Something that I was going to put into yesterday’s blog, but I completely forgot, is one of my favorite Robot Chicken clips, ever. Hopefully, I don’t get a cease and desist letter any time soon because I laugh my ass off every time I watch it. Not only did God create Internet porn, but he created the sundae, as well (albeit unintentionally).
First, I need to apologize to my few followers for having not posted in a while. Personal issues have arisen recently that have prevented me from doing so. That being said, I’ve still been attempting to research and understand the hypocrisy of organized religion. As always, I welcome any questions and ideas, but will tend to laugh at the responses of how I’m going to Hell for blaspheme. Once again, the ultimate hypocrisy of major religions has doomed us all to Hell, anyway, for believing the same thing, but in different ways…
Case in point – Mormonism, which was founded by three plagiarists (two of which came to their senses, while the con artist who had been driven out of previous locales continued on with the charade), once preached pro-polygamy and racism. Their system of belief is still based on the fact that Native American Indians have dark skin as a punishment from God. And though the church now denounces polygamy and attempts to hide its past racial prejudice, these were two of the ideals that caused the Mormon community to migrate to Utah and break from common Christian beliefs. They’d be going to Hell.
Hell, where Catholics and Protestants are both headed because, though they believe in the same god, politics dictate that power should be granted to the respective sect. Protestants, themselves, came about in response to the abuses that they suffered at the hands of others with too much religious power. That abuse, in the eyes of the new separatists, would send their predecessors to Hell. This same cycle has been repeated over and over, even beyond the origins of Christianity. And though Jewish Hell isn’t an issue, it’s fire and brimstone creation found its way into the teachings of Christians and Muslims, two branches of the same original religion, who now fight for the right to preach the same messages, be they conservative or radical. Each, in turn, has split and split again.
It has only been in the past couple of centuries that literacy has become an important aspect of education among all classes. The ability for more and more populations to practice freedom of thought has created an almost countless array of interpretations. Once, these interpretations were available only when printed with powerful approval. Freedom’s rise led to new versions of the same messages. Today, with widespread access to the Internet, the words and messages of any god are readily available to all.
And with the access of information also comes access to others with like beliefs. Some religions thank their respective deities for the creation of such a powerful tool to spread the Word. But why, then, would those deities provide such access to the lies and deceit of alternative viewpoints. Further still, why would any god allow the creation of sites that are dedicated to the spread of blaspheme. Sites like jdate not only give Jews the opportunity to meet, but also to find compatibility and the possibility of furthering the lineage of the religion.
Christianmingle, though, is to thank for the message of God’s ultimate power – porn. Though unintentional, the slogan “Find God’s match for you” insinuates that Christians, with God-given free will, can’t find their own mates. God’s invention was necessary, so he created the Internet, in order for Christians to find the matches that He wants them to have, regardless of free will. But God’s a naughty boy, apparently, because he apparently needed something to do on that 7th day. Surely, he wouldn’t have let the Devil have any part in his new tool to bring his matches together. That would defeat the purpose of his match-making creation.
So, on which day did God decide that free will wasn’t good enough, and that he didn’t trust his own followers to make their own matches, and why would he create Internet porn to distract his loyal subjects from possibly meeting the matches that He so ordained? Perhaps, it’s a test of faith. The distraction of porn must be overcome, in order to discover a match. But then, if God has ordained that you will “Find God’s match for you”, it would make no difference what distractions he puts in the way of his free-will negating match-making.
Website sexinchrist states that, “…pornography could be either degrading and sinful (as it almost always is), or it could depict acts that, when viewed appropriately, could enhance the sexual and sensual relationships of believers.” When viewed appropriately seems like a message stating that, not only did God place porn on the Net, but he expects his followers to view it and determine the difference between sinful and sensual acts.
The same site, under their Framework for Christian Porn, points out that, “It must portray sex within the context of a Christian marriage. It must be apparent through the actions, behaviors, and speech of the characters portrayed that they are Christian, lead a Christian lifestyle, and have a marriage in which their faith is central. This could be depicted in a variety of ways, with scenes showing a couple praying together, studying the Bible, attending church or church functions, and generally relating to one another as loving Christian spouses outside of the bedroom.” Admittedly, I am one of many fans of the Catholic schoolgirl fantasy. Praying nuns spanking students would seem to fall under this description because, though they’re not married, Sister Mary and Father Tim would lead anybody to believe that the church considers itself a family. Granted, marriage is not usually an object of such fantasies, but I’m sure examples exist out there and I’m sure that, should the site’s ideals become widespread, there will be a surge of marriage-related dirtiness.
