The ZEITGEIST Sourcebook Part 1: the Greatest Story Ever Told
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The Jesus Puzzle.Pdf
THE JESUS PUZZLE A Novel About the Greatest Question of Our Time by Earl Doherty “As an historian, I do not know for certain that Jesus really existed, that he is anything more than the figment of some overactive imaginations. In my view, there is nothing about Jesus of Nazareth that we can know beyond any possible doubt. In the mortal life we have there are only probabilities. And the Jesus that scholars have isolated in the ancient gospels, gospels that are bloated with the will to believe, may turn out to be only another image that merely reflects our deepest longings.” Robert W. Funk, Jesus Seminar Founder and Co-Chair (From The Fourth R, January-February 1995, page 9) Chapter One 1 The conference room at the Flamingo Hotel in Santa Rosa was the size of a basketball court. The 40-odd players in the game being played on this particular day occupied the center space, while spectators were ranged in bleachers around three sides. The hoops, however, were metaphorical, and the balls being bounced across the court were finely-tuned arguments and quotations from scripture. Only one team commanded the court floor: the Fellows of the Jesus Seminar, vanguards in a renewed quest to discover the true nature, the genuine historical words and deeds, of the most influential figure in the history of the world. This was a quest, over the last two centuries, which had had lives as numerous as the many-headed Hydra. When one bit the dust under the slash of new discoveries and the ongoing advance of modern enlightenment, another sprang up in its place. -
Hellenistic and Pharaonic Influences on the Formation of Coptic Identity
Scriptura 85 (2004), pp. 292-301 HELLENISTIC AND PHARAONIC INFLUENCES ON THE FORMATION OF COPTIC IDENTITY Annette Evans Department of Ancient Studies Stellenbosch University Abstract Conflicting descriptions of Coptic identity still exist today. The Copts regard themselves as those descendents of Pharaonic Egyptians who have retained their identity because of their Christian faith, in spite of Egypt having become a predominantly Islamic, Arab country. They claim to have “caught a glimpse of the Light of Christianity” before the birth of Christ. This article offers iconographical evidence to supplement an explanation of how the ancient Egyptian mythopoeic thinking, in combination with the syncretistic cultural environment of Hellenism, mediated this phenomenon. Today the Coptic Orthodox Church of Egypt represents “a return to the apostolic father type leading of the church”. Although pharaonic and gnostic influences appear to have contributed to their remarkable eusebeia, the Copts perceive themselves as having abided by the decisions of the first three Church Councils and have respected and upheld the canon. 1. Introduction The word Copt originated from the ancient Egyptian word for Memphis, Hah-ka-Ptah – the house or temple of the spirit of Ptah. With the suppression of the prefix and the suffix the stem kaPt or gypt remained, which was then corrupted to the Arabic Qibt (Atiya 1968:16). The Hellenes used Aiguptos for both Egypt and the Nile, and Aiguptoi was used by Origen to distinguish Egyptian Christians from Hellenes (Van der Vliet and Zonhoven 1998:117). The Copts have a unique identity: inseparable from their pharaonic past, yet intimately associated with the beginning of Christianity. -
Pandeism - Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia
Pandeism - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pandeism Pandeism From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Pandeism or Pan-Deism (from Greek: πάν pan "all" and Part of a series on Latin: deus meaning "God" in the sense of deism), is a term describing religious beliefs incorporating or mixing logically God reconcilable elements of pantheism (that "God", or its metaphysical equivalent, is identical to the Universe) and General conceptions deism (that the creator-god who designed the Universe no Agnosticism · Apatheism · Atheism · Deism longer exists in a status where it can be reached, and can Henotheism · Monolatrism · Monotheism instead be confirmed only by reason). It is therefore most Panentheism · Pantheism · Transtheism particularly the belief that the Creator of the Universe actually became the Universe, and so ceased to exist as a [1][2] Specific conceptions separate and conscious entity. Creator · Architect · Demiurge · Devil Sustainer · Lord · Father · Monad It is through this incorporation pandeism claims to answer Oneness · Mother · Supreme Being · The All primary objections to deism (why would God create and Personal · Unitarianism · Ditheism · Trinity then not interact with the Universe?) and to pantheism (how in Abrahamic religions did the Universe originate and what is its purpose?). (Bahá'í Faith, Christianity, Islam, Judaism) in Ayyavazhi · in Buddhism · in Hinduism in Jainism · in Sikhism · in Zoroastrianism Contents Attributes Eternalness · Existence · Gender 1 A pantheistic form of deism Names (God) -
