Level 2 Member
Points: 110
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Thursday, February 14, 2008, 5:03 PM
[ General]
And the Beat Goes On:
Blame Israel. Death to the Jews...
Hezbollah of Lebanon threatens Israel yet again....
If only the "Zionist state" didn't exist everything in the Middle East
would be all lovey-dovey. The Christian and Muslim factions would go on
picnics together and sing kumbaya around a campfire (of burning Jewish
embers!) and gas prices would be low and Norman Rockwell would return
as from the dead and... Ah yes... if not for those meddlesome Jews!
There must be some Solution to our shared Jewish problem, some Final Solution.... Its the same old song and dance!
Once again it may mean open war... And
Israel is currently being led by someone (Ehud Omert) who lacks the
courage to say no to Bush and the NWO or to place his faith firmly in
HaShem, to fully deploy his military might when needed, and to Stand
Boldly for Israel! "Never Again" Means "Not Now Either!"Stand tall in faith Israel and HaShem will again deliver His people!! Remember the example of King Ahaz! HaShem will not and has not abandoned His people! Have courage and STAND!
Yisheyah 6 (Isaiah 7) in the JPS (JEWISH PUBLICATION SOCIETY BIBLE).
1:
And it came to pass in the days of Ahaz the son of Jotham, the son of
Uzziah, king of Judah, that Rezin the king of Aram, and Pekah the son
of Remaliah, king of Israel, went up to Jerusalem to war against it;
but could not prevail against it.
2: And it was told the house of
David, saying: 'Aram is confederate with Ephraim.' And his heart was
moved, and the heart of his people, as the trees of the forest are
moved with the wind.
3: Then said HaShem unto Isaiah: 'Go forth
now to meet Ahaz, thou, and Shear-jashub thy son, at the end of the
conduit of the upper pool, in the highway of the fullers' field;
4: and say unto him: Keep calm, and be quiet; fear not, neither let thy
heart be faint, because of these two tails of smoking firebrands, for
the fierce anger of Rezin and Aram, and of the son of Remaliah.
5: Because Aram hath counselled evil against thee, Ephraim also, and the son of Remaliah, saying:
6: Let us go up against Judah, and vex it, and let us make a breach
therein for us, and set up a king in the midst of it, even the son of
Tabeel;
7: thus saith the L-rd GOD: it shall not stand, neither shall it come to pass.
8: For the head of Aram is Damascus, and the head of Damascus is Rezin;
and within threescore and five years shall Ephraim be broken, that it
be not a people;
9: And the head of Ephraim is Samaria, and the
head of Samaria is Remaliah's son. If ye will not have faith, surely ye
shall not be established.'
10: And HaShem spoke again unto Ahaz, saying:
11: 'Ask thee a sign of HaShem thy G-d: ask it either in the depth, or in the height above.'
12: But Ahaz said: 'I will not ask, neither will I try HaShem.'
13: And he said: 'Hear ye now, O house of David: Is it a small thing for you to weary men, that ye will weary my G-d also?
14: Therefore the L-rd Himself shall give you a sign: behold, the young
woman shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.
15: Curd and honey shall he eat, when he knoweth to refuse the evil, and choose the good.
16: Yea, before the child shall know to refuse the evil, and choose the
good, the land whose two kings thou hast a horror of shall be forsaken.
17: HaShem shall bring upon thee, and upon thy people, and upon
thy father's house, days that have not come, from the day that Ephraim
departed from Judah; even the king of Assyria.'
18: And it shall
come to pass in that day, that HaShem shall hiss for the fly that is in
the uttermost part of the rivers of Egypt, and for the bee that is in
the land of Assyria.
19: And they shall come, and shall rest all
of them in the rugged valleys, and in the holes of the rocks, and upon
all thorns, and upon all brambles.
20: In that day shall the L-rd
shave with a razor that is hired in the parts beyond the River, even
with the king of Assyria, the head and the hair of the feet; and it
shall also sweep away the beard.
21: And it shall come to pass in that day, that a man shall rear a young cow, and two sheep;
22: and it shall come to pass, for the abundance of milk that they
shall give, he shall eat curd; for curd and honey shall every one eat
that is left in the midst of the land.
23: And it shall come to
pass in that day, that every place, where there were a thousand vines
at a thousand silverlings, shall even be for briers and thorns.
24: With arrows and with bow shall one come thither; because all the land shall become briers and thorns.
25: And all the hills that were digged with the mattock, thou shalt not
come thither for fear of briers and thorns, but it shall be for the
sending forth of oxen, and for the treading of sheep. So... who killed commander Imad Mughniyeh? That's the big question right now.
Why
would Israel kill Mughniyeh now when Jerusalem is being so threatened
by Bush and Rice? Remember, Bush has promised to divide Jerusalem and
make East Jerusalem the capital of yet another Islamic Ummah state,
known as Palestine, by the end of his term (if he leaves office). Such instability does not help Israel, it only invites globalist involvement and intervention.I suspect the actual assassins are identified in this piece: "...The
former Hezbollah security chief was one of world's most wanted
fugitives, accused of masterminding attacks that killed hundreds of
Americans in Lebanon in the 1980s...."NWO pawn Bush
desperately needs to convince the American people that Israel needs to
be slapped down a few pegs, if not destroyed. His Saud royal family NWO
compatriots are demanding this of him and in Annapolis last year he and
his henchperson Condi Rice set about doing just this: the desecration
and division of Jerusalem by January, 2009. Something Hillary supports
BTW. Implicating Israel not only in a political assassination
like this, but in one that places American Jews (and others in their
vicinity) in jeopardy and that could lead to World War 3 could be used
to do just this: "The chief of Hezbollah told throngs of supporters at a funeral for slain commander Imad Mughniyeh his group would retaliate against Israeli targets anywhere in the world after accusing the Jewish state of killing the militant (emphasis mine)." Note
Nasrallah's threat that, "...the killing of Mughniyeh did not weaken
his organization, but rather provided an incentive for "tens of
thousands" of guerrillas who stood ready to fight Israel," and that, "Mughniyeh's blood will lead to the elimination of Israel. These words are not an emotional reaction" (emphasis mine). By
showing that because of the Israeli government's "very big folly that
will be avenged" all of Israel is now facing possible genocide, plus
the dangers the political hit could mean globally... the NWO
powers-that-be can claim a virtual mandate to restructure the Middle
East in their own image. As the Church Lady would say, "How convienant! Enter
Kaptain Amerikka: Bush to the rescue! He'll offer (coerce) to restore
the peace by giving East Jerusalem to Hezbollah "Palestinians" while
making it clear to the Israelis that if Israel does not comply with NWO
demands they will use the Islamic Ummah as their 21st century Final Solution to the Jewish problem! This is why I think this is happening right now. The Prophecies must be fulfilled. Muslim
prophecies demand that Prophet Jesus and Iman Madhi must meet in a
non-Jewish East Jerusalem and from there destroy the Jews world wide. Following that event a hadith says: "A Jew will not be found alone with a Muslim without plotting to kill him."
According to another, Prophet Muhammad said: "The Hour will not be
established until you fight with the Jews, and the stone behind which a
Jew will be hiding will say. 'O Muslim! There is a Jew hiding behind
me, so come kill him'. This hadith has been quoted countless times, and it has become a part of the charter of Hamas. This interpretation is confirmed by the Wikipedia: "On
30 March 2007, Hamas spokesman Ismail Radwan ended his "prayers to
Allah" in a sermon broadcast on the Palestinian Authority’s TV quoting
the hadith
"The Hour [of Resurrection] will not take place until the Muslims fight
the Jews and the Muslims kill them, and the rock and the tree will say:
'Oh, Muslim, servant of Allah, there is a Jew behind me, kill him!'" Al
Aqsa mosque would be "liberated" "through the rifle", since the Israeli
occupation knew no other language. He asked "Jihad-fighting
worshippers" in "Palestine and everywhere" and Allah to take away the oppressor Jews and Americans and their supporters!" [71]
But Bush and Hillary want to give these people East Jurusalem, Judea and Samaria! | 1 | Now
the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy
kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will show thee: | | 2 | And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: | | 3 | And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed. |
Two News Stories on the killing: First Source: Al Jazeera Nasrallah: Hezbollah ready to fight
Nasrallah said Israel should expect 'open war' after he accused it of attacking targets outside Lebanon [AFP] The
secretary-general of Hezbollah has said that his movement is ready for
open warfare with Israel, in a speech to supporters mourning the death
of a senior commander. Accusing Israel of killing Imad
Moghniyeh in a car bomb blast in the Syrian capital Damascus late on
Tuesday, Hassan Nasrallah said on Thursday that it had "crossed the
borders". "With this murder, its timing, location and method
- Zionists [Israel] if you want this kind of open war, let the whole
world listen: Let this war be open," he said. He also said that
Hezbollah fighters had started preparing for the next war immediately
after the end of the 2006 war with Israel. Imad Moghniyeh The life of an elusive figure Speaking
in a videotaped message to supporters at the funeral service for
Moghniyeh in southern Beirut, Nasrallah said: "Like all human beings we
have a sacred right to defend ourselves. "We will do all that it takes to defend our country and people." Different visions The
speech by Nasrallah, who is in hiding after the July 2006 war between
Israel and Hezbollah, came shortly after an event in the Lebanese
capital to mark the third anniversary of the assassination of Rafiq
al-Hariri, a former prime minister. Security was tight in
Beirut as thousands of people gathered for the two separate rallies,
which highlighted the deep divisions in the country. Leaders in
the pro-government March 14 bloc had supporters in the al-Hariri
commemoration to show their rejection of alleged Syrian efforts to
regain influence in Lebanon. Your Views How can the crisis in Lebanon be overcome? Send us your views Hezbollah, which is supported by Syria and Iran, has led an opposition political bloc against March 14 for the past three years. Rula Amin, Al Jazeera's correspondent in Beirut, said the rallies in Beirut advanced different visions for Lebanon. "In
the al-Hariri rally the speakers there were taking pride that it was
the United States, the EU and the West that was backing them and
empowering their constituency," she said. "In the southern
suburbs at the funeral for Moghniyeh there was defiance to Israel, the
United States and the West in general - who consider Mogniyeh a
terrorist. "This [funeral gathering] was a strong message from
Hezbollah - they wanted to show not just Israel but the March 14
leaders that they also command support on the streets." Nasrallah vow Moghniyeh,
who was accused by the US of planning attacks on Western targets during
the Lebanese civil war, was killed in by car bomb blast in Damascus on
Tuesday evening. Thousands of supporters called on Syria to stay out of Lebanese politics [AFP] Hezbollah
has accused Israel of killing Moghniyeh, while Syria, a supporter of
Hezbollah, branded the attack a "cowardly and terrorist act". Nasrallah
blamed Israel directly for Moghniyeh's death, and said that the July
2006 war with Israel was continuing, although not on a military level. "The
July war is still continuing - until now, no ceasefire has been
proclaimed. This war is continuing at the political level, at the media
level, at the financial and material level, at the security level," he
said. "It is supported by the same countries that supported Israel in the July war. This is why [Moghniyeh] was assassinated." Nasrallah said that the death of Moghniyeh would only strengthen the resistance against Israel. "Moghniyeh's blood will lead to the elimination of Israel. These words are not an emotional reaction," he said. Amin said Nasrallah's word were "very clear" and that Lebanese people were wondering what Hezbollah would do next. "For
many Lebanese they are wondering: is this going to mean another war
with Israel? Will it mean more bombings? Will they have to flee their
homes again?" she said. Israel has ordered its military,
embassies and Jewish institutions around the world to increase security
measures in case of revenge attacks, Israeli officials said on
Thursday, on condition of anonymity. Syria blamed Earlier on Thursday, thousands of people attended a rally to mark the third anniversary of al-Hariri's death. Nasrallah speech Hezbollah ready to expand fight aginst Israel They
carried Lebanese flags and photographs of al-Hariri and other
politicians and political figures killed in attacks blamed on Syria. Al-Hariri
was killed in a car bombing on Beirut's seafront in 2005, sparking mass
protests and the withdrawal of Syrian troops after 29 years. Syria denies any links to a series of killings across Lebanon in the past three years. "In
2005 you took to the streets to force them out. In 2008 you must do the
same so that they don't come back," read messages on billboards around
Beirut. In a speech to the rally, Saad al-Hariri, the former
prime minister's son and the parliamentary leader of the ruling bloc,
said that three years ago forces tried to "assassinate Lebanon". "Here you are today, gathering once again, responding to the call of freedom, sovereignty and independence," he told the crowd. Schools
and universities were ordered to shut on Thursday, while most
businesses were set to close as the government declared a holiday. Staying at home Concerns
that the two events could spark unrest between opposing political
supporters prompted foreign embassies to urge their citizens to observe
extreme caution and avoid travel in Beirut. The day of mourning
for both the March 14 ruling bloc and its opponent Hezbollah comes amid
continuing differences in Lebanese politics. There has been a
power vacuum in Lebanon since November, with opposing political
factions failing to agree on a new president and the distribution of
key cabinet portfolios. Al-Hariri called for the parliamentary
vote to confirm General Michel Suleiman as president, which has been
postponed 14 times, to go ahead. "We want a president for the republic," he told the rally. Israeli denial The Israeli prime minister's office denied allegations that it had played any role in Moghniyeh's killing. "Israel
rejects the attempts of terror elements to attribute to Israel any
involvement in this incident," Ehud Olmert's office said in a statement
on Wednesday. Iran also accused Israel of carrying out the attack. Moghniyeh is accused of involvement in the bombing of a US embassy in 1983 [Reuters] However, the US welcomed Moghniyeh's killing, saying that he had been responsible for many deaths. "The
world is a better place without this man in it. He was a cold-blooded
killer, a mass murderer and a terrorist responsible for countless
innocent lives lost," Sean McCormack, the US state department
spokesman, said on Wednesday. Also known as Hajj Radhwan,
Moghniyeh was widely suspected of being behind a wave of Western
hostage-taking in Lebanon in the 1980s, claims denied by Hezbollah. According
to the US and the West, he was a "top terrorist" and was involved in
the bombing of the US embassy in Beirut in April 1983. The US
also claims he was involved in the killing of hundreds of US marines
and French paratroopers in simultaneous truck bomb attacks in October
1983. Source: Al Jazeera and agencies =============== And the second from Associated PressThe
chief of Hezbollah told throngs of supporters at a funeral for slain
commander Imad Mughniyeh his group would retaliate against Israeli
targets anywhere in the world after accusing the Jewish state of
killing the militant. Israel ordered its military, embassies and
Jewish institutions overseas to go on alert earlier in the day, fearing
revenge attacks for the car bomb that killed Mughniyeh Tuesday night in
Damascus. The former Hezbollah security chief was one of world's most
wanted fugitives, accused of masterminding attacks that killed hundreds
of Americans in Lebanon in the 1980s. While Hezbollah supporters
bid farewell to Mughniyeh, tens of thousands of their pro-Western
political opponents filled a downtown Beirut square to mark former
Prime Minister Rafik Hariri's 2005 assassination. The opposing
gatherings reflected Lebanon's divided soul and fearing clashes,
authorities deployed thousands of troops. But by evening, there were no
reports of violence. Hezbollah and its Iranian backers blamed Israel for killing Mughniyeh but Israel denied involvement. In
a fiery, videotaped eulogy broadcast on a giant screen to tens of
thousands attending the south Beirut funeral, Nasrallah said Israel had
taken the fight outside the "natural battlefield" of Israel and Lebanon. "You
have crossed the borders," he said. "With this murder, its timing,
location and method — Zionists, if you want this kind of open war, let
the whole world listen: Let this war be open." Thousands
gathered in a hall in the Roueiss neighborhood of Beirut where
Mughniyeh's coffin lay draped in a Hezbollah flag. A band played
Lebanon's national anthem and the guerrilla group's anthem. Outside in
the rain, tens of thousands more stood in silence. Nasrallah —
himself in hiding because of fears of assassination since the 2006
summer war with Israel — warned Israel that its alleged killing of
Mughniyeh was a "very big folly" which will be avenged. "Mughniyeh's
blood will lead to the elimination of Israel. These words are not an
emotional reaction," he said, drawing roars from the crowd which raised
fists into the air. Nasrallah said the killing of Mughniyeh did
not weaken his organization, but rather provided an incentive for "tens
of thousands" of guerrillas who stood ready to fight Israel. Soon after he finished speaking, volleys of celebratory gunfire echoed around the city's southern suburbs. Unlike
many Middle Eastern leaders whose speeches are riddled with idle
rhetorical threats, Nasrallah is known for delivering on his promises,
and Israel takes his threats seriously. In 2006, he promised to
take action to free Lebanese prisoners in Israel, and in July that
year, Hezbollah guerrillas staged a daring cross-border raid that
snatched two Israeli soldiers as bargaining chips. The incident
triggered a 34-day war between Israel and Hezbollah. Early in the
fighting, Nasrallah said he would have "surprises" for Israel. Days
later, his fighters hit an Israeli warship off the Lebanese
Mediterranean coast with Chinese-made shore-to-sea C-802 missile, the
first time the group had used the weapon. The war devastated south
Lebanon, but Israel and Hezbollah have not negotiated a prisoner swap. In Washington State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said threats such as Nasrallah's are alarming. "As
a general matter, those kinds of statements are quite concerning and
they should be alarming to everyone," he said. "Quite clearly,
Hezbollah has a long record of carrying out violent acts and acts of
terrorism around the globe. You have a pathway of violence that
stretches from Buenos Aires to Kuwait and a lot of places in between." Iranian
Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki, who came to the funeral in
Lebanon, offered condolences to the family and Mughniyeh's associates.
