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- You Mean THAT's In the Bible?
- by: Satyaraja Dasa (Steven J. Rosen)
- ISKCON New York - Sri Sri Radha Govinda MAndir
- 305 Schermerhorn St. Brooklyn, NY 11217
- http://radhagovinda.net
- ________________________________________________
- Dedicated to His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami
- Prabhupada, who set the perfect example in his own life, by
- loving the Lord with all of his heart, soul, and mind. (see
- Matt. 22:36-40)
- ________________________________________________
- Table of Contents
- -------------------
- 1) Introduction
- 2) You Are not the Body
- 3) One Who Loves Christ Must Follow His Commandments
- 4) Meat Eating
- 5) Reincarnation
- 6) Celibacy
- 7) Renunciation
- 8) "There is much I have to tell you..."
- 9) Jesus And God May Be One--But They Are Also Different
- 10) Miscellaneous
- 11) After word
- (Special thanks to His Grace Rajendranath Dasa; the fruits of
- his research were indispensable to the production of this
- pamphlet)
- ________________________________________________
- 1) INTRODUCTION
- Both read the Bible day and night.
- But thou read'st black where I read white.
- --William Blake--
- Everyone has some conception of Christianity, whether one
- is a believer or not. The Christian doctrine is amenable to
- many different interpretations and, indeed, many have taken
- advantage of this amenability. As early as sixty-five years
- after the time of Jesus, for instance, Paul, who had never met
- Jesus, debated with the original Apostles in regard to Jesus'
- teaching: Paul thought that Jesus' advent freed the people
- from following the Old Law, that faith alone was required.
- Meanwhile, the Apostles taught that Jesus came to enforce the
- Old Law, and that faith without work is dead.
- The faith/works polemic has been going on for
- centuries. And countless forms of "Christianity" have emerged
- as variations on this theme. The subject became so confused by
- the time of Martin Luther(1483-1546) both faith and works were
- hard to find. The Popes of the Renaissance epitomize this
- confusion. The deMedici Popes were considered the most
- debauched men in the history of religion. The original Pope
- John XXIII was deposed for "notorious incest, adultery,
- defilement, and homicide." In 1415, while still a chamberlain,
- he openly kept his brother's wife as a mistress. In an effort
- to squash the scandal, his superiors promoted him to cardinal
- and sent him to Bologna, where "two hundred maids, matrons, and
- widows, including a few nuns, fell victim to his brutal lust."
- In 1484, Pope Innocent VIII was elected. he was nicknamed "the
- Honest" because he was the first Pope to acknowledge his
- illegitimate children publicly. This whole farce reached an
- unquestionable peak when, in 1724, the Roman Catholic Church
- banned the confessional requirement that men name their
- partners in fornication when it was discovered that priests
- were actually making carnal use of the information. Seeing the
- iniquities of the Papacy, Martin Luther proposed an egalitarian
- solution: "Each man should have his own divine right to
- interpret holy scripture." While this new version of
- Christianity released many believers from the dictates of
- insincere leaders, a new problem arose: Many would interpret
- the scriptures with some ulterior motive (both consciously and
- unconsciously). And this is the problem that exists today. Many
- are using the scriptures to rationalize [his/her] habits,
- activities that God would never ordain.
- Readers of this pamphlet--Christian and non-Christian--are
- advised to view the following with an open mind, possibly
- achieving a fresh outlook. The distinct feature of this work is
- that it is not beleaguered by vague or popular translations of
- the Bible. All Bible verses are rendered with references to
- Reuben Alcalay's Complete Hebrew/English Dictionary for the Old
- Testament, and to Nestle's Greek/English Interlinear for the
- New Testament. The importance of a word-by-word translation
- should not be underestimated. Ambiguous and aesthetically
- pleasing--but inaccurate--translations are at the heart of
- Biblical interpretive problems.
- We are, of course, working with the premise that the Bible
- has not been drastically changed (this is obviously an
- important assumption when delivering textual criticism).
- Otherwise, all Biblical texts become meaningless. An opinion
- that is not uncommon.
- Still, America is basically a Christian country, and all
- Christians base their conception of Christianity on the Bible.
- For such persons, this pamphlet should prove useful; with
- exception of a few editorial notes, we will allow the bible to
- speak for itself.
- The ultimate purpose of this work, however, is to show the
- harmony that exists between the Bible and the more-ancient
- Vedic texts of India. The essential message of the Bible and
- the Vedas is one: to love the Lord with all of ones heart, soul
- and mind. This message is revealed to different people
- according to time, place, and circumstance; based on these
- considerations, specifics may vary. Still the essence remains
- the same--it is simply delivered according to the capacity of
- the audience.
