I suspect that many regular readers of this blog already have a sense of why the subjects of creationism, evolution, and science education are important. But the blog Undeception does an excellent job of explaining why the subject is important for Christians. Take a look!
Elsewhere in the blogosphere, Ted Ohio touches on the subject too, while Wade G. reflects on connecting science and religion.
Sunday, November 30, 2008
Biblioblog Top 50 November 2008
NT Wrong has announced that I have been dethroned from the top place in his Top 50 Bibliobloggers ranking. I've slid down all the way to 3rd place this past month. That'll teach me to spend so much time working on my conference papers...
Congratulations to Ben Witherington and Mark Goodacre, who took first and second place this month!
Congratulations to Ben Witherington and Mark Goodacre, who took first and second place this month!
Who Do You Say That Jesus Is?
Today in Sunday school class we began our series on the person of Jesus. We began by briefly discussing what historical study can and cannot do, and our tendency to project our interests and values onto Jesus.
Rather than follow that with a survey of the New Testament writings relevant to the subject, or the creeds, we began by simply bringing up questions that we hope to look at and to which we are seeking answers. Some of the topics that came up include how Jesus understood himself, whether Jesus shared concepts from his time (such as demons), what Jesus was like growing up and formative influences on his life, Jesus' sense of humor (including the question of whether he ever nailed Peter's sandal to the floor).
In talking about the childhood of Jesus, I mentioned the Infancy Gospel of Thomas. I think everyone interested in this topic ought to read it, not because it will give the "inside scoop" about Jesus' childhood, but because as we react (most likely with horror) to the story it tells, it prods us to ask ourselves, "If this isn't how we imagine Jesus' childhood, then how would we imagine it?"
We'll resume our study the Sunday after next with an overview of Mark's Gospel.
Rather than follow that with a survey of the New Testament writings relevant to the subject, or the creeds, we began by simply bringing up questions that we hope to look at and to which we are seeking answers. Some of the topics that came up include how Jesus understood himself, whether Jesus shared concepts from his time (such as demons), what Jesus was like growing up and formative influences on his life, Jesus' sense of humor (including the question of whether he ever nailed Peter's sandal to the floor).
In talking about the childhood of Jesus, I mentioned the Infancy Gospel of Thomas. I think everyone interested in this topic ought to read it, not because it will give the "inside scoop" about Jesus' childhood, but because as we react (most likely with horror) to the story it tells, it prods us to ask ourselves, "If this isn't how we imagine Jesus' childhood, then how would we imagine it?"
We'll resume our study the Sunday after next with an overview of Mark's Gospel.
Saturday, November 29, 2008
Low-Budget Dharma
Most LOST fans are presumably aware of the e-mail announcements that LOST producers Carlton Cuse and Damon Lindelof have purchased the Dharma Initiative, which was hurting badly as a result of the financial crisis. There is now a new web page for "Dharma Special Access". There is no content yet, but you can in the mean time show what a truly die-hard fan you are by checking back there, say every 108 minutes...
4 + 8 + 15 + 16 + 23 + 42 = 108
850,000 Pounds in Christian Aid?
I often post warnings about scam e-mails, but the one I just received is really quite remarkable. It came from the address notification@christianaid.org with the title "Christian Aid Grant No. (CAG: 21 5 A 68)". The gist of the e-mail is that, in an effort to combat poverty, I will be given 850,000 pounds Sterling. While I concur that a generous gift to that effect would indeed be gratefully received and would indeed keep poverty at bay, it is precisely this that makes the e-mail so obviously a phishing scam. No one is going to give sums of this amount away to people at random. Don't fall for it - but do have a laugh at the whole idea that someone could take such an e-mail seriously!
Just for clarification, if anyone, having read this, wants to give me a large sum of money, please just mail the check to my work address. No need to go through the whole lengthy process of sending an impersonal e-mail asking for me to part with my personal information. Or better yet, have FedEx deliver me a large crate of cash. If anyone thinks that giving a large sum of this sort to a random individual really would help alleviate poverty, I'm willing to do my part...
Here's the text of the e-mail:
Christian Aid®
35 Lower Marsh
Waterloo London
SE1 7RL.
Dear Sir/Madam,
This is to notify you that you have been chosen by The Board of Trustees of the Christian Aid (NGO UK) as One of the final Recipients of a Cash Grant/Donation Economic growth and a poverty alleviation scheme. Christian Aid (U.K.) a Multi-Million Pounds NGO group was Established with the objective Of Human Growth, Educational and Community development. In line with the 61st anniversary program, the Christian Aid (U.K.) in conjunction with the European Council is giving out Eight Million Five Hundred Thousand Pounds Sterling as specific Donations/Grants to 10 lucky International recipients worldwide in different Categories for Business development and Social.
These funds are freely given to use for your business And educational development, charitable work and your Community development at large.
Your Email was selected Based on an internet random Selection exercise,you therefore are confirmed one of The lucky recipients and are entitled To GBPЈ850,000 (EIGHT HUNDRED AND FIFTY THOUSAND POUNDS STERLING ) as charity donations/aid from the Christian Aid (UK).
You are required to Contact immediately the Christian Aid(UK) Secretary below: for Qualification documentations, verification and Processing of your GBPЈ850,000 entitlement.
Endeavour to quote your Qualification Number: (CAG: 21 5 A 68)
Dr. John Mckie
Christian Aid (UK)
TEL/Fax: +44 703 194 2562
Email: dr.johnmickie08@googlemail.com
With the following information;
Claims Requirements:
1.Name in full----------------------------------------------
2.Address---------------------------------------------------
3.Nationality-----------------------------------------------
4.Age-------------------------------------------------------
5.Occupation------------------------------------------------
6.Phone/Fax-------------------------------------------------
7.Present Country-------------------------------------------
8. Alternate Email Address----------------------------------
Please note that these donations/Grants are Administered by a UK Bank and therefore subject to UK Banking Laws. You are by all means advised, To keep this whole information confidential until you Have collected your grant, this is to avoid double And unqualified claim, due to beneficiaries informing Third parties on cash grant donation.
On behalf of the Board, kindly accept our warmest Congratulations!
Yours faithfully,
Daleep Mukharji
Christian Aid Director.
Just for clarification, if anyone, having read this, wants to give me a large sum of money, please just mail the check to my work address. No need to go through the whole lengthy process of sending an impersonal e-mail asking for me to part with my personal information. Or better yet, have FedEx deliver me a large crate of cash. If anyone thinks that giving a large sum of this sort to a random individual really would help alleviate poverty, I'm willing to do my part...
Here's the text of the e-mail:
Christian Aid®
35 Lower Marsh
Waterloo London
SE1 7RL.
Dear Sir/Madam,
This is to notify you that you have been chosen by The Board of Trustees of the Christian Aid (NGO UK) as One of the final Recipients of a Cash Grant/Donation Economic growth and a poverty alleviation scheme. Christian Aid (U.K.) a Multi-Million Pounds NGO group was Established with the objective Of Human Growth, Educational and Community development. In line with the 61st anniversary program, the Christian Aid (U.K.) in conjunction with the European Council is giving out Eight Million Five Hundred Thousand Pounds Sterling as specific Donations/Grants to 10 lucky International recipients worldwide in different Categories for Business development and Social.
These funds are freely given to use for your business And educational development, charitable work and your Community development at large.
Your Email was selected Based on an internet random Selection exercise,you therefore are confirmed one of The lucky recipients and are entitled To GBPЈ850,000 (EIGHT HUNDRED AND FIFTY THOUSAND POUNDS STERLING ) as charity donations/aid from the Christian Aid (UK).
You are required to Contact immediately the Christian Aid(UK) Secretary below: for Qualification documentations, verification and Processing of your GBPЈ850,000 entitlement.
Endeavour to quote your Qualification Number: (CAG: 21 5 A 68)
Dr. John Mckie
Christian Aid (UK)
TEL/Fax: +44 703 194 2562
Email: dr.johnmickie08@googlemail.com
With the following information;
Claims Requirements:
1.Name in full----------------------------------------------
2.Address---------------------------------------------------
3.Nationality-----------------------------------------------
4.Age-------------------------------------------------------
5.Occupation------------------------------------------------
6.Phone/Fax-------------------------------------------------
7.Present Country-------------------------------------------
8. Alternate Email Address----------------------------------
Please note that these donations/Grants are Administered by a UK Bank and therefore subject to UK Banking Laws. You are by all means advised, To keep this whole information confidential until you Have collected your grant, this is to avoid double And unqualified claim, due to beneficiaries informing Third parties on cash grant donation.
On behalf of the Board, kindly accept our warmest Congratulations!
Yours faithfully,
Daleep Mukharji
Christian Aid Director.
Neo-Pagan Pleads With Liberal Christian To Help Him Find His Way
David Ker seemed troubled that the Beliefnet Belief-O-Matic quiz he took categorized him as a Liberal Christian. David should be pleased, and perhaps help me find my way back to the true fold. The same quiz thinks I'm a Neo-Pagan! At least if that one doesn't appeal to me, I have liberal Quaker and Reform Judaism to fall back on as close second and third options.
In other news, Michael Bird has shared an interesting piece on why professors blog.
In other news, Michael Bird has shared an interesting piece on why professors blog.
Link Fixed (I Hope!)
I apologize that the link to my conference paper on Mark's missing ending did not work initially. I think the length of the file name may have been the problem. I've shortened it and it seems to be working now. The new link address is http://blue.butler.edu/~jfmcgrat/McGrath - Missing Ending of Mark (SBL 2008).pdf Let me know if this one doesn't work either!
Mandaeans in the News
Thanks to Jim West for drawing attention to an article in the Tuscaloosa News about the Mandaeans and the humanitarian crisis they face. The Mandaeans do not accept converts, their numbers are dwindling, and they are being scattered as refugees and immigrants to various parts of the world. Without converts and without a community of Mandaeans that can provide spouses and families to continue their faith traditions, their continued survival is placed in jeopardy.This is not the first time the Mandaeans have been in danger of extinction, and their resilience from ancient times today is reason for hope. Life is victorious!
Conference Papers (SBL 2008)
I've finally gotten around to converting my conference papers from this year into pdf files and making them available online. Here are the links:
Feedback is always appreciated! Let me know if for some reason a link doesn't work.
Feedback is always appreciated! Let me know if for some reason a link doesn't work.
Marmoset Song/Me Ears Are Alight
My sister sent me a link to this video, and I think many readers may appreciate the way it illustrates how communication can go wrong (admittedly not always with such amusing results)...
It reminded me of a commercial from a while back that made the same point using different song lyrics (which I wasn't too surprised to find is also available on YouTube):
It reminded me of a commercial from a while back that made the same point using different song lyrics (which I wasn't too surprised to find is also available on YouTube):
Prophecies about Obama?
[NOTE: In sharing the text of the unsolicited e-mail below, I did not expect so many to find this post via search engines and potentially miss the broader context of discussion on this blog. For those interested in this topic, I would like to also strongly recommend that you read my post on how I know Barack Obama is not the antichrist].
Here's the text of an unsolicited e-mail I received. Given the interest in the "Obama as antichrist" notion, as well as the phenomenon of prophecy, I thought I'd share it, in spite of its length, just as an interesting example of contemporary religiosity...
Prophet Confirms Obama The Antichrist!
Also Posted below are additional tribulation warnings recently received by numerous prophets.
FROM THE MOUNTAIN PROPHECIES
BOOK TWELVE
CHAPTER FORTY-EIGHT
BARACK HUSSEIN OBAMA IS THE ANTICHRIST
FIRST MESSAGE FROM OUR FATHER IN HEAVEN
November 15, 2008
My Blessed Child, I am your Father Yahweh, yea Jehovah, Most High God! My Little One hearken unto Me! Listen and write as I say, that all may be the wiser! For a time of great trouble is upon the whole world! A time when nation shall rise up against nation, families against families, a time wherein one’s greatest enemies may be in his own household! A time of great want, of famine, of global wars, pestilences and diseases as never seen before! A time when very powerful families of great evil shall stand up against one another, with one out to destroy the other! A time when Satan does indeed devour his own tail, that his head may be crowned. Oh yes, you have seen such a thing, such an artwork, with Satan devouring his own tail and at the same time that he devours his own tail, a crown is put upon his head.
Now My Little One, take note! Look through these glasses, and through these new lenses which I now put on your eyes; and tell Me what you see!
My Father I see black boots, like those of Hitler, shiny and new, but large, long and wide! And for now, I only see the boots.
“But, look upward My Child, what do you see?”
My Father, I see that the boots belong to Barrack Hussein Obama! And also my Father, I see that he is dressed as a Nazi! He is wearing a Nazi uniform and over his heart and on his left pocket is a Nazi emblem! He wears a green beret and on the left side of this beret, but near the middle of his forehead is another Nazi emblem. He carries a baton and emblazoned on the end of it is also a Nazi emblem. Oh my Father, this is not good!
“Yes my Child, through his calm demeanor, through his use of clever words, he has deceived the whole world! But, do not be deceived My Little One! Now, when I change the lenses in these glasses, what do you see?”
My Father I see a bright candle, it is indeed very bright and I can neither see past it or around it.
“No, you cannot My Child, not now. But, as I put a shade on this candle, what do you see?”
My Father, I see of course that the candle is dim, very dim, so dim that I no longer see it but only see a very faint light; and where the candle was I now see Barrack Obama! And I see as well that he has no light but is full of many lying demons and seducing spirits and out of his mouth come many blasphemous things! His every word is full of darkness and his teeth are like black posts. His countenance is also no longer that of Barrack Obama, but that of a beastly image who stands tall in the faint light. And the appearance of this beast is vague to me; therefore I am left without words to explain what I see; for I have never seen anything like it. His fingernails are long and curled! His toenails are long and curled, and he paces up and down in the oval office something like a caged animal! Oh my Father, tell me about what I see.
“My Little One, all of the world shall wonder after what they perceive to be the light of the world. Nations shall wonder after a false light and nations shall heap praises upon a false light. And, many shall wonder after this light! Many shall thereby be deceived and shall fall and worship this false light, giving great honor to what is false. For, many are now longing for someone to come and to rescue them from the forces of great evil! They want a Saviour, but do not wish to bend a knee to the real Saviour, who is Jesus, My Son. For, they love the world and what is in it; and the Real Light of the World they refuse! For, they do not wish to repent but to continue on in their wicked ways. Therefore they shall honor a false light and they shall call him the light of the world. And, many shall fall at his feet and shall worship him when he is no man, but a beast who appears to be a man!
And, through this very one many, many shall fall the whole world over. And, many shall be deceived! For they are looking for a man to rescue them from the evils of the world. And, this one shall rise and he will begin then to devour parts of Satan’s Kingdom, to devour Satan’s own tail, all in order that he may be crowned king of this world! For, when he is king of the world, Satan will indeed be king, if only for a short while.
Therefore, what you see now with this man, who is not even yet inaugurated, is a great push to uproot long-held Bush-Rockefeller-Clinton power bases in America, thereby removing their power from this nation so that it falls more readily into the hands of the power elite in Europe and into the hands of the Israeli Mossad, and in to the hands of other nations.
To all of you it may appear that he is doing a great work to destabilize the drug empire of the Bushes and Clintons and to bring back to America what these have stolen and robbed from this nation. Do not be deceived!
For, his great push to take these trillions and to sit over this great amount of wealth is being driven by the European Satanists in their bid to destroy America and also by the Vatican, the Israeli Mossad, and even others.
If his behavior seems unseemly for someone who is not yet even inaugurated, it is because of the fact that he dances high for Satan, higher than all of the rest! And, he dances well for the European elite and for the Israeli Mossad who put him in power.
It is a grave mistake indeed that so many believe that he has at heart the interests of America. He does not! He is the final nail in the coffin of this great nation.
For, the real light of the world, you as a nation, have overwhelmingly trampled! And, now, you have the false light, one who is really a beast in great disguise. The real Light, My Son, you have overwhelmingly rejected! But, this false light you will overwhelmingly follow, and so will many, many the world over!”
Oh Father, this is even as I have felt in my spirit.
“Yes My Little One, this is even as you have felt; for I have quickened your spirit to see beyond the facade and to see a man of obscurity arise to world power in such a short time. A man, who is no man at all, but a beast! And, the whole world will long after the beast! And, many will take the mark! And, they will fall and worship the Beast! None, whose names are in the Book of Life will worship the beast, but of the rest My Little One, vast numbers will take the mark! For, they will idolize this one, and they will believe in him And, they will do as he says, for they are cut off from My Spirit! But, the wise will know who he is and the wise will teach many!
Now, you know My Little One; and all will also know who have the heart to receive. Barrack Hussein Obama is Satan’s number one ruler in the world! And, the high-level Satanists of other nations, along with his god Satan, are his driving force! And, he has but one goal for America and this is to bring you down, and to bring other nations down, even the other ruling elite of Satan who stand opposed to giving up their power. For, he will rise and exalt himself above all.
Be not deceived! For, now is the time for the rest of the Book of Revelation to be fulfilled! And, the time is at hand also when Revelation 12 will also be completed and with it, mighty blessings coming back for humanity! For, as the antichrist system rises, My Kingdom also rises in the Earth!"
I am your Father Yahweh, yea Jehovah, Most High God.
As witnessed, dictated and recorded this 15th day of November, 2008,
Linda Newkirk
SECOND MESSAGE
JESUS SPEAKS!
November 20, 2008
My Blessed Child, I am your Friend, I am your teacher, I am your Saviour, Jesus, Messiah of the World, and as you know Me and call Me, King of Kings and Lord of Lords.
My Blessed Child, you have received of our Father and of Me, a second confirmation of what you have been given as regards Barrack Obama’s being the antichrist.
(Please note My Dear Ones, this second confirmation was given during prayer and after great heartfelt seeking and longing before our Father! It was during this time of prayer, even before He gave me this message on this very day that He told me that it is time for the above message to go out and that what He has told me is indeed as it is. Thereafter, He also began another confirmation through these words of our Saviour. And, his words continue on …)
And, even as I give you this message, I have also had a Dear One to call you, and to give you added information about Obama’s being under foreign control, even under Russian/Marxist control! And, this has been unknown to you, and unknown to most, that he has been well-groomed and well-prepared by the Russians for his role in bringing about a Marxist/Communist dictatorship in America!
Just know My Little One, that his roots go deep, that his roots are dark, and that they stretch wide in Communist/Marxist teachings and doctrines, even as I have shown you in a previous vision! For, these words and visions of our Father are also My words and visions to you! Obama has been brought through the ranks and has been deeply indoctrinated and trained in subversive techniques. And, he has been groomed and prepared for this time of world communism and Satanism; for nothing of such a magnitude happens in Satan’s kingdom by chance! But, even so, am I not in all of this?
You, Oh My People, in this nation have refused Me! You have refused our Father! You have forsaken righteousness, preferring instead to follow after the world and to trust in the arm of the flesh, and to believe in men and their powers. Yes, indeed, to trust in a wicked government to rescue you, to fix your problems and to provide for you.
Now comes the very antichrist into your midst and you see it not! For, you are looking for someone to SAVE you from your own downfall. You are looking to a man to fix the world situation! You are looking to a man to save you from war, to save your houses, to save your jobs and to save your families! Yes, you are looking to a man and I have given you a man, who will lie to you! He will tell you every smooth tale! He will con you with every smooth plan even as he leads this nation off of a cliff to a point of no return. Even as he sets up death camps in your midst, and even as he executes your families, and even as he ravages your land with war and destruction he will tell you that this is for your own good! Even as he beheads and kills you by the hundreds of thousands, oh yes he will tell you that the terrorists and the dissidents must be purged.
Oh yes, he will do these things! He will cast you into a third world war and quickly so, to cause you to be attacked and to be annihilated and/or carried away by the foreign soldiers. But, he will not be satisfied with only bringing this nation to its knees. He will look to the whole world, and wish to conquer the whole world; and to bring to its knees the whole economic system in the world.
For, he would have all in the world to bend a knee to him and to worship him. And, many, many will bow and serve him, and many, many will worship him, and many, many will take the mark of the beast. But, the tried and true will not! My Faithful will not, yet these things shall be; for they are now upon you!
Be not troubled, My Little One, for even so, all of these things must be! I tell you now that Barrack Hussein Obama is the antichrist and that the false prophet is also already known and is standing in the shadows. For, now is the time that the world knows, even as I have told you, that Barrack Hussein is the antichrist and he will rise over this wicked nation! And, know that our Father has placed him here and many, many of you have believed a great lie! Yes, you have first loved a lie!