Underlining Iran's close ties to Hezbollah, he sat between Mughniyeh's
father and Hezbollah's deputy leader. "He's not the first
martyr, nor will he be the last on this path," Mottaki said, reading a
statement of condolences from Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad
with an interpreter translating into Arabic. "There will be hundreds
and millions more" like him. Mughniyeh's killing exacerbated
tensions within Lebanon, a country already entrenched in a long-running
political crisis that has left it without a president and with its
parliament paralyzed. As the funeral proceeded in south Beirut,
across the city tens of thousands gathered in the main Martyrs' Square
to commemorate the third anniversary of Hariri's assassination. The
anti-Syrian rally appeared larger than the crowds at Mughniyeh's
funeral, but it had been planned weeks in advance. They braved rain and cold, waving Lebanese flags, pictures of Hariri and party banners. Crowds
also paid respects at Hariri's gravesite next to the downtown square as
his brother, Shafik, unveiled a statue of the slain leader at the spot
where he was killed, a few hundred yards away on a seaside boulevard. A
flame was lit and a taped message broadcast from Hariri's widow, Nazek,
who lives in Paris, urging against "falling into hatred" and calling on
"unity to save the country." In the square, the sound of beating drums mixed with cheers from the crowd as speakers lashed out at Syria. Saad
Hariri, leader of the parliamentary majority and the late premier's
son, launched a scathing attack against the Syrian government. But he
spared Hezbollah and its opposition allies, apparently in deference to
the funeral. He even reached out to the opposition, saying: "Our hand
will remain extended no matter what difficulties and conspiracies there
are." He also called for the election of a president in
parliament, accusing Syria of obstructing the choice since November
through its Lebanese allies. When Hariri alluded to Mughniyeh's funeral on the other side of the city, the crowd booed. "He fell under the eyes of the Syrian regime," he said of Mughniyeh, adding sarcastically: "God knows better." Druse
leader Walid Jumblatt, a sharp critic of Hezbollah, said the government
will not succumb to opposition efforts to deliver Lebanon "to the
Iranian-Syrian black evil world." Jumblatt accused the "treacherous
regime" of Syrian President Bashar Assad of killing Mughniyeh. Suleiman
Abu Ezzedine, 35, holding an umbrella, said he left work to come to
"remind that we are the majority. We want justice, truth and peace." Hariri's
supporters blame Syria for killing the prominent politician in a
massive suicide truck bombing in Beirut and for a series of bombings
and assassinations since. Hariri's killing ignited mass protests and
international pressure that forced Syria to withdraw its army from
Lebanon after 29 years of control. The State Department said the
anniversary was "a reminder to the world and the people of Lebanon
about the sacrifices that many around the world and in Lebanon are
making to build a strong democratic state." Spokesman McCormack said
the U.S. supports those who want to build a Lebanon "independent and
unfettered by foreign interference." Authorities deployed some
8,000 troops and policemen to protect the Hariri rally. Armored
vehicles took up positions on major intersections, and additional razor
wire was brought in to separate the two sides. But there was no sign of
violence by evening. Amid fears of street violence, the U.S. Embassy encouraged Americans in Lebanon to limit all but essential travel Thursday. Mughniyeh
was on the FBI's list of most wanted terrorists, and the U.S. had
offered a $5 million bounty for information leading to his arrest or
conviction. He was indicted in the U.S. for his role in planning the
1985 hijacking of a TWA airliner in which a U.S. Navy diver was killed. He
was also accused of carrying out or directing a series of spectacular
attacks, including engineering the suicide bombings of the U.S. Marines
barracks and two embassy compounds in Beirut in 1983-84. A total
of about 260 Americans were killed in those attacks. Mughniyeh was also
believed to be the mastermind behind the kidnappings of Americans and
other Westerners in Beirut in the 1980s. Israel and Argentine
prosecutors accused Mughniyeh of involvement in the 1992 and 1994
bombings of the Israeli embassy and a Jewish center in Buenos Aires,
attacks that killed more than 100 people. He vanished in the
early 1990s, reportedly undergoing plastic surgery and moving between
Lebanon, Syria and Iran on fake passports. ___ Associated Press Writer Steve Weizman contributed to this report from Jerusalem.
Tuesday, February 5, 2008, 4:49 PM
[ General]
"The Earth belongs to HaShem and the Fullness Thereof."
By Ben Ruach haKodesh (John of AllFaith) © 2.5.08
Most people seem to be unaware that there are two different creation accounts taught in early Genesis, but of course there are. So how are we to understand this?
The most held-to view is that the first account gives an
overview of a single creation and then the second adds more details
parenthetically. I can not accept this view.
In my opinion a key to unlocking this mystery is found at Gen
2:4: "These are the generations of the heaven and of the earth when
they were created, in the day that HaShem G-d made earth and heaven."
(JPS)
Note that these accounts record "the generations" plural of the heaven ("heavens" in the KJV) and the earth.
There were "generations" of the heaven and the earth.
When studying the Bible (or any other ancient work) we need to
consider the context in which it was written and the level of
understanding and preexisting beliefs of the intended recipients. The
people living around 1450-1410 BCE did not have telescopes and so on
and their lack of scientific knowledge needs to be considered in order
to correctly understand the texts granted them. Hence we read at Gen
1:16-18, "And G-d made the two great lights: the greater light to rule
the day, and the lesser light to rule the night; and the stars. And G-d
set them in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth,
and to rule over the day and over the night, and to divide the light
from the darkness; and G-d saw that it was good" (JPS). We today understand that the moon is not a light. The light
that appears to come from it is but the sun's reflection. Despite this,
it looks like a "lesser light" and that is how the people understood
it.
Master Y'shua (Lord Jesus) gave us insight here when he said, "I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now." (John 16:12).
As was common with most works of antiquity the Bible does not
present itself as a scientific thesis but as a reflection of the
understandings of the people dealt with and their relationships to the
God of their understanding. Had HaShem presented a detailed account of exactly how He
created the heavens and the earth and their generations we today still
would not be able to comprehend it. God utterly transcends human
consciousness. Thankfully God is all merciful and presents information in ways we can grasp, often with effort.
Our modern day scientific just-the-facts global paradigm is a
relatively new phenomenon. The ancients were interested in the powers
behind the manifest, not so much the manifest itself. This difference
in perspective can be seen in the parting of the Red Sea. When I was
young and heard this account my only thought was, "Oh my God is
powerful!" Today the Discovery Channel (a US Secular Humanist TV
channel, not sure if its in the UK or not) runs documentaries
attempting to explain that it was not "the Red Sea," that "proto-Moses"
parted by "God's power," which is quite large and would indeed be
miraculous, but "the Reed Sea" which is quite small and has unusual
cross currents that sometimes effect the water in odd ways. The ancients wanted to see God's Hand at work, today most
people want to explain it away (even as the prophets foretold). This is
evidence of a major paradigm shift that has occurred over the past
hundred years or so.
The point is, if we study the Bible from a modern-day mindset
we will miss and misconstrue much of what it is saying. As the teacher
said, "But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that
cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of
them that diligently seek him" (Hebrews 11:6). Faith is essential. The Holy One can not be placed in a test tube.
My understanding then is that the early Hebrews to whom Moses
wrote were well acquainted with the earlier Sumarian legions and that
many of his teachings are piggybacked onto theirs. This in no way
nullifies them. Our beliefs are also piggybacked onto earlier
teachings, be they those of the scriptures or of Einstein and Darwin.
There is nothing new under the sun (Ecl. 1:9).
I also see however, from Gen.2:4 cited above (and elsewhere)
that Moses understood that the most recent "creation" of the earth he
knew was not the first creation to occur. In the first instance (Gen
1:1-2:3) he speaks of the way back time when God first created the
heavens and the earth and placed unnamed humans into it. As he spoke of
Adam and Eve (by name) in the second creation account, the progenitors
of the humans he knew, so too Moses references the unnamed first humans
and the genesis of their world. Tradition speaks of the first Adam
(lit. "human") and his wife Lilith but that is a topic for another
study. In the second creation account (Gen 2:4-) Moses tells about
the world he knows. The destruction or purification that occurred prior
to the second creation account is referenced in the works of other
traditions as, for instance, the releasing of the "brahmastra weapons"
that were like massively more potent nuclear weapons than we thus far
have developed and that were released following the War of Kuruksetra.
Again, this would be a topic for another discussion. The point is, this
view has at least as solid support as the single creation
interpretation.
While we do not know how many "beginnings" there have may been, we do get an insight from the following:
II Peter 3:3 Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts,
4
And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers
fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the
creation.
5 For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of God the
heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the
water:
6 Whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished:
7 But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are
kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and
perdition of ungodly men.
8 But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with
the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.
9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count
slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should
perish, but that all should come to repentance. A careful reading of such verses and other sources leads me to
conclude that due to God's infinite mercy the earth (the realm of
mortal man) is created, humanity develops, spiritually and
technologically evolves and devolves and eventually it becomes
necessary, due to God's love and justice, to intervene and purify the
planet by various means. We are, in my opinion, fast approaching such a purification.
Matt. 24:And except those days should
be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect's sake
[ie the Jews] those days shall be shortened. To me then, "time" is cyclical.
I believe that Adam and Eve, whether regarded as literal people
or as metaphors for the survivors of such a time of purification (I
believe they were literal survivors, although not the only survivors,
whose descendants came through Noah's son Shem, hence they are called
Semites: ie the Jews and other Semitic peoples) passed their memories
down orally through their generations. Moses received these oral
traditions from various sources and was inspired by HaShem to record
them in the Holy Torah (the Five Books of Moses, ie Genesis through
Deuteronomy).
Children
Of Noah All |
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Saturday, February 2, 2008, 2:49 PM
[ General]
Here's another AllExperts' Q and A that might arouse some discussion. Agree or disagree with my answer? David asks:
Are we released from tithing under grace?
My reply. What are your thoughts? Hi David, We are not only released from paying tithes, it was never required of us (assuming you are not Jewish). Tithing was the Jewish income tax. In
ancient times religion and politics were often wed, as is still the
case today with Islam where the "deen" or religion and "ummah" or
nation are one. In the same way, although Judaism began as a Semitic
ethnic group (it was never a race despite common beliefs) it was more
accurately thought of as a nation in biblical times (the earthly
kingdom of God in exile). Citizens of that kingdom were ordered to pay
an income tax, a flat tax of 10% of all gross income (be it money,
animals etc.). As the early Jewish followers of Jesus debate
Gentile conversion in the Book of Acts it is clear that they consider
themselves a "religion" rather than a "nation" as they pointedly were
'waiting for a kingdom not made by human hands.' Jesus came to be
viewed more as the spiritual savior of the world rather than as a
reigning king (Meshiach or Messiah). As people attempting to follow
Jesus we are to submit our whole selves unto God. Our tithe then is
100%, not just 10%. We are to consider ourselves stewards of all things
granted us by our Master. Once the Kingdom of God is established
there will probably be a proclamation made that everyone must tithe
10%, time will tell, but during "the Church Age" tithing is still only
in effect for Jews. Jesus references the tithes of the Jews
several times in the Gospels. Virtually every person he spoke with,
with only a handful of exceptions, were Jews. Indeed Jesus said he only
came to minister to Jews (Matt 15:24), but outside of that, only the
Book of Hebrews mentions tithes and it does so in each case as a
historical reference (ex. Heb 7:9). As you probably know, not
all Christians will agree with this answer however I am convinced it is
correct. If one wishes to have a congregation and offer various
programs one needs money, lots of it... believe me I know... and
teaching the people they must tithe is an effective way to raise funds.
The truth is however, this is not a biblical requirements for
Christians. Christians should be taught that everything they possess is
holy and belongs to God and that they should invest their possessions
in the coming Kingdom by supporting their local congregations and
various other efforts as they feel led of the Holy Spirit. Hope this helps, ~Pastor John  | Ask John of AllFaith any question at Allexperts.com
The oldest and largest free answers service on the Internet. | | Interfaith Religious Questions | | Misc. Religious Questions | | Bible Studies | | Reincarnation/Transmigration | Hinduism | Gaudiya Vaisnavism (Hare Krsna) | | General Christian Topics | | The Bible and Homosexuality | | General Christian Topics | Baptist Christianity | | Or Contact John of AllFaith Directly |
Wednesday, January 30, 2008, 2:12 PM
[ General]
My blog friend Jim made the following comment in my previous entry:
"...when
it comes to Christianity, or any other religion, I know the least. What
I don't understand is, If god so loved his children, how could he send
us to the fiery pit of hell?..."
The following re-print is for him and others who ponder this same question:  "The Earth belongs to HaShem and the Fullness Thereof." By John of AllFaith © 2007
Hell Fire and Damnation!
What the Bible Actually Teaches  My good friend NY Guy asked: ...
As for the existence of hell as per the bible, wouldn't the "lake of
fire" where those cast out on judgment day qualify as hell? Just a
thought. My reply: The
Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness;
but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish,
but that all should come to repentance (II Pet 3:9)As you know,
there are a LOT of opinions on this one. There are scriptures that
appear to teach several different views. Based on my research, here is
what and why I believe as I do as per what the Bible actually teaches
here: As the Roman Catholic Church was establishing the official doctrines of the Church (for more on this click here)
they included the teaching of Hell as a place of eternal, fiery torment
(which is not to say it is true or false, only that it began there.
Much of the imagery of Hell is identical with the Pagan underworld
known as Hades. That such a place of eternal torment exists is today a
most common belief among Christians still. Muslims also accept this
belief. Some Hindus have a similar view except that Hell is of
temporary duration.
The Christian belief is that God does
not torture people in Hell and does not want anyone to go that dreadful
place. Hell was created for the fallen angels (Gen. 6:1-6).
