Ken Poirot's Blog - Posts Tagged "strength"
I went Jesus and the money changers on them...
Confronting Evil
None of us is perfect and this is not meant to be a sermon on right, wrong, or religion.
This is a call to action against evil in all forms in our society.
Unfortunately, we are exposed to evil on a daily basis. I believe we, as a society, have an obligation to confront evil when we see it, to protect ourselves, to protect the weak, and to stop evil from inflicting harm on others.
Whether you are religious or not, I see it as our obligation to society to confront evil.
To be complicit when we encounter evil, or when we are wronged severely, knowing the same evil will befall our brothers and sisters of this world, is to allow evil to expand. It is up to us to eradicate evil, to prevent it from harming others around us, therefore, halting the spread of evil in its tracks.
My goal with this discussion is not to preach one religion over others, as I believe all the major religions of the world have at their core tenets loving thy neighbor and trying to lead a good life. I have a firm belief in religious tolerance and I accept all who contribute positively to society as a whole.
I have never set out to harm others or actively gone looking for evil, yet it seems there are those in society who do set out to prey on others. Especially those who present themselves as good, decent, and kindhearted people. I will say, for some, it seems nice and kind people appear as a weak or easy target.
No matter how many times I have warned people in my life to not take advantage of my good nature, there are still those who do not heed such warnings.
For those instances where I have seen the face of evil and confronted it, the guiding question I always ask myself is, "If not me then who?" Meaning, if I am not strong enough to confront evil, then who else will?
Confronting evil takes strength and courage. Unfortunately, the majority of people do not have the strength or the courage to take a stand.
I once heard a statement, "If you have no enemies it means you have never stood for anything." Standing up for what is right and confronting evil is not an easy task. Yet, if we all show more bravery and strength in the face of evil, then evil will have no place to hide in our society.
I challenge us all to not allow evil to grab a foothold, take refuge, or shelter in this world.
Have the courage and the strength to battle evil! For not to do so, is to be complicit and allow evil to multiply, spread, and prosper, to further prey on others.
Due to my upbringing and background, the only way I know how to frame a discussion on evil is to reference a book for which most of us are familiar, The Bible.
The Bible's Message on Confronting Evil
So what does the Bible say about our obligation to confront evil?
Psalm 94:16
Matthew 18:15-17
From the passages above, what the Bible tells us is that people have a divine obligation to stand up to and stamp out evil!
We are all called upon to confront those who commit evil against others.
In fact, the Bible is very explicit that if someone who is conducting evil will not listen to us one-on-one, or with a few others, we are told to call out the evil acts publicly; to make sure everyone knows about it so together, we as a society can rebuke and cast out evil.
Christians often ask, "What would Jesus do?," in certain situations they encounter in life. What I would remind everyone is Jesus was not always the quiet, "turn the other cheek" person we mostly associate with our thoughts.
Let us look at a situation when Jesus confronted evil with force, specifically, when the money changers were conducting business, cheating people, and doing so in his Father's house (church).
John 2:15
Mark 11:15
Oh my! This does not sound like the quiet, passive Jesus Christ figure we all think about, does it? Putting cords together to form a whip, chasing after people, physically over-throwing their tables, and driving them out. Sounds a bit angry/violent, doesn't it?
It is clear this is a firm message about the need to stand up against evil. Specifically, in this case, it is an example of acts which were cheating others.
The Fate of Some Evildoers in The Bible
Let us not forget the fate of some in the Bible who were considered evil, which seems in direct contrast to the commandment, "Thou shalt not kill."
There are many of these cases in the Bible, Sampson, Moses and the Egyptians, Sodom and Gomorrah, Noah and the Flood, David and Goliath, etc... just to name a few.
Let's look at the classic story of David and Goliath to see what the Bible says:
1 Samuel 17: 49-54
Now, I am not advocating violence or illegal means to stamp out evil. What I am saying is, there is a clear message that we all have an obligation to confront evil.
