Exploring the headline issues will reveal many things worth working for which are worth the effort to achieve. At the pinnacle of everyone’s ’wish list’ eternal happiness should be at the very top. At the top of our personal list of things to avoid should be eternity in hellish flames with the anguish that comes with the realization that we could have been in heaven had we but responded to God’s grace. The existence of God, heaven, and hell are all easily knowable (the science on the headline topics are specifically explored in Part III and Part IV). Pardon the obvious discernment that some may errantly label judgment, but it is entirely possible that Warren Buffett’s longtime partner Charlie Munger is in hell at this moment. If so, nothing anyone can say or do will change Munger’s eternal fate (see evidence below). What good will billions of dollars in wealth during his relatively brief life of 99 years mean if the moment after death, someone faced their Maker and is sentenced to hellish torments forever?

Sam Zell was a fascinating and colorful individual. Again, pardon the discernment, but Zell too could be in wretched eternal anguish for the harm he caused thousands of lives through his de facto machinations with the likes of arguably devious oligarchs such as Warren Buffett. One need not look beyond what Buffett said about himself in a documentary he freely participated in and consider it in the light of what follows to grasp that this isn’t mere conjecture.  Zell, Buffett, Munger – they could all be in or going to hell.

But it need not be so for those among us who have the courage and wisdom to face reality.

 

Part I

The curiosity is that each of those fellows could have been financially wealthier and could have been eternally happy in heaven too. First, this Masthead will begin with eternal lessons and evidence. Then the temporal ones about a better life in the here and now and then eternally later. While this is an editorial, it is one based upon solid evidence – supported by Bing’s Artificial Intelligence (AI) powered Copilot has supported. Anyone with a decent intelligence can discern the contents for themselves by following the facts.

Hell and Heaven are the two final outcomes for the vast majority of souls, according to theological professionals and Scriptural scholars. Perhaps there is a third state, limbo, for a relatively few. For those who grasp the notion of purgatory, it is a temporary status which will always end in heaven. Odds are excellent that those ‘saved’ will go to purgatory before going to heaven. If this Masthead writer ends up in purgatory, it would be personally viewed as God’s perfect mercy and justice at work. As this impacts everyone, each of these states in the next life should be better understood by all.

It is curious at best, tragic at worst, that so many spend so little time studying issues that relate to where they will spend eternity which by definition is never-ending.

Our society has grown too accustomed to lying politicians, paltering public figures, brazen billionaires, and bamboozling braggarts.

It isn’t just Christianity that condemns deception. Judaism does. Islam is more nuanced on these issues, but Muslim belief often denounces deception as well. So do many other faiths and ethical systems condemn deception.

Deception is far more serious than most realize, perhaps because people don’t think about objective reality as much as some prior generations did.

There are reasons why God didn’t suggest, but commanded Moses in the Biblical book of Exodus to make one of the Ten Commandments “You Shall Not Give a False Witness,” with “witness” meaning a testimony, example, or communication of whatever type.

Much of what has gone wrong in our society and era has to do with various forms of deception, motivated by greed, jealousy, and other problematic desires.

As this Masthead has already outlined, there are only a limited number of eternal outcomes. Whichever one we might imagine that the late Charlie Munger or Sam Zell are experiencing, one thing is absolutely certain. Both they and all others who have preceded us into eternity would earnestly want us to desire heaven over hell. Once in hell, there is no recovery. Consider the following evidence.

 

Hell and Heaven in Scripture

Jesus told the parable of Abraham’s bosom found in Luke 16:19-31 (NIV from Bible Gateway quoted).

¹⁹ “There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and lived in luxury every day. ²⁰ At his gate was laid a beggar named Lazarus, covered with sores ²¹ and longing to eat what fell from the rich man’s table. Even the dogs came and licked his sores.

²² “The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried. ²³ In Hades, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side. ²⁴ So he called to him, ‘Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.’

²⁵ “But Abraham replied, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony. ²⁶ And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been set in place, so that those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us.’

²⁷ “He answered, ‘Then I beg you, father, send Lazarus to my family, ²⁸ for I have five brothers. Let him warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment.’

²⁹ “Abraham replied, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them listen to them.’

³⁰ “‘No, father Abraham,’ he said, ‘but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.’

³¹ “He said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.’”

 

So, imagine if Munger or Zell are in hell. The lesson above clearly suggests that they will wish that they had lived life differently. But the verses above  also say the unnamed rich man (which could be any of us, not just Munger or Zell) said: “Then I beg you, father, send Lazarus to my family, ²⁸ for I have five brothers. Let him warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment.’”