I have called and sent My prophets throughout this nation to warn you to repent of your wicked ways, and you would not! You would not receive My warnings of correction, but have overwhelmingly scoffed at My warnings to repent, or perish. Therefore your hour is at hand, wherein I will raise up the antichrist over this land, and you will drink of the bitter cup of your own sins! For, oh so wicked you are, Oh Nation of America!
I have rounded you up, Oh House of Israel, and I have given you this land of America; and I have blessed you above all nations, only to see you raise up your skirts for every whoremonger, to see you chase every filthy sin of the flesh, and to love every vain thing! Now, comes the time of My great judgement against you! For, no longer can I bear to look upon your sins and gross rebellion!
Hear Me, you Nation of America, My days of warnings are fast coming to an end! Yes, indeed! For, the time of My judgement is upon this nation and upon the whole world!
But, even so, I will not leave you to be utterly destroyed and consumed by this great evil, which is upon you! For, I will also soon, and Oh so soon, take My Bride and many wedding guests! And, I will send My Bride back into the Earth and most of the wedding guests I will also send back; and for some months I will pour out My glory upon all flesh!
But, also there will come a time of my removal of this glory, wherein I will take My Faithful and will hide them in places of refuge and safety, wherein no evil shall go! And, into these places of refuge, I shall take many others as their hearts become right with Me and as their lives become clean! But, no evil will come therein!
And, I shall also send forth My Bride, who will work mighty miracles in the midst of such darkness and through these also shall come great judgements upon the wicked! But, even so, no harm shall come upon them; for My wrath is not meant for my Bride!
Go in peace, My Little One, and know that I have shown you the truth about Barrack Obama and have also now confirmed it to you! Type and send out what I have given you, for it is also time for all to know, who can receive the truth!
I am your Lord of Lords, your King of Kings, Jesus, Messiah, Saviour!
As witnessed, dictated and recorded this 20th day of November, 2008,
Linda Newkirk http://www.prophecies.org/
Note that the name Barack Hussein Obama contains 18 letters or 666 The Mabus name from Nostradamus can also be seen in this name.
What Other Prophets Are Saying About The Judgement Of America!
Received by Katie Jordan, March 2, 2008
My people are you awake and alert? Are you listening for My Voice? Oh My beloved ones, I truly desire for you to be always alert and listening. Do you know how late the hour is? Are you spending time with Me and studying My Word? I ask these questions to shake you up, and to make you think! Are you a tare and the son of the evil one, or are you Mine and a Blessed One? Remember that the tares and all the stumbling blocks, and all who are lawless will be taken out first and burned! (Matthew 13-37)
Too many of My own people are satisfied and complacent with their lives and their relationship with Me. Have I not told you that a complacent Christian is a sterile Christian. I would have you be one who is producing abundant fruit. Oh My children, I beseech you to never be so sterile and complacent that your fruit production simply dries up. You need to be the perfect soil showered with the rain of righteousness and fed by the meat of my Word. Always remember that I AM THE TRUE VINE and My Father is the VINE DRESSER! Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit HE TAKES AWAY, and every branch that bears fruit, HE PRUNES, so that it bears more fruit. (John 15)
My love for you is great, and far beyond your comprehension, and so is my patience. But, you must remember that My Word tells you that, "My spirit will not always strive with you forever". Do you understand the times in which you live? Do not be like the hypocrite and be able to read the signs of the weather but not the signs of the times, for I have warned you of them over and over! If you deliberately turn away from the signs of the times, THEN YOU ARE TURNING AWAY FROM ME, FOR YOU ARE SATISFIED WITH YOUR LIFE AND THE WORLD THE WAY IT IS! Ask yourselves how you can be satisfied with a world gone mad with sin and corruption! The constant abominations committed daily, especially in your nation, are a stench in My nostrils and will not be endured by Me much longer! The killing of the innocent, the horrible pornography, the constant lies and deciept by those in power, and the love of war by your nation, has indeed brought you to the utter brink of destruction! I say to you, BE PREPARED! Incredible destruction and utter chaos are just around the corner! So stay very close to Me and keep your eyes on Me now, IT IS IMPERATIVE!
Prophecy Given to Stephen Quayle at 2:45 AM, November 1, 2008
For as I live saith the Lord - My eyes are upon the righteous who speak out against the evil that permeates your land. My destroying angels are soon to be released against the false shepherds and pastors, wolves in my church who have been silent against the slaughter of the infants in the womb, and the sodomy that permeates the land. They have fed themselves and lived extravagantly at the expense of my sheep neither have they bound up the broken hearted nor healed the sick. They have abandoned the widows and orphans and turned a willing blind eye to the downtrodden and the homeless.
As my servant Peter stated in my Holy Word --- judgement begins at the house of God, Know-- this day-- that the decree has gone forth from my lips to let the judgement of the false shepherds and prophets begin.
My children whom I have redeemed, you can no longer stay silent and expect to be delivered and protected from the evil one, "For who is on the Lords side let him come to me" "Let the redeemed of the Lord say so"!
The false shepherds, pastors and wolves who turn a blind eye to the reality of my judgement upon the lands and who have continually rejected my signs and warnings will soon see their temples of mammon totally destroyed.
To those men and women who think their retirement years will be lived out in certainty and passive enjoyment, I will tell you what lies ahead - uncertainty, worry, fear and dread with multiplied anxiety as your money utterly fails. Your protection and provision will be provided for you by taking a stand for righteousness and taking up the cause of the hopeless and the helpless and looking to me in faith to provide for all your needs through Heavens bounty.
The enemy of mens souls - the destroyer has taken your eyes off me and my promises through the seducing spirits of self gratification, apathy, indifference and fear! All of the enemies tactics and manifestations through their mouthpieces are designed to lead you to both physical and eternal destruction. The fear of death and the ridicule of demons has silenced too many of my children for too long. But as I warn you, I urge you to call out to me for the deliverance of the "fear of man" and the "fear of death".
Those who claim to know me and assume to be a member of my flock - cease your ridicule of my warnings and mocking my prophets and my watchmen as I will deal with you harshly in order to keep you from the second death and eternal damnation. The fearful and the cowardly along with the scoffers and mockers unless they repent go into the lake of fire along with all those who think that He who created the sight and hearing of mankind does not see the actions and excuses and hear the hearts and thoughts of all men.
For as I have declared-- that the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth to show himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward me!
Visit www.stevequayle.com and click on the prophecy link for more important prophecy regarding the tribulation!
PENDING JUDGMENT PROPHECY Feb 21/08
The Lord said remember my son, I have given my Angel charge over you, For what I am about to tell you, the time has now come, it is the appointed time. I looked at the clock at that moment it was 12:21 A.M. and the room got very bright and I looked and saw a man in white linen holding a sword. As I looked behind him, I could see a large body of water. Just then the angel of the Lord pointed with His hand, and there appeared before me the United States of America. I saw four huge Angels one standing on the West Coast, East Coast, the Great Lakes and the Gulf Coast, They had these huge swords in their hands, they held them out to each other touching the tips of all four swords together. Then they pulled back and held up their swords in the air, just then, I heard the voice of the Lord say,
son of man prophesy against the holy places and to the land of America. The Lord God said tell America I am against her, at that moment I saw the righteous and the wicked running, all over America.. I said Lord why are they running? " He said for they are running to hide from my Judgment," Just then I looked again and I saw the man in white linen, raise up his sword with two hands I saw His waist, there was a gold band around Him. He swung His sword in a 360 degree wave. Then He flew up in the Air and there where lightning bolts that came out from His face. I looked again at his face, it looked like lightning, then He stuck His sword down into the middle of the White House, and it just blew apart, like it was no longer needed, the president was struck. I saw another 911 rise up that was seven times greater, and military troops were blocking all roads,
At that moment the Angel on the West Coast turned to face the Pacific Ocean, I saw four demon spirits rise up, the angel of the Lord commanded, you must let go of the sea, the demons yell out two times no, no. Just then the Holy Angel of God Almighty, took His sword and struck the Pacific Ocean. Then the sea rose up hundreds of feet in the air, the demons screamed out and the Angel of the Lord struck them and they disappeared. The sea was rapidly coming towards the west coast and went towards many other countries.
Then I looked at the Angel that struck the sea, and I wept, and said, the souls of men, is there not another way? The Lord God said, my son they would not repent of their wicked ways. I said Lord what about the righteous, He said I have told them to get out, and many did not listen, many of them love their homes and their lifestyle more then Me. They wanted all the comforts just like the world and when I warned them they kept going their simple way, they want to take their wealth with them, but they refuse to give it up for me. Just like Lot and all the children of Israel all they own will be required of them. They all died and only Lot and his two daughters came out alive, with just the clothes on their backs, this my son, is how it will be for many.
Just then I looked at the Angel standing over by the Great Lakes ,He pointed over to me, He said you must strike the Great Lakes and tell them to repent, the time is at hand and the time is running out, you must hurry. I fell down again and wept , I became so weak ,I just trembled, I heard this voice say my son, I love you, I know your heart but you must rise up .Then this hand touched me and stood me up, but I fell back down and wept more, I cried out, Lord God Almighty please save these people. My son stand up, I will be with you, you must warn these people, I wept more and said Lord I am incapable and I am nobody, who am I, Lord that you should call upon me. Rise up, very well Lord, I will obey even to the point of death., I love you so much.
Just then the Angel I saw at first with the gold band around His waist pointed up in the air. There were four Angels flying down out of heaven, they had their swords extended out in front of them. The first Angel struck the earth and America just quaked, the second struck this huge massive oil/gas tank and fires started up all over the country, the third struck the air and thousands of tornadoes started up all over the country at the same time. There were droughts and floods all over, all the crops were destroyed, and millions of homes were wiped out. The fourth one struck all the government buildings, and the whole economic wealth fell to the ground and burned up, and many politicians fell over and died. I saw the Military get attacked and the Pacific fleet get hit.
Then the Angel at the Gulf Coast said to me, come closer, tell the people at the Gulf Coast and Louisiana that it will be ten time worse than Katrina, and then the Angel struck the Gulf Coast and people were being suck out to sea, everyone that lives there. As I looked to the East Coast I saw the Angel strike the sea just then twelve eroding hurricanes appeared up and down the East Coast and the coast line dropped off into the Atlantic Ocean from twenty miles to sixty miles inland .
The Lord God Almighty said disaster has come upon the whole land. Oh America, you have refused to love the truth, therefore the Lord God Almighty has sent forth a decree of judgment upon you America. For the sins of America has reached the heavens. Woe, Woe, unto you America because you have not Repented , I will not hold back my Judgment, any longer. This is the hour, the time has come. You America have shed innocent blood and now, even now, I have sent my death Angel upon you, I have given my command Oh Angel of my Judgment go descend upon her, bring upon her all the innocent blood that she has slain. Tell America , I will not turn back my Judgment. Then this vision ended. Around 4:30 A.M. I saw many other things, but that is it for now, the vision came to a end.
Received by Matthew Stephen
http://www.propheticwatchmanvine.com/
“The Imminent Fall of the United States of America!”
Oh Rise, Oh blessed and cherished daughter of Mine, My blessed daughter of Zion! Arise and stand up once more, My beloved child, to speak of My judgements, to speak of My warnings, that the blood of the people of this nation, be not upon your hands! For, over and over again, I have called you, and I have sent you, and you have piped for Me! You have piped My messages! But, on reading, they hear not! On seeing, they see not! But, even so, My Little One, the wolf is at the door! The walls of defense have been torn down! The high tower is deserted and the mouths of my watchmen have all but gone silent!
Blind sheep! Blind shepherds! And, all now facing a fierce, blinding wind of ripping and cutting sand! A fierce storm blowing in! A tidal wave of destruction at hand! Rivers of tears upon this nation! A howling as none have ever seen! A great howling indeed! For, the ravenous wolves meet in secret, seeking how they will devour this land, whom they shall devour and whom they shall carry off!
Cities of America, soon many cities, but ruinous heaps, deserted wastelands! Burned! Charred! Dissolved and clean removed! With vacuous hollows in the earth only remaining! Gone, the great skyscrapers, and millions upon millions of souls, their bodies melted in the debris! Coyotes, rooting for bones and withered skins! Ravens, pouring over the ruinous heaps! The stench of the burning of the cities filling the land!
Oh, you blind and deaf nation of America! How, you have perverted My word! How you have despised My warnings! How you have deserted Me in all of your affairs! How you have trusted blindly in the arm of the flesh! And, how greatly you have put your faith in lying, satanic leaders and in lying and filthy preachers of the word! And, how you have sold Me out for but a tinker’s toy of this world!
Gross, gross immorality! Gross sins of the flesh! Gross worship of many idols and strange gods! Yes, this is so; and early, I have awakened My prophets and I have sent them out early in the day to warn you, to warn you to repent, or perish in the coming troubled times! I have kept them up late, warning My people! And, I have given them many dreams and many visions for many years, of the great destruction, which awaits America if you will not repent! And, many have run among you and they have warned you, for I have sent them!
But, you as a nation, would not hear! For, you love the world and what is in it; and My very words through the mouths of My prophets, my words and warnings offended you!
Oh, you wicked generation! Oh, how your sins have piled up on you! Mountains of sins and few, oh so few of you caring at all!
Now, oh rebellions nation of America, you hour is upon you! Your hour of great destruction! Your hour of great economic woes! Your hour of great military assaults against you, from which you will never recover!
Yes, hear My words, oh you rebellious nation of America! America is about to fall! I am sending a grievous war upon you! Out of the North shall come a mighty army! Missiles shall rain down upon your cities! A burning, a great burning of your nation, of your cities shall be seen all over the world!
Your sons and daughters shall be carried away as slaves! The wicked shall fill up their death camps with your families. A great howling shall go up all over this land and even the heathen shall say, “Look what their God did to them!”
Yes, America shall be utterly broken! Clean broken down! No more shall the merry laughter fill this land! No more! For, great shall be your sorrow! Great shall be your weeping!
But, even so I will not utterly desert you! If, even then, you will humble yourselves before Me, and if you will repent sufficiently of your sins, I will send My Son! And, he and he, alone, will drive the foreign armies out of your land!
And, I will stretch out My hand to you as a parent would to a long-lost child! And, I will cuddle you as an infant! I will embrace you and comfort you again! My miracles will run in your midst and all of the world will know that I am still Your God!
But, even so, your great judgement is at hand! For, no longer can I tolerate your gross rebellion, your worship of idols, your love of the world, and your love of a lie! I am not in this! You have routed me out of this nation! Few, and I mean few truly love Me, and truly serve Me! And, at hand now and oh so soon is your hour of destruction!
I am your Father Yahweh, yea Jehovah, Most High God!
As witnessed, dictated and recorded this 24th day of October, 2008,
Linda Newkirk http://www.prophecies.org/
Vision Received By Melinda O'Dea March 3, 2008
Before me in this vision I saw a screen, and the pictures appeared much like a slide show. The first picture was of three children on a bed huddled in the corner of a room in a shack in the Appalachian Mountains. They were young, dirty, and shivering with a look of despair on their little faces. The shack was freezing, I saw the mother standing in the kitchen area, the cupboards were totally bare. She was standing with her arms crossed trying to
warm herself as she stood looking at her children. I saw her walk over to them trying to tuck the threadbare blanket around her children the best she could to preserve the body heat that they could produce by huddling together.
Immediately the scene changed. I was shown a large church and people coming to worship. This was in an area that was middle to upper middle class. Nice cars were driving into the parking lot, the people got out of the cars, they were well dressed, well fed. Families laughed and joked with their children as they walked into the church. The picture then changed. Again it was a picture of poverty, a trailer where young children were sitting together. They were filthy wearing dirty clothes, torn t-shirts, shorts and barefoot, the weather was cold and they were not properly dressed or taken care of. One of the children went into the kitchen looking for food, the place was filthy, and the kitchen had not been cleaned in quite some time. One of the children was asking the older one to please find some food. As the picture changed, I saw the mother in her bedroom smoking a pipe, lost in her addiction, oblivious to her children and their needs.
The next scene was the church. They were ordering coffee drinks and walked their family into the large sanctuary. The sanctuary looked more like where a concert would be held, with all the lights, staging, and scaffolding. This family sat down and started to fuss with their children’s hair making sure they looked presentable. The scene flipped back to another picture of poverty. And so this went, from a scene of poverty, to a scene of a large comfortable church, and back to poverty.
I saw the Christians leave the church to go home. In one home I saw the husband go into his office while the wife started a meal. He pulled up vacation destinations on his computer. The scene shifted back to more pictures of poverty. I was taken back to the church and saw a Christian writing a check for a new building fund. They were excited to build a larger church with more programs for their family. They felt they could protect their family from the world as long as they immersed themselves in this community. The pictures were changing faster and I saw a man standing at home with his "toys". He was buying all the grown up toys he wanted, what he saw he wanted, and what he wanted he bought. He felt no guilt in indulging himself and felt he was blessed by God to be able to buy these things.
Then I heard a loud thunder and a roar and the ground shaking as if the world was coming to an end. The roar was deafening, I looked up and saw the heavens part. The clouds were being pulled back and the heavens were parting before my very eyes. Instant terror overtook and I fell down on my face. I knew it was God himself doing this. I felt such terror and all I could do was beg for forgiveness. I felt the weight of my sins and knew I was before a holy God. I wept and begged for personal forgiveness, and forgiveness for the church body. I heard mixed with the loud sounds of thunder a roaring of His voice. I dared not look up, I was frozen prostrate before the Holy God and knew judgment was here. I could not look up and somehow felt if I tried, I would be instantly destroyed. There were others laying prostrate, but I never saw them.
The first words I heard rumble through the air made me physically ill. I heard the words "GREED," then "SELFISHNESS" "IDOLATRY" "LUST" "PERVERSION" and the list went on. I knew God was judging the church. At that moment I knew I didn’t deserve mercy or favor. I cried out over and over, "Jesus, have mercy on me, forgive me for all my sins! Oh God, I don’t deserve any mercy, I beg for forgiveness"! I could not stop repenting and asking for forgiveness. I will never forget my complete helplessness to do anything BUT beg for forgiveness. Then I knew God was addressing the church and I heard, "YOU who ask for favor, YOU who ask for recompense, YOU who ask for justice, do you not know, it is YOU, YOU who judgment will fall upon first?" I was shaking so hard because I knew I have asked for favor, recompense and justice.
The booming voice further addressed the church, "You have lifted your voice to me crying for justice from one who has offended you. You have lifted you voice to me crying for recompense from one who has stolen from you. You have lifted your voice asking for favor, but the favor you want is for your personal gain. YOU LIFT YOUR VOICE TO ME, to ask me to bless your sinful ways. You have not forgiven the one who you feel took from you. You have not taken what I blessed you with, and been obedient to do as I ask. You have not worshipped me in truth and obedience, but your worship is self-serving, your prayers are self-serving, and the desire of your heart is self-serving. You try and manipulate Me because you have become so self-delusional, you lie to yourself. You do not serve me, YOU SERVE SELF. I see the very center of your heart, I see it all." At this moment I was shown another picture as I lay there trembling. I was shown as the clouds parted this black massive storm was present, and out of this mass of storm, I could see the throne. I was aware that the God of this universe had stood up and was stepping off his throne to come down in a fury in judgment. I cried, shivered and waited to be destroyed.
Instantly a picture flashed in my mind. I was looking inside a large church, but what I saw confused me. I saw people standing in the sanctuary looking up at the heavens at the very scene I was witnessing. I was aware that, they too were standing before God, yet they were doing just that, standing while I could not lift my face as I lay there. I saw the people listening to the very words I was hearing God speak, and then look at each other with indignation. I heard one man remark that this must be a joke, how could God be angry at them when they have done so much for him. The people started agreeing with each other and discussing how righteous they are and perhaps they need to rethink about serving God if this is the way he’s going to treat them. They started yelling back at him, quoting scripture and demanding He change His message and start appreciating what they’re doing for him. I was begging God to forgive those yelling at him and complaining in indignation. I thought how can these people even stand in his presence, much less shout back at him when I can’t even lift my face, and instantly I heard, "Their minds and hearts are seared."
The terror going through me paralyzed me and seemed to go on forever. I could not stop asking the Lord to forgive me for all my sins and my selfishness, repentance was flowing out of the very core of my being. Then I felt His gaze rest upon me. I thought I was in terror, but the terror then went to a new place when I felt His gaze upon me. Instantly I saw another picture, I was back looking at the Appalachian area again, I was flying over the land going from shack to shack, county to county. As I watched I heard the booming and thundering voice say to me, "Daughter, where are My churches? Do you see My people here?" I kept looking to see a church yet all I could see was land and poverty and an occasional shack for a church. I could not answer the Lord, the anger in His voice had my throat paralyzed in fear and dread.