I will give you an example from my life when I confronted evil legally, using the courts to make a stand.
My Personal David Versus Goliath Story
In my youth I landed a job for a large multi-billion dollar company, which promised to teach me a new profession while paying a stable salary of $24,000 per year plus earned commissions.
This was a very large company and the offer was written in black and white, so who would question such a printed statement, made in good faith (seemingly), by such a well-known, large American company, right?
Well, unfortunately, after working for the initial probationary period of 12 weeks (a test to get into the company), during which the company withheld all commissions, everything changed.
The "salary" became a draw, and then expenses were also added that were expected to be paid. None of this was stated up front, and in fact, the written offer pledged a $24,000 per year salary plus commissions (no mention of any draw and no mention of any expenses).
Many people in the same program at the time, were much older than me, married, had family obligations, mortgages, car payments, education expenses for children, etc... In other words, a lot of people suffered in their marriages, financially, and personally due to this blatant lie.
Approximately 16,000+ people went through the same program over the decades before me. Per my knowledge, none of them were strong enough to take a stand and do anything about it.
So I said, "If not me then who?," to myself. If I am not strong enough to stop this, and it appears that most are not (16,000+ others in this case), I must do something about this to prevent others from suffering the same fate!
For this reason, I used an image of David slaying Goliath to depict the quote, "If not me then who? Confront evil!," which you can see here:
https://www.goodreads.com/photo/autho...
So I sued the multi-billion dollar company...little twenty-something me. I am bound by a confidentiality clause to not identify the dollar amount of the settlement (which was minimal after attorney's fees), but I did force the multi-billion dollar company, by using our legal system, to change; I made them stop cheating people.
I confronted evil; I did it legally and within the confines of modern civil society using the courts. I made the company see it was going to be potentially very expensive to continue their wrongdoings (imagine a class action lawsuit with 16,000+ other people as the class), so I forced them to change their actions moving forward.
Due to my stand against evil, the company changed their program and began paying a real salary (not a draw minus surprise expenses).
Unfortunately, this is not my first or last confrontation with evil. It is just one example I can point to where I can honestly say, I performed my obligation. I stood up to a large company and by doing so I defended myself and protected others against future evil acts.
So if you are a Christian, and you often ask yourself, "What would Jesus do?," then I will remind you about the story in the Bible of Jesus and the money changers.
Whether you are religious or not, and regardless of your religious affiliation, I will say, it is in the best interest of society as a whole for everyone to confront evil.
I believe we are all obligated as a society to confront evil, stamp out evil, and to do our best to prevent evil from hurting others who might be preyed upon.
I will say with that large corporation, I am glad "I went Jesus and the money changers on them." The end result was I protected others in the future from suffering a similar fate to me; I took a stand and because of it, no one else would get cheated in the same manner as me.
Here is this quote depicted in graphic form with a photo quote:
http://www.goodreads.com/photo/author...
Think of this the next time you are victimized by evil. Ask, "If not me then who?," take a stand, and do what Jesus would do (or what you feel is right based upon your religious or personal beliefs).
Together, we really can make the world a better place for everyone. We just have to make a commitment to have the courage and strength to confront evil, call it out, and not allow evil to spread or victimize others.
Have the courage and the strength to confront evil!
Warmly,
Ken Poirot
Mentor Me: GA=T+E—A Formula to Fulfill Your Greatest Achievement
Ken Poirot
None of us is perfect and this is not meant to be a sermon on right, wrong, or religion.
This is a call to action against evil in all forms in our society.
Unfortunately, we are exposed to evil on a daily basis. I believe we, as a society, have an obligation to confront evil when we see it, to protect ourselves, to protect the weak, and to stop evil from inflicting harm on others.
Whether you are religious or not, I see it as our obligation to society to confront evil.
To be complicit when we encounter evil, or when we are wronged severely, knowing the same evil will befall our brothers and sisters of this world, is to allow evil to expand. It is up to us to eradicate evil, to prevent it from harming others around us, therefore, halting the spread of evil in its tracks.