Narrating Early Religions, Judaism and Christianity: the Scholars Speak”
“Narrating Early Religions, Judaism and Christianity: the Scholars Speak” By Brent Waterbury Smashwords copyright 2013 Intro "All truth passes through three stages: First, it is ridiculed. Second, it is violently opposed. Third, it is accepted as self-evident." Schopenhauer, 19th century philosopher "Honest criticism of religious faith is a moral and intellectual necessity.” (“Letter to a Christian Nation”, Harris, ’06) This ebook is a post-modern look of ancient religions, Judaism and Christianity and their origins from a scholar’s point of view. This is also an in-depth look at how these religions started and their evolution over time. The subject of religious origins has always been a rather complex undertaking since billions of people of people clearly believe that God inspired their religion--while billions of others deny that. So to alleviate this confusion over the last 150 years or so historians were prompted by a term called contextualization--meaning scriptures only within their historical boundaries and no more. Well, this brought about a Pandora's Box of new revelation as to exactly who wrote scriptures out and their reasons for writing them in the first place. So starting in the mid 1700’s new interpretations of religions were published which deciphered mans most esteemed institution. Later, a few of these contextualized books even became #1 best sellers: "The ancient’s ways are almost incomprehensible to the unstudied modern." (“Theosophy: a modern revival of the ancient wisdom”, Kuhn, 1930) “Scholars are often accused of being out of touch with the average person and writing only about things significant to themselves and their Ivy-league colleagues.” (“Searching for the Original Bible”, Price, pg. -
TH-I 3-Jul-1985.Pdf
[38] JESUS IN THEOSOPHICAL HISTORY Some Theosophical leaders have taught that Jesus lived about 100 B.C., and that he was not crucified; they identify him with Jeschu Ben Pandera (the spelling varies, and will do so in this note) of Jewish tradition, who was stoned. This effectively undercuts orthodox Christianity - if there was no suffering “under Pontius Pilate”, then there was no conventional Atonement, and if the New Testament can be wrong on so important a matter as the date and manner of death of its main character then its reliability is low. The 100 B.C. theory (the precise date is sometimes given differently) was introduced by H.P. Blavatsky in “Isis Unveiled” Vol. 2 p. 201. She cites Eliphas Levi “La Science Des Esprits” (Paris, Germer Balliere, 1865, a publisher with offices in London and New York also.) Levi there printed the Jewish accounts. His book has not been translated, but it is in the S.P.R. Li- brary. Although she did not always commit herself to the theory, H.P.B. did endorse it in several places, notably in 1887 in two articles “The Esoteric Character of the Gospels” and her response in French to the Abbe Roca’s “Esotericism of Christian Dogma”. Both are in Collected Writings Vol. 8 - see especially pages, 189, 224, 380-2 and 460-1. Among scholars she cited Gerald Mas- sey in support, but added (p. 380) “Our Masters affirm the Statement.” The anti-Semitic writer Nesta H. Webster “Secret Societies and Subversive Movements” (London, 1928), quoting this same article asks “Who were the Masters whose authority Madame Blavatsky here invokes? Clearly not the Trans-Himalayan Brotherhood to whom she habitually refers by this term, and who can certainly not be suspected of affirming the authenticity of the Toldoth Yeshu. -
Zerohack Zer0pwn Youranonnews Yevgeniy Anikin Yes Men
Zerohack Zer0Pwn YourAnonNews Yevgeniy Anikin Yes Men YamaTough Xtreme x-Leader xenu xen0nymous www.oem.com.mx www.nytimes.com/pages/world/asia/index.html www.informador.com.mx www.futuregov.asia www.cronica.com.mx www.asiapacificsecuritymagazine.com Worm Wolfy Withdrawal* WillyFoReal Wikileaks IRC 88.80.16.13/9999 IRC Channel WikiLeaks WiiSpellWhy whitekidney Wells Fargo weed WallRoad w0rmware Vulnerability Vladislav Khorokhorin Visa Inc. Virus Virgin Islands "Viewpointe Archive Services, LLC" Versability Verizon Venezuela Vegas Vatican City USB US Trust US Bankcorp Uruguay Uran0n unusedcrayon United Kingdom UnicormCr3w unfittoprint unelected.org UndisclosedAnon Ukraine UGNazi ua_musti_1905 U.S. Bankcorp TYLER Turkey trosec113 Trojan Horse Trojan Trivette TriCk Tribalzer0 Transnistria transaction Traitor traffic court Tradecraft Trade Secrets "Total System Services, Inc." Topiary Top Secret Tom Stracener TibitXimer Thumb Drive Thomson Reuters TheWikiBoat thepeoplescause the_infecti0n The Unknowns The UnderTaker The Syrian electronic army The Jokerhack Thailand ThaCosmo th3j35t3r testeux1 TEST Telecomix TehWongZ Teddy Bigglesworth TeaMp0isoN TeamHav0k Team Ghost Shell Team Digi7al tdl4 taxes TARP tango down Tampa Tammy Shapiro Taiwan Tabu T0x1c t0wN T.A.R.P. Syrian Electronic Army syndiv Symantec Corporation Switzerland Swingers Club SWIFT Sweden Swan SwaggSec Swagg Security "SunGard Data Systems, Inc." Stuxnet Stringer Streamroller Stole* Sterlok SteelAnne st0rm SQLi Spyware Spying Spydevilz Spy Camera Sposed Spook Spoofing Splendide -
