October month of witches and spirits

October month and old religions

This week in many regions of the world attention is given to witch culture and spirits, non-corporeal substances contrasted with the material body. We come in a period when it becomes earlier darker and people love to tell ghost stories and look into the matter of incorporeal or immaterial beings, such as demons or deities. Several people love to come in contact with wandering spirits, daemon sprites, supernatural legendary creatures or ghosts.

The prince thanking the Water sprite, from The Princess Nobody by Andrew Lang

In our regions there came a time (Middle Ages) those who practised the Old Religion and worked with herbs and charms were largely ignored by the church and the Inquisition. After the scourge of the Black Death, witchcraft trials began to increase steadily throughout the 14th and 15th centuries.

Throughout the 19th and 20th centuries, the figure of the European witch was interpreted and reinterpreted in numerous ways, depending on the orientations of the scholars involved. They described her (typically) as variously an antisocial practitioner of malevolent magic; as a pro-social healer, midwife, and magician condemned by churches and universities; as a victim of mental illness or of accidental poisoning by mind-altering plants; or as a deliberate user of mind-altering plants who sought a shamanic “soul flight.”

Alleged murders by witchcraft and subsequent trials for witchcraft have not disappeared from the world scene, and the fear of cursing, hexing, and causing death by witchcraft remains very powerful in many nations. Black Magic murders have taken place in different states and times.

But some practices intrigued people and the will to know what happens when a person dies made that those intrigued found enough people who were willing to still their hunger to the unknown. fortune tellers always have found popularity and spiritists found always a groups of interested people to come together in private houses to have a special experience with a medium.

The unknown before and after life and Voodoo

Because of the attractive element of the unknown concerning before and after life, plus about the influences on our health, churches made use of the popular ideas of spirits and healing powers. Even in the 20th and 21st century some faith healing is performed in services conducted by the clergy of Christendom and there are communities which celebrate witch nights and halloween. The Noite Meiga (Witch‘s Night), held the last Saturday of August in the municipality Sarria which stands out in the Camino de Santiago for being the population centre with the largest offering of services, is also quite a spectacle and a grand feast in the so called Roman Catholic country of Italy. In many countries where they had negro slaves the pagan rituals and witchcraft melted into the Catholic traditions.

The spiritual practices and beliefs of those enslaved people from Africa and the Caribbean blended. Voodoo became a fusion of their religions which also incorporated Catholicism. {Voodoo in New Orleans}

In countries like Haiti the official religion along with Roman Catholicism is Voodoo, but they are both so interwoven you may find also in the Catholic Church in Haiti voodoo rites.

“In churches, there’s a lot of syncretism (or the combination of multiple religions),”

says David Vanderpool, a missionary and doctor in Haiti.
Vanderpool is the founder and CEO of LiveBeyond, a faith-based, humanitarian organization bringing medical and maternal health care, clean water, education, orphan care, community development and the gospel of Jesus Christ to the oppressed in Thomazeau, Haiti.

“Voodoo is the culture, the way they think. They view the world through a lens of voodoo, and it colours what they do, what they see. They bring it unwittingly into the church, and see mainstream denominations as no different from voodoo.”

Many do not see that they have elements of satanic worship which can be traced to colonization when the French demanded African slaves convert to Catholicism. Rather than fully converting, the slaves named their idols after saints, and the worship of the demons was incorporated into the church.

“The term voodoo,”

says Encyclopædia Britannica,

“is derived from the word vodun, which denotes a god, or spirit, in the language of the Fon people of Benin (formerly Dahomey).”

The most common depiction of the loa Erzulie Dantor is derived from this variant of the sacred icon of Our Lady of Czestochowa.

In Voodoo they may well tell there is only one god, one Supreme Being who created the universe, and this may link back to the Creator Deity in which the people of Israel also believed. The people who like to practice ‘Voodo art’ say this god elevated earthly beings to spirits known as the Lwa or Loa to run the day to day affairs of the world. It is this taking charge of nature and human nature which is in conflict with Bible teaching. For them there is for instance lwas of the winds, love and fisherman. {Voodoo in New Orleans}

They tell they can be master over demons who actively deceive mankind by means of spiritism, which can involve such things as magic spells, voodoo, and spirit mediums. (Deuteronomy 18:10-13; 2 Chronicles 33:6).

Wanting to get in touch with demons and spirits

This particular time of year many are proud to “get in touch with the demons” directly or through a human medium. This is called spiritism about which the Bible tells us we have to abstain from it. Voodoo, witchcraft, magic, fortune-telling, and inquiring of the dead are all forms of spiritism.

The Bible condemns these things, saying:

“There should not be found in you anyone . . . who employs divination, a practicer of magic or anyone who looks for omens or a sorcerer, or one who binds others with a spell or anyone who consults a spirit medium or a professional foreteller of events or anyone who inquires of the dead. For everybody doing these things is something detestable to Jehovah.”—Deuteronomy 18:10-12.

Among non-Christian religions there are voodoo priests, witch doctors, medicine men, and others who also do healing and incantation; they often employ magic and divination. Some “psychic healers” say that their cures have nothing to do with religion.

Coming closer to for many special days to remember spirits, spiritual beings and the dead many want to convince others that

The spirit world is concerned with each and every one of us.

and say that

Our guardian angels take no pleasure seeing us struggle, since they have all been there before. Even though, they comprehend that most times we need the suffering presented to us. But within the confines of letting us survive and learn from our trials, the spirit world actively guides and helps us {How we are assisted during our Trials by the Spirit World}

In the upcoming writings we shall show that there is no such spirit world and that we are not looked after by a spirit world. We also shall show that there is no such thing as a process of reincarnation, which others may confirm may be complex even after birth.  {How we are assisted during our Trials by the Spirit World}

Communicating spirits

It is not because our spirits (our minds) can communicate directly with other people that they would connect with other non-materialistic beings, called “spirits”. In our dreams, our thinking we certainly may learn a lot, but this does not mean that  during our slumber, we learn many valuable lessons from spirits and would “have various conversations with other spirits”. {How we are assisted during our Trials by the Spirit World}  No body was ever able to retain exact memories of such encounters. But some  awaken with general ideas and feelings, which is only because they are fed by such ideas.

If we search for the answer it will come, not because

The spirit world wishes to supply us with all of the tools and inspirations required to prosper while we live on earth. They fully realize the day-to-day problems we encounter, complications which hinder our ability to absorb the lessons we should learn. {How we are assisted during our Trials by the Spirit World}

It is not the spirit world which gently pushes us to the correct solution, but each person is created in the image of God and has an inner feeling implanted by the Supreme Being. We have to listen to our conscience, that governor of our behaviour, with years of experience in many lives, and perform our deeds with moral clarity.

