#InspireSunday WHO IS YOUR GOD?

IDOLATRY

The term IDOLATRY is derived from the word IDOL. In itself, an IDOL can be described as anything/anyone that is well revered, admired and worship. The English dictionary describes it as “A graven image or representation of anything that is revered or believed to convey spiritual powers”. 

From a layman view, when we here the term IDOL, our first point of reason is usually the Village or Traditional powers; but from the definition earlier stated, we can boldly say that IDOLATRY is way beyond that.

If we critically look at the society today, we would see that we have so many idolaters who are not even aware that they have an idol in their lives.

Here are few tips to know if you are an IDOLATER or NOT: 

a.    YOUR RELIGIOUS LEADER IS PERFECT: Aha! Got someone’s attention there! If as an individual you cannot see any weakness in the life or ministry of your religious leader, I think you should pause and think. Although God expects his children to be PERFECT, but as long as we are on earth, we can only but keep WALKING/ WORKING towards perfection.  When you hold the notion that the person leading you cannot make a mistake, then you have moved him/her from being a humane to being a “god”. Directly or indirectly you have become an IDOLATER

b.    WHEN YOU ARE READY TO SHED BLOOD: One of the key ingredients for any ritual is BLOOD. If you find out that you are willingly and ready to shed another person’s blood just to fulfill the desires or wishes of an individual, know for sure that that individual has become your god.  Political fanatics are mostly guilty in this regard. They are easily brainwashed to inflict pain on an opposition just for their “god” to attain a particular height.

c.    WITHOUT HIM/HER YOU ARE INCOMPLETE: Love is a beautiful thing; but when not controlled, it can become a terrible thing. Certain people get so attached to family, friends, loved ones, work or groups that without it/them, they are incomplete. That shouldn't be. Anything or Anyone that would make you lose your senses or sense of direction in its absence is nothing less than a god in your life.  Young people mostly fall culprit in this regard. *

d.    IF IT’S YOUR ONLY SOURCE OF HAPPINESS OR SUCCOR : When Saul was tormented by evil spirits, David Strings brought comfort to his soul (1^st Samuel 16:23); that it understandable; however, if the only thing that gets you excited and happy is a person, event, TV Program, or activity, please know that that thing or activity is becoming your god. Yea, you may want to ask, is it a crime to have a Passion? Absolutely NOT, we all should be passionate about something, but what passion brings is way deeper than what Happiness does. Passion brings peace not necessarily happiness. Happiness can come up easily without peace. Its a thin line, but the line exists.

16 Life Saving Facts about EBOLA (Prt 2)

1.       WHAT CAN BE DONE IN RAILWAY STATIONS, SCHOOLS OR OTHER PUBLIC PLACES TO PREVENT CONTAGION?

There are strict decontamination procedures by Public Health England that must be followed. Any area visibly contaminated – where there is blood, vomit or faeces – and toilets and surfaces lots of people touch, such as door handles and telephones, must be wiped with disposable towels to remove any visible fluids, then cleaned with detergent or soap and water and allowed to dry. Then they must be disinfected, for instance with diluted bleach – one part bleach to four parts water. Those who do the cleaning must be fully covered, with long sleeved shirts tucked into disposable gloves and trousers tucked into socks and closed shoes. Any cuts or abrasions must be covered with plasters. But there is no need to clean corridors or areas that the person has just passed through.

2.     HOW LONG CAN THE VIRUS SURVIVE?

The virus is quite fragile and is easily destroyed by UV light, drying out, high temperatures (which is helpful in west Africa) and disinfectants including soapy water and alcohol gel. The longest it is likely to survive is a few days, if left in a pool of bodily fluid in a cool, damp place.

3.     IS FOOD SAFE?

Yes, if it is cooked. The Ebola virus is inactivated through cooking. Raw bush meat is a risk. Past outbreaks of Ebola in Africa came from the hunting, butchering and preparing of bush meat for people to eat.

4.     IS EBOLA VIRUS AIRBORNE? SHOULD I WEAR A MASK?

No. The virus is not airborne. In spite of speculation, the UN Ebola Mission for Emergency Response says extensive studies of the virus have not shown any airborne transmission. Patients do not cough and sneeze a lot with this disease and the WHO states in an advisory notice: “Epidemiological data emerging from the outbreak are not consistent with the pattern of spread seen with airborne viruses, like those that cause measles and chickenpox, or the airborne bacterium that causes tuberculosis.”

5.     WHAT IF SOMEBODY COUGHS OR SNEEZES IN MY FACE?

There is a theoretical possibility that a person heavily infected with Ebola could cough violently and send wet, heavy droplets into the face of somebody nearby. The person most at risk of catching Ebola this way would be whoever is nursing the patient, and they would hopefully be wearing protective clothing including a mask.

6.     COULD THE EBOLA VIRUS MUTATE TO CHANGE THE WAY IT IS TRANSMITTED?

Although viruses do mutate, scientists say no virus, to their knowledge, has changed its mode of transmission, and there is no evidence that it is happening with Ebola.

7.     ARE SPACEMAN-STYLE PROTECTIVE SUITS ANY GOOD, GIVEN THAT SOME HEALTH WORKERS WEARING THEM HAVE GOT EBOLA?

They work as long as they are used properly. There are strict procedures for taking them off when the gloves and outside of the suit may be covered in virus. The US Centers for Disease Control has a guide for safe removal, to ensure bare hands do not touch contaminated material.

8.     ARE SCANNERS THE ANSWER FOR DETECTING INFECTED PEOPLE ENTERING THE UK?

No. All that scanners can detect are raised body temperatures. That could be caused by a cold virus or even the menopause, rather than Ebola. Every person with a raised temperature would then have to have a blood test for Ebola. There are two other problems: people could arrive from west Africa by any port, not least because airlines are not flying directly here from affected countries, so logically there would have to be scanners also at the seaports and the Channel tunnel. And the biggest issue is that people are likely to arrive in the days before symptoms show, so they will not have a high temperature and there is no way to they are carrying Ebola.

 Courtesy: Sarah Boseley, health correspondent

The Guardian, October 2014