Perhaps, christianmingle’s motto of “Find God’s match for you” doesn’t necessarily refer to the possibility of meeting someone on the site. Maybe, God’s match for you is a life of Internet porn, since, as previously mentioned, his pre-ordainment of match-making negates any interference by Satan, since the match is ordained to take place, regardless. Ultimately, technology has always been, and will continue to be, a means of disseminating the Word. And whether that word is “You shall not covet your neighbor’s…wife” or “Please sir, may I have another”, you can thank God for having to clear your browser history before church. It’s not a sin, it’s your pre-ordained, free-will relinquishing match made in Heaven.
I know I haven’t posted a relevant entry here in a while – things have been hectic. In the mean time, I’ve recently listed my services on thumbtack.com and decided to post the link up here.
As contradictory as the title sounds, it seems as though my most knowledgeable information seems to stem from “discussions” that I have with acquaintances who consider themselves religiously active. It is no secret that such individuals tend to be extremely close-minded, understanding and believing only what they are told they should. Granted, there are a few exceptions, and I am always happy to meet them.
My most recent discussion occurred a few nights ago, when the issue of the swastika came up. The person I was discussing this with, argued that it had no origin in Judaism, and of all the Jewish lessons she’d taken, regarding symbols and the like, it had never been mentioned. Right there on the spot, we did our little cell phone searches, and I found a description of the swastika’s link to Judaism. I showed this link to her – namely its inclusion on ancient Jewish decorations. Her response was one that is so commonplace it has become the stereotypical religious response. “That doesn’t mean it has anything to do with the people who made the stuff.” Of course, my favorite hobby is traversing thousands of miles and marking my initials on some poor pottery maker’s wares over in Africa, just so, thousands of years from now, somebody can say that my initials had nothing to do with the pottery (that was sarcasm).
Today, I decided to do a little more research and, though it is admittedly hard to find a direct link, there is such information available. But where my research did take me was far beyond what I had hoped to find. In other words, her one-sided view led me to relationships that I had never even thought about before.
First, I will describe the link for any of you readers who agree that the swastika has no origins in Judaism. Apart from the fact that Judaism would be the only religion and culture in the known history of man to not utilize a form of the image, there are written examples of its use. The majority of these cultures, from Norse regions, to Middle Eastern and Native American lands, usually referred to nature, the sun, or a calendar system. The Coptic period in Egypt was a time in which the area was home to many religions, as well as many examples of the swastika. Some of the cultures and examples did belong to Jewish history, though this might still not be considered a direct link.
However, the Jewish scholar Rabbi Eliezer Fischl did not only speak of the swastika, but wrote of and used it in his writings. One such example of his included the symbol with outwardly flowing verses (which, to me, resembled solar rays). The Aramaic hymn refers to the power of the sun. Rabbi Fischl’s book, itself, was a commentary on a medieval tome by yet another Jewish scholar, Rabbi Aharon of Kardina.
NOTE – before continuing, I just want to re-iterate that my argument is not in the swastika’s origin as a Jewish symbol, but only its use as a religious symbol, as its true origin has yet to be found.
That being said, one of the Rabbi’s versions was slightly altered, and was created with the Hebrew letters Aleph and Resh, the initial and final symbols in the Hebrew alphabet. The combinations translates to “light”.
As previously mentioned, the symbol of the swastika has been found in seemingly un-linked cultures throughout the world, and throughout history. It is found often among cultures that include both Norse and Hindu faiths. It is a popular notion that Adolph Hitler’s version was absorbed from the Norse incarnation, as his Arian beliefs linked him directly to a people whom he felt were the perfect examples of the human being. Though not as well known, and probably only passing theories, it has been mentioned that his swastika was also an afront to the Jews he despised. His choice of the swastika was made even more deliberate because it was a Jewish symbol that he mocked by turning on its axis, thus deliberately insulting the Jewish people.
This link to Judaism (though not necessarily the insult theory) is a relatively easy path to re-trace, according to scholars such as Gene D. Matlock, whose extensive research has actually determined deep links with, and possibly even the origin of Judaism, Indian and Hindu regions. His examples alone of strikingly similar names and meanings between the two cultures would be enough for many to understand such a link. The first, and most striking (to me, anyway), is his description of a parcel of land in India that was known as Seuna-Desa, or Zion Land. Within this region existed a city, historically known as Satana, which, according to Matlock, would put Sodom and Gomorrah to shame. Its views, of course, were greatly different those in surrounding cities, especially of nearby Seunas. The two cities decided to settle their differences in battle – one that Satana lost.
