Any TRUE religious Jew would say the TORAH is THE HOLIEST of BOOKS, since it is the word of Moses, who is the prophet who brought the people out of Egypt and received the 10 Commandments.
The Talmud ("instruction, learning", from a root "teach, study") is a central text of mainstream Judaism, in the form of a record of rabbinic discussions pertaining to Jewish law, ethics, philosophy, customs and history.
"The conscious and intelligent manipulation of the organized habits and opinions of the masses is an important element in democratic society. Those who manipulate this unseen mechanism of society constitute an invisible government which is the true ruling power of our country. ... We are governed, our minds are molded, our tastes formed, our ideas suggested, largely by men we have never heard of." Edward Bernays, Father of Public Relations
#87. To: FormerLurker, abraxas, artisan, all (#67)(Edited)
At this point I can just shake my head and see why this world will never be peaceful, as most would rather just love to hate and use whatever excuse they can find to focus and target that hate.
In order for there to be true peace, which I define as a lack of a threat and not as a mere absence of conflict, then people need to have their right to be left alone honored and respected. That is what is keeping peace from being achieved. The abrahamic "faiths" do not respect or honor that right to be left alone. They're always butting in where they are not welcome. Their being butt-in-skis is a doctrinal imperative.
This is why I have become a Satanist, or rather I always was one and didn't know it until recently. Satanism is (ideally) a religion of individualism. We go our own way. But as a grouping even that has its problems. Too many want to be a big fish in a very small pond.
The second dumbest creature on the face of the earth is the one who cannot recognize its enemies. The most stupid of all is the one who will defend and collaborate with the very enemies that are destroying it and its own kind. -Ben Klassen
I don't know, but Hebrew is related to Arabic for Whadi, or gully or drainage probably relating to the region of southern Yemen where the tribe appears to have originated.
According to Arabic tradition, this tribe was the one to domesticate the camel, 2000 bc or so.
That's old school "liberal" Christianity man! Today's "real" Christians know that Jesus was a God of War and that Christians have a duty to kill Muslim's and wipe them off of the face of the Earth while making the world safe for Democracy! Jesus was a Republican.
Paul did round up christians and kill them, before becoming a believer himself. Or have you got some other relatively concrete evidence to the contrary.
In The Story of Christian Origins, Martin Larson writes:
"Paul declares that... the Elect may even eat meat sacrificed to idols.... Whereas Jesus honored women and found in them His most devoted followers, Paul never tires of proclaiming their inferiority. He declares that, man is the head of the woman and she must always submit to his will.... Whereas the Essenes proclaimed equality among the Brethren [the Essenes were the first people on earth to condemn and forbid the practice of slavery], Paul repeatedly declares that Christian slaves must be obedient to their Christian masters."
In one of the best books on early Christianity, Those Incredible Christians, Dr. Hugh Schonfield reports:
"For the Apostolic Church much that Paul taught was grievous error not at all in accord with the mind and message of the Messiah. The original Apostles could urge that the truth was known by them. But Paul had never companied with Jesus or heard what he said day after day [remember: Paul had never even met Jesus], and Paul's visions were the delusions of this own misguided mind....
"It was not only the teaching and activities of Paul which made him obnoxious to the Christian leaders: but their awareness that he set his revelations above their authority and claimed an intimacy with the mind of Jesus, greater than that of those who had companied with him on earth and had been chosen by him.... It was an abomination, especially as his ideas were so contrary to what they knew of Jesus, that he should pose as the embodiment of the Messiah's will.... Paul was seen as the demon-driven enemy of the Messiah.... For the legitimate Church, Paul was a dangerous and disruptive influence, bent on enlisting a large following among the Gentiles in order to provide himself with a numerical superiority with the support of which he could set at defiance the Elders at Jerusalem. Paul had been the enemy from the beginning, and because he failed in his former open hostility he had craftily insinuated himself into the fold to destroy it from within."