Psalm 14 (NIV) begins by saying: “The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, their deeds are vile…”

What will Heaven be like? Rev. 21:4 (NIV) 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.”

1 Corinthians 2:9 (NIV) says:

“What no eye has seen,
what no ear has heard,
and what no human mind has conceived”^[a]—
the things God has prepared for those who love him—”

Meaning, Heaven will be a place of endless joy beyond our imagination. Some have mocked heaven as some boring place, hah! That is what Foolish people say, according to Psalm 14. Heaven will be endless bliss, never ending joy, with no pains of any kind.

Jesus said in John 14:1-2: “You believe in God, believe also in me. ² In my Father’s house there are many mansions. If not, I would have told you: because I go to prepare a place for you.”

God is preparing a mansion for us. Someone could be in total poverty before death, they might be terribly ill. But once in heaven, they will have a place of perfect bliss described by Jesus as being like a “mansion.”

 

Part II – A Deeper Look 

God is not in the habit of giving second best. The first humans God created were Adam and Eve. They were given the Garden of Eden, says the Biblical book of Genesis. Eden was a place without suffering. No work in our modern sense was needed in Eden.

But the devil known as Satan or Lucifer took the form of a serpent and convinced Adam and Eve to violate the only initial command that they were given. The temptation Satan offered wasn’t as much about a piece of fruit, it was the temptation to make themselves into “small g” gods. Satan tricked – or deceived – them using cunning or misleading words.

From Genesis 3 (NIV). The serpent was the form that the devil took to tempt Adam and Eve.

¹ Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?”

² The woman said to the serpent, “We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, ³ but God did say, ‘You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.’”

⁴ “You will not certainly die,” the serpent said to the woman. ⁵ “For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”

⁶ When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it. ⁷ Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves.”

As soon as the first couple did what was forbidden, several things occurred. Among them, “they realized that they were naked.”

Without God, we are naked in the literal and metaphorical senses.

Adam and Eve could have been any of us, and they went to work to cover their nakedness after their disobeying the sole commandment of not eating from a single tree. They then had to work to do something that was not necessary just moments before Adam and Eve violated God’s word.

Adam and Eve disobeyed even though the Creator had done only good for them.

That disobedience is known as “the fall of man” or the fall of humanity into sin. It has been observed that any of us could have done the same thing, which is why they are a stand-in for all. But God also promised them – and through them, all humanity – a redeemer.

From Genesis 3:14 and 15 (NIV)

So the Lord God said to the serpent…And I will put enmity
between you and the woman,
and between your offspring^[a] and hers;
he will crush^[b] your head,
and you will strike his heel.”

That offspring of “the woman” is Jesus. Jesus is the “he” who will “crush” Satan’s head, while Satan can do no more than “strike at his (the Savior’s) heel.”

As horrible as the events of Good Friday were (see videos below), they were like a snakebite that the Messianic God-Man Jesus shook off with his death (on Good Friday) and resurrection on that first Easter Sunday. Satan’s efforts against Jesus proved to be vain.

 

Part III

The vast majority of the U.S. population, per surveys, believes in God. They should, as the headline-suggested science that follows below will reveal.

Even though church attendance may be lower post-Covid and in the following years of various social pressures, it is nevertheless common to have faith. Widespread faith is not proof that there is a Creator, but clear evidence for a Creator-God and a promised Redeemer is actually quite simple.

Even a child can understand this.

Acorns come from oak trees. Oak trees come from acorns. So, which came first? Or eggs come from chickens, and chickens come from eggs. So, which came first?

Science, faith, and common sense all tell us that the chicken came first. As the Daily Mail reported: “It had long been suspected that the egg came first but now we have the scientific proof that shows that in fact the chicken came first,” said Dr. Colin Freeman, from Sheffield University’s Department of Engineering Materials. That’s like saying God came first, and God created the universe “in the beginning” like what the Biblical book of Genesis said.

That quotation from Dr. Freeman, per Google on this date, is only found on about 1050 websites. Why so few? In an information age, why has so little attention been paid to this researched remark?

 

 

“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” Genesis 1.1 (NIV).

There was a time when I may have admired Zell more than Munger or Buffett. In fairness, each had some keen insights or clever phrases and expressions that many in business thought interesting. Zell’s final book title, Am I Being Too Subtle? is classic as well as autobiographical. But for every insight each of those three billionaires and others like them had, the argument can be made that they covered their lives with a mountain of manure they dumped on a largely unsuspecting public, including investors.