The Sacred City of the Ethiopians, Being a Record of Travel and Research in Abyssinia in 1893
The sacred city of the Ethiopians, being a record of travel and research in Abyssinia in 1893 http://www.aluka.org/action/showMetadata?doi=10.5555/AL.CH.DOCUMENT.sip100052 Use of the Aluka digital library is subject to Aluka’s Terms and Conditions, available at http://www.aluka.org/page/about/termsConditions.jsp. By using Aluka, you agree that you have read and will abide by the Terms and Conditions. Among other things, the Terms and Conditions provide that the content in the Aluka digital library is only for personal, non-commercial use by authorized users of Aluka in connection with research, scholarship, and education. The content in the Aluka digital library is subject to copyright, with the exception of certain governmental works and very old materials that may be in the public domain under applicable law. Permission must be sought from Aluka and/or the applicable copyright holder in connection with any duplication or distribution of these materials where required by applicable law. Aluka is a not-for-profit initiative dedicated to creating and preserving a digital archive of materials about and from the developing world. For more information about Aluka, please see http://www.aluka.org The sacred city of the Ethiopians, being a record of travel and research in Abyssinia in 1893 Author/Creator Bent, J. Theodore Date 1896 Resource type Books Language English Subject Coverage (spatial) Horn of Africa, Ethiopia, Axum, Eritrea Source Smithsonian Institution Libraries, DT379 .B47 1896X/916.3 B475s Description Contents. I: Arrival in Ethiopia. II: Stay at Asmara. III: Expedition to the monastery of Bizen. -
The Growth of the Christian Church (Chapter 2 of "Expressions of Faith") Ken Badley George Fox University, [email protected]
Digital Commons @ George Fox University Faculty Publications - School of Education School of Education 2004 The Growth of the Christian Church (Chapter 2 of "Expressions of Faith") Ken Badley George Fox University, [email protected] Dana Antayá-Moore Amy Kostelyk Follow this and additional works at: http://digitalcommons.georgefox.edu/soe_faculty Part of the Christianity Commons, Curriculum and Instruction Commons, and the History of Christianity Commons Recommended Citation Badley, Ken; Antayá-Moore, Dana; and Kostelyk, Amy, "The Growth of the Christian Church (Chapter 2 of "Expressions of Faith")" (2004). Faculty Publications - School of Education. 167. http://digitalcommons.georgefox.edu/soe_faculty/167 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the School of Education at Digital Commons @ George Fox University. It has been accepted for inclusion in Faculty Publications - School of Education by an authorized administrator of Digital Commons @ George Fox University. For more information, please contact [email protected]. CHAPTER 2 The Growth of the Christian Church No time machine will transport you to faraway places and times, Introduction but through this chapter, you can come to understand something of the history of the Christian Church. In doing so, you will gain a better sense of how there came to be a variety of ways of inter preting this faith, which has had a major impact on Canadian society and on the character of Newfoundland and Labrador. As you explore the five scenarios presented here, you will learn how various Christians struggled to live as persons of faith. This chapter begins about 300 years after Paul wrote his letter to the Galatians, telling them to focus on faith, not rules. -
Casey's Superfluous
Chapter 3 Casey’s Superfluous ‘Scholarship’ Ehrman’s book arguing for what is already the consensus view is so under- whelming that the now late Maurice Casey found it necessary to also weigh in on the debate, with what would be his last book, Jesus: Evidence and Argument or Mythicist Myths? Casey added nothing useful to the discussion, but for com- pleteness, the only other book of recent times written by a secular New Testa- ment specialist arguing for the Historical Jesus ought to be considered. With this book published in 2014, Casey acknowledges Ehrman’s “bold attempt”, but alluded to the latter’s “regrettable mistakes”.1 Casey aims to primarily “set out the main arguments for the existence as a historical figure of Jesus”, and secondarily, to refute the claims of the opposing mythicists.2 Regrettably, he completely misrepresents mythicism, mythicists, and mythicist approaches, and, like Ehrman, seems to completely overlook the more defensible agnostic position. Beginning rather poorly, Casey fails to outline his own method, and, like Ehrman, he also relies heavily on hypothetical sources. He defends against the problem of Paul, though somewhat unnecessarily, as he argues for the Gospels’ primacy by employing radically unorthodox dating methods. Casey finally at- tempts to engage with mythicist claims, though he focuses on the more ama- teurish mythicists, with barely a coherent word about Earl Doherty, who at the time had presented one of the most convincing cases for mythicism thus far (despite technically being an amateur himself). The tone of Casey’s work is also unprofessional and, at times, quite crude. -
