The following video excerpt shows the messages that participants of Burning Man wrote in the temple prior to burning it. It also shows participants mourning.
There appear to be many kind, worshipful, politically correct… participants that are very moved emotionally, but….
As a Christian, upon viewing this video, I was asking myself, “To Whom are they grieving / mourning / praying?
In the last post, many things were said about the celebration; however, the most relevant to this post, are statements that talk about the event being a celebration of the self; a quest of self-discovery….
My point herein, is that nothing in self can comfort one who grieves, or so the Bible says (below video). Historically, people have turned to their gods for comfort at times of grief; mourning the loss of a loved one or one’s own impending death….
The scriptures that follow the 6 minute video excerpt say a lot about events such as burning man; of course, scripture was written with the mind of Christ, that is, from God’s perspective. Therefore, scripture is about reality as God knows it to be, and not as man hypothesizes it to be – as he hypothesizes it to be in such events as the burning man festival.
Psalms 146:1 Shout praises to the LORD! With all that I am, I will shout his praises.
Psa 146:2 I will sing and praise the LORD God for as long as I live.
Psa 146:3 You can’t depend on anyone, not even a great leader.
Psa 146:4 Once they die and are buried, that will be the end of all their plans.
Psa 146:5 The LORD God of Jacob blesses everyone who trusts him and depends on him.
Psa 146:6 God made heaven and earth; he created the sea and everything else. God always keeps his word….
[That is, 146:3 above, you can’t count on anyone for comfort, help, answers to prayers, if they are a human or a block of wood….]
Isaiah 44:6 I am the LORD All-Powerful, the first and the last, the one and only God. Israel, I have rescued you! I am your King.
Isa 44:7 Can anyone compare with me? If so, let them speak up and tell me now. Let them say what has happened since I made my nation long ago, and let them tell what is going to happen.
Isa 44:8 Don’t tremble with fear! Didn’t I tell you long ago? Didn’t you hear me? I alone am God– no one else is a mighty rock.
Isa 44:9 Those people who make idols are nothing themselves, and the idols they treasure are just as worthless. Worshipers of idols are blind, stupid, and foolish.
Isa 44:10 Why make an idol or an image that can’t do a thing?
Isa 44:11 Everyone who makes idols and all who worship them are mere humans, who will end up sadly disappointed. Let them face me in court and be terrified.
Isa 44:12 A metalworker shapes an idol by using a hammer and heat from the fire. In his powerful hand he holds a hammer, as he pounds the metal into the proper shape. But he gets hungry and thirsty and loses his strength.
Isa 44:13 Some woodcarver measures a piece of wood, then draws an outline. The idol is carefully carved with each detail exact. At last it looks like a person and is placed in a temple.
Isa 44:14 Either cedar, cypress, oak, or any tree from the forest may be chosen. Or even a pine tree planted by the woodcarver and watered by the rain.
Isa 44:15 Some of the wood is used to make a fire for heating or for cooking. One piece is made into an idol, then the woodcarver bows down and worships it.
Isa 44:16 He enjoys the warm fire and the meat that was roasted over the burning coals.
Isa 44:17 Afterwards, he bows down to worship the wooden idol. “Protect me!” he says. “You are my god.”
Isa 44:18 Those who worship idols are stupid and blind!
Isa 44:19 They don’t have enough sense to say to themselves, “I made a fire with half of the wood and cooked my bread and meat on it. Then I made something worthless with the other half. Why worship a block of wood?”
Isa 44:20 How can anyone be stupid enough to trust something that can be burned to ashes? No one can save themselves like that. Don’t they realize that the idols they hold in their hands are not really gods?
Isa 44:21 People of Israel, you are my servant, so remember all of this. Israel, I created you, and you are my servant. I won’t forget you.
Isa 44:22 Turn back to me! I have rescued you and swept away your sins as though they were clouds.
Isa 44:23 Tell the heavens and the earth to start singing! Tell the mountains and every tree in the forest to join in the song! The LORD has rescued his people; now they will worship him.
Isa 44:24 Israel, I am your LORD. I am your source of life, and I have rescued you. I created everything from the sky above to the earth below.
Isa 44:25 I make liars of false prophets and fools of fortunetellers….
The following cross references are to verse 44:9 only, about idolatry:
make: Isa_41:24, Isa_41:29; Deu_27:15; Psa_97:7; Jer_10:3-8, Jer_10:14-15
and their: Isa_2:20-21, Isa_37:18-20, Isa_46:1-2, Isa_46:6-7; Jdg_10:14; 1Ki_18:26-40; Jer_2:11, Jer_2:27-28, Jer_14:22, Jer_16:19-20; Dan_5:23; Hos_8:4-6; Hab_2:18-20; 1Co_8:4
delectable: Heb. desirable, Dan_11:38
their own: Isa_44:18, Isa_44:20, Isa_42:18, Isa_43:8, Isa_45:20; Psa_115:8, Psa_135:18; Rom_1:22; 2Co_4:4; Eph_4:18, Eph_5:8
[The above scripture verses are from the CEV: contemporary English version, as it is very easy to read; check your own version if you have a Bible: All of the above was copied and pasted from E-sword, free electronic Bible.]