DVD Review – God Kings: The Descendents of Jesus

Title: God Kings – The Descendants of Jesus
Genre: Documentary – Ancient History, Religion,Occult
Production Company: Reality Films

Is the Jesus story an ancient Roman marketing plan? Did Christ have a wife and daughter? A twin brother? These and other controversial questions are posed in God Kings: The Descendents of Jesus, a new DVD by Philip Gardiner.

Borrowing from the Gnostic Gospel of Philip (which was discovered near the Egyptian town of Nag Hammadi in 1945), retired professor Hugh Montgomery openly challenges mainstream Christian belief by arguing for an alternate history of Jesus and the Christian Church.

Legend has it that Constantine, the very first Christian Roman Emperor, conquered the pagan Romans in the name of Christ. Apparently Constantine was empowered by a vision (in some accounts, a dream) of a cross in the clouds that he encountered on the road to Rome, just before the Battle at Milvian Bridge.

On this and similar points Montgomery believes he’s dispelling 2,000 years of Church propaganda by suggesting that Constantine was a clever manipulator, seeking to control the lives and afterlife beliefs of the masses. Montgomery says that important details of Jesus story were allegedly fabricated and sold to the public to ensure Constantine’s complete control over their temporal and eternal aspirations.

But not only that. Jesus also had a wife and daughter, Montgomery says. And he interprets certain key Coptic words in the Gospel of Philip to support his idea.

Not every scholar would agree with Montgomery’s translation of the Coptic terms in question. But that doesn’t deter him from saying that Jesus’ powerful descendents can be traced along the bloodlines of the Germanic Odin and biblical David. Those of Odonic and Davidic lineage are said to have a quiet, inner power not necessarily exerted over others but which nonetheless can be sensed. And Montgomery, funnily enough, says he’s one of them.

Montgomery then proceeds to speak out against The Da Vinci Code, claiming it’s a work of plagiarism and, except for the idea that Jesus was married and had children, is largely hogwash. Montgomery also offers some seemingly Freudian influenced comments about language, rhythm and musical preference and presents a vision of God that fits with the idea of naturalistic pantheism—that is, God is everything and everything is God.

This is an entertaining video but it’s doubtful that all contemporary scholars would agree with Montgomery’s claims. However, he does point out – and I think rightly so – that the Jesus stories we’ve been told are not necessarily the whole story, and that power and politics may have played a part in their formation and promulgation.

Montgomery is a well-spoken man with not a few credentials to his name. Having said that, my main reservation with his work is that it might lead some non-experts to hastily replace one set of assumptions with another. Instead of leaping from one position to the next, it seems a better way to approach the history and, perhaps, heart of Christ’s life and teachings is to carefully study the existing evidence. True, a difficulty arises here in that it’s virtually impossible to read everything that’s been said about Jesus. But with the power of the internet, we can at least check to see if different perspectives can be found within surviving textual accounts.

And I highly doubt that Jesus would object to this. After all, he did advocate personal responsibility and the freedom to choose.

—MC (revised from 2009)

Related articles

• Only God is King! (ireport.cnn.com)
• “How God Became King” by N. T. Wright (Indescribable! Brilliant! This is N. T. Wright at his best! (haroldcameron.wordpress.com)
• Who Is In Charge? (spiritenabled.wordpress.com)
• The simple gospel (wordsofgrace.wordpress.com)

The Gnostic Meaning of The Song of Solomon

Cymraeg: Priflythyren o Ganiad Solomon yn eglwys gadeirol Caerwynt. English: Capital from the Song of Solomon in Winchester Cathedral. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Author: Madison Meadows

The Song of Songs, also referred as the Song of Solomon, is the only book of love poems in the Bible.  A lyric poem in dialogue form, the Book describes Solomon’s love for a Shalammite girl.  The king comes in disguise to her family’s vineyard, wins her heart, and makes her his bride.

The setting takes place in the hill country of Ephraim, about fifty miles north of Jerusalem at a vineyard of King Solomon.  He let it out to keepers, consisting of a mother, two sons, and two daughters- the Shalammite, and a little sister.  The Shalammite was the ‘Cinderella’ of the family, naturally beautiful but unnoticed.  Her brothers made her work hard tending the vineyards.  She pruned the vines and set traps for little foxes.  She also kept the flocks.

One day a handsome stranger came to the vineyard.  It was King Solomon disguised.  He showed an interest in the girl,  and she became embarrassed concerning her personal appearance.  She took him for a shepherd and asked about his flocks.  He answered evasively but also spoke loving words to her and promised rich gifts for the future.

He won her heart and left with the promise that some day he would return.  She dreamed of him at night and sometimes thought he was near.  Finally he did return in all his kingly splendor to make her his bride.

The Song of Solomon is interpreted as the love affair between God and the Shekinah (God the Mother and God the Bride), on other levels, it is contemplated as the love-play of the Bridegroom and Holy Bride or as the relationship of the Christ-prescence to the assembly of the elect.  As the love affair of God and the Shekinah, the Song of Solomon indicates bliss as the foundation for creation- for creation comes into being and is sustained through the love-play of God and the Shekinah.

When human beings pray, meditate, perform sacred cermony, and bring their souls into union with God, they join the Shekinah that indwells them to God. According to the Kabbalah,  when a man and woman join together in love and there is an awareness of the divine in their union, their unification below brings about a spiritual union of God and the Shekinah above- and thus the union of the man and woman is blessed.