Pagan Samhain and Halloween

Some people bring as excuse that they are unaware of the pagan origins of Halloween symbols, decorations, and customs, most of which are related to supernatural beings and occult forces. In many places meetings are given and people are called to witness a witch meeting or even a black mass. Thousands of Wiccans (practitioners of witchcraft), who follow ancient Celtic rituals, still call Halloween by the ancient name Samhain and consider it to be the most sacred night of the year.

“Christians ‘don’t realize it, but they’re celebrating our holiday with us. . . . We like it,’”

stated the newspaper USA Today when quoting a professed witch.

In shops we can find all sorts of costumes and in magazines articles about spirits which find their way to many homes.

Christians may not forget that celebrations like Halloween are in conflict with Bible teachings. The Bible warns:

“There must never be anyone among you who . . . practices divination, who is soothsayer, augur or sorcerer, who uses charms, consults ghosts or spirits, or calls up the dead.” (Deuteronomy 18:10, 11, The Jerusalem Bible)

10 There should not be found in you anyone who makes his son or his daughter pass through the fire,+ anyone who employs divination,+ anyone practicing magic,+ anyone who looks for omens,+ a sorcerer,+ 11 anyone binding others with a spell, anyone who consults a spirit medium+ or a fortune-teller,+ or anyone who inquires of the dead.+ (Deuteronomy 18:10, 11, NWT)

see also

Leviticus 19:31:

31 “‘Do not turn to the spirit mediums,+ and do not consult fortune-tellers+ so as to become unclean by them. I am Jehovah your God.

Galatians 5:19-21:

19 Now the works of the flesh are plainly seen, and they are sexual immorality,*+ uncleanness, brazen conduct,*+ 20 idolatry, spiritism,*+ hostility, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, dissensions, divisions, sects, 21 envy, drunkenness,+ wild parties,* and things like these.+ I am forewarning you about these things, the same way I already warned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit God’s Kingdom.+

Human Autumn traditions

We are living in this world were there are lots of traditions going on, but that does not mean we do have to take part in those traditional activities or do not have to let others know we do not want to take part in such activities.

From within our heart comes our feeling, which should in accordance to the Will of God. A copper-based alloy may deform in colour and so our being when it has a brazen conduct or “shameless conduct.” We should not be proud of a conduct which is not in line with the teachings of Christ and with the commandments of the Most High Almighty God. We have to cause ourselves and others to move in a certain direction, which is in line with the wishes of God. We do have to comport (oneself) in a specified way which is indicated in the Words of God and which everybody can find. We have to bear or conduct (oneself) in the Christian way, being in agreement, harmony, or conformity with the Word of God.

Mark 7:21, 22: 21 For from inside, out of the heart of men,+ come injurious reasonings, sexual immorality,* thefts, murders, 22 acts of adultery, greed, acts of wickedness, deceit, brazen conduct,* an envious eye, blasphemy, haughtiness, and unreasonableness.

The Bible warns us that people will go away from that Word of God and would prefer to do the things most people do.

Jude 4: My reason is that certain men have slipped in among you who were long ago appointed to this judgment by the Scriptures; they are ungodly men who turn the undeserved kindness of our God into an excuse for brazen conduct*+ and who prove false to our only owner* and Lord, Jesus Christ.+

Let us take that warning to heart that such people are not real lovers of God but they are ungodly or “wicked men” (UKJV).

They turn the grace of our God into uncontrollable lust and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ. (Jude 4:4 ISV)

We may not make the mercy of God an excuse for profligacy.

Those who like to participate in the October festivities of drinking lots of alcohol [The Oktober Fest: world’s largest Volksfest (beer festival and travelling funfair)], witch gatherings, Celtic Autumn meetings, Halloween celebrations, should know that many will follow their licentiousness, following their indulgences and because of them, carrying out every impurity with rapacity, the way of truth will be reviled or blasphemed.

Ephesians 4:19: 19 Having gone past all moral sense, they gave themselves over to brazen conduct*+ to practice every sort of uncleanness with greediness.

2 Peter 2:2: Furthermore, many will follow their brazen conduct,*+ and because of them the way of the truth will be spoken of abusively.+

Reincarnation, spirits and spiritism

Many spiritists believe in reincarnation. One spiritist publication states:

Reincarnation is the only doctrine that measures up to our idea of divine justice; it is the only doctrine that can explain the future and strengthen our hopes.”

Spiritists explain that at death the soul, or “incarnated spirit,” leaves the body—like a butterfly emerging from its cocoon. They believe that these spirits are later reincarnated as humans in order to purge sins committed in an earlier life. But there is no recollection of those earlier sins.

“God considered it convenient that a veil be cast over the past,”

says The Gospel According to Spiritism.

“To deny reincarnation is also to deny the words of Christ,”

wrote Allan Kardec. But Jesus never preached incarnation. He knew that for God “reincarnation” is an atrocity and no human being should be busy with this at all. All Christians should see that the Bible tells clearly that at death our life comes to and end and than it is finished with us. Than we shall not be able to think or to do anything.
The sent one from God came to tell that there is hope for the living souls who believe in God and live according His Laws. For him it was clear that he could fulfil the promise made in the Garden of Eden and be the Messiah, bringing grace over mankind. For that reason Jesus taught the resurrection of the dead.

Persons coming out of the dead

During his earthly ministry, the Jewish Nazarene did some spectacular miracles. He also resurrected three people — the son of a widow in Nain, the daughter of the presiding officer of a synagogue, and his close friend Lazarus. (Mark 5:22-24, 35-43; Luke 7:11-15; John 11:1-44) They had been in the grave and had come back to life but had nothing to tell about some other world down in the earth or at some other place. Later they died again and their body decayed like any other body shall do when life goes out of it.

The world of the dead may be mysterious for us and many may be attracted to come to know “what is over there”. Some people, like witches may make use of that situation and present others some rites of passage.

In order to assist a soul cross over at the time of death, those of the Wicca (and those not of the Wicca – but other witchcraft traditions) have a number of rituals called “Crossings.” {Rite of Passage}

Witches, covens and their rites

Witch Riding Backwards On A Goat

Witch Riding Backwards On A Goat (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The witches their coven or or covan, which is a gathering or community of witches, much like a congregation in Christian parlance, may present in the continuation of the Witch-Cult and may try others to believe certain herbs can give them special powers and with certain rites they also can come in contact with pieces of the soul that went on or could be left behind and which are prevented from passing on to the next level. Many wiccans feel it is their duty to help these spirits when they are able to assist with passage and transition.