- For instance, that which is taught in a primary math
- course differs greatly from that which is taught on in a higher
- level. In elementary mathematics, one is taught that numbers
- can not be subtracted from smaller numbers. And this premise
- should be accepted by all who study basic arithmetic. However,
- in advanced mathematics, you learn that you can subtract larger
- numbers from smaller ones: the results are negative numbers.
- Similarly, prophets and sages reveal religious truths
- selectively, for the benefit and gradual upliftment of their
- audience. And, on minor points, you may find that one prophet
- deprecates a certain activity, while another, from another
- tradition endorses it.
- In this way, persons of different cultures can advance
- gradually, according to their means. Revelation itself comes
- gradually. And the ultimate revelation is that religion is one-
- -for God is one. If this short pamphlet can induce even one
- person to reach this conclusion, the author will have
- considered this work worthwhile.
- ________________________________________________
- 2) YOU ARE NOT THE BODY
- 40) "There are also celestial (epourania: heavenly) bodies, and
- bodies terrestrial (epiyeia: earthly): but the glory of the
- celestial is one, and the glory of the terrestrial is another."
- 42) "So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in
- corruption (ie. born in matter); it is raised in incorruption
- (ie. Spirit).)
- 44) "It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body.
- There is a natural body, and a spiritual body."
- 47) "The first man of the earth, earthy (ie. first birth is
- material): the second man is the Lord (anthropos: man) from
- heaven (ie. second birth is spiritual)."
- 48) "As is the earthy, such are they also that are earthy: and
- as is heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly."
- 49) "And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall
- also bear the image of the heavenly."
- 50) "Now this I (Paul) say, brethren, that flesh and blood
- cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption
- inherit incorruption."
- I Corinthians 15;40, 42, 44, 47, 48, 50
- This section clearly shows that man has both a material body
- and a spiritual body, and that man first goes through a birth
- of the material body and then takes birth in his spiritual
- body.
- ________________________________________________
- "While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the
- things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are
- temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal."
- II Corinthians 4:18
- This shows that the seen, material world is temporary, while
- the unseen, spiritual world is eternal. Similarly, the body,
- which is seen, is temporary, while the life-force (soul), which
- is unseen is eternal
- ________________________________________________
- 1) "For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle
- were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made
- with hands, eternal in the heavens."
- 2) "For in this (house) we groan, earnestly desiring to be
- clothed upon with our house which is from heaven."
- 6) "Therefore, we are always confident, knowing that, while we
- are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord."
- 7) "For we walk by faith, not by sight."
- 8) "We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent
- from the body, and to be present with the lord."
- II Corinthians 5:1, 2, 6, 7, 8
- This is clear that while in this material body we are
- suffering, and desiring to be in our spiritual body; and that
- by spiritual knowledge we know that the material body is
- separate from the Lord. Not the reference in verse 7 to sastra
- caksus.
- ________________________________________________
- "And it came to pass, as he was alone praying, his disciples
- were with him: and he asked them, saying, Whom do the people
- say that I am? They answering him said, John the Baptist; but
- some say Elias; and other say that one of the old prophets is
- risen again."
- Luke 9:18-19
- Now why would the disciples answer like this if they did not
- believe in reincarnation.
- ________________________________________________
- CONFLICT BETWEEN HIGHER AND LOWER SELF
- "For I know that nothing good lodges in me--in my
- unspiritual nature, I mean--for though the will to do good is
- there, the deed is not. The good which I want to do, I fail to
- do; but what I do is the wrong which is against my will; and if
- what I do is against my will, clearly it is no longer I who am
- the agent, but sin that has its lodging in me.
- I discover this principle, then; that when I want to do
- right, only the wrong is within my reach. In my inmost self I
- delight in the law of God, but I perceive that there is in my
- bodily members a different law, fighting against the law that
- my reason approves and makes me a prisoner under the law that
- is in my members, the law of sin. Miserable creature that I am,
- who is there to rescue me out of this body doomed to death."
- Romans 7.18-24
- ________________________________________________
- 3) ONE WHO LOVES CHRIST MUST FOLLOW HIS COMMANDMENTS
- "If ye love me, keep my commandments."
- John 14:15
- Very clear instruction.
- ________________________________________________
- "He that hath my commandments and keepeth them, hi is that
- loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved by my Father,
- and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him. Judas
- said unto him, Lord, how is it that thou wilt manifest thyself
- unto us, and not unto the world? Jesus answered and said unto
- him, if a man love me, he will keep my words; and my Father
- will love him, and make our abode with him."
- John 14:21-23
- This clearly says that love of God means keeping the
- commandments, and if one does not do so, he will not have God
- manifested to him.
- ________________________________________________
- "If ye keep my commandments, ye shalt abide in my love, even as
- I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in His love."
- John 15:10
- This says also that love of God comes from following the rules
- of God.
- ________________________________________________
- "For this is love of God, that we keep His commandments; and
- His commandments are not grievous."