Humans
go to Hell, it is taught, because they fail to make the decision
necessary to achieve salvation, that being they refuse to accept the
death, burial and resurrection of Jesus as taught by the Church. This
is the standard answer. Hell is not something God "does to us," it is
something we do to ourselves. But, what does the Bible actually teach about this? The
Greek word "Hades" itself is in our biblical text 11 times. 10 of those
times it is translated as "hell" and once as "grave" in the King James
Version.
Here is what Strong's Concordance tells us about this word: name:
Hades or Pluto, the god of the lower regions Orcus, the nether world,
the realm of the dead later use of this word: the grave, death, hell This doesn't sound very Christian does it? Another word is Tartaroo (tar-tar-o'-o) II Pet 2:4: Word
Origin: Greek, Verb from Tartaros (the deepest abyss of Hell) the name
of the subterranean region, doleful and dark, regarded by the ancient
Greeks as the abode of the wicked dead, where they suffer punishment
for their evil deeds; it answers to Gehenna of the Jews to thrust down
to Tartarus, to hold captive in Tartarus." By far the most common Greek word translated as "hell" is Gehenna. What is Gehenna? Verses like Joshua 18:16 tell us: The valley was frequently used by Pagan people for their religious rites: II
Chron. 28:1 Ahaz was twenty years old when he began to reign, and he
reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem: but he did not that which was right
in the sight of the LORD, like David his father:
2 For he walked in the ways of the kings of Israel, and made also molten images for Baalim.
3 Moreover he burnt incense in the valley of the son of Hinnom, and
burnt his children in the fire, after the abominations of the heathen
whom the LORD had cast out before the children of Israel.
4
He sacrificed also and burnt incense in the high places, and on the
hills, and under every green tree [which suggests goddess worship,
Ashteroth etc.]. Indeed, such acts were so common that they entered the language as figures of speech: Matt.
5:29 And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from
thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should
perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into [Gehena]. Again, Luke
12:5 But I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear: Fear him, which after
he hath killed hath power to cast into [Gehena]; yea, I say unto you,
Fear him. Some will argue that this doesn't prove Jesus wasn't speaking literally. Perhaps, but contrast this counsel: Who believes Hell is watery? No, Jesus was the Master of Parables: Matthew 13:34 All these things spake Jesus unto the multitude in parables; and without a parable spake he not unto them: Why?
Because these were simple people and he wanted to make his teachings
clearly relevant to their daily lives so they could understand. The
city people often carried their trash to the dump. The flames and the
stench was powerful. If one was thrown into those flames there would be
no hope of survival! City people could understand the serious
consequences and hence understood his analogy.
Likewise, if
a heavy millstone stone were tied about one's neck and he/she was cast
into the sea, there would be no hope. Fisher people understood this. Besides,
the idea of eternal damnation and torture by the God of Israel was
unheard of! HaShem, the God of Israel, is just and merciful. An
eternity of torment for even 80 years of so of sin is neither. So where
did this teaching come from? Like so much of Christian dogma, the
belief comes from Roman Paganism (compare http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hades). So what did Jesus teach? Matt. 22:23 The same day came to him the Sadducees, which say that there is no resurrection, and asked him,
24 Saying, Master, Moses said, If a man die...[and his wife remarries even seven times...]
28 ...Therefore in the resurrection whose wife shall she be of the seven? for they all had her.
29 Jesus answered and said unto them, Ye do err, not knowing the scriptures, nor the power of God.
30 For in the resurrection they neither marry, nor are given in marriage, but are as the angels of God in heaven. Master Y'shua believed in the resurrection, as taught by the Pharisees and rejected by the Sadducees' doctrine. So, what do the rabbis (the Pharisees) teach? They teach the resurrection, just like Jesus did. The other word translated as hell is that found in the Tanakh (the "Old Testament"). This word is sheol. In
the KJV, sheol is translated grave 31 times, hell 31 times and pit 3
times. While some Jews do believe in a place similar to purgatory --
for a time that never exceeds one year -- the word literally means
grave. When a person dies they go to hell, to the grave. The Sadducees
thought life ended there. Jesus, like the Pharisees, knew the soul is
never destroyed.
Like the Pharisees, Jesus would have
believed in the resurrection of the dead to the earthly Kingdom once it
is established and in reincarnation in at least some cases. These were
the beliefs of most Jews of the day (other than the Sadducees who were
considered odd for not believing this). This doubtless is what Jesus
believed and taught. Belief in the eventual resurrection of
the dead is a fundamental belief of traditional Rabbinic (and Karaite)
Judaism. It was a belief that distinguished the Pharisees (intellectual
ancestors of Rabbinical Judaism) from the Sadducees (that and that the
rabbis embraced the Oral Torah which both the Sadducees and Jesus
rejected). The Sadducees rejected the concept, because it is not
explicitly mentioned in the Torah (although it is in my opinion
strongly implied -- Ezekiel 37 for instance). The Pharisees found the
concept implied in certain verses and taught directly in the Oral Torah
such as the Babylonian Talmud. Belief in the resurrection of
the dead is one of Rambam's 13 Principles of Faith. The second blessing
of the Shemoneh Esrei prayer, which is recited three times daily,
contains several references to resurrection. (Note: the Reform
movement, which apparently rejects this belief, has rewritten the
second blessing accordingly). The resurrection of the dead
will occur in the messianic age, a time referred to in Hebrew as the
Olam Ha-Ba, the World to Come, but that term is also used to refer to
the spiritual afterlife. When the messiah comes to initiate the perfect
world of peace and prosperity, the righteous dead will be brought back
to life and given the opportunity to experience the perfected world
that their righteousness helped to create. The wicked dead will not be
resurrected according to Jewish authorities. this is one of many areas
where I agree with Master Y'shua's reform movement.
There
are some mystical schools of thought that believe resurrection is not a
one-time event, but is an ongoing process. The souls of the righteous
are reborn in order to continue the ongoing process of tikkun olam,
mending of the world. Some sources indicate that this reincarnation is
a routine process, while others indicate that it only occurs in unusual
circumstances, where the soul left unfinished business behind. Belief
in reincarnation is also one way to explain the traditional Jewish
belief that every Jewish soul in history was present at Sinai and
agreed to the covenant with G-d. (Another explanation: that the soul
exists before the body, and these unborn souls were present in some
form at Sinai). Belief in reincarnation is commonly held by many
Chasidic sects, as well as many other mystically-inclined Jews. See,
for example Reincarnation Stories from Chasidic Tradition ( http://www.jewfaq.org/olamhaba.htm). For my recurring dream of my previous life as a Jew living in Bulgaria click here.
As for those who are utterly wicked: "Gan Eden and Gehinnom The
place of spiritual reward for the righteous is often referred to in
Hebrew as Gan Eden (GAHN ehy-DEHN) (the Garden of Eden). This is not
the same place where Adam and Eve were; it is a place of spiritual
perfection. Specific descriptions of it vary widely from one source to
another. One source says that the peace that one feels when one
experiences Shabbat properly is merely one-sixtieth of the pleasure of
the afterlife. Other sources compare the bliss of the afterlife to the
joy of sex or the warmth of a sunny day. Ultimately, though, the living
can no more understand the nature of this place than the blind can
understand color. Only the very righteous go directly to Gan
Eden. The average person descends to a place of punishment and/or
purification, generally referred to as Gehinnom (guh-hee-NOHM) (in
Yiddish, Gehenna), but sometimes as She'ol or by other names. Again, we
can see how thoroughly this imagery has impacted Hebrew society. By
using the term Master Y'shua was drawing upon a long established
tradition.
According to one mystical Jewish view, every
sin we commit creates an angel of destruction (a demon), and after we
die we are punished by the very demons that we created. Some views see
Gehinnom as one of severe punishment, a bit like the Christian Hell of
fire and brimstone only of temporary duration. Other sources merely see
it as a time of reflection wherein we consider the actions of our lives
objectively, contemplate the harm that we have done and the
opportunities we missed, and experience remorse for our actions. This
view is similar to the Hall of Akashic Records that many mystics
reference. The period of time in Gehinnom does not exceed 12 months,
and then the soul ascends to take his place in Olam Ha-Ba. Only
the utterly wicked do not ascend at the end of this period; their souls
are punished for the entire 12 months. Sources differ on what happens
at the end of those 12 months: some say that the wicked soul is utterly
destroyed and ceases to exist while others say that the soul continues
to exist in a state of consciousness of remorse, others say the wicked
are sent back to earth and reincarnated so as to understand their
errors. This 12-month limit is repeated in many places in the
Talmud, and it is connected to the mourning cycles and the recitation
of Kaddish" ( http://www.jewfaq.org/olamhaba.htm) Hell,
as an eternal place of torment, does not exist in my opinion. The
Master of Parables merely used the well known at the time metaphor to
illustrate the importance of submitting oneself fully to Hashem. Like
so much of modern Christianity, the doctrine of hellfire and damnation
rose from a Pagan source. As this imagery continued we find
references to the Lake of Fire in Revelation and so on. All such
references are figures of speech. In simple terms, Hell is the absence of God's presence. Hope this helps,
Maranatha,
~John of AllFaith
 In the comment section the following question was asked but I didn't have room for a thorough reply, so here it is:
Political Junkie Commented: Hi John,
As usual an interesting entry. I enjoyed reading it.
I tend to believe more in the concept of being completely cut off from the presence of God, like being inside a black hole.
Although, as you know, I do not subscribe to any kind of anthropomorphised personal diety.
If you've seen the movie, "What Dreams May Come", which is loosely
based on Dante's inferno, I feel like Hell is more a state of mind, or
state of the soul. As depicted in the film, this is not a punishment
from some angry god, but a failure of the individual. If ever there was
a film which spoke to the understanding of my heart, this would be the
one! Hi Political Junkie, Yes! I love that film too.
There are many ways of illustrating a point. Master Y'shua chose two
that his hearers could relate with, the town garbage dump and the sea.
Were he speaking today he might reference the absence of God in one's
life to be like being thrown into a trash compactor, being sentenced to
life at Gitmo or indeed like falling into a Black Hole as you say. There is a moment in Steven King's The Stand
(I love Steven King!) when Nick (a deaf mute hero in the story)
confesses that he doesn't believe in God. Mother Abigail (an elderly
black woman who plays the role of Messiah following the outbreak of a
disease that wipes out almost all life on the planet), looks at him for
a moment astonished, then begins to laugh! "It don't matter Nick!" she
tells him. "God believes in you!" Whether those who disbelieve
are aware of it or not, they are surrounded by God's Presence and Love
at every moment of their existence. The absence of God means the
absence of love, compassion, mercy, light, kindness, goodness,
purity... the absence of everything that makes life worth living...
technically of course the true absence of God would be the absence of
all life, of existence itself... but God is merciful. As Master Y'shu
said: Matt 5:45 ... your Father which is in heaven: for he
maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on
the just and on the unjust. God, the Ek Devata, is Absolute Love. Whether we believe or not.
If we fail to believe in love... then it would indeed be just as well
for us to be strapped naked to a rocket and fired into a Black Hole.
Without love we have nothing and God is Love. Personally I
believe in transmigration. I believe we enter into the material
multiverse for diverse reasons but once here we become entrapped by our
own greed, actions etc (ie by our karma, dharma and marga -- Click here).
I further believe that the idea that God punishes us for sins is
in-congruent with a Being such as we Believers accept God to be. The
idea that a Being who is omni everything would be concerned that puny
little little me stole some gum when I was twelve or whatever makes no
sense to me. If however, as I believe, the nature of this
Being is Pure Love and Mercy, then I have no problem believing that we
are all given free will with personal responsibly. In other
words, it wasn't the gum that was the problem, it was what lays behind
the act of stealing. For me to advance as a being of love and light I
must purify myself from greed, deceit, lack of respect for others,
placing my needs and wants before others, etc. etc. Therefore
it would be in the nature of this Being we call God to gently lead us
and allow us to learn from our mistakes. Having received the effects
(karma) for this action (karma) of theft that violated divine
principles (dharma) I grow as an individual. This process (marga) is
very important for we jivas (eternal living entities). I belief this
was the teaching of Master Y'shua. God is out Father who is patiently
leading us ever onward. II Pet 3:9 The Lord is not slack
concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is
longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that
all should come to repentance. This entry was in reference to George's comment questioning my statement (at http://blog.360.yahoo.com/blog-wK0SX_k7dK5WgkkX01QOYwuwFxzFNQ--?cq=1&p=3314) that: "They [the Jehovah's Witnesses} are also correct that nowhere does the Bible teach the existence of hell. "
It should be noted however that they do indeed believe God punishes us.
Those who refuse to become Jehovah's Witnesses of even worse who have
been and then leave, are utterly destroyed. This would be a terrible
price to pay and is no more loving than Hell Fire and Damnation would
be. The God I worship loves us and would never do such things. You are visitor number...  Who cares, I'm glad YOU'RE here! | Children
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Hell?
Saturday, January 26, 2008, 4:50 PM
[ General]
 His Divine Grace Abhay Charan Bhaktivedanta Swami
(September 1, 1896–November 14, 1977)
A Note of Accusation From a "long time friend"
I
just received an anonymous snail-mail note today that I thought worth
commenting on. It was sent to my previous PO box and just arrived in my
new box today. As there is no name and no return address I can't reply
via snail mail. Assuming the author regularly reads my blog, I'd like
to encourage you to contact me direct so we can discuss this. In the
event that the views expressed in the note are shared by others, it
seems worthwhile bringing this issue up as well.
The unedited note: John...you are very disrespectful of Srila
Prabhupada...it is obvious that you went
astray as your arrogance and huge ego come
through in everything you write. Please stop
trying to do so much damage on behalf of
your self-serving interests.From a long time friend of yours
The postmark says San Jose Ca. and is dated June 7, 2007.
 First, I
invite anyone who agrees with this "long time friend" of mine to show a
single example of my ever disrespecting our Diksa Guru Maharaja, Srila
Prabhupada!
In my opinion our Srila Prabhupada was one of the most spiritually
potent religious leaders to appear during this age of kali Yuga! I
offer my unworthy dandavats to him a billion times over!
For those unfamiliar with Srila Prabhupada:His Divine Grace AC Bhaktivedanta Swami is known around the world
as Srila Prabhupada, a title of endearment bestowed on him by his early
disciples. Srila Prabhupada brought the Hindu sect of Bhakti Yoga known
as Gaudiya (ie Bengali) Vaisnavism to the western world. Vaisnavism is
one of the major branches of Hinduism. Srila Prabhupada established an
international religious society known as ISKCON, the International
Society for Krsna Consciousness, better known perhaps as the Hare
Krishna Movement although this sect is but one of many branches of the
Sanatana Dharma (greater Hinduism) to worship Sri Krsna.
I was fortunate to receive first initiation from Srila Prabhupada as I
recount in my autobiographical section. Our beloved Guru Maharaja left
his body (died) on November 14, 1977 before I was able to request
second initiation. I received second initiation by the mercy of His
Divine Grace Srila Bhakti Bibudha Bodhayan Maharaja, acarya and
spiritual master of the Sri Gopinath Gaudiya Math and appointed
successor to Srila Prabhupada's most senior godbrother, His Divine
Grace Srila Bhakti Pramode Puri Goswami Maharaja.
Prior to Srila Prabhupada's passing he issued clear instructions about
how his Movement was to continue after his departure. He also stated
very clearly what was not to happen.
What was NOT to happen was ISKCON employing the same structuring system
unsuccessfully tried by the Gaudiya Matha following Srila
Bhaktisiddhanta's passing (our Srila Prabhupada's guru's organization).
That system lead to the collapse of the Gaudiya Matha into rival
factions and Srila Prabhupada felt that this system of many diksa
(initiating) gurus weakened the Movement's ability to advance the cause
of Lord Caintanya's prophesied Golden Age. Despite Prabhupada's clear
rejection of this system, this is precisely the structure used by
ISKCON today! Srila Prabhupada specifically rejected this system!