Nothing is more important than our eternity. Our eternity, that of our family, friends, and neighbors – those are paramount.

That said, while we are in this world, we must earn our keep.

We should bloom where we are planted, when possible. But if the field is actually greener on the other side of the fence, if that pasture is actually superior to the one you are in, by all means, find the proper gate and ask for that invitation in.

Beyond the good news, faith, family, friends, ethical behavior, and the truth well told, there are in my humble view few things our nation is in greater need of than the basics of life.

• Food. Clothing. Transportation. Shelter. Health. Faith.
• Technology, as cool as it can be, is secondary to those basic building blocks of living.
• Entertainment, as much as we may enjoy something, is secondary to the basic building blocks of living.

We are living in an era of big, bold lies, deception with misdirection, manipulation, proud liars, and deceivers. This isn’t the first time in history that clever criminals are putting on airs and imperial attire.

It would be great if humanity had learned its lessons with Hitler, Stalin, Mao, Xi, Castro, Mussolini, or some dark figures in American political history that this Masthead won’t name today for tactical reasons. But the Masthead will name Gates. Zuckerberg. Soros. Bezos. Fink. Plus, others of their ilk who purportedly are selling out the young or old alike.

The Tower of Babel hold lessons for us centuries after that story was first experienced and told.  Thousands of years ago, there were humans who thought themselves so grand, so god-like that they imagined they could build a tower, climb up to heaven, and challenge the one true God. Satanic pride infected them all, then or now.

We have a part to play in this world. But the next world – the afterlife – is where the true Utopia exists. Copilot defined Utopia in part like this: “Utopia represents a perfect, harmonious, and just society…”

The word dystopian is a kind of a play on words. To be Dystopian is the opposite of Utopian. Often when some slickster is peddling Utopia, one must remember the historic lesson that dystopia often follows in the huckster’s wake.

I recall a lady who with her husband had invited my fiancé and I to dinner. The hostess was a convert to true Faith. She correctly observed that we are not all called to be Mother Theresa of Calcutta, nor for that matter the next St. Francis of Assisi. Francis is said to be one of the most popular saints among all Christians, not just Catholics. Francis gave up all his worldly possessions to follow a strict path of Christ.

That hostess’ point was true enough. God has a different plan in mind for us all. Not all are called to a ‘life of poverty.’

But the wealthy in this world should not achieve that wealth by deception, through manipulation, or the like.

Recall the parable of Zaccheaus. Zaccheaus told the Lord he would make right all those he defrauded. That didn’t mean Zaccheaus would be poor. Jesus commended Zaccheaus’ example. Luke 19:9-10 states:
⁹ Jesus said to him [i.e.: Zaccheaus], “Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham. ¹⁰ For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”

That is an echo of several Hebrew Scripture (a.k.a.: Old Testament) verses like this one. Proverbs 19:17 (NIV):​​

“Whoever is kind to the poor lends to the LORD, and he will reward them for what they have done.”

Jesus said the poor would always be with us. Who did Jesus say that too? Judas, his betrayer.

The reason there will always be poverty in society isn’t because that is God’s will.

Rather it is because some people misuse their free will. They make poor choices. Bad choices – sometimes that of manipulators and other forms of criminality, sometimes their own – made millions poor. Poverty can be in mind, heart, body, or spirit. The Commandments were guidelines for just living that if followed would create a happier and arguably wealthier society.

We could have a society of prosperity.

Imagine a society where the common man is much better off than they are now. Where most have more. More peace. More justice. More joy.

But if we are to achieve such a society on earth, key parts of that journey begins within. It is in part a spiritual journey. It can be made in the company of others.

We need to look in the mirror via the light of eternal truth. We are all capable of self-deception and self-delusions, which are reasons why big-time con men in our world are successful for so long.

God gave us all free will. From the Hebrew Scriptures (a.k.a. Old Testament).

Joshua 24:15 (NIV).

¹⁵ But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve…But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.”

 

Isaiah 55:6-7.

⁶ Seek the LORD while he may be found; call on him while he is near.

⁷ Let the wicked forsake their ways and the unrighteous their thoughts. Let them turn to the LORD, and he will have mercy on them, and to our God, for he will freely pardon.

 

Deuteronomy 30:19-20.

¹⁹ This day I call the heavens and the earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live

²⁰ and that you may love the LORD your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him. For the LORD is your life, and he will give you many years in the land he swore to give to your fathers…”

 

Ezekiel 18:30-32

³⁰ “Repent! Turn away from all your offenses; then sin will not be your downfall. ³¹ Rid yourselves of all the offenses you have committed, and get a new heart and a new spirit. Why will you die, people of Israel? ³² For I take no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Sovereign Lord. Repent and live!”