The passion of the Shekinah does not only extend to God but also to the faithful and elect who are lovers of God, to whom she is also a companion.  She cleaves to the Lord and she cleaves to those who unite themselves with her in her love of the Lord, and thus joins together lovers with their beloved.

References~ Gnosis of the Cosmic Christ by Tau Malachi and www.preceptaustin.org

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/mysticism-articles/the-gnostic-meaning-of-the-song-of-solomon-5872222.html

About the Author

I am married with two kids.  I live in Phoenix, Arizona.  I blog about my mystical/spiritual experiences I’ve had since I was a child. I share those experiences now as insight to those whom have had similiar experiences, or are just searching for a deeper meaning in their lives.

Related articles

• song of solomon (rosary2007.wordpress.com)
• Song of Solomon and True Love (codybateman.org)
• Sheri-Searching out a matter (pociluykos.wordpress.com)
• For a really sexy wedding, try the Song of Solomon (blogs.telegraph.co.uk)
• True Love (codybateman.org)
• My review of Love’s Sacred Song by Mesu Andrews (michellesutton.wordpress.com)
• Song of Songs. (workofheartandsoul.wordpress.com)

A Trace of “Satan” Through the Bible

William Blake - Satan Going Forth from the Presence of the Lord via Wikipedia

by: Tonia Jordan

Throughout the Bible, the name of Satan may represent one being, but the characteristics of this being change several times. The one characteristic that remains the same throughout the Bible is that Satan likes to cause trouble. In Genesis 3, Satan tempts Eve to eat the fruit of the tree of knowledge, which causes the fall of man. Although the name of Satan is not used, the passage suggests an evil being taking the form of a serpent, which many believe was Satan.

Next, which may be the first mention of the name of Satan in the Bible, is in 1Chronicles 21:1, “Now Satan, setting himself against Israel, incited David to make a census of the people.” This passage introduces the thought of Satan in opposition of humans.

Then, in Job 1:6, “. . . the members of the court of heaven took their places in the presence of the Lord, and the Adversary, Satan, was there among them.” In a footnote to this verse, in The Oxford Study Bible, it is stated that “the Adversary is the enemy of human beings, not of God” (511). At this meeting in heaven, Satan questions God repeatedly about Job, a very faithful and honorable follower of God. God grants Satan permission to harm Job, suggesting a lack of power in Satan. The Student Bible mentions in a side note that “he has supernatural power to oppress people, but is restrained by God” (465).

In Zechariah 3:1, at the right side of the angel of the Lord, Satan is there to accuse Joshua, further implementing the role of Satan to be just an accuser.

Satan is only mentioned a few times in the Old Testament, and the name refers to an evil being that sets himself against the people. It seems also that his power is very limited, as he can do very little without the permission of God. Also, it seems suggested that Satan resided in heaven and was allowed to be in the presence of God.

In the New Testament, the image of Satan changes drastically. In Matthew 4:9, Satan is referred to as “the devil,” where he tempts Jesus, which may be the first time Satan interferes, without the permission of God, with a person’s life. Satan interferes with not just any person, but the son of God. This suggests that Satan’s evil power is now directed at God, and not people.

In Matthew 4:3, Satan is called “the tempter,” and he tempts many people throughout the New Testament. For example, in Thessalonians 2:18, Satan “thwarted” Paul and his companions on their way to Thessalonica.

William Blake - Satan Smiting Job with Sore Boils via Wikipedia

Another suggestion of Satan’s independent power over people is, in Luke 13:16, a woman was “bound by Satan for eighteen long years.” Yet another is, in Luke 22:3, when “Satan entered into Judas,” where Satan not only interferes but enters the body of a person.

Satan asks Jesus, in Matthew 4:9, to “. . . fall down and do me homage,” wanting Jesus to worship him and not God, further suggesting his opposition and this the first mention of the worship of Satan. Then in 1Timothy 5:15, it is stated, “For there have in fact been some who have taken the wrong turning and have gone over to Satan.” This proves that people had begun viewing Satan as a type of god, and some had even begun worshipping him.

In Luke 10:18, “[Jesus] said to them ‘ . . . And if it is Satan who drives out Satan, he is divided against himself; how then can his kingdom stand?’” This verse states that Satan has his own kingdom, which suggests the great power of Satan, much more at least than when he needed God’s permission to interfere with Job’s life.

In Acts 26:18, there is another mention of a kingdom of Satan: “You are to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light, from the dominion of Satan to God.” Then in Revelation 2:13, the phrase, “where Satan is enthroned” is written.

Throughout the Bible, the name of Satan transforms from a name meaning simply “accuser” into the name of an evil force in his own kingdom outside the kingdom of God; a being that interferes with and tempts the lives of people of his own free will.

Whether this transformation is an accurate development of the being, or whether man’s understanding of Satan changed is up for debate. One thing is clear – the symbol of evil that is Satan is a complex one.

About The Author

Tonia Jordan is an author on http://www.Writing.Com/ which is a site for all sorts of writers. Her portfolio can be found at http://www.Writing.Com/authors/spidergirl so stop by and read for a while.