Our Srila Prabhupada wanted the Movement to remain one organization
under a single acarya. This was his clear instruction to his followers
and the ISKCON GBC (Governing Body Committee)
If I am at times harsh it is of this violation of Bhaktivedanta Swami's clear instructions in this matter.What Srila Prabhupada instructed the implementation of a temporary structure known as the rikvik system.
Srila Prabhupada made it very clear that NONE of
his disciples were qualified to lead ISKCON as a diksa guru. NONE of
us. History has more than vindicated his opinion! The most senior of
his disciples had only been initiated for about 10 years at that time,
most not nearly even that long. This was not nearly long enough for any
of them develop the skills needed to lead an international spiritual
order, let alone to become an uttama adikari (Prabhupada said only such
a fully realized master was qualified to lead ISKCON). Srila Prabhupada
was a very practical man. Realizing none of us were ready, he
instructed the GBC to handle the organizational affairs, as they had
been doing for years, and that eleven of his key disciples would
continue to do the initiations and teachings ACCORDING to his books, as
they had been doing for years. In other words, the same system was to
continue. The Eleven, continuing their roles as ritvik gurus, would
initiate Srila Prabhupada's disciples in his physical absence. This is
why he so often stressed that the Guru never dies and that he would
continue to live and teach through his books. Following his departure
(a true guru never "dies") these ritvik gurus, these representatives of
the Diksa (initiating) Guru (ie Srila Prabhupada) would then be
responsible for the decision of who to initiate and when. New disciples
would STILL be initiated as disciples of Srila Prabhupada, just as
before. Only Srila Prabhupada's physical presence on the earth was
changed and most of his disciples never even saw him in the flesh
anyway; Srila Prabhupada lived in his books (mainly translations and
commentaries of the scriptures).
As I say, this plan was to be temporary. Never had the Gaudiya
Vaisnavas used this ritvik system and Srila Prabhupada wanted it used
as an interim system only. Unlike Christianity that teaches that Jesus
is the eternal initiating guru (although of course not in those words),
Gaudiya Vaisnavas have always believed a living physically present guru
is best. Srila Prabhupada foresaw that at some point in the future the
GBC and the majority of devotees would see in one of the eleven ritvik
gurus (or perhaps someone else) the necessary qualities of an uttama
adhikari and sole ISKCON acarya. AT THAT TIME the GBC (and it was
assumed the rank and file devotees) would accept this person as the new
ISKCON guru/acarya. As before, ISKCON would be a unified Religious
Movement, managed by the GBC, under the parampara (disciplic
succession) of a single fully authorized acarya. This was his system
but ISKCON's GBC rejected his orders.
Until such a fully qualified guru appeared, Srila Prabhupada instructed
that ISKCON could ask his Gaudiya Matha godbrothers for advise if
needed, however his disciples were to remain within ISKCON and abide by
his instructions as found in his books (ie not join the other mathas).
Those who argue that Vaisnavism never used the ritvik system (other
Hindu groups have and do) and therefore can't miss the point. It was to
be temporary, AND more importantly, Srila Prabhupada (both
Bhaktivedanta and Bhaktisiddhanta Prabhupada) did MANY things that
Vaisnavas had never done before... including in initiation! Very few of
Srila Prabhupada's disciples were personally initiated by him.... that
was all but unheard of!
This ritvik system was to be a temporary exception to the norm intended
to make sure the devotees were properly lead and ISKCON continued to
grow under authorized spiritual guidance.
However even before Srila Prabhupada left his body the Eleven ritvik
gurus fell from their noble positions and began fighting one other for
power.
After Srila Prabhupada's departure, almost immediately after, these men
forged a VERY badly spliced tape supposedly by Prabhupada appointing
the Eleven as 'zonal acaryas'. These unworthy disciples divided the
world between them and ran their areas as minor fiefdoms. Some, like
Hansadutta and Ramasvar, waged literal turf battles! Some went
literally insane, some were revealed as chronic, malicious pedophiles,
murderers, drug and prostitution runners, confidence men and were
jailed and fined... on and on the list goes. Last I heard ISKCON is
still paying off millions of dollars in legal fines and fees over these
abuses.
Perhaps it will be assumed that I am exaggerating here, I am not. There was for a time a most excellent website
that listed many of the offenses carried out by the Eleven. That
website is now gone for some reason but an off-line friend who claims
to have been associated with it sent me the following synopsis. Some of
the following links work, some do not. When I have the time I'll try
and clean this up more. It is posted here as I received it. The wording
and certain of the, in my opinion, prejudices contained within this
piece bothers me, however for those who want to understand what
happened to the International Society for Krsna Consciousness the
information is worth having in my opinion:
Much of what follows I can personally attest is accurate:
Kirtanananda: (Keit Ham)
aka Bhaktipad, a practicing homosexual and pedophile in his
self-created Holy Dham, runs prostitution sankritan parties, orders the beating of mother Jadurani, orders the murder of Sulochana das. Kirtanananda, for example, was alleged to have been living on a reputed homosexual "household" in Mott Street in New York City with Umapati and others involved in the 1960s "homosexual liberation"
scene. Kirtanananda, finally in Jail, was fined $250,000 and is serving
a twenty-year federal prison sentence for racketeering and conspiracy
in two murders described in the Book "Monkey on a Stick".
| Satsvarupa: (Steven Guarrino)
Angry at Srila Prabhupada for shaming him in Dallas (when Satsvarupa
cut down a holy fig tree) and that Srila Prabhupada stated that he "resigned"
as His servant, when Srila Prabhupada had ordered him back to his zone.
His attitude toward Srila Prabhupada had become venomously offensive. Cow neglect, destruction of the oral histories collected from Srila Prabhupada's disciples, creating the "false biography" called the LILAMRITA - planting the weed, in which all events are carefully "laundered" to protect the guilty and to misrepresent Srila Prabhupada. (The original tapes were destroyed to prevent corrections by future generations), helped, with his rhetoric, in the murder of Sulochana.
| Jayapataka: a self-appointed bogus GBC ISKCON "guru" clone (clown), preaching homosexual pedophile philosophy, one of the biggest supporters of child molester Bhavananada. Jayapataka is a militant enforcer of cult ritualistic worship of homosexual pedophile Iskcon Gurus. He kicked out Kala and others who protested the molester regime, he still works closely with folks like child raper Satadhanya.
Srila Prabhupada states that, "he will be responsible for the deaths of
all the members of the Calcutta temple because he has hired an
abominable sweeper to cook for the devotees and Deities, and that the
food thus cooked is poisonous. Jayapataka REFUSES TO FIRE THE SWEEPER-COOK TO SRILA PRABHUPADA'S FACE! (I am the witness). Jayapataka co-supervises the PEDOPHILE run Mayapur Gurukula, and supports his BEST FRIEND Bhavananda, who WAS WITNESSED IN HOMOSEXUAL ACTS LONG BEFORE HE WAS APPOINTED TO BE RITVIK!
| Tamal Krishna: (Thomas Herzig) Refused to accept exile in China, practically destroyed Vrindavan,
destroyed relationship with George Harrision and John Lennon, Used
Radha Damodar bus party to destroy as many temples as possible,
destroyed many small, independent temples such as St. Louis temple, Tried to destroy the Bombay project by selling back the land to Mr. Nair (NNd: Srila Prabhupada (Mahaprabhu's "senapati bhakta", who declared "war against maya") called Bombay his "OFFICE"), Tamal is a key suspect in the MURDER OF SRILA PRABHUPADA. Four years before Srila Prabhupada's MURDER, he states that, "Srila Prabhupada is senile, old, and attached". Not exactly a qualification for a successor guru! Tamal Krishna said that his best friend was the homosexual pedophile and child molester Bhavananada. TKG is well known, all along in the 1970s, to have tried to undermine the "varnasrama"
(householder society) effort that Srila Prabhupada envisioned. At one
point TKG wanted to send all of the householders to Australia. He was
also misbalancing the temples by draining manpower out, and
discouraging and discrediting the "housholders" who
were in charge of many of these temples, so much so that Srila
Prabhupada tried to send TKG to China. Simultaneously, TKG would brag
that he had to go and rescue Bhavananda from his (homosexual) jet set
lifestyle. In other words, there was a tendency to discredit bona fide
housholder life and support deviants in positions of authority. TKG was also sued successfully by Guruvastakam dasi for his role in protecting pedophiles in the gurukula of Texas. TKG is the prime creator of the bogus "appointed guru successor scheme", a hoax whereby he and a few other deviants declared they were "Srila Prabhupada's successors."
This is related to the Srila Prabhupada poison conspiracy in that: a
butler might poison his master to --declare that he is "the heir successor" to the master, in order to illegally take-over the estate of the master.
| Hridayananda: (Howard Resnick) a self-appointed false GBC ISKCON "guru," wrote in his Eleventh Canto of his bogus "Srimad Bhagavatam"that the two worst pedophile Iskcon gurus are his examples of acharyas. Srila Prabhupad appointed Pradyumna Prabhu to finish translating Cantos 10, 11 and 12 of Srimad Bhagavatam but Hridayananda's unscrupulous usurpation of Pradyumna's sacred service marked only the start of his 20 year treachery GBC-teamwork trend of perverting Srila Prabhupada's books.
| Bhavananda:(Charles Bacis) a practicing homosexual in the Holy Dham molesting Iskcon's Children in the name of God and Guru. Bhavananda was alleged to have been associated with Andy Warhol's homosexual, and apparently pedophile, entourage. Andy Warhol was a prominent leader in the "homosexual revolution." He was seen associating with young men, that is: he appeared to be a potential pedophile. Andy Warhol also applied to the city of New York for a permit to serve (aborted) human fetuses at his restaurant. It was said in ISKCON in the 1970s that Bhavananda was associated with this "jet set" crowd. Andy Warhol also made a very degraded movie about this time, called "Chelsea Girls," where the "girls" are actually homosexual men engaged in abominable activities. Some GBC knew that Bhavananda had a tendency to engage in anal sex with males by at least 1976.
| | Hansadutta: (Hans Kary) had been involved with substance abuse, guns, black market, smuggling, counterfeiting, inherits "prostitution sankirtan" from Rameshwara, kills cow, sex with disciples, drunkard, drug addiction, gun-shooting.
| Rameshwara: (Robert Grant) soon to gift "leather miniskirts" to 15 year old statutory rape girlfriend, Sankritan "prostitution parties", is co-partner in Laguna Beach Drug dealing, helping in the murder of Sulochana
| Hariksesha: (Robert Campagnola) Million dollar blackmailer, three-regulations, condom-pada,
with meat-eating "Reincarnation of Srila Prabhupada" stepson (did we
mention UFO's and psychotropic drugs and Tantra? ghostly possession,
hypnotises disciples, using voodoo-doodoo shit on other devotees.
Harikesha has been one of the greatest woman hater and is famous for
his ruthless purge tactics.
| | Bhagavan: (William Ehrlichman) soon to run off with another man's wife
and to REJECT KRISHNA CONSCIOUS PHILOSOPHY. One of the worst one's,
using machiavellian tactics to control, cheat, and exploit Devotees on
a large scale. Most vicious crooked calculating criminal.
| | Jayatirtha: (James Immel) Soon to preach that cannabis and LSD are Lord Chaitanya's "TRUE" sacrament. Loses head after stealing "disciples"
wife. Jayatirtha, who was taking drugs and engaging in illicit sex with
his followers, was later murdered (decapitated) by a disgruntled
follower for his proclivity to engage in illicit sex with the wive's of
followers.
|
|
Was Srila Prabhupada correct that none of these men were ready
to be the spiritual master of ISKCON? I think that's fair to say, yes!
And yet the GBC backed them until the court cases started to threaten
ISKCON's very survival:
John...you are very disrespectful of Srila
Prabhupada...it is obvious that you went
astray as your arrogance and huge ego come
through in everything you write. Please stop
trying to do so much damage on behalf of
your self-serving interests.Who is disrespecting Srila Prabhupada here? Those of us who point
out the truth of this betrayal or those who would cover it up?
While there were already wrongs afoot before Srila Prabhupada left his
body, after these men conspired to take over Prabhupada's Movement and
disobey his direct instructions, many of them literally went mad. This
madness is known as Vaishnava aparadha. I have committed this sin.
This disobedience and dishonoring of the Guru Maharaja got so bad that
there are even accusations that Srila Prabhupada was murdered by these
men! Personally, I'm not convinced he was murdered (nor that he
wasn't), but it would answer certain nagging questions! For more on this allegation click here. Those devotees who believe this certainly do make a strong case for their views!
A friend of mine, Solocana dasa, who tried to point out these abuses
was murdered for speaking out. His story is the subject of the book Monkey on a Stick (click here).
You can read Solocana's book, The Guru Business on-line for free HERE
Due to these countless abuses the vast majority of Srila Prabhupada's
disciples left ISKCON. Some went to other Gaudiya Math groups, many
joined other branches of Hinduism, many adopted Buddhism or other
religions, while most merely merged back into the dominant culture. In
my case, the eclectic nature of my beliefs lead me to many diverse
places, including the Gopinath Gaudiya Math.
My interest in spirituality and religion was even more enlivened by my
ISKCON experiences and I expanded my spiritual experiences outward into
many different Hindu forms. I was initiated by various yogis such as
Swami Brahmananda (Dr, Mishra), Swami Muktananda, Sri Ramana Rai and
others. I also received second initiation from His Divine Grace Srila
Bhakti Bibudha Bodhayan Maharaja as mentioned above. I went into many
non-Hindu religions as well. Despite this, part of me was jaded by what
happened with ISKCON. Since that time I am more skeptical of those
claiming spiritual authority, but perhaps this is a good thing.
Just to be clear, my beliefs and practices remain very eclectic, or what I call "AllFaith Spirituality"
and should NOT be taken as those of Srila Bodhayan Maharaja or the
Gopinath Gaudiya Matha or any other group. My beliefs and teachings are
my own, inspired from many sources. Nonetheless, I do have tremendous
respect for Srila Bodhayan Maharaja and were I to devote myself to
Gaudiya Vaisnavism again it would absolutely be through his matha.
Srila Narayana Maharaja probably has more of Srila Prabhupada's disciples than ISKCON does today.
To my knowledge, the ISKCON GBC has never apologized, explained or even
admitted any their many abuses (out of court) and yet because of them
Srila Prabhupada's Movement was severely harmed and the faith of
countless thousands of devotees was crushed or wounded.
Of course just to be clear there are ALSO MANY solid and righteous
devotees within ISKCON today and I offer them my sincere dandavats
(bows of respect). There are also several diksa and siksa gurus within
ISKCON who are becoming true masters, some few of them may even have
attained enlightenment by now, I don't know. I acknowledge this, even
as I wish they would come clean about the past and the unauthorized
system of organization ISKCON continues to employ to this day. ISKCON
needs to do a major and public historical confession before its too
late to matter. Until they do, their hands will remain soiled by
Vaishnava aparadha in my humble opinion.
Because I was there (and often on the 'fringes') during much of the
abuses that took place within ISKCON and do not shy away from sharing
what I saw and know of them, I do have certain ISKCON devotees who do
not like me. I can understand this, the truth hurts. Most of Srila
Prabhupada's disciples have given up on ISKCON. Frankly, this includes
me.
HOWEVER it is NOT accurate to accuse me of Vaishnava aparadha with regards to Srila Prabhupada! It is the GBC and the gurus of ISKCON who dishonor him by not following his clear demands and by attempting to hide ISKCON's true history of Guru betrayal.
To show the type of person our Guru Maharaja was, there is a story I've
heard often enough from diverse devotees to believe it true:
"If we will not obey man's law how shall we obey God's?"
