Religion and Theology

Buddhism is a philosophy and a religion that encompasses various beliefs, traditions and practices that are largely based on the teachings that are attributed to Siddhartha Gautama and generally known as the Buddha. It is classified as an Indian religion. Judaism on the other hand is basically a set of practices and beliefs that originates from the Hebrew Bible and are referred to as the Talmud. Jews usually consider Judaism to be an expression of the relationship that God developed with the Israel children. Judaism claims a historical continuity that span more than 3,000 years. It is among the oldest monotheistic religions and the oldest to have ever survived into the present days. Its traditions well as the values have inspired the Abrahimic religions that include Islam, Christianity and the Bahai faith. Both Judaism and Buddhism have had a great impact on the cultural, social and political issues. It is therefore imperative to consider their views on life and basically abortion.

Taking a closer look at Buddhism in America, we see that for the last 18 years all Buddhist denominations have experienced an adverse growth in USA. From the year 1990 to the year 2001, Buddhism grew to a range of 170 and transformed to the 4th practiced religions in US. To most people Buddhism goes beyond religion and is a philosophical way of living. Philosophy is the love of wisdom and the path of Buddhism can be always summed up as leading a moral life, for example eradicating all issues of abortion and being aware and mindful of actions and thoughts and developing understanding and wisdom. It explains the purpose of good effectual life and explains perceptible inequality and injustice around the whole world and offers the code of practice as well as a way of life that leads to true bliss. Buddhism is increasingly becoming popular in the western countries for many reasons.

First is because it has answers to most problems in the current materialistic society. It answers questions on abortion and when it should be permitted. Also it includes a deep comprehension of human psychology and the natural therapies which famous psychologists globally are discovering to be effective and advanced.  Though Buddhists might disagree about so many details concerning life and other religions, they view their religion as guide to social and political action. They are likely to be committed to political and social vision just like their Christian sisters and brothers.  Buddhism has had its shares of effects on politics. There is always an inherent crisis in trying to mix politics with the religion. The basis of all religions is faith, morality and purity while that of politics is essentially power.
Religion has always been used to offer legitimacy to those that are in power and their exercises of that same power. It has shown the legal moral dangers of permitting abortion to be legalized. Religion in the past was used in justification of conquests and wars, atrocities, persecutions, rebellions and destruction of all works of culture and art. Buddha came from the warrior caste and was brought into the association of princes, kings and ministers. Despite his association and origin, he did not resort to the influences of political powers to introduce his teaching and neither did he allow his teaching to be misused in gaining of political powers. Today, many politicians always try to drag Buddhas name to politics through referring him as a capitalist, imperialist and communist.

 The political and social thrust of Buddhism is summed up in the words of Dalai Lama which stated that we should always realize that the purpose of giving birth is to basically help other people.If that is not the case then harming other living beings should never be an option. The important axiom of the Buddhist politics and society is non violence. Human beings always have a tendency of being violent towards others in action and speech.

Buddhists always try not to hurt others in any way and their first priority as far as social sphere is concerned is to avoid any type of stereotype and gossip and seek to diffuse their anger. They always avoid all scenarios that lead to abortion in order to avoid hurting the unborn. As far as political affiliation is concerned, is to seek effectual vehicles to prevent conflict between divergent nations. This boils down to positive impact of Buddhism on social and the political life. In the social sphere, it has great significance in the fact that people generally stop speaking ill of other people. It helps to create a basis and sense of a good community where everybody lives in peace with other people. On that concept of the social issues what is the Buddhism take on abortion issues

Buddhists believe that initially life should never be destroyed and thus regard causing death to be morally wrong if death is caused by negligence and deliberately. Traditional Buddhists do reject abortion completely as it involves a deliberate act of destroying life. They usually regard life to be starting after conception. However, the modern Buddhists are divided on the morality grounds of abortion. Buddhists essentially are expected to take responsibility in everything they usually do and all the consequences that do follow. They take the decision to abort as personal which requires a compassionate and careful exploration of the ethics that are to be involved. The ethical impact does depend on the intentions and the motives that are behind the whole decision as well as the mindfulness in which it is taken.

It is almost like a behavioral pattern that though it might prove hard at times, it is within our attainment and prompts us to other positive patterns. The political ramifications are more encouraging and appealing as Buddhism essentially enjoins people to be peace activists and to look up unto the footsteps of the preachers who were against violence and injustice like Martin Luther and Ghandi. This concept is evident even as far abortion is concerned to always do justice as far as lives are initially concerned. According to Buddha teachings there are some conditions that should be present to constitute the whole act of killing. First the thing killed should be a living being. The killer should also be aware that it is a living being and have the whole intention in killing it. There should be some effort to kill and the being ought to die as a result of the whole situation. The Buddhism community is an epitome of great charity work. They have a great basis of social impact on the community and the people they live with. Charity among them is in the form of helping and comforting others. They believe that charity that comes in the form of impulse is weak thus cannot form a major spiritual influence on people.

They believe that the societies need to support and protect their weak members. Individuals can never achieve enlightenment if they are subject to oppression and poverty. Societies also need to limit their greed and impacts of all egoism. It is about letting go of the desires and cravings. The ethical perspective of Buddhism ensures the attachment of life is usually circumscribed to the ideas of impartiality, sharing of all wealth and protecting the living things. Societies should never allow exploitation of human beings. However, despite their charity work, they always face difficulties when abortion does take place. They always face some difficulties in cases where abortion is necessary to save the life of the mother thus a life is lost whether or not there is an abortion. The Dalai Lama claims abortion from Buddhists viewpoint is an action of killing and it is usually negative. It however depends on circumstances. In cases where the unborn child is usually retarded and if the birth will end up creating grave predicaments for the parent then abortion is appropriate.

People who have wealth and power should never be permitted to exploit others. As far as political and social life is concerned, Buddhism is never a determinist. They seek to find the middle way. They always avoid opposite opinions and extremes. Most Buddhist find things of value in the political philosophies that are materialistic for example the Marxism and in theories like postmodernism.

Buddhism in North America is still in its infancy and is complex to determine precisely the social and political directions that it shall take. Today, it is highly dependent on the charisma of the foreign masters and their teachings. Buddhism in North America will only outgrow its leading strings only when it becomes a strong cultural force. North American Buddhism is still a grave cultural position. When religion panders on political whims it ought to forego its moral ideals and be debased by the global political demands.

