Tuesday, July 1, 2014

Die in harness (death in harness)



“Die in harness” (death in harness) means to die with armor on; to die while actively engaged in work or duty.
This phrase is often used to refer to Government or Non government servants who die while in active service.

The phrase has roots in Roman culture and tradition.

In ancient Roman culture, all soldiers were dedicated as bridegrooms to the goddesses of war. They were not permitted to marry or have a family. They were 24x7 soldiers. Once they joined the military service, they discarded all ties with their family. All of them were unmarried young men.

But as time went on certain freedom was allowed to them. Those who liked to marry were permitted to marry. Those who did not wish to marry were allowed to remain so. Married soldiers were permitted to spend their vacations when there is no prospect of a war, with their family. Still once they rejoin the army after the vacation, they should forget all about their family in order to concentrate on serving their country and the goddess of war. There were some humanitarian problems with this concession. Who would look after the family after he left them to rejoin the army? So the State decided to take care of the family of soldiers during their absence. Thus the soldier in the military camp served in peace and the family of the soldier lived in comfort.

Even today, elements of this concept are found in religious institutions and State military services.

Why the ancient Greeks thought that it was better for their soldiers not to have a wife and children. All myths of war goddess and her bridegrooms were spread in order to create owe and fear among the people. The real purpose was that solders were destined to die in a war. The end of a soldier was death during a war and the end of a common man was death in his hut. Death of a soldier in war was glorified as heroic and martyrdom. Death in the war field was glorious as it was death for the success of the goddess and her nation. There were other political reasons also behind the glorifying of death in war.

Soldiers were destined to die in the war. There were no thought of turning back to an enemy. It is death or victory. Victory is another chance to die gloriously in the next war.
Victory is always like that.

In a sense, all talks about glorifying and romanticizing war and death were traps to adventurous youths of that day. It was taking patriotism beyond its reasonable area.

Myths are constructed stories with a purpose. Myths have an amazing power to transform into traditions and practices while remaining as a myth. Myths further construct values and meanings.

The myth connected with ‘death in harness’ of soldiers, war goddess and glorification of death in war flowed down to the commons as accepted norms of life. Thus war was glorified and death during war became heroic.

Roman soldiers were famous for their courage and heroism. They were ill famous for their cruelties. The trial and crucifixion of Jesus Christ is a fine example for their cruelties.

The armor worn by them was an expression of their motto, “fight to death.” They had a head covering; chest and limbs were also covered by metal armors. But none of them had any protective covering for their back. They need no protection for their back, because none turns back to their enemies. No Roman soldier turns back in war; none ran away from the war field. Even at times they expected a failure in the war, they stood fighting to death. Suicide was a better option than yielding to the enemy.

Their death during a war, a death in harness, a death by fighting against the enemy was glorified, heroic and martyrdom.

Death by fighting is always heroic. Turning away is un-heroic. Winning the war is less than fighting to death. So fight unto death. Nothing should defeat us. Never turn back.
Success is fighting unto death. Victory is death in harness. Honor is death in war.

Professor Jacob Abraham

For Christian study materials: www.thenaphtalitribe.com

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Thursday, February 27, 2014

Fear gives Power - Moorish Proverb



This is a Moorish proverb: "He who is afraid of a thing gives it power over him." The Moors were the medieval Muslim inhabitants of Morocco, Western Algeria, Western Sahara, Mauritania, the Iberian Peninsula, Sicily and Malta.

This is an old wisdom that a minority keeps in mind to resist fear. They are the successful minority.

Why do lions roar? The roaring sound of the lion sends a chill into the heart of weaker animals. The roar of lions announces their presence in and around. The bigger the sound nearer they are. The ancient Kings in war used this tactics to defeat their enemies even before the war actually begin. They scared the enemies by a show of their might.

Fear is the strongest emotion of 21 century.

What is fear?

Fear is an apprehension of sufferings and loss. Fear is an emotion over something unpleasant which may occur in future. Fear is an unwelcome anticipation of pain, hunger, sickness, torture, dishonor etc. We are afraid of loss of property, income, time, health, power, honour and life itself.

Fear is caused by the belief in the existence of other personalities or powers that is against our life.
These personalities and powers are evil people and evil supernatural powers. Fear may have its base in our past life/the life of other people.

Fear has positive side too. It effects self restraint on us. Since we are afraid of suffering and loss, we try to avoid thoughts, words and action that may cause suffering and loss to us.

Fear as a negative emotion always has an enemy on the other side. It tells us always that we will be proven impotent against the enemy at any time in our life.

So we try to keep away the fearsome suffering and loss.

HOW

1.       By trying to please the enemy/fear
2.       Entering into a compromise/treaty with the enemy
3.       By avoiding a confrontation with the enemy
4.       By joining hands with a more powerful personality

The first three methods are that are of a coward.
We are acknowledging that you are afraid of the enemy.

We acknowledge:

His existence
His power to harm you
Your inability to stand against him.

By acknowledging the above three means we agree to remain subservient to fear.

That is what the Moorish proverb says. We are giving power and authority over us to fear. Hence fear rules over you.

Fear has many arrows in his quiver to keep us servile. Once we have subdued to him, it is difficult to escape. He is a relentless enemy who follows us to the grave. He will never bless us. He will try to ruin those who are disobedient to his authority.

He will try to convince us that:

We have no authority or no free will over our life
Everything in our life is controlled by fate or by some supernatural enemy power
Every happening is predestined and hence it will happen whatever we may do
The only way of escape is to live in fear of fear and subservient to fear.

The last option to escape fear of unexpected suffering and loss is to join a more powerful personality. People call Him GOD. God is almighty, omnipotent and omnipresent. Those who have joined hands with God have decided to fight against fear.

They believe that:

God is almighty – there none more powerful than God and hence more powerful than the enemy.
God is beneficent
God does not want us to live in subservience
With God we can overcome all enemies

Their decision is to:

Fight against fear
Defeat fear
Live a life of victory

The only option available to those who wish to live a life of victory is to fight and defeat fear.

Those who do not believe in the existence of God may try to depend on the power of their mind to defeat fear.

Let us conclude:
If you are afraid of fear, you live a defeated live, subservient to fear
Those who live a victorious life over fear live resisting, fighting, defeating and overcoming fear.

Professor Jacob Abraham