"The real deal is this: the royalty controlling the court, the ones with the power, the ones with the ability to make a difference, with the ability to change our course, the ones who will live in infamy if we pass the tipping points, are the captains of industry, CEOs in fossil fuel companies such as EXXON/Mobil, automobile manufacturers, utilities, all of the leaders who have placed short-term profit above the fate of the planet and the well-being of our children." - James Hansen
A Jew who wishes to claim he is religious might simply listen to a rabbi wail about the Talmud. Spiritual Jews know that the Torah is the path to true awareness of God, and Kabbalah is the map for that path.
Remember, the Talmud is just the words of rabbis from 1800 years ago or so, with more being added over time.
The words of rabbis certainly don't carry more weight than the proclaimed words of the Prophets.
"The real deal is this: the royalty controlling the court, the ones with the power, the ones with the ability to make a difference, with the ability to change our course, the ones who will live in infamy if we pass the tipping points, are the captains of industry, CEOs in fossil fuel companies such as EXXON/Mobil, automobile manufacturers, utilities, all of the leaders who have placed short-term profit above the fate of the planet and the well-being of our children." - James Hansen
Schonfield was a Jew who termed himself a "Nazarene", meaning that he believed, as a Jew, that the Messiah, as predicted in Judaism's Hebrew Bible, had come in the person of Jesus. Schonfield wrote The Passover Plot, a book whose thesis is that the Crucifixion was part of a larger, conscious attempt by Jesus to fulfill the Messianic expectations rampant in his time, and that the plan went unexpectedly wrong.
Schonfield not only read between the lines, but between the lines was the only place he did read. He did not even know the lines were there. His description of Christ and the New Testament is as old as Jewish opposition to the faith in Jesus as the Messiah and God's Son. It goes back as far as the first proclamation of the hope of Israel to the Greek world. He claims thinks that Jesus did not rise from the dead, but that the grief-stricken followers only imagined that they had seen and spoken with someone whom they later assumed to be the Master. His idea was to make the followers of Jesus merely another sect within the Jewish fold, where sectarianism was not looked upon with disfavor at all. Those who wished to recognize Jesus as the Messiah could become proselytes by being circumcised and promising allegiance to the Torah.
The fact is that Paul labored constantly and tirelessly to avoid a division between Jewish and non-Jewish believers. He declared that the gospel he proclaimed was "the power of God unto salvation," to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. He affirmed that in Christ Jesus there is neither Jew nor Greek, but all are one in Christ. What heretics like Schonfield brand as fanaticism results because they will not accept Jesus as the true Messiah. His bias against the resurrection of Christ shapes his thinking. It is he who must make unjustifiable deductions to sustain a theory that would be laughed out of court, if it were not for its serious consequences in the hearts and lives of carnal and uninformed readers.
The day will come, and it is not too far distant, when books by Schonfield will not be remembered or recognized. One day you will search for it in vain in the bookstores of our land. It will go out of print and disappear with its author, leaving no permanent mark upon the earth. The "shocker" of today will shock no one tomorrow. But the writings of the one-time Jewish rabbinical student who met Jesus on the Damascus road will live on. His poignant statement made after this momentous event, "He which persecuted us...now preacheth the faith which once he destroyed" (Galatians 1:23) will give courage to the hearts of millions yet to come, if Jesus does not return first.
The words of rabbis certainly don't carry more weight than the proclaimed words of the Prophets.
Actually, for Talmudic Jews, the Talmud is more important than the Torah. Most of the Israeli settlers are Talmudic Jews.
All Rabbis are schooled in Talmud, so it does carry a lot of weight because the belief is that one cannot understand the Torah without the Talmud teachings.
The Kabbalah has a mixed acceptance within the Jewish Faith. This is because there was a Kabbalist who was deemed to be the long awaited Messiah. However, he was captured by the Sultan and offered his life or conversion to Muslim Islam. He and five of his followers converted and many Jewish folks blamed Kabbalah. Shortly after this the Kabbalah was, once again, only taught to the select few.
Only recently has it come to be "Kabbalah for all" and even that isn't the entire teaching. Many Rabbis aren't happy about this new Kabbalah resurgence.