Related articles

• Satan…He’s someone we should know about. Controversial yes, but you need to know the enemy. (pastormikesays.wordpress.com)
• Satan Never Looks Like Satan (deaconjohnspace.wordpress.com)
• Spiritual Warfare (wordservewatercooler.com)
• Satan (respiratorytherapycave.blogspot.com)
• Christianity’s Unwarranted Focus on the Being Satan (hendriekusr.wordpress.com)
• 5 Subtle Ways Satan Sneaks into the Pulput (stocktonbiblechapel.wordpress.com)

CHANGING GOD’S MIND

Baby Moses rescued from the Nile - Nicolas Poussin (1638) via Wikipedia

By Rabbi Allen S. Maller

Many Muslims, Christians and even Jews think that God is, or should be, unchanging. After all, the Torah proclaims, “God is not a person that He should lie, nor a human that He should change His mind.” Numbers 23:12) and the prophet Malachi says, “I am the Lord, unchanging.” (3:6) However, in the very next verse Malachi adds, “If you will return to me, I will return to you, says the Lord of Hosts.” God is unchanging in always being responsive/changing to our prayers and actions.

Those who claim God is unchanging say that God is all knowing and thus knows in advance how people will act. Therefore God only seems to change in response to human behavior. But in the days of Noah “When the Lord saw that humans had done much evil on earth and their thoughts and impulses were always evil, God was sorry that he made mankind.” (Genesis 6:5) If God knew in advance that humans would be so evil God wouldn’t have felt sorry for creating humanity.

Our Rabbis went even further in understanding God’s responsiveness. When Israel made the golden calf God was so angry he wanted to destroy them (Exodus 32:10) but Moses pleaded with God  “like a man who seizes his fellow by his garment and says ‘I will not let go till you forgive them’ (Rabbi Abbahu). Rabbi Yohanan says, “in the end God conceded Moses was right as it says, ‘I have pardoned according to your word.’ (Deut. 9:14) Rabbi Isaac adds, “This teaches God said to Moses ‘your words have vitalized me.’” (Talmud Brachot 32a) Thus God not only concedes Moses’ arguments are right and changes his mind, but God also finds the interaction stimulating.

Indeed, our Sages even taught that God learned from Moses. When God tells Moses to destroy Canaanite cities (Deut. 20:17) Moses did not do it because he refused to smite the innocent together with the sinners. Instead Moses sent negotiators as he had to Sihon, king of Heshbon. (Deut. 2:26) Only when Sihon preferred war did Moses fight. Then God says to Moses, “I told you to destroy them and you didn’t do it. By your life, because you did this, I will do this ‘When you advance on a city to attack, make it an offer of peace’.” (Deut. 20:10) Midrash Tanhumah teaches that God added to the Torah because of Moses’ moral concerns.

The Rabbis even assert that one time when a majority of the Rabbis voted to support the interpretation of Rabbi Joshua even though God had indicated 3 times that Rabbi Eliezer was correct, God laughed and said (proudly), “My children have defeated me.” (Talmud: Baba Metzia 59b)

God’s mind changes because change is part of life in general and a good and faithful relationship in particular. The idea that God is perfect and thus cannot change is an error of Greek philosophy. Perfection is static. A circle is perfect. To live is to change and the God of the Bible is the living mentor of Israel and all humanity.

Rabbi Maller’s web site is rabbimaller.com

Related articles

• oral torah – what is it? (yellowdogstudio.org)
• Moses 13 of 23 ( Full Movie ) (parenting-success.com)
• In God’s Shoes (thetalmidrebbe.com)
• Daily Tidbits – 12/10/11 – Shadows of Messiah in the Bible (littleguyintheeye.wordpress.com)
• Traveling through the wilderness (bibleandmylife.wordpress.com)
• The Torah Anthology – what is it? (yellowdogstudio.org)

What are Demons – Evil Spirits – And Ghosts ?

Nephilim creature from Imagination by Eric Leiser, Albino Fawn Productions, CC via Wikipedia

by: Robert W. Benjamin

Before we get into the sections on UFO’s and demons, I want to state my personal beliefs into what Demons are. A lot of people think of demons as fallen angels, and for a long time I also did. I once got an email from a Biblical Researcher who told me I was wrong, and that they were instead created from another source, the Nephilim. At the time, I disregarded this thinking as my own mind was so set in years of beliefs that demons, were fallen angels.

After reading the bible through two times, and studying passages numerous times over my lifetime, reading books on the Nephilim, and viewing numerous movies and shows on hauntings, I started switching my beliefs, and I now believe that demons are the evil spirits of the Nephilims created before the flood, once these beings were killed in the flood, their fallen angel, and corrupted human spirits or souls could not enter heaven, but were left to wander the earth until the day of their judgment upon the return of Christ after the great tribulation.

The Book of Enoch states that demons are indeed the spirits of the Nephilim, here is Enoch – Chapter 15:

Speaking to the Fallen Angels, it states “3. Wherefore have ye left the high, holy, and eternal heaven, and lain with women, and defiled yourselves with the daughters of men and taken to yourselves wives, and done like the children of earth, and begotten giants (Nephilim) as your sons. 4. And though ye were holy, spiritual, living the eternal life, you have defiled yourselves with the blood of women, and have begotten (children) with the blood of flesh, and, as the children of men, have lusted after flesh and blood as those who die and perish. 5. Therefore have I given them wives also that they might impregnate them, and beget children by them, that thus nothing might be wanting to them on earth. 6. But you were formerly, spiritual, living the eternal life, and immortal for all generations of the world. 7. And therefore I have not appointed wives for you; for as for the spiritual ones of the heaven, in heaven is their dwelling.