The region in which these two cities existed has been a holy land for Indians. It includes such cities as Nashik, which is the exact Hebrew term for “Royal Prince”. This city was the favorite of Indian Yadava Royalty. Satana, itself, existed near a region known as Khandesh (translated as “City of Cain). Kodesh also exists, and refers to “first”. Both Kod and Khad, according to Matlock, further the link between the two cultures, in that they are sanscrit terms for first, or God. Khadesh is the first day of a Jewish calendar month.
Why is anything even remotely controversial to an organized religion not common knowledge? Long before Matlock’s research, 18th century scholar, Godfrey Higgins, published two volumes of work that proved the link between Judaism and Hinduism. The iron grasp that the Church had on Europe during that time suppressed the writings and very few remained public. Even today, it is difficult to find a copy, though they do exist. Modern religious figures have taken advantage of this and have passed the information off as their own, creating followers of words that were written and shunned centuries ago. It is even believed (though I have yet to research this myself) that a certain Presbyterian preacher plagiarized the works of Higgins in his creation of what we now know as the Book of Mormon.
I have never claimed to know everything, and I am always eager to learn. I’ve found that one of the best ways, as the title of this entry states, is to find a way to prove a stubborn person wrong. Though you will rarely change the viewpoint of anybody whose final retort is always “faith”, it definitely opens the door for you to expand your knowledge of any topic.
I first realized this lesson quite a number of years ago, when I was discussing something with a pig-headed co-worker. The background is that diamonds can be made from any carbon-based material, if enough pressure and heat are combined. I made the comment that they can, and have, created diamonds out of peanut butter. Of course, I was chastised, insulted, and even yelled at, so I did what I normally do – researched it, if for no other reason than to prove myself wrong. I did happen to find information that stated peanut butter’s use in the creation of diamonds. Of course, when I presented this to her, she had the same brick-wall answer that can be compared to any close-minded person – that it was a lie and she would always be right, even when the proof was staring her right in the face.
Expecting – and Ready – for the Bad
I’m currently up in Washington State, having flown up for the funeral of a close family member. I knew, even as I packed, that I was going to receive comments for the pendant I wear (NOT for my beliefs, as those who make the comments have created their assumptions from only what I wear). I knew who the source of the most un-intelligent, attempting insult was going to be, and I knew that he wouldn’t have the balls to say it himself – he’s done the same thing before when he has issues with other people. Instead, he decided to make a mention of it to someone a little closer to me, who just happened to be standing next to the comment engineer. Even had I not expected it, not a split second would have passed before I realized the true source.
Although I have no quarrel with conservative or liberal, as long as they’re open-minded and what I consider to be “common-sensican”, he is conservative to the point where what he knows is what is, which is why he never needs to ask, in order to make his presumptions about people known, while having others speak his mind – I’m guessing to stay in good graces with a family who loves him and doesn’t realize his disingenuous ways. Granted, he is a good guy, overall, but it’s the close-mindedness that leads to the cons that I see in him. Both of his daughters, unless they’ve graduated, attend a Catholic school – beliefs in which neither believe. Last year, they approached me to ask about my pendant and I don’t bring my beliefs up unless asked, so I was careful to tread, but they were eager to listen. What I said was closer along the lines of what they felt, I guess, but, once again, it’s not something they could ever bring up to a dad such as theirs.
Having mentioned my pendant, it is simply a pentacle; a five-pointed star facing up. Even had it been a pentagram, the same star facing down, it would have had nothing to do with beliefs for which it has been so associated. What I believe, they have never asked, but a non-Christian symbol is, hence, an evil disgrace and, I’m assuming, a source of much comment about insulting the departed for wearing it at the funeral.
In point of fact, less than a handful of people have ever directly asked about my pendant and my beliefs. One was the person whose funeral we attended. One was the aforementioned daughter of the close-minded cousin. The other, well, leads to the good.
The Good – Unexpected and Much Appreciated
The person whose funeral we attended had always wanted a party to celebrate her life, not a wake to mourn her death. (As a side note, that is what I would want, as well). And though most of my family consists of some sort of former or non-practicing Christian faith, one family, whose religion is known but never discussed (reasons why to come), surprised me to the point where, of all relatives, they have become the family with whom I’d choose , above all, to spend time with.