According to the U.S. Census, the number of individuals professing to be Wiccans rose from the 8,000 reported in 1990 to 134,000 self-proclaimed witches in 2001. A study released in November 2001 by the Graduate Center of the City University of New York found that the number of adults who subscribe to a pagan religion was more than 140,000. {Wicca;Gale Encyclopedia of the Unusual and Unexplained, 2003}

Those who follow Wicca, the craft of the wise, maintain that their faith qualifies as a true pagan religion with its beliefs and practices rooted in the processes of nature. {Wicca;Gale Encyclopedia of the Unusual and Unexplained, 2003}

Because of Wicca’s rapid growth, however, some adherents now seek more formal organizational plans and credentialing of leaders (priests and priestesses), a trend resisted by those Witches who hold individual and small-group practice and experience to be primary. Wiccans often identify with a particular “tradition”—a school of teaching or an initiatory lineage—but the boundaries between traditions are loosely drawn, and new traditions are constantly being created. {Wicca; Encyclopedia of Occultism and Parapsychology, 2001,The Gale Group Inc.}

Estimates of the number of Wiccans in North America in 2000 ranged from 300,000 to the low millions. Sociological studies of Wicca show its followers as tending to be younger and better-educated than the population overall. {Wicca; Encyclopedia of Occultism and Parapsychology, 2001,The Gale Group Inc.}

Manifestations and phenomena

According to some sources wiccans do not believe that there is anything supernatural about the manifestations and phenomena associated with this extrasensory area of the mind, but others play with phenomena which are very curious. For them it are psychic powers which lie dormant in everyone, to a greater or lesser degree, and their disciplines are designed to develop these to the fullest.

Wicca conceives of spirit as part of the universal creative principle, existing as a thought form. In keeping with its transcendental nature, Wicca views spirit as the convenient expression for a certain kind of matter, which is thought to contain a dynamic energy of its own. This energy is capable of being transmitted by means of mental activity and can be used to transmute other forms of energy into matter. {Wicca;Gale Encyclopedia of the Unusual and Unexplained, 2003}

Working with the Dead

The covens are usually jointly led by a High Priestess and a High Priest, though some are led by only one or the other. In more recent forms of neopagan witchcraft, covens are sometimes run as democracies with a rotating leadership. In the group all try to get control over the elements, how to “whistle up the wind” and call the rain, etc. {Council Cup} They also set out meals for those who are “gone from this world”.  They have a “Dumb Supper” which is a form of group necromancy where they think

the spirits of the dearly departed are set out a special meal (and a meal for yourself too) and is partaken of in silence in order to commune with our dearly departed. {Necromancy and the Dumb Supper}

In some covens, necromancy rituals are performed for 13 nights in a row to summon the appropriate and correct spirits. {Necromancy and the Dumb Supper}

For the wiccans it is a form of working with the Dead{Necromancy and the Dumb Supper} but according God’s Word the dead do know nothing and can do nothing because they are nothing but dust. The idea that a spirit part of humans survives at death and can communicate with the living in not according to God’s Word.

The death, dead people, wicked people, demons and spirits

Jehovah was the first to speak of death. He warned that Adam and Eve would die if they disobeyed him. (Genesis 2:17) What did that mean? Jehovah explained:

“Dust you are and to dust you will return.” (Genesis 3:19)

At death the body disintegrates; it goes back to the dust. Life ceases.

In the Holy Scriptures demons and spirits are mentioned. As an adult, Jesus encountered “wicked spirit creatures”. We are even told that they recognized Jesus and addressed him as the “Son of God.” Jesus likewise knew who they were. They were not spirits of dead humans. Rather, Jesus identified them as “demons,” or unclean spirits, people who were ill in their head, or had a disease. — Matthew 8:29-31; 10:8; Mark 5:8.

When there is spoken of Tartarus it is not a particular location, but a condition. Those whose breath goes out of their body are considered death by the Holy Scriptures. As soon as the brain does not function any more, life is gone out of a person and that person is belonging to the dead. The chief function of the body is to carry the brain around. Even the sick persons or the “possessed” or “demons” can no longer materialize and do not have any power or influence over minds and lives. It are the ideas of people which can continue to hover in the minds of folks. Those ideas can continue to grow in our mind and bring us unto other ideas. But it are not persons or some spiritual beings which do that.

The Bible tells us that

“The living know that they will die, but the dead know nothing at all . . . Their love and their hate and their jealousy [all of which they felt while alive] have already perished.” (Ecclesiastes 9:5, 6)

Yes, the Bible teaches that the dead are just that—dead!
They cannot think, act, or even worship God.

“The dead do not praise [God]; nor do any who go down into the silence of death,” says Psalm 115:17.

When the breath goes out of our body we shall not be able to speak any more but also not be able to think or do anything. Everything shall be finished and nobody shall be able to contact us again. Then it is too late for us to do something to others and too late for others to do something for us.

The living and the dead

The living “are conscious”, but dead or not conscious any more. When living on this earth we can do things and shall have to sweat, but once we die it is all finished and we shall not feel anything any more. Having paid for our sins there shall be no need any more to suffer for what we have done wrong and we shall land up were everybody of this world will end, the grave (hell, sheol, sepulchre). Even if we would have lots of money or many titles, we shall not being able to escape death and to become something again.

Genesis 3:19: 19 In the sweat of your face you will eat bread* until you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken.+ For dust you are and to dust you will return.”+

Psalm 104:29: 29 When you hide your face, they are disturbed. If you take away their spirit, they die and return to the dust.+

Ecclesiastes 3:20: 20 All are going to the same place.+ They all come from the dust,+ and they all are returning to the dust.+

Ecclesiastes 12:7: Then the dust returns to the earth,+ just as it was, and the spirit* returns to the true God who gave it.+

Job 34:14, 15: 14 If he fixes his attention* on them, If he gathers their spirit and breath to himself,+ 15 All humans* would perish together, And mankind would return to the dust.+

Psalm 146:3, 4: Do not put your trust in princes* Nor in a son of man, who cannot bring salvation. His spirit* goes out, he returns to the ground;+ On that very day his thoughts perish.+

Ecclesiastes 3:19, 20:19 for there is an outcome* for humans and an outcome for animals; they all have the same outcome.+ As the one dies, so the other dies; and they all have but one spirit.+ So man has no superiority over animals, for everything is futile. 20 All are going to the same place.+ They all come from the dust,+ and they all are returning to the dust.+

For our own welfare

For our own welfare, Jehovah warns us against all forms of spiritism. He loves and cares for people, and he knows that those who get involved with demons or spiritism are bound to suffer.

