Some of you may have noticed that I have spiritual symbolism in my jewelry. Alot of my designs are based in early Christian catacomb art. I decided to develop them as the tide of popular opinion has more and more turned anti-Christian, and also anti-Semitic, as a way of those of us who haven't caved to "world view" politics can identify ourselves. I think that most people would find them inspirational, and that is my hope, to draw people to faith and to a God who loves them very much.
I recently went to a Christians United For Israel Conference in Washington, DC, this past week. In addition to hearing Israeli, Jewish, and Christian political leaders speak on Israeli's right to defend themselves and of the growing antisemitism in this country and the world, the point was also driven home by my seeing the Holocaust Museum and within the conference itself, a stunning art exhibit, also titled The Holocaust Memorial, done by High School and young college students, from Word of Faith Fellowship in North Carolina. Please ck out the following link to see the gallery of art from it; it was all done from photographs meticulously painted or created into sculpture or models by these students:
http://www.wordoffaithfellowship.org/wfcs/the-holocaust-museum
I wondered why this school and it's students did such a labor of love, and found that it was because of 10 years of persecution of being labeled a cult, wrongfully accused by disgruntled members, and for standing up for Christ, to finally being vindicated in the courts, that helped them to identify with the persecution and death of 6 million Jews from WWII.
They serve as an example of how the Lord uses those who enter into the fellowship of His sufferings, to effect change that can be achieved by no other means except by the laying down of ones life. In Nazi Germany, a group of young college students also risked their life to tell their fellow German citizens of Hitlers murderous rampage against the Jewish people. Sophie and Hans Scholl were guillotined, along with their compatriots, for speaking out against evil. Their story is on this link: http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Holocaust/rose.html
I'm reminded alot by well meaning people, that everyone's "right" is relative, and that there is nothing that is really a sin, or wrong. For Sophie and myself, as well as the students from Word of Faith, that is a philosophy that is full of holes. We must have standards on which to base our morality, otherwise we will become like the Nazi's, a little more than a savage animal, with an unquenchable blood lust, particularly against those of faith. An excellent article by Christina Hoff Summers, says it all:
http://christiananswers.net/q-eden/edn-g007.html
"For evil to prosper, let good men do nothing". That saying rings truer now than any other time in history. Whether it's for our country, or in politics, or even standing up for morality and ethics in our family, we, who profess Christ, are the litmus test for "whatever is good, lovely and pure". It is for "such a time as this" that we MUST stand firm, hold true, and declare boldly, we are Christs, and no others.
Fused and Carved Glass pendant symbolized an orante - a praising man in the midst of fire.