For those of you who read this with condescendence, you might snort at the mention of such a branch of your faith. For those of you who just enjoy the read and information, don’t snicker – they’re Jehoves…yes, Jehovah’s Witnesses.
Of any branch of Christianity (even though many refuse to admit that), they are among the most scorned (I would count Mormonism and Southern Baptism among the top, as well, though that is opinion, not statistic). I know that the father – who is my cousin – converted because of his wife, but, through our conversations, I realized that he is as devout as they come. Yet, he was the only person who listened, with an open mind, intelligible questions, and answers that didn’t lead to the generic end-all-conversations answer that is, “faith”. He would ask, why I believe certain things, what brought me to believe them, how I feel about what he believes, and where we both come from, religiously. He understood my answers and, though almost always returning to the words of the Bible for answers, rather than the history of the book itself, it was an enlightening discussion for both of us.
As much as I’ve chastised organized religion, be it Islam, Christianity, and the like, I will never admit to knowing everything about anything. His religion is one of few branches from the norm that I didn’t know in-depth, and can’t discuss in detail until I do. He, in turn, as most Christians of any branch do, had ever turned to his Bible for answers, rather than taking into account the omissions his version may have made, or the alterations that have taken place over time. My pointing out of history and its effect on Biblical scriptures during each period of time gave him, in his own admission, research to do. I , in turn, agreed to look up some information that he had directed me to. Though I haven’t yet (saving it for when I get home), he did say it was impartial, either way.
Later that night, as everyone left, I was arranging an after party. Of fifteen people who said they’d return, and two who specifically asked me to stay there and wait for them, only that family, who rarely even drinks, returned. The “party” returned to the family’s room and the entire family shared a glass of wine with me before I left.
And yes, he has the good genes of an overall respectable and accommodating family within him, it was a nice surprise that the most devout of all, in one of the most ostracized religions of all, was the only one who initiated a completely open-minded conversation – not even attempting any conversion, just listening, answering, and asking.
It was unexpected, least of all (almost) from him, making the trip up here worth more than the paying of respects, while under the gazes of ignorance.
I know this is a bit off the path for my blog, but I needed somewhere to record it and thought it to be fitting….
Lamentations of a Man Upon Who Was Bestowed the Unwanted Title of Prophet
I am John – the Revelator
The creator of seals I cannot break
I am the dreamer of ultimate sin
Of pain, and the suffering, the sorrow of all
So punished by ills I had written
For I am creator of ultimate sin –
and he who decided the fate of mankind
Even unknowing, the lot I convince;
Through fear of the end – such power, infectious
Yeah, ‘twas my poem convincing as such –
the fear and the anguish my words have unleashed
The fear and the anguish created through dream
I, who am John, through thought and through pen
Intentions not being to speak prophecy
Intentions not being to take lit’rally
For that which I wrote – it was but a dream
A dream, not of demons, as clerics recite
But that of the hated I wished, out of spite,
Would meet on the mountain the armies I know –
to which I align, as my kin
They, who would triumph o’er demons
Of Mine
Demon – an insult to mine enemies
Those persecutors who scoffed at our views
Who hate and despise as they punish our kind
Delivering sentence of death
Of destruction
My dream was recorded as strength for our triumph
Events that transpired while even I breathed
Though lacking such drama – and nye in true battle
Instead, that of will, and of freedom for mine
A story was written, based on a dream
Dramatic, its purpose, as such stories are
Thus, giving me title of your Revelator –
Thus serving the needs of they hungry for power
Who with such a tool – the power of fear
They wield my words and so rule un-opposed
For this, as a dreamer, an author of tales
Regretting, so deeply, my greatest of works
Now but a weapon they swing with great might
My sin, that of writing a false history,
Prevents, in itself, the rapture of me
John, he is I, the writer of dreams
Creating the source of scourge and of fear
Remembering, though, that your God is mine
I pray, both to He, and to you – the believers
I beg for forgiveness of what I have done
For penning a tale I once based on a dream
Based on the nature of tyrants and fear
A story intended to rally my kind
Succeeding in naught, but my greatest of fears
Creating a fuel brightly burning for they –
Those who seek power, and fear is their way
Yes, of the tyrants alone I created