The thrust of Buddha is not to be directed to creations of modern political arrangements and institutions. Buddhism basically seeks to approach all problems of the society by reforming its individuals that constitute that society and suggesting general principles in which the society is guided towards humanism, equitability and enhanced welfare of the members. There is always a limit at the extent at which political systems safeguard prosperity and happiness of the people. There is no political system despite its idealness that can bring happiness and peace in its people when they let greed, delusion and hatred dominate them. Issues like murder and abortion will never lead to happiness. Buddhism believe that there is no actual freedom but a just system of politics that ensures human rights and have checks and balances to exploit their power is an effectual condition for happiness in the society. People should never fritter with time searching an ultimate system that is politically motivated where people are free as there is none. Complete freedom is never found in any system but only in free minds. Buddhism has had an immense political role in a country like Sri Lanka as it serves as the unifying force.

Is there any political space for the Jewish people in the modern world  What are their take on abortion The process of the emancipation has brought the Jews in the democratic states like equal members. From early as 1987, the Jewish people globally dreamt of having their own state and Judaism as the prevailing theme. Alongside their efforts there have been other current ones that were fighting to separate state and the religion. In 1948, there was the creation of Israel. Today, the compatibility and the role of the religion as well as politics have remained a powerful focal point in many debates. Judaism plays a paramount role in politics and democracy.

Politics and religion essentially tends to deal with the socio- political issues that are connected to organizations, religion, interest groups and the political parties.  Once the political institutions are fully developed, each one of them can establish their own interests and legitimate them. There is a great similarity between Catholicism, Islam and Judaism as they all embark on the social aspect of avoiding sin. Religion affects politics in many ways. It not only does project the ideas on what is wrong and right, but also projects the conceptions and images about nature and the world. Israel is a great country and it is very interesting to observe the role of religion in the political arena as it is quite divergent from other Western democracies. Judaism does combine ethnicity with other doctrines in a challenging way. All the Jews are made to feel at home in Israel whether or not they are agnostics, atheists, anti-religious or religious. The Jews rituals and doctrines have changed with time thus the modern Jews have come to adjust to the cultures that they do live in. There are different varieties of Jews. In USA, majority of them are classified as reformed and conservative. According to the Jewish customs the fetus has great value as it is a human life and always gains full status to be termed as human at birth. Abortions are not usually permitted on the facts of the genetic imperfections to do with the fetus. Abortions are only permitted in saving mothers health and life. With the exception of the Orthodox authorities, Judaism does support the access of abortion to women.

The start of politically relevant religious issues can be dated far back in the time of Joshua. The story is gotten from the bible rendering it religious but it is political on the grounds that it describes the ethnicity rivalry as well as the territory conquest. The bible assists shape the current religion and politics. The greatest elucidation behind interrelation of religion and politics in Israel is on the grounds that the two are similar in regards of the underlying characteristics. Both have vast loyalty base, are organized and use doctrines to attract the people and distinguish themselves from the other groups. They have loosely held doctrines, deal with lofty and ordinary problems, have affiliation that is passed on through the family, are creative, dynamic and have extremist elements. The main reason a country like Israel has gained a lot of prominence is as a result of the coalition government. What is the take of the Jewish government on abortion

Politically, the Jewish view on abortion does not fit in the recent debates. There is neither the banning of abortion or the indiscriminating of the abortion. The easiest way that is meant to conceptualize the fetus in Jewish law is to have the imagination that it is a full human being. The fetus is usually treated just like other people. Judaism culture and law does hold accountable all those purposely cause a pregnant woman to miscarry and sanctions are usually held. The fact that the Torah requires money as payment in situations of miscarriage it is always interpreted as the fact that abortion is not necessarily a capital crime among the Jewish people. In Buddhism one usually becomes great as a result of the progress they have had as far as ethics are concerned and all delusion, greed and hatred have been removed from them. Culture embodies a flawless purity as well as selfless compassion. Culture is developing of the good habits of honesty, compassion, kindness and others.

It is coherent that the Judaism culture and religion has preached the spirit of togetherness and support of each other during crisis. Both Judaism and Buddhism though they might have a divergent set up, they are bound to improve on political, culture and social issues among the people around thus they are quite essential. In both religions abortion is illegal and only in circumstances that compel the abortion to take place for example when the mothers live is in jeopardy.

Over interpretation of superficial signs of non-conformity Tattoos have been part of our lives since the early times. Today, it is assumed that every American has a tattoo.  But, people with tattoos are still often associated with tribes, people on the Death Row or as part of the gangs.  It must be noted that some inked up themselves for self-expression, marking an important event or symbolic meaning in their lives and lastly, to become fashion-forward.  (httpcf1.orgmemestreamnonconformity.htm)

Mass Media sensationalism Media presents several misconceptions.  An example of this is the higher rate of Anorexia Nervosa among them.  Media established the culture that being thin is likable and beautiful.  The outlook takes away the sense of satisfaction for the teenagers to appreciate their God-given gifts.  If not guided well, attachment to the sensationalism of the media can cause self-destruction rather than self-improvement. (httpwww.media-awareness.caenglishissuesstereotypingwomen_and_girlswomen_beauty.cfm)

Generalization from samples of deviant adolescents Being a Goth is often considered as weird and stereotyped as those who worship Satan and can cause harm to other people.  The surprising fact is that all these are misconceptions and teens who choose this lifestyle can feel a sense of belongingness in the group.  One must not judge someone because of the way he looks.  The real harm is when the person being judges faces emotional abuse. (httpwww.newscientist.comarticledn8996-goth-subculture-may-protect-vulnerable-children.html)

Over emphasis on the biological determination of heterosexual behavior The cause of over emphasizing the heterosexual behavior is making the beliefs lean that sexuality is synonymous to the identity.  Thus, the gays, lesbians and transgender are often discriminated and people forget the fact they are still humans too who need to be respected.
(httpwww.questia.comread5035089587titlePrivacy20and20Sexuality20in20a20Society20Divided20over20Moral20Culture)

Self-fulfilling prophecy Most people fear the changes that may happen when they become old.  When they reach the age of 50, they feel that they are no longer capable of doing things creating a negative impression on getting old.  They can still have the sense of accomplishment in other aspects, but not like when they were still young. (httpwww.nytimes.com20060718healthpsychology18old.html_r1)
Lack of interest in ecclesiastical form, ritual, and participation Teens find the intellect of questioning the existence of God and why they should go to church as they are fed with knowledge and other distractions like friends, money and leisure.  They do not realize the importance of religion until they are faced with great challenges. (httpwww.telegraph.co.uknewsnewstopicsreligion5603096Two-thirds-of-teenagers-dont-believe-in-God.html)

The ability to manage the premature granting of adult roles and responsibilities

Some teens who are lucky enough to earn scholarships or be provided for by his family sometimes quit school.  They feel that they need to take on roles of the adults in order to prove something.
 