8. And now, the giants, who are produced from the spirits (fallen angels) and flesh (human women), shall be called evil spirits upon the earth, and on the earth shall be their dwelling. 9. Evil spirits have proceeded from their bodies; because they are born from women, and from the holy Watchers (fallen angels) is their beginning and primal origin; they shall be evil spirits on earth, and evil spirits shall they be called. 10. As for the spirits of heaven, in heaven shall be their dwelling, but as for the spirits of the earth which were born upon the earth, on the earth shall be their dwelling. 11. And the spirits of the giants afflict, oppress, destroy, attack, do battle, and work destruction on the earth, and cause trouble: they take no food, but nevertheless hunger, and thirst, and cause offences. And these spirits shall rise up against the children of men and against the women, because they have proceeded from them.

Demon by Ark via Flickr

That section above from the book of Enoch clearly states what the evil spirits or demons are, and from where they came, they are the spirits or eternal souls of the Nephilim.

I have watched numerous factual documentary movies about hauntings, haunted houses and have read numerous reports on cases of demonic possessions. In a lot of these haunted cases, there appears to be a main spirit that is always very evil, and it often seems to control one or more supposedly trapped souls or dead human spirits, in these haunted locations. This main, evil and dark entity shows it’s self often as a cloaked, or hooded figure, and at other times as a dark rolling black mass, or shadow type person. I believe this main evil entity is a fallen angel, or what is also called a devil, it is not The Devil as in Satan, but it is a high level fallen angel, and these supposedly trapped human spirits also haunting these locations are really just lesser demonic beings, or as they are also called evil spirits, the souls of the Nephilim.

They are all working hand in hand, to make an area appear haunted, just as another way or causing fear, and tormenting humans that wish to visit or live at such locales. The reason these so called ghosts, appear just like departed humans of the past is just like the way the demon came to me in my mind and visited the apartment those years ago, when my friend Ray had passed away, they are demons called ‘Familiar Spirits’, as they were familiar with the living humans when they lived upon the earth. This doesn’t mean that while living, the humans were possessed or involved in the occult necessarily, it’s just that the invisible demons are quite probably around us all the time, but we can’t see them. And if the humans were involved with the occult, or opened themselves up to the demonic realms, though alcoholism, drug use, seances, ouija boards or any other such states of mind and occult practice, they could of been actually possessed by the very same demons ‘Familiar spirits’ that now pretend to be these same peoples ghosts.

The Holy Bible makes it pretty clear, that there are indeed spirit beings, both good and evil, but it negates the idea that the spirits of deceased human beings can remain on earth and “haunt” the living.

In Hebrews 9:27 it says: “…man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment.” That is what happens to a person’s soul or spirit after death, the judgment. The result of this judgment is heaven for the believer and follower of Jesus Christ (2 Corinthians 5:6-8; Philippians 1:23), and hell for those who do not receive Christ as Savior (Matthew 25:46; Luke 16:22-24). There is no in-between, no stuck in limbo, no waiting around the earthly home, no walking along the road the accident happened at, or any other such crap. There is no possibility of a human remaining on earth in spirit form as a “ghost.” If there are such things as ghosts, according to the Bible, they absolutely cannot be the disembodied spirits of deceased human beings.

Nephilim by catwommn via Flickr

The Bible teaches very clearly that there are indeed spirit beings that can connect and appear in our physical world. The Bible identifies these beings as angels and demons. Angels are spirit beings who are faithful in serving God or Satan as in the case of the rebellious, fallen angels. Corinthians 11:14-15 indicates that demons masquerade as “angels of light” and as “servants of righteousness.” Appearing as a “ghost” and impersonating a deceased human being definitely seem to be within the power and abilities demons possess.

What about instances in which “ghosts” act in good ways? And, what about psychics that claim to summon the dead and gain true and useful information from them? Again, it is crucial to remember that the goal of demons is to deceive. If the result is a person trusting in a psychic instead of trusting in God, a demon will be more than willing to reveal true information. Even good and true information, if from a source with evil motives, can be used to form the demons ultimate purpose, to mislead, depress, oppress, possess and destroy.

Interest in the paranormal is becoming more and more common. Some of the top TV shows now involve Ghost Hunting and the Paranormal. The sci-fi channel offers ‘Ghost Hunters’, and ‘Ghost Hunters International’. The A&E Channel offers ‘Paranormal State’, DISCOVERY offered ‘A Haunting’, and there are other such shows on all the major networks, such as ‘Ghost Whisperer’, ‘Medium’, ‘Most Haunted’, and numerous others. Folks are being brainwashed and deceived into thinking that the dead can hang around as ghosts, I believe this is to trick people into the occult, by getting them to use ouija boards or tape recorders to gather EVPs (Electronic Voice Phenomena), holding Seances, Tarot Cards, and dabbling into other occult phenomena. The only thing such occult activity will ultimately do, is open the door that allows demons and fallen angels to manifest in the dabblers location and lives.