 

From the New Testament (New Covenant)

Mark 8:34 (NIV).

³⁴ Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.”

We can choose.

The cross means different things for different people. The cross can be understood as the challenges of life, which we can run from or embrace. Even success coaches often say that it pays to embrace your challenges and face them.

So, those words of Jesus doesn’t mean that we should seek crucifixion. It means that whatever we happen to encounter in life, we should navigate that cross, that challenge, with the wisdom of faith and the courage that comes from God’s grace.

 

Part IV Evidence from the Shroud of Turin

Scientific Evidence on the Shroud of Turin

 

 

The UnXplained: The Mystery Behind the Shroud of Turin (History.com special).

 

 

 

Is this the image of Jesus Christ? The Shroud of Turin brought to life | EWTN News In Depth

 

 

How a Baptist Pastor Went from Shroud of Turin SKEPTIC to DEFENDER | Glenn Beck (Beck is a Mormon or Later Day Saints (LDS). Jeremiah J. Johnston (Ph.D.) is the Baptist.

 

 

Per a Q&A with Bing’s AI powered Copilot:

What is the Shroud of Turin? What evidence has been uncovered that has now led some to believe that the radio-carbon dating done a few decades ago was from a different piece of cloth and thus not reflective of the age of the Shroud? Explain the evidence found of pollens from the Holy Lands, what may be a Roman coin, and other evidence that seems to suggest that this could be authentic.

The Shroud of Turin, also known as the Holy Shroud, is a remarkable and enigmatic relic that has captivated people for centuries. Let’s delve into its fascinating history, scientific investigations, and the evidence surrounding its authenticity:

1. Description and History:
   • The Shroud of Turin is a length of linen cloth measuring approximately 14.3 x 3.7 feet. It bears a faint image of the front and back of a man.
   • Tradition associates it with the burial garment of Jesus Christ after his crucifixion. The image on the Shroud is more discernible in a black-and-white photographic negative than in its natural sepia color.
   • The documented history of the Shroud dates back to 1354, when it was exhibited in the new collegiate church of Lirey, France. It was later acquired by the House of Savoy and has been preserved in Turin, Italy, since 1578¹².
2. Radiocarbon Dating Controversy:
   • In 1988, radiocarbon dating by three laboratories established that the Shroud’s linen material was produced between 1260 and 1390 AD. This coincides with its first documented appearance in the 1350s.
   • However, some researchers dispute this dating, and technical concerns have been raised. Despite debates, no radiocarbon-dating expert has asserted substantial unreliability in the results³.
   • Discrepancies have been identified, including evidence that the material from the radiocarbon area of the Shroud is significantly different from the main cloth⁴⁵.
3. Pollen Evidence:
   • Israeli botanists identified pollen grains on the Shroud, with 28 of them coming from plants still growing in Israel.
   • 70% of these pollen grains are found in the area from Jerusalem to Jericho, suggesting an origin in the Holy Lands.
   • This supports the theory that the Shroud originated in Israel⁶.
4. Roman Coin Hypothesis:
   • The Shroud’s image shows small bulges on the ocular orbit bones, possibly covering the eyes. These could be leptons, small Roman coins of low value.
   • Researchers have identified drawings and inscriptions on these alleged coins, including a “lituus” (a curved augural staff) and a sacrificial cup.
   • The letters YKAI are visible, likely part of the word “TIBERIOY KAICAPOC”, Greek for Tiberius Caesar. These coins date back to the time of Jesus’ Passion⁷.
5. Other Evidence:
   • The Shroud’s image is embedded in the cloth, not surface painting or drawing.
   • The bloodstains match death by crucifixion.
   • The AB blood type found on the Shroud is rare.
   • The mystery of how the image was formed remains unsolved⁸.

In summary, while debates persist, the Shroud of Turin continues to intrigue and inspire awe, connecting us to the events surrounding Jesus’ crucifixion and burial. Its authenticity remains a captivating mystery that transcends scientific analysis alone⁹. 🙏” 

While imperfect, that from Copilot is a pretty reasonable summary for a piece of developing and fancy tech.

 

Part V – Bringing it Home for Affordable Housing Pros

Once we seek and increasingly gain God’s wisdom, which may seem to be at odds with human emotions or agendas, clarity comes on a range of issues. Informed and motivated believers can often quickly recognize when something is obviously not true.