"The conscious and intelligent manipulation of the organized habits and opinions of the masses is an important element in democratic society. Those who manipulate this unseen mechanism of society constitute an invisible government which is the true ruling power of our country. ... We are governed, our minds are molded, our tastes formed, our ideas suggested, largely by men we have never heard of." Edward Bernays, Father of Public Relations
The New Testament is the teachings of Paul, not Jesus. You'd have to dig up Essene teachings in order to find out what Jesus would have taught.
Basically, their teachings promote non-violence, prohibit the consumption of animal flesh, and involve spiritual work and meditation.
Google should help you find what you're looking for.
"The real deal is this: the royalty controlling the court, the ones with the power, the ones with the ability to make a difference, with the ability to change our course, the ones who will live in infamy if we pass the tipping points, are the captains of industry, CEOs in fossil fuel companies such as EXXON/Mobil, automobile manufacturers, utilities, all of the leaders who have placed short-term profit above the fate of the planet and the well-being of our children." - James Hansen
If you look, there is an abundance of evidence that the New Testament was not written by the original apostles, and/or rewritten using some of the original documents as a guide.
Have you ever heard of the Council of Nicea? It occured in 325 AD, quite some time after Jesus died. That is where the NT texts were actually written.
As far as Paul, his teachings differ from what Jesus would have taught, and the rest of the NT follow HIS teachings not that of the historical Jesus, since Jesus would have taught Nazarene doctrine, which were in many ways opposite that taught by Paul who had never even met Jesus.
"The real deal is this: the royalty controlling the court, the ones with the power, the ones with the ability to make a difference, with the ability to change our course, the ones who will live in infamy if we pass the tipping points, are the captains of industry, CEOs in fossil fuel companies such as EXXON/Mobil, automobile manufacturers, utilities, all of the leaders who have placed short-term profit above the fate of the planet and the well-being of our children." - James Hansen
"The real deal is this: the royalty controlling the court, the ones with the power, the ones with the ability to make a difference, with the ability to change our course, the ones who will live in infamy if we pass the tipping points, are the captains of industry, CEOs in fossil fuel companies such as EXXON/Mobil, automobile manufacturers, utilities, all of the leaders who have placed short-term profit above the fate of the planet and the well-being of our children." - James Hansen
You don't have a clue. Lie after lie is all you know because you follow your father the devil. That's why you defend the devil worshiping Jews.
If you want to know who's lying here Ricky, just follow the link to how the New Testament came about.
I'm sure it's not the story your pastor will give you, if he even talks about it all.
The article I linked is based upon mountains of historical evidence, indisputable evidence in fact.
Did you know that the earliest known form of the New Testament, the Sinai Bible, is drastically different from later editions?
You base your life on lies, then have the audacity to call someone who is trying to steer people away from pure hatred a liar.
If anything, it is your own belief system that is of the devil.
"The real deal is this: the royalty controlling the court, the ones with the power, the ones with the ability to make a difference, with the ability to change our course, the ones who will live in infamy if we pass the tipping points, are the captains of industry, CEOs in fossil fuel companies such as EXXON/Mobil, automobile manufacturers, utilities, all of the leaders who have placed short-term profit above the fate of the planet and the well-being of our children." - James Hansen
And oh yeah, supposedly your man god called that Jewish god his father.
"The real deal is this: the royalty controlling the court, the ones with the power, the ones with the ability to make a difference, with the ability to change our course, the ones who will live in infamy if we pass the tipping points, are the captains of industry, CEOs in fossil fuel companies such as EXXON/Mobil, automobile manufacturers, utilities, all of the leaders who have placed short-term profit above the fate of the planet and the well-being of our children." - James Hansen
What it comes down to is that most religions on earth have been responsible for the suffering and misery that have plagued Mankind since the dawn of civilization.
It is has been a tool for the elite to control the masses of people over the eons of time, and serves its purpose to this day quite well.
No proof of anything is needed, just a guy with a pedestal to preach from and a stack of paper and ink in his hands written by authors who were told to create what they created by the king, emperor, or pope. It most certainly wasn't "God" who influenced them.