How a Mainstream Historical Method Creates Its Own Jesus
How a mainstream historical method creates its own Jesus Not quite a Book Review: Comparing "Israël verdeeld" (Israel divided) by Lendering 2014 with "The simple mathematics of Jesus" by Colignatus 2012 Thomas Colignatus December 6 2014 - small update December 14 - insertion on Carrier December 20 2014 http://thomascool.eu Abstract Lendering (2014) "Israël verdeeld" (Israel divided) - henceforth JLIV - claims to present a history of the Jewish world in 180 BC - 70 AD. The book has mixed features of a scholarly book and a book to popularise historical findings for a general audience. JLIV frames Jesus as a historical figure. JLIV also discusses the historical method but not the criticism about it for its application to Jesus. The author adheres to the motto: "Relevance is the enemy of history" (J.P. Meier). The focus on the Jewish world in JLIV implies an emphasis on that Jesus was a Jew - and thus marginal to the Greek and Roman world. The implied argument is: Why would Greeks and Romans worship a Jew as their God ? JLIV does not explicitly discuss other scenario's than a historical Jesus. JLIV basically neglects the arguments of serious authors who analyse that Jesus did not exist as a historical figure, and thus is not even a legend but a myth. There are various scenarios how a Jesus as a mere idea could have come about. A possibility is that a sect of Hellenised Jews came upon the creation themselves. Another possibility is deliberate deception. JLIV does not put the Greek and Roman conquest of Israel en Judea at center stage that can explain this deception. -
A Response to Tom Harpur's the Pagan Christ
[MJTM 6 (2003–2005) 126-153] NEITHER SCHOLARLY NOR A SOLUTION: A RESPONSE TO TOM HARPUR’S THE PAGAN CHRIST Gordon L. Heath McMaster Divinity College, Hamilton, ON In early 2004, Tom Harpur’s The Pagan Christ: Recovering the Lost Light was published in Canada.1 The book has been quite popular, re- ceived positive reviews,2 and since its release in Canada it has also been sold in the United States and overseas. While Harpur’s previous books may have been controversial, The Pagan Christ makes Harpur’s most significant, radical and controversial claims about the Christian faith. For instance, Harpur declares that all Christian beliefs have their origins in ancient Egyptian religion, that Jesus never even existed, and that there was a literalist conspiracy in the third and fourth centuries to move the church away from its understanding the New Testament writings as myth towards a literal reading of the New Testament that interpreted the events described as real historical events. The implications of such claims are clear—if Harpur is right, the church needs to move away from 1800 years of tradition and theology and radically revise its beliefs and practice. This critique deals with various issues raised in The Pagan Christ. It is not meant to be exhaustive, for some of the issues raised by Harpur require a much more comprehensive treatment. What this critique does do, however, is provide the general, non-specialist reader with a brief cri- tique of some of Harpur’s claims. The first section deals with some 1. Tom Harpur, The Pagan Christ: Recovering the Lost Light (Toronto: Thomas Allen Publishers, 2004). -
Did Jesus Exist? Blogosphere Responses
Did Jesus Exist? Blogosphere Responses www.vialogue.wordpress.com Did Jesus Exist? http://choiceindying.com/2012/04/11/did-jesus-exist/ (accessed April 14, 2012) 11 April 2012 Eric MacDonald The existence or non-existence of Jesus is not an issue with me, and I still find it hard to understand why it should be an issue with anyone else. I spent years talking about the Jesus of the gospels, his teachings, his life and death, and, believe it or not, his resurrection — which was the hardest part of all — and for a while Robert Funk and his Jesus Seminar interested me strangely, and I attempted to understand the basis upon which the Fellows of the Seminar distinguished between the actual words of Jesus from words put in his mouth by later myth-making and tradition. Of course, the latter exercise has to presuppose Jesus’ real existence as an historical person who not only said things of interest and importance, but whose actual words can be distinguished from sayings that are not reliably attested and cannot be ascribed to the apocalyptic preacher from Galilee. But still this didn’t lead me to wonder whether Bart Ehrman’s HuffPo article “Did Jesus Exist?” had anything of importance to say. If there is no god, and it makes no sense to speak of god in the absence of its existence — contrary to people like Don Cupitt and Jack Spong — then Jesus, whether as an historical or a mythical figure, must lose traction in the mind of anyone who has said farewell to god.