‘Twas Rome and its tyrants that shaped such a dream
Creating a symbol of what I despise
Succeeding in naught, but giving a tool
To those I called kin, and so many to follow
The power of few, now to hold many more
Those souls that I wished to be free
Again, I must pray for what I have done
To those blindly caught in my web of words
Forgiveness from they –
Those whose lives I directed
Through power that once I had penned
Creating the weapon for they who know true
That fear of the pen is that above all
Watching as weapons – all rusting away
Cursed, though, to witness the lives that they sway
Long after writers have faded away;
Creators of tales, unable to say that intentions were never to challenge a faith
Or form such a tool to empower the hate
Emotions, mine own, those tyrants I’d fought
Their power, the same as your walls to perception
A teller of tales; a dreamer of dreams
Could never have dreamt that such power was his
The power still used by the tyrants today
To alter the present and times long since gone
Historic destruction that none should control
Blame, I accept, for penning the tool;
That which such evil has held for so long
With title unwanted – the great Revelator
I wish to take back such a burden to all
Heed not my story – this I implore
A story I wrote now become so much more
Live not your lives in such fearful demeanor
Let not my words have any effect
On even an instant of free will and life
Even an instant of those long since told
To fear what I penned so long, long ago
You are believers of words from the stage
The tools of actors delivering lines
Listen to he who has altered your lives
So cursing my soul for weakening yours
To wander forever in shame for my work
Writing of wars that call history home
Branding me still for the fear I instill
Directed at powers I challenged in life
Felled by a weapon that trumps any sword
A scribe’s simple pen and his powerful word
Forgive me, my brethren, and to whom we all pray
For giving such powers to those undeserving
Allies, I felt, as empires fell
Now greater than powers I once so despised
Never so feared, as history shows
Than they with the power a pen once created
The pen of a dreamer who altered the world
– John, who is branded by nothing more hated than what now I am,
No longer a dreamer
Creator of seals
Of horsemen and plagues
But oh, so much more –
This un-measurable fear
May they who have come to expect from my words
The tale of dreams and the end of all days
Finding in fable what some claim as truth
Pray that none other should suffer the fate
Of hearing my tales – passed on then as truth
Or even a fate worse than the rest –
Be he whose creations; descriptions of dreams
Be cursed to lend power to tyrants and thieves
I, the creator of powers un-matched
Here thus revealing the guilt I shall bare
Or I, the creator of something so heinous
Regret such a title as “John, Revelator”
Used as a cry – one of fear not imagined
Creator of chains, oh so strong and so binding
Warping a faith I once so defended
A mockery now as they hide behind fear
Hated by none more than he penned the weapon
Live as your values may guide every choice
Live not for the fear of no greater sin
Than they who surpass it by wielding the tool
Saying to you what they and none other
Interpret as only an actor can do
Words to be sharpened in each, their own way
Creating the fear that you know today
I wrote then of deeds that are long ago passed
Passing still further as words here you read
Fiction, it was; a dream many shared
Now spoken as truth – as prophecy’s king
While ever I mourn for the damage I cause
Lives ever altered by naught but a dreamer –
Creator of words that grow stronger by day
Now, to my readers
Now must I pray
I must plead, even beg
That you live as you will
Be not the target of bearers of fear
Power is yours, not in that oft recited
Found in the tales I wrote – ever gruesome
Chosen for naught but the terror instilled
My tale, a dream, wrote not for your ears
I am the author that wrote the worst tales
Creating the thoughts that in some may not change
In those who have long lost the faith in their way
Because of I, a man, namely John;
Once who opposed such an empire; Rome
Shamed now to say that the guilt is all mine
For I become bringer of strength to corruption
I am the Revelator – tool of their power
Putting to shame the evil I fought
A shame I will bare now forever and more
As dreamer, and writer; creator of fear
The greatest of prophets, that not did I want
Revelations of John –
He is I, but I’m naught
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons license.
Cyprian of Carthage once wrote in a letter that, for most people, it is difficult to overcome “what is deeply and radically engrained within us”. Though Cyprian was discussing his interest in, and later conversion to, Christianity, he was referring to the difficulty that any person might have in embracing a new point of view; one that was introduced later in a person’s life. Cyprian’s environment was pagan in nature, so Christianity would be the new belief to which he was being exposed.