He said there’s no reason for this, NONE! I bless my people, yet they build idols calling them ministries, for self-serving purposes and drown out the cry of the hurting. They build church plants where it’s cost effective. They pick and choose who they want to minister to, they ask Me for finances to reach the lost, but once there’s never enough before they’ll start. They pocket the money and tell Me they need more before they can reach out like they want to. IT’S NOT UP TO THEM TO PICK AND CHOOSE WHERE THEY MINISTER!" My heart was frozen, my mouth was frozen, and all I could do is think, JESUS FORGIVE ME! I felt His fierce anger, and realized for the first time what holy really means, and how I cannot stand in the presence of a holy God. I have received words before that He has had me write down to speak forth where I have felt His anger, but I cannot truly describe this level of anger and judgment. I was aware this was judgment that had fallen upon the church. I lay there shaking, and then I heard Him say, "Daughter, you have asked Me for forgiveness and mercy, You have asked Me for favor, you have asked Me for recompense." My heart sank dreading what was coming next. "Daughter I am granting these things to you, I have found you faithful. I am granting you favor, I am granting you mercy, and I am granting you recompense." Instantly the dread lifted from me, and a flood of tears overcame me, as I knew I deserved none of these things. As soon as I heard these words, I saw the picture of the church building I had seen earlier, the large church, and it’s people yelling at the Lord. I felt a massive earthquake. I saw the church fall like the buildings that came tumbling down in the 1906 San Francisco earthquake. The bricks fell on top of all the people in that church, until it all went quiet.
Feb 1, 2008
My Blessed Child, I am your Father Yahweh, yea Jehovah, Most High God. Listen to Me Little One and write as I say that all may be the wiser! Hearken I say, all you nations! Rise up and hear what I say! Open your eyes to see! Burst open your ears to hear! For do you not see that he whole world stands on a precipice, that the whole world now overlooks a great abyss! Who can stay My hand of judgement? Who can turn back My hand of timing? Who can know what I will do, or when I will do a thing? None I say! None can stay My hand and none can know My ways!
For surely many say, that is not of the Lord! He did not do such a horrible thing to His people! He has not brought such judgement! He has not destroyed in such a way! But, I tell you now, that these speak in ignorance! They speak foolishness! They speak the desires of their own hearts! For, I create and I destroy! For I am both a God of great love, and an all-consuming fire!
Oh yes, I am an all-consuming fire! And this part, most wish to leave out! They want to believe that I am love, but My love burns hot! My love cannot look upon evil and be pleased with it! Oh yes, I strive with the sinners! I have striven with you all since the beginning! And, all of you sinners! For I am full of love, mercy, and grace toward all! But even so, I am also an all consuming fire! And when I warn, and warn, and warn, through the mouths of My prophets and you despise My warnings, mock My prophets and even throw them out of your midst, oh then, after so much of this, I will turn against the mockers! I will turn against the scorners; and I will set My eye toward you for total destruction! I will utterly destroy the wicked! I will destroy the mockers! I will destroy the rebellious, and My word is replete with such instances of My judgement! But, I do not destroy without warning! And oh how I have warned you, you My people, all over the world! Oh yes, I have warned you! But few, and I mean few, have listened!
Oh hard-necked and stiff-necked generation! A generation of vipers, mockers, slanderers, backbiters, accusers, rapists, sodomites, perverts, liars, murderers, and thieves of every description! Undisciplined and unruly! Fit for destruction! Full of every deception! Oh my whip shall fall hard on you! And of a sudden, I shall rip the rug from beneath your feet! Of a sudden, I shall take away all that you cherish and hold dear! Of a sudden, I shall break you like a twig in the wind! Of a sudden I shall destroy your families, destroy your houses, destroy your careers, and take away your easy lives! Of a sudden I shall lay waste to your cities, to your coastlines, to your high-minded governments, and to you panderers and peddlers of falsehoods and lies! In one instant I shall deal such a blow to My own house and such a blow to Satan’s Kingdom that indeed, the New World Order will go forth on wobbly knees!
Oh yes! This is so, and this is at hand! For when I take My bride, I shall throw the world into such turmoil that overnite there shall come about massive starvation! Overnite, millions upon millions will perish in the churning waters! Overnite millions upon millions will be buried beneath the crumbling rocks of earthquakes that are so great that your instruments have never measured such things! Oh yes, overnite millions upon millions without electrical power! Millions upon millions without food! Millions upon millions dead! Banks closing and no money to be had! Wars, terrible wars, quickly thereafter breaking out all over the world as Satan’s own try for world domination! Terrible torture, persecution, and killing of many Christians! Mind control re-education camps in your midst and the new world order mind control teams working feverishly to take over the minds of the weak Christians and to use them for their own! Massive killing camps which far exceed anything Hitler ever had, as far as their grotesque horrors! A war against the so-called Christians such as never before, with any and all methodologies used against them to cause them to denounce Me and My Son!
Trials by the fire! Oh, great and terrible trails by the fires of persecution, starvation, wars, and deprivations of every kind! Harsh! Severe! Nuclear destruction! Poisoned food! Harsh! Severe! Oh the weeping! Oh the wailing, as all that all hold dear in this world, evaporates before their very eyes!
Oh yes, the whole world now stands at the edge of this great abyss! And what keeps you from tumbling into the abyss? I do! I have stayed My hand and I will stay My hand a little longer! But know one thing and know this for a certainty! When Revelation 12 is ended then the whole world will go headlong into the abyss!
In that I allow you a little more time, I do so that you humble yourselves unto repentance! That you get on your knees before Me and confess your sins! Forsake your sins! I forgive the truly repentant and the sincere of heart!
In that I delay a little longer the coming of My Son, I do so also to allow you to prepare for the harsh times, which are ahead! To all who are able to do so, get out of the cities! Get survival-oriented! Consider the times of massive starvation, massive power failures and wars! Put away food for three and one half years! Put away seeds so that you can garden! Put away supplies, for you will find that the stores shelves quickly empty out when this devastation hits! I tell you now, massive devastation, as yet never before seen in the earth! Prepare for hard times!
Yes I will soon take My Bride, but she will come back! Most wedding guests will come back, and I will keep whom I will! But do you suppose that you are going to escape anything! I say, prepare! And get away from coastlines! Remove yourselves from the areas of the Great Lakes and the swath of land which stretches between the Great Lakes and Mississippi River, for one day these lakes will dump into the Mississippi River!
Remove yourselves from California coastlines and get far inland! For one day soon, the ocean will reclaim much of this! To My people I tell you, pack up and leave Florida! That’s right! Such a judgement will come upon Florida that when I am through with it, only a string of islands will be left! Pack up and move from the Gulf Coast, and make haste! For so great shall be My destruction along this coast!
Where will you go? Fast, pray, and seek My face, and I will guide you! Put Me first and I will show You My will!
Yes I am tarrying a while longer, but even so, it is but a short while still! Do as I say! Live for Me! Put Me first wherever you are! Though many may soon perish I will take all who love and honor, Me and My Son! Even if your body perishes in a prison camp, you will be at peace! For My Son will be there to take you!
But some, I wish to preserve! You will be here through it all! Listen to Me! Get prepared! Come out of New York City! Leave the East Coast! Hear what I tell you now! For in one day, such a great upheaval shall strike the world, as none of you have ever seen in recent years!
I am your Father Yahweh! Hear My words! Repent! Live for Me! Stop your selfish ways! Give to Me what is Mine! Bless My prophets and My anointed servants and I bless you! Steal from Me, and I allow Satan to steal from you! You have robbed Me! You have stolen from My house, and I command that you give to Me what is Mine, and I will give to you, what is sure!
As witnessed, dictated and recorded this 1st day of February, 2008,
Linda Newkirk
Visit http://www.hismailroom.org/ view stunning evidence of the satanic New World Order. Note the satanic logo on the lecturn that Kissinger is speaking from!
Visit Spiritlessons for many tribulation prophecies and quite a few testimonies of many who have been taken to hell and back.
Visit The Truth Portal and click the portal link to see why Comet Holmes was censored!
The prophet David Terrell was given a vision of church leaders committing suicide when the tribulation started, their congregations were upset with their leaders who had misled them about the rapture.
Here's the text of an unsolicited e-mail I received. Given the interest in the "Obama as antichrist" notion, as well as the phenomenon of prophecy, I thought I'd share it, in spite of its length, just as an interesting example of contemporary religiosity...
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Prophet Confirms Obama The Antichrist!
Also Posted below are additional tribulation warnings recently received by numerous prophets.
FROM THE MOUNTAIN PROPHECIES
BOOK TWELVE
CHAPTER FORTY-EIGHT
BARACK HUSSEIN OBAMA IS THE ANTICHRIST
FIRST MESSAGE FROM OUR FATHER IN HEAVEN
November 15, 2008
My Blessed Child, I am your Father Yahweh, yea Jehovah, Most High God! My Little One hearken unto Me! Listen and write as I say, that all may be the wiser! For a time of great trouble is upon the whole world! A time when nation shall rise up against nation, families against families, a time wherein one’s greatest enemies may be in his own household! A time of great want, of famine, of global wars, pestilences and diseases as never seen before! A time when very powerful families of great evil shall stand up against one another, with one out to destroy the other! A time when Satan does indeed devour his own tail, that his head may be crowned. Oh yes, you have seen such a thing, such an artwork, with Satan devouring his own tail and at the same time that he devours his own tail, a crown is put upon his head.
Now My Little One, take note! Look through these glasses, and through these new lenses which I now put on your eyes; and tell Me what you see!
My Father I see black boots, like those of Hitler, shiny and new, but large, long and wide! And for now, I only see the boots.
“But, look upward My Child, what do you see?”
My Father, I see that the boots belong to Barrack Hussein Obama! And also my Father, I see that he is dressed as a Nazi! He is wearing a Nazi uniform and over his heart and on his left pocket is a Nazi emblem! He wears a green beret and on the left side of this beret, but near the middle of his forehead is another Nazi emblem. He carries a baton and emblazoned on the end of it is also a Nazi emblem. Oh my Father, this is not good!
“Yes my Child, through his calm demeanor, through his use of clever words, he has deceived the whole world! But, do not be deceived My Little One! Now, when I change the lenses in these glasses, what do you see?”
My Father I see a bright candle, it is indeed very bright and I can neither see past it or around it.
“No, you cannot My Child, not now. But, as I put a shade on this candle, what do you see?”
My Father, I see of course that the candle is dim, very dim, so dim that I no longer see it but only see a very faint light; and where the candle was I now see Barrack Obama! And I see as well that he has no light but is full of many lying demons and seducing spirits and out of his mouth come many blasphemous things! His every word is full of darkness and his teeth are like black posts. His countenance is also no longer that of Barrack Obama, but that of a beastly image who stands tall in the faint light. And the appearance of this beast is vague to me; therefore I am left without words to explain what I see; for I have never seen anything like it. His fingernails are long and curled! His toenails are long and curled, and he paces up and down in the oval office something like a caged animal! Oh my Father, tell me about what I see.
“My Little One, all of the world shall wonder after what they perceive to be the light of the world. Nations shall wonder after a false light and nations shall heap praises upon a false light. And, many shall wonder after this light! Many shall thereby be deceived and shall fall and worship this false light, giving great honor to what is false. For, many are now longing for someone to come and to rescue them from the forces of great evil! They want a Saviour, but do not wish to bend a knee to the real Saviour, who is Jesus, My Son. For, they love the world and what is in it; and the Real Light of the World they refuse! For, they do not wish to repent but to continue on in their wicked ways. Therefore they shall honor a false light and they shall call him the light of the world. And, many shall fall at his feet and shall worship him when he is no man, but a beast who appears to be a man!
And, through this very one many, many shall fall the whole world over. And, many shall be deceived! For they are looking for a man to rescue them from the evils of the world. And, this one shall rise and he will begin then to devour parts of Satan’s Kingdom, to devour Satan’s own tail, all in order that he may be crowned king of this world! For, when he is king of the world, Satan will indeed be king, if only for a short while.
Therefore, what you see now with this man, who is not even yet inaugurated, is a great push to uproot long-held Bush-Rockefeller-Clinton power bases in America, thereby removing their power from this nation so that it falls more readily into the hands of the power elite in Europe and into the hands of the Israeli Mossad, and in to the hands of other nations.
To all of you it may appear that he is doing a great work to destabilize the drug empire of the Bushes and Clintons and to bring back to America what these have stolen and robbed from this nation. Do not be deceived!
For, his great push to take these trillions and to sit over this great amount of wealth is being driven by the European Satanists in their bid to destroy America and also by the Vatican, the Israeli Mossad, and even others.
If his behavior seems unseemly for someone who is not yet even inaugurated, it is because of the fact that he dances high for Satan, higher than all of the rest! And, he dances well for the European elite and for the Israeli Mossad who put him in power.
It is a grave mistake indeed that so many believe that he has at heart the interests of America. He does not! He is the final nail in the coffin of this great nation.
For, the real light of the world, you as a nation, have overwhelmingly trampled! And, now, you have the false light, one who is really a beast in great disguise. The real Light, My Son, you have overwhelmingly rejected! But, this false light you will overwhelmingly follow, and so will many, many the world over!”
Oh Father, this is even as I have felt in my spirit.
“Yes My Little One, this is even as you have felt; for I have quickened your spirit to see beyond the facade and to see a man of obscurity arise to world power in such a short time. A man, who is no man at all, but a beast! And, the whole world will long after the beast! And, many will take the mark! And, they will fall and worship the Beast! None, whose names are in the Book of Life will worship the beast, but of the rest My Little One, vast numbers will take the mark! For, they will idolize this one, and they will believe in him And, they will do as he says, for they are cut off from My Spirit! But, the wise will know who he is and the wise will teach many!
Now, you know My Little One; and all will also know who have the heart to receive. Barrack Hussein Obama is Satan’s number one ruler in the world! And, the high-level Satanists of other nations, along with his god Satan, are his driving force! And, he has but one goal for America and this is to bring you down, and to bring other nations down, even the other ruling elite of Satan who stand opposed to giving up their power. For, he will rise and exalt himself above all.
Be not deceived! For, now is the time for the rest of the Book of Revelation to be fulfilled! And, the time is at hand also when Revelation 12 will also be completed and with it, mighty blessings coming back for humanity! For, as the antichrist system rises, My Kingdom also rises in the Earth!"
I am your Father Yahweh, yea Jehovah, Most High God.
As witnessed, dictated and recorded this 15th day of November, 2008,
Linda Newkirk
SECOND MESSAGE
JESUS SPEAKS!
November 20, 2008
My Blessed Child, I am your Friend, I am your teacher, I am your Saviour, Jesus, Messiah of the World, and as you know Me and call Me, King of Kings and Lord of Lords.
My Blessed Child, you have received of our Father and of Me, a second confirmation of what you have been given as regards Barrack Obama’s being the antichrist.
(Please note My Dear Ones, this second confirmation was given during prayer and after great heartfelt seeking and longing before our Father! It was during this time of prayer, even before He gave me this message on this very day that He told me that it is time for the above message to go out and that what He has told me is indeed as it is. Thereafter, He also began another confirmation through these words of our Saviour. And, his words continue on …)
And, even as I give you this message, I have also had a Dear One to call you, and to give you added information about Obama’s being under foreign control, even under Russian/Marxist control! And, this has been unknown to you, and unknown to most, that he has been well-groomed and well-prepared by the Russians for his role in bringing about a Marxist/Communist dictatorship in America!
Just know My Little One, that his roots go deep, that his roots are dark, and that they stretch wide in Communist/Marxist teachings and doctrines, even as I have shown you in a previous vision! For, these words and visions of our Father are also My words and visions to you! Obama has been brought through the ranks and has been deeply indoctrinated and trained in subversive techniques. And, he has been groomed and prepared for this time of world communism and Satanism; for nothing of such a magnitude happens in Satan’s kingdom by chance! But, even so, am I not in all of this?
You, Oh My People, in this nation have refused Me! You have refused our Father! You have forsaken righteousness, preferring instead to follow after the world and to trust in the arm of the flesh, and to believe in men and their powers. Yes, indeed, to trust in a wicked government to rescue you, to fix your problems and to provide for you.
Now comes the very antichrist into your midst and you see it not! For, you are looking for someone to SAVE you from your own downfall. You are looking to a man to fix the world situation! You are looking to a man to save you from war, to save your houses, to save your jobs and to save your families! Yes, you are looking to a man and I have given you a man, who will lie to you! He will tell you every smooth tale! He will con you with every smooth plan even as he leads this nation off of a cliff to a point of no return. Even as he sets up death camps in your midst, and even as he executes your families, and even as he ravages your land with war and destruction he will tell you that this is for your own good! Even as he beheads and kills you by the hundreds of thousands, oh yes he will tell you that the terrorists and the dissidents must be purged.
Oh yes, he will do these things! He will cast you into a third world war and quickly so, to cause you to be attacked and to be annihilated and/or carried away by the foreign soldiers. But, he will not be satisfied with only bringing this nation to its knees. He will look to the whole world, and wish to conquer the whole world; and to bring to its knees the whole economic system in the world.
For, he would have all in the world to bend a knee to him and to worship him. And, many, many will bow and serve him, and many, many will worship him, and many, many will take the mark of the beast. But, the tried and true will not! My Faithful will not, yet these things shall be; for they are now upon you!
Be not troubled, My Little One, for even so, all of these things must be! I tell you now that Barrack Hussein Obama is the antichrist and that the false prophet is also already known and is standing in the shadows. For, now is the time that the world knows, even as I have told you, that Barrack Hussein is the antichrist and he will rise over this wicked nation! And, know that our Father has placed him here and many, many of you have believed a great lie! Yes, you have first loved a lie!
I have called and sent My prophets throughout this nation to warn you to repent of your wicked ways, and you would not! You would not receive My warnings of correction, but have overwhelmingly scoffed at My warnings to repent, or perish. Therefore your hour is at hand, wherein I will raise up the antichrist over this land, and you will drink of the bitter cup of your own sins! For, oh so wicked you are, Oh Nation of America!
I have rounded you up, Oh House of Israel, and I have given you this land of America; and I have blessed you above all nations, only to see you raise up your skirts for every whoremonger, to see you chase every filthy sin of the flesh, and to love every vain thing! Now, comes the time of My great judgement against you! For, no longer can I bear to look upon your sins and gross rebellion!
Hear Me, you Nation of America, My days of warnings are fast coming to an end! Yes, indeed! For, the time of My judgement is upon this nation and upon the whole world!
But, even so, I will not leave you to be utterly destroyed and consumed by this great evil, which is upon you! For, I will also soon, and Oh so soon, take My Bride and many wedding guests! And, I will send My Bride back into the Earth and most of the wedding guests I will also send back; and for some months I will pour out My glory upon all flesh!
But, also there will come a time of my removal of this glory, wherein I will take My Faithful and will hide them in places of refuge and safety, wherein no evil shall go! And, into these places of refuge, I shall take many others as their hearts become right with Me and as their lives become clean! But, no evil will come therein!
And, I shall also send forth My Bride, who will work mighty miracles in the midst of such darkness and through these also shall come great judgements upon the wicked! But, even so, no harm shall come upon them; for My wrath is not meant for my Bride!
Go in peace, My Little One, and know that I have shown you the truth about Barrack Obama and have also now confirmed it to you! Type and send out what I have given you, for it is also time for all to know, who can receive the truth!
I am your Lord of Lords, your King of Kings, Jesus, Messiah, Saviour!
As witnessed, dictated and recorded this 20th day of November, 2008,
Linda Newkirk http://www.prophecies.org/
Note that the name Barack Hussein Obama contains 18 letters or 666 The Mabus name from Nostradamus can also be seen in this name.
What Other Prophets Are Saying About The Judgement Of America!
