Outrage, as Pastor claims Jesus ‘was’ HIV positive
By Staff Reporter
for ZimEye.org
Published: September 5, 2010
Comment
Capetown(ZimEye) A South African Pastor has sparked outrage from the worldwide Christian community after preaching a message titled: ‘Jesus was HIV Positive’ trying to encourage people to go and get tested for the disease.
Reverend Xola Skosana from Khayelitsha, near Cape Town, a township which has one of the highest rates of HIV in South Africa and having recently lost two of his sisters to Aids, underwent an HIV test in front of his congregation, along with more than 100 young people from the area.
Skosana’s ‘approach’ of reaching to the masses on HIV-awareness has been praised by Aids campaigners in South Africa but received a backlash from many Christians and in particular Zimbabwean Pastors who described the South African pastor as ‘devillish’, and ‘a pastor who needs a pastor’ condemning his teaching as gross heresy which seems to portrays Jesus as having been ’sexually promiscuous’.
A Zimbabwean Pastor from Britain’s Nottingham city, Ed Chibwana, however responded to the outrage with the following statement:
“Well Jesus was not HIV positive (in His lifetime) but He (later did) bear all diseases on His body for anyone who dares to believe. Testing is good, but the true medicine is the word of God,” he said.
Rev Skosana seemed to draw his ‘new teaching’ from a portion of scripture in Isaiah which states that when He went to the cross of His death Jesus ‘Himself bore our sicknesses on His body…’ and thus Skosana’s teaching should state that Jesus ‘became’ HIV positive when He went to the cross, rather than saying He in ‘was’ HIV positive.
In recent years, South Africa has attracted huge controversy on the subject of HIV Aids, with a former President Thabo Mbeki who once claimed that HIV does not cause AIDS sparking another great worldwide outrage from the medical community. (ZimEye, Zimbabwe)
http://www.zimeye.org/?p=21668
Visualizzazione post con etichetta jesus. Mostra tutti i post
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domenica 19 dicembre 2010
Did Jesus Ever Say He was God?
Did Jesus Ever Say He was God?
Is Jesus God? Investigate these interesting claims...
Others were convinced that Jesus was God:
Paul: "Christ is the visible image of the invisible God."1
John: "He existed in the beginning with God."2
Peter: "you must worship Christ as Lord of your life."3
But what did Jesus say about himself?
Did he ever identify himself as God? According to the Bible...absolutely! Below are some of his statements made while on earth, in their context.
Is Jesus God? He said he was equal to God.
"Your father Abraham rejoiced as he looked forward to my coming. He saw it and was glad." The people said, "You aren't even fifty years old. How can you say you have seen Abraham?" Jesus answered, "I tell you the truth, before Abraham was even born, I Am!" At that point they picked up stones to throw at him. But Jesus was hidden from them and left the Temple.4
"The Father and I are one." Once again the people picked up stones to kill him. Jesus said, "At my Father's direction I have done many good works. For which one are you going to stone me?" They replied, "We're stoning you not for any good work, but for blasphemy! You, a mere man, claim to be God."5
Jesus shouted to the crowds, "If you trust me, you are trusting not only me, but also God who sent me. For when you see me, you are seeing the one who sent me. I have come as a light to shine in this dark world, so that all who put their trust in me will no longer remain in the dark."6
After washing their feet, he put on his robe again and sat down and asked, "Do you understand what I was doing? You call me 'Teacher' and 'Lord,' and you are right, because that's what I am. And since I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash each other's feet."7
Jesus told him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me. If you had really known me, you would know who my Father is. From now on, you do know him and have seen him!" Philip said, "Lord, show us the Father, and we will be satisfied." Jesus replied, "Have I been with you all this time, Philip, and yet you still don't know who I am? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father! So why are you asking me to show him to you?"8
Is Jesus God? How he described himself:
Jesus said, "I tell you the truth, Moses didn't give you bread from heaven. My Father did. And now he offers you the true bread from heaven. The true bread of God is the one who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world." "Sir," they said, "give us that bread every day." Jesus replied, "I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry again. Whoever believes in me will never be thirsty."9
Jesus spoke to the people once more and said, "I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won't have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life." The Pharisees replied, "You are making those claims about yourself! Such testimony is not valid." Jesus told them, "These claims are valid even though I make them about myself. For I know where I came from and where I am going, but you don't know this about me."10
so he explained it to them: "I tell you the truth, I am the gate for the sheep. All who came before me were thieves and robbers. But the true sheep did not listen to them. Yes, I am the gate. Those who come in through me will be saved. They will come and go freely and will find good pastures. The thief's purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life. I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd sacrifices his life for the sheep."11
Martha said to Jesus, "Lord, if only you had been here, my brother would not have died. But even now I know that God will give you whatever you ask." Jesus told her, "Your brother will rise again." "Yes," Martha said, "he will rise when everyone else rises, at the last day." Jesus told her, "I am the resurrection and the life. Anyone who believes in me will live, even after dying. Everyone who lives in me and believes in me will never ever die. Do you believe this, Martha?" "Yes, Lord," she told him. "I have always believed you are the Messiah, the Son of God, the one who has come into the world from God."12
Is Jesus God? What he said he was sent here to do:
But Jesus called them together and said, "You know that the rulers in this world lord it over their people, and officials flaunt their authority over those under them. But among you it will be different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first among you must become your slave. For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many."13
for he wanted to spend more time with his disciples and teach them. He said to them, "The Son of Man is going to be betrayed into the hands of his enemies. He will be killed, but three days later he will rise from the dead." They didn't understand what he was saying, however, and they were afraid to ask him what he meant.14
"For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him. There is no judgment against anyone who believes in him. But anyone who does not believe in him has already been judged for not believing in God's one and only Son."15
However, those the Father has given me will come to me, and I will never reject them. For I have come down from heaven to do the will of God who sent me, not to do my own will. And this is the will of God, that I should not lose even one of all those he has given me, but that I should raise them up at the last day. For it is my Father's will that all who see his Son and believe in him should have eternal life. I will raise them up at the last day."16
Still wondering if Jesus is God? Please see the following evidence presented in this article: Beyond Blind Faith.
I have a question or comment...
How to know God...
(1) Col 1:15
(2) John 1:2
(3) 1Peter 3:15
(4) John 8:56-59
(5) John 10:30-33
(6) John 12:44-46
(7) John 13:12-14
(8) John 14:6-9
(9) John 6:32-35
(10) John 8:12-14
(11) John 10:7-11
(12) John 11:21-27
(13) Matthew 20:25-28
(14) Mark 9:31-32
(15) John 3:16-18
(16) John 6:37-40
© EveryStudent.com HOME TOP CONTACT
http://www.everystudent.com/wires/whodoyousay.html
Is Jesus God? Investigate these interesting claims...
Others were convinced that Jesus was God:
Paul: "Christ is the visible image of the invisible God."1
John: "He existed in the beginning with God."2
Peter: "you must worship Christ as Lord of your life."3
But what did Jesus say about himself?
Did he ever identify himself as God? According to the Bible...absolutely! Below are some of his statements made while on earth, in their context.
Is Jesus God? He said he was equal to God.