ISKCON failed to obey God's law by directly and
intentionally disregarding Guru Maharaja's instructions and from there
proceeded to violate man's laws as well in countless cases. Srila Prabhupada refused to accept this course of action, ISKCON should do the same.
As for the second point in the note, that 'my huge ego comes through in
everything I write,' my readers must decide that for themselves. False
modesty can be just as egotistic as an inflated ego. I speak the truth
as I see it in honesty and frankness. I do have certain beliefs that I
have developed over the years, conclusions I have drawn, however I
don't consider myself arrogant... perhaps that is true arrogance...
And for the final point, that I have some self-serving interests, you
will need to explain to me what those are. I have nothing to sell or
gain from anything I do on line. I am pushing forward no set agenda or
movement. My point in everything I do teaching-wise is as follows: THINK FOR YOURSELF
As always, I am ready to discuss this issue. You can contact me.
 The Glorious Lord Sri Krsna and Srimati Radharani
Ki JAI!
|
Tuesday, January 15, 2008, 4:12 PM
[ General]
Welcome to AllFaith.com True Stories
That Changed My Life
What a short, strange trip its been! Dr. King and I The Birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr: Personal Reflections. (John of AllFaith © 1.15.07, updated 1.15.08)
The
Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. has had a profound influence on my
life in many ways. This piece is a sort of confession, a remembrance,
as well as a tribute to the civil rights movement and to this great
human being.
I was born and raised in North Georgia, an hour or so north of Ebenezer Baptist Church, Dr. King's Atlanta congregation. Despite
living so close to what might be considered the hub of the civil rights
movement, our town and area could hardly have been further away! We
still lived in the South that had been, while Dr. King was bringing us,
kicking and screaming, into the world that now is. These were very
different places!
Like
most White Southerners of the day, despite the whitewashing attempted
by most of my generation and the ones proceeding mine, we were, in a
word racists, and proud of it!
Without
going too deeply into the depths of my families racism (and it goes
deep indeed), many of my earliest memories are of hearing my dad and
others disparaging the works of the civil rights movement and,
especially, the man they called the Nigger King (henceforth referred to
as the N King).
Now,
here I am in 2008, a preacher of love and a respecter of diversity, and
I would use that offensive word in a public blog! Why on earth would
someone who believes as I do ever use such a word? Good question, and
there IS what I believe is a good reason (chances are you will never
hear me use this word again!). But here it is intentional and relevant
to what I wish to share, so please be forgiving.
Even as a growing minority of people are beginning to question the reality of the Holocaust,
so too if you hear Southern Whites of my generation talk, you would
think we were all open minded, socially conscious people in those days!
It isn't so friends! Most of us were hateful and we
used racial and other epithets without even thinking twice about what
we were saying! May I repeat my conviction that the majority, I'd even
say the vast majority, of Southern Whites of my generation and those
proceeding it used these sorts of words, and for the most part we
didn't even think about it (and we were far from alone in this!)! BUT lots of us are getting better...
To
the majority of people I grew up with, the idea of equal rights for
anyone other than Whites was revolutionary... and wrong! The Bible even
condemned it! Or so our ministers claimed. Dr. King was routinely
referred to as a Communist and a rabble-rouser! When one grows up
hearing such things, one naturally comes to accept them as facts,
unless they are challenged. If everyone agrees, then it must be true!
Right?
Of course
not! But we today can see the exact same mentality at work! We still
have groups of people that society tells us it is good to hate! Much of
our Western controlled media, society and religions tell us it is
"American" to hate Muslims, it is "Christian" to hate homosexuals, it
is "patriotic" to hate Socialists... and prejudice against people of
color is still with us as well of course. Millions of people accept
these divisive notions with little or no question! Just as I did
growing up! When I was a boy, we were supposed to hate Communists,
Jews, Catholics, hippies, people of color (any color besides our own!),
and all non-conformists. Bigotry was virtually written into our DNA,
even though many won't admit it today!
But on April 4, 1968, my father killed Dr. King! ... Allow me to explain...
During
the months leading up to this fateful event, the anti-civil rights
movement rhetoric in our neighborhood had become deafening. Most
everyone we knew felt positive that a long overdue race war would begin
any day. Indeed, my parents, like so many others, had fled Atlanta for
the White outlying towns out of fear, ignorance and prejudice. Most of
our homes contained stockpiles of weapons, our Southern ministers urged
all God fearing White folks (the only sorts allowed in our churches) to
be ever vigilant against the Communist and Black menace, and the civil
rights movement that was doubtless among its vanguard. I well remember
being afraid much of the time lest the Blacks of Atlanta invade our
Caucasian refuge!
And
yet as I was being trained in firearms there was a sense of excitement
as well! The South would soon rise again! We all knew it! Save all your Confederate money!
This same year, Helter Skelter
was released by the Beatles and Charles Manson proclaimed its hidden
meaning: the anticipated race war was coming soon! My parents didn't
like the Beatles (I loved them, especially John and George!) and they
certainly were no fans of the Manson Family (I was fascinated by them),
however our lives were charged with race war fever and we were ready to
fight! Well... that was the general sense at any rate! But those
Southern boys, back then, could have raised Hell!
As
for me, I was an unpopular lanky eleven-year-old introvert without a
clue! A year away from the vision that forever changed my life.
The
guns were cool, the energy was electrifying and betwen dodging bullies,
I bought the "the South's Gonna Rise Again" hype without question!
Although, what a Restored Confederate States of America might look like
was frankly a bit intimidating!
But...
this particular day, Thursday, April 4, 1968 I had things to do! I
probably suffered through another day at grammar school, but thankfully
have no memory of it, but how well I remember what happened after
school!
I
raced into the yard on my bike, quickly changed out of my school cloths
and into a pair of cutoffs (my mom demanded I at least wear that much),
that's all I ever wore when I had the option, cutoffs, no shirt, no
shoes, no fuss. Dressed in my preferred attire, I hurried off into the
back yard where I had been building a very cool fort! It wasn't large
as I recall, but it was two floors and it was one of my favorite
private places to escape the world. In those days, I often sat hidden
behind the branches, pine needles, and plywood walls of the top floor
doing something I had been firmly ordered never to do! Twas a most
heinous sin, one that I will now reveal to you, my hopefully tolerant
reader! Confession, they say, is good for the soul. Hopefully you will
feel none the worse towards me after hearing of it!
From
whatever sources I could manage, from school and sometimes from the
meager school supplies my mother provided, I would take perfectly good
sheets of paper and draw on them! I even invented a game where I would
draw maps on the paper and then, with pencil lead missiles the nations
would fight their wars. The "Kar Nation" was evil and unstoppable (it's
just a coincidence that my dad worked for GM right?)! These activities
were harshly condemned as a terrible waste of paper, but ofttimes I hid
in my fort and indulged in such misbegotten fantasies for hours!
So,
there I was sitting on the second floor of my recently completed
backyard fort, my Stars and Bars (the Confederate flag) flying from a
makeshift pole just outside (I still have that flag!), when from the
direction of the house I heard the screen door bang open and my sister
rushed out. She would have been around 13 or 14 at the time.
Under
the plywood of the second floor, I had prepared a hiding place to stash
my cigarettes and desecrations (my abuses of paper). As I heard her
walking towards me, calling not my insulting nickname but my real name,
I quickly stashed the papers and hopped to the bottom floor and into
the early evening air. It was around 6 PM.
"We got to go, pack a bag and hurry!" my sister urged. "Go where?" I asked. "We got to go stay with the Mrs. Barnett [I believe it was]." "How come? You go ahead and I'll stay in my fort." "No you can't, momma and daddy won't be coming home tonight." "How come?" "'Cause daddy and Mr. D. done killed the N King! Now hurry up!" I
was incredulous! Sure, I had heard Daddy say hundreds of times that
someone should kill Dr. King and I had been told often enough that our
family friend, Mr. JD Stoner, had burned down some churches in
Alabama... but actually to do it? We had had all heard rumors of
course, but...
"How do you know that?" I asked her pointedly. Just then, my brother, who would have been around 15 I suppose, came in and asked if we'd "heard the good news." We looked at him blankly. "They
killed the N King!" He was overjoyed! We all were, although my sister
and I were also worried about what this good deed might mean for us.
Our dad made the money. If he was in jail...
"I
know!" my sister replied, "Mrs. B. called and said we should stay with
her till momma gets home. She figures daddy might have to stay in jail
for a week or two, just for show. But maybe longer if the N's make too
much noise about it." The
assumption was that everyone would be thrilled by the courageous act
and that he and Mr. D. would certainly never be charged with anything!
Why, they would be heros!
Just then, my brother turned the TV on to one of the three chanels we got and sure enough, it was on there. "They
killed him in Memphis and momma and daddy and the D.'s were going to
see Mr. Stoner in Chattanooga, I bet they all went together and did
it." My brother sugested.
"I don't think Momma would have killed him!" I objected. "Of
course not [my insulting nickname]," my brother said thumping me on the
head. "She and Mrs. D. probably had dinner with the ladies while the
men did God's work."
That
made sense to us, so my sister scribbled a note saying where we were
and we all hiked over to Mrs. B.'s house. We were all so proud,
something we rarely felt!
But
our joy was short lived. When we arrived Mrs. B had the TV news on and
the talking heads were droning on about a man we hadn't heard of
before. Soon my mother and father showed up at the door, a quizical
look on their faces. They'd been with the D's, but they had had nothing
to do with the murder. Today I thank God for it, but back then...
I
still recall our absolute certainty that he had done it. Still, I
recall how gloriously happy everyone was that someone had. I seldom
remember my dad seeming any happier than he was that night! Of course I don't remember the exact words we spoke, but the above would have been quite close I'm sure.
Over
the next few days it was the talk of the area. Everyone was
celebrating, thrilled, there was even a street party of sorts, but
people were also anxious that the assacination might bring on the war
and that would be a mixed blessing. City after city erupted in riots in
the aftermath of the murder. Most everyone I knew stayed home from
school, just in case. I think I was out for two weeks. Since I
absolutely loathed school, the joy of not having to go to that forced
hell contributed to the festive feel of the days. The men patrolled our
neighborhood hoping "to get lucky" but as far I know, nothing racial
happened, at this time. As time went by the riots ceased and life
returned to normal.
As
I said at the outset of this piece, if one is raised in the midst of
racism, racism seems like a perfectly normal outlook. The same is true
of antisemitism, homophobia, sexism and so on. I must confess that
while I was at times bothered by some of the overt hatred and the
thought of having to kill people in the coming race war, it really
didn't strike me as something that was immoral. Racism (we thought of
it as respecting the natural order God had instituted) is just the way
the world works! Or so I then believed. I am of course leaving out a
LOT of events for the sake of brevity!
If
nothing ever happens to rattle our assumptions, one will probably never
change them. Rattling assumptions and preconceptions is what Dr. King
and the civil rights movement did however!
Due
in large part to the rage brought on by the assassination of Dr. King,
I became curious. Why were people so upset? Even some White people
seemed to think the killing was wrong judging by the TV news! What was
up with that? The TV news wouldn't lie to us! I asked my teachers at
school about it; I don't recall any of them bringing it up in class,
and for the most part, their response was, 'this is the sort of thing a
boy should ask his parents about at home'. That told me nothing. I knew
what they thought. So I just continued with my life with one ear open,
but otherwise nothing much changed (except my body, it was changing a
lot in those days).
But then about a year later everything changed!
In 1969, I had a vision. I won't go into it here (I recount much of it at MyStory),
but in short, it convinced me that there was much more to life than I
had ever dreamt possible! I began to listen with different ears, to see
with different eyes... Still, when it came to racism ("white pride") I
didn't rock the boat; it is just the way things had always been. I
didn't know any black people, had never talked with any black people,
had never met any black people, and didn't expect I ever would, other
than in unavoidable social encounters like restaurants etc. (this still
angered my dad, that they had been forcibly integrated) but even then
the races stayed to themselves 'as God intended'. Still, the vision got
me thinking...
Then came 1970 and the eighth grade. I'm
told that my recollection here isn't completely accurate and that may
be, but its close. Apparently my high school (we had no middle schools)
had already accepted a few black students (I had not thought so) but on
my first day of high school a bus unloaded and what looked at the time
like hundreds of black kids disembarked, it was probably more like 20
or so, and they were probably as worried as we were!
I
had been in the presence of black people before by this point, and once
a year we made our family pilgrimage into depths of Atlanta to watch
the Sears Department Store light the "Great Tree" (now its done at
Lenox Square) and there were many African
Americans present there. But the sight of so many black kids at a
school I'd be atending, and the thought that I might actually be in
class with one or two of them was disconcerting to put it mildly!
AGAIN,
please understand that this is how I was raised and that chronicling
such events I think are important, lest we forget that segregation and
overt racism have not been gone for that long.... not that they are now
of course either!
Most
of the White kids were carrying knives etc. including me. Most of us
expected that the race war would begin at school because of the forced
integration and we wanted to be ready to do our bit for the Race.
But something happened at that school for which I was not ready but will be forever thankful! A lovely African American girl named Sicilia. Sicilia
decided, for reasons I still cannot fathom, that she loved me! Not just
liked me, she loved me! She told me this repeatedly and at the most
awkward times. I would be walking down the hall and she'd brush up to
my side and take hand. Being a Southern gentleman as such things went,
I didn't want to be rude, so I would snatch my hand back and dash for
the nearest boy's bathroom or some other place she was unlikely to
follow. This went on for probably two weeks, it seemed MUCH longer!
Then
one day, I was sitting in the school cafeteria alone when in walked
Sicilia! Some of her girl friends were on the other end of the room so
I wasn't too concerned; I just made a point of looking away.
But
then... down came her tray, out came the chair next to me and she was
there, actually leaning on me and asking how I was doing! Being a boy
of normal hormones, I would have been stoked had she been White,
but.... I was terrifed!
I stood up and reached for my plate to leave. "Sit your White butt back down! You ain't through eating yet!" she demanded.
I obeyed and she kept talking to me, being friendly... I stared stoically at my food tray.
From a nearby table I could hear the other kids snickering. "Hey look [nickname I dislike] is a Backerds Oreo!"
And it seemed the entire room was in hysterics, laughing at me,
condemning me. For those who may be blessed enough not to know, a "Backwards Oreo"
is a person who is 'White on the outside but Black on the inside,' in
other words, a White person who associates intimately with Black
people: An N lover in more common terms back then.
As
ashamed as I am today to admit it, I stood up, took my lunch tray and
shouted at Sicilia, "Listen here N! Leave me the F alone!" or hateful
words to that effect and was about to storm out, to demonstrate my
disgust with her kindnesses. I had enough problems already, I certainly
didn't need that!
But to my absolute shock, Sicilia stood up and ran out of the room in tears. I
was floored! Everything I had been taught had just flown out that door
with her! I put down my tray and chased after her (actually, I probably
walked nonchalantly from the cafeteria, and then chased after). I saw
her ducking into some nearby woods and hurried after her.
Now, this is going to sound VERY harsh, VERY ignorant and perhaps hard to believe... but it's the truth.
As
I entered the woods Sicilia was seated on an exposed tree root and I
sat down across from her and stared. For a few moments neither of us
spoke. My gaze was transfixed on her beautiful ebony sweat gleaming
face. In her face I beheld a loveliness I had not seen prior to that
moment, but that was not what held my gaze. What left me speechless was
the that from her eyes tears were streaming. I carefully, gently
reached out with my index finger and wiped a tear. I looked at the
wetness, rubbed it between my thumb and first finger, then back at
Sicilia. I was dumbfounded!
"What?" she asked. "You, you're crying!" I exclaimed. Her look was one of utter dismay. She said nothing, but her look said, "Duh!" I stammered for words, which I often did in those days, and finally managed, "But, you can't cry!" "I can't?" "No!" I insisted. It was not possible!