Received by Katie Jordan, March 2, 2008
My people are you awake and alert? Are you listening for My Voice? Oh My beloved ones, I truly desire for you to be always alert and listening. Do you know how late the hour is? Are you spending time with Me and studying My Word? I ask these questions to shake you up, and to make you think! Are you a tare and the son of the evil one, or are you Mine and a Blessed One? Remember that the tares and all the stumbling blocks, and all who are lawless will be taken out first and burned! (Matthew 13-37)
Too many of My own people are satisfied and complacent with their lives and their relationship with Me. Have I not told you that a complacent Christian is a sterile Christian. I would have you be one who is producing abundant fruit. Oh My children, I beseech you to never be so sterile and complacent that your fruit production simply dries up. You need to be the perfect soil showered with the rain of righteousness and fed by the meat of my Word. Always remember that I AM THE TRUE VINE and My Father is the VINE DRESSER! Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit HE TAKES AWAY, and every branch that bears fruit, HE PRUNES, so that it bears more fruit. (John 15)
My love for you is great, and far beyond your comprehension, and so is my patience. But, you must remember that My Word tells you that, "My spirit will not always strive with you forever". Do you understand the times in which you live? Do not be like the hypocrite and be able to read the signs of the weather but not the signs of the times, for I have warned you of them over and over! If you deliberately turn away from the signs of the times, THEN YOU ARE TURNING AWAY FROM ME, FOR YOU ARE SATISFIED WITH YOUR LIFE AND THE WORLD THE WAY IT IS! Ask yourselves how you can be satisfied with a world gone mad with sin and corruption! The constant abominations committed daily, especially in your nation, are a stench in My nostrils and will not be endured by Me much longer! The killing of the innocent, the horrible pornography, the constant lies and deciept by those in power, and the love of war by your nation, has indeed brought you to the utter brink of destruction! I say to you, BE PREPARED! Incredible destruction and utter chaos are just around the corner! So stay very close to Me and keep your eyes on Me now, IT IS IMPERATIVE!
Prophecy Given to Stephen Quayle at 2:45 AM, November 1, 2008
For as I live saith the Lord - My eyes are upon the righteous who speak out against the evil that permeates your land. My destroying angels are soon to be released against the false shepherds and pastors, wolves in my church who have been silent against the slaughter of the infants in the womb, and the sodomy that permeates the land. They have fed themselves and lived extravagantly at the expense of my sheep neither have they bound up the broken hearted nor healed the sick. They have abandoned the widows and orphans and turned a willing blind eye to the downtrodden and the homeless.
As my servant Peter stated in my Holy Word --- judgement begins at the house of God, Know-- this day-- that the decree has gone forth from my lips to let the judgement of the false shepherds and prophets begin.
My children whom I have redeemed, you can no longer stay silent and expect to be delivered and protected from the evil one, "For who is on the Lords side let him come to me" "Let the redeemed of the Lord say so"!
The false shepherds, pastors and wolves who turn a blind eye to the reality of my judgement upon the lands and who have continually rejected my signs and warnings will soon see their temples of mammon totally destroyed.
To those men and women who think their retirement years will be lived out in certainty and passive enjoyment, I will tell you what lies ahead - uncertainty, worry, fear and dread with multiplied anxiety as your money utterly fails. Your protection and provision will be provided for you by taking a stand for righteousness and taking up the cause of the hopeless and the helpless and looking to me in faith to provide for all your needs through Heavens bounty.
The enemy of mens souls - the destroyer has taken your eyes off me and my promises through the seducing spirits of self gratification, apathy, indifference and fear! All of the enemies tactics and manifestations through their mouthpieces are designed to lead you to both physical and eternal destruction. The fear of death and the ridicule of demons has silenced too many of my children for too long. But as I warn you, I urge you to call out to me for the deliverance of the "fear of man" and the "fear of death".
Those who claim to know me and assume to be a member of my flock - cease your ridicule of my warnings and mocking my prophets and my watchmen as I will deal with you harshly in order to keep you from the second death and eternal damnation. The fearful and the cowardly along with the scoffers and mockers unless they repent go into the lake of fire along with all those who think that He who created the sight and hearing of mankind does not see the actions and excuses and hear the hearts and thoughts of all men.
For as I have declared-- that the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth to show himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward me!
Visit www.stevequayle.com and click on the prophecy link for more important prophecy regarding the tribulation!
PENDING JUDGMENT PROPHECY Feb 21/08
The Lord said remember my son, I have given my Angel charge over you, For what I am about to tell you, the time has now come, it is the appointed time. I looked at the clock at that moment it was 12:21 A.M. and the room got very bright and I looked and saw a man in white linen holding a sword. As I looked behind him, I could see a large body of water. Just then the angel of the Lord pointed with His hand, and there appeared before me the United States of America. I saw four huge Angels one standing on the West Coast, East Coast, the Great Lakes and the Gulf Coast, They had these huge swords in their hands, they held them out to each other touching the tips of all four swords together. Then they pulled back and held up their swords in the air, just then, I heard the voice of the Lord say,
son of man prophesy against the holy places and to the land of America. The Lord God said tell America I am against her, at that moment I saw the righteous and the wicked running, all over America.. I said Lord why are they running? " He said for they are running to hide from my Judgment," Just then I looked again and I saw the man in white linen, raise up his sword with two hands I saw His waist, there was a gold band around Him. He swung His sword in a 360 degree wave. Then He flew up in the Air and there where lightning bolts that came out from His face. I looked again at his face, it looked like lightning, then He stuck His sword down into the middle of the White House, and it just blew apart, like it was no longer needed, the president was struck. I saw another 911 rise up that was seven times greater, and military troops were blocking all roads,
At that moment the Angel on the West Coast turned to face the Pacific Ocean, I saw four demon spirits rise up, the angel of the Lord commanded, you must let go of the sea, the demons yell out two times no, no. Just then the Holy Angel of God Almighty, took His sword and struck the Pacific Ocean. Then the sea rose up hundreds of feet in the air, the demons screamed out and the Angel of the Lord struck them and they disappeared. The sea was rapidly coming towards the west coast and went towards many other countries.
Then I looked at the Angel that struck the sea, and I wept, and said, the souls of men, is there not another way? The Lord God said, my son they would not repent of their wicked ways. I said Lord what about the righteous, He said I have told them to get out, and many did not listen, many of them love their homes and their lifestyle more then Me. They wanted all the comforts just like the world and when I warned them they kept going their simple way, they want to take their wealth with them, but they refuse to give it up for me. Just like Lot and all the children of Israel all they own will be required of them. They all died and only Lot and his two daughters came out alive, with just the clothes on their backs, this my son, is how it will be for many.
Just then I looked at the Angel standing over by the Great Lakes ,He pointed over to me, He said you must strike the Great Lakes and tell them to repent, the time is at hand and the time is running out, you must hurry. I fell down again and wept , I became so weak ,I just trembled, I heard this voice say my son, I love you, I know your heart but you must rise up .Then this hand touched me and stood me up, but I fell back down and wept more, I cried out, Lord God Almighty please save these people. My son stand up, I will be with you, you must warn these people, I wept more and said Lord I am incapable and I am nobody, who am I, Lord that you should call upon me. Rise up, very well Lord, I will obey even to the point of death., I love you so much.
Just then the Angel I saw at first with the gold band around His waist pointed up in the air. There were four Angels flying down out of heaven, they had their swords extended out in front of them. The first Angel struck the earth and America just quaked, the second struck this huge massive oil/gas tank and fires started up all over the country, the third struck the air and thousands of tornadoes started up all over the country at the same time. There were droughts and floods all over, all the crops were destroyed, and millions of homes were wiped out. The fourth one struck all the government buildings, and the whole economic wealth fell to the ground and burned up, and many politicians fell over and died. I saw the Military get attacked and the Pacific fleet get hit.
Then the Angel at the Gulf Coast said to me, come closer, tell the people at the Gulf Coast and Louisiana that it will be ten time worse than Katrina, and then the Angel struck the Gulf Coast and people were being suck out to sea, everyone that lives there. As I looked to the East Coast I saw the Angel strike the sea just then twelve eroding hurricanes appeared up and down the East Coast and the coast line dropped off into the Atlantic Ocean from twenty miles to sixty miles inland .
The Lord God Almighty said disaster has come upon the whole land. Oh America, you have refused to love the truth, therefore the Lord God Almighty has sent forth a decree of judgment upon you America. For the sins of America has reached the heavens. Woe, Woe, unto you America because you have not Repented , I will not hold back my Judgment, any longer. This is the hour, the time has come. You America have shed innocent blood and now, even now, I have sent my death Angel upon you, I have given my command Oh Angel of my Judgment go descend upon her, bring upon her all the innocent blood that she has slain. Tell America , I will not turn back my Judgment. Then this vision ended. Around 4:30 A.M. I saw many other things, but that is it for now, the vision came to a end.
Received by Matthew Stephen
http://www.propheticwatchmanvine.com/
“The Imminent Fall of the United States of America!”
Oh Rise, Oh blessed and cherished daughter of Mine, My blessed daughter of Zion! Arise and stand up once more, My beloved child, to speak of My judgements, to speak of My warnings, that the blood of the people of this nation, be not upon your hands! For, over and over again, I have called you, and I have sent you, and you have piped for Me! You have piped My messages! But, on reading, they hear not! On seeing, they see not! But, even so, My Little One, the wolf is at the door! The walls of defense have been torn down! The high tower is deserted and the mouths of my watchmen have all but gone silent!
Blind sheep! Blind shepherds! And, all now facing a fierce, blinding wind of ripping and cutting sand! A fierce storm blowing in! A tidal wave of destruction at hand! Rivers of tears upon this nation! A howling as none have ever seen! A great howling indeed! For, the ravenous wolves meet in secret, seeking how they will devour this land, whom they shall devour and whom they shall carry off!
Cities of America, soon many cities, but ruinous heaps, deserted wastelands! Burned! Charred! Dissolved and clean removed! With vacuous hollows in the earth only remaining! Gone, the great skyscrapers, and millions upon millions of souls, their bodies melted in the debris! Coyotes, rooting for bones and withered skins! Ravens, pouring over the ruinous heaps! The stench of the burning of the cities filling the land!
Oh, you blind and deaf nation of America! How, you have perverted My word! How you have despised My warnings! How you have deserted Me in all of your affairs! How you have trusted blindly in the arm of the flesh! And, how greatly you have put your faith in lying, satanic leaders and in lying and filthy preachers of the word! And, how you have sold Me out for but a tinker’s toy of this world!
Gross, gross immorality! Gross sins of the flesh! Gross worship of many idols and strange gods! Yes, this is so; and early, I have awakened My prophets and I have sent them out early in the day to warn you, to warn you to repent, or perish in the coming troubled times! I have kept them up late, warning My people! And, I have given them many dreams and many visions for many years, of the great destruction, which awaits America if you will not repent! And, many have run among you and they have warned you, for I have sent them!
But, you as a nation, would not hear! For, you love the world and what is in it; and My very words through the mouths of My prophets, my words and warnings offended you!
Oh, you wicked generation! Oh, how your sins have piled up on you! Mountains of sins and few, oh so few of you caring at all!
Now, oh rebellions nation of America, you hour is upon you! Your hour of great destruction! Your hour of great economic woes! Your hour of great military assaults against you, from which you will never recover!
Yes, hear My words, oh you rebellious nation of America! America is about to fall! I am sending a grievous war upon you! Out of the North shall come a mighty army! Missiles shall rain down upon your cities! A burning, a great burning of your nation, of your cities shall be seen all over the world!
Your sons and daughters shall be carried away as slaves! The wicked shall fill up their death camps with your families. A great howling shall go up all over this land and even the heathen shall say, “Look what their God did to them!”
Yes, America shall be utterly broken! Clean broken down! No more shall the merry laughter fill this land! No more! For, great shall be your sorrow! Great shall be your weeping!
But, even so I will not utterly desert you! If, even then, you will humble yourselves before Me, and if you will repent sufficiently of your sins, I will send My Son! And, he and he, alone, will drive the foreign armies out of your land!
And, I will stretch out My hand to you as a parent would to a long-lost child! And, I will cuddle you as an infant! I will embrace you and comfort you again! My miracles will run in your midst and all of the world will know that I am still Your God!
But, even so, your great judgement is at hand! For, no longer can I tolerate your gross rebellion, your worship of idols, your love of the world, and your love of a lie! I am not in this! You have routed me out of this nation! Few, and I mean few truly love Me, and truly serve Me! And, at hand now and oh so soon is your hour of destruction!
I am your Father Yahweh, yea Jehovah, Most High God!
As witnessed, dictated and recorded this 24th day of October, 2008,
Linda Newkirk http://www.prophecies.org/
Vision Received By Melinda O'Dea March 3, 2008
Before me in this vision I saw a screen, and the pictures appeared much like a slide show. The first picture was of three children on a bed huddled in the corner of a room in a shack in the Appalachian Mountains. They were young, dirty, and shivering with a look of despair on their little faces. The shack was freezing, I saw the mother standing in the kitchen area, the cupboards were totally bare. She was standing with her arms crossed trying to
warm herself as she stood looking at her children. I saw her walk over to them trying to tuck the threadbare blanket around her children the best she could to preserve the body heat that they could produce by huddling together.
Immediately the scene changed. I was shown a large church and people coming to worship. This was in an area that was middle to upper middle class. Nice cars were driving into the parking lot, the people got out of the cars, they were well dressed, well fed. Families laughed and joked with their children as they walked into the church. The picture then changed. Again it was a picture of poverty, a trailer where young children were sitting together. They were filthy wearing dirty clothes, torn t-shirts, shorts and barefoot, the weather was cold and they were not properly dressed or taken care of. One of the children went into the kitchen looking for food, the place was filthy, and the kitchen had not been cleaned in quite some time. One of the children was asking the older one to please find some food. As the picture changed, I saw the mother in her bedroom smoking a pipe, lost in her addiction, oblivious to her children and their needs.
The next scene was the church. They were ordering coffee drinks and walked their family into the large sanctuary. The sanctuary looked more like where a concert would be held, with all the lights, staging, and scaffolding. This family sat down and started to fuss with their children’s hair making sure they looked presentable. The scene flipped back to another picture of poverty. And so this went, from a scene of poverty, to a scene of a large comfortable church, and back to poverty.
I saw the Christians leave the church to go home. In one home I saw the husband go into his office while the wife started a meal. He pulled up vacation destinations on his computer. The scene shifted back to more pictures of poverty. I was taken back to the church and saw a Christian writing a check for a new building fund. They were excited to build a larger church with more programs for their family. They felt they could protect their family from the world as long as they immersed themselves in this community. The pictures were changing faster and I saw a man standing at home with his "toys". He was buying all the grown up toys he wanted, what he saw he wanted, and what he wanted he bought. He felt no guilt in indulging himself and felt he was blessed by God to be able to buy these things.
Then I heard a loud thunder and a roar and the ground shaking as if the world was coming to an end. The roar was deafening, I looked up and saw the heavens part. The clouds were being pulled back and the heavens were parting before my very eyes. Instant terror overtook and I fell down on my face. I knew it was God himself doing this. I felt such terror and all I could do was beg for forgiveness. I felt the weight of my sins and knew I was before a holy God. I wept and begged for personal forgiveness, and forgiveness for the church body. I heard mixed with the loud sounds of thunder a roaring of His voice. I dared not look up, I was frozen prostrate before the Holy God and knew judgment was here. I could not look up and somehow felt if I tried, I would be instantly destroyed. There were others laying prostrate, but I never saw them.
The first words I heard rumble through the air made me physically ill. I heard the words "GREED," then "SELFISHNESS" "IDOLATRY" "LUST" "PERVERSION" and the list went on. I knew God was judging the church. At that moment I knew I didn’t deserve mercy or favor. I cried out over and over, "Jesus, have mercy on me, forgive me for all my sins! Oh God, I don’t deserve any mercy, I beg for forgiveness"! I could not stop repenting and asking for forgiveness. I will never forget my complete helplessness to do anything BUT beg for forgiveness. Then I knew God was addressing the church and I heard, "YOU who ask for favor, YOU who ask for recompense, YOU who ask for justice, do you not know, it is YOU, YOU who judgment will fall upon first?" I was shaking so hard because I knew I have asked for favor, recompense and justice.
The booming voice further addressed the church, "You have lifted your voice to me crying for justice from one who has offended you. You have lifted you voice to me crying for recompense from one who has stolen from you. You have lifted your voice asking for favor, but the favor you want is for your personal gain. YOU LIFT YOUR VOICE TO ME, to ask me to bless your sinful ways. You have not forgiven the one who you feel took from you. You have not taken what I blessed you with, and been obedient to do as I ask. You have not worshipped me in truth and obedience, but your worship is self-serving, your prayers are self-serving, and the desire of your heart is self-serving. You try and manipulate Me because you have become so self-delusional, you lie to yourself. You do not serve me, YOU SERVE SELF. I see the very center of your heart, I see it all." At this moment I was shown another picture as I lay there trembling. I was shown as the clouds parted this black massive storm was present, and out of this mass of storm, I could see the throne. I was aware that the God of this universe had stood up and was stepping off his throne to come down in a fury in judgment. I cried, shivered and waited to be destroyed.
Instantly a picture flashed in my mind. I was looking inside a large church, but what I saw confused me. I saw people standing in the sanctuary looking up at the heavens at the very scene I was witnessing. I was aware that, they too were standing before God, yet they were doing just that, standing while I could not lift my face as I lay there. I saw the people listening to the very words I was hearing God speak, and then look at each other with indignation. I heard one man remark that this must be a joke, how could God be angry at them when they have done so much for him. The people started agreeing with each other and discussing how righteous they are and perhaps they need to rethink about serving God if this is the way he’s going to treat them. They started yelling back at him, quoting scripture and demanding He change His message and start appreciating what they’re doing for him. I was begging God to forgive those yelling at him and complaining in indignation. I thought how can these people even stand in his presence, much less shout back at him when I can’t even lift my face, and instantly I heard, "Their minds and hearts are seared."
The terror going through me paralyzed me and seemed to go on forever. I could not stop asking the Lord to forgive me for all my sins and my selfishness, repentance was flowing out of the very core of my being. Then I felt His gaze rest upon me. I thought I was in terror, but the terror then went to a new place when I felt His gaze upon me. Instantly I saw another picture, I was back looking at the Appalachian area again, I was flying over the land going from shack to shack, county to county. As I watched I heard the booming and thundering voice say to me, "Daughter, where are My churches? Do you see My people here?" I kept looking to see a church yet all I could see was land and poverty and an occasional shack for a church. I could not answer the Lord, the anger in His voice had my throat paralyzed in fear and dread.
He said there’s no reason for this, NONE! I bless my people, yet they build idols calling them ministries, for self-serving purposes and drown out the cry of the hurting. They build church plants where it’s cost effective. They pick and choose who they want to minister to, they ask Me for finances to reach the lost, but once there’s never enough before they’ll start. They pocket the money and tell Me they need more before they can reach out like they want to. IT’S NOT UP TO THEM TO PICK AND CHOOSE WHERE THEY MINISTER!" My heart was frozen, my mouth was frozen, and all I could do is think, JESUS FORGIVE ME! I felt His fierce anger, and realized for the first time what holy really means, and how I cannot stand in the presence of a holy God. I have received words before that He has had me write down to speak forth where I have felt His anger, but I cannot truly describe this level of anger and judgment. I was aware this was judgment that had fallen upon the church. I lay there shaking, and then I heard Him say, "Daughter, you have asked Me for forgiveness and mercy, You have asked Me for favor, you have asked Me for recompense." My heart sank dreading what was coming next. "Daughter I am granting these things to you, I have found you faithful. I am granting you favor, I am granting you mercy, and I am granting you recompense." Instantly the dread lifted from me, and a flood of tears overcame me, as I knew I deserved none of these things. As soon as I heard these words, I saw the picture of the church building I had seen earlier, the large church, and it’s people yelling at the Lord. I felt a massive earthquake. I saw the church fall like the buildings that came tumbling down in the 1906 San Francisco earthquake. The bricks fell on top of all the people in that church, until it all went quiet.
Feb 1, 2008
My Blessed Child, I am your Father Yahweh, yea Jehovah, Most High God. Listen to Me Little One and write as I say that all may be the wiser! Hearken I say, all you nations! Rise up and hear what I say! Open your eyes to see! Burst open your ears to hear! For do you not see that he whole world stands on a precipice, that the whole world now overlooks a great abyss! Who can stay My hand of judgement? Who can turn back My hand of timing? Who can know what I will do, or when I will do a thing? None I say! None can stay My hand and none can know My ways!
For surely many say, that is not of the Lord! He did not do such a horrible thing to His people! He has not brought such judgement! He has not destroyed in such a way! But, I tell you now, that these speak in ignorance! They speak foolishness! They speak the desires of their own hearts! For, I create and I destroy! For I am both a God of great love, and an all-consuming fire!
Oh yes, I am an all-consuming fire! And this part, most wish to leave out! They want to believe that I am love, but My love burns hot! My love cannot look upon evil and be pleased with it! Oh yes, I strive with the sinners! I have striven with you all since the beginning! And, all of you sinners! For I am full of love, mercy, and grace toward all! But even so, I am also an all consuming fire! And when I warn, and warn, and warn, through the mouths of My prophets and you despise My warnings, mock My prophets and even throw them out of your midst, oh then, after so much of this, I will turn against the mockers! I will turn against the scorners; and I will set My eye toward you for total destruction! I will utterly destroy the wicked! I will destroy the mockers! I will destroy the rebellious, and My word is replete with such instances of My judgement! But, I do not destroy without warning! And oh how I have warned you, you My people, all over the world! Oh yes, I have warned you! But few, and I mean few, have listened!