My goal with this discussion is not to preach one religion over others, as I believe all the major religions of the world have at their core tenets loving thy neighbor and trying to lead a good life. I have a firm belief in religious tolerance and I accept all who contribute positively to society as a whole.
I have never set out to harm others or actively gone looking for evil, yet it seems there are those in society who do set out to prey on others. Especially those who present themselves as good, decent, and kindhearted people. I will say, for some, it seems nice and kind people appear as a weak or easy target.
No matter how many times I have warned people in my life to not take advantage of my good nature, there are still those who do not heed such warnings.
For those instances where I have seen the face of evil and confronted it, the guiding question I always ask myself is, "If not me then who?" Meaning, if I am not strong enough to confront evil, then who else will?
Confronting evil takes strength and courage. Unfortunately, the majority of people do not have the strength or the courage to take a stand.
I once heard a statement, "If you have no enemies it means you have never stood for anything." Standing up for what is right and confronting evil is not an easy task. Yet, if we all show more bravery and strength in the face of evil, then evil will have no place to hide in our society.
I challenge us all to not allow evil to grab a foothold, take refuge, or shelter in this world.
Have the courage and the strength to battle evil! For not to do so, is to be complicit and allow evil to multiply, spread, and prosper, to further prey on others.
Due to my upbringing and background, the only way I know how to frame a discussion on evil is to reference a book for which most of us are familiar, The Bible.
The Bible's Message on Confronting Evil
So what does the Bible say about our obligation to confront evil?
Psalm 94:16
"Who will rise up for me against the evildoers? or who will stand up for me against the workers of iniquity?"
Matthew 18:15-17
"Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother.But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established. And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church..."
From the passages above, what the Bible tells us is that people have a divine obligation to stand up to and stamp out evil!
We are all called upon to confront those who commit evil against others.
In fact, the Bible is very explicit that if someone who is conducting evil will not listen to us one-on-one, or with a few others, we are told to call out the evil acts publicly; to make sure everyone knows about it so together, we as a society can rebuke and cast out evil.
Christians often ask, "What would Jesus do?," in certain situations they encounter in life. What I would remind everyone is Jesus was not always the quiet, "turn the other cheek" person we mostly associate with our thoughts.
Let us look at a situation when Jesus confronted evil with force, specifically, when the money changers were conducting business, cheating people, and doing so in his Father's house (church).
John 2:15
"And when he had made a scourge of small cords, he drove them all out of the temple, and the sheep, and the oxen; and poured out the changers' money, and overthrew the tables..."
Mark 11:15
"And they come to Jerusalem: and Jesus went into the temple, and began to cast out them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the money changers, and the seats of them that sold doves..."
Oh my! This does not sound like the quiet, passive Jesus Christ figure we all think about, does it? Putting cords together to form a whip, chasing after people, physically over-throwing their tables, and driving them out. Sounds a bit angry/violent, doesn't it?
It is clear this is a firm message about the need to stand up against evil. Specifically, in this case, it is an example of acts which were cheating others.
The Fate of Some Evildoers in The Bible
Let us not forget the fate of some in the Bible who were considered evil, which seems in direct contrast to the commandment, "Thou shalt not kill."
There are many of these cases in the Bible, Sampson, Moses and the Egyptians, Sodom and Gomorrah, Noah and the Flood, David and Goliath, etc... just to name a few.
Let's look at the classic story of David and Goliath to see what the Bible says:
1 Samuel 17: 49-54
"And David put his hand in his bag, and took thence a stone, and slang it, and smote the Philistine in his forehead, that the stone sunk into his forehead; and he fell upon his face to the earth.
So David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and with a stone, and smote the Philistine, and slew him; but there was no sword in the hand of David.
Therefore David ran, and stood upon the Philistine, and took his sword, and drew it out of the sheath thereof, and slew him, and cut off his head therewith. And when the Philistines saw their champion was dead, they fled.