Most people are unaware of the true nature of the spiritual world, if only they would read and study the Holy Bible, they could easily become aware of what is going on. Sadly, instead of seeking this truth about the spirits by communing with God and studying His Word, many people allow themselves to be led astray.

There is a website that has information on angels, fallen angels, ufos, secret groups, aliens, alien abductions, NWO, one world government, and much more, the website is called: The Great Deception, and can be found at this url: http://www.great-deception.com

About The Author

Robert W. Benjamin has been in the software business on the internet since 2001, and has been producing low-cost and free software for numerous years. He first released public domain products on the AMIGA and C64 computer systems in the late 1970′s-80′s. He as authored a book called: Unknown Creatures – Over 50 of the most documented creatures of Cryptozoology, and he has written several reports and articles related to the Biblical end times, and numerous other sujects.

Unknown Creatures: http://www.unknown-creatures.com

The author invites you to visit: http://www.great-deception.com

Related articles

• Creatures of Cryptozoology – Bigfoot – Mothman – The Jersey Devil – and other Principalities (epages.wordpress.com)
• The New Idolatry by Pam Sheppard: A Look at the Nephilim, Fallen Angels and Spirit Rape (endtimeebooklibrary.com)
• Nephilim – Have They Returned? (settingcaptivesfree.wordpress.com)
• Sex With Devils In Endtimes (pamsheppardpublishing.com)
• Christian Mysticism and the Days of Noah (settingcaptivesfree.wordpress.com)
• Nephilim: The Enemy Pollutes the Seed (freedomarc.wordpress.com)

What Do Angels Look Like?

Three angels visiting Abraham via Wikipedia

by: Bruce Bussell

Since angels are spirits rather than physical beings, they don’t have to be visible at all (Colossians 1:16). Elisha once prayed that his servant would see the armies of angels surrounding the city, and the young man discovered that he had overlooked a lot of invisible beings (2 Kings 6:17)!

When angels do appear, they generally appear in the form of men. In Genesis 18, Abraham welcomed three angelic guests who appeared at first to be nothing more than some travellers. In the following chapter, two angels went to Sodom where they were assumed to be simply a pair of human visitors.

With the possible exception of one debatable passage in Zechariah 5:9, angels always appear as males rather than females (Mark 16:5).

Sometimes an angel appears to be a man with unusual features. Daniel saw an angel with arms and legs resembling polished metal and precious stones, and a face like lightning (Daniel 10:5-6). The angel that rolled back the stone from Christ’s tomb was radiating dazzling light (Matthew 28:3; Luke 24:4). The book of Revelation describes some highly unusual beings who may be a variety of angel in Revelation 4:6-8.

Angels in the Bible never appear as cute, chubby infants! They are always full-grown adults. When people in the Bible saw an angel, their typical response was to fall on their faces in fear and awe, not to reach out and tickle an adorable baby.

Some Bible passages picture angels with wings (Isaiah 6:2,6). Other verses talk about angels flying, and we assume that the wings would be useful for that flight (Daniel 9:21). However, I suspect that angels can move around without having to depend on wings. Most references to angels in the Bible say nothing about wings, and in passages like Genesis 18-19, it is certain that no wings were visible.

About The Author

Bruce Bussell is the founder of Hearts Fod God Christian Ministry which is designed to bring people closer to God through the study of His angels. A free newsletter all about angels is offered. You can check out Hearts For God at www.heartsforgod.com.

Related articles

• I Wonder What Angels Look Like in Heaven (bummyla.wordpress.com)
• Angels (tfollowers.com)
• The Angels Watching Over Us (iowadogtrust.wordpress.com)
• Angels Facts from the Bible (cherilynclough.com)
• Angels (Elect & Evil) (smotl.net)

On Finding Our Way

Traffic congestion, Sao Paulo, Brazil via Wikipedia

 by: Cory L. Kemp

Maps are funny things.

They are only good if you know how to use them. You have to know where you are, know what your destination is, and from that, apply your time frame to this representation of the larger reality into which you are about to embark.

But what if you possess an outdated map? Or, what about road construction, traffic congestion, flat tires, stops for food, rest rooms and general relief from the numbing ribbon of concrete and asphalt? What about missed exits, bad food and all the things that can go wrong to jostle us out of our plan, all the things that shouldn’t be, but are indeed? What happens when all the things that are going wrong become the journey itself?

Somewhere between moving into the map and moving onto the road we all have things go as we have not planned, and we must discover the ways that work best for us to continue our journey and get where we want to go. Sometimes the discovery process becomes another journey altogether. And, sometimes we step just far enough into the unknown that we feel the earth shift beneath us. How do you take another step forward, or in any direction, when you no longer know where you stand?

I guess the first bit of wisdom is to take a deep breath, and exhale. That is the crossroads at which the relaxation industry has amassed its wealth, and with good reason. It isn’t the journey, or the pitfalls we encounter along the way, or the side roads that, after the fact, we realize have rendered new opportunities, that upset our balance, but our anxious responses to these circumstances. We have a choice in how we can perceive the world and ourselves, and anxiety is only one of those choices. When the first step back to solid ground is a choice on top of an already overwhelming amount of choices, it doesn’t seem so simple and straightforward.