"How do you figure that? You really hurt my feelings!" "I... wa... how...." She was staring at me now, trying to understand my obvious perplexity. "But... you're a N...." "You noticed huh... and we prefer Afro American if you don't mind." "Sorry, but... Nig, I mean, Afro Americans can't cry...." "What do you mean?" she asked.
"Only humans can cry!"
You
can doubtless guess the direction this heart to heart conversation
developed. I had been taught growing up that God had created White
people in His image and that Black people had somehow evolved from apes
by a trick of Satan; that's what tripped Darwin up. He didn't recognize
Satan's trickery because he was not "saved"! I had even seen books that
purportedly proved it! I say, "seen," because I was still functionally
illiterate at this time, but they had illustrations. My understanding
was that Blacks were less than human and incapable of having true
emotions. To see her tears and to hear her tell me that I had hurt her
feelings, coupled with my vision the year before that had convinced me
I needed to question everything I then believed, knocked the White
pride racial prejudice right out of me! Well... began the process.
As
you listen to the speeches etc. you will hear Black leaders speak with
pride about a sign in Memphis that read, "I am a Man!" We had always
rejected that notion as devil-wrought absurdity. The fact that they had
to claimed it proved otherwise! It was a dfferent lifetime!
Sicilia
explained that her father was a very successful Atlanta lawyer who
worked with the civil rights movement and other "freedom fighters." She
and her brother had grown up in a relatively privileged environment and
had gone to private elementary schools. As they grew older however her
parents had insisted that she and her brother attend a public high
school in order to experience the real racist world more fully. The
type of encounter we had had was exactly what her dad had been wanting!
She knew it, but it didn't make it any esier for her. Overall however,
our encounter was good for Sicilia and it changed my life for the
better as well. When hardships come they seem overwhelming, but as the
Scriptures assure us, "All things work together for the good for those
who love the Lord."
Well,
maybe this wasn't exactly what he wanted... because our relationship
became physical, which he probably would not have liked at all. After a
few Black kids were stabbed at my high school and the situation turned
progressively more violent, Sicilia's parents removed she and her
brother and I never saw either of them again. (Are you out there
Sicilia? I'd love to hear from you!)
In
the years that followed I read everything I could get my hands by or
about Dr. King (with the help of a Jehovah Witness friend I taught
myself to read in 1975). I became a frequent visitor to Ebenezer
Baptist Church, I marched in rallies with people like Hosea Williams of
Atlanta and Jesse Jackson in New Orleans; I was fascinated by the life
and realizations of Malcolm X and so on. I eventually came to
understand the ties, both literal and spiritual, between Dr, King and
Gandhi and Desmond Tutu and other Black heros whose work freed not only
their people but the world.
But
the truth is, it takes more than intention to rid one's heart of
racism, sexism, homophobia, religious bigotry, etc. It takes
understanding, determination, introspection, and patience and it takes
the patience of others when we slip up, when inbred ignorance rears its
ugly head. Words and attitudes are deeply ingrained within us all from
childhood and they are not so easily replaced. If we truly hope for
social justice and harmony, we all must be on guard, with Love... and
Love was Dr. King's power.
So,
today we remember the life of one of the most important people to ever
live, the Baptist Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. He is one of
those blessed people who saw wrongs and successfully worked in love to
right them. The roster of civil rights heroes is a long one. Countless
people, like dear Sicilia, will remain forever un-praised for their
contributions, other than by those whom they have touched. However as I
consider the life of this incredible man, I think also of Sicilia and
of all the others who have patiently reached out their hands in love to
enlighten the world to the dream of the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King
Jr.
I Have a Dream! I
am happy to join with you today in what will go down in history as the
greatest demonstration for freedom in the history of our nation. Five
score years ago, a great American, in whose symbolic shadow we stand
today, signed the Emancipation Proclamation. This momentous decree came
as a great beacon light of hope to millions of Negro slaves who had
been seared in the flames of withering injustice. It came as a joyous
daybreak to end the long night of their captivity. But
one hundred years later, the Negro still is not free. One hundred years
later, the life of the Negro is still sadly crippled by the manacles of
segregation and the chains of discrimination. One hundred years later,
the Negro lives on a lonely island of poverty in the midst of a vast
ocean of material prosperity. One hundred years later, the Negro is
still languished in the corners of American society and finds himself
an exile in his own land. And so we've come here today to dramatize a
shameful condition. In a
sense we've come to our nation's capital to cash a check. When the
architects of our republic wrote the magnificent words of the
Constitution and the Declaration of Independence, they were signing a
promissory note to which every American was to fall heir. This note was
a promise that all men, yes, black men as well as white men, would be
guaranteed the "unalienable Rights" of "Life, Liberty and the pursuit
of Happiness." It is obvious today that America has defaulted on this
promissory note, insofar as her citizens of color are concerned.
Instead of honoring this sacred obligation, America has given the Negro
people a bad check, a check which has come back marked "insufficient
funds." But we refuse to
believe that the bank of justice is bankrupt. We refuse to believe that
there are insufficient funds in the great vaults of opportunity of this
nation. And so, we've come to cash this check, a check that will give
us upon demand the riches of freedom and the security of justice. We
have also come to this hallowed spot to remind America of the fierce
urgency of Now. This is no time to engage in the luxury of cooling off
or to take the tranquilizing drug of gradualism. Now is the time to
make real the promises of democracy. Now is the time to rise from the
dark and desolate valley of segregation to the sunlit path of racial
justice. Now is the time to lift our nation from the quicksands of
racial injustice to the solid rock of brotherhood. Now is the time to
make justice a reality for all of God's children. It
would be fatal for the nation to overlook the urgency of the moment.
This sweltering summer of the Negro's legitimate discontent will not
pass until there is an invigorating autumn of freedom and equality.
Nineteen sixty-three is not an end, but a beginning. And those who hope
that the Negro needed to blow off steam and will now be content will
have a rude awakening if the nation returns to business as usual. And
there will be neither rest nor tranquility in America until the Negro
is granted his citizenship rights. The whirlwinds of revolt will
continue to shake the foundations of our nation until the bright day of
justice emerges. But
there is something that I must say to my people, who stand on the warm
threshold which leads into the palace of justice: In the process of
gaining our rightful place, we must not be guilty of wrongful deeds.
Let us not seek to satisfy our thirst for freedom by drinking from the
cup of bitterness and hatred. We must forever conduct our struggle on
the high plane of dignity and discipline. We must not allow our
creative protest to degenerate into physical violence. Again and again,
we must rise to the majestic heights of meeting physical force with
soul force. The marvelous
new militancy which has engulfed the Negro community must not lead us
to a distrust of all white people, for many of our white brothers, as
evidenced by their presence here today, have come to realize that their
destiny is tied up with our destiny. And they have come to realize that
their freedom is inextricably bound to our freedom. We cannot walk alone. And as we walk, we must make the pledge that we shall always march ahead. We cannot turn back. There
are those who are asking the devotees of civil rights, "When will you
be satisfied?" We can never be satisfied as long as the Negro is the
victim of the unspeakable horrors of police brutality. We can never be
satisfied as long as our bodies, heavy with the fatigue of travel,
cannot gain lodging in the motels of the highways and the hotels of the
cities. *We cannot be satisfied as
long as the negro's basic mobility is from a smaller ghetto to a larger
one. We can never be satisfied as long as our children are stripped of
their self-hood and robbed of their dignity by a sign stating: "For
whites Only."* We cannot be satisfied
as long as a Negro in Mississippi cannot vote and a Negro in New York
believes he has nothing for which to vote. No, no, we are not
satisfied, and we will not be satisfied until "justice rolls down like
waters, and righteousness like a mighty stream."¹ I
am not unmindful that some of you have come here out of great trials
and tribulations. Some of you have come fresh from narrow jail cells.
And some of you have come from areas where your quest -- quest for
freedom left you battered by the storms of persecution and staggered by
the winds of police brutality. You have been the veterans of creative
suffering. Continue to work with the faith that unearned suffering is
redemptive. Go back to Mississippi, go back to Alabama, go back to
South Carolina, go back to Georgia, go back to Louisiana, go back to
the slums and ghettos of our northern cities, knowing that somehow this
situation can and will be changed. Let us not wallow in the valley of despair, I say to you today, my friends. And
so even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still
have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream. I
have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the
true meaning of its creed: "We hold these truths to be self-evident,
that all men are created equal." I
have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia, the sons of
former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit
down together at the table of brotherhood. I
have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a state
sweltering with the heat of injustice, sweltering with the heat of
oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice. I
have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation
where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the
content of their character. I have a dream today! I have a dream that one day, down
in Alabama, with its vicious racists, with its governor having his lips
dripping with the words of "interposition" and "nullification" -- one
day right there in Alabama little black boys and black girls will be
able to join hands with little white boys and white girls as sisters
and brothers. I have a dream today! I
have a dream that one day every valley shall be exalted, and every hill
and mountain shall be made low, the rough places will be made plain,
and the crooked places will be made straight; "and the glory of the
Lord shall be revealed and all flesh shall see it together."² This is our hope, and this is the faith that I go back to the South with. With
this faith, we will be able to hew out of the mountain of despair a
stone of hope. With this faith, we will be able to transform the
jangling discords of our nation into a beautiful symphony of
brotherhood. With this faith, we will be able to work together, to pray
together, to struggle together, to go to jail together, to stand up for
freedom together, knowing that we will be free one day. And this will be the day -- this will be the day when all of God's children will be able to sing with new meaning: My country 'tis of thee, sweet land of liberty, of thee I sing. Land where my fathers died, land of the Pilgrim's pride, From every mountainside, let freedom ring! And if America is to be a great nation, this must become true.
And so let freedom ring from the prodigious hilltops of New Hampshire. Let freedom ring from the mighty mountains of New York. Let freedom ring from the heightening Alleghenies of
Pennsylvania. Let freedom ring from the snow-capped Rockies of Colorado. Let freedom ring from the curvaceous slopes of California. But not only that: Let freedom ring from Stone Mountain of Georgia. Let freedom ring from Lookout Mountain of Tennessee. Let freedom ring from every hill and molehill of Mississippi. From every mountainside, let freedom ring. And
when this happens, when we allow freedom ring, when we let it ring from
every village and every hamlet, from every state and every city, we
will be able to speed up that day when all of God's children,
black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics,
will be able to join hands and sing in the words of the old Negro
spiritual: Free at last! Free at last! Thank God Almighty, we are free at last!³
But the Life That Dreamed the Dream Was Cut Short.
You are visitor number...
Who cares, I'm glad YOU'RE here!
Tuesday, January 15, 2008, 12:49 AM
[ General]
"The Earth Belongs to HaShem and the Fullness Thereof."
Did the Jews Kill Prophet Y'shua?
By John of AllFaith © 1.14.08 For
the past 2000 some odd years this allegation, among others, has kept
the followers of Master Y'shua and the Jews divided because after all,
how could those who seek to follow the Master, whether they be
traditional Christians or Noahide Nazarenes, have fellowship with the
killers of our master? In this study I will examine this important question while replying to a message I recently received: This allegation is fairly standard and yet this quote begins with an inaccurate assumption. For
about the first 300 years after Prophet Y'shua was impaled (he was not
"crucified" according to the New Testament but impaled (Acts 5:30, Acts
10:39, Galatians 3:13), crucifixion was added by the emerging Roman
Church to include the popular Pagan religion symbol "Tau" in worship
(compare: this Wikipedia article on Tau for more on this) the followers of the Jewish Master were persecuted the same as their Jewish brethren. Once
Constantine's "Universal priests" invented the Universal Christian
Church (ie Roman Catholicism) the Jews, Noahides, and remaining Arian
Nazarenes were seen as a threat to Rome and the Universal Church. The
persecutions that followed were purely political, although wrapped in
religious terminology because the early Christian Church, like Islam,
had a political as well as religious mission/agenda. The original
teachings of our Master repudiated many of the Pagan teachings being
espoused by Rome and provided no avenue for the sort of Church
hierarchy envisioned by the developing Papacy. As best as I have
determined thus far from what remains of the original New Testament and
other writings, at least as late as the time of Paul's ministry many of
Master Y'shua's earliest Nazarene followers still hoped he might be the
long awaited Moshiach (Messiah), even though he did not fulfill the
essential prophecy of the Moshiach (ie rebuilding the Temple -
destroyed in 70 CE by Rome as predicted by Prophet Y'shua at Mathew 24
-- and establishing the eternal reign of Israel). In order for this
hope to be realized it would be required that he appear very soon (and
still alive) and accomplish this great work. Without establishing the
Kingdom his bid for Messiahship was doomed. Not only does Paul
and other New Testament writers not encourage this misunderstanding,
they seek to establish Master Y'shua as a great Jewish Prophet who,
like others before him, was rejected by his people. It would be
necessary for the Nazarenes to maintain their faith in the Master while
letting go of their central hope, that he was Moshiach. Like Maimonides
centuries later, Master Y'shua would come to be viewed as a great Torah
scholar, as an innovator and reformer of the Jewish faith. But first
they had to death the fact of his death and non-fulfillment of the
central Messianic prophecies: Acts
7:52: Which of the prophets have not your fathers persecuted? and they
have slain them which shewed before of the coming of the Just One; of
whom ye have been now the betrayers and murderers...Master
Y'shua therefore would be presented as the purest prophet and master
since the days of Moses himself. Woe was upon those who failed to
recognize the importance of calling! Establishing this doctrine,
Paul was very clear that his readers should not expect to see Master
Y'shua appear in their midst as some still hoped. In other words, our
Master was not going to fulfill the requisite Messianic prophecies. We
read Paul's words: 2 Thessalonians
2:1 Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus
Christ, and by our gathering together unto him,
2 That ye be not
soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word,
nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand.
3
Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come,
except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be
revealed, the son of perdition;In other words, the
Christ or Moshiach will not come, Paul explained, until after the
Church becomes largely apostate (as foretold in Revelation chapters 2
and 3, Romans 11 and elsewhere) and the Antichrist, or Man of
Perdition, comes to power. When will the Moshiach come? Even Master Y'shua didn't know! Mark 13:32: But of that day and that hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father (emphasis mine).Were the Trinitarians correct this clearly would not be the case. In
Mathew 24 however the Master, under the inspiration of HaShem's spirit,
gives clear signs so that those living at the time can know when the
generation arrives. Among these signs of the Last Days the
Master points to the return of the Jews to Zion (which happened in
either 1948 or 1967 depending on one's interpretation), the rise of the
Antichrist (Dijal) and his persecution of the Jews. We read: Mathew 24:33: So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors.
34 Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled.
35 Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.Parenthetically he adds: 24:22
And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be
saved: but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened.According
to Master Y'shua, the JEWS are the Elect and it will be to defend THEM
from the coming Rex Mundi (or Antichrist/Dijal) that Moshiach will come. Paul adds: HaShem
has never abandoned His people! Since the days of Abraham and Isaac the
JEWS have been and remain the Chosen People of HaShem. NOWHERE does the
New Testament support Antisemitism or persecution of Jews. The opposite
is the clear fact. There are passages that say the Jews were
wrong to reject Prophet Y'shua and it can be argued that HAD THE JEWS
as a group accepted him prior to his execution Master Y'shua MAY have
fulfilled the prophecies... BUT according to the wisdom of the Master
himself: Mathew 24:5 For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.
11 And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many....
23 Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not.
24
For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew
great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall
deceive the very elect.
25 Behold, I have told you before.
26
Wherefore if they shall say unto you, Behold, he is in the desert; go
not forth: behold, he is in the secret chambers; believe it not.