Universal Fame  Fame sometimes ruins a persons life. Some people who have been in a pedestal or have been the focus of the limelight tend to commit suicide because it is hard for them to accept failure, rejection andor embarrassment. Biblically speaking, earthly fame is of no importance. In Luke 923, our Lord Jesus Christ said And he said to all, If any man would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. (RSV) This means to be able to live a life in Christ and to do Gods will, one must deny himself, his status, his fame, his wealth. In fact, I Peter 124, a disciple of Christ named Paul said for All flesh is like grass and all its glory like the flower of grass. The grass withers, and the flower falls. (RSV) Personal glory or fame is temporal. It is like a flower that blooms only for some time yet easily withers.

Always aim perfection, no matter what  God understands our limitations. In fact, in Psalms 10314, King David said for he knows how we are formed, he remembers that we are dust. (NIV) Man is formed from the dust of the earth, and literally speaking anything that comes from dust is fragile. No one and nothing is perfect other then God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ. But God sent His Holy Spirit to help us thus in Romans 826 it is written Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with sighs too deep for words. (RSV) We have our weaknesses. So the struggle to perfection, without the help of God, will only end in vain.

Being different is evil - Human diversity is obvious. Each person is created unique. In Job 377, He seals up the hand of every man, that all men may know his work. (RSV) We have our own unique seal from God which makes us different one from the other. So we cannot conclude that just because a person is different means he or she is already wicked. In fact, Gods advice to His people, in order for them to be saved, is to be different from the ways of the world. Romans 122 Do not be conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that you may prove what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect, (RSV) therefore being different as the child of God does not mean evil.

Catastrophes happen when things are unplanned  Even if we plan, we have no right to manipulate Gods will. Remember that we are only created by God. In Romans 920  21 the Bible say, But who are you, a man, to answer back to God Will what is molded say to its molder, Why have you made me thus (21) Has the potter no right over the clay, to make out of the same lump one vessel for beauty and another for menial use (RSV) We cannot complain. So certainly, if something seem bad happened to us, it is not because we never planned but because it is what God wants to happen to us. It is not us who plan for our lives but our Creator, the Father God. This is acknowledged by the Prophet Jeremiah in chapter 10 verse 23 of his book, he said I know, O LORD, that the way of man is not in himself, that it is not in man who walks to direct his steps. (RSV)

Nonsense worrying  Worrying will just add age on our face. God said in Philippians 46, Have no anxiety about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. (RSV) Prayer is our best defense against the troubles in life. Christ is our assurance in time of tribulations. John1633 I have said this to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.

Happiness is achieved in material or external things  Happiness is not acquiring the wealth, fame and even everything in this earth. God said in Mark 836

For what does it profit a man, to gain the whole world and forfeit his life Happiness in material things like fame is temporal. But one example of true happiness is living in Christ as He said in John 1511 These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full. (RSV) Happiness in Christ follows happiness and contentment in material things.

Better is enough, forget about the best  God has given us gifts of talents. As mentioned earlier, each person is unique, even in abilities to establish his or her own career. Romans 126 said Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them if prophecy, in proportion to our faith (RSV) A person can be successful in any field by his own making with the help of God. Our standards must be our own self base on our capacity given by God, because looking at other people as our standard is lack of confidence and low self-esteem.

Life is either winning or losing  The game of life has been a commonly used phrase to describe lifes ups and downs. But though there are obstacles, life must not be viewed as gambling, where one wins over the other. All of us must work hand in hand for the better because our reward is only one  eternal life. Like what the Bible said in Romans 828 We know that in everything God works for good with those who love him, who are called according to his purpose. So we must not beat but rather help one another.

Varied ideas  Obviously, specifically in the religious world, people have diverse faiths. But these differences should not be treated as barrier to unity. Not all people can accept what others say or do, and it is impossible for a person to convince all people to believe in his or her faith. But definitely people may unite in one common goal especially for the good of all. For instance, we can all unite to advocate peace which will benefit us all.

Comfortable life with less frustration  By just looking around us, we can never tell that there is such comfortable life with less or without frustrations. Failures, worries, greed, depressions, and all of this kind are everywhere because whether we like it or not, they are part of our life. So it is vanity nowadays to aim for true comfort. But there is hope if we trust God as He promised us eternal happiness. Romans 53-4 More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not disappoint us, because Gods love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit which has been given to us.

There have been a lot of views regarding the authorship of John, as scholars then and now have been arguing as to who was really the author of this book. Some contend that it was the Gnostic Cerinthus, while others argued it was John the brother of Jesus. While the book of Revelation was generally accepted as part of the Holy Bible, it remains controversial among many Christian intellectuals largely in view of its authorship. The writer of this prophetic book though, identified himself four times throughout the scripture as John. In chapter 1 1 it says, He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John. Again in verse 4, he identified himself as John in his address to the seven churches. For the third time, he again identified himself as John who was in exile in Patmos. Finally, in 22 8, he identified himself as John who saw those things that he wrote.

Generally however, the authorship of the book has been ascribed to John the apostle of Jesus. Names such as Clement of Alexandria, Tertullian, and Origen were just some of those that held this view. Hence, since it was John the apostle who was largely credited as the writer of this prophetic book, so this paper assumes it was indeed John the apostle who wrote it.

There were three identities by which we can know him. First, he identifies himself as a servant of God 11, second, as a brother of his readers in suffering and kingdom 19, and finally as prophet, 22 9 says he was with his brothers the prophets.  In terms of faith the man was obviously spiritually mature and deeply a believer of Jesus Christ. He identifies himself as one his brothers in their sufferings, reflecting that he was among the persecuted Christians. Given his relationship with his brothers it is quite safe to assume that he was a Christian Jew as his culture seemed to be the same with his brothers.