Having made it my mission to consider this aperture in our daily human travels, I was pleased to rekindle the memory that God, through a variety of Biblical references, clearly has no intention for us to be anxious or live our journeys as if anxiety is a tool, a weapon or a lifestyle choice. As fear can be the precursor to a mounting, crushing anxiety, Isaiah 43:1 reminds us: “Fear not, I have redeemed you, I have called you by name, you are mine.” Here we are offered the gentle connection and the opportune steps to allow ourselves back to sure footing, and the freedom to return to the full joy of our travels. Let go of the fear, remember to whom we belong, as well as who we are called to be, and the love by which we are called into being. And from this process, we will indeed find our way.

About The Author

Cory L. Kemp

As an ordained minister, I have worked in educational ministries in several congregations, as well as pastoring a church in the Midwest. My writing has focused on nonfiction essays, and I have recently submitted a theological memoir for publication. Creating Women Ministries is an adventure born of a blended love of God and writing, a website dedicated to encouraging theological dialogue, particularly among women, through workshops, journaling and personal spiritual development. Our site can be found at: www.creatingwomenministries.com. We can be reached by email at: creatingwomen@irun.com.

Related articles

• What Is Anticipatory Anxiety? (everydayhealth.com)
• Do You Have Social Anxiety Disorder? (everydayhealth.com)
• Life Lessons from Isaiah 19 (thoughtsonscripture.com)
• Bullying and Anxiety: What’s the Connection? (education.com)
• Remembering the toughest of times: What would you go back and tell yourself? (hudsonandhill.com)

Medjugore, Signs and Wonders

Virgin Mary © Raimond Spekking / CC-BY-SA-3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

by: Anthony Keith Whitehead

An article by Francis Frangipane has recently gone into circulation. It is a very balanced and well constructed article. The main purpose was to argue the need to put the word of the Bible before signs and wonders and to see the latter in the context of the former. He made a number of useful points and used some interesting concepts. It was of a quality one would expect from him no more than one would expect from him and it is not my purpose here to criticise this work.

However, there are some points which arise from what he said which do need attention. In pursuing his objective he, inevitably, made comments which were subservient to it and, not being of main concern, were not developed. But some of these do require further consideration.

Extra-biblical Phenomona

FP defines manifestations ‘which have no pattern in the Bible’ as extra-biblical. In these he includes the quaking of Quakers and the rolling of Holy Rollers. He then includes the claimed visitations of the mother of Jesus at Medjugore (in the former Yugoslavia) as belonging to the same category. This is surely a slip of thought.

Medjugore Patterns in the Bible?

A pattern consists of elements which can be regarded as representative of something and which are repeated in recognisable ways.

In fact, there are several well known instances in the Bible which constitute a pattern into which Medjugore fits very well. Visitations of angels abound, but there are other instances: Samuel appeared to Saul, albeit illegally (1 Samuel 28:8 – 20); Jacob had an encounter with a heavenly being (some would say divine) (Genesis 32. 23 – 33); there was a (probably divine) appearance to Joshua (Joshua 5. 13 – 15). Of course, we know of the appearance to Jesus himself of Moses and Elijah (Matthew 17. 1 – 8f) and there are many other examples one could quote.

Do these constitute a pattern into which the (claimed) appearances at Medjugore fit? Surely they do. The visions at Medjugore are different in only two respects: they concern a female rather than a male figure; and they have been repeated every night without fail over twenty-two years. Otherwise, and these are surely not grounds for exclusion, the Medjugore events fit into the biblical pattern extremely well.

True, as patterns go, are identical, but many have repetitions which include nonidentical elements. This is evident when we compare such biblical events as mentioned above. All have similarities of one kind or another but none can be said to be identical.

Medjugore, Quakers and Rollers.

The events at Medjugore cannot, therefore, properly be compared with extra-biblical charismatic-type events relating to such as Quakers and Rollers. Of course, Francis Frangipane was simply looking for some examples, and unfortunately picked on Medjugore. But, since the latter can be seen quite clearly to fit within the biblical category, it does demand further attention. Clearly, this kind of categorisation is permissive rather than conclusive of its genuineness: everything that looks like something biblical is not necessarily genuine.

At least because of its influence on very large numbers of people, not to say that God may be ‘reaching to these people through this manifestation,’ the Medjugore phenomenon warrants some further consideration.

Divine Or Demonic Origin?

FP says ‘I personally do not believe that this was (is?) Mary’. He does not say why but, as we have noted, thinks that God may be using it. But that is not really enough. It is either of satanic or of divine origin. One or the other. Ought we not to make an assessment of which?

Is there a possibility of satanic origin? That is doubtful when one considers the messages, and I have read many of them, which have been coming out of Medjugore since 1981. Jesus once asked “How can Satan drive out Satan?” because a kingdom or house cannot stand if divided against itself. Moreover, he added, very significantly, that, if Satan were to oppose himself, his end would have come (Mark 3. 23 – 26f).

Now, it may well be that Satan’s end is near, but it has clearly not arrived at the moment. Moreover, the essence of the conflict between God and Satan is, to coin a phrase, a struggle for the hearts and minds of God’s people. In that conflict the major weapon is a composite of words, concepts and ideas – a major weapon on both sides.