27 For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.In
other words, when Moshiach arrives it will be as lightning coming out
of the east and shining even unto the west. It will be obvious to
everyone. One need not both the asking the question, "Is this the
Messiah?" If you have to ask, it isn't! HAD the majority of
Jews accepted Master Y'shua as Moshiach BEFORE he fulfilled the
requirements of that position they would not have been acting wisely! The
one who fulfills the prophecies will be the Moshiach according to the
Jews. Of course, according to Master Y'shua and the New Testament
another will come first and fulfill the prophecies, but that is a topic
for another study! All
of this is to say, there is ABSOLUTELY NO New Testament justification
for what Christendom has done to the Jewish people over the past 2000
years! Now let's look at a few of the verses referenced above as
supporting the belief that "the Jews" were responsible for the Master's
death. Matthew 27:25: Then answered all the people, and said, His blood be on us, and on our children.This
was merely a statement of their certainty that since Y'shua did not
fulfill the Messianic requirements they were certain he was not the one
they were so anxiously awaiting and praying for. It was a culturally
normal way of saying, "We're certain. Do what you must!" II
Thessalonians 2:13: For this cause also thank we God without ceasing,
because, when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us, ye
received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of
God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe.
14 For ye,
brethren, became followers of the churches of God which in Judaea are
in Christ Jesus: for ye also have suffered like things of your own
countrymen, even as they have of the Jews:
15 Who both killed the
Lord Jesus, and their own prophets, and have persecuted us; and they
please not God, and are contrary to all men:
16 Forbidding us to
speak to the Gentiles that they might be saved, to fill up their sins
alway: for the wrath is come upon them to the uttermost.
17 But we,
brethren, being taken from you for a short time in presence, not in
heart, endeavoured the more abundantly to see your face with great
desire.Verse 16 gives us a key to what is really being
discussed here. According to Master Y'shua, one of the two key problems
of first century Judaism was their embrace of the Oral Torah (the
Mishna, the Talmud, etc) as being equal to (or even superior to) the
Written Torah (i.e. the Tanach or "Old Testament"). The Oral Torah adds
countless meticulous rules and regulations that people like Master
Y'shua, the Karaite Jews and others felt were not only not required but
that actually separate the Jews from God and their fellow humans for no
reasons. As another aside, we often hear people claim that
Master Y'shua was an Essene. The previous point is evidence that he was
not. The Essenes, even more than the Sadducees and Pharisees, stressed
the importance of perfectly observing even the most minute laws and
traditions. Master Y'shua differed with such views, proclaiming, "The
sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sabbath," Mark 2:27. The
Oral Torah of course is the heart of modern day Rabbinic Judaism
(including Orthodox, Reform, Conservative, etc). According to the Oral
Torah, Jews could not even sit or discuss religious topics with
non-Jews. We find this attitude continuing even after the Master's
death in the case Peter who refused to have fellowship the Gentiles
sent to him until directly commanded to admit them by HaShem at Acts
10. Sharing the God of Israel was a new thing and it took time to
accept. Paul and the disciples on other hand accepted Master Y'shua's teaching at Matthew 15: 25 Then came she [a non-Jewish woman] and worshipped him [Master Y'shua], saying, Lord, help me.
26 But he answered and said, It is not meet to take the children's bread, and to cast it to dogs [ie non-Jews].
27 And she said, Truth, Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters' table.
28
Then Jesus answered and said unto her, O woman, great is thy faith: be
it unto thee even as thou wilt. And her daughter was made whole from
that very hour.In other words, the Jewish Nazarenes
brought the Master's Good News to everyone else despite the
prohibitions of the Oral Torah. It is therefore ironic that modern
Christianity bears precious little similarity to the Judaism of Master
Y'shua and his Jewish followers. We must carefully consider the
context and cultural settings when seeking to understand the
Scriptures. Certainly most Jews, especially the Rabis, then known as
Pharisees, rejected the Master's teachings and forbade others to do the
same, but such biblical acknowledgments in no way provide justification
for persecuting them. The Master's teaching was always to turn the
other cheek -- Luke 6:29 -- and that those who live by the sword die by
it. But/And Haim Cohn and others, including MANY Christian
authors are completely correct. The Jews did NOT kill Master Y'shua.
They did not have the legal authority to even of they wanted to: John
18:31: Then said Pilate unto them, Take ye him, and judge him according
to your law. The Jews therefore said unto him, It is not lawful for us
to put any man to death.There is no question that many
of the Jewish leaders wanted the Master executed. But why? There were
several matters, he challenged the authority of the Oral Torah, he
challenged their authority and religious practice, however in the end
there one main consideration in their minds: John
11:49 ... one of them, named Caiaphas, being the high priest that same
year, said unto them [the members of the Sanhedrin], Ye know nothing at
all,
50 Nor consider that it is expedient for us, that one man should die for the people, and that the whole nation perish not.
51 And this spake he not of himself: but being high priest that year, he prophesied that Jesus should die for that nationThe
Romans were quickly becoming fed up with the Jewish Zealots (like
Disciple Judas) and other rabble-rousers. They had little patience for
the current commotions being caused by Master Y'shua and his followers,
mobs of Jews whom were defiantly proclaiming that the Moshiach had
finally arrived {remember what the Moshiach is to do! He will establish
Israel's rule and defeat all who oppose him}. "Hosanna! Hosanna! to the king!"
Things were quickly getting out of hand for everyone! The Romans were
going to react harshly! The Jewish leaders knew that a brutal crack
down on the Jewish people was imminent and that many Jews would be
killed the ensuing revolt that they could not possibly win, and they
decided (in violation of both the Written and the Oral Torah) that
since Y'shua had not fulfilled the Messianic requirements, hence he was
not the Moshiach, it would be better to offer him as a scape-goat to
the Romans than for the whole of Israel to face genocide (such as
happened a few years later in 70 CE)! he should have known better! they
doubtless thought; he's brought it on himself! They were simply trying
to protect the Jewish people from annihilation. These leaders were not
the bad guy in this scenario, even if their decisions were not the best
one from our modern perspectives as followers of the Master. Therefore according to the New Testament the Jews did NOT "betray" Master Y'shua nor did they kill him,
their leaders made a difficult, and in my opinion one that violated the
Torah, decision to appease Rome to save the Jews, EVEN AS Ehud Olmert
is NOW willing to sacrifice East Jerusalem and portions of the Jewish
territories to appease New World Order junta George Bush. History may
be repeated itself my friends! Shalom. Pray for the peace of Jerusalem.  Children
Of Noah | | | | | | | |
Saturday, January 12, 2008, 6:24 PM
[ General]
|
By John of AllFaith © 7.5.07 (updated 1.12.08)
It is my conviction that we are all eternal beings of Pure Light,
children of the Ek Devata or One God. I further believe that Reality
utterly transcends the material manifestation. In that Reality concepts
such as karma, marga and even dharma are transcended. When we speak of
karma therefore, we are referencing the material manifestations known
in the East as Saguna Brahman.
Within the eternity of our limitless existence there is neither
time nor space, and yet to conceive of this Reality we use such words
qualitatively. And so with this caveat we can understand that, "at some
point in endless time" we entered into this material manifestation,
into this physical reality. I often refer to this material existence as
the Dark Cloud... it works as well as anything else I've heard
First then, we need to understand that are two "planes of being," Nirguna and Saguna Brahman. These terms come to us from the Vedic and Upanishadic texts of India: Nir [or "no"] Guna {or "material qualities"] and Sa [or "with"] Guna [or "material qualities." The "spiritual existence" of Nirguna Brahman is completely
transcendent to all material qualities. It is our eternal Home and
natural state of being.
The "material existence" of Saguna Brahman exists in "layers" or "dimensions" of materially manifested form and quality.
Within Saguna Brahman duality is a primal factor (as emphasized
in Gnosticism and Paganism). Maleness and femaleness, yin and yang,
good and bad, positive and negative, righteousness and evil, black and
white, sameness and difference, such forces fundamentally drive the
material manifestation. This material duality of Saguna Brahman is
governed by three basic material laws (known as the trinitarian essence
in certain traditions).
First Karma and Dharma: - Karma or Action: All actions cause reactions.
These reactions bind the soul (or embodied living entity) to the
material planes of being. All karma must be settled/resolved before the
soul can transcend material reality and reawaken spiritual
consciousness. Hence the material world is sometimes referred to by the
sages as a prison. I prefer to think of it as a school that must be
graduated from. This is governed by the Law of Reciprocity.
- Dharma or Divine Law: There exists the
Supreme Person, the Holy One. I often refer to this Holy Being as Ek
Devata, the "One God." The Nature of this Holy Individual transcends
all material consciousness and conception. Through this Supreme Person
all existence, both within Saguna and Nirguna Brahman come to be and
exists. All of existence exists within God, and yet God transcends
existence:
This conception is supported by the Srimad Bhagavad Gita as follows:
7:8-11: I am the taste in water, O son of Kunti, the light of the
moon and sun, I am the sacred syllable Om contained in the Vedas, I am
the sound in ether and the virility in men.
I am the sacred fragrance in the earth, I am the brilliance in fire, I
am the life in all living entities, I am the austerity in penitents.
Know Me to be the seed [from which] all living entities [arise], O
child of Partha. Of the intelligent I am the eternal intellect, of the
brilliant I am the brilliance.
I am the strength of the strong, devoid of passion and attachment. I am
desire in all beings, which is not opposed to dharma, O best of the
Bharatas.
7:12: Whether in the nature of goodness, passion or ignorance,
everything thus comes from Me, but know that although I am not in them,
they are all in Me.
7:13, 14: This entire universe is deluded by the three
qualities of material nature [goodness, passion and ignorance] and
hence does not know Me who is supreme and immutable.
This extraordinary power of Mine, consisting of the qualities of
material nature, is difficult to transcend, but those who take refuge
in Me pass beyond it.
God has made certain determinations. These determinations are included
within Dharma. The soul (jiva) who is trapped by the effects of karma
(action and reaction) must restore harmony and balance in accordance
with Dharma. -- translation mine (click here).
- Marga or the Course or Way: Literally,
marga is the course taken by the planets through the sky, however the
word has a deeper meaning. Marga is the path taken by the souls on
their way Homeward. Marga is similar to "destiny" but with subtle
differences not relevant here. It also references what Master Y'shua
referenced as "the Way" because it signifies the Path taken by the jiva
or soul. Due to karma (actions and reactions) the soul is "destined" to
walk certain paths as dictated by dharma. The soul has erred in action
and is hence required by divine reciprocity to experience the reactions
of that sin. The same works for good as well. Every action will
produces a reaction. And so acts of charity and kindness also have
their reactions. Marga is therefore the course one walks while meeting
these karmic requirements. Marga can lead upwards or downwards
according to the development of the soul.
Throughout the material multiverses these three powers are in
effect, from the lowest regions of Patala to the heights of Brahmaloka,
from hellish existence to heavenly bliss. Such terms merely seek to
convey understanding. Call them whatever you will.
Here's the difficulty: Karma must be satisfied.
We can think of this in terms of paying for sins, of learning
requisite lessons, of fulfilling destiny, of providing restitution or
simple reciprocity, but all slats must be cleaned before the Soul
leaves the Dark Cloud and returns to the Light. The goal of AllFaith
Spirituality is to facilitate this.
Whether one performs "good" actions or "bad," there are always
consequences, always more karma. This is the result of dharma, the
indisputable Law of material nature. The Higher Law (Dharma) demands
that these actions and reactions must be fulfilled ("for evil shall not
enter into His Presence"). These karmic necessities exist only in saguna and so it is here they must be satisfied. Why only in Saguna Brahman?
Because "good" and "bad" are "qualities" and qualities only
exist within Saguna Brahman (as explained above). All qualities must be
cast off if one wishes to return to Nirguna Brahman (spiritual reality
"without qualities").
Our natural state of existence (as eternal souls) is transcendental, being devoid of all material qualities. This is confirmed in the Torah:
Genesis 3:21 Unto Adam also and to his wife did HaShem make coats of skins, and clothed them.
This references the souls entrance into material nature. The Pure
Light Atman (the immortal Spirit Entity) is temporarily coated or
covered with material flesh and becomes subject to karma, dharma and
marga.
In our eternal condition we transcend all material qualities.
This is not to say there are no spiritual qualities in Nirguna Brahman,
only that spiritual qualities transcend material qualities even as
spirit transcends matter.
This has been explained nicely by His Holiness Srila Caitanya Mahaprabhu as achintya bheda bheda, or "inconceivable oneness in diversity."
In Saguna Brahman everything exists within diversity: duality,
hot and cold, wet and dry, yours and mine, black and white, positive
and negative and so on. But in Nirguna Brahman everything is
inconceivable diversity within the Oneness of Ek Devata. Note that I
say inconceivable diversity in Oneness rather than Oneness in
diversity! It is not that Ultimate Oneness is temporarily manifest in
diversity, but rather that eternal diversity exists within a state of
Eternal Oneness, within Ek Devata. In the same we seek to realize the
Brotherhood of Man and the Parenthood of Ek Devata. We are many and yet
as One in God. Those who embrace Vedanta, Buddhism and similar teachings
(which I deeply respect!) typically believe that within Nirguna Brahman
there is absolute undifferentiated oneness, that there is no individual
existence, no "you" and "me," no "God." They insist that "All is One."
Despite the common misconception, according to this view, one does not
"become God" because God, like everything else, is but part of the
Wholeness of the All. The teaching is therefore that one ceases to
exist as an individual and merges with the Totality, thus transcending
individual existence. That totality may be deemed "God" by Monists but
from the traditional usage of the term as God exists as an independent
self-aware Being what is being perceived is not God by the
"brahmajoyti" or spiritual effulgence of Ek Devata.
I believe however, as taught by Sri Caitanya and others and as confirmed in the Katha Upanisad that:
1. 'There is that ancient tree, whose roots grow upward and whose
branches grow downward;--that indeed is called the Bright, that is
called Brahman, that alone is called the Immortal. All worlds are
contained in it, and no one goes beyond. This is that.'
2. 'Whatever there is, the whole world, when gone forth (from the
Brahman), trembles in its breath. That Brahman is a great terror, like
a drawn sword. Those who know it become immortal.' (Second Adhyaya,
sixth valli)
This analogy tells us that Saguna Brahman (the material
manifestation) is an imperfect and temporary reflection of Nirguna
Brahman (the spiritual manifestation), or as many western mystics have
told us, "As above so below." We who dwell within the Dark Cloud
therefore remain connected to our spiritual roots at all times.
We in Saguna Brahman know love, Nirguna Brahman IS Love. We
know isolated individuals, in Nirguna Brahman there are individuals
beings in Oneness. The nature of Nirguna Reality utterly transcends
human reason and conception and Saguna Brahman is it reflection. As the
Apostle Paul assures us:
I Cor. 13:12: For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face
to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am
known.
The question remains, how can one break the chains of karma and
leave the temporary realm of Saguna Brahman if every action causes a
reaction that further binds us? Again we are not these material bodies. We are pure spirit
entities or souls. In eternal consciousness we are untainted by all
material constraints. It is illusion or maya that keeps us from
understanding this truth. For a time we have entered into this Dark
Cloud of material existence and accepted these materially conditioned
forms. While we are here everything seems so important, but once we
return Home to our natural state as pure jiva-atman all of this, our
entire existence within the Dark Cloud throughout our myriad forms,
reincarnations and experiences, will be but a twinkling of eye, a
shiver up the spine."
Karma is therefore a temporary construct or learning devise the
jiva (soul) employs while in Saguna Brahman. Karma guides and inspires
the soul but all too soon the mirage-like qualities of material life
and the reciprocal requirements of karma and dharma imprisons or
brainwashes the eternal soul. The entity forgets spiritual reality and
embraces the temporary realms of matter. Speak to those still asleep
about such things and they scoff, call you a dreamer, a religious
fanatic, and yet to the awakening soul the Path is life! Deep within the soul the memory of eternity lives on. The soul knows
there is something more, something far better, and so begins a process
of remembering, of waking up and the jiva begins to desire to leave the
material realms, to escape the suffering and return Home. But how? This
is difficult to accomplish due to the lifetimes of accumulated karma
and illusion. The ultimate goal of religion and spirituality is to help the
soul achieve "neutral karma," wherein as one's karmic debt is gradually
erased through life's experiences one draws closer to freedom and mukti
(release). And yet, no actions are truly neutral in the duality-based
material expansion!
To achieve mukti people accept spiritual masters, chant japa
mala, recite prayers, perform pujas, study the scriptures, and do so
many good works and deeds. But its never enough! Despite the accumulation of good and neutral-leaning karma by
such actions, the soul remains bound to the material conception of life
and death. The entity may achieve progressively better births and may
even advanced to the higher material planets and realms such as
Brahmaloka or Heaven, but they remain within Saguna Brahman, the
manifest reality of the Dark Cloud.
And yet there is eventual release, there is moksa or salvation. But not works:
Ephesians: 2:8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.
And again:
Srimad Bhagavad Gita: 18:56: Always performing all
activities and taking refuge in Me one achieves, by My Grace, the
eternal and immutable abode.
And yet again:
Micah 6:6 Wherewith shall I come before the LORD, and bow myself
before the high God? shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with
calves of a year old?
7 Will the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams, or with ten
thousands of rivers of oil? shall I give my firstborn for my
transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?
8 He hath showed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD
require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk
humbly with thy God?
In the final analysis the soul comes to learn the Great Truth. 'The
soul that sinneth shall die' but 'whosoever the Anointed has set free
is free indeed.'
It is solely through the Mercy and Grace of Ek Devata that one is freed from karma and sins and returns Home, back to Godhead.
Om Santi (Praise peace and pursue it),
~John of AllFaith
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Thursday, January 3, 2008, 4:35 PM
[ General]
A web friend asked an important question: What is the difference between Achintya Bheda Abheda and Dvaitadvaita. This
question goes to the very heart of the nature of God as well as of our
own existence. I thought I'd share my reply with you. As always, your
questions and thoughts are invited. Hi again John!I was wondering...What is the difference between the Achintya Bheda Abheda and Dvaitadvaita philosophies?Thanks...Hi "J," Glad to help clarify this. Dvaita philosophy is pure dualism. According to this school there exists in reality both Nir-guna brahman (non-manifest existence, "no-qualities") and Sa-guna brahman
(manifest existence, "with qualities"). These two realities are eternal
and never meet. They are eternally separate realities. There is God and
there is mortal kind, the spirit worlds and the material worlds. Yin
and Yang (but no Tao). this is, in a nutshell, Dvaitadvaita. Acintya bheda abheda
means "Inconceivable oneness and diversity." In other words, according
to this philosophy (championed by Srila Caitantya) there is existing
simultaneously, inconceivably, both Oneness (as taught by Vedanta) as
well as duality (as taught by Dvaita). How this can be is acintya
or inconceivable, however when we consider that we are discussing
esoteric truths about the nature of God and existence we should not be
surprised to learn that there are certain things beyond human
comprehension (humility is required of all who would seek to realize
the Truth!) and yet when we consider the idea it is quite logical and,
I believe, enlightened. Srila Caitanya came to this conclusion
by contemplating the nature of the Person of Ek Devata (the One
transcendent God beyond all description). According to the Scriptures
and logic everything that exists exists within Param-atman (God). That being generally accepted as a given, we find that all is One IN
God. This seems to support the views of Srila Sankara and others (ie
Vedanta). However, we also understand that God is a specific Being, the
Supreme Personality of Godhead, Who alone possesses all attributes
(which of course could only exist within Saguna by standard conception as Nirguna, by definition is 'without attributes').
Srila Caitanya therefore questioned how the Ek Devata could be both the
accumulation/personification of everything that exists, while
simultaneously maintaining a separate, independent existence as a
Person called God (by countless Names and Attributes). Yet this was
clearly the conclusion of the the scriptures as well. This sounded like
a contradiction, a contradiction that had for thousands of years
divided the Indians of the Sanatana Dharma (ie Hindus) into rival
philosophical camps. Srila Caitanya concluded that all sides were limitedly correct, noting the nature of Ek Devata is inconceivable ( acintya).
Having established this, he concluded that since all existence exists
within the Person of God (ie in Oneness) and yet exists as individual
living entities with independent thought, karma, marga etc. then the
creation (the "Body" of God) must also be inconceivably one and
different with the Param-Atman (the Supreme Person) "as above so below."
Hence, the teaching is that the nature of ALL existence is
inconceivably and eternally One (same) and Diverse (different) --
acintya bheda abheda. As Sri Krsna explains to Arjuna: Srimad
Bhagavad Gita 2:11: The Blessed One said: While speaking learned words,
you are mourning for what is not worthy of grief. Those who are wise
lament neither for the living nor for the dead. 2:12: Never
was there a time when I did not exist, nor you, nor all these kings,
nor in the future shall any of us cease to be. 2:13: As the
embodied soul continuously passes, in this body, from boyhood to youth
to old age, the soul also passes into another body at death. A sober
person is not bewildered by such a change (from my translation: http://allfaith.com/Religions/Hinduism/gita2.html ).
Hope this helps, ~John of AllFaith Jagannatha Prakasa
Thursday, January 3, 2008, 1:06 AM
[ General]
Sikhism
The Path of the Masters (Sant Mat) © 1987
By John of AllFaith
Part 5: INDIA AFTER NANAK
Hindus had always believed that, as the Srimad Bhagavad-Gita
promised, "Whenever and wherever there is a decline in religious
practice ... and a predominant rise of irreligion, at that time I
[Shree Krishna, God] descend Myself" (G 4:7). Therefore, as Prahlada
Maharaja had once cried out for help against his evil ("asura") father
Hiranyakashipu and received Vishnu's help (in the form of
Nirsimhadeva), so too, they cried out to God for relief (SR 257, SB
2.7.14).
As Bhai Gurdas, a Sikh apostle, explained:
"Heaven at last heard the prayers of the people, Guru Nanak was
sent to the world. The disciples met and drank the nectar of his
lotus feet, and realized the Divine in this age of materialism
(Kali-yuga). Guru Nanak reestablished Dharma. All castes he
merged into one caste of man. The rich and the poor he brought on
one level. From this Founder of Humanity a new race of love goes
forth. In humility they bow down to each other. The Master and the
disciple became one ... (SR 12,13).
Guru Nanak was born in 1469 (see note 22 below) at Rai Bhoeki Talwandi (now Nankana Sahib) located in Punjab province, West Pakistan (see note 23 below).
From early childhood, it is said, the light of God shown brightly
within him. 'He was born to deliver India from its oppressors even as,
as stated above, Nirsimhadeva had liberated the righteous Pralada.'
Nanak was unconcerned with worldly affairs. His sole desire was to know
and reveal God, for "only He can produce true peace and justice."
At the age of seven Nanak was sent to school. As his
instructor, Pundit Gopal Das, instructed the children on the alphabet,
Nanak asked for the spiritual applications of it. Such significations
are important in Hindu Dharma, but they are primarily known only to the
scholars. The Pundit was unable to offer this knowledge, so Nanak
proceeded to teach the inner significations of every letter, including
their bija or seed meanings, along with their applications, to the
class, including the astonished teacher. This first divine instruction
('gurmat') of Nanak so impressed Pundit Gopal Das that he took the
seven year old back to his father and proclaimed, "Mehtaji (Nanak's
father), your
son is an Avatar (see note 24 below) and has come to redeem the victims of Kalyug (see note 25 below) (the age of falsehood). He is destined to be a world teacher, there is nothing that I can teach him" (SR 14).
According to the Detroit Sikh Missionary Center, non-Sikh
commentators often say that Nanak studied extensively in the various
schools of Indian thought. This, they say, would explain his amazing
mastery of all forms of Indian philosophy. Sikhs reject this however,
maintaining that Guru Nanak received all his knowledge and wisdom
directly from God. He was, they believe, a vessel which God "filled to
over-flowing with the Divine Light ('Jot')". His training, the little
of it there seems to have been, had no bearing on his message (SR 15).
The above exploit is intended to demonstrate that by the age of seven
Guru Nanak possessed more knowledge than most of the teachers
with whom he would have studied. That he did not learn his teachings
from other humans was confirmed by his first teacher's proclamation. To
truly master the alphabet would itself take a lifetime of learning.
Guru Nanak was clearly God-taught. This is the Sikh teaching.
At nine years old Nanak refused to accept the sacred
Brahminical thread, stating that he wanted only the eternal Thread of
God: Such a thread, once worn will never break, nor get soiled, burnt
or lost. The man who weareth such a thread is blessed (Asa di Var, Slok
Mohalla, quoted in SR 17). In other words, the Brahminical thread was
supposed to represent one's understanding and piety. Nanak preferred to
receive that praise from God, not man. It is also significant that by
rejecting the thread Nanak was rejecting the caste system as well.
For much of Guru Nanak's life he traveled extensively,
preaching his message of love and devotion to the one God. One example
of these teachings and travels will have to suffice for the present
endeavor.
Guru Nanak once visited Jagannatha Puri (see note 26 below), one of Hinduism's four holiest mandirs (see note 27 below).
As usual, he did not visit as a votary, but "to teach the people that
the worship of God was superior to the worship of the deity" (SR 37,
emphasis theirs). The high priest recognized Nanak and invited him to
take part in the artik or ceremony. Nanak declined, which outraged the
priests. He replied by raising his eyes to heaven and uttering a most
beautiful Sabad (divine utterance). This Sabad reflects the Sikh view
of God nicely:
The sun and moon, O Lord, are Thy lamps; the firmament
Thy salver; the orbs of the stars, the pearls encased in it.
The perfume of the sandal [tree] is Thine incense; the wind is Thy
fan;
all the forests are Thy flowers, O Lord of light.
What worship is this, O Thou Destroyer of birth?
Unbeaten strains of ecstasy are the trumpets of Thy worship.
Thou hast a thousand eyes and yet not one eye;
Thou hast a thousand forms and yet not one form;
Thou hast a thousand pure feet and yet not one foot;
Thou hast a thousand organs of smell and yet not one organ
I am fascinated by this play of Thine.
The Light which is in everything is Thine, O Lord of Light.
From its brilliancy everything is brilliant;
By the Guru's teaching the light becometh manifest.
What pleaseth Thee is the real Arti.
O God, my mind is fascinated with Thy lotus feet as the
Bumble bee with the flower: night and day I thirst for them.
Give the water of Thy grace to the sarang (see note 28 below) , Nanak, so that he may dwell in Thy name.
(Dhanasri Mohalla, quoted in SR 38). Notes:- Note 22: The Puritan Janamsakhi (biography)
and Bhai Gurdas give the birthdate as October 20 (Kartik) while others
give it as April 15 (baisakh) in 1469 (SR 14).
- Note 23: About 55 miles north-west of Lahore.
- Note 24: Unlike the traditional Hindu
definition of the term avatara, which is 'Incarnation of God,' Sikhs
translate it as 'Prophet.' Again, Nanak is not accepted as an avatara
in the Hindu sense.
- Note 25: Kalyug (Kali-Yuga) is the last
of the four ages. It is a yuga of ignorance, hypocrisy, confusion and
lack of Dharma. It lasts 432,000 years, of which roughly 5,000 have
passed.
- Note 26: Lord Jagannatha, the 'Lord of
the Universe' is a form of Lord Vishnu. Upon the death of Shree
Krishna, a primary Incarnation of Lord Vishnu, his bones were collected
and placed within Lord Jagannatha's murti(HM 129).
- Note 27: The others being Som-nath, Badri-nath and Vishwa-nath.
- Note 28: The sarang (chatrik or papiha)
is a bird which drinks only when 'the moon is in the mansion of
Arcturus.' The meaning is, when it is time to drink of God's water,
Nanak is very thirsty and ready to do so because, as the bird awaits
the proper time, so too does Nanak (SR 38).
REFERENCES
- BI: History of British India Under the Company and the Crown, P.E. Roberts,
-
Fellow of Worcester College, Oxford, Oxford University Press, Great
-
Britain, 1958
- CC: Shree Caitanya-Caritamrita, Krishnadasa Kaviraja Gosvami, translated by His
Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, the Bhaktivedanta
Book Trust, New York, 1975
- EDY: Encyclopedic Dictionary of Yoga, Georg Feuerstein, Paragon House, New
York, 1990
- ER: Encyclopedia of Religion, Mircea Eliade, MacMillan Publishing Co. New
York, 1987
- G: Bhagavad-Gita As It Is, His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami
Prabhupada, Bhaktivedanta Book Trust, Los Angeles, 1973
- GGS: Hymns From Guru Granth Sahib, Hemkunt Press, New Delhi, 1975
- GiS: The Guru in Sikhism, W. Owen Cole, Darton, Longman & Todd, London,
1982
- GM: The Great Moghuls, Bamber Gascoigne, Harper & Row, New York, 1971
- GoI: The Gods of India, Alain Danielou, Inner Traditions International LTD.
New York, 1985
- GSK: Gods, Sages and Kings, David Frawley, Passage Press, Salt Lake City,
Utah, 1991
- HBI: History of British India, P.E. Roberts, Oxford University Press, 1958
- HM: A Classical Dictionary of Hindu Mythology and Religion, Geography, History,
and Literature, John Dowson, M.R.A.S., Routledge & Kegan Paul, London,
1979
- I: India, Madeleine Biardeau, translated by F. Carter, Vista Books, 1960
- ICS: India: A Country Study, Foreign Area Studies, The American University,
United States Government, 1985
- LoI: The Legacy of India G.T. Garrett, Oxford University, Clarendon Press,
1937
- LTM: The Life and Times of Mohammed, Sir John Glub, Stein and Day Publishers,
New York, 1971
- M: Mandukyopanishad, Translated by Swami Sarvananda, Sri Ramakrishna
Math, Mylapore, India, 1972
- NG: National Geographic, April, 1985
- P: Based upon private and public conversations with Pramjit Singh at the
El Sobrante Sikh Temple, 3550 Hillcrest Rd. between 10/17/91 and
11/25/91
- PoM: Philosophy of the Masters, Three volumes, Huzur Maharaj Sawan Singh,
Radha Soami Satsang, Beas, India, 1972
- PT: The Peacock Throne, Waldemar Hansen, Holt, Rinehart and Winston,
New York, 1972
- PWB: The Portable World Bible, Robert O. Ballou, Penguin Books, 1980
- S: Spirituality: What it is? Kirpal Singh, Ruhani Satsang, Sawan Ashram,
Delhi India, 1959
- SB: Shreemad Bhagavatam, Translated by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta
Swami Prabhupada, Bhaktivedanta Book Trust, New York, 1976
- SED: The Practical Sanskrit-English Dictionary, Vaman Shivram Apte, Motilal
Banarsidass, Delhi, 1989
- SIT: Sources or Indian Tradition, Vol. 2, edited by Wm. Theodore De Bary,
Columbia University Press, New York, 1958
- SoS: Ruhani Satsang: Science of Spirituality, Kirpal Singh, Sawan Ashram,
Delhi-7, India, 1970
- SR: Sikh Religion, no author given, Sikh Missionary Center, Detroit, 1990
- SW: The Sacred Writings of the Sikhs, Translated by Trilochan Singh, Jodh
Singh, Kapur Singh, Bawa Harkishen Singh and Khushwant Singh,
Unesco Collection of Representative Works: Indian Series, Samuel
Weiser, Inc. New York, 1973
- WR: Eerdmans' Handbook to the World's Religions, Wm. B. Eerdmans, Wm. B.
Eerdmans' Publishing Co. Grand Rapids, Mich. 1982
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