Date and place of authorship
Harrington and Harrington (1993) asserts that the strongest evidence for the date of revelation is the testimony of Irenaeus that the book was written in the reign of Domitian (p. 9) in 81-96 C.E. The issues facing the author and his listener was the wide spread persecution believed to have been orchestrated by the tyrannical Domitian in view of the imperial cult which he has fostered. What is going on in his church however may be difficult to determine since most of the literature talked of the wide spread persecution of Christians. So it was more likely that his church was also suffering from oppression and persecution. As to date of the activity however, there was no specific date mentioned but as Elwell (1996) stated, it is the eternal climax of the redemptive history as previewed by John (Bakers Evangelical Dictionary). Thus, while the date of actual activity may be unclear, it was quite evident that the John was standing near or at the end of time. The religious circumstances that provide the occasion for the writing of this document was obviously the visions which John has seen v.1, and it from there he wrote everything that he has seen and heard.

The epistle was written in Patmos. John narrates in verse 9 I John, your brother and companion in the suffering and kingdom and patient endurance that ours in Jesus, was on the island of Patmos because of the word of God. In Johns introduction in 14, the community to which the epistle was directed was the seven churches situated in key cities in Asia. Each church according to the John faces different weaknesses which warrant for the writing of the epistle (1 4, 5). This influences what he says and does in a way that his writing was in the tone of warning and at the same time, of rewarding. Verse 8 for instance, strongly asserts that those who cowardly, unbelieving, the vile, the sexually immoral, the murderers, those who practice magic arts, idolaters, and all liars will not inherit it, rather their place will be in the fiery lake of burning sulfur.

The concerns of the writer
The concern of people to whom he was speaking was diverse. There were those that were faithful such as the believers in the church of Philadelphia, but many as Boring (1989) noted were struggling with the issues of how the Christian witness could be made real and viable within the political and cultural life of a sophisticated urban population (p. 87). The audience of the people that John was writing was the seven spirits wherein his message come from, and Jesus Christ who is now presented in 21 1-9 as the who seated on the throne and the one who sees the struggle of his people for the sake of their faith, vv. 4, 5.

The author of revelation is communicating his message by calling on his reader to reevaluate their spiritual relationship with Jesus Christ as they have been found by the Holy Spirit guilty of sin. But in 21 1-9, the author has communicated his message by drawing on the prophecy of Isaiah. Here, he was emphasizing that his message was not a mere vision. It was a fulfillment of a prophecy made by Isaiah. From the way it looks, the author was drawing connection between Isaiahs prophecies and the coming of kingdom of God which was hereby identified by John in 21 1-9 as the new heaven or the new earth or the New Jerusalem or the Holy City. By this connection, John seemed to be telling the people that they better listen to the message because in the same way the Messiah has come to save his people, this time he will fulfill that salvation but he will also deny those who rejected him and those who are unbelievers. So it was a case of direct rebuked as well a message of encouragement.

The passage was a combination of narrative and epistolary. Kovacs Rowlands and Callow (2004) pointed out that the letter was similar to epistolary noting that during this time, epistolary was widespread (p. 52). The writing indeed was full symbolic actions and the use of metaphors and comparison. The writer draws a comparison of the old world with the new earth, the old earth being full of sin and chaos, and the new world of joy and peace. The symbolical description of John of the New Jerusalem in v.2 as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband was, as Dean (2009) suggests, the ushering of the restored order of creation, fulfilled with the reunion of heaven and earth into that perfect relationship as it was first found and only found in the Garden of Eden (p. 292).

The overwhelming theme of the passage is the coming down of the new earth or the New Jerusalem. While this was the focus of the activity, it was only reserved for them who overcomes v.7 the world, but those who will not will never inherit it. John seemed to have added particular emphasis on who will enter the new earth or the Holy City obviously to address the spiritual problems that each church was confronting, in connection with their faith in Jesus Christ. Thus in v. 7 he declares He who overcomes will inherit all this, and I will be his God and he will be my son.

Verse by verse Analysis of Revelation 21 1-9
It is quite obvious that 21 1-9 is part of the larger context of the prophecy regarding the last days. Verse 1 for example is connected with Isaiahs prophecy in 65 17-25. The term new heaven and new earth as Isaiah stated, refers also to the New Jerusalem or the Holy City which was the heavenly place God reserves for the faithful.  Verse 2 describes the New Jerusalem as bride beautifully dressed for her husband.  The symbolic statement implies that it refers to the literal City of God described by John in vv. 10-14. This passage depicts the Holy City as the bride, the wife of Lamb. Verse 3 states Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them.  They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. This official pronouncement that Gods dwelling place is now ready to accept the faithful believers connects to Jesus sixth words on the cross in John 19 30 declaring it is finished which means the work of salvation have been completed. Those who believe him and who put their trust on him can now enter the kingdom of God.

In verse 4 it says He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away is a symbolic divine gesture that in the new earth or the New Jerusalem, there is no more sorrow, no more pain, no more suffering, no more death but all peace and joy and abundance. This was confirmed by the statement in verse 6 which says to him who is thirsty I will give to drink without cost from the spring of the water of life is a metaphor concerning mans relationship with God. Verse 5 was again another declaration. God said, I am making everything new Then he said, Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true. First, God declares everything will be new. This declaration correspond to the Old Testament wherein God did not allow Israelites above 20 years old to enter the Promised Land. Those 20 years and below represents purity and they were not contaminated by the adult Israelites sins. Second, the angel commanded John to write the message to emphasize for those to whom the message was written.