Oh hard-necked and stiff-necked generation! A generation of vipers, mockers, slanderers, backbiters, accusers, rapists, sodomites, perverts, liars, murderers, and thieves of every description! Undisciplined and unruly! Fit for destruction! Full of every deception! Oh my whip shall fall hard on you! And of a sudden, I shall rip the rug from beneath your feet! Of a sudden, I shall take away all that you cherish and hold dear! Of a sudden, I shall break you like a twig in the wind! Of a sudden I shall destroy your families, destroy your houses, destroy your careers, and take away your easy lives! Of a sudden I shall lay waste to your cities, to your coastlines, to your high-minded governments, and to you panderers and peddlers of falsehoods and lies! In one instant I shall deal such a blow to My own house and such a blow to Satan’s Kingdom that indeed, the New World Order will go forth on wobbly knees!
Oh yes! This is so, and this is at hand! For when I take My bride, I shall throw the world into such turmoil that overnite there shall come about massive starvation! Overnite, millions upon millions will perish in the churning waters! Overnite millions upon millions will be buried beneath the crumbling rocks of earthquakes that are so great that your instruments have never measured such things! Oh yes, overnite millions upon millions without electrical power! Millions upon millions without food! Millions upon millions dead! Banks closing and no money to be had! Wars, terrible wars, quickly thereafter breaking out all over the world as Satan’s own try for world domination! Terrible torture, persecution, and killing of many Christians! Mind control re-education camps in your midst and the new world order mind control teams working feverishly to take over the minds of the weak Christians and to use them for their own! Massive killing camps which far exceed anything Hitler ever had, as far as their grotesque horrors! A war against the so-called Christians such as never before, with any and all methodologies used against them to cause them to denounce Me and My Son!
Trials by the fire! Oh, great and terrible trails by the fires of persecution, starvation, wars, and deprivations of every kind! Harsh! Severe! Nuclear destruction! Poisoned food! Harsh! Severe! Oh the weeping! Oh the wailing, as all that all hold dear in this world, evaporates before their very eyes!
Oh yes, the whole world now stands at the edge of this great abyss! And what keeps you from tumbling into the abyss? I do! I have stayed My hand and I will stay My hand a little longer! But know one thing and know this for a certainty! When Revelation 12 is ended then the whole world will go headlong into the abyss!
In that I allow you a little more time, I do so that you humble yourselves unto repentance! That you get on your knees before Me and confess your sins! Forsake your sins! I forgive the truly repentant and the sincere of heart!
In that I delay a little longer the coming of My Son, I do so also to allow you to prepare for the harsh times, which are ahead! To all who are able to do so, get out of the cities! Get survival-oriented! Consider the times of massive starvation, massive power failures and wars! Put away food for three and one half years! Put away seeds so that you can garden! Put away supplies, for you will find that the stores shelves quickly empty out when this devastation hits! I tell you now, massive devastation, as yet never before seen in the earth! Prepare for hard times!
Yes I will soon take My Bride, but she will come back! Most wedding guests will come back, and I will keep whom I will! But do you suppose that you are going to escape anything! I say, prepare! And get away from coastlines! Remove yourselves from the areas of the Great Lakes and the swath of land which stretches between the Great Lakes and Mississippi River, for one day these lakes will dump into the Mississippi River!
Remove yourselves from California coastlines and get far inland! For one day soon, the ocean will reclaim much of this! To My people I tell you, pack up and leave Florida! That’s right! Such a judgement will come upon Florida that when I am through with it, only a string of islands will be left! Pack up and move from the Gulf Coast, and make haste! For so great shall be My destruction along this coast!
Where will you go? Fast, pray, and seek My face, and I will guide you! Put Me first and I will show You My will!
Yes I am tarrying a while longer, but even so, it is but a short while still! Do as I say! Live for Me! Put Me first wherever you are! Though many may soon perish I will take all who love and honor, Me and My Son! Even if your body perishes in a prison camp, you will be at peace! For My Son will be there to take you!
But some, I wish to preserve! You will be here through it all! Listen to Me! Get prepared! Come out of New York City! Leave the East Coast! Hear what I tell you now! For in one day, such a great upheaval shall strike the world, as none of you have ever seen in recent years!
I am your Father Yahweh! Hear My words! Repent! Live for Me! Stop your selfish ways! Give to Me what is Mine! Bless My prophets and My anointed servants and I bless you! Steal from Me, and I allow Satan to steal from you! You have robbed Me! You have stolen from My house, and I command that you give to Me what is Mine, and I will give to you, what is sure!
As witnessed, dictated and recorded this 1st day of February, 2008,
Linda Newkirk
Visit http://www.hismailroom.org/ view stunning evidence of the satanic New World Order. Note the satanic logo on the lecturn that Kissinger is speaking from!
Visit Spiritlessons for many tribulation prophecies and quite a few testimonies of many who have been taken to hell and back.
Visit The Truth Portal and click the portal link to see why Comet Holmes was censored!
The prophet David Terrell was given a vision of church leaders committing suicide when the tribulation started, their congregations were upset with their leaders who had misled them about the rapture.
Friday, November 28, 2008
Thank God For The Evolutionary Times
Michael Dowd and Connie Barlow, responsible for the book Thank God For Evolution, have now begun a newsletter called The Evolutionary Times. In related news, the Clergy Letter Project now has its own YouTube channel. And the latest Global Spiral is out from Metanexus, including articles on subjects like Christian physicalism and post-metaphysical theology, as well as an excerpt from Keith Ward's most recent book (about which I hope to resume, and finish, blogging soon). There's also video and audio of a recent talk by Barbara Forrest, and Glenn Branch has comments about an award that Philip Kitcher's book on Darwin, evolution and religion has won.
Mythos
Here are members of the Butler Children Orchestra and the League of Extraordinary Musicians performing "Mythos" by Soon Hee Newbold, in a concert I missed the Saturday I was away at SBL:
Weird Beliefs
I had a very interesting conversation at SBL with an old friend and a friend of that friend. I entered the conversation (already in progress) with an abrupt question (from the friend's friend) about whether I thought the Bible was "the Word of God uniquely revealed" (or something to that effect). As I tried to think of a balanced, witty, insightful and profound reply, my friend chimed in and said "Just answer, no thinking about it, yes or no..." (or something to that effect).
So I said "No".
The conversation that ensued began with a focus on religious experience as a potential point of commonality between some Christians and those in other traditions who have had life-changing spiritual experiences. From there it quickly moved to doctrine, with the friend's friend pointing out that Mormons claim to have had a religious experience, but also believe... (there ensued a list of various Mormon doctrines about Gods as men, other planets, and so on).
This led me to think about just how many beliefs there are, held by at least some Christians who adhere to something like traditional orthodoxy, which are equally "weird" if one can just try to look at them as an outsider would. Some examples include:
- The belief that God caused an engaged virgin, in a society that punishes sexual misconduct with death, to become pregnant supernaturally, with the potential result that she might be suspected of wrongdoing, at the very least be shamed and thought ill of, and in a worst case scenario might be executed.
- The belief that God sent his son to die, and yet holds accountable those who were part of the process of bringing that death about.
- The belief that God considers it just if an innocent victim is punished in the place of the guilty, who then go free. [For a better understanding of what Paul may have thought on this subject, go here].
- The belief that God made all the evidence in the natural world point to an old earth and evolution and then is angry that people actually draw that conclusion.
I could go on, but presumably you can complete the list yourself. One last example, however, from the domain of ritual, which when foreign always seems strange and when familiar always seems perfectly natural.
In about a month's time, many of us will stick a tree in our homes, decorate it with lights an garlands, wrap presents and place them under it, and quite possibly leave out a plate of cookies. If this wasn't second nature to you, can you appreciate how very odd it might seem?
In about a month's time, many of us will stick a tree in our homes, decorate it with lights an garlands, wrap presents and place them under it, and quite possibly leave out a plate of cookies. If this wasn't second nature to you, can you appreciate how very odd it might seem?I'm not advocating the abolition either of "strange beliefs" in general or of Christmas rituals in particular. I'm not suggesting that every instance of language that presupposes an outmoded worldview needs to be replaced and updated (although I am not opposed to that either). Nor am I even persuaded that affirming propositional beliefs however absurd is not a necessary stage in the development of human spirituality. The real issue with respect to the subject of this blog post is when (1) people who have reached an age of maturity continue to adhere to an adolescent spirituality, and (2) fail to apply the Golden Rule by viewing the "weird beliefs" and "bizarre practices" of others in the same way they would like their own to be viewed by others. And hopefully, in the process of reaching the maturity that will enable them to do these things, they will also take the initiative in critically investigating their own views and outlook, rather than waiting for others to do so and then defending their own assumptions and traditions at all costs.
Thursday, November 27, 2008
Quote of the Day (George E. Vaillant)
"Ideologue Ralph Nader's bestseller Unsafe at Any Speed raised consciousness about the very real dangers of the automobile; ideologue Richard Dawkins's bestseller The God Delusion raises our consciousness about the very real dangers of religious dogma. Religion, like the automobile, may lead to tens of thousands of pointless deaths every year. Religions, however, are even more valuable than the automobile to humanity. At the price of the "smog" of sometimes misleading superstition, religions keep the prosocial emotions in consciousness. Society ignores the emotional brain at its peril, and both science and society need to work to make automobiles and religions safer."
-- George E. Vaillant, Spiritual Evolution: A Scientific Defense of Faith
(New York: Broadway Books, 2008) p.19.
(New York: Broadway Books, 2008) p.19.
Twilight of the Hancocks
Tonight I finally got to see the movie Hancock
. I wish I had been able to be among the earliest viewers of the movie, to be truly and completely caught off guard when Charlize Theron's character reveals her power and throws Will Smith's through the wall, together with the fridge. Even so, it was a great movie, with a lot going for it. The underlying premises are all intriguing - from the idea of a superhero who needs to improve his image (and his attitude), to the notion that what were once called "gods" are now called "superheroes", to the idea that the gods had the ability to form pairs and become mortal and grow old together, to the notion that someone might choose to give up the one they love in order to allow them to remain immortal.
It is true that the gods and heroes of such stories remain popular in one form or another. We long for a parental figure, or better still an older and stronger sibling, who will stand up for us. Yet how much satisfaction do we really get when the bully or the criminal gets a taste of their own medicine? On the one hand, there is something that seems just - surely if those who are selfish can take what they want if they are strong enough, surely somewhere there must be one who is both stronger and good. On the other hand, it is crucial to our living to find a way to live and be good even if we aren't always strongest, even if we can't simply make evil vanish through a show of will and power.
Sooner or later, we realize that such deities do not exist. They are a projection of our deep seated desire for justice, or for power, or for fairness, or for rescue and salvation. But Superman will not show up. And that is as it should be. For ultimately children need to grow up and become independent of their parents. And their parents need to step aside and allow them to do so (can you tell I caught a glimpse of today's Dr. Phil while flipping through the channels?). And it is our fear at this prospect that causes us to personify the ultimate and reduce it into a superhero. And it is the beneficence of the ultimate that such needs are not satisfied, but rather our deeper, real need to become mature and responsible.
. I wish I had been able to be among the earliest viewers of the movie, to be truly and completely caught off guard when Charlize Theron's character reveals her power and throws Will Smith's through the wall, together with the fridge. Even so, it was a great movie, with a lot going for it. The underlying premises are all intriguing - from the idea of a superhero who needs to improve his image (and his attitude), to the notion that what were once called "gods" are now called "superheroes", to the idea that the gods had the ability to form pairs and become mortal and grow old together, to the notion that someone might choose to give up the one they love in order to allow them to remain immortal.It is true that the gods and heroes of such stories remain popular in one form or another. We long for a parental figure, or better still an older and stronger sibling, who will stand up for us. Yet how much satisfaction do we really get when the bully or the criminal gets a taste of their own medicine? On the one hand, there is something that seems just - surely if those who are selfish can take what they want if they are strong enough, surely somewhere there must be one who is both stronger and good. On the other hand, it is crucial to our living to find a way to live and be good even if we aren't always strongest, even if we can't simply make evil vanish through a show of will and power.
Sooner or later, we realize that such deities do not exist. They are a projection of our deep seated desire for justice, or for power, or for fairness, or for rescue and salvation. But Superman will not show up. And that is as it should be. For ultimately children need to grow up and become independent of their parents. And their parents need to step aside and allow them to do so (can you tell I caught a glimpse of today's Dr. Phil while flipping through the channels?). And it is our fear at this prospect that causes us to personify the ultimate and reduce it into a superhero. And it is the beneficence of the ultimate that such needs are not satisfied, but rather our deeper, real need to become mature and responsible.
In other words, what better day than Thanksgiving to thank God that the sorts of gods that many people depend on to keep from becoming mature and responsible do not exist?
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
The Only True Book Cover
One of the surprises waiting for me when I got back from SBL was that the cover design for my forthcoming book The Only True God: Early Christian Monotheism in Its Jewish Context
had been finished. Here's what it is going to look like:
First, any attempt to provide an image connected with ancient monotheism and Christology may be off-putting to some potential readers. If the book featured an image of Jesus, or of the Trinity, such a depiction would, when placed together with the title, seem to end dialogue. It would suggest that the one(s) depicted on the cover are "the only true God", end of conversation, and that is not the sort of approach taken in the book.
Second, most monotheistic traditions agree that the one God ultimately transcends the ability of any image or even any language to describe or do justice to. And so those mysterious lights symbolize that aspect nicely.
They always say "Don't judge a book by its cover", but of course we do so anyway. So what do you think of it? If you dislike it, leave a comment. If you like it, leave a comment, or just pre-order it at a significant discount! :-)
had been finished. Here's what it is going to look like:
First, any attempt to provide an image connected with ancient monotheism and Christology may be off-putting to some potential readers. If the book featured an image of Jesus, or of the Trinity, such a depiction would, when placed together with the title, seem to end dialogue. It would suggest that the one(s) depicted on the cover are "the only true God", end of conversation, and that is not the sort of approach taken in the book.
Second, most monotheistic traditions agree that the one God ultimately transcends the ability of any image or even any language to describe or do justice to. And so those mysterious lights symbolize that aspect nicely.
They always say "Don't judge a book by its cover", but of course we do so anyway. So what do you think of it? If you dislike it, leave a comment. If you like it, leave a comment, or just pre-order it at a significant discount
! :-)
Sneaky Scam Spam
Most of the phishing attempts and scam e-mails I warn people about are not hard to spot as such. But here's one that could just be mistaken for an authentic e-mail by someone who doesn't look at it closely enough. The key for realizing this is an attempt to get your account info rather than a genuine e-mail from Capital One is that the web site it sends you to is not the Capital One site, but a site made to look like it at the domain iseoul.net. It is a fake - don't fall for it!
Here's the full text of the e-mail:
Congratulations!
You've been selected to take part in our quick and easy 9 questions survey.
In return we will credit $20 to your account - Just for your time!
Please spare two minutes of your time and take part in our online survey so we can improve our services.
Don't miss this chance to change something.
To access the form please click the link:
http://www.capitalone.iseoul.net:202/capital.online.survey/survey.php
Capital One Bank, Capital One, F.S.B., members FDIC. ©2008 Capital One Services, Inc.
Capital One is a federally registered service mark. All rights reserved.
Note:
* If you received this message in your SPAM/BULK folder, that is because of the restrictions implemented by your ISP
* For security reasons, we will record your ip address, the date and time.
* Deliberate wrong imputs are criminally pursued and indicted.
Here's the full text of the e-mail:
Congratulations!
You've been selected to take part in our quick and easy 9 questions survey.
In return we will credit $20 to your account - Just for your time!
Please spare two minutes of your time and take part in our online survey so we can improve our services.
Don't miss this chance to change something.
To access the form please click the link:
http://www.capitalone.iseoul.net:202/capital.online.survey/survey.php
Capital One Bank, Capital One, F.S.B., members FDIC. ©2008 Capital One Services, Inc.
Capital One is a federally registered service mark. All rights reserved.
Note:
* If you received this message in your SPAM/BULK folder, that is because of the restrictions implemented by your ISP
* For security reasons, we will record your ip address, the date and time.
* Deliberate wrong imputs are criminally pursued and indicted.
From Boston to the Blogosphere
I've been unable to blog much while I was away at the Society of Biblical Literature conference in Boston. Now that I'm back, there's a lot to catch up on...
First, some did manage to blog from (and about) SBL. Chris Heard provides a day by day account of his experiences on Saturday, Sunday and Monday (For this, Jim West thanks heaven). Jim Getz also provides a day by day (0, 1, 2, 3, and 4). Eric Sowell has a five-part blog series on SBL. Douglas Mangum has two posts on "adventures at SBL" as well as several others related to the conference. Jim Davila read a paper in which he told a Terminator joke, took a photo from his window, and even blogged about the book display. Ken Schenck posted on Saturday and Sunday, and now has some post-conference reflections. Stephen Cook has posts #1, #2 and #3. Loren Rosson has a roundup, as does Ken Brown. Matthew Montonini has begun reflecting on SBL now that he's back home. Josh McManaway blogged Saturday and Monday. Mark Goodacre blogged Monday and Tuesday. John Hobbins judges booksellers by their bags. Danny Zacharias hurt his back (and this was before he began carrying increasing numbers of books). Stephen Carlson did leave his hotel room (although you wouldn't know it from his blog). Did Sean Winter? Jim Spinti gives a bookseller's perspective. Michael Homan was at ASOR. C. Jay Crisostomo made it home, as did Peter Head. Roland Boer wasn't there but many other minimalist guild members were. Wade watched from a distance.
One highlight of the conference was the bibliobloggers' dinner organized by Michael Halcomb (who is now reading). Chris Brady has shared some photos from the event, and will at some point also post a podcast (he's also shared a site with humorous cartoons). Jared feels (as I do) that it is nice to put a face on bloggers. We still don't have a face for NT Wrong, but at least he knows my blog is red hot. And I likewise found James Crossley to be a nice man. It was nice meeting so many bibliobloggers, too numerous to mention individually in what is already a long post.
Jim West also has a post on Mounce's comment equating SBL's failure to be limited to Evangelicals and coddle them as being "less friendly to Evangelicals". You can read what Mounce thinks about the Bible here. That post helps clarify what the issue is: at SBL we study the Bible, have to face critical scrutiny of our arguments from others, and cannot get away with simply imposing our presuppositions on the text. So indeed, those who want that should look elsewhere, but the irony is that those who do go elsewhere form sectarian groups that manage to persuade themselves that they are the ones who are treating the Bible with respect by shielding it from the honest critical investigation of mainstream Biblical scholarship.
In other news, ThinkChristian has a post on creavolution. AIGBusted mentions an atheist supporter of Intelligent Design. Jake Bouma points out an article about Richard Dawkins and religion. RJS blogs about the age of the earth. Steve Martin has a post on Adam's historicity. Heather Wax posts on Saving Darwin. Chet Raymo as always has interesting thoughts on religion and science. Chris Tilling also touches on creation and evolution. And there's much of interest at The Panda's Thumb. Carmen Andres shares the new Battlestar Galactica 4.5 trailer and Star Trek trailer. Crypto-theology has a video clip about alien intertextuality.
Judy Redman offers a quote to consider. Pomomusings has a twitter of faith and a statement of faith. Henry Neufeld, David Ker and Drew Tatusko have a similar interest. Matt Kelley shares an inconvenient hermeneutic. Nick Norelli shared a link (which doesn't seem to work) about why professors blog. Margaret Barker is on YouTube. And (this one borders on the miraculous) Ann Coulter's jaw has been wired shut. Blah blah blah shares a photo of an ironic price. Cliff Martin blogs the problem of evil. Duane Smith blogs about accepting criticism. John Shuck looked at Thou Shalt Not Love.
First, some did manage to blog from (and about) SBL. Chris Heard provides a day by day account of his experiences on Saturday, Sunday and Monday (For this, Jim West thanks heaven). Jim Getz also provides a day by day (0, 1, 2, 3, and 4). Eric Sowell has a five-part blog series on SBL. Douglas Mangum has two posts on "adventures at SBL" as well as several others related to the conference. Jim Davila read a paper in which he told a Terminator joke, took a photo from his window, and even blogged about the book display. Ken Schenck posted on Saturday and Sunday, and now has some post-conference reflections. Stephen Cook has posts #1, #2 and #3. Loren Rosson has a roundup, as does Ken Brown. Matthew Montonini has begun reflecting on SBL now that he's back home. Josh McManaway blogged Saturday and Monday. Mark Goodacre blogged Monday and Tuesday. John Hobbins judges booksellers by their bags. Danny Zacharias hurt his back (and this was before he began carrying increasing numbers of books). Stephen Carlson did leave his hotel room (although you wouldn't know it from his blog). Did Sean Winter? Jim Spinti gives a bookseller's perspective. Michael Homan was at ASOR. C. Jay Crisostomo made it home, as did Peter Head. Roland Boer wasn't there but many other minimalist guild members were. Wade watched from a distance.