Jehovah God’s Law to the nation of Israel also said:

“There should not be found in you anyone . . . who consults a spirit medium or . . . inquires of the dead. For whoever does these things is detestable to Jehovah.” (Deuteronomy 18:10-12)

The Bible also states that those who practice spiritism in any of its forms “will not inherit God’s Kingdom.”— Galatians 5:19-21.

Those who believe in god and believe in God His son, Jesus Christ, will have something positive to look forward, but it will not come to them straight ahead when they die. they shall be in the grave feeling and knowing of nothing, like they were before born. But there shall come a time that Jesus shall return to call the living and the dead together, to judge them and to open the gates to the Kingdom of God for all who lived according the Will of God.

+

Preceding articles:

Being Religious and Spiritual 1 Immateriality and Spiritual experience

Being Religious and Spiritual 5 Gnostic influences

Being Religious and Spiritual 6 Romantici, utopists and transcendentalists

Being Religious and Spiritual 7 Transcendence to become one

Science, belief, denial and visibility 2

The Importance of the Prophetic

Autumn traditions for 2014 – 2 Summersend and mansend

Autumn traditions for 2014 – 3 Black Mass, Horror spectacles and pure puritans

Autumn traditions for 2014 – 4 Blasphemy and ridiculing faith in God

Reaction on the worship of devils in the Kingdom of Essex

All Saints’ Day

All Souls’ Day

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Additional reading:

  1. Religions and Mainliners
  2. 2014 Religion
  3. Bible sayings about God
  4. Human Nature: What does the Bible teach?
  5. Your life the sum total of all your choices
  6. A Living Faith #9 Our Manner of Life
  7. Dying or not
  8. Biblical Ambiguity on Death?
  9. Bible sayings on the situation and place for the dead
  10. What happens when we die?
  11. Ontbinding
  12. Souls and Religions with Nirvana and light
  13. Immortality, eternality – onsterfelijkheid, eeuwigheid
  14. Decomposition, decay – vergaan, afsterven, ontbinding
  15. Where does Satan lives?
  16. What is life?
  17. The business of this life
  18. The chief function of the body is to carry the brain around
  19. Fear and protection
  20. Fragments from the Book of Job #1: chapters 1-12
  21. Fragments from the Book of Job #2: chapters 12-20
  22. Fragments from the Book of Job #3: chapters 21-26
  23. Fragments from the Book of Job #4: chapters 27-31
  24. Fragments from the Book of Job #5: chapters 32-37
  25. Fragments from the Book of Job #6: chapters 38-42
  26. Self inflicted misery #6 Paying by death
  27. The Soul confronted with Death
  28. Phoenicians sacrificed infants
  29. Doctrine and Conduct Cause and Effect
  30. Faith antithesis of rationality
  31. Wishing to do the will of God
  32. This month’s survey question: Heaven and Hell
  33. Sheol, Sheool, Sjeool, Hades, Hell, Grave, Tomb, Sepulchre
  34. Departed Souls Await Judgment
  35. Two states of existence before God
  36. A time for everything
  37. We will all be changed
  38. The wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ
  39. The one who makes us well and gives life
  40. Necessity of a revelation of creation 4 Getting understanding by Word of God 2

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Further reading:

  1. Witchcraft
  2. Witchcraft in Europe, 1450 to 1789
  3. Wiccan, wicca (masc., “wizard”) and wicce (fem., “witch”)
  4. Witchcraft Trials
  5. How Meditation Changes Our Brains
  6. Where is the great Beyond?
  7. My kind of Halloween!
  8. He who goes to a medium should go with a clean inner life!
  9. Voodoo!
  10. What is Vodou?
  11. Voodoo in New Orleans
  12. Voodoo Queen
  13. Devil’s Seed
  14. Things that went BUMP! in the night in15th century Poland
  15. Really?
  16. Adsense Arbitrage Voodoo Review – Hot Or Not?
  17. Voodoo head dies…
  18. Leader Of Haitian Vodou Religion, Max Beauvoir, Dead At 79
  19. Voodoo practitioners mourn the death of leader Max Beauvoir
  20. Old time relijun
  21. Dispelling the myths of Voodoo
  22. New Orleans Experience – Day One!
  23. The Spooky Cemeteries of South Louisiana
  24. 31 Days of Voodoo at Voodoo Farm
  25. The Left-Hand Path, Magic, and Voodoo
  26. Using Creative Arts to Train Haitian Spiritual Leaders on Therapy for “Crooked” Thoughts
  27. Voodoo in Blue
  28. Walker Wednesday – 30/09/15
  29. Voodoo Village: South Africa
  30. An African Village where Dead Children are Made into Voodoo Dolls
  31. Papa Legba
  32. Hollywood Has Zombies all Wrong
  33. The Dark Side of Grace by M.L. Cooper
  34. Voodoo Village: Haiti
  35. Satanic ‘Zombified’ Religion Making Inroads in United States — Charisma News
  36. Soul food with a Voodoo touch
  37. Dirty Hands and Green Thumbs
  38. The Harley Quinn Voodoo String Doll Key Chain Handmade
  39. Jack Sparrow Voodoo String Doll Key Chain Handmade Pirates
  40. Rudimentary Chucky Voodoo String Doll Keychain
  41. Spiritists: When You Sleep You are Being Assisted in Your Quest to Become a Better Spiritist
  42. NDE’s – What people were told
  43. Bronwen’s Two NDE’s and her discoveries
  44. The Life Beyond the Veil – A book Psychographed by an English Reverend – G. Vale Owen
  45. A Course on How to Give Passes
  46. Why we should gladly suffer through our trials here on earth
  47. Want to know the Other Side of the NDE Judgment Experience – Swedenborg has examples
  48. Divine Providence Constantly Makes Sure We See What is True
  49. Mediumship
  50. Dreams and how the Spirit World Assists Us
  51. Spirit court
  52. Spirits, the Dearly Departed … and Reincarnation
  53. Rite of Passage
  54. Incarnation – Necessary for the Progression of the Spirit
  55. Gold Finch [Carduelis Tristis] Symbolic Meaning
  56. Stories of Spirit…Cleaning House [unwanted spirits activity]
  57. Business or Personal Journalling with the Tarot
  58. Seth Speaks: the eternal validity of the soul
  59. The Fox Sisters
  60. Demons and the Unexplained: Demonic Mysteries
  61. Demons USA: Demons in Everyday Life
  62. End Times Quote: Don’t Hang Around Demons
  63. DEMONS: Don't hang around demons.
  64. Exorcism: 10 Observations on Casting Out Demons
  65. Halloween 2014 Quotes: Halloween is Satanic and Demonic
  66. Our Fractal Nature – physics spinning
  67. “P” Poison Has Its Uses #atozchallenge
  68. Grave Silence #art #horrorweek #horror
  69. Reflections #horror #flashfiction #PEN
  70. A Forgotten Life the conclusion Atom
  71. Part One the domino effect
  72. Part Two Strangers
  73. Regret: ‘The Lives We Live’ A Reality Show – 5th Dismissal
  74. Beneath the Tree #2 #Christmas #children #abuse #poetry
  75. Interesting-stuff
  76. Yom Kippur 5776 ~ The Day of Atonement
  77. Submission
  78. The Commands of Yeshua ~ Part 28
  79. CASTING OUT DEMONS: More are familiar with Hollywood rituals than the Bible.
  80. Exposition on Romans 1
  81. Exposition on Romans 2
  82. Departed Souls Await Judgment
  83. The Soul is Not Dead
  84. The “Living” Word
  85. The Whole Point
  86. Created For Responsibility
  87. No More Me but Thee Lord!