In verse 6, John records another divine declaration. He wrote, It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To him who is thirsty I will give to drink without cost from the spring of the water of life. This declaration implies important spiritual truth about Gods promise. It implies eternity for the faithful. Here the spring of the water of life seemed to be the replacement of the tree of life mentioned in the Garden of Eden. What is important however is, the believer can live eternal life with God as promised in various biblical text such as John 316, 17 Luke 19 6 and so on. Verse 7 which say, He who overcomes will inherit all this, and I will be his God and he will be my son was a confirmation and encouragement that sacrifices and hardship caused by the widespread persecution on account of the believers faith will earn them entry into the kingdom of God. Verse on the other hand was terrifying. It says But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liarstheir place will be in the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death. The passage simply says that these kinds of people will never ever inherit kingdom. The passage connects to the warning earlier in the seven churches to wake up and repent of their sins in chapters 1-3. Finally, verse 9 tells us about the content of the seventh bowls held by the seventh angel.  Verse 9 says it contains the seventh plagues but the focus was shifted to the heavenly activity right after its contents were poured out by the angel. As we see it,  God allows John to have a close preview of the City of God which he later described in greater details in the succeeding verses.

Conclusion
Revelations 21 1-9 depict Gods consistency in his plan of salvation for the human race. In this passage, God explicitly revealed to John the blue print of the end of time wherein he has seen clearly, that God has reserved a particular world for those who remain faithful till the end. The passage connects with the statement of Jesus Christ in John 14 1, 2 where he promised that in his fathers house where many rooms and he is going there to prepare a place for them. Finally, the passage was part or the beginning of the culmination of the activities that started in chapter 4 where the angel revealed to John what is going to take place soon. The importance of all this revelation however is for everyone of us to be seriously concern on importance on our faith in God knowing that soon, we will all face God for judgment. The new heaven and the new earth is open for everyone, but everyone who wants to enter should be willing to face what ever it may costs him or her.

According to Adams, counseling aims at helping people to change. The most important goal of counseling has always been change and Adams seems to bring this into our minds yet another time. His theory has taken change at the center stage which is of course the main area of concern for all counselors (Ivey, Ivey  Simek-Morgan, 1993). Adams theory is concerned with bringing a significant change in the life of a person through changing completely the heart of a person. This is a great idea postulated by Adams dealing with the hearts of people is an efficacious way of providing a solution to problems of individuals who need counseling.

Adams theory is designed in a way to make clarification to the entire process of counseling which many counselors have been putting into practice. Adams four-stage counseling process gives a new perspective of both counseling and the controls to be applied at the different stages of counseling. After Adams puts forward the idea that change is the ultimate goal of counseling, he does not leave it at that point. He does not present it as just a mere thing of change but goes ahead to state out where this change needs to be established in the heart of the client (Adams, 1986). Moreover, the author states out that the Christian counselor needs to facilitate the change through the scripture particularly in 2 Timothy 31417.

Adams approach in counseling entirely is based on scripture. This will work out well for the Christian faithful as the client needs sound belief in the things they are being told for them to have any impact otherwise, it would be very hard to realize any good results. The theory according to Adam is incomparable however and an exemplary chance of discovering and applying principles of the bible. The scripture indeed fits so well in this theory in providing counseling therapy to clients. Adams has shown the way a counselor helps in changing people and the way scripture is such a great source of counseling.  The theory has a lot of logic for both Christian counselors and their clients (Adams, 1986).      
However, according to Crabb, the ultimate counseling goal of Christians is to see maturity after the counseling process. Crabb is of the opinion that happiness alone will not suffice. The idea should be that the client grows. This is what will bring meaning to counseling in the biblical manner. What a great idea put forward by Crabb. Happiness therefore will come after the client has shown maturity in the problems they have previously encountered. Spiritual maturity according to Crabb takes into consideration immediate adherence to the authority of the bible and a growth in character that produces long term results.
   
Basically, the theory according Crabb instills obedience and aligns the thoughts of the client with the truth of the bible. However, the counseling process according to Crabb will not apply if the client is not ready to acknowledge that the death of Jesus was the only way through which God could accept them (Crabb, 1986). This is indeed the only way to mature. The counseling process here therefore goes deeper into the issues of the bible which need a strong commitment. The process of justification to the client will come through Jesus. Counseling will involve conforming to the image of Jesus.

Crabbs view of counseling seeks to transform the mind completely and make sure growth takes place. Crabb is of the idea that if there are any corrective measures of counseling to be taken, then they should be of a new level of growth but not of a similar previous kind (Crabb, 1986). The theory seems to find little application especially in the secular world which upholds secular matters like insurance.  As Crabb puts, the sense of an individuals growth takes centre stage. Sometimes, such growth expected of a person will take time before being realized. Like in the administration of medicine, some people will be found to respond to medication differently. In such a case, some clients will find difficulties in dealing with their problems.

Preface
Bible College Graduates Become the Problem in the Church after Graduation
And the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them two by two ahead of him to every town and place where he was about to go, and told them The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field. Go I am sending you out like lambs among wolves.

More than two thousand years have passed since this great commission. Since then, the sent seventy have multiplied to the hundreds of thousands pastors, ministers and priests who serve different denominations thorough the world. However, the times have changed, and many among the sent are turning back in their calling to pursue other careers outside the church. This paper is meant to help trainers in the evangelical ministry, churches and their followers to understand some of the major factors behind this trend.

In the Evangelical Ministry, preaching the Word of God is both its mission and vision. It is a divine calling, which nonetheless is faced with monumental challenges, chief among them the overwhelming incapacity to reach out to the masses with the news of salvation. To fill this gap, the Bible colleges were established to provide a continuous supply of the churchs working force, and continue the evangelical mission of spreading the gospel that was commissioned by Christ. However, the role of the Bible colleges to this end is becoming increasingly irrelevant due to the rising number of graduates who change lanes upon graduation, or shortly thereafter, and join the bandwagon of the lost sheep to which they were called to shepherd.

The gradual drift from the first calling is not without reasons. The allures of the material world are irresistible, and the unrestricted indulgence in its opulence very tempting. The pull of the secular world is great, to which the church has succumbed, falling prey to the seductions of its therapeutic culture a context in which it seems quite natural to favor the relational dimension over the moral dimension, mysticism over character, pluralistic religious equality over the uniqueness of the Christian faith. This observation by David Wells points to those who graduate from Bible College, but get carried away by the secular wave. Some are the proverbial seed that fell on the way side and got eaten by the birds, some the seed that fell on shallow soil, sprout quickly and dried up as fast, and some among the thorns which choked them the moment they germinated only a sprinkling fall on fertile ground, germinate and thrive in spreading the gospel, their fruit visible in the many lives they reach and change.