- I John 5:3
- ________________________________________________
- "For it had been better for them not to have known the way of
- righteousness, than, after they have know it, to turn from the
- holy commandment delivered unto them. But it happened unto them
- according to the true proverb, the dog is turned to his own
- vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wollowing into
- he mire."
- II Peter 2:21-23
- This shows that performing atonement for sin then doing the sin
- again is like eating vomit.
- ________________________________________________
- 21) "Not everyone that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter
- into the kingdom of heaven, but he that doeth the will of my
- Father which is in heaven."
- 22) "Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not
- prophesied in thy name? And in thy name have cast out devils?
- And in thy name done many wonderful works?"
- 23) "And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you;
- depart from me, ye that work iniquity."
- Matthew 7:21,22,23
- This is a good verse to quote to people who say that it is by
- God's grace that you are saved, and not by works. Here it is
- clear that one attains grace by doing the will of God only.
- ________________________________________________
- "Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in
- heaven is perfect"
- Matthew 5:48
- This kills the argument that one cannot stop from sinning.
- Therefore just accept Jesus and you are saved. Here Jesus is
- commanding them to become perfect, that is to not commit any
- sin.
- ________________________________________________
- 4) MEAT EATING
- While the Bible--in many places--seems to endorse meat-eating,
- these sections should not be taken out of context.
- Instead of using Noah's emergency expedient (following the
- flood in which all vegetation was wiped out) as outlined in
- Genesis 9:3, a more important diet is the original one,
- enunciated by the Lord in Genesis 1:29; "And God said, Behold,
- I have given you every herb-bearing seed and every tree, in
- which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be
- for meat (food)." god further indicates--in the very next
- verse--that this diet is "good," while the later diet referred
- to--the one containing meat--was allowed "simply to satisfy
- their lust."
- This is outlined quite clearly but, again, it must all be
- studied in context.
- The example of the Quail God purportedly arranged for the
- children of Israel, after they "tired" of His manna (Numbers
- 11:31), is a prime example of quoting out of context. Indeed,
- verses 31 and 32 (of Numbers) describe the quail and the
- feasting that followed, but verse 33 must be read to secure the
- full impact of this passage: "and while the flesh was yet
- between their teeth, ere it was chewed, the wrath of the Lord
- was kindled against the people, and the Lord smote them with a
- great plague." He was not happy with their meat-eating.
- It also becomes clear when one studies the early history
- of the church that the founding fathers espoused the vegetarian
- ideal. You can study their lives: Tertullian, Pliny, Origen,
- St. John Chrysostom, the list goes on and on. Parenthetically,
- that these early Church fathers were avowed vegetarians makes a
- large statement as to what we may have read in the Bible before
- it was worked on at the various Ecumenical councils...
- It was not until the time of Emperor Constantine (Fourth
- Century) that vegetarian Christians had to practice
- underground--this was because Constantine was a meat-eater. He
- was also a maniac, and Church history books abound with the
- stories of how he would pour molten lead down the throats of
- Christian vegetarians for their chosen diet. Incidentally, he
- also killed his wife by setting her in a vat of boiling water.
- Scriptural knowledge is simple for the simple--but it is
- difficult for the twisted. The Bible clearly says "Thou shalt
- not kill" (Exodus 20:13). It could not be stated more simply.
- The exact Hebrew is "lo tirtzach", which accurately
- translates: "thou shalt not kill."
- One of the greatest scholars of Hebrew/English linguistics
- (in the Twentieth Century)--Dr. Reuben Alcalay has written in
- his mammoth book "The Complete Hebrew/English Dictionary" that
- "tirtzach" refers to "any kind of killing whatsoever." The word
- "lo" as you might suspect, means "thou shalt not." DON'T KILL!
- Let's face it, the Bible is clear on this point.
- The Vedic literature is also clear on this point. In fact,
- the Vedas take this point past vegetarianism, because there is
- still a sinful reaction in killing vegetables. Therefore, the
- Vedas prescribe a lacto-vegetarian diet--the diet which is
- least harmful to living beings--and a special process to free
- one from the minimal sinful reaction that is there from killing
- the plants. The process is given in rudimentary form in
- Bhagavad-gita, and is elaborated upon in Srimad Bhagavatam.
- After applying the process--which centers about the chanting of
- the holy Name of the Lord with love and devotion--the
- foodstuffs are known as prasadam, a Sanskrit word which means
- "the Lords mercy."
- * * *
- Many Bible scholars persist with the theory that Christ
- ate animal flesh, obviously swayed in their opinions by
- personal habits. The desire to accede to prejudice and uphold
- existing tradition has been a human characteristic for many
- centuries, but truth appears now even more important as man
- exerts his independence in so many aspects of life. Respected
- Bible scholar Rev. V.A. Holmes-Gore has researched the frequent
- use of the word "meat" in the New Testament Gospels. He traