Sannhetseeker

So, eleven states passed laws making the official definition of marriage a union between a man and a woman. The majority has spoken. Now, I'm not going to get into the argument that it truly isn't the majority's voice because many people did not vote. In my view, tough! If you don't vote, you can't complain. End of story. I am also not going to get into the argument about what each law really states. It doesn't matter, because they are laws - for now. But I would really like to understand the... Sign in to see full entry.

In a previous post, I wrote of the New Testament being Jesus/Yeshua/s new interpretation of God. Another example of Yeshua/Jesus’ new interpretation is found in the Gospel of Thomas. The Gospel of Thomas, pieces of which were first discovered in 1900, was found to be more in tact at Nag Hammadi in 1945. It is one of several gospels that were kept out of the New Testament based on the demands of Emperor Constantine and a couple of Bishops that he controlled at the Nicene Council. In the Gospel of... Sign in to see full entry.

When Yeshua/Jesus stated that one who loves one’s father and mother more than him, or loves one’s sisters and brothers more than him is not worthy of him, a story related by Tertullian and found in Elaine Pagels’ book Beyond Belief: The Secret Gospel of Thomas, offers a graphic example of what he meant. In the year 202 an aristocratic young woman named Vibia Perpetua, who lived in Carthage, resolved to undergo baptism with four other young people, two of which were slaves. Married and with an... Sign in to see full entry.

If one reads the history of early Christianity, one finds the idea of the New Testament - the idea of loving God and your neighbor - out of place in second-century Alexandria, Carthage, Antioch, and Rome. In fact, just the opposite was true. Those who were sick paid to receive help from local priests. They paid dues and initiation fees to be protected by the Gods. Those that couldn't afford the dues or fees resorted to begging, stealing or prostitution. But Christians would help anyone who... Sign in to see full entry.

Let’s talk a bit about the New Testament. As we all know, Yeshua/Jesus’ story is found in the New Testament. It is called the New Testament because it is just that: a new testimonial, a new affirmation of beliefs. It’s not an affirmation of old beliefs. It’s not a retelling of old beliefs. It is a testimonial of Jesus/Yeshua’s beliefs. And his beliefs are anchored in love. Yeshua/Jesus’ new testimonial is that God is love (1 John 4:8). He tells us that there are only two commandments to worry... Sign in to see full entry.

Many Christians, from the time of Yeshua/Jesus to today look at the book of Genesis (an a large part of the Bible in general) as an allegory. One of the most widely acclaimed was Origen, a disciple of St. Clement of Alexandria, who lived from 183-253 A.D. For those not familiar, Origen was a highly respected theologian who followed Clement as head of the catechetical school in Alexandria. His influence was felt for generations (and still is) and was the driving force behind the teachings of many... Sign in to see full entry.

I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. " The words of Jesus, as recorded in John 14:6. For many Christians, this statement by Yeshua/Jesus is the defining statement to the world that only those who follow him, and no one else, will make it into “heaven”, or will be saved. But that is not what this statement says. It must be interpreted based on the spiritual maturity of Jesus/Yeshua at the time that he said it. Yeshua/Jesus was a Christed being. He was... Sign in to see full entry.

Origen, a highly respected Christian leader born in 183 AD, had an interesting take on the Christian trinity. A student of St. Clement of Alexandria, Origen saw not only the Christian trinity of Father, Son and Holy Ghost, but a trinity for man as well. Origen saw man as having three distinct parts: spirit (pneuma in Greek), soul (psyche in Greek) and body. Though not alone in this idea, Origen is the one who wrote most often about it. This idea was widely accepted in early Christianity, as were... Sign in to see full entry.

As I interact with various people on who are religious in some way, both with bloggers here and with folks at work and church, it pains me to see how many suffer from one the worst of the seven deadly sins: pride. Pride is defined as an overhigh opinion of oneself; as being haughty; as being arrogant. Unfortunately, it has been my experience, that pride has the hold on many who claim to follow Jesus/Yeshua. Pride is destructive. Proverbs 16:18 shows us that. "Pride goeth before destruction and a... Sign in to see full entry.

I was reading an article by a biblical studies student at a major American university recently. The article was on homosexuality and the bible. And it was interesting, but something that the author wrote to justify his argument was even more interesting for me. The author stated that Jesus/Yeshua saw the need to reinterpret old laws because the laws, when first created, were written for people at a certain level of spirituality so that they could be understood. But as people mature spiritually,... Sign in to see full entry.