Studies indicate that lack of spiritual connection and inner commitment to pastoral ministration is the cause for much of the attrition affecting the church today. An article by Focus on the Family repots that for some, leaving the pastorate was the result of assuming that their calling was permanent and they were therefore protected, they neglected the spiritual disciplines or spiritual integrity needed to continue in ministry..they now realize that they should have given more attention to their own Christian development., for ministry depends on moral purity.

At the same time, it has become common for graduates from seminaries and Bible colleges to desert their ministerial careers for other fields in the secular job market. Some leave after a short stint in the service, while others never get into the pastoral ministry at all. In addition, there are those who, despite withdrawing their services in the ministry, slacken in their faith and become unproductive.

In this regard, the purpose of this paper is to explore the attrition trends in the evangelical ministry, which is crippling most churches in the UK and the US. It also examines the underlying factors that make Bible College graduates to wither in their faith and slip out of their churches. Finally, the paper suggests possible intervention measures that would hopefully address the problem.

The authors used various sources in collecting data used for this paper. Newspapers such as the Washington Post and the New York Times were valuable in putting into focus the burden of the clergy to the church due to their moral failures. Other research studies, notably those by Focus on Family on why pastors leave the ministry, Sam Reiner on the churchs grappling with high dropout rates and Webster  Adeleye on career switching after college shed light into the issue of pastor attrition. Womble Scott in Beyond Reasonable Doubt was spot-on in faulting the colleges poor approach in training pastors, thus giving insight on the changes necessary to address the problem. But it is Ralph Wilson who gives the final verdict, by stating that the graduates deserve their dues to keep them in the ministry.

More than ever before, the church today is entangled in a quagmire of challenges which greatly undermine its influence in society. For a long time, the churchs major concern was grappling with moral issues within their congregations, especially among its older members. This was especially the case for issues relating to domestic affairs such as spouse abuse, infidelity, divorces and valance. Outside the family, the churchs image was tarnished by members social lifestyles such as drinking and sexual immorality. The latter has recently been blown into scandalous proportions by the churchs very guardians way ward clergy men abusing minors.

Two articles appearing in the media recently put the church into sharp focus in relation to its moral authority in leading the way on social morality. This comes on the heels of unraveling sex scandals involving the Catholic Church, where its clergy are accused of sexually molesting, defiling and abusing minors. To add to the churchs woes, speculations are high about cover up strategies by the Vatican to protect its image- if there is any left, as critics say. In the US, the Washington Post and New York Times ran a series of reports April 12, 2010, most of which criticized the churchs unfortunate fall from its past glory to shameful disgrace.

However, a research by Sam S. Reiner, a pastor at the Sarasota Baptist Church in Florida, does not attribute the drop out patterns to church programs, venues or style of worship. Rather, it links them to doctrinal issues, by stating that crisis is much deeper  it runs to the core of the doctrinal truths of the church if only half of our young adults agree with the churchs teachings. This notwithstanding, what is usually ignored is the fact that any churchs teachings are the foundations of the bible colleges they run, which in turn furthers the churchs dogmas. One scenario is the debate on the right bible versions to use both in seminaries and churches. For instance, fundamentalist prefer the Authorized Version, and are unwilling to depart from the AV and some other versions in the classroom and chapel for fear of losing long time constituents and not attracting new students and supporters. Thus, it could be argued that the youths estrangement from their churches has an intellectual aspect to it, which is promoted in bible colleges. This observation echoes the reasons given by some church dropouts who said that they quit because they wanted to to make life decisions not accepted by the church

Secondly, they belong to a generational civilization with a blurred line of distinction between religious and secular matters. Like the conversion of Constantine into Christianity during the churchs infancy, todays youth are doing more injury than good to the churchs image. The confusion that they have brought into the church and its long term effects is akin to the pagan rituals that Constantine mudded the church with.  This is because they embrace a culture that deviates from the traditions and religious doctrines that have guided the church since its foundation. For instance, the sinful implications of fornication and drinking are gradually losing meaning to the youth, who regard them as being inherently part of life. Their faith, says Reiner, doesnt look like their parents faithmany believe, rightly or wrongly, that they have faithreligious matters do not scare them, and most maintain only some level of interest in spiritual topics.

It is amazing that these vices are no longer condemned vehemently by the church as they were previously these and other questionable practices are slowly finding their way into the religious curricular church members can dance to the weirdest tunes, in very crude styles and claim to be glorifying God. They can dress amorously naked, really, and walk down the aisle with the slightest sigh of disapproval from the congregation. At any rate, the men on the pulpit belong to the same generation where vice and virtue are routinely compromised to accommodate the youth and their whims, just as the medieval church loosened its doctrines to accommodate the emperor and his rituals.

Nonetheless, little attention has been directed to the institutions responsible for the decline witnessed in the church today bible colleges, where the youth are trained to become the churchs driving force in the evangelization crusade. It is in these bible colleges that the future of the church is secured, by preparing the youth to inherit membership and the mantle of leadership from the aging and retiring elderly.

However, current trends in the church point to the contrary that the institutions charged with the responsibility of training future church leaders and prepare the young generation for a commitment in religious life have failed in their duty. In fact, the current waves rocking the Church of Rome are just but a tip of an iceberg in the wider scope of Christendom in relation to the preparedness of the clergy to meet religious demands. It is a in the church today have also added the youth into the broth of the churchs moral decadence. The younger generation, which makes up the churchs major membership class, has also become its Achilles heel for various reasons. Their drop out rate from the church is the highest, with on research indicating that the majority, 74 percent of those aged 18-22 quitting during their college years. The Research by Sam Reiner, a pastor at the Sarasota pointer to the fact that the churchs leadership is in disarray confused and mired with moral issues. But then to a large extent, because their training did not prepare them to the moral and religious obligations they will have to fulfill.

In the Washington Post, it is reported that the Vatican had, for the first time, issued a policy as a guide for handling sex abuse charges against priests. This indicates that many issues are ignored during the clergys training period, which later explodes into scandals.

But one wonders why the rogue priests are not punished. It is expected that punitive measures should be taken to discourage further misconduct by the churchs leadership. However, the displayed leniency portrays another truth which has been ignored for a long time, and is, with perilous implications, still ignored today there is acute shortage of trained men and women to take upon the mission of evangelizing the masses. Yet there are many bible colleges in every part of the world where there is Christianity, such that were all trainees to graduate and take up their careers for which they were trained, the world will overflow with the men of the cloth and consequently, abound with the Good News of Salvation that Christ prophesied will reach the four corners of the earth before His second advent.