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Denominationalism exists because?

In this world we do see many religions and in each religion many divisions. This tells a lot about man.

In Christendom we may find Christianity with people who follow Biblical doctrines and on the other-side lots of people who do prefer to follow human doctrines. those following the false teachings of man make up the majority in Christendom. They made themselves a three-headed god and many often did made graven images of their god and bow down in front of those pictures or statues to pray for, though according God’s Word, the Bible this is an abomination in God’s eyes.

Already very soon after Jeshua (Jesus Christ) died false teachings came into the ‘Christian‘ system, like it previously also had done in the Judaic system.

Perhaps one can bring as an excuse that the way of man is not in himself, but we must know that each of us is responsible for his own actions and his own thinking and his reaction on it.

‘Hautain’ man= arrogantly superior and disdainful haughty man thinks him superior to God’s Word and dares to frighten people that they would not be able to understand the Bible without their teachings. They forget that God His Word is infallible and indestructible, saying everything it has to say in a way that all people can understand and can have enough information according to their capabilities.

It are those theologians and church-institutions who wanted to keep their power or get more power, who adapted their teachings for the best of their institutions. Often they overlooked that for one lie an other one had to be created to have their teaching ‘soundproof’.

File:Greekorthodoxchurch nl.jpg

All denominations have their own specific worship-houses or church-buildings. – Greek orthodox churches.

Denominationalism is a man-made concept which we really do not need. We do have to follow Christ who is the cornerstone of the Church of God and not of a church of men.
In that church of God we do have to become one with Christ like Jesus is one with the Father. And all should be as brethren and sisters in Christ, worshipping only One True God, the God of Jesus Who is the God of Abraham.

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Biblical Notes

By Ron Thomas

Why are there so many denominations? This is the question asked in a Bible study book called God’s Answers to Man’s Questions (p. 178). The answer given? “Each is probably like a variety of fruit and it takes many varieties to make an orchard. (Many spokes to make a wheel.) Christ’s desire is that the Church on earth should be clean, glorious and holy, Eph. 5:27. ‘That He might present it (the Church) to Himself a glorious Church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it (you and I) should be holy and without blemish.’”

This is all there is to his answer. Did he answer it? Yes, I suppose you can say he did. Is his answer adequate or, better yet, biblical? It is not. The Bible passage he referenced is certainly biblical, but it does not support the contention of the…

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Marriage of Jesus 7 Impaled

In the previous chapters I looked at the papyrus, which if authentic, suggests some people in ancient times believed that Jesus and Mary Magdalene were married. Most historians agree that Jesus did in fact exist even may be the most famous man who ever lived, but surprisingly little is known about his life. The circumstances surrounding his life and death — and the supernatural occurrences linked to them — make it difficult to separate fact from legend.

English: Baptism of Christ

Baptism of the man born in Bethlehem, who came to live in Nazareth and was called the Christ (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Most historians believe Jesus was a real man of flesh and blood, who could be seen by many without them falling death, whilst the Scriptures tell us that God can not be seen by man or they would fall death. For many Christians it is very difficult to believe Jesus could be a human being. They prefer to see him as the God. Contrary to their belief that he is God they still want to put full human feelings in his character and would love to see him to be a married man, because at his age any ‘normal man’ would be married, according to their feelings.

Most Christians also do not want to accept Jesus Christ was a Jew and say he was a Christian, forgetting that his movement, first called the Way, was a Jewish sect, and later became an independent religion, called Christianity or Christendom.

The Jewish historian Josephus tells about the Nazarene Jeshua from Nazareth, today better known as Jesus, whom he also describes as a wise man, a teacher and healer in Galilee and Judea. Several sources mention Jesus’ crucifixion at the hands of Pontius Pilate, the Roman prefect. But we can not really find many writings where is been spoken of him having a special relation with some one, a woman or a man. Before 2012 no indication was found that Jesus would have had a wife.

Opgehangen aan een paal

Hanged on a tree. Christ Jesus impaled.

Throughout the ages several artefacts where so called found are attribute a special meaning. As such various physical relics, such as the crucifixion nails and crown of thorns Jesus wore on the ‘cross’, have decidedly less historical or scientific backing. The symbol of the + cross was already something which is not historically right, because the Romans did not yet use such way of bringing people to death. They used poles or wooden stakes, like the word ‘stake’ is originally in the gospel writings, but often now translated as ‘cross’. People at that time where impaled and would not be hung in such a way that their body weight would pull their hands from the T-crossing and bring the body down. Lots of Christians do think a person being crucified would be hanging a person on the 15° century presentation of a cross. In earlier translations we do find a more correct form ‘he was hanged’.