And the men of Israel and of Judah arose, and shouted, and pursued the Philistines, until thou come to the valley, and to the gates of Ekron. And the wounded of the Philistines fell down by the way to Shaaraim, even unto Gath, and unto Ekron.
And the children of Israel returned from chasing after the Philistines, and they spoiled their tents.
And David took the head of the Philistine, and brought it to Jerusalem; but he put his armour in his tent."
Now, I am not advocating violence or illegal means to stamp out evil. What I am saying is, there is a clear message that we all have an obligation to confront evil.
I will give you an example from my life when I confronted evil legally, using the courts to make a stand.
My Personal David Versus Goliath Story
In my youth I landed a job for a large multi-billion dollar company, which promised to teach me a new profession while paying a stable salary of $24,000 per year plus earned commissions.
This was a very large company and the offer was written in black and white, so who would question such a printed statement, made in good faith (seemingly), by such a well-known, large American company, right?
Well, unfortunately, after working for the initial probationary period of 12 weeks (a test to get into the company), during which the company withheld all commissions, everything changed.
The "salary" became a draw, and then expenses were also added that were expected to be paid. None of this was stated up front, and in fact, the written offer pledged a $24,000 per year salary plus commissions (no mention of any draw and no mention of any expenses).
Many people in the same program at the time, were much older than me, married, had family obligations, mortgages, car payments, education expenses for children, etc... In other words, a lot of people suffered in their marriages, financially, and personally due to this blatant lie.
Approximately 16,000+ people went through the same program over the decades before me. Per my knowledge, none of them were strong enough to take a stand and do anything about it.
So I said, "If not me then who?," to myself. If I am not strong enough to stop this, and it appears that most are not (16,000+ others in this case), I must do something about this to prevent others from suffering the same fate!
For this reason, I used an image of David slaying Goliath to depict the quote, "If not me then who? Confront evil!," which you can see here:
https://www.goodreads.com/photo/autho...
So I sued the multi-billion dollar company...little twenty-something me. I am bound by a confidentiality clause to not identify the dollar amount of the settlement (which was minimal after attorney's fees), but I did force the multi-billion dollar company, by using our legal system, to change; I made them stop cheating people.
I confronted evil; I did it legally and within the confines of modern civil society using the courts. I made the company see it was going to be potentially very expensive to continue their wrongdoings (imagine a class action lawsuit with 16,000+ other people as the class), so I forced them to change their actions moving forward.
Due to my stand against evil, the company changed their program and began paying a real salary (not a draw minus surprise expenses).
Unfortunately, this is not my first or last confrontation with evil. It is just one example I can point to where I can honestly say, I performed my obligation. I stood up to a large company and by doing so I defended myself and protected others against future evil acts.
So if you are a Christian, and you often ask yourself, "What would Jesus do?," then I will remind you about the story in the Bible of Jesus and the money changers.
Whether you are religious or not, and regardless of your religious affiliation, I will say, it is in the best interest of society as a whole for everyone to confront evil.
I believe we are all obligated as a society to confront evil, stamp out evil, and to do our best to prevent evil from hurting others who might be preyed upon.
I will say with that large corporation, I am glad "I went Jesus and the money changers on them." The end result was I protected others in the future from suffering a similar fate to me; I took a stand and because of it, no one else would get cheated in the same manner as me.
Here is this quote depicted in graphic form with a photo quote:
http://www.goodreads.com/photo/author...
Think of this the next time you are victimized by evil. Ask, "If not me then who?," take a stand, and do what Jesus would do (or what you feel is right based upon your religious or personal beliefs).
Together, we really can make the world a better place for everyone. We just have to make a commitment to have the courage and strength to confront evil, call it out, and not allow evil to spread or victimize others.
Have the courage and the strength to confront evil!
Warmly,
Ken Poirot
Mentor Me: GA=T+E—A Formula to Fulfill Your Greatest Achievement
Ken Poirot
