many may take proper note of these things because the eyes of many have been blinded to these things and the common blindfold is money. Wealth, affluence , plenty, comfortability, e.t.c. They are what has blinded many. To the youth, a comfortable life has blinded them to greatness. To the adult, when the money keeps coming and the go gets going, how would you know if there is this magnitude of suffering out there.
    Basically what are my saying here?, Am i saying it is wrong to be rich?, definitely not!. Even what i want to advice right now is that you work very hard to enable become rich. Basically what i am saying is this: youth, let not the comfortability that you enjoy blind you to greatness and the reality of the world out there. You must work hard that you may become great and be in a position to  solve the worlds problems and reachout to the needy , bereaved, broken hearted and less previleged. The lord God gave you a comfortable life so that you might help the world around you. To the adult, work hard, become rich and stretch out your hand to the less previlege becaue only in this way will you live a well fufilled life here on earth and everlasting life in the world to come.

Thanks,
Nesimeye I. Oswald
Blog author