Approximately 33 percent of the world’s population is Christian. 23 percent is Muslim, and an estimated 14 percent consider themselves to be Hindu. Wikipedia listed the annual growth of Christianity as 1.3 percent, almost equal to the world’s overall population growth of 1.2 percent. Of that number, only 0.13 percent are converts to any form of Christianity. The numbers may be dull and confusing, but ultimately, they help to enforce Cyprian’s view that it is difficult to let go of an inherently ingrained set of beliefs.
And though no true numbers exist to measure the world’s combined IQ changes over the years, it is rare to find a religiously-affiliated individual who will listen to an opposing viewpoint, as an open-minded audience. Ultimately, the end-all absolute answer to any question involving religion comes down to one word – faith. Regardless of numbers, facts, theories, ideas, history, or any other tangible examples, faith becomes the answer to any question or argument that otherwise has no logical answer.
The Center for the Study of Global Christianity estimated that around 41,000 different Christian faiths exist today. That’s over 40,000 different interpretations of the exact same book – one that specifies it is simply a “version” of the original book of stories that were put together as a method of conversion (often through fear). Over 40,000 different faiths that consider themselves Christian are so set in their ways that they can’t even agree on the interpretation of a single religion, let alone listen to any other viewpoint beyond that.
A great number of people, religious or not, believe that humans are not animals, but are, in fact, better than animals. The majority of Christian faiths attribute this to humans having souls (only their faith is proof that nothing else does). However, if humans were not animals, themselves, we, as a species, would not hold within us those animalistic traits that are passed down from one generation to the next. In the wild, young learn by imitating parents. They do what they must in order to survive. In most cases, wild animals must not think for themselves, lest they develop traits that will prevent their survival.
The Christian viewpoint that humans are not animals would imply that we hold within us no instinct for survival. We learn everything we know as we live. This would automatically imply that all human beings are open-minded, which would create an environment in which all people, regardless of faith, would listen and absorb any information provided to them. Keeping this in mind, wouldn’t the viewpoint that humans are not animals be a contradiction in itself, where religion is concerned?
It is because we are animals, born with traits developed over millennia, that we grow to imitate our parents. In a wild environment, that is the one trait, above all, that would keep us alive. As “intelligent” beings, the idea of faith, passed down from one generation to the next, seems to be one of those ideas that are near impossible to alter. Coupled with fear, ignorance, and shear stubbornness, it becomes what Cyprian of Carthage was referring to when he wrote of the difficulty in altering what is, “deeply and radically engrained within us”.
A few key points to suggest in any religious discussion –
For some odd reason, there seems to be an increasing amount of end times talk as the most recent (and falsely publicized) iteration of Armageddon approaches. As if it weren’t hard enough already to get a straight answer as to why Apocalyptic prophecies are associated with heathen religions, in the first place (considering that the latter are baseless, false religions created by the Satan that original Christians apparently didn’t even realize existed), try asking why each approaching supposed day of judgment is definitely “real”, while all that were “real” and passed must have been more tricks of the Devil. The only true answer to both these questions is one simple word – fear. The wider the umbrella of fear that a religion can create, the greater chance it has of increasing its customer base and either fleecing followers out of what little money they may have, creating an ever-growing pool of followers over which to rule, or (and usually) both. One recent discussion resulted in an answer along the lines of, “…because we wouldn’t be here if it had already happened.” Don’t ask; I’m still trying to wrap my head around that one.
The truth is that the version of Revelations contained within Biblical texts is one of many that were written around the same time – which, even according to past Christian leaders (including Saint Dionysius of Alexandria, around the year 260), was neither written by the man that it’s attributed to, nor written at the time that other Biblical canons were written. Saint Dionysius pointed out that significant differences existed in both the way the canon was written and with its sophistication. Apparently, his observations were ignored, as were the fact that, around the same time, numerous books of revelation were written by Jews, Christians, and even pagan religions. As Christianity was only beginning to come into its own, authors chose to write their versions and attribute them to the various disciples, reasoning that they were writing in the spirit of those who came before them. Not one of the books found to date has matched the styles or educational levels of any other Bible canon contributors.
