Is He Our Keeper?

He said it again. It is probably the only Bible passage he knows, and he doesn’t know it all that well. Or maybe he does. I heard a brief clip on the radio yesterday. It was part of his radio address, the usual canned bleeding heart drivel punctuated it with, “On this day, we also honor those who died so that others might live: the firefighters and first responders who climbed the stairs of two burning towers; the passengers who stormed a cockpit; and the men and women who have, in the years since, borne the uniform of this country and given their lives so that our children could grow up in a safer world. In acts of courage and decency, they defended a simple precept: I am my brother's keeper; I am my sister's keeper.” (Emphasis mine)

How many times has a variation of this come out of his mouth in the last three years or so? Not quite as many as "Let me be clear." What comes after trillion?

Genesis 4:9 is probably one of the most misunderstood verses in the Bible. After Cain killed his brother, the Lord asked him the whereabouts of Abel. Cain answered, “I know not. Am I my brother’s keeper?”

Our president has taken this and run with it. In his drive to dictate every aspect of our lives from womb to tomb, perhaps this is exactly what he does mean: Orwellian control.

I always think of a zookeeper when I hear the word keeper. A zookeeper certainly has to have complete control over his charges: lions, tigers and bears. Not to mention reptiles, monkeys and rhinos. But maybe that’s just me. However, Bill Wink of An Inconvenient Blog fame had this to say about the phrase in 2008—way before the election:

“My Brother’s Keeper

I am not my brother’s keeper

And the LORD said unto Cain, Where is Abel thy brother? And he said, I know not: Am I my brother's keeper?

So how can I make this statement: I am not my brother’s keeper, a statement that goes against the preaching of mortal men?

When GOD inquired of Cain regarding the whereabouts of his brother Able in Genesis 4:9 The LORD GOD did not answer Cain directly when he asked: Am I my brother's keeper? God did not say yes you are or, no you are not.

So just what did GOD say?

HE said: What hast thou done? The voice of thy brother's blood crieth unto ME from the ground.

And from that many interpret an answer rather than heeding GOD’s response which in the first part was a question not an answer. However, in the second part of the phrase, if there is an answer, it is the Sixth Commandment of the Decalogue that GOD set down for man: “Thou shalt not kill”. Then paraphrasing; What hast thou done? Thou shalt not kill they brother whose blood crieth unto ME from the ground.

An ulterior motive – control

It seems though, that in religion and for other convenient purposes, interpretation is a matter of preconceived answers to the questions.

Many want the answer to the question; “Am I my brother’s keeper?” to be yes; so in the scriptures they find the LORD’s answer affirms their preconceived yes.

I, on the other hand, do not. I do not because I do not wish to control you and I don’t accept that GOD wants me to control you either.

Keeper

The word “keeper” simply by definition allows for a lot of latitude to those who wish to be your “keeper” or by definition protector, custodian or guardian.

Will I defend or protect or help my sibling, child, wife, mother, father, relative or friend? To the extent they need me, yes, of course.

I will be there for you when you need me but I will not be your “keeper” as others want to be.

How this applies to the subverting of America

Collectivists (socialists) pass laws making me responsible for you.

Being someone’s “keeper” is a form of collectivism. Communitarians want to be your “keeper”. Socialists want to be your “keeper”. Liberals want to be your “keeper”. Only individualists want you to be responsible for you and for you to allow others the same in return.

Individualists will not pass laws requiring you to wear your seat belt, however, they will tell you what could happen to you if you don’t. But the actual hooking-up of the seat belt is your responsibility. Individualists will not pass laws requiring you to wear your safety helmet if you are an adult. Individualists will not pass laws telling you what to eat. Individualists will protect your individual rights. But those who subscribe to the philosophy of being their brother’s keeper will address all of these issues and make them a law and punish you like a child if you don’t abide.

The Ten Commandments

When I read the story of Moses and the Ten Commandments the Commandments were not directed at only a select few who were supposed to collectively enforce the Will of GOD on the remaining Israelites. But rather the Commandments were set down as Divine Guidance for each and every individual.

So just where in the Ten Commandments does it tell me I must be my brother’ keeper? No where. But there is a Commandment that tells us to let our brother live in peace.

The last Commandment states:

'Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's wife, not his manservant, not his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbor's.' Ex. 20:17.

So what is 'any thing that is thy neighbor’s'? It is the rest of his property of course and his property goes beyond anything in a physical sense. His property includes those unalienable rights bestowed on him by his CREATOR and that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.

Therefore, I am not my brother’s keeper.”

Bill Wink © March 1, 2008

That about sums it up for me. Maybe Obama is right, after all. He is certainly making great strides toward achieving keeper status. His brother George should thank God Barack Obama is not his keeper.

Love

Granny