The Scriptures are filled with wisdom.

Abram, who later was given the name Abraham, was called at a late stage in life. He gave up (sacrificed, ’embraced a cross’) much of what he had known in his native place. He undertook what was considered a difficult journey through a country that had robbers, scoundrels, and thieves.

But when Abraham finished his adventures and journey, he was ‘richly rewarded.’ Not all will be wealthy in this life, for reasons briefly noted. Nor do all want to be wealthy.

Thankfully in the U.S., most Americans could become homeowners. Most Americans could pass on ‘generational wealth’ creating options made possible by manufactured housing done properly and ethically.

Someone can work their whole life in this industry, profession, or any other. They may be rich, poor, or somewhere in between. But life is lived in accordance to God’s will, when we embrace the path that God laid out for us all, then we can have confidence that God with infinite wisdom and mercy will bring us ‘home’ to heaven. Faith is a journey.

It is when we reject God’s ways, when we turn on backs on doing what is right, that is when we are at risk spiritually in this life and for eternity.

For years, this writer and MHProNews has made the case for affordable housing made possible by manufactured home ownership. Characters like Zell, Buffett, or Munger – among others – have arguably twisted the free enterprise system and turned aspects of free enterprise on its head (see Gates quote below).

Scripture doesn’t teach socialism, fascism, Marxist, or communist views. Scripture does teach private property rights (example: “you shall not steal”).

Deuteronomy 5:33 (NIV).

³³ Walk in obedience to all that the Lord your God has commanded you, so that you may live and prosper and prolong your days in the land that you will possess.

There is a challenge, a struggle, a cross, to be embraced by believers.

As good as it can be, our society needs much more than manufactured housing. It needs truth, it needs justice, it needs true freedom, the right to free speech, law and order, plus so much more. But for those who are engaged in manufactured housing, it can be a wonderful life, especially if we make the profession all that it can be.

Buffett’s longtime buddy, political, nonprofit, and business ally Bill Gates laid out what he said was troubling about Buffett’s methods. But note that after confessing what he found objectionable to Buffett’s ways, Gates apparently embraced it.

 

Gates has apparently for years made a show of religious practices, which he at various times directly or indirectly he admitted his behavior was contradicting. Buffett and Munger literally created a church to promote abortion and their beliefs, even though Buffett says he is an atheist. That’s chutzpah. 

Manufactured housing can be viewed as a microcosm of our society. Anyone who has worked in manufactured housing sales, management, or advocacy for some time knows that much misinformation abounds. If that is true for something as relatively benign as an affordable housing option, why would we be surprised if something as important as the origins of humanity, the importance of faith, or our eternal destiny – all hot topics – are also misunderstood and debated?

God gave humanity free will. We can make an array of choices, right or wrong. Some choices are quickly discovered to be mistaken. Other errors take time to be revealed.

But people, for emotional and other reasons may tend to ignore past mistakes and downplay their significance.

Habits and an array of scenarios can push someone in this or that direction.

Nevertheless, we have free will. We can make decisions that change the direction of our life. Like Abram, who became Abraham, we can even late in life make consequential changes.  We are never too young nor too old to make corrective adjustments in our life.

Jesus said in Matthew 6:33 (NIV) ^33 “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” All other things – wow – that is a pretty big promise. For many believers, who are thinking about the “mansion” that Jesus is preparing for his followers – that appears to mean more on earth and in the afterlife. ##

 

 

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Stay tuned for more of what is ‘behind the curtains’ as well as what is obvious and in your face reporting that are not found anywhere else in MHVille. It is all here, which may explain why this is the runaway largest and most-read source for authentic manufactured home “News through the lens of manufactured homes and factory-built housing” © where “We Provide, You Decide.” © ## (Affordable housing, manufactured homes, reports, fact-checks, analysis, and commentary. Third-party images or content are provided under fair use guidelines for media.) (See Related Reports, further below. Text/image boxes often are hot-linked to other reports that can be access by clicking on them.)

By L.A. “Tony” Kovach – for MHProNews.com.

Tony earned a journalism scholarship and earned numerous awards in history and in manufactured housing.

For example, he earned the prestigious Lottinville Award in history from the University of Oklahoma, where he studied history and business management. He’s a managing member and co-founder of LifeStyle Factory Homes, LLC, the parent company to MHProNews, and MHLivingNews.com.

This article reflects the LLC’s and/or the writer’s position, and may or may not reflect the views of sponsors or supporters.

http://latonykovach.com

Connect on LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/latonykovach

 

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