So what are the words (and fruits) coming out of Medjugore? Principally, and repeatedly over the past twenty-two years: love, peace and prayer – and not just any prayer, but sustain, repeated, serious, two, three hours of prayer every day; the establishments of prayer groups and a renewal by thousands of their life in Christ. Now, does that sound like a message from Satan? Hardly. For as yet, his kingdom has not fallen. Certainly he is a crafty strategist, but he would hardly take the risk of repeating these messages every day for so long! And to what end?

So phenomena at Medjugore is unlikely to be satanic in origin. That leaves a divine source. FP doubts it is Mary. But who else, then? Has God sent some angelic spirit to give such words of truth, over so long a period, by deceiving his people with a spirit instructed to claim to be the mother of Jesus but which it is not? That seems implausible, to put it at its lowest.

Hence, whether we like it or not, (but why do we not?) Mary seems the likeliest probability.

Now, although a lifelong Catholic, (albeit with strong Pentecostal symptoms) I am not what Catholics would call a ‘Marianist’ i.e. someone with a special devotion to Mary. And I have always been somewhat shy of the idea of ‘to Jesus through Mary’ – not because it cannot happen, because it can and has for many people, but there is always the risk getting ‘stuck’ on or at Mary. But maybe that implies that I think God cannot look after those who sincerely seek him.

However, we also have to take a wider view than Medjugore itself. It has been argued here that the (claimed) appearances there are not extra-biblical and that is not surrendered. But suppose they were, for arguments sake. While the Bible contains only truth, not all truth is contained within the Bible.How could it be when John’s gospels says that the world could not contain even everything which the disciples knew of Jesus alone (John 21. 25)? Being extra-biblical, as WP acknowledges, is not in itself a cause for condemnation. So…?

In order to accept that the appearances at Medjugore are genuine, one has to consider them within the wider framework of Marian appearances. Medjugore is only the latest in a long cycle of (claimed) appearences of Mary. Most non-Catholics will not be aware of even those in the modern era, which amount to at least eight major visitations, from Guadalope in Mexico in 1531, through Bernadette Soubirous in1858 at Lourdes in France, andKnock in Ireland in 1879, to Fatima in Spain, in 1917 (which led Catholics world-wide to pray over decades for the downfall of communism and the USSR). Not one is identical to another but there is a very strong pattern of similarities (which space here does not permit of description).

In every instance there have been signs and wonders over succeeding decades or centuries of continuing evangelistic and healing associations. Far too many to delineate here, but far too many to pass-off as ‘bunkum’ and, for reasons similar to those given above, too marked by the work of the Spirit to judge satanic in origin.

I have never been to Medjugore. Perhaps I should have. But, in FP’s t erms, I could have been found ‘running after signs’ when the ‘Toronto Blessing’ hit the north east of England at Sunderland some years ago. I hope I did not do it at the expense of the God’s word. But I could not accept the condemnations which some other Christians were making of it of it without investigation. I did get the ‘shakes’ as a result, although I could never see any real spiritual growth as a consequence.

There is, perhaps, too much suspicion among Christians of Christians in sectors other than one’s own (not that Francis Frangipane is guilty of this). God is too big even for the Bible, and certainly for our limited minds to comprehend. And it is surely an irresponsible Christian who thinks he knows the limits to the ways in which God acts among his people, or who thinks he can impose such limits.

About The Author

Anthony Keith Whitehead
Web Site: http://www.christianword.co.uk
Experience: Over twenty years in Christian healing, teaching and writing.
Qualifications: B.A., M.Phil., Cambridge University Certificate in Religious Studies.

Related articles

• The Rosary is Biblical [video] (deaconjohnspace.wordpress.com)
• Repost: Immaculate Conception (vitaconsecrata.wordpress.com)
• Jesus had brothers and sisters (bjorkbloggen.wordpress.com)
• The Devil’s Playbook (via Ray Ortlund) (mgpcpastor.com)
• The Virgin Mary (ptl2010.com)
• Christian Faith Healing; Can it be Lost Once Received? (watchtbjoshua.wordpress.com)

Did God Command Child Sacrifice?

The angel prevents the sacrifice of Isaac, detail from prekmurian book Zgodbe Sztároga i Nóvoga Zákona, 1873 of István Szelmár (close up) via Wikipedia

Author: Cory Tucholski

It is often supposed by skeptics that the God of the Bible accepts child sacrifice.

Only the most shallow reasoner could conclude that child sacrifice was commanded by God in the Bible.  Yet, the criticism is so widespread that an answer is necessary, though the charge is so stupid it deserves to be ignored.

Leviticus 18:22 says: ‘You shall not give any of your children to offer them to Molech, and so profane the name of your God: I am the LORD.’  Molech was a Canaanite god who demanded the blood sacrifice of the firstborn child, usually by burning.  God here commands the Israelites not to offer such a sacrifice.  And in Leviticus 20:2, God orders that those who make such a sacrifice to be stoned to death.

But critics point to two stories in the Bible in support of the false notion that God commands child sacrifice.  Never is the clear prohibition dealt with.  The first and most obvious story is the offering of Isaac by Abraham.  The second is the vow of Jephthah to sacrifice the first thing that came out of his house — which happened to be his daughter.

The story of Abraham and Isaac found in Genesis 22:1-19 requires some historical context to understand.  While we moderns would balk at a command from God to sacrifice our own child, this was common practice in the time of Abraham.  That means it’s doubtful that Abraham would have batted an eyelash at the request, except for the lingering doubt that he might never have another child.  And that doubt is what gives us the lesson of the story — obeying God in faith, realizing that when he promises something he will bring it to pass.