"Your father Abraham rejoiced as he looked forward to my coming. He saw it and was glad." The people said, "You aren't even fifty years old. How can you say you have seen Abraham?" Jesus answered, "I tell you the truth, before Abraham was even born, I Am!" At that point they picked up stones to throw at him. But Jesus was hidden from them and left the Temple.4
"The Father and I are one." Once again the people picked up stones to kill him. Jesus said, "At my Father's direction I have done many good works. For which one are you going to stone me?" They replied, "We're stoning you not for any good work, but for blasphemy! You, a mere man, claim to be God."5
Jesus shouted to the crowds, "If you trust me, you are trusting not only me, but also God who sent me. For when you see me, you are seeing the one who sent me. I have come as a light to shine in this dark world, so that all who put their trust in me will no longer remain in the dark."6
After washing their feet, he put on his robe again and sat down and asked, "Do you understand what I was doing? You call me 'Teacher' and 'Lord,' and you are right, because that's what I am. And since I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash each other's feet."7
Jesus told him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me. If you had really known me, you would know who my Father is. From now on, you do know him and have seen him!" Philip said, "Lord, show us the Father, and we will be satisfied." Jesus replied, "Have I been with you all this time, Philip, and yet you still don't know who I am? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father! So why are you asking me to show him to you?"8
Is Jesus God? How he described himself:
Jesus said, "I tell you the truth, Moses didn't give you bread from heaven. My Father did. And now he offers you the true bread from heaven. The true bread of God is the one who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world." "Sir," they said, "give us that bread every day." Jesus replied, "I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry again. Whoever believes in me will never be thirsty."9
Jesus spoke to the people once more and said, "I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won't have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life." The Pharisees replied, "You are making those claims about yourself! Such testimony is not valid." Jesus told them, "These claims are valid even though I make them about myself. For I know where I came from and where I am going, but you don't know this about me."10
so he explained it to them: "I tell you the truth, I am the gate for the sheep. All who came before me were thieves and robbers. But the true sheep did not listen to them. Yes, I am the gate. Those who come in through me will be saved. They will come and go freely and will find good pastures. The thief's purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life. I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd sacrifices his life for the sheep."11
Martha said to Jesus, "Lord, if only you had been here, my brother would not have died. But even now I know that God will give you whatever you ask." Jesus told her, "Your brother will rise again." "Yes," Martha said, "he will rise when everyone else rises, at the last day." Jesus told her, "I am the resurrection and the life. Anyone who believes in me will live, even after dying. Everyone who lives in me and believes in me will never ever die. Do you believe this, Martha?" "Yes, Lord," she told him. "I have always believed you are the Messiah, the Son of God, the one who has come into the world from God."12
Is Jesus God? What he said he was sent here to do:
But Jesus called them together and said, "You know that the rulers in this world lord it over their people, and officials flaunt their authority over those under them. But among you it will be different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first among you must become your slave. For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many."13
for he wanted to spend more time with his disciples and teach them. He said to them, "The Son of Man is going to be betrayed into the hands of his enemies. He will be killed, but three days later he will rise from the dead." They didn't understand what he was saying, however, and they were afraid to ask him what he meant.14
"For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him. There is no judgment against anyone who believes in him. But anyone who does not believe in him has already been judged for not believing in God's one and only Son."15
However, those the Father has given me will come to me, and I will never reject them. For I have come down from heaven to do the will of God who sent me, not to do my own will. And this is the will of God, that I should not lose even one of all those he has given me, but that I should raise them up at the last day. For it is my Father's will that all who see his Son and believe in him should have eternal life. I will raise them up at the last day."16
Still wondering if Jesus is God? Please see the following evidence presented in this article: Beyond Blind Faith.
I have a question or comment...
How to know God...
(1) Col 1:15
(2) John 1:2
(3) 1Peter 3:15
(4) John 8:56-59
(5) John 10:30-33
(6) John 12:44-46
(7) John 13:12-14
(8) John 14:6-9
(9) John 6:32-35
(10) John 8:12-14
(11) John 10:7-11
(12) John 11:21-27
(13) Matthew 20:25-28
(14) Mark 9:31-32
(15) John 3:16-18
(16) John 6:37-40
© EveryStudent.com HOME TOP CONTACT
http://www.everystudent.com/wires/whodoyousay.html
PULLMAN IMAGINES JESUS
PULLMAN IMAGINES JESUS
May 3, 2010
Philip Pullman's new book, The Good Man Jesus and the Scoundrel Christ, is available in the U.S. on May 4; it is published by Canongate U.S. Catholic League president Bill Donohue comments on it today:
The publisher was kind enough to send me an advance copy of Pullman's new book, no doubt hoping I would give it some free publicity by hammering it. They may be disappointed: it's an interesting fable.
My beef with Pullman's trilogy, His Dark Materials, and more specifically with the movie based on the first book, "The Golden Compass," centered on the attempt to seduce young people into thinking that atheism is the answer and the Catholic Church is the problem. But this book has no hidden agenda—it's a fanciful account of the Gospel story, one that displays the author's fervid imagination. Pullman's fairy tale sees Mary giving birth to twins: Jesus, a figure who bears resemblance to the Son of God known to Christians, and Christ, a less admirable character who is preoccupied with institutionalizing his legacy.
The most important statement about the book is not its contents, rather it is the decision to write it in the first place. Why would England's most famous atheist storyteller find it necessary to repair to the Gospels to write this book? What is it about Christianity that Pullman can't live without? And why does his fascination with religion not extend to other religions? To be sure, had Pullman taken liberties with Islam, he would have been a marked man. So much easier to deal with those Christians, most of whom are very nice.
The real issue remains. Christian novelists are not known for finding material in atheistic accounts of human existence—they simply ignore them—but the contra is not true. Perhaps Pullman can write another story explaining why.
http://www.catholicleague.org/release.php?id=1845
May 3, 2010
Philip Pullman's new book, The Good Man Jesus and the Scoundrel Christ, is available in the U.S. on May 4; it is published by Canongate U.S. Catholic League president Bill Donohue comments on it today:
The publisher was kind enough to send me an advance copy of Pullman's new book, no doubt hoping I would give it some free publicity by hammering it. They may be disappointed: it's an interesting fable.
My beef with Pullman's trilogy, His Dark Materials, and more specifically with the movie based on the first book, "The Golden Compass," centered on the attempt to seduce young people into thinking that atheism is the answer and the Catholic Church is the problem. But this book has no hidden agenda—it's a fanciful account of the Gospel story, one that displays the author's fervid imagination. Pullman's fairy tale sees Mary giving birth to twins: Jesus, a figure who bears resemblance to the Son of God known to Christians, and Christ, a less admirable character who is preoccupied with institutionalizing his legacy.
The most important statement about the book is not its contents, rather it is the decision to write it in the first place. Why would England's most famous atheist storyteller find it necessary to repair to the Gospels to write this book? What is it about Christianity that Pullman can't live without? And why does his fascination with religion not extend to other religions? To be sure, had Pullman taken liberties with Islam, he would have been a marked man. So much easier to deal with those Christians, most of whom are very nice.
The real issue remains. Christian novelists are not known for finding material in atheistic accounts of human existence—they simply ignore them—but the contra is not true. Perhaps Pullman can write another story explaining why.
http://www.catholicleague.org/release.php?id=1845
Philip Pullman's blasphemous Jesus novel 'inspired' by Archbishop of Canterbury
Philip Pullman's blasphemous Jesus novel 'inspired' by Archbishop of Canterbury
With typically provocative timing, Philip Pullman is planning to publish his controversial book The Good Man Jesus and the Scoundrel Christ ahead of Easter next year. The best-selling author discloses, however, that he was inspired to write the novel by a most surprising figure: the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams.
He wondered why I'd not put Jesus in His Dark Materials," says Pullman. "I said I would tackle it in a future book, and I thought it was time to deal with that story."
The book denies that Jesus was the son of God. "I'm not setting out to rival the Bible," he says. "I hope my book is not going to cause anyone to slaughter anyone. It is about how stories become stories, and how they become fixed and settled and differ from the events they are based on."
Pullman, who once said he was "trying to undermine the basis of Christian belief", admits that the book "will make the cross people even crosser". He adds: "Anything I do enrages some people."
Isn't it curious how atheists always choose Christianity for their attacks rather than, say, Islam?
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/books/booknews/6737615/Philip-Pullmans-blasphemous-Jesus-novel-inspired-by-Archbishop-of-Canterbury.html
With typically provocative timing, Philip Pullman is planning to publish his controversial book The Good Man Jesus and the Scoundrel Christ ahead of Easter next year. The best-selling author discloses, however, that he was inspired to write the novel by a most surprising figure: the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams.
He wondered why I'd not put Jesus in His Dark Materials," says Pullman. "I said I would tackle it in a future book, and I thought it was time to deal with that story."
The book denies that Jesus was the son of God. "I'm not setting out to rival the Bible," he says. "I hope my book is not going to cause anyone to slaughter anyone. It is about how stories become stories, and how they become fixed and settled and differ from the events they are based on."
Pullman, who once said he was "trying to undermine the basis of Christian belief", admits that the book "will make the cross people even crosser". He adds: "Anything I do enrages some people."
Isn't it curious how atheists always choose Christianity for their attacks rather than, say, Islam?
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/books/booknews/6737615/Philip-Pullmans-blasphemous-Jesus-novel-inspired-by-Archbishop-of-Canterbury.html
THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO THE ATHEIST WRITER PHILIP PULLMAN
THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO THE ATHEIST WRITER PHILIP PULLMAN
The very blasphemous and senseless novel " The Goood Man Jesus and the Scoundrel Christ"
Philip Pullman is atheist convinced, he declares Jesus was not the son of God, and Christianity was invented by Paul.
Now to give some basis to his raving ideas, he wrote a novel where he invents a kind of direction that
realize the Christianity and the Church. Pullman also claims that Jesus had a twin according to some apocryphal gospels,
he alludes to the Gnostic Coptic Gospel of Thomas, but in Thomas is not a carnal twin , but spiritual-gnostic twinning.
Here is a small summary of the tale.
Mary of Nazareth is a girl and lives with Joseph, to whom she was has entrusted by the priests of the temple,
this was copied from the apocryphal Gospel of James.
It happens, that one night an angel seduces and impregnates Mary.
Born twins, a healthy and strong, the other sickly and intriguing.
To the healthy twin will be given the name Jesus, to the sickly, the name of Christ,
the Greek translation of messiah. The birth takes place in Bethlehem.
There is also the visit of the shepherds ,who are visited by an bright angel, who announcing the birth of the Messiah.
The story continues with a blasphemous and ridiculous copy of the Gospels.
The twins grow up, we find Jesus at twelve in the temple, where he writes his name on walls with clay,
and priests want to punish him, the twin Christ defends Jesus.
Jesus adult goes around preaching the gospel and doing miracles. Christ follows the twin Jesus and record everything he does.
While Jesus is pure, the twin Christ is a sinner, so sinner to frequent the prostitutes.
A stranger without a name helps Christ to organize everything, to form a church with governmental structures and istitutions.
Then the evil twin Christ betrays Jesus, who is crucified and dies, while the twin Christ presents himself as the risen Jesus.
So Jesus was not son of God and he not risen, but the resurrection as well as miracles are false.
This is the story, this is one of the most blasphemous novels, senseless and imaginative writings against Jesus and the Christian faith.
Now, an atheist who writes this novel very blasphemous against God, against Jesus, against the Holy Ghost, against Holy Family, the Christian faith,
it can happen, but now, this gospel very blasphemous is promoted by the Anglican Church!
The Church of England Newspaper defines the Pullman'novel , a magnificent book that ignites the debate.
Pullman, was inspired to write this very blasphemous novel against the Lord Jesu Christ and His Holy Name
by a most surprising figure, the Archbishop of Canerbury Dr Rowan Williams, ( according to the telegraph.co.uk).
The Archbishop Rowan is a Pullman'fan, and about the novel " The Goood Man Jesus and the Scoundrel Christ",
Dr Rowan says " A voice of sincere spiritual authority", ( according to The Guardian).
Pullman does not believe in Jesus, and not wonder what Jesus thinks of his cruel and blasphemous novel,
but even the Archbishop of Canterbury, he does not ask himself what do think Jesus.
So really amazing things happen, like a novel so foolish, useless, offensive and blasphemous, is accepted by the Anglican Church remains a mystery.
How the devil 'apostasy is sweeping the Christian world!
This apostasy was foretold;
2 Timothy 4: 3-4
For the time will come when people will not tolerate sound doctrine but, following their own desires and insatiable curiosity,
will accumulate teachers and will stop listening to the truth and will be diverted to myths.
2 Peter 2:1
There were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you,
who will introduce destructive heresies and even deny the Master who ransomed them, bringing swift destruction on themselves.
***************************************************************
Here's another slap against Jesus who died for us sinners, ungrateful.
However, these blasphemous novels are useless rubbish, do not serve to the Christian believer nor to the atheist,
or the believer of another faith, in their place would be better to read the Gospels true, not only for religion but also for culture.
*************************************************
The Bible warns us about the dangers of blasphemous works.
All we will one day stand before the true Lord Jesus Christ, the Judge of all the earth,
and not before a false Christ invented from the imagination of some atheist, agnostic, pagan or false Christian.
Our eternal destiny depends on the relationship we had with him the Lord Jesus Christ.
For the salvation we must believe in the Jesus Chist.
John 3: 35-36
The Father loves the Son and has given everything over to him.
Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever disobeys the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God remains upon him.
John 8: 23-24
He said to them, "You belong to what is below, I belong to what is above. You belong to this world, but I do not belong to this world.
That is why I told you that you will die in your sins. For if you do not believe that I AM, you will die in your sins."
Matthew 10: 32-33
Everyone who acknowledges me before others I will acknowledge before my heavenly Father.
But whoever denies me before others, I will deny before my heavenly Father.
Mark 8: 38
Whoever is ashamed of me and of my words in this faithless and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of when he comes in his Father's glory with the holy angels."
Mark 16: 16
Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved; whoever does not believe will be condemned.
******************************************************************
The Lord Jesus Christ warns us about the dangers of blasphemous works.
Matthew 12: 30-32
Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters.
Therefore, I say to you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven people, but blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven.
And whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven; but whoever speaks against the holy Spirit will not be forgiven,
either in this age or in the age to come.
Matthew 12: 36-37
I tell you, on the day of judgment people will render an account for every careless word they speak.
By your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned."
*********************************************************
The Lord Jesus Christ will punish sinners.
Matthew 13: 40-43
Just as weeds are collected and burned (up) with fire, so will it be at the end of the age.
The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will collect out of his kingdom all who cause others to sin and all evildoers.
They will throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.
Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Whoever has ears ought to hear.
Matthew 16: 27
For the Son of Man will come with his angels in his Father's glory, and then he will repay everyone according to his conduct.
*******************************************************
The Lord Jesus Christ warns of false Christians.
Matthrew 7: 21-23
Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven.
Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name? Did we not drive out demons in your name? Did we not do mighty deeds in your name?'
Then I will declare to them solemnly, 'I never knew you. Depart from me, you evildoers.'
*******************************************************
St. Paul warns those who make blasphemous works.
Galatians 1: 6-9
I am amazed that you are so quickly forsaking the one who called you by (the) grace (of Christ) for a different gospel
(not that there is another). But there are some who are disturbing you and wish to pervert the gospel of Christ.
But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach (to you) a gospel other than the one that we preached to you, let that one be accursed!
As we have said before, and now I say again, if anyone preaches to you a gospel other than the one that you received, let that one be accursed!
*********************************************************
Biblical quotations: The New American Bible
http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_INDEX.HTM
https://sites.google.com/site/antiblasphemycentral/
https://sites.google.com/site/antiblasphemycentral/Home/the-gospel-according-to-the-atheist-writer-philip-pullman
The very blasphemous and senseless novel " The Goood Man Jesus and the Scoundrel Christ"
Philip Pullman is atheist convinced, he declares Jesus was not the son of God, and Christianity was invented by Paul.
Now to give some basis to his raving ideas, he wrote a novel where he invents a kind of direction that
realize the Christianity and the Church. Pullman also claims that Jesus had a twin according to some apocryphal gospels,
he alludes to the Gnostic Coptic Gospel of Thomas, but in Thomas is not a carnal twin , but spiritual-gnostic twinning.
Here is a small summary of the tale.
Mary of Nazareth is a girl and lives with Joseph, to whom she was has entrusted by the priests of the temple,
this was copied from the apocryphal Gospel of James.
It happens, that one night an angel seduces and impregnates Mary.
Born twins, a healthy and strong, the other sickly and intriguing.
To the healthy twin will be given the name Jesus, to the sickly, the name of Christ,
the Greek translation of messiah. The birth takes place in Bethlehem.
There is also the visit of the shepherds ,who are visited by an bright angel, who announcing the birth of the Messiah.
The story continues with a blasphemous and ridiculous copy of the Gospels.
The twins grow up, we find Jesus at twelve in the temple, where he writes his name on walls with clay,
and priests want to punish him, the twin Christ defends Jesus.
Jesus adult goes around preaching the gospel and doing miracles. Christ follows the twin Jesus and record everything he does.
While Jesus is pure, the twin Christ is a sinner, so sinner to frequent the prostitutes.
A stranger without a name helps Christ to organize everything, to form a church with governmental structures and istitutions.
Then the evil twin Christ betrays Jesus, who is crucified and dies, while the twin Christ presents himself as the risen Jesus.
So Jesus was not son of God and he not risen, but the resurrection as well as miracles are false.
This is the story, this is one of the most blasphemous novels, senseless and imaginative writings against Jesus and the Christian faith.
Now, an atheist who writes this novel very blasphemous against God, against Jesus, against the Holy Ghost, against Holy Family, the Christian faith,
it can happen, but now, this gospel very blasphemous is promoted by the Anglican Church!
The Church of England Newspaper defines the Pullman'novel , a magnificent book that ignites the debate.
Pullman, was inspired to write this very blasphemous novel against the Lord Jesu Christ and His Holy Name
by a most surprising figure, the Archbishop of Canerbury Dr Rowan Williams, ( according to the telegraph.co.uk).
The Archbishop Rowan is a Pullman'fan, and about the novel " The Goood Man Jesus and the Scoundrel Christ",
Dr Rowan says " A voice of sincere spiritual authority", ( according to The Guardian).
Pullman does not believe in Jesus, and not wonder what Jesus thinks of his cruel and blasphemous novel,
but even the Archbishop of Canterbury, he does not ask himself what do think Jesus.
So really amazing things happen, like a novel so foolish, useless, offensive and blasphemous, is accepted by the Anglican Church remains a mystery.
How the devil 'apostasy is sweeping the Christian world!
This apostasy was foretold;
2 Timothy 4: 3-4
For the time will come when people will not tolerate sound doctrine but, following their own desires and insatiable curiosity,
will accumulate teachers and will stop listening to the truth and will be diverted to myths.
2 Peter 2:1
There were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you,
who will introduce destructive heresies and even deny the Master who ransomed them, bringing swift destruction on themselves.
***************************************************************
Here's another slap against Jesus who died for us sinners, ungrateful.
However, these blasphemous novels are useless rubbish, do not serve to the Christian believer nor to the atheist,
or the believer of another faith, in their place would be better to read the Gospels true, not only for religion but also for culture.
*************************************************
The Bible warns us about the dangers of blasphemous works.
All we will one day stand before the true Lord Jesus Christ, the Judge of all the earth,
and not before a false Christ invented from the imagination of some atheist, agnostic, pagan or false Christian.
Our eternal destiny depends on the relationship we had with him the Lord Jesus Christ.
For the salvation we must believe in the Jesus Chist.
John 3: 35-36
The Father loves the Son and has given everything over to him.
Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever disobeys the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God remains upon him.
John 8: 23-24
He said to them, "You belong to what is below, I belong to what is above. You belong to this world, but I do not belong to this world.
That is why I told you that you will die in your sins. For if you do not believe that I AM, you will die in your sins."
Matthew 10: 32-33
Everyone who acknowledges me before others I will acknowledge before my heavenly Father.
But whoever denies me before others, I will deny before my heavenly Father.
Mark 8: 38
Whoever is ashamed of me and of my words in this faithless and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of when he comes in his Father's glory with the holy angels."
Mark 16: 16
Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved; whoever does not believe will be condemned.
******************************************************************
The Lord Jesus Christ warns us about the dangers of blasphemous works.
Matthew 12: 30-32
Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters.
Therefore, I say to you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven people, but blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven.
And whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven; but whoever speaks against the holy Spirit will not be forgiven,
either in this age or in the age to come.
Matthew 12: 36-37
I tell you, on the day of judgment people will render an account for every careless word they speak.
By your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned."
*********************************************************
The Lord Jesus Christ will punish sinners.
Matthew 13: 40-43
Just as weeds are collected and burned (up) with fire, so will it be at the end of the age.
The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will collect out of his kingdom all who cause others to sin and all evildoers.
They will throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.
Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Whoever has ears ought to hear.
Matthew 16: 27
For the Son of Man will come with his angels in his Father's glory, and then he will repay everyone according to his conduct.
*******************************************************
The Lord Jesus Christ warns of false Christians.
Matthrew 7: 21-23
Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven.
Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name? Did we not drive out demons in your name? Did we not do mighty deeds in your name?'
Then I will declare to them solemnly, 'I never knew you. Depart from me, you evildoers.'
*******************************************************
St. Paul warns those who make blasphemous works.
Galatians 1: 6-9
I am amazed that you are so quickly forsaking the one who called you by (the) grace (of Christ) for a different gospel
(not that there is another). But there are some who are disturbing you and wish to pervert the gospel of Christ.
But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach (to you) a gospel other than the one that we preached to you, let that one be accursed!
As we have said before, and now I say again, if anyone preaches to you a gospel other than the one that you received, let that one be accursed!
*********************************************************
Biblical quotations: The New American Bible
http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_INDEX.HTM
https://sites.google.com/site/antiblasphemycentral/
https://sites.google.com/site/antiblasphemycentral/Home/the-gospel-according-to-the-atheist-writer-philip-pullman
mercoledì 5 agosto 2009
THE JESUS PROBLEM
THE JESUS PROBLEM
"Do Jews Have a Jesus Problem?" asks Jay Michaelson in The Forward, commenting on Peter Schafer's recent book, Jesus in the Talmud. Schafer thinks the rabbis of the Talmud saw Jesus, and Jewish believers in him, as a threat. So they wrote what essentially was a "counter-story" to the gospels.
This is quite different, says Michaelson, from the conclusion of another Jewish Jesus-book, Why the Jews Rejected Jesus by David Klinghoffer. For Klinghoffer, the Jewish rejection of Jesus was not because of who Jesus was but because of who Jews were, and are: a chosen nation, not a people of universalism.
Michaelson's "Jesus problem" is not his alone. There are many people, not only Jews, trying to figure out what to do with Jesus and some of them write books. True, many Jews carry around the baggage of two thousand years of Christian anti-Semitism (though I was fortunate enough to have been spared that in my Reform Jewish neighborhood in Brooklyn). But then there are Gentiles who tell us that they are carrying around the baggage of their "fundamentalist" upbringing. So between Jesus and the year 2009, there is a lot of water under the bridge. Jesus himself, though, still remains a hot and sellable topic of books, films and blogs.
Who then was Jesus? According to whomever you consult, he was the Son of God, a good teacher, a rabbi, a deceiver, a psychedelic mushroom, a mystic, an ascetic, a gnostic, the first Reform Jew, the first liberal Christian, a product of someone's imagination, a miracle-worker, a nice guy, a bad guy, an ascended master, a bad conscience, a conundrum wrapped up in a tallit.
Michaelson himself, in an earlier article with the tongue-in-cheek title of "How I Finally Learned to Accept Christ in my Heart," opts for a pantheistic, or panentheistic, view of Jesus: a "fully realized being" who knew he was God and that everything else is God, too. To Michaelson, this makes more sense than the strange if not nonsensical doctrines of the virgin birth, hell, original sin, atonement, etc.
Put aside for a moment the question of whether those sorts of ideas are really nonsensical and whether so many people in the world are really opting for idiocy. What Michaelson wants is to be able to learn from (and simultaneously differentiate himself from) Christian teachings. In the Forward article he says;
I want to understand Christ the way Christians do — not to become one of them, but in order to enrich my own religious life. I want to learn from them how to have a personal relationship with a personal, humanized, embodied God who cares, and who saves. I want to experience Jesus as a human being enlightened enough to see everyone as holy, even the impure, the leprous and the marginalized. And I want to follow his example, seeing all my fellow human beings and myself as sons and daughters of God.
There is a real question here whether Christians in fact view Jesus in this way. Historically, to Christians Jesus came to make us holy because we are in fact sinful rebels against God. He came to make us sons and daughters of God because we are prodigals who have wandered, sheep who have left the fold, usurpers of God and followers of ourselves, or of Baal, or (today on NPR) of Thor.
From where does Michaelson garner his picture of Jesus? The Jesus problem is not so much figuring out anti-Semitism or Jewish identity but figuring out Jesus. "And God created man in His own image" says Genesis. "And men created Jesus in their own image," comes the echoing answer, "a Jesus without sin, atonement, virgin birth, resurrection, deity, a Jesus who suits their religious sentiments." The question is, which is the real Jesus? And where is he to be found (one suggestion: read the New Testament)?
http://www.jewsforjesus.org/blog/20090501
domenica 3 maggio 2009
Religious Affairs: Jesus's Zionists
Religious Affairs: Jesus's Zionists
Apr. 30, 2009
Matthew Wagner , THE JERUSALEM POST
Like most religious Zionists, Aryeh Bar-David sees the hand of God in the establishment of the Jewish state and the Jewish people's repeated victories against its enemies. Yom Ha'atzmaut has religious meaning as a tangible sign that God is fulfilling his biblical promises to the Jewish people. "God's intervention in the course of history is so clear that, for me, it is absurd that people think we are just another secular democratic country," said Bar-David, who met me on Remembrance Day outside the Old City's Damascus Gate.
"This," said Bar-David, gesturing toward the outer wall of the Old City, "is the manifestation of God's prophecies as stated in Ezekiel, Jeremiah and other places in the Bible," referring to the victory in the Six Day War which gave Israel control of east Jerusalem, including the Old City.
Also similar to many religious Zionists, Bar-David, a veteran of four wars, is convinced that his religious faith helped him cope with life-and-death situations in combat. Under Ariel Sharon, he took part in some of the bloodiest battles for control of the Suez Canal during the Yom Kippur War. As platoon sergeant, Bar-David was forced to take over command when the platoon commander was killed in an ambush. "No matter how dangerous things got, I never feared anything. In a way I had a longing to be in heaven, closer to God. So I was not ever scared by the prospect of dying."
But, unlike most Jewish religious Zionists - who see the establishment of the state as a precursor to the yet-to be-revealed messiah - Bar-David has a radically different eschatology. That's because Bar-David is a Messianic Jew.
"Days are coming when the Jewish people will be forced to realize that Yeshua is the only solution to all our troubles," said Bar-David, using the Hebrew name for Jesus.
Bar-David, 62, is a second-generation Messianic Jew, whose father, a Bulgarian Jew, "came to the faith" while studying in Switzerland and immigrated to Israel before the Holocaust.
Bar-David is one of about 10,000 Messianic Jews living here who believe that Jesus is the messiah and the son of God, and that accepting him as such is a precondition for spiritual redemption. They call themselves Jewish because most were born to a Jewish mother or father.
Still, the belief that Jesus is the messiah who already revealed himself once and will be making a second coming normally places someone squarely outside the Jewish fold. In fact, it is difficult to imagine anything less Jewish. Historically, one of the centerpieces of the Jewish faith was its categorical rejection of Christianity. Throughout the ages since the advent of Christianity, thousands of Jews have preferred martyrdom to accepting Jesus.
But Bar-David and other members of the Messianic community see themselves not only as Jews, but also as ardent Zionists and patriotic Israelis. They reject Christian replacement theology that sees, for instance, the Catholic Church, as the new chosen people. For the Messianic community, the Jewish people are still God's chosen people, even if they rejected Jesus. The establishment of Israel is a tangible manifestation of the prophecies of the Bible. The ingathering of the exiles, the return of the Jewish people to the land of Israel, is part of God's master plan for the final redemption. Fighting in the IDF against Israel's enemies is tantamount to taking part in the fulfillment of biblical prophecies. To be on Israel's side means to be on God's side.
THIS "FAITH-BASED" Zionism is what motivated about 2,000 Messianic Jews and Evangelical Christians from all over Europe including Finland, Norway, Switzerland, France, Germany, Italy and Cyprus to meet in Geneva last week and demonstrate against Durban II.
"I'd say we were probably the largest single pro-Israel contingent in Geneva," said Calev Myers, a Jerusalem-based attorney who heads the Jerusalem Institute of Justice, a legal advocacy group for religious rights that represents mostly Evangelical Christians and Messianic Jews.
Myers, who works in the law firm established by Gideon Hausner, the attorney-general who prosecuted Adolf Eichmann, gave a speech in Geneva in which he strongly defended Zionism and called Iran, China, Libya and other countries that took part in Durban II members of the "fourth Reich."
But Messianic Jews' variety of religious Zionism is not always appreciated. In probably the most violent attack against a Messianic Jew that took place, Ami Ortiz, 15, a dual American-Israeli citizen and the son of a Messianic Jewish pastor, was seriously wounded when a bomb exploded in his home in Ariel on Purim (March 20) last year. The bomb was concealed in a gift basket placed on the doorstep.
This is not an isolated incident. The US State Department's Annual Report on International Religious Freedom, released in September 2008, pointed to a marked rise in violence against Messianic Jews. Some of the incidents mentioned included a public burning of the New Testament in Or Yehuda in May 2008, and the fire-bombing of the Baptist church on Jerusalem's Rehov Narkiss, the meeting place of a Russian-language Messianic Jewish congregation.
Members of the Messianic community are also singled out by the Interior Ministry. For instance, a Christian Chinese couple who came for a pilgrimage was recently detained at Ben-Gurion Airport after they gave border-control officials the name of a Messianic Jew as a contact person here. They were released only after they signed an affidavit assuring they would not proselytize during their visit.
As a result, men like Daniel Yahav, the son of Holocaust survivors who "came to the faith" as a young man and now serves as pastor of a Messianic congregation in Tiberias, are wary of media exposure which might attract unwanted attention. Yahav preferred not to divulge the name of his congregation or its size.
Yahav said that the open animosity some Israelis show toward Messianic Jews does not dampen his or others' Zionist fervor. "We are willing to stand up for our beliefs, even if most Israelis reject them, and that shows our sincerity and faith," said Yahav, who said that he was the first Messianic Jew to become an officer after the IDF changed its exclusionary policies in 1980s.
Do messianic Jews seek out suffering for their faith as a way of emulating Jesus?
"No one wants to suffer," Yahav said. "We want to live a comfortable life like everyone else. Still, when suffering comes, it is a merit, and there will be reward in heaven for it."
AN INTERESTING phenomenon that arises again and again in conversations with Messianic Jews is their strong commitment to military service as part of their loyalty to the state. Yahav said that there are two IAF pilots who are members of his congregation, and several others who belong to elite combat units. The situation is similar at Moshav Yad Hashmona, a small cooperative settlement of about 20 families, most of them Messianic Jews, located west of Jerusalem, according to Ayelet Ronen, its secretary.
Like the Orthodox religious Zionists who see their military service as a mitzva, Messianic Jews also see it in religious terms. In fact, several Messianic Jews said they respected religious Zionists for their selfless service to the state, and felt they had many things in common with them - except, of course, for the belief in Jesus.
Messianic Jews' dedication to the military is based on their belief that one must be a good citizen and pray for the success of the state no matter where one lives. But it also has to do with a type of religious Zionism.
"Part of Messianic community's success in military service has to do with discipline," said Ronen. "We put a lot of emphasis on behavior and conduct. For instance, premarital sex is not accepted, and young people are expected to act in a responsible way. These values seem to help our young people when they get to the IDF.
"Also, our youths are encouraged to reach a deep level of religious conviction independently. Faith is not forced on them. So when someone does commit himself to the faith, it is a result of an internal, not an external, process. And this gives them a lot of strength. But most importantly, we know that when we fight for the Jewish people, we are fighting on God's side."
According to Michael - who helps run Mercaz Netiva, a youth organization for Messianic Jews aged 13 through 17 that includes a one-week premilitary preparation course called Netzor - there are presently 200-300 Messianic Jews serving in the IDF.
Messianic Jews see no contradiction between Jesus's pacifist teachings, such as the Sermon on the Mount, in which the faithful are taught to turn the other cheek to their enemies, and Messianic Jews' service in the IDF.
Michael, who is an officer in the Givati Brigade, believes that Jesus's teachings make military service more of a challenge.
"As believers, we are obligated to love and respect our enemies. But we are also citizens of Israel, which obligates us to serve in the IDF. Every believer has to ask if he is doing what is right and good. The most difficult test is when we are involved in policing the Palestinian population at checkpoints or during patrols inside Palestinian villages.
"I personally see it as an opportunity to behave in a compassionate, ethical way, and serve as a witness for Jesus's teachings. There are about 200 or 300 of us spread out throughout the IDF having a positive impact, serving as examples.
"We believe this state of affairs will not last forever, though. Eventually, there will be a time of peace ushered in by the prince of peace. In that day, everyone will recognize that Jesus is the messiah."
This article can also be read at http://www.jpost.com /servlet/Satellite?cid=1239710831191&pagename=JPArticle%2FShowFull
[ Back to the Article ]
Copyright 1995- 2009 The Jerusalem Post - http://www.jpost.com/
http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1239710831191&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FPrinter
Apr. 30, 2009
Matthew Wagner , THE JERUSALEM POST
Like most religious Zionists, Aryeh Bar-David sees the hand of God in the establishment of the Jewish state and the Jewish people's repeated victories against its enemies. Yom Ha'atzmaut has religious meaning as a tangible sign that God is fulfilling his biblical promises to the Jewish people. "God's intervention in the course of history is so clear that, for me, it is absurd that people think we are just another secular democratic country," said Bar-David, who met me on Remembrance Day outside the Old City's Damascus Gate.
"This," said Bar-David, gesturing toward the outer wall of the Old City, "is the manifestation of God's prophecies as stated in Ezekiel, Jeremiah and other places in the Bible," referring to the victory in the Six Day War which gave Israel control of east Jerusalem, including the Old City.
Also similar to many religious Zionists, Bar-David, a veteran of four wars, is convinced that his religious faith helped him cope with life-and-death situations in combat. Under Ariel Sharon, he took part in some of the bloodiest battles for control of the Suez Canal during the Yom Kippur War. As platoon sergeant, Bar-David was forced to take over command when the platoon commander was killed in an ambush. "No matter how dangerous things got, I never feared anything. In a way I had a longing to be in heaven, closer to God. So I was not ever scared by the prospect of dying."
But, unlike most Jewish religious Zionists - who see the establishment of the state as a precursor to the yet-to be-revealed messiah - Bar-David has a radically different eschatology. That's because Bar-David is a Messianic Jew.
"Days are coming when the Jewish people will be forced to realize that Yeshua is the only solution to all our troubles," said Bar-David, using the Hebrew name for Jesus.
Bar-David, 62, is a second-generation Messianic Jew, whose father, a Bulgarian Jew, "came to the faith" while studying in Switzerland and immigrated to Israel before the Holocaust.
Bar-David is one of about 10,000 Messianic Jews living here who believe that Jesus is the messiah and the son of God, and that accepting him as such is a precondition for spiritual redemption. They call themselves Jewish because most were born to a Jewish mother or father.
Still, the belief that Jesus is the messiah who already revealed himself once and will be making a second coming normally places someone squarely outside the Jewish fold. In fact, it is difficult to imagine anything less Jewish. Historically, one of the centerpieces of the Jewish faith was its categorical rejection of Christianity. Throughout the ages since the advent of Christianity, thousands of Jews have preferred martyrdom to accepting Jesus.
But Bar-David and other members of the Messianic community see themselves not only as Jews, but also as ardent Zionists and patriotic Israelis. They reject Christian replacement theology that sees, for instance, the Catholic Church, as the new chosen people. For the Messianic community, the Jewish people are still God's chosen people, even if they rejected Jesus. The establishment of Israel is a tangible manifestation of the prophecies of the Bible. The ingathering of the exiles, the return of the Jewish people to the land of Israel, is part of God's master plan for the final redemption. Fighting in the IDF against Israel's enemies is tantamount to taking part in the fulfillment of biblical prophecies. To be on Israel's side means to be on God's side.
THIS "FAITH-BASED" Zionism is what motivated about 2,000 Messianic Jews and Evangelical Christians from all over Europe including Finland, Norway, Switzerland, France, Germany, Italy and Cyprus to meet in Geneva last week and demonstrate against Durban II.
"I'd say we were probably the largest single pro-Israel contingent in Geneva," said Calev Myers, a Jerusalem-based attorney who heads the Jerusalem Institute of Justice, a legal advocacy group for religious rights that represents mostly Evangelical Christians and Messianic Jews.
Myers, who works in the law firm established by Gideon Hausner, the attorney-general who prosecuted Adolf Eichmann, gave a speech in Geneva in which he strongly defended Zionism and called Iran, China, Libya and other countries that took part in Durban II members of the "fourth Reich."
But Messianic Jews' variety of religious Zionism is not always appreciated. In probably the most violent attack against a Messianic Jew that took place, Ami Ortiz, 15, a dual American-Israeli citizen and the son of a Messianic Jewish pastor, was seriously wounded when a bomb exploded in his home in Ariel on Purim (March 20) last year. The bomb was concealed in a gift basket placed on the doorstep.
This is not an isolated incident. The US State Department's Annual Report on International Religious Freedom, released in September 2008, pointed to a marked rise in violence against Messianic Jews. Some of the incidents mentioned included a public burning of the New Testament in Or Yehuda in May 2008, and the fire-bombing of the Baptist church on Jerusalem's Rehov Narkiss, the meeting place of a Russian-language Messianic Jewish congregation.
Members of the Messianic community are also singled out by the Interior Ministry. For instance, a Christian Chinese couple who came for a pilgrimage was recently detained at Ben-Gurion Airport after they gave border-control officials the name of a Messianic Jew as a contact person here. They were released only after they signed an affidavit assuring they would not proselytize during their visit.
As a result, men like Daniel Yahav, the son of Holocaust survivors who "came to the faith" as a young man and now serves as pastor of a Messianic congregation in Tiberias, are wary of media exposure which might attract unwanted attention. Yahav preferred not to divulge the name of his congregation or its size.
Yahav said that the open animosity some Israelis show toward Messianic Jews does not dampen his or others' Zionist fervor. "We are willing to stand up for our beliefs, even if most Israelis reject them, and that shows our sincerity and faith," said Yahav, who said that he was the first Messianic Jew to become an officer after the IDF changed its exclusionary policies in 1980s.
Do messianic Jews seek out suffering for their faith as a way of emulating Jesus?
"No one wants to suffer," Yahav said. "We want to live a comfortable life like everyone else. Still, when suffering comes, it is a merit, and there will be reward in heaven for it."
AN INTERESTING phenomenon that arises again and again in conversations with Messianic Jews is their strong commitment to military service as part of their loyalty to the state. Yahav said that there are two IAF pilots who are members of his congregation, and several others who belong to elite combat units. The situation is similar at Moshav Yad Hashmona, a small cooperative settlement of about 20 families, most of them Messianic Jews, located west of Jerusalem, according to Ayelet Ronen, its secretary.
Like the Orthodox religious Zionists who see their military service as a mitzva, Messianic Jews also see it in religious terms. In fact, several Messianic Jews said they respected religious Zionists for their selfless service to the state, and felt they had many things in common with them - except, of course, for the belief in Jesus.
Messianic Jews' dedication to the military is based on their belief that one must be a good citizen and pray for the success of the state no matter where one lives. But it also has to do with a type of religious Zionism.
"Part of Messianic community's success in military service has to do with discipline," said Ronen. "We put a lot of emphasis on behavior and conduct. For instance, premarital sex is not accepted, and young people are expected to act in a responsible way. These values seem to help our young people when they get to the IDF.
"Also, our youths are encouraged to reach a deep level of religious conviction independently. Faith is not forced on them. So when someone does commit himself to the faith, it is a result of an internal, not an external, process. And this gives them a lot of strength. But most importantly, we know that when we fight for the Jewish people, we are fighting on God's side."
According to Michael - who helps run Mercaz Netiva, a youth organization for Messianic Jews aged 13 through 17 that includes a one-week premilitary preparation course called Netzor - there are presently 200-300 Messianic Jews serving in the IDF.
Messianic Jews see no contradiction between Jesus's pacifist teachings, such as the Sermon on the Mount, in which the faithful are taught to turn the other cheek to their enemies, and Messianic Jews' service in the IDF.
Michael, who is an officer in the Givati Brigade, believes that Jesus's teachings make military service more of a challenge.
"As believers, we are obligated to love and respect our enemies. But we are also citizens of Israel, which obligates us to serve in the IDF. Every believer has to ask if he is doing what is right and good. The most difficult test is when we are involved in policing the Palestinian population at checkpoints or during patrols inside Palestinian villages.
"I personally see it as an opportunity to behave in a compassionate, ethical way, and serve as a witness for Jesus's teachings. There are about 200 or 300 of us spread out throughout the IDF having a positive impact, serving as examples.
"We believe this state of affairs will not last forever, though. Eventually, there will be a time of peace ushered in by the prince of peace. In that day, everyone will recognize that Jesus is the messiah."
This article can also be read at http://www.jpost.com /servlet/Satellite?cid=1239710831191&pagename=JPArticle%2FShowFull
[ Back to the Article ]
Copyright 1995- 2009 The Jerusalem Post - http://www.jpost.com/
http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1239710831191&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FPrinter
martedì 14 aprile 2009
Jesus sent to the electric chair and not the Cross
Thursday, April 09, 2009
Jesus sent to the electric chair and not the Cross
Frankreich: Proteste gegen Jesus auf elektrischem Stuhl « DiePresse.com
France: Protests against Jesus in electric chair
A sculpture by British artist Paul Fryer shows Jesus in the electric chair. It is on display in the French town of Gap. The Bishop of Gap defends the work of art.
Crown of thorns, long hair, beard, a wound in the side, arms, feet and hands pierced, a downward sloping head: A picture of Jesus which can be seen in every church. But the sculpture "Pieta" by British artist Paul Fryer shows Jesus in this well known pose not on the Cross, but in the electric chair. Since the weekend the artwork can be seen in the Cathedral of Gap in the French Alps - and has guaranteed controversy, reported Kathpress. Bishop Jean-Michel di Falco has already received protest letters against the sculpture, the Paris newspaper Le Figaro reports.
Bishop: The sculpture is not scandalous
Di Falco, however, is a proponent of the "Pieta". If Jesus had been sentenced today, he would have to reckon with the electric chair or other barbaric methods of execution, says the bishop. Scandalous is therefore "not Jesus in the electric chair, but the indifference to his crucifixion."
The artwork belongs to the collection of the French entrepreneur François Pinault, who loaned it to the Diocese of Gap for Holy Week. Whether the work is then to be shown in a museum or a church is not yet decided, the TV station "France3" reported.
Cathcon: the same Bishop criticised the Pope over condoms so no wonder he ventures on the path of fideism where the historical reality represented by the wood of the Cross no longer matters in our Redemption.
http://cathcon.blogspot.com/2009/04/jesus-sent-to-electric-chair-and-not.html
New Testament professor D.A. Carson on the scandal of the cross (Cross and Christian Ministry):
What would you think if a woman came to work wearing earrings stamped with an image of the mushroom cloud of the atomic bomb dropped over Hiroshima?
What would you think of a church buidling adorned with a fresco of the massed graves at Auschwitz?
Both visions are grotesque. They are not only intrinsically abhorrent, but they are shocking because of powerful cultural associations.
The same sort of shocked horror was associated with the cross and crucifixion in the first century. Apart from the emperor’ explicit sanction, no Roman citizen could be put to death by this means. Crucifixion was reserved for slaves, aliens, barbarians. Many thought it was not something to be talked about in polite company. Quite apart from the wretched torture inflicted on those who were executed by hanging from a cross, the cultural associations conjured up images of evil, corruption, abysmal rejection.
Yet today, crosses adorn our buildings and letterheads, grace our bishops, shine from lapels, and dangle from our ears–and no one is scandalized. It is this cultural distance from the first century that makes it so hard for us to feel the compelling irony of 1 Corinthians 1:18: “For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.”
____________________________________
http://oneresolve.wordpress.com/
domenica 22 febbraio 2009
Americans Pick Obama as Personal Hero; Jesus Comes Second
Americans Pick Obama as Personal Hero; Jesus Comes Second
By Michelle A. Vu
Christian Post Reporter
Sat, Feb. 21 2009
President Barack Obama’s popularity overwhelms that of Jesus Christ, Martin Luther King, and Mother Teresa, according to a new poll that shows Obama as the person Americans named as their hero.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
President Barack Obama’s popularity overwhelms that of Jesus Christ, Martin Luther King, and Mother Teresa, according to a new poll that shows Obama as the person Americans named as their hero.
American adults (age 18 and over) spontaneously named President Obama as the person they admire enough to call their hero in a Harris Poll that did not provide a list for respondents to choose from.
The Harris Poll, released on Thursday, was conducted on 2,634 U.S. adults between Jan. 12 to 19, 2009 – just ahead of President Obama’s inauguration.
“The fact that President Obama is mentioned more often than Jesus Christ should not be misinterpreted,” The Harris Poll clarified in its report. “No list was used and nobody was asked to choose between them.”
Following Barack Obama, the next most popular personal heroes are Jesus Christ, Martin Luther King, Ronald Reagan, George W. Bush, Abraham Lincoln, John McCain, John F. Kennedy, Chesley Sullenberger, and Mother Teresa, respectively, to round out the top 10 people Americans say they admire and would call their hero.
In the top 20 list, God held the No. 11 spot while evangelist Billy Graham tied with former President Franklin Delano Roosevelt for the 13th slot.
Respondents gave multiple reasons for their choice of heroes, including: doing what’s right regardless of personal consequences (89 percent); not giving up until the goal is accomplished (83 percent); doing more than what other people expect of them (82 percent); overcoming adversity (81 percent); and staying level-headed in a crisis (81 percent).
Only 14 percent of Americans said they admire either their mother or father enough to call them their hero. In contrast, nearly half (49 percent) said a public figure is someone they admire and consider a personal hero.
The public also named several well-known figures that they no longer consider their hero, which includes Colin Powell, George W. Bush, John McCain, Bill Clinton and John F. Kennedy. In 2001, Bill Clinton topped the list for a similar survey conducted by Harris Poll.
Among other observations made by the poll’s conductors, six of the top ten heroes are dead (including Jesus Christ); the top 10 list includes five presidents; and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton ranks higher in the 2009 list (No. 12) than her husband, former President Bill Clinton (No. 16).
Since the 2001 list, several people have dropped off the list completely, including Pope John Paul (was 18th), Jimmy Carter (was 20th), Nelson Mandela (was 21st), Michael Jordan (was 9th), Princess Diana (was 16th), and Tiger Woods (was 23rd).
Michelle A. Vu
Christian Post Reporter
http://christianpost.com/Society/Polls_reports/2009/02/americans-pick-obama-as-personal-hero-jesus-comes-second-21/index.html
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sabato 10 gennaio 2009
Sacha Baron Cohen's black Jesus to shock America
Sacha Baron Cohen's black Jesus to shock America
Sacha Baron Cohen is preparing to shock America with his latest film, which is said to contain a black model called Jesus wearing a loincloth and a crown of thorns.
Bruno, a gay Austrian fashion journalist, is already well known for storming runways at designers' shows Photo: AP
The comedian, who has been sued by several people who featured in his film Borat, will be ready for similar reactions after the release of the big-screen debut of his character Bruno.
The title character, a gay Austrian fashion journalist, is already well known for storming runways at designers' shows and aiming to embarrass industry figures in interviews. Clips of his work have become cult favourites on YouTube.
And it is thought that the film version will see Bruno in more outrageous form.
As well as the Jesus character, it is rumoured that Bruno and his boyfriend, Diesel, adopt an orphaned African baby boy called David and parade the child around fashion shows. It is thought the joke is aimed at Madonna, who adopted a Malawian baby called David Banda.
A source reported to have seen the film in a test screening told The Sun: "Sacha has really gone for the shock tactics this time. The characters were created deliberately to wind up certain sections of society and Jesus is one of them.
"It won't be the first time Sacha has landed himself in hot water," the source reportedly added. "The water might be a little hotter this time round, though. Religion isn't always the best place to poke fun."
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/religion/4206901/Sacha-Baron-Cohens-black-Jesus-to-shock-America.html
BIOGRAPHY
Sacha Noam Baron Cohen,born 13 October 1971 is an English comedian, writer and Golden Globe-winning actor most noted for his comic characters Ali G (an inner city youth chav from suburban Staines), Borat (a Kazakh reporter), and Bruno (a flamboyantly gay Austrian fashion reporter). In his routine, he typically conducts interviews with respected figures while posing as one of his characters for comic effect. His interviewees believe that the ostensible interviews are sincere and legitimate. His work has been recognized with several Emmy nominations, an Oscar nomination for Best Adapted Screenplay, a BAFTA award and a Golden Globe for Best Actor for his work in the feature film Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan.
After the release of the Borat film, he announced that, because the public had become too familiar with the characters, he would retire Borat and Ali G.
Family
Baron Cohen, the youngest of three sons, was born in Hammersmith, London, England, to a Jewish family. His mother, Daniella (née Weiser), teaches at a school of movement and was born in Israel, and his father, Gerald Baron Cohen, was originally from Wales. Baron Cohen's paternal grandfather was born in Pontypridd and his maternal grandmother, who now lives in Haifa, Israel, was an acclaimed ballet dancer from Germany.His paternal great grandfather was born in Kaunas. His brother Erran Baron Cohen, a composer and trumpet player, contributed to the "Borat" film with the song "O Kazakhstan". Sacha Baron Cohen's cousin Simon Baron-Cohen is a leading researcher in the study of autism spectrum disorders (including Asperger syndrome).
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sacha_Baron_Cohen
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