Apparently, though, this was a known fact to Christian leaders since the religion’s earliest years. Origen, known as the father of the church, was one of its earliest historians and philosophers. Even this was not enough to protect him as others realized what power they could wield through fear. Origen was condemned as a heretic around 300 years after his death because his teachings, though some of the first in Christian history, were “wrong”. He, of course, had the nerve to state that all things, including animals, stars, human, angels, and even demons were interconnected. If this were true, his teachings would have diluted the fuel behind the religion’s greatest tool. As he was being branded as heretical, so were a list of other books of Revelation, which coincided with his (and early Christian) teachings. These included The Secret Revelation of John (which undoubtedly differed in style from his canon and the current Revelations that he has been credited with authoring), The Gospel of Truth, and Thunder, Perfect Mind. Not only were such books banned, but church leaders went so far as to outlaw everything other than Catholic-associated texts and to denounce spiritual leaders who were educated.
Even today, the effects of religion on illiterate masses can be seen throughout the world, from America’s deep south (also known as the Bible Belt) to the sands of Arabia. In fact, one of the most fundamental and contested differences between Sunni and Shi’a Islam is the idea that all people (versus only an Imam) have the power to reach Allah. Imagine the power that religious leaders would lose if they determined that all people should be able to pray to God, ask about and interpret the Koran, or question why a passage is skipped, ignored, or included as a method of altering the context of a sermon? As Catholicism has demonstrated throughout history, it is much easier to control a population with a handful of literate religious leaders, who watch over a flock of, well, sheep. Those followers can’t always be held responsible for their beliefs because they know only what they’re told by the one person who they have grown up being told to trust. Their ignorance isn’t blind, but it is often taken advantage of. As literacy became a more popular trait to have, history shows that Christianity began to branch out more and more, based on the understanding of texts by people of all walks of life.
This increase in literacy and its association with free thought is exactly what Tertullian was trying to avoid in the third century. He demanded that followers only listen and “accept the rule of faith”; going so far as to condemn ALL questions as heretical. Even as he represented the beliefs of a man who asked questions of those around him, Tertullian found a way to eliminate others’ search for knowledge. It should go without saying why he chose the most vivid and horrific version of written revelations as the only legal Revelations to include in Catholic teachings.
Tertullian’s association with Revelations is further shown by his intentions to outlaw what he called “secret books”. It must only be coincidence that when iterations of various authors’ revelations were found at Nag Hammadi, a religious site in Egypt, they were referred to as Apocryphon, or “Something Secret”. Outlawing questions might seem to many as extreme, but you’re also able to read this. If you weren’t, who would you turn to as a source of information and how could you be sure that whoever that person is, they would be telling you the real truth, rather than their truth?
Athanasius, another early Christian leader, was an ally of Constantine, the Roman Emperor who became Christianity’s savior by declaring it Rome’s official religion (but did not get baptized until his death bed, so that he could continue his lifestyle without fear). Apparently, Athanasius knew then what scholars believe now – that the “beast” referred to in the Bible’s Revelations referred to Roman rulers. He omitted any such reference from the book, in an effort to appease Constantine, while keeping the fear associated with all of that overzealous fire and brimstone.
However, Athanasius then did something that many Christian sects might still do today. He exchanged the references of the Emperor as the beast with his only true competition – other sects of Christianity (which he referred to as heretics). He made it known that the heretics (among them, the Arians, or followers of exiled priest, Arius) were not real Christians and were, apparently, yet more tools of Satan. His reasoning seemed to mimic that of Tertullian, who worked to essentially ban education a century before Athanasius took the reigns. Athanasius, though, took it a step further by denouncing even educated spiritual leaders, reasoning that all human thinking was evil. Christians, then, had absolutely no choice but to listen and obey, without question or thought, the words of yet one more religious leader who valued power above all else.
IRONY ALERT – Arians, today’s illiterate and ignorant version of Hitler’s supposed “perfect” people, were once considered heretics in their first appearance in Christian history.
Today’s Arians hate Jews, though they worship one as their Savior. They hide behind the writings of his disciples to explain why they should be allowed to do to others what Romans did to Jesus, a Jew. Jesus was never baptized, nor was “Christian” a term used to describe his followers until long after his death, so there is little argument that he could be anything other than Jewish.
Early Arians were exiled and condemned by “true” Christians. They were identified by Athanasius as Antichrist. Antichrist is an idea that was stolen from the Jews. Some Arians today will say that Antichrist will be a Jew (or anything else that a specific person or group feels like hating and turning against).
Conclusion – A group of Christians, their forbearers condemned by Christians, worship a Jew and use his teachings as a reason to condemn Jews. The whole stealing ideas from other religions thing is just icing, since we know that, without the help from Jews, Arians would have never been able to fathom such a complex idea.
Hysterietical Musings 