One highlight of the conference was the bibliobloggers' dinner organized by Michael Halcomb (who is now reading). Chris Brady has shared some photos from the event, and will at some point also post a podcast (he's also shared a site with humorous cartoons). Jared feels (as I do) that it is nice to put a face on bloggers. We still don't have a face for NT Wrong, but at least he knows my blog is red hot. And I likewise found James Crossley to be a nice man. It was nice meeting so many bibliobloggers, too numerous to mention individually in what is already a long post.
Jim West also has a post on Mounce's comment equating SBL's failure to be limited to Evangelicals and coddle them as being "less friendly to Evangelicals". You can read what Mounce thinks about the Bible here. That post helps clarify what the issue is: at SBL we study the Bible, have to face critical scrutiny of our arguments from others, and cannot get away with simply imposing our presuppositions on the text. So indeed, those who want that should look elsewhere, but the irony is that those who do go elsewhere form sectarian groups that manage to persuade themselves that they are the ones who are treating the Bible with respect by shielding it from the honest critical investigation of mainstream Biblical scholarship.
In other news, ThinkChristian has a post on creavolution. AIGBusted mentions an atheist supporter of Intelligent Design. Jake Bouma points out an article about Richard Dawkins and religion. RJS blogs about the age of the earth. Steve Martin has a post on Adam's historicity. Heather Wax posts on Saving Darwin. Chet Raymo as always has interesting thoughts on religion and science. Chris Tilling also touches on creation and evolution. And there's much of interest at The Panda's Thumb. Carmen Andres shares the new Battlestar Galactica 4.5 trailer and Star Trek trailer. Crypto-theology has a video clip about alien intertextuality.
Judy Redman offers a quote to consider. Pomomusings has a twitter of faith and a statement of faith. Henry Neufeld, David Ker and Drew Tatusko have a similar interest. Matt Kelley shares an inconvenient hermeneutic. Nick Norelli shared a link (which doesn't seem to work) about why professors blog. Margaret Barker is on YouTube. And (this one borders on the miraculous) Ann Coulter's jaw has been wired shut. Blah blah blah shares a photo of an ironic price. Cliff Martin blogs the problem of evil. Duane Smith blogs about accepting criticism. John Shuck looked at Thou Shalt Not Love.
Sunday, November 23, 2008
Bibliobloggers in Boston
I have managed to get internet access here in Boston at the Society of Biblical Literature conference. I read my first paper yesterday, on Mark's missing ending, and tomorrow I'll read the second one on the Mandaeans.
Tonight is the dinner for bibliobloggers, which Michael Holcomb has organized and which John Hobbins posted a reminder about. If you are a biblioblogger in Boston, I hope you can join us for dinner at Dillons! We'll be meeting first at the convention center, on the Plaza Level in Front of the Exhibition B Doors, at 7pm.
Tonight is the dinner for bibliobloggers, which Michael Holcomb has organized and which John Hobbins posted a reminder about. If you are a biblioblogger in Boston, I hope you can join us for dinner at Dillons! We'll be meeting first at the convention center, on the Plaza Level in Front of the Exhibition B Doors, at 7pm.
Thursday, November 20, 2008
Gil Shaham Receives 2008 Avery Fisher Award
Tonight's Live From Lincoln Center featured violinist Gil Shaham offering a wonderful performance of some of the better and less well known works by Pablo de Sarasate. Among them my favorite was his arrangement of music from Ambroise Thomas' opera Mignon, known to all Suzuki violinists for the Gavotte, which is featured (in a much fancier and more impressive form) in Sarasate's arrangement.
At the end of the program, Shaham was surprised with the 2008 Avery Fisher Award, which I understand is the highest honor given in the United States to a solo instrumentalist.
Congratulations, Gil Shaham! And those readers who have never heard him play are encouraged to have a listen. Why not start with his his recording of Korngold's and Barber's Violin Concertos, two of my all-time favorite pieces of music?
SBL Boston 2008
I will be attending the Society of Biblical Literature annual meeting in Boston, beginning tomorrow, and whether I blog while there will depend on a number of technical issues beyond my control. Be that as it may, I look forward to interacting with a number of bloggers I "know" face to face for the first time.
Quote of the Day (Bobby Loubser)
"In the Pauline letters much effort is taken to introduce Paul's co-workers. The reason for this may be found in the fact that some of these were the messengers who not only had to deliver the letters but had to perform them, i.e. read them aloud, expanding on them where necessary. The performer had to embody the voice of the sender(s). If, therefore, "Paul" introduces a fellow-worker without stating the reason, we may assume that it has to do with the delivery and performance of the message.
This also explains why it is so difficult today to come to exact descriptions of the purpose and context of the Pauline letters. The extant letters are only secondary remnants of much wider and richer communication systems. The emotive and illocutionary power of the letters is not evident, because it was presumed to be communicated by the performer.
From the wider cultural setting we know that the written word was always considered to be secondary to the spoken word. The primary message to the congregations would not be the written letter, but the performed message (logos), with the letters merely serving as mnemonic aids."
-- J. A. Loubser, Oral and Manuscript Culture in the Bible: Studies on the Media Texture of the New Testament
(Stellenbosch: Sun Press, 2007) pp. 62-63.
(Stellenbosch: Sun Press, 2007) pp. 62-63.Book Meme
Ken Schenck tagged me with a meme that I'd been tagged with before, but I've decided to play along. I have to find p.123 in the nearest book, locate the 5th sentence, and then post the next 3 sentences after that.
The nearest book is Bridget Gilfillan Upton, Hearing Mark's Endings: Listening To Ancient Popular Texts Through Speech Act Theory (Leiden: E. J. Brill, 2006). Here are the relevant sentences:
"With a flash of irony, Xenophon allows this prophecy to be fulfilled. The parents' prayers for their children's safe return are answered, but not before they, having totally lost hope, have taken their own lives in despair (5.6.3). Apart from this, the already completed tale is reinforced once more, with the main characters receiving a final named mention, and the utopian domestic ideal being set up".
Since I've done this before I won't tag anyone, but if you're reading this and have never done it, feel free to consider yourself tagged and join in the 'fun'!
The nearest book is Bridget Gilfillan Upton, Hearing Mark's Endings: Listening To Ancient Popular Texts Through Speech Act Theory (Leiden: E. J. Brill, 2006). Here are the relevant sentences:
"With a flash of irony, Xenophon allows this prophecy to be fulfilled. The parents' prayers for their children's safe return are answered, but not before they, having totally lost hope, have taken their own lives in despair (5.6.3). Apart from this, the already completed tale is reinforced once more, with the main characters receiving a final named mention, and the utopian domestic ideal being set up".
Since I've done this before I won't tag anyone, but if you're reading this and have never done it, feel free to consider yourself tagged and join in the 'fun'!
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Ecouragement to Study the Mandaeans
Gorgias Press has as its primary focus Syriac, and certainly there is a need for more scholarly attention to be focused there. Nevertheless, given my current interest in the Mandaeans, I thought I'd mention in particular that this too is a subject area covered by Gorgias Press. And here's the good news Gorgias Press has for graduate students in both these areas (among others):
Book Grant applications for 2009
In its efforts to promote education, Gorgias Press offers annually the Gorgias Book Grant. This program offers outstanding graduate students grants in the form of Gorgias Press publications. Grants consist of books in the value of $500.00 per grant. Each year, two grants are distributed.
2008-2009 Grant Field: Any field within the scope of Gorgias Publications
Application Deadline: January 31, 2009
Eligibility
1. Candidate must be enrolled in a graduate program (Master's or Ph.D.) in an accredited university or an institution of learning in the field of the grant.
2. Candidate must have the equivalent of a GPA of 3.0 or higher.
Application Process
Send by mail the following items to: Gorgias Press LLC, Book Grants Program, 46 Orris Ave., Piscataway, NJ 08854. (All documents, apart from official transcripts, must be in English. Part 1 and 2 of the application can be emailed to Christine Kiraz, Christine@gorgiaspress.com)
1. A letter indicating your interests in your field and plans for the future.
2. A two-page description of your thesis, or a one-page description of your course work in the case of course-based programs.
3. Official transcripts of the previous 2 years of university education. If the institutions you come from do not give out transcripts please contacts us to make alternative arrangements to satisfy this requirement.
4. Two letters of recommendations from professors familiar with your work (one must be your current supervisor in the field of the grant).
Book Grant applications for 2009
In its efforts to promote education, Gorgias Press offers annually the Gorgias Book Grant. This program offers outstanding graduate students grants in the form of Gorgias Press publications. Grants consist of books in the value of $500.00 per grant. Each year, two grants are distributed.
2008-2009 Grant Field: Any field within the scope of Gorgias Publications
Application Deadline: January 31, 2009
Eligibility
1. Candidate must be enrolled in a graduate program (Master's or Ph.D.) in an accredited university or an institution of learning in the field of the grant.
2. Candidate must have the equivalent of a GPA of 3.0 or higher.
Application Process
Send by mail the following items to: Gorgias Press LLC, Book Grants Program, 46 Orris Ave., Piscataway, NJ 08854. (All documents, apart from official transcripts, must be in English. Part 1 and 2 of the application can be emailed to Christine Kiraz, Christine@gorgiaspress.com)
1. A letter indicating your interests in your field and plans for the future.
2. A two-page description of your thesis, or a one-page description of your course work in the case of course-based programs.
3. Official transcripts of the previous 2 years of university education. If the institutions you come from do not give out transcripts please contacts us to make alternative arrangements to satisfy this requirement.
4. Two letters of recommendations from professors familiar with your work (one must be your current supervisor in the field of the grant).
Bibliobloggers Bulletin Board at SBL
Chris Brady liked my suggestion that we put up a sign-up sheet for bibliobloggers on the message board at SBL, where each of us can provide our name and cell phone number, and that way we can all make contact easily. If you get there first, pin up a blank sheet in the "B" section with Bibliobloggers at the top and your contact info, to get the process started!
If you're going to SBL, spread the word!
If you're going to SBL, spread the word!
The Bible's Buried Secrets: Update
I've just learned that you can now watch the whole documentary on the PBS web site (HT Rev's Rumbles).
There are more reviews by Kenneth Atkinson, Hector Avalos, Heather Wax, Josh Kimball, and Matt Page.
There are more reviews by Kenneth Atkinson, Hector Avalos, Heather Wax, Josh Kimball, and Matt Page.
Quote of the Day (Lesslie Newbigin)
“If we turn from the New Testament to the later pages of church history, …. we have to ask whether the church is most faithful in its witness to the crucified and risen Jesus and most recognizable as the community which ‘bears about in the body the dying of Jesus’ when it is chiefly concerned with its own self-aggrandizement. When numerical growth is taken as the criterion of judgment on the church, we are transported with alarming ease into the world of the military campaign or the commercial sales drive.”
-- Lesslie Newbigin, The Open Secret (Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans, 1978), pp. 139-42.
(HT connexions)
The Bible's Buried Secrets
I watched The Bible's Buried Secrets last night, and my only real complaint is that the so-called "buried secrets" are in fact exposed in mainstream books and articles on Biblical scholarship, and some of it has been common knowledge to anyone who has attended an academic course on the Bible in past century or so. So the big question is how do we deal with the flow of information problem? A key issue is that pastors are in many denominations the "employees" of their congregation, and so although in theory some congregations would say they value challenging sermons from their pastor, if a pastor challenged them with, say, the Documentary Hypothesis, he might find himself needing to seek alternative employment. There, I think, lies a key issue. We can teach pastors about the Bible, but they are then employed by congregations who will fire them for telling them the truth about it. The irony, of course, is that this shows that many congregations think they already know everything they need to about the Bible, and are thus hiring a minister to "tickle their ears" rather than tell them new things. And so one has to turn to PBS rather than the pastor to find out what the pastor learned in seminary.
Here are some other posts from around the blogosphere about the documentary: Jim West (who live blogged it), Alan Boyle (HT Paleojudaica), NT Wrong, Biblia Hebraica, Thaddeus Nelson, , The Archaeological Review.
Here's an excerpt, if you missed it:
Here are some other posts from around the blogosphere about the documentary: Jim West (who live blogged it), Alan Boyle (HT Paleojudaica), NT Wrong, Biblia Hebraica, Thaddeus Nelson, , The Archaeological Review.
Here's an excerpt, if you missed it:
In other ancient near eastern news, Abnormal Interests and The Punching Bag discuss an interesting stele.
Lucky E-Mail
Here's the latest scam to make it past my spam filter. Here's some advice to anyone who came here wondering if an e-mail like this one is legitimate: no one will hold a lottery for which no one pays for ticket and contact you via an impersonal e-mail to tell you that you've won. Please be realistic.
Here's the text of the e-mail (which was sent from infoweb1965@libero.it):
Dear Winner
Your email was selected as a winner. You have won the sum of
£1,000,000.00 in cash credited to file
REF: 132/756/4505, BATCH: 538901527-Bc65
Security file number: EUM-347-DGS-699,
Please contact our European Agent with your batch number and full name.
Mr. Tony Risby
Email: white-group@myway.com
Tel :(0044) 753 5112 012
Sincerely,
Mr. Michael Fisher, Secretary (Online Co-Ordination)
Here's the text of the e-mail (which was sent from infoweb1965@libero.it):
Dear Winner
Your email was selected as a winner. You have won the sum of
£1,000,000.00 in cash credited to file
REF: 132/756/4505, BATCH: 538901527-Bc65
Security file number: EUM-347-DGS-699,
Please contact our European Agent with your batch number and full name.
Mr. Tony Risby
Email: white-group@myway.com
Tel :(0044) 753 5112 012
Sincerely,
Mr. Michael Fisher, Secretary (Online Co-Ordination)
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
Resurrection in the Acts of Paul
In the Acts of Paul, Paul is presented as stating: "Caesar, it is not for a little space that I live unto my king; and if thou behead me, this will I do: I will arise and show myself unto thee that I am not dead but live unto my Lord Jesus Christ, who cometh to judge the world. " Subsequently in the narrative, Paul is beheaded, and we're told that "when the executioner (speculator) struck off his head, milk spurted upon the cloak of the soldier."
As the narrative continues, we read "Paul came about the ninth hour, when many philosophers and the centurion were standing with Caesar, and stood before them all and said: 'Caesar, behold, I, Paul, the soldier of God, am not dead, but live in my God. But unto thee shall many evils befall and great punishment, thou wretched man, because thou hast shed unjustly the blood of the righteous, not many days hence.' And having so said Paul departed from him. But Nero hearing it and being greatly troubled commanded the prisoners to be loosed, and Patroclus also and Barsabas and them that were with him. And as Paul charged them, Longus and Cestus the centurion went early in the morning and approached with fear unto the grave of Paul. And when they were come thither they saw two men praying, and Paul betwixt them..."
I find myself rather puzzled as to the view of the resurrection that the author of this text had. Was this understood to be a restoration of Paul's body to life, including a reattachment of his head? Or was it Paul's "spirit" that appeared? The claim that Paul "lives" seems disconnected from anything to do with the whereabouts of his physical body after the decapitation.
Any thoughts on this?
As the narrative continues, we read "Paul came about the ninth hour, when many philosophers and the centurion were standing with Caesar, and stood before them all and said: 'Caesar, behold, I, Paul, the soldier of God, am not dead, but live in my God. But unto thee shall many evils befall and great punishment, thou wretched man, because thou hast shed unjustly the blood of the righteous, not many days hence.' And having so said Paul departed from him. But Nero hearing it and being greatly troubled commanded the prisoners to be loosed, and Patroclus also and Barsabas and them that were with him. And as Paul charged them, Longus and Cestus the centurion went early in the morning and approached with fear unto the grave of Paul. And when they were come thither they saw two men praying, and Paul betwixt them..."
I find myself rather puzzled as to the view of the resurrection that the author of this text had. Was this understood to be a restoration of Paul's body to life, including a reattachment of his head? Or was it Paul's "spirit" that appeared? The claim that Paul "lives" seems disconnected from anything to do with the whereabouts of his physical body after the decapitation.
Any thoughts on this?
The Dharma Initiative Has Been Sold
Those who participated in the Dharma Initiative recruitment tests received an e-mail informing them that that Dharma Initiative has been sold...to the producers of the TV series LOST! It is fascinating the way recent movies and TV play with the boundaries between factual and fictional worlds. IGN has a nice interview with the producers about the past and future of LOST.
Galactica Sitrep and SF Signal share a trailer for Star Trek IX. For the full sized and full quality versions go here. Paul Levinson has a post on the latest episode of Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles. New Scientist has an article on how to keep robots from harming us.
In other news, Revolution in Jesusland tells about a movement based on ancient Eastern texts that is sweeping the midwest. Mark Goodacre addresses ancient literacy. Jesus Creed discusses a conspiracy of silence. Pat McCullough has a post on defining apocalyptic. Blah blah blah finds insight from Seinfeld about science and Genesis. Jason von Ehrenkrook may need to resort to magic and/or exorcism. Jim West, pomomusings and Street Prophets highlight how James Dobson's interference in others' families has impacted the families of those who work for him. Christine Wicker has several posts on contemporary evangelicalism. Roland Boer continues his Wrongian quest. Scott Ferguson tells how a comment here reminded him of the one that started it all. Alan Lenzi reviews Avalos' The End of Biblical Studies. Tyler Williams draws attention to a conference on U2. Metacatholic mentions the multiverse. William Barclay was a convinced universalist. John Shuck has been blogging the meaning of life. Wade continues blogging Tillich and the courage to be. Matt Kelley reviews The Faith of Barack Obama. Drew Tatusko discusses whether Barack Obama is a real Christian.
Lots of blogs (e.g. Jim West, Michael Homan, Hyphoid Logic) are reminding us that NOVA's "The Bible's Buried Secrets" is on tonight. Matthew Montonini shares two historical Jesus clips on YouTube.
Galactica Sitrep and SF Signal share a trailer for Star Trek IX. For the full sized and full quality versions go here. Paul Levinson has a post on the latest episode of Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles. New Scientist has an article on how to keep robots from harming us.In other news, Revolution in Jesusland tells about a movement based on ancient Eastern texts that is sweeping the midwest. Mark Goodacre addresses ancient literacy. Jesus Creed discusses a conspiracy of silence. Pat McCullough has a post on defining apocalyptic. Blah blah blah finds insight from Seinfeld about science and Genesis. Jason von Ehrenkrook may need to resort to magic and/or exorcism. Jim West, pomomusings and Street Prophets highlight how James Dobson's interference in others' families has impacted the families of those who work for him. Christine Wicker has several posts on contemporary evangelicalism. Roland Boer continues his Wrongian quest. Scott Ferguson tells how a comment here reminded him of the one that started it all. Alan Lenzi reviews Avalos' The End of Biblical Studies. Tyler Williams draws attention to a conference on U2. Metacatholic mentions the multiverse. William Barclay was a convinced universalist. John Shuck has been blogging the meaning of life. Wade continues blogging Tillich and the courage to be. Matt Kelley reviews The Faith of Barack Obama. Drew Tatusko discusses whether Barack Obama is a real Christian.
Lots of blogs (e.g. Jim West, Michael Homan, Hyphoid Logic) are reminding us that NOVA's "The Bible's Buried Secrets" is on tonight. Matthew Montonini shares two historical Jesus clips on YouTube.
The Guild of Islamic Minimalists
I've had some discussions lately here and elsewhere about whether the historical figure of Jesus existed. There is a parallel issue of whether Muhammad was a real historical individual, and that subject recently made the news once again.
New Review of The Burial of Jesus
A new review of The Burial of Jesus has been posted on Amazon.com. It is by J. A. Kidwell, who is planning to post a longer review on his blog in the near future.
Urgent Business Proposal
"Urgent Business Proposal" was the title of a scam e-mail that made it through my spam filter today. I haven't posted one of these for a while, and so I thought I'd warn the gullible out there: if this person really was contacting you about business, he'd address you by name. The "Good day," as an opener is a dead giveaway. But the truth is that no one you don't know will ever contact you offering you a multi-million dollar business deal. Use your common sense, or your desire to get rich quick will make other people rich quickly and you poorer.