Just as the secular job market depends on educational institutions for human resource and manpower, the church relies on the bible colleges for its service men.  Therefore, when the job market lacks qualified personnel to fill its ranks, it indicates that the educational institutions are failing in their responsibility of disseminating the required knowledge to their learners. Likewise, any breakdown in the church pertaining to leadership crises and moral issues are signals that the clerical institutions are failing in their duty of promoting the churchs mission effectively. The bible colleges are the serving tributaries of the church system, for they are the cradles for religious indoctrination.  Besides serving as the machinery for the churchs service men, they also act as the guardians of religious knowledge ands principles outside the church. In fact, bible colleges are to the church what the barracks are to the military. In this regard, a study by Focus on Family indicates that almost 1, 500 pastors leave their jobs each month due to moral failure, spiritual burnout, or contention with their local congregations
 In addition, bible colleges serve as the churchs link between secularism and religion, by giving religion the intellectual argument it otherwise lacks. Disciplines such as the philosophy of religion and theology helps to promote the churchs standing in society, and its position in a science driven world. They inform the thinking that shapes peoples beliefs about religion. But when what they are taught at bible colleges becomes irrelevant in the dynamism of the world within which they operate, they feel insecure clinging to their bible degrees. Consequently, many change their careers into other areas when they realize, very late indeed, that the evangelical ministry does not fit into their long term plans. This is often the case when upon admission into the Bible colleges they are not given relevant guidance and mentorship to shape their attitudes in line with ministry life. in they end, they become frustrated due to due to misplaced expectations by students or Bible college staff.  Editor of the Vault College Career Bible say that gone are the days of working 40 years at one company and leaving with a gold watch todays job market is much more fluid  most professionals starting their careers today will work in at least five different industries or functions.

Other reports indicate a historical trend in which most college graduates do not go into their areas of training immediately they graduate. Instead, they enter into those areas which they find lucrative, with stable and reliable job opportunities. Some graduates gets back to school to pursue different courses, which will enable them secure better jobs. In their book, Stay Sane Through Change How to Rise Above the Challenges of Lifes Complex Transitions, David Webster and Toulope  say that We have then gone on to take study breaks in our regular careers, going back to school to pursue different post-graduate courses.. I, Dave, went back to school two more times after my first college degree. In this right, it is apparent that the bible colleges lack of diversity in their courses does not help graduates to adapt in a changing environment. It is necessary, therefore, for bible colleges to integrate into their curricula a variety of disciplines besides bible courses, so as to enable graduates find a balance in life. It is probable that the limited opportunities which bible colleges offer to the individual are the driving force in the mass exodus from the evangelical ministry.

Among those who backslide from their church life point to the incompatibility of church teachings and some important aspects of civil life. What most church colleges overlook in their courses is the fact that their students are also subject to other societal demands, some of which are in conflict with church doctrines. It should not be forgotten that after graduation, the graduates are first, citizens of the state and second, if they are committed to the ministry, citizens of the church, so to speak. The failure to prepare graduated for ministry and civilian life could be blamed on this trend. The Focus on Family study further adds that eighty percent of seminary and bible school graduates who enter the ministry will leave within the first five years, with ninety percent of pastors saying that their seminary or Bible school training did only a fair to poor job preparing them for ministry life.

Another factor for backsliding is financial pressures associated with ministry life. Due to the urgent need to meet financial obligations, for which church ministers could not afford, their commitment to the church becomes increasingly reduced. In King Tiger the religious vision of Reies Lopez Tijerina, Rudy Busto says that Most graduates of Pentecostal Bible institutes went out into the world without financial support from their denominations and relied upon a combination of day jobs and congregations irregular financial support. In this regard, one solution towards this challenge is for denominational churches, in collaboration with their bible colleges, to offer reasonable financial support and other incentives within the evangelical ministry. These initiatives will be vital in retaining current service men in the ministry, as well as encourage new entrants.

The challenge of the graduates un-preparedness to serve in their evangelical career is rooted in the approaches taken by their colleges, and by extension the churches to which they belong. Historically, the church has been known to be conservative, visibly unwilling to embrace new technologies. This conservativeness is emulated by the bible colleges through which church workers undergo for training. On the other hand, the secular world in which they are expected to live and work infor is defined by the constantly rolling wheels of technology. Thus, an education modeled on a conservative approach to life is not adequate in preparing ministry workers. Instead, it should aim to accommodate the secular and dynamic environment of their operating locus. In fact, even a liberal education alone is not enough, since other support mechanisms, such as financial assistance as noted before.

These sentiments are echoed by Randall Bell in the International Graduate Magazine, where he observes that In the current environment, it is no longer sufficient or even possible to prepare students for the future by teaching them the wisdom of the past, or even the technology of the present, because educators cannot even anticipate the problems that students will face after graduation. The churchs greatest challenge, it turns out, is not merely about Bible colleges changing their conservative curricular to accommodate disciplines relevant in a changing world, but in addition, for the church to put in place mechanisms of absorbing graduates into their work force, and offering sufficient compensation packages.

In conclusion, the problem that Bible college graduates pose to the church is to a large extent blamed on the organization and functioning of the institutions they get trained in and those they are meant to serve. To solve this problem, the three parties must be harmonized in terms of their interests towards a common vision. Unless the gap of interests is linked with a harmonious vision, there is going to be a vacuum that will never be filled. As Weinhauer puts it, It is difficult to fill a pail containing a hole in it. That hole is the churchs conservativeness. For, so long as the secular world is the point of reference in gauging ones success in the world, even the men of the cloth will be allured by its opulence. And until the Bible colleges and the church wakes up to this realization, the former is going to churn out shepherds who will not commit themselves in service of the latter. They are the churchs workers, and a just master ought to pay his laborers. Jesus said to His disciples Stay in that house, eating and drinking whatever they give you, for the worker deserves his wages.

The Republic of Guatemala is a country in Central America bordered by Mexico to the north and
west. In the early 20th century, many Jews from Germany and Eastern Europe immigrated to the
country as anti-Semitism started spreading in Germany and other parts of Europe.