‘Look, we’re going up to JeruSalem where the Son of Man will be betrayed to the Chief Priests and scribes, and they will condemn him to death.  (19)  Then they will hand him over to the ethnics, who will make fun of him, whip him, and impale him. But on the third day, he will be raised!’  (Matthew 20:18-19 2001)

“Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be delivered to the chief priests and scribes, and they will condemn him to death,  (19)  and will hand him over to the Gentiles to mock, to scourge, and to crucify; and the third day he will be raised up.” (Mat 20:18-19 VGNT)

“Nu we fareð to ierusalem. ænd mannes sune beoð ge-seald þare sacerda eldren & bokeren. & hyo ge-niðeriað hine to deaðe.  (19)  þeoden to bisemerienne. & to swingenne. & to ahonne. & þam þridde daige he arist.” (Matthew 20:18-19 WS1175)

“The God of our forefathers raised up Jesus whom you killed and hanged on a tree. ” (Acts of the apostles 5:30 WEL)
“The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom you killed, hanging him on a tree.” (Acts of the apostles 5:30 VGNT)
“The Elohim of our forefathers resurrected Jesus, who you killed and hanged on a tree.” (Act 5:30 UTV)
“The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom you slew and hanged on a tree.” (Act 5:30 KJ2000)

English: Jesus ahead of Pontius Pilate and Her...

Jesus ahead of Pontius Pilate and Herod Antipater (Dvakrat 52 Bibliszke historie, 1847)  (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Most scientific studies suggest that these relics originated long after Jesus died. Also a lot of stories, and mysteries got around and throughout the ages lots was written about that special man, who many would have loved to have killed again or to destroy for ever.

“If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they impale to themselves the Son of Elohim afresh, and put him to an open shame.” (Hebrews 6:6 WoY)

Many also wanted to give him a bad name and therefore send all fictitious stories into the world or doubted his sincerity, his purity and integrity. Several Christians therefore refuse to accept Jesus to be a real man. According to them not one man could stay pure and keep to the commandments of God. But in case nobody could keep to the commandments of God you could question such Laws which are impossible to keep. When they would have been made by a God who loves His creation that would be very strange, surely when He knows everything and should then know that nobody could fulfil His Will, and everybody would from the start be allegedly be condemned to death.

The Jew Saul (Paul) was very well aware of our position as human being and therefore after having come to understand the real position of Jeshua (Jesus Christ) he wrote several letters as further motivation for the readers to press on to a mature understanding of their Christian faith and  points out the seriousness of apostasy (e.g. letters to the Hebrews). It is of the greatest importance that the readers give heed to the message of the author and receive the “solid food” he is offering them. Unless the readers go forward, the author predicts, they will meet with disaster. But even today we do find lots of Christians who do not like to hear that message and want to keep to doctrines created by human beings.

Also today they are often carried away by human thinking and placing the character of Jesus in their own way of life, where it is normal that a man of a certain age would be married, so their God Yahweh and their god Jesus also should be married persons.

In the woman who was at the ‘cross’ (Mary Magdalene) they like to see the sinner, even a prostitute, who was been converted to ‘Christianity’ and had become the most precious person of their god, and therefore he had taken her to his wife on earth like he had a wife in heaven.

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Are you curious to get to know that wife in heaven also? Continue reading in: Marriage of Jesus 8 Wife of Yahweh opposite wife of Jesus

Preceding articles:

Marriage of Jesus 1 Mary, John, Judas, Thomas and Brown

Marriage of Jesus 2 Standard writings about Jesus

Marriage of Jesus 3 Listening women

Marriage of Jesus 4 Place of the woman

Marriage of Jesus 5 Papyrus fragment  in Egyptian Coptic

Marriage of Jesus 6 Jesus said to them “My wife”

To be followed by:

Marriage of Jesus 8 Wife of Yahweh

Marriage of Jesus 9 Reason for a new marriage

Marriage of Jesus 10 Old and New Covenant

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Additional reading:

  1. On the Nature of Christ
  2. Preexistence in the Divine purpose and Trinity
  3. Christianity without the Trinity
  4. The Advent of the saviour to Roman oppression
  5. The day Jesus died
  6. Nazarene Commentary Luke 3:18-20 – John’s Teaching and Imprisonment
  7. Nazarene Commentary Luke 3:1, 2 – Factual Data
  8. Restoration Scriptures True Name Edition Matthew Chapter 27
  9. Hebraic Roots Bible Matthew Chapter 27
  10. Entrance of a king to question our position #2 Who do we want to see and to be
  11. 14 Nisan a day to remember #5 The Day to celebrate
  12. Imprisonment and execution of Jesus Christ
  13. Death of Christ on the day of preparation
  14. Icons and crucifixes
  15. Swedish theologian finds historical proof Jesus did not die on a cross
  16. Not making a runner
  17. Eostre, Easter, White god, chocolate eggs, Easter bunnies and metaphorical resurrection
  18. Hellenistic influences
  19. Catholicism, Anabaptism and Crisis of Christianity
  20. Doctrine and Conduct Cause and Effect
  21. For those who have not the rudiments of an historical sense
  22. Called Christian
  23. Integrity of the fellowship

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Antonio Ciseri's depiction of Pontius Pilate p...

Antonio Ciseri’s depiction of Pontius Pilate presenting a scourged Christ to the people Ecce homo! (Behold the man!). (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Find also to read:

  1. The Implicit Thought Of Jesus In John 2:19 (Against Trinity)
    Jesus proved to be worthy of as a sacrifice since he died literally and he had placed his spirit unto his Father thus his spirit is not the one who made himself alive. It was through God’s will and God’s spirit that Jesus became alive.
  2. Some common misconceptions about the truth
    There is no writing in the Bible that speaks Jesus as God coequal with the Father. John 1:1 speaks of the Word who is a “god” and not as the God.
  3. The underlying truth in John 1:1
    An example verse in the Greek Scriptures (NT) where Paul is identified as “theon” (god) without article is below. Here, Paul is being considered as a god and not the God. Someone who has a quality of a god because the power of God is manifested through him by the miracles he had performed in the eyes of many people. You can check the interlinear link of Acts 28:6 here (http://www.interlinearbible.org/acts/28.htm) Paul is described as GOD (THEON) without article therefore it shows qualitative and that he may be a god also.  Thus, we can say that if the subject is defined by a noun then it has an important and necessary force of meaning within that noun. However, we can only get the right and exact interpretation of the word based on the context of the whole sentence. We would not interpret the word that identifies the subject as it would contradict the other phrases. Thus, in getting the meaning of the word that identifies the subject, we have options on how to deal with the grammar structure of the whole sentence.
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    the head of Christ is God and that he is going to give his kingdom to his Father after he defeated all his enemies and he will subject himself to God – 1 Corinthians 11:3; 15:27 – 28) These shows that they are not equal (Jesus ≠ Jehovah). Other translations use “The Word is God” to say that he is the God himself or equivalent to Jehovah but in John 1:1b and verse 2 it does shows that they are not equal but distinct who are both present at the same time. One thing would fail in the nature of Jesus with Jehovah is Jesus was created and has beginning while the God Almighty has no beginning and no ending or cannot die. – Proverbs 8:22-31 (Jesus is called the master worker or the craftsman); Colossians 1:15, John 1:14, 18; Habakkuk 1:12; Psalms 90:2
  4. The Jesus god of Christendom
    Of all the gods in the world the most popular of them all is the “Jesus” god of Christendom.
    The vast army of two billion almost-Christians happily proclaim that their Jesus is “God, the son”, a happy god who loves everyone. Many of the Jesus-worshipers believe that they are “saved” merely by knowing and accepting Jesus as their god.
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    “Yahshua never heard the name Jesus. That was a name given to him by the early church many years after His crucifixion, they wanted to remove any Jewishness from the new church. They eliminated His Jewish name (Joshua / Jehoshua) and blended the name of “Zeus” into the Christian church to make it comfortable for all those who previously worshipped
    the Greek and Roman gods – to become Christians.
    Since Zeus was the top god of their experience, attaching the name Ioesus to Yahshua (Yehoshua) gave Him top priority in the worship hierarchy.”
    -Believer or Follower?
    The Sound of the Shofar
    By Jon Thompson
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    “The name that American Christians use for the Messiah is Jesus. This is a derivation of Iesus which is literally translated from Greek as ‘Hail, Zeus’. Using “SUS” at the end of the word is related to Zeus. When Constantine proclaimed Christianity as the state religion of Rome on his deathbed in 300 AD, he changed the names of the Roman gods to become names of Catholic deity and saints. It merged paganism with Christianity and distorted the Gospel message. Christ’s real name in english would
    be “Joshua” (or Jehoshua) – the Messiah.”
    – Vision Outreach Ministries
    KB Gunn & Anamcari
    “”Je-Sus”; “Je” (Ie) in Greek meaning “hail” and “Sus” (Zeus) meaning hail Zeus. The Greeks used the ending –sus in naming many of their towns to give homage to their main deity Zeus. Thus, by following modern traditions, we may actually be praising a Pagan God.”
    – The Name of the Messiah
    Torah Ministries
  5. Who Is Jesus Christ?
    Unlike us, Jesus was perfect. So he did not need to die for his sins—he never committed any. Instead, Jesus died for the sins of others. God expressed extraordinary love for mankind by sending his Son to die for us. Jesus also showed love for us by obeying his Father and giving his life for our sins.—Read John 3:16; Romans 5:18, 19.
  6. Who is Jesus?
    God’s son was born of Jewish parents who did not know the Greek langauge.
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    Jesus. That was a name given to him many years after His death. Rome wanted to remove any Jewishness from the new church. They eliminated His Jewish name and blended the name of Zeus in order to make it comfortable for all those who had previously worshipped the Greek and Roman gods. Since Zeus was the top god of their experience, attaching the name Ioesus (hail Zeus) to Yahshua – gave Him top priority in the worship hierarchy.
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    “It is known that the Greek name endings with sus, seus, and sous were attached by the Greeks to names and geographical areas as means to give honour to their supreme deity, Zeus.”
    -Dictionary of Christian Lore and Legend
    Professor J. C. J. Metford
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    “The Hebrews called their coming Savior, the Messiah, Jahshuawah (Jehoshua). The disciples of the Savior accepted Him as such, and to them He was known as Jahshuwah the Messiah. The Greeks, however, rejected the Hebrew name, and called Him (IESOUS-Jesus) instead.”
    – The Origin of Christianity by A.B. Traina
  7. Christ never heard himself called Jesus
    No one ever called Christ by the name of “Jesus” during his earthly life.  As a Hebrew, he was referred to as “Yehoshua” by his 12 Jewish disciples.   But Rome would not have anything to do with it.  After the apostles left the earthly scene, Rome adopted the religion of Christ and made sharp changes, not only to Christ’s teachings, but even to his name.  Constantine and the entire Roman Church Counsels – altered and changed Christ’s name into something more Greek than Jewish; and they even burned books that contained Christ’s original true name.   All of these changes were in the interest of the large pagan population in Greece and Rome at that time.
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    “In 1415, The Church Of Rome Took An Extraordinary Step To destroy all knowledge of two Second Century Jewish books that it said contained ‘the true name of Christ.’
    -What Was The Church Trying to Hide?
    by Tony Bushby
    “The plan of the Greeks was simple, they merely dropped the Hebrew terminology of names which referred to the Hebrew deity, and substituted the name, or letters, referring to the name of the supreme deity, Zeus.”
    -The Faith Magazine
    Volume 69
  8. Will Gods-people be stumbled by the name of Jehoshua
    The Messiah has been called “Jesus” ever since the Roman’s took over Christianity as a state religion. That’s a long time.  So much has been said and done in the name of “Jesus”, that to call him anything but that – will appear as sacrilege in the eyes of many.
    But that doesn’t change the fact that “Jesus” never was his name.  Christ was never called by that name while he was alive on this earth.  His Jewish Apostles never called him that, and the earliest of Christians never called him that.  It was only the Greek-speaking apostates, who changed his name to suit their pagan appetites for a god-man with 3 heads to suit their trinity tradition of pagan worship.  And along with all these changes, was a complete destruction of Christ’s Jewish heritage and his Jewish name – which translates directly into English as did his Father’s name.
    Since Jehovah’s Salvation – called “Jehoshua” is what Christ wants to be called, we should take his request very seriously.  It is not a matter of holding onto tradition, or a matter of pleasing those who find the erroneous name “Jesus” to be so dear to their heart.  No, it is a matter of “Truth”.
    Jehoshua came to the earth to bring mankind back to truth.  NOT to be molded into a god that mankind thinks he should be.  Jehoshua was sent by Jehovah God, to bring mankind back to him.  Christ had an objective of turning the Israel of God back to
    truth again.
  9. “Jehovah” and “Jehoshua”
    “…in the name of (Jehoshua) Christ the Naz·a·rene´,  whom YOU impaled but whom God raised up from the dead, there is no salvation in anyone else, for there is not another name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must get saved.”  – (Acts 4:10,12)
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    “the construction of theophoric names, starting with the letters “Jeho” is evidence that God’s name is actually ‘Jehovah’
    (and that Christ’s name is actually Jehoshua)”
    – Smith’s 1863
    “A Dictionary of the Bible”
    Section 2.1
  10. Christ did not get paid for his preaching work
    Christ was a carpenter.  Many of his followers were woodworkers, tent-makers (Paul), fishermen (Peter), common laborers, animal herders, a doctor (Luke), and workers in the field, etc.
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    Christ and his apostles, miraculously healed the sick and raised the dead.  Christ preached fabulous sermons and discourses that lasted for many hours, where people came from far away to listen to him and to be benefited by his miracle healing.
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    Christ did not candy coat anything.  He was not trying to win Converts to make money.  He was not selling himself or his teachings as a means to make income. In fact, he told all of his followers that they should never charge money for their services.  They received the knowledge of the truth for free and they were supposed to share that knowledge with others at no cost Whatsoever.