Here's the text of the e-mail (which came from info_peterwongts@yahoo.com.hk):
Good day,
My name is Mr.Peter T.S Wong i am the director of operation in Hang Seng
Bank Hong Kong.I have an obscured business suggestion for you in the tune
of One Hundred & Twenty Five Million, Seven Hundred & Fifty Thousand U.s
dollars (125,750,000.00 USD),after the successful transfer Should you be
interested please contact me through my private
email(peterwongts612@yahoo.com.hk)so we can commence all arrangements and
I will give your more information on how we would handle this project as
soon as i recieved your reply. Please treat this business with utmost
confidentiality and send me the following if you are intrested.
(1)Full names, (2)Private Phone number, (3)Current residential address,
(4)Occupation, (5)Age and Profession.
Kind Regards,
Mr.Peter.T.S.Wong
Here's the text of the e-mail (which came from info_peterwongts@yahoo.com.hk):
Good day,
My name is Mr.Peter T.S Wong i am the director of operation in Hang Seng
Bank Hong Kong.I have an obscured business suggestion for you in the tune
of One Hundred & Twenty Five Million, Seven Hundred & Fifty Thousand U.s
dollars (125,750,000.00 USD),after the successful transfer Should you be
interested please contact me through my private
email(peterwongts612@yahoo.com.hk)so we can commence all arrangements and
I will give your more information on how we would handle this project as
soon as i recieved your reply. Please treat this business with utmost
confidentiality and send me the following if you are intrested.
(1)Full names, (2)Private Phone number, (3)Current residential address,
(4)Occupation, (5)Age and Profession.
Kind Regards,
Mr.Peter.T.S.Wong
Monday, November 17, 2008
What Jesus Said and Did: 2) Divorce
The teaching attributed to Jesus in the Gospels about divorce is not unique. The Dead Sea Scrolls not only make a similar point about marriage, but even root the argument in the same text from Genesis (see Mark 10:1-12). This would be an esy case in which to suppose that perhaps a general, circulating idea was attributed to Jesus, whether intentionally or by error.
One ought to consider, however, the indication that Jesus' disciples were less than thrilled about this teaching attributed to him, which might provide an argument against it having been invented.
There are, at any rate, reasons to think that this teaching was already attributed to Jesus much earlier than the time in which Mark's Gospel was written. In Paul's first letter to the Corinthians, he specifies that his teaching that a wife must not separate from her husband (7:10).
This is all the more intriguing because Mark too specifies Jesus' teaching indicated that wives should not divorce their husbands. Matthew domesticates this to something more natural in a Jewish context, in which women did not normally have the legal power to initiate divorce.
But what is most interesting is that Paul says that this teaching is not his, but the Lord's (1 Cor. 7:10). If that was the end of the story, of course, we'd have reason to be suspicious. Who wouldn't be tempted to add to the authority of what they say by attributing it to a higher authority? Indeed, it is the penchant human beings have to do just that which makes us question the authenticity of teaching attributed to Jesus in the Gospels and elsewhere.
But Paul goes on to specify that something else he has to say is not the Lord's teaching, but his. Was Paul simply suddenly overwhelmed with guilt at his ploy? Or just suddenly feeling less divinely inspired? The more natural explanation is that Paul is here indicating his awareness that he was here passing on teaching attributed to Jesus that he had had passed on to him. And so we have in this one instance an indication that teaching that later made its way into the Gospels was attributed to Jesus earlier on. Does this prove absolutely its authenticity? Obviously not. But it does show that we do not simply have Gospel authors creating all their material entirely from scratch.
For those who may still be on the fence about the historical authenticity of Jesus' teaching on divorce, here are some other words of wisdom, the source of which is beyond reasonable doubt, and fictional:
One ought to consider, however, the indication that Jesus' disciples were less than thrilled about this teaching attributed to him, which might provide an argument against it having been invented.
There are, at any rate, reasons to think that this teaching was already attributed to Jesus much earlier than the time in which Mark's Gospel was written. In Paul's first letter to the Corinthians, he specifies that his teaching that a wife must not separate from her husband (7:10).
This is all the more intriguing because Mark too specifies Jesus' teaching indicated that wives should not divorce their husbands. Matthew domesticates this to something more natural in a Jewish context, in which women did not normally have the legal power to initiate divorce.
But what is most interesting is that Paul says that this teaching is not his, but the Lord's (1 Cor. 7:10). If that was the end of the story, of course, we'd have reason to be suspicious. Who wouldn't be tempted to add to the authority of what they say by attributing it to a higher authority? Indeed, it is the penchant human beings have to do just that which makes us question the authenticity of teaching attributed to Jesus in the Gospels and elsewhere.
But Paul goes on to specify that something else he has to say is not the Lord's teaching, but his. Was Paul simply suddenly overwhelmed with guilt at his ploy? Or just suddenly feeling less divinely inspired? The more natural explanation is that Paul is here indicating his awareness that he was here passing on teaching attributed to Jesus that he had had passed on to him. And so we have in this one instance an indication that teaching that later made its way into the Gospels was attributed to Jesus earlier on. Does this prove absolutely its authenticity? Obviously not. But it does show that we do not simply have Gospel authors creating all their material entirely from scratch.
For those who may still be on the fence about the historical authenticity of Jesus' teaching on divorce, here are some other words of wisdom, the source of which is beyond reasonable doubt, and fictional:
"We're all at war with ourselves. That's what it is to be human. The trick is to figure out how to be on the winning side"
- Sylar
Quote of the Day (Canonical Prayerbook of the Mandaeans)
In thy sight all hands are thieving, all lips have lied. Water is in the jordan. In thine eyes, Knowledge of Life, no person is clean: we are slaves who are all sin, and thou a lord who art all mercy. When thou art with us, who shall conquer us and if thou justifiest us who will convict us?
- (Canonical Prayerbook of the Mandaeans, #35)
Saturday, November 15, 2008
Gethsemane Conversation
Tom Verenna has posted a response to my blog entry about Jesus' prayer in the garden of Gethsemane. For the moment, all I'll say is that Tom seems to treat addressing God as "abba" as though it were the most natural thing in the world. In fact, it seems to have been uncommon, to say the least - not because it meant "daddy" as some have claimed, but because even Aramaic-speaking Jews in this period appear to have used Hebrew as the language of prayer. Our earliest evidence for the addressing of God in this way in the Aramaic vernacular is Paul's letter, but Paul is writing to non-Aramaic-speaking converts, and I can think of no obvious reason for him to have done so, apart from the seemingly obvious reason that Jesus himself had used this language, with the corollary that other children of God who share in the same Spirit ought to use it to.
Once again, my point is not that it is entirely impossible that Paul, or someone prior to Paul, made all this up. But the question I keep coming back to is whether that "conspiracy theory" scenario makes does better justice to the evidence, and treats it in a more straightforward way, than one in which an actual historical figure, Jesus from Nazareth, addressed God as abba and was remembered to have done so by the movement focused on him, led at least initially by those who knew him.
Once again, my point is not that it is entirely impossible that Paul, or someone prior to Paul, made all this up. But the question I keep coming back to is whether that "conspiracy theory" scenario makes does better justice to the evidence, and treats it in a more straightforward way, than one in which an actual historical figure, Jesus from Nazareth, addressed God as abba and was remembered to have done so by the movement focused on him, led at least initially by those who knew him.
Tax Collectors in Galilee in the Time of Jesus
It is common to hear in sermons that tax collectors in Jesus' time were hated because they worked for the Romans. In Jesus' time in Galilee, however, we are still in the era of Herodian rule (in contrast with Judea, which was under direct Roman rule by this time). So wouldn't individuals like Matthew/Levi have collected Herod's taxes rather than Rome's?
You don't have to be collecting taxes for foreign overlords in order to be unpopular, of course...
You don't have to be collecting taxes for foreign overlords in order to be unpopular, of course...
Friday, November 14, 2008
Wadi Hawran and Haran Gawaita
I wonder how old the name Wadi Hawran is. If it is ancient, then I wonder whether it might not have some connection to, or actually be, the "inner Haran" that is mentioned in (and gives the name to) the Mandaean text Haran Gawaita. This fragmentary text begins in mid-sentence with "...and Haran Gawaita receiveth him and that city in which there were Nasoraeans".
Since the Mandaeans are baptizers, if they originated in the Jordan valley and moved East, they would have to stick to a route that provided access to flowing water. The Wadi Haran seems like a good candidate, depending on seasonal considerations, but perhaps that very issue of the presence of water explains why inner Haran "received him" (whoever "him" is in this context).
Following the wadi would have taken them, unless I am mistaken, through Nabataea, and the Nabataean alphabet presumably contributed something to the script that the Mandaeans came to use. The Mandaic script seems, however, to have been artificially created for the purpose of ritual use, keeping the content of their scriptures and religious texts secret, and adding an air of mystique to their magical writings. It might be going too far to suggest that a number of the characters may have been derived from Hebrew/Aramaic, being modified (and if necessary even turned on their side) in order to make ligature possible. But the lack of any clear instance of the Mandaic script itself used for any purpose other than writing religious texts or magic bowls and amulets may support the notion that the script was created precisely for this use alone.
At any rate, Wadi Hawran would provide a conduit for a group in the Jordan valley to lower Iraq, where the Mandaeans are known to have been centered down the centuries. This also would have placed them in proximity to Arabia, where eventually Muhammad would apparently become aware of them and grant them the status of "people of the book".
Since the Mandaeans are baptizers, if they originated in the Jordan valley and moved East, they would have to stick to a route that provided access to flowing water. The Wadi Haran seems like a good candidate, depending on seasonal considerations, but perhaps that very issue of the presence of water explains why inner Haran "received him" (whoever "him" is in this context).Following the wadi would have taken them, unless I am mistaken, through Nabataea, and the Nabataean alphabet presumably contributed something to the script that the Mandaeans came to use. The Mandaic script seems, however, to have been artificially created for the purpose of ritual use, keeping the content of their scriptures and religious texts secret, and adding an air of mystique to their magical writings. It might be going too far to suggest that a number of the characters may have been derived from Hebrew/Aramaic, being modified (and if necessary even turned on their side) in order to make ligature possible. But the lack of any clear instance of the Mandaic script itself used for any purpose other than writing religious texts or magic bowls and amulets may support the notion that the script was created precisely for this use alone.
At any rate, Wadi Hawran would provide a conduit for a group in the Jordan valley to lower Iraq, where the Mandaeans are known to have been centered down the centuries. This also would have placed them in proximity to Arabia, where eventually Muhammad would apparently become aware of them and grant them the status of "people of the book".
Around the Exoplanets/Blogosphere
The big news around the blogosphere is exoplanets. Not just the detection of stars' wobbling, but actual images of planets around other stars. Two different stars: HR8799 and Fomalhaut. There's more information at Bad Astronomy, Dynamics of Cats, SF Signal, IO9, and Gumby the Cat.Elsewhere around the blogosphere, David Ker has a fantastic variation of Peter Peter Pumpkin Eater that addresses issues of marriage, abuse and divorce. Jim West has a link to a video about the birth of Christianity. Crypto-Theology has a post on Larry Hurtado and devotion to Jesus (and the "early high Christology club"). Ken Schenck has more on the antichrist. Scotteriology concludes the series on God's Word in Human Words.
He Who Has Not Been Named
Finally, a day on which I checked my blog's keyword stats, and none of the recent arrivals had got here via "Barack Obama antichrist prophecy" or anything comparable. That search string is still the one to most frequently have brought people recently, but still, to not have had any of the most recent searches be for these words is a positive sign.
Thursday, November 13, 2008
Boston, Providence and Manchester
I'm not sure whether my case is common or rare among those attending the Society of Biblical Literature conference in Boston this year, but I made my booking well in advance, not having the confidence to wait and hope for better prices. My flight is into Providence airport, about an hour from Boston, and my return flight is out of Manchester, about an hour from Boston.
I think there are probably at least several others who found cheaper flights or more convenient times via these airports, and are now beginning to wonder (perhaps even panic slightly) about ground transportation. I've made some inquiries and transportation isn't hard to arrange, but obviously it will be advantageous to share a shuttle when possible.
I invite anyone using one of these airports as their route to this year's SBL conference to leave a comment and begin the process of connecting with others in a similar situation!
I think there are probably at least several others who found cheaper flights or more convenient times via these airports, and are now beginning to wonder (perhaps even panic slightly) about ground transportation. I've made some inquiries and transportation isn't hard to arrange, but obviously it will be advantageous to share a shuttle when possible.
I invite anyone using one of these airports as their route to this year's SBL conference to leave a comment and begin the process of connecting with others in a similar situation!
Dating Daniel
NT Wrong has a post on the reasons why Daniel is regarded by almost all scholars as a pseudo-prophecy (like just about all the other examples of apocalyptic literature we have from this period). In my class on apocalyptic, I put up a powerpoint slide with the text of a recently discovered ancient apocalypse (one I found while digging for treasure in my garden). Here's what the text says:
And in those days two rulers of the great nation shall contend,Rather than say more, let me just ask readers the same question I ask students when they begin to suspect that I'm pulling their leg and this is not in fact an ancient apocalypse at all. What gives it away? What makes you certain beyond reasonable doubt that this text was composed in light of the events it alludes to rather than predicting them? And for extra credit, can you pinpoint the approximate time (year and month) in which it was really composed?
But no place shall be found for flip-floppers,
And the ruler shall maintain his throne
And continue his strategery
Without eloquence of speech.
For through his might he deposed the king of Babylon
Even though his weapons of mass destruction he did not find.
Beaming Down To Church
Rarely do the blogs I follow post even one cartoon featuring Star Trek characters and a transporter, but today there were two. The first is from The Ongoing Adventures of ASBO Jesus:
Bibliobloggers at SBL
Michael Halcomb just posted an update on the bibliobloggers' get-together at the Society of Biblical Literature conference in Boston:
Sunday night dinner gathering for Bible Bloggers.
Time: 7pm
Location: Plaza Level in Front of Exhibition B Doors
Sunday night dinner gathering for Bible Bloggers.
Time: 7pm
Location: Plaza Level in Front of Exhibition B Doors
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
Around the Blogosphere
I'm grateful to Jim West for pointing out this amusing new book: How to Profit From the Coming Rapture: Getting Ahead When You're Left Behind
. Jim seems not to have gotten the joke, though. He also has a post/link on press coverage of Biblical archaeology.
Mark Goodacre shares his conference paper on dating New Testament sources. NT Wrong shares a video with Bart Ehrman on the Bible and suffering. Ken Schenck continues his series on the antichrist. Scotteriology continues surveying God's Word in Human Words. Scot McKnight continues his series on original sin. Experimental Theology explains why legislation like Proposition 8 is bad news even for Christians who oppose gay marriage. Jason Rosenhouse explains thermodynamics and evolution. John Shuck shares music about mystery.
And given the name of my blog (and the fact that I'm a PC user) I had to share this gem of a video: The Matrix Runs Windows (HT SF Signal).
. Jim seems not to have gotten the joke, though. He also has a post/link on press coverage of Biblical archaeology.Mark Goodacre shares his conference paper on dating New Testament sources. NT Wrong shares a video with Bart Ehrman on the Bible and suffering. Ken Schenck continues his series on the antichrist. Scotteriology continues surveying God's Word in Human Words. Scot McKnight continues his series on original sin. Experimental Theology explains why legislation like Proposition 8 is bad news even for Christians who oppose gay marriage. Jason Rosenhouse explains thermodynamics and evolution. John Shuck shares music about mystery.
And given the name of my blog (and the fact that I'm a PC user) I had to share this gem of a video: The Matrix Runs Windows (HT SF Signal).
Monday, November 10, 2008
Random Facts
I've been tagged with a meme by the Secundum Artem blog, the rules of which are as follows:
1) I've been blogging less often over recent days (a trend that will most likely continue for another two weeks) because I've been preparing to read two papers at the annual Society of Biblical Literature conference in Boston.
2) Once this semester is over, I'll be on sabbatical until next Fall, which means that I will not only have time to blog regularly, but I'll probably blog way more often than I should.
3) I just bought a guitar, the main reason being so that the worship team in my church (of which I'm a part) can lead the congregation in singing "Amazing Grace" to the tune of "Peaceful Easy Feeling" by The Eagles.
4) Although recently a very large number of people have reached my blog searching for keywords like "Obama" and "antichrist" (today a great search string that brought someone here was "the holy bible the book of daniel where is the word obama"), for a long time now the most popular page on my blog has been a solution to a black-screen problem with Windows Vista. So it's not just religion, theology, history, science fiction and politics here - you also get tech support.
5) My favorite composers are Kurt Atterberg and Erich Wolfgang Korngold, but there are many more familiar ones that I love, too many to list (Ralph Vaughan Williams, Maurice Ravel, Sergei Rachmaninov...).
6) When I was younger I was a huge fan of role playing games, particularly Dungeons and Dragons. Realizing that the rules for a game like Starfleet Battles were too complex to be enjoyed by younger children who might otherwise like that sort of game, I developed a set of rules for "Simple Starship Combat Simulation".
I tag NT Wrong (because any revelations about him, however mundane, will be welcome), Ken Schenck, Duane Smith, James Crossley, Roland Boer and Thomas Verenna.
1. Link to the person who tagged you.So here are six random facts about me:
2. Post the rules on your blog.
3. Write six random things about yourself.
4. Tag six people at the end of your post and link to them.
5. Let each person know they've been tagged and leave a comment on their blog.
6. Let the tagger know when your entry is up.
1) I've been blogging less often over recent days (a trend that will most likely continue for another two weeks) because I've been preparing to read two papers at the annual Society of Biblical Literature conference in Boston.
2) Once this semester is over, I'll be on sabbatical until next Fall, which means that I will not only have time to blog regularly, but I'll probably blog way more often than I should.
3) I just bought a guitar, the main reason being so that the worship team in my church (of which I'm a part) can lead the congregation in singing "Amazing Grace" to the tune of "Peaceful Easy Feeling" by The Eagles.
4) Although recently a very large number of people have reached my blog searching for keywords like "Obama" and "antichrist" (today a great search string that brought someone here was "the holy bible the book of daniel where is the word obama"), for a long time now the most popular page on my blog has been a solution to a black-screen problem with Windows Vista. So it's not just religion, theology, history, science fiction and politics here - you also get tech support.
5) My favorite composers are Kurt Atterberg and Erich Wolfgang Korngold, but there are many more familiar ones that I love, too many to list (Ralph Vaughan Williams, Maurice Ravel, Sergei Rachmaninov...).
6) When I was younger I was a huge fan of role playing games, particularly Dungeons and Dragons. Realizing that the rules for a game like Starfleet Battles were too complex to be enjoyed by younger children who might otherwise like that sort of game, I developed a set of rules for "Simple Starship Combat Simulation".
I tag NT Wrong (because any revelations about him, however mundane, will be welcome), Ken Schenck, Duane Smith, James Crossley, Roland Boer and Thomas Verenna.
Friday, November 7, 2008
Keith Ward, Big Questions in Science and Religion 8: Can Science Provide a Wholly Naturalistic Explanation for Moral and Religious Beliefs?
It has been a while since my last entry in this series on Keith Ward's book The Big Questions in Science and Religion. Chapter 8 looks at attempts to explain morality, and religious beliefs, in evolutionary terms. His short answer is that, unless one accepts a purely reductionistic approach, then we cannot. We may be able to explain certain instincts and inclinations in evolutionary terms, but as long as we have some notion of free will, then evolutionary biology will not be able to guide us as to what we should do (p.202). When Ward asks whether the usefulness of altruism for survival among our ancestors in the distant past is adequate justification for the practice of altruism in the present, he answers as follows: "It is not, any more than it is a reason for swimming now that our first ancestors were probably rather like tadpoles. It is always interesting to know how we evolved, what our imprinted behavior patterns are, and why they are the way they are. But if we can choose which inclinations to follow, we need some other reason for our choices" (p.203). As he puts it elsewhere, "we need to have reasons, not just causes, for our responsible actions" (p.205).
Here's a great quote from this chapter: "Religion, like morality itself, can be used to bolster sets of values that are oppressive to many - the systematic subjugation of women throughout recorded history is often justified by appeal to "moral" values of family and sexual modesty. What is needed is not more morality but more of a sort of morality that takes the flourishing of all beings seriously and that opposes violence and oppression. Similarly, we do not need more religion but more of a sort of religion that reinforces compassion for all beings and nonviolence" (p.196).
Ward also discusses religious experiences, and notes that about half of human beings have them in one form or another, placing before us the dilemma that both halves regularly regard the other half as deluded for claiming to have had, or failing to have had, such an experience (pp.211-213).
