I always enjoy walking by the local Catholic church with its old mission bell tower. It brings thoughts about the history of this island, and the many changes that have occurred here.
As always, standing in front, is the image of Christ... watching over the island and its people.
That history is always reflected in the terrible cost of the war that was brought to this island. Thousands of Japanese soldiers and civilians leapt to their deaths out of fear--fear of what the Americans would do to them when they arrived. Nothing the American soldiers said could reverse the propaganda that had been drummed into them by their leaders. Their fear pushed away any real sense of judgment, and it lead to their deaths.
Of course, that fear and belief in the terrors awaiting them by the hands of the Americans was not without reason... not because the Americans did those things, but because the Japanese had watched how their own leaders treated the American prisoners and the Chinese, and others under their control-- beheading contests, raping and wholesale slaughter of civilians, and brutality almost unimaginable today. After watching their own leaders do these things to their enemies, and even to them, it was not hard for them to believe they would be treated the same way by the Americans.
Fear always destroys judgment, it clouds reason and blocks the mind from being able to see the truth clearly. It is why political parties always bring fear into their platforms--it motivates people to act, and blinds them in ways to prevent them from making clear judgments. ALL political parties use fear as a motivator: fear of our enemies in the war on terror, fear of getting ill without health care, fear of losing your job without a safety net, fear of losing one's business through taxation and bureaucracy, etc. The list is endless. And by focusing on the fear of loss, we often completely lose the solution to the problems we are facing.
Fear is one of Satan's greatest tools. In the premortal life he used fear to draw one-third of God's children to his side: telling them that if they sided with him he would guarantee that they all returned to heaven; while by following the Savior's plan, there was no guarantee! Many would be lost forever and never make it back to God's presence. Placed in that way, it seemed an easy choice: why not be guaranteed a place in heaven? But, of course, fear took away their reason, and they were no longer able to see that the Savior's plan was right, and Satan's plan was doomed to failure. Nothing much has changed...
The Fleming restaurant has built a new 'outdoor' section for people who like to smoke. Men were working on the 'island fringe' surrounding the addition, and making sure water would not pour on the heads of those eating breakfast...
The detail work of the island fringe is marvelous.
Even the backside looks good!
They have a new guest at the Fleming... although, as the sign warns, he isn't too friendly!
Ahhh... summer flowers!
It looks as though an old WWII Quonset hut has been turned into someones home
Just another laundry day on the island
This bird did not look too happy in its gilded cage...
One had to look closely to see this small goat hiding in a box.
We have endured many plagues since coming to Tinian: geckos, cockroaches, ants, flying termites, and now... moths? What next?
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