Specifically, a lot of Jews immigrated during the World War II. Initially, Guatemala was not in
favor of immigration of Jews into the country. In fact, in 1932 the government passed a law
ordering the expulsion of all peddlers, most of whom were Jewish. This had an impact to the
extent that many Jews who lost their livelihood were forced to emigrate.

Again, in 1936, a legislation was enacted to curb immigration of people of Asian origin, which
included people from Poland, most of whom were Jewish and were fleeing from persecution
during the holocaust.

While these laws remain till date, they have not been enforced since World War II and after the
war ended, many Jews immigrated to Guatemala. (Shields, n.d.).

The majority of the Jews lived in Guatemala City, in Quezaltenango and San Marcos. But, the
Jews who came to Guatemala during and after the World War 11, were not the first Jews to enter
the country.

The first Jewish immigrants actually came in the mid-19th century, when Jews immigrated from
Germany as the first signs of anti-Semitism started showing up in Europe. The descendants of
this small community are no longer Jews. (Algaze  Tapiero, n.d.).

After the war ended and throughout the 20th century, the Jews who immigrated to the
country came from different countries such as Syria, Iraq, Jerusalem, Panama, Turkey, Lebanon,
Egypt, Poland, Russia, and the United States, according to the data collected in the government
census survey in 1999. The reason for the immigration was for jobs or marriage to members of
the Jew community. This second generation of Jews managed textile mills, coffee plantations
and started construction and real estate business.

According to estimates, Guatemala at present has a small community of Jews between 1,200 and
2000 out of a total population of 12.7 million. Its indigenous population, the Maya, makes up
about 55 to 60 of the total population. While the Jewish community in Guatemala is small,
Jews have held high-level positions in the Guatemalan Congress and also work in government
Offices. (Freedman, n.d.)

The Jewish organizations in Guatemala are basically united under the Consejo Central. The
Jewish community in Guatemala consists of the Beth-El, which is of German origin, Magen
David, which is Sephardi and the Centro Hebreo, which consists of people of Eastern European
Origin. Each group has their own institutions and synagogues. (Palomino, 2008)

The first synagogue in Guatemala, inaugurated on August 11, 1938, was constructed by the
Sephardi Jews, who define themselves in terms of the Jewish customs and traditions, which
originated in the Iberian Peninsula (modern Spain and Portugal) before the expulsion of Jews
from that area in the late 15th century.

The Sephardi Jews settled in Guatemala during the first two decades of the 20th century. Magen
David (Star of David) Sephardic synagogue is home to both Sephardic Jews and Ashkenazi
Jews, whose literal meaning is German Jews as they descended from the medieval Jewish
communities along the Rhine region in Germany.

But, in 1941, the Ashkenazi Jews founded their own organization, the Associacion Centro
Hebreo (Association Hebrew Centre), which opened its synagogue in 1968. The Sociedad
Israelita de Guatemala  (Beth-El) synagogue was functional between 1969 and 1989, with many
members of West European origin. In 1989, Centro Hebreo and Beth-El merged under the name
of the Centro Hebreo.

Guatemala has representation from most Zionist organizations such as Bnai Brith, Maccabi
World Union, WIZO (Womens International Zionist Organization), all of which function under
the Consejo Central. The Consejo also operates a Jewish kindergarten.

The first organization that represented the Guatemalan Jews on the national and at the
international level was the Sociedad Israelita de Guatemala, which was founded in 1913. In
1981, the Comunidad Juda de Guatemala or Guatemalan Jewish Community (GJC) was founded
as the representative organization for Jews in Guatemala. This organization became responsible
for all Jewish educational institutions, cemeteries, social, cultural activities of Jews and for
maintaining relations with local and international institutions be it for Jews or in general. It is
interesting to note that almost 69 of Guatemalan Jews declare themselves Zionists and the
members of the GJC are affiliated with the Zionist organizations that function in Guatemala.

Guatemalas constitution guarantees freedom of religion and Jews freely practice their religion.
The country is however predominantly Catholic, almost 50-60 of the population is Catholic
though in recent times, the number of evangelical Protestant groups have grown. Protestants
constitute 40 of the population with a small section of the population following Judaism or
Islam.

Almost 98 of the Jewish population lives in Guatemala City, where there are two temples,
the Sephardic and the Ashkenazi. The Jewish community does not feel any anti-Semitism,
though many believe that they are not perceived as being fully Guatemalan by followers of other
faiths in the country. (International Religious Freedom Report, Bureau of Democracy, Human
Rights and Labor, 2003)

One of the biggest challenges currently facing the Jewish community in Guatemala is of
preserving Jewish culture in a country, which has a very small Jewish population. The Jewish
immigration to Guatemala is now down to a trickle and even the Jews living in Guatemala travel
to countries such as the United States or Mexico in search of better job prospects or looking for a
spouse from their own community. According to statistics, almost 36 of Guatemalan Jews
between 18 and 45 years live abroad, mostly in the United States, due to these two reasons.

The need to preserve an active Jewish community in Guatemala has given birth to Jewish groups
such as Casa Hillel, which has a North American rabbi Jacques Cukierkorn. Casa was formed
around five years ago by around six or seven Guatemalan families who felt the need for a
community that can be looked upon for guidance by Jews living in Guatemala.
Casa Hillel or The House of Hillel is for Jews living in Guatemala and for Jews visiting the
country. The organization has the support of other Jewish institutions from Israel, the United
States and other countries.

Rabbi Jackes Cuckierkorn serves a Kansas City Reform Jewish congregation which
supports his effort to help Jewish families who want to preserve their Jewish heritage and
Culture.

In terms of firsts, Guatemala was the first Latin-American country to announce its recognition of
Israel immediately after the proclamation of the state. It was also the first country to open an
embassy in Jerusalem, called Garcia Granados. Later, the embassy was moved to Tel Aviv. In
1949, Israel also established its embassy in Guatemala City.

Guatemala had an important role in the vote on the partition of Palestine. The Guatemalan
ambassador to the United Nations in 1947, Jorge Garca Granados, was a member of the UN
Special Commission for Palestine and he worked for the creation of a Jewish state in a part of
Palestine. Since then, Guatemala has demonstrated its support for a Jewish State by voting many
time in favor of Israel in the United Nations.