Hell, some have even made stuff up themselves out of thin air to suit whatever purpose matched their own personal agendas.
"The real deal is this: the royalty controlling the court, the ones with the power, the ones with the ability to make a difference, with the ability to change our course, the ones who will live in infamy if we pass the tipping points, are the captains of industry, CEOs in fossil fuel companies such as EXXON/Mobil, automobile manufacturers, utilities, all of the leaders who have placed short-term profit above the fate of the planet and the well-being of our children." - James Hansen
I'm not even sure if all of the Essene stuff is true, it just would seem that a lot of it probably is.
In terms of what actual history reveals, have you read the link in post #97?
"The real deal is this: the royalty controlling the court, the ones with the power, the ones with the ability to make a difference, with the ability to change our course, the ones who will live in infamy if we pass the tipping points, are the captains of industry, CEOs in fossil fuel companies such as EXXON/Mobil, automobile manufacturers, utilities, all of the leaders who have placed short-term profit above the fate of the planet and the well-being of our children." - James Hansen
What it all comes down to is that ALL religions are corrupt, and all point fingers at each other as to who is evil.
They are ALL evil for the most part.
"The real deal is this: the royalty controlling the court, the ones with the power, the ones with the ability to make a difference, with the ability to change our course, the ones who will live in infamy if we pass the tipping points, are the captains of industry, CEOs in fossil fuel companies such as EXXON/Mobil, automobile manufacturers, utilities, all of the leaders who have placed short-term profit above the fate of the planet and the well-being of our children." - James Hansen
Christ however is not a religion. To follow him is not a religion.
It is, since he more than likely never existed.
In fact, even if he did, God wouldn't need to embody himself into a man and die on the cross to make a point.
He could just speak from the clouds if He wanted to.
In fact, it's against the 10 Commandments to worship an idol or false god. I guess that's why "christians" wish to condemn Judaism as satanic, since to obey the 10 Commandments would mean to stop worshipping Jesus.
It depends if you want to remove Jesus from the origins of the faith and claim all that counts is what he said, even though what "he said" was fabricated by those at the Council of Nicea and appended, changed, modified, and otherwise spun for the next 1000 years before ever making it into an English bible.
"The real deal is this: the royalty controlling the court, the ones with the power, the ones with the ability to make a difference, with the ability to change our course, the ones who will live in infamy if we pass the tipping points, are the captains of industry, CEOs in fossil fuel companies such as EXXON/Mobil, automobile manufacturers, utilities, all of the leaders who have placed short-term profit above the fate of the planet and the well-being of our children." - James Hansen
I know so very few people that simply follow Christ in the ultimate of simplicity that it is, and none that walk into church doors on Sundays.
If anything I'd take the Essene side of the story, since if Jesus DID exist, he WOULD have been an Essene due to not only his place of birth, but the fact that there are historical claims that he WAS an Essene, they really did exist, and they were a peaceful and spiritual people.
I have not heard of ONE war they were involved in. In fact, most if not all of the original Essenes were wiped out by Rome due to their failure to defend themselves through violence.
Like you said, I haven't seen too many people like that walking around these days.
"The real deal is this: the royalty controlling the court, the ones with the power, the ones with the ability to make a difference, with the ability to change our course, the ones who will live in infamy if we pass the tipping points, are the captains of industry, CEOs in fossil fuel companies such as EXXON/Mobil, automobile manufacturers, utilities, all of the leaders who have placed short-term profit above the fate of the planet and the well-being of our children." - James Hansen
The research the man did and the references to respected sources cannot be denied.
Have you looked up anything he listed as evidence, such as the Sinai Bible, or the actual historical references to the Council of Nicea?