Ultimately, it doesn't seem that biology, or even religion, can provide adequate justification for our morality. While Ward is willing to give a certain weight to the notion of a benevolent Creator as a source of morality, I've suggested before that even the existence of God cannot turn the morals of the deity from an "is" (the morals an eternal God simply happens to have) into an "ought". And perhaps this is just as well. Nothing can turn the decision to consider others and value others into a mere evaluation of fact. Ultimately, it is a personal decision, not about whether we will discover the will of God, but about whether we will turn from self-centeredness to concern and compassion for others, if for no other reason than that we hope that others will do the same for us, who are "others" from their perspective.
Here's a great quote from this chapter: "Religion, like morality itself, can be used to bolster sets of values that are oppressive to many - the systematic subjugation of women throughout recorded history is often justified by appeal to "moral" values of family and sexual modesty. What is needed is not more morality but more of a sort of morality that takes the flourishing of all beings seriously and that opposes violence and oppression. Similarly, we do not need more religion but more of a sort of religion that reinforces compassion for all beings and nonviolence" (p.196).Ward also discusses religious experiences, and notes that about half of human beings have them in one form or another, placing before us the dilemma that both halves regularly regard the other half as deluded for claiming to have had, or failing to have had, such an experience (pp.211-213).
Ultimately, it doesn't seem that biology, or even religion, can provide adequate justification for our morality. While Ward is willing to give a certain weight to the notion of a benevolent Creator as a source of morality, I've suggested before that even the existence of God cannot turn the morals of the deity from an "is" (the morals an eternal God simply happens to have) into an "ought". And perhaps this is just as well. Nothing can turn the decision to consider others and value others into a mere evaluation of fact. Ultimately, it is a personal decision, not about whether we will discover the will of God, but about whether we will turn from self-centeredness to concern and compassion for others, if for no other reason than that we hope that others will do the same for us, who are "others" from their perspective.
Quote of the Day (Ken Schenck)
Ken Schenck has begun a series on the antichrist over at Quadrilateral Thoughts. Here's a sample from today's post:
In short, those who relate these parts of Revelation to contemporary events have ended up looking stupid every single time thus far. Just think of all the people who have speculated about who the Antichrist will be thus far. Just think of all the movements and cults that have started off of particular prophetic interpretations. Every last one of them has been wrong!
So unless you're a prophet of the kind of stature of Jeremiah or Isaiah, I'd give up calling Obama the antichrist on this one.
The Official Website of the New Administration
A student sent me the link to the official web site of the president elect, Barack Obama, outlining the vision for his and Joe Biden's administration. It is definitely worth a look. The site has the catchy title Change.gov.
Thursday, November 6, 2008
Quote of the Day (David Ker)
My brethren, stop being so stupid. Stop forwarding half-cocked emails based on bad logic and spite. The British journalist about choked on his microphone when the seemingly intelligent general manager of an ethanol plant in Missouri started talking about how he could never vote for Obama because he’s scared and in Revelation 13 it says that an olive skinned Muslim will trigger the Armageddon.From David Ker's blog Lingamish
We don’t just look like a bunch of kooks. We are a bunch of kooks. I’d be willing to put up with Christians speaking out on the election if they showed the least amount of biblical worldview and a marginal ability to exegete a Biblical text. But they don’t. The eschatology of someone who can find “an olive-skinned Muslim” in the Book of Revelation is that of a deluded maniac.
Not only that, our Biblical rhetoric thinly veils a Republican partisanship that is downright idolatry. Bible-Thumpers across the spectrum reveled in the lurid missteps of Clinton. But when Bush showed the militancy of a Caligula we were the first to bow before his throne and overlook war crimes, trampling of civil rights and the most disgusting waster of America’s bounty on bombs rather than bread. We’re not a city on a hill. We’re temple prostitutes at the altars of conservatism and neo-imperialism.
The First African-American President
I am delighted that Barack Obama has been elected the next president of the United States. I am proud of our nation and am thrilled by what Obama's election represents.
And yet I remain troubled, not by his victory, but by the way the language used to speak about it and about him indicates that problematic notions of race continue to be alive and well in this country.
To begin with, it seems that very few people are asking "Why is Obama black?" This may seem an odd question, so let me explain. Obama's father is "black" and his mother is "white". And so why is it that someone who had parents with very different shades of skin color is "black" when he is every bit as much "white". The answer, of course, is that American society, like most societies, tends to place a child into the identity of whichever parent had the lower socio-economic status. And so my point is not merely that we have so many varied levels of melanin and shades of pigmentation in the epidermis of our nation, that having two options of "black" and "white" seems inadequate. Nor is my point that we need a "grey" category for people of "mixed race". My point is simply that the categorization of anyone whose skin color is darker than a certain shade as "black", regardless of how many "white" or "black" ancestors the person may have had, is a remnant of the age of racism.
To put it another way, I'm delighted to have our first "black" president, but I long for a day when the comparative shade of skin color of the candidates will not even be worth mentioning. Having reached this important juncture in our history, we need to look ahead to the next step, which is the recognition that Americans, and human beings in general, do not fit into the restrictive categories of "white" and "black" at all.As for the term "African-American", Barack Obama fits this description better than most. His father is African in the strict sense, and he still has family there. But here too it is important to note some issues. First, we rarely if ever speak of "European-Americans" even in reference to those who are first or second generation in this country. We also distinguish the various countries people (or their ancestors) are from in Europe: we have Italian Americans, Irish Americans, and so on. Why are people whose ancestors were from Africa not Kenyan-American or Nigerian-American or whatever? It is largely because of the fact that many of the ancestors of today's Americans were brought here against their will as slaves, generations ago, and have no more specific connection with this or that modern nation in Africa. But given that many Americans (including a recent vice-presidential candidate) seem not to be aware that Africa is a continent on which there are many nations, here too there is an issue. It is also an issue because second-, third-, fourth-, fifth- and beyond generations of Americans of European ancestry at least have the option of being "just American", whereas "African-American" seems to be a label that one has no choice about and which is merely a description of skin color, nothing more.
If we go back far enough, we human beings seem to have our origin as a distinctive species in Africa. There's no one in the United States who is not, ultimately, an African-American.Here too, my point is not to detract from the importance of the achievement of Barack Obama, and of the citizens of the United States in electing him. But having reached this watershed, we need to set our aims on the next goal: having a nation in which "African-Americans" have the same freedom to self-identify in this way or not that Americans whose ancestors came from Europe have.
I hope that one day, in the future, our descendants will simply know Barack Obama as one of the presidents of the United States of America, assuming they learn the names of the presidents as children. And I hope that, when they are a bit older, and learn what an achievement it was to be an African-American president in 2008, they will be perplexed, bemused and even shocked that the color of one's skin or the continents of one's ancestors made any difference to anyone in deciding whom to vote for.Wednesday, November 5, 2008
Enough Already: Our Next President and the Book of Revelation
I thought that perhaps after the election, the number of visitors to my blog who arrive here via search engines, searching for keywords like "Obama" and "Revelation 13" and "antichrist" would decrease and eventually stop. At the moment, it seems that there is, if anything, an increase. If you're interested in the Book of Revelation, you need to understand that it is first and foremost a critique of the Roman Empire in the author's time. It uses Gematria to indicate the emperor Nero (and perhaps allude simultaneously to Gaius, also known as Caligula). Nero, as is well know, was the first emperor to actually become an "official sponsor" of the persecution of Christians. The book is unambiguous about that, and the only reason many American Christians cannot accept it is because of our sense of self-importance - that book has to be about us.
I'm not against applying the book to our time. But the greatest resemblance is between our nation's wealth and arrogance and the depiction of the Roman Empire in Revelation 18. And we've just elected as our next president a Christian who gets something that is a blind spot for at least some American Christians: democracy and freedom are good for Christianity, and issues of poverty and social justice are key concerns in the Biblical literature.Is Barack Obama the antichrist? I am willing to say with complete confidence that the answer is no. What Christians should be doing now, whether they voted for Obama or not, is to support him in making our nation seem less like the empire criticized in the Book of Revelation, and more like the place of freedom, liberty and justice that we claim to want to be as a nation.
If you need more information, you are welcome to do a keyword search on "Obama" on this blog. I've posted a lot more on this subject.
One last point. A lot of people are searching the web for information about Barack Obama, Revelations, Muslim, Islam and the like. Muhammad lived in the 600s. Revelation was written sometime before the year 100. There are (perhaps not unsurprisingly) no obvious references to or even predictions of the rise of Islam or anything to do with Islam.
Why not take this opportunity to read an actual book by a Biblical scholar (which is not the category into which Tim LaHaye is to be placed) about the Book of Revelation, and see what you've been missing by allowing idle speculation on the web be your guide, rather than the well-informed research of Biblical scholars from whatever denomination or stream of Christianity you may be connected with. And in the mean time, please join in the celebration of something historic and positive that has occurred in this country.
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
"This is a historic election" - Congratulations President Obama!
As I prepared to write a post congratulating president Barack Obama, and Indiana, the state I live in, for its role, John McCain's concession speech came on TV. McCain spoke of his genuine admiration for Obama, and eloquently articulated the historic significance of this moment in our nation's history.
I hope that McCain's supporters will join him in his offer of goodwill as he asked them to, and in his recognition that what matters is working together to create an environment in which the ideas that continue to separate so many in our nation can continue to be debated and discussed, as we work together to uphold our democracy and the freedoms that enable us to disagree so freely.
Congratulations America, and congratulations Indiana, for making history!
I hope that McCain's supporters will join him in his offer of goodwill as he asked them to, and in his recognition that what matters is working together to create an environment in which the ideas that continue to separate so many in our nation can continue to be debated and discussed, as we work together to uphold our democracy and the freedoms that enable us to disagree so freely.
Congratulations America, and congratulations Indiana, for making history!
Vote the Bible
The Christian Coalition is telling people to "vote the Bible" (HT Notes From Off Center). Unfortunately, they appear not to have read it. All the Bible has to say specifically and unambiguously on that subject is to mandate abortion in cases of infidelity (Numbers 5:11-31).
This is not to say that abortion should not be an issue for Christians, but if one is concerned to emphasize things that are emphasized in the Bible, then social justice and the mistreatment of the poor by the rich should be closer to the top of the list, whereas the Christian Coalition doesn't mention such concerns at all.
Do an online search. The word "poor" appears 178 times in the NIV. Try searching for "abortion", "homosexuality", or any other topic that is supposedly important to those who "vote the Bible" and see if the number of places these subjects are addressed even comes close, or speaks with the same directness and clarity.So by all means vote the Bible, but only if you've read it and have some idea what it is about. Otherwise you're deferring to someone else's authority telling you what the Bible says, and you may later come to regret having allowed yourself and your vote to be manipulated in this way.
What Jesus Said and Did: 1) Prayer in Gethsemane
I've been wanting for a while now to begin a series on the evidence for various things having been said and done by, to, or in connection with the historical figure of Jesus. Time constraints between now and the end of November will mean that any posts I offer between now and then will be on the brief side. It has been a challenge to decide where to begin. I've chosen a case that is by no means absolutely clear cut, but which I hope nonetheless can serve as an example of an instance where the balance of probability is in favor of there being an authentic historical core.
In Mark 14:35-36 we read: Going a little farther, he fell to the ground and prayed that if possible the hour might pass from him. "Abba, Father," he said, "everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will."
I wonder how many modern readers actually register the significance of this from the perspective of later Christianity. By Paul's time, the church had already made a virtue out of a necessity, making sense of the otherwise unintelligible fact of the crucifixion by claiming that it was an essential act for the salvation of humankind. In the story in Mark, Jesus is depicted as praying for that not to happen.
There is, on the one hand, reason to doubt the story based on the story itself, which claims that Jesus went a bit away from the disciples to pray, and found them sleeping when he returned.
On the other hand, Paul already seems to have associated the address of God as Father in Aramaic with Jesus' relationship to God as son. The only appearances of this Aramaic word in the New Testament are in the earliest Gospel and in Paul's letters. And there is no reason Paul would have used the term in writing to non-Aramaic-speaking Christians other than that the term already had some significance for them, presumably in connection with Jesus, the object of their faith and devotion.
On another blog, it has been suggested that even the crucifixion story could have been invented by the earliest Christians, since they viewed it as salvific. I find that to reflect a failure to understand what was going on in the development of early Christianity. But even if we were to grant that point, wouldn't it provide a strong counterargument to the early Christians having invented the story in Mark 14:35-36?
It is my hope, more than anything else, that this series will provide a jumping off point for discussion. So what do you think?
In Mark 14:35-36 we read: Going a little farther, he fell to the ground and prayed that if possible the hour might pass from him. "Abba, Father," he said, "everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will."
I wonder how many modern readers actually register the significance of this from the perspective of later Christianity. By Paul's time, the church had already made a virtue out of a necessity, making sense of the otherwise unintelligible fact of the crucifixion by claiming that it was an essential act for the salvation of humankind. In the story in Mark, Jesus is depicted as praying for that not to happen.
There is, on the one hand, reason to doubt the story based on the story itself, which claims that Jesus went a bit away from the disciples to pray, and found them sleeping when he returned.
On the other hand, Paul already seems to have associated the address of God as Father in Aramaic with Jesus' relationship to God as son. The only appearances of this Aramaic word in the New Testament are in the earliest Gospel and in Paul's letters. And there is no reason Paul would have used the term in writing to non-Aramaic-speaking Christians other than that the term already had some significance for them, presumably in connection with Jesus, the object of their faith and devotion.
On another blog, it has been suggested that even the crucifixion story could have been invented by the earliest Christians, since they viewed it as salvific. I find that to reflect a failure to understand what was going on in the development of early Christianity. But even if we were to grant that point, wouldn't it provide a strong counterargument to the early Christians having invented the story in Mark 14:35-36?
It is my hope, more than anything else, that this series will provide a jumping off point for discussion. So what do you think?
Obama is a Christian
This post is for those who currently find themselves opposing Obama because of religious reasons, rumors they've heard, and things like that. I want to emphasize, now in the last hours before voting, but also potentially for the sake of our next president, that Obama is a Christian. He has a personal connection to and commitment to his faith.
If you disagree with him on matters of economics and politics that's OK. He may well be a Christian who is wrong about things. I fit into the same category, and if you think that you do not, then you are deluded and, more than that, are beset by a pride that is itself antithetical to the Christian faith.
We have plenty of examples of Paul writing to Christians and seeking to persuade them to change their view on some matter or other. And surely no one who supported George W. Bush because he is an evangelical will claim that he has never been wrong about anything.
But the key point is this: If Obama is not a Christian because he "holds the wrong political opinions" then presumably there is every bit as much chance that you are not a Christian, since you hold the wrong political opinions. The Bible cannot be said to clearly support the political and economic aims of either party, but it certainly has a lot to say about poverty and social justice, even going so far as to take land that the rich had acquired fair and share and return it to its original owner once in a generation. The Bible is far more radical at times than either of our American parties. Neither is "Biblical" in any obvious sense of the word.
Whatever a candidate's personal faith, we are not choosing someone to represent "us" but to represent and stand up for the rights of all Americans. Vote for the appropriate candidate as your conscience and reason dictate. But don't take the shortcut of simply dismissing Obama as not a Christian. By the same standard, perhaps neither are you...
Monday, November 3, 2008
Skynet Doesn't Believe In You Like I Do
Tonight's episode of Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles [NOTE: spoilers follow] brings in "faith" from the very first moments, as a shapeshifting terminator arrives looking for agent Ellison, only to be stopped by another (familiar) terminator. Was the first one intending to kill Ellison? What is the nature of the division between factions among the AIs of the future?
Sarah Connor and compatriots then visit a diamond dealer named Moishe with a background in Rabbinics and the study of Torah, who believes HaShem has a plan for everyone, and in his case it is diamonds.
When agent Ellison, accused of a murder committed by the terminator that impersonated him, thanks Weaver for believing his claim to be innocent, she asks him "What good is faith if you don't use it?"
Not long after, Genesis 34 comes into a conversation between Sarah and Cameron (having been alluded to earlier by Moishe).
Perhaps the most interesting aspect of this episode is how machines and professionals on both sides kill when "it needs to be done", but young John Connor continues to wrestle with and regret his first experience of taking another's life.
Not long after that, Ellison discusses having seen a "twin" of himself with Weaver. When asked if he knows why the machine came, he suggests he's being tested. Weaver asks "Like Job?" The discussion that follows notes how Job didn't renounce God, and God spared him. "Who spared you?" Weaver asks him. Is this placing Skynet in the role of God?
There is a lot that is interesting, but the Biblical references were laid on rather thick. It will take some reflection to figure out whether there is anything more to the references to Job and Genesis than a mere veneer of religiosity.
Gibbering Numbskulls
Thanks to Nelu Balaj for pointing out George Monbiot's article about anti-intellectualism in American politics and the way it baffles those who watch American politics from afar.
Hear the Ginza
I've finished off or am about to finish off several other projects that have been nearing completion, and then will be turning almost all of my attention to finishing off one of my conference papers for SBL. One of my papers relates to the Mandaeans, and I've regularly pointed out where texts related to the Mandaeans are available online. But in addition to texts, one can actually hear the Ginza read by a Mandaean priest from Bagdad. We can complain all we want about the effects of the internet on students, but there is so much that is positive about the internet as well as far as scholarly pursuits are concerned. The whole Semitic Sound Archive where the above links are found is an excellent example.
Around the Blogosphere
Loren Rosson points to the online text of a lecture by Mark Nanos on Paul and the Shema. James Crossley has more Jesus in an age of terror. C.Orthodoxy presents evidence for the historical Jesus. Unorthodoxology in unintentionally inspiring doubt. Mark Goodacre continues to play the dating game.
Truth and Tradition expects to find God's Word beyond the Bible. Pharyngula points us to the story of the son of Rev. Phelps of the notorious Westboro Baptist Church.
Clashing Culture looks at how evolution can inspire faith. Robin Parry ponders evolution, animal suffering and theology.
Scotteriology has an Obama worship song. ASBO Jesus contrasts houses built on rock and sand. Roland Boer is questing for the historical NT Wrong.
Pisteuomen invites bibliobloggers attending SBL to a get-together. Bill Caraher discusses why academics should blog.
Truth and Tradition expects to find God's Word beyond the Bible. Pharyngula points us to the story of the son of Rev. Phelps of the notorious Westboro Baptist Church.
Clashing Culture looks at how evolution can inspire faith. Robin Parry ponders evolution, animal suffering and theology.
Scotteriology has an Obama worship song. ASBO Jesus contrasts houses built on rock and sand. Roland Boer is questing for the historical NT Wrong.
Pisteuomen invites bibliobloggers attending SBL to a get-together. Bill Caraher discusses why academics should blog.
Sunday, November 2, 2008
Biblical Studies Carnival
Just in case anyone missed the other announcements that have gone up, the latest Biblical Studies Carnival is up over at Abnormal Interests.
NObama: Stop the Madness
Today in Sunday school we continued our discussion of church and state. Afterwards a church member came up and said that he saw a billboard while jogging that says "NObama" and the Bible reference Matthew 24:24. For those who may not immediately recognize it, the verse in question says:
As a result of each depicting the other as stupid or as in cahoots with Lucifer, we have a polarization when in fact most Americans agree about far more than they disagree about. This is not to say that the difference do not matter, just that there is an irony about how difficult it has become to see how much we agree on (at least in theory), about other things that matter too. And when we demonizing half the country, simply because they disagree with "us", we stop standing for liberty and justice for all.
This can only end badly. If Obama is elected and people who think they believe what the Bible says are persuaded that he is the antichrist, then there will be a growth in militia groups and presumably assassination attempts.
Those committed to Biblical values like justice and American values like liberty and justice for all need to speak out against the current mutual demonization that is likely to lead to far worse things than either an Obama or a McCain presidency.
For false Christs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and miracles to deceive even the elect—if that were possible.This really has to stop. Supporters of both of the major parties in the United States are demonizing one another. The irony of this can probably only be seen clearly by people who have lived elsewhere. In any European country, our Republicans and Democrats would be two highly similar parties in the vicinity of the center right and would make common cause to keep extremists on both sides out of power.
As a result of each depicting the other as stupid or as in cahoots with Lucifer, we have a polarization when in fact most Americans agree about far more than they disagree about. This is not to say that the difference do not matter, just that there is an irony about how difficult it has become to see how much we agree on (at least in theory), about other things that matter too. And when we demonizing half the country, simply because they disagree with "us", we stop standing for liberty and justice for all.
This can only end badly. If Obama is elected and people who think they believe what the Bible says are persuaded that he is the antichrist, then there will be a growth in militia groups and presumably assassination attempts.
Those committed to Biblical values like justice and American values like liberty and justice for all need to speak out against the current mutual demonization that is likely to lead to far worse things than either an Obama or a McCain presidency.
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