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  • Crucifixion from ancient Rome to modern Syria (bbc.co.uk)
    Disturbing photographs recently emerged from Syria showing the bodies of two executed men hanging on crosses. Why has a punishment used in ancient Rome now emerged as a feature of Syria’s civil war?
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    Sheikh Dr Usama Hasan, Islamic scholar and senior researcher in Islamic Studies at the Quilliam Foundation in London, says this form of punishment arises from a very literal, or fundamentalist, reading of the Koran.

    Verse 33 of the fifth book of the Koran says: “Indeed, the penalty for those who wage war against Allah and His Messenger and strive upon earth [to cause] corruption is none but that they be killed or crucified or that their hands and feet be cut off from opposite sides or that they be exiled from the land. That is for them a disgrace in this world; and for them in the Hereafter is a great punishment.”

  • Nothing Here, But the Blood (brokenbelievers.com)
    The Jewish people no longer sacrifice lambs, and the Gentiles have never caught on anyway. But sin has never gone out-of-style. Perhaps this is a result of the New Testament teaching that Jesus offered His blood as the payment of every sin committed. His death wiped our slates clean, forever.
  • Easter Science: 6 Facts About Jesus (livescience.com)
    Most historians believe Jesus was a real man. To test the veracity of biblical claims, historians typically compare Christian accounts of Jesus’ life with historical ones recorded by Romans and Jews, most notably the historians Flavius Josephus and Cornelius Tacitus.
    +
    Most historians fully accept one of Josephus’ references to Jesus and while most believe that parts of the other reference are interpolated by later Christian writers, many if not most historians believe that there is a core that acknowledged Jesus. And no, the Tacitus account is not “widely” thought to be forged – thought so perhaps by anti-Christian ideologues, but not historians. The similarities to other religions are often wildly exaggerated. The vast majority of the “Jesus as myth” crowd are not historians, have little if any relevant expertise, and are basically a movement of anti-Christian zealots. And your point about the Shroud of Turin is silly. As if there is some typical way miracles occur (if that was a miracle). As if an omnipotent being intended to create an impression of Jesus on a shroud, looked at it, and then exclaimed, “Oh no! It looks all spread out!”
  • Craig S. Keener: Jesus Existed (huffingtonpost.com)
    Contrary to some circles on the Internet, very few scholars doubt that Jesus existed, preached and led a movement. Scholars’ confidence has nothing to do with theology but much to do with historiographic common sense. What movement would make up a recent leader, executed by a Roman governor for treason, and then declare, “We’re his followers”? If they wanted to commit suicide, there were simpler ways to do it.One popular objection is that only Christians wrote anything about Jesus. This objection is neither entirely true nor does it reckon with the nature of ancient sources. It usually comes from people who have not worked much with ancient history. Only a small proportion of information from antiquity survives, yet it is often sufficient.
    +
    valuable as examining such historical evidence is, we must return to where we started. Logically, why would Jesus’ followers make up a Jesus to live and die for? Why not glorify real founders (as movements normally did)? Why make up a leader and have him executed on a Roman cross? To follow one executed for treason was itself treason. To follow a crucified leader was to court persecution. Some people do give their lives for their beliefs, but for beliefs, not normally for what they know to be fabricated. Jesus’ first movement would not have made up his execution or his existence. How much they actually remembered about him is a subject for a future post.
  • Lost Tomb of Jesus (eyeoncitrus.com)
    During the last two centuries, fewer and fewer people born into the Christian faith have accepted the four Gospels as the last word on the birth, life and death of Jesus. Ever since the French Enlightenment, a growing number of scholars have begun to look at the New Testament “critically,” trying to unravel the history of the people who wrote it and who appear in its pages.
  • I am fascinated by Jesus (blogs.timesofisrael.com)
    No, not by the central figure of Christianity. I am interested in the Jewish rebel leader who stars in Zealot: The Life and Times of Jesus of Nazareth by Reza Aslan.
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    As a Jew living in the modern State of Israel, I am putting my beliefs and faith aside and openly stating that I am interested in the historical figure that lived in this land two thousand years ago. There are two hard facts about Jesus of Nazareth. First of all, Jesus was a Jew who led a popular Jewish movement at a very tumultuous time. The second fact is that Rome crucified Jesus for doing so.These two facts set the stage for the meticulously researched biography by Reza Aslan, published just last month. Entitled Zealot: The Life and Times of Jesus of Nazareth, this book challenges many long-held assumptions about the man whose life and teachings form the foundations of Christianity. Aslan is not the first author to consider the case of the historical Jesus, but his jargon-free, unprejudiced, reader-friendly presentation of both Scripture and history will ensure that his message will reach a large lay audience.
  • Did Jesus exist (maasaiboys.wordpress.com)
    I don’t understand this inspiration business. Since the gospel authors do not claim to be witnesses for example Luke 1: 1-4 , how do they claim to know what Jesus thought in some occasions when he was in private?
  • Pope, Netanyahu spar over Jesus’ native language (trust.org)
    Pope Francis and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu traded words on Monday over the language spoken by Jesus two millennia ago.”Jesus was here, in this land. He spoke Hebrew,” Netanyahu told Francis, at a public meeting in Jerusalem in which the Israeli leader cited a strong connection between Judaism and Christianity.

    “Aramaic,” the pope interjected.

    “He spoke Aramaic, but he knew Hebrew,” Netanyahu shot back.

  • Relentless Reliance on Repentance (innercitychurch.wordpress.com)
    The Gospel can be (possibly) summed up by four questions;
    Where do we come from? The answer to this questions is God. God creates us, God loves us, and God moulded human kind in His image. This is essential to understanding the other points – from love, God created people.
  • In the article Islam Is a Profoundly Political Religion With Uniquely Prominent Incivil Qualities (venitism.blogspot.com) it is clearly shown that many so called Christians do not understand that Muslims do have a problem not because of them being Christian, but because them adhering three gods. The majority of Muslims do not have any problem with real Christians who believe in only One God and who take Jesus to be Jesus a real son of man
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