Since God blessed Abraham with one child, it means that God can bless him with more.  Recognizing that, Abraham was willing to sacrifice Isaac, hoping that God would make good on his promise of descendants later on down the road.  This shows amazing trust in God, because Abraham and Sarah tried for years before they got Isaac, even stooping to using Hagar to bear a child.

Then God stops Abraham from killing Isaac, which is the real counter-culture surprise in this story.  Turns out that this sort of sacrifice isn’t acceptable to God; in fact, the only unblemished and worthy sacrifice is the one God provided to himself: Jesus.  Though Abraham wouldn’t have thought in those terms just yet, the foreshadowing is obvious in retrospect.

We see the same motif of sacrificing the first born in the first book of Samuel.  Hannah offers Samuel into temple service, which is the correct way to fulfill such a vow to God.

The temple service idea is behind the vow of Jephthah (Jdg 11:29-40), the second story often cited by critics who erroneously conclude that God commands child sacrifice.  Jephthah makes a public vow that he will offer whatever comes out of his house first to greet him if God delivers the enemy.  God does, and when Jephthah returns home his daughter is the first out of the house to greet him.

The fact that this vow is public indicates that his daughter very likely knew of the vow.  So if she thought that her life was in any danger, she would have made sure she was the last person out of that house when her father returned.

Whatever was sacrificed to God was considered holy and received special consideration and treatment under the Law.  Assuming she was promised to temple service, this is an effective way to disown and divorce herself from the family.  In other words, Jephthah’s daughter was intentionally thumbing her nose at her father, for whatever personal reasons she might have had.

In any event, Jephthah was a judge of Israel and would have known the law against child sacrifice.  His daughter being the first out of the house creates an unanswerable conundrum for him.  On the one hand, to fulfill his vow he would commit a sin against the Lord — one that merited the death penalty.  On the other hand, to break his vow to the Lord would equally as grave a sin as the murder of his daughter.  The responsible answer is to promise his daughter to temple service, thereby fulfilling his vow without having to commit a grave sin that would forfeit his life as well.  The lifetime temple service would fit with text telling us that she bemoaned her virginity instead of her life.

Does the Bible permit child sacrifice?  Well, in cases like Abraham and Jephthah, it seems to at least describe the action.  However, the Bible describes sin all the time without condoning it.  No one is going to point to a story like Abraham and Abimelech and say that it means God condones lying, since Abraham is called a friend of God and he lied in that story to protect himself.

So it is with child sacrifice.  Just because an action is described as having happened in the Bible does not mean that God condones it.  Both stories (Abraham and Isaac, Jephthah and his tragic vow) are clearly in the Bible to show the folly of the practice.  Especially in light of the clear legal prohibitions against child sacrifice, the viable option of lifetime temple service (as we see with Hannah and Samuel), and the death penalty to those who do sacrifice their children.  There is no excuse for practicing child sacrifice, and the act is abominable to God.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/christianity-articles/did-god-command-child-sacrifice-5335584.html

About the Author

I’m a passionate defender of the Christian faith, husband, father of two; lover of my wife, reading, chess, and philosophical theology.  Follow me on Twitter, or visit my Facebook page to learn more about God, Christianity, theology, and defending the truth.

Related articles

• Glossing Over Evil (knightswalk.wordpress.com)
• Jephthah’s Vow – Did He or Didn’t He? (basictheology.wordpress.com)
• Isaac Bound: template for Jesus in the Gospel of Matthew (vridar.wordpress.com)
• Isaac Bound & Jesus: first century evidence (vridar.wordpress.com)
• Who would sacrifice children’s lives for wealth? (hornbillunleashed.wordpress.com)
• Save us from the time of trial (craigkuehn.wordpress.com)
• “I Am Your Great Reward” (Part One)* (captivatedbychrist.org)
• God Is A Promise Keeper (yourgodmoments.wordpress.com)
• Examining my beliefs (new.exchristian.net)
• My Sweet Lord : the essential bits (openmindkafkasworld.com)

Comparative Religious Studies/Jainism

Holy Trinity by Fridolin Leiber (1853–1912) via Wikipedia

Here’s a Q&A at AllExperts.com that outlines some of the similarities and differences between the Indian religion of Jainism and Christianity.

• Comparative Religious Studies/Jainism

Related Articles

• Nikhil Bumb: Jain or Hindu? Finding a Distinct Religious Identity in a Multi-Faith Society (huffingtonpost.com)
• God’s Emotions 6: Pleasing a High Status Deity (Supplication, Adulation, and Subservience) (new.exchristian.net)
• Are you an Igtheist or a Transtheist? (philipcarrgomm.wordpress.com)
• Doubt and Faith (diglotting.com)
• The Ancient World | India (guardian.co.uk)
• How can the trinity doctrine be reconciled with the commandment of Mark 12 29 and Deut 6 5 (wiki.answers.com)
• Life of Jain Monks and Nuns (socyberty.com)
• “The Case of the Christian Astronomer [Controversy]” and related posts (gawker.com)
• “Christian” Debt Consolidation? Beware. (godlessblogger.com)
• The Other Jesus (Intro Excerpt) (theotherjesus.com)