"The real deal is this: the royalty controlling the court, the ones with the power, the ones with the ability to make a difference, with the ability to change our course, the ones who will live in infamy if we pass the tipping points, are the captains of industry, CEOs in fossil fuel companies such as EXXON/Mobil, automobile manufacturers, utilities, all of the leaders who have placed short-term profit above the fate of the planet and the well-being of our children." - James Hansen
"The real deal is this: the royalty controlling the court, the ones with the power, the ones with the ability to make a difference, with the ability to change our course, the ones who will live in infamy if we pass the tipping points, are the captains of industry, CEOs in fossil fuel companies such as EXXON/Mobil, automobile manufacturers, utilities, all of the leaders who have placed short-term profit above the fate of the planet and the well-being of our children." - James Hansen
I also don't think that you're aware of the history of the Council of Nicea as it relates to Christ? I don't see much to link the two frankly
Two words.
Hesus Krishna
"The real deal is this: the royalty controlling the court, the ones with the power, the ones with the ability to make a difference, with the ability to change our course, the ones who will live in infamy if we pass the tipping points, are the captains of industry, CEOs in fossil fuel companies such as EXXON/Mobil, automobile manufacturers, utilities, all of the leaders who have placed short-term profit above the fate of the planet and the well-being of our children." - James Hansen
I don't have "a site". Which link are you referring to?
"The real deal is this: the royalty controlling the court, the ones with the power, the ones with the ability to make a difference, with the ability to change our course, the ones who will live in infamy if we pass the tipping points, are the captains of industry, CEOs in fossil fuel companies such as EXXON/Mobil, automobile manufacturers, utilities, all of the leaders who have placed short-term profit above the fate of the planet and the well-being of our children." - James Hansen
"The real deal is this: the royalty controlling the court, the ones with the power, the ones with the ability to make a difference, with the ability to change our course, the ones who will live in infamy if we pass the tipping points, are the captains of industry, CEOs in fossil fuel companies such as EXXON/Mobil, automobile manufacturers, utilities, all of the leaders who have placed short-term profit above the fate of the planet and the well-being of our children." - James Hansen
You then have absolutely no frame of reference for God.
The existence of that which is God doesn't depend on the existence of any man.
"The real deal is this: the royalty controlling the court, the ones with the power, the ones with the ability to make a difference, with the ability to change our course, the ones who will live in infamy if we pass the tipping points, are the captains of industry, CEOs in fossil fuel companies such as EXXON/Mobil, automobile manufacturers, utilities, all of the leaders who have placed short-term profit above the fate of the planet and the well-being of our children." - James Hansen
I see misery and suffering caused by BOTH the Jewish and Christian religions, as well as that caused by the Islamic religion.
I'd say the Christians have on a whole caused more suffering than the Jews have, when you consider the various Inquisitions, witch trials, Crusades, and other such matters.
Show me the math.
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"They're on our left, they're on our right, they're in front of us, they're behind us...they can't get away this time." -- Col. Puller, USMC
Well for an example, how many Christians don't wholeheartedly support the killing going on over there in Iraq and Afghanistan?
But not even including that, how many people were hidiously tortured to death by the Church itself in the first 1000 years of its history?
How many were killed by the various Crusades?
I don't recall reading about any religious persecution perpetrated by the Jews back then. In fact, they were among the ones being persecuted.
"The real deal is this: the royalty controlling the court, the ones with the power, the ones with the ability to make a difference, with the ability to change our course, the ones who will live in infamy if we pass the tipping points, are the captains of industry, CEOs in fossil fuel companies such as EXXON/Mobil, automobile manufacturers, utilities, all of the leaders who have placed short-term profit above the fate of the planet and the well-being of our children." - James Hansen
So, He didn't need Hebrews/Jews either to write down their oral traditions and Chosenite dogma and market it as the Word of God
Correct. In fact, much of what's in the Old Testament is derived from earlier legends from other civilizations, such as the Sumerian Epic of Gilgamesh.
There are MANY earlier "Sons of God" across various civilizations as well, such as Mithras, Krishna, Buddha, and quite a few others.
"The real deal is this: the royalty controlling the court, the ones with the power, the ones with the ability to make a difference, with the ability to change our course, the ones who will live in infamy if we pass the tipping points, are the captains of industry, CEOs in fossil fuel companies such as EXXON/Mobil, automobile manufacturers, utilities, all of the leaders who have placed short-term profit above the fate of the planet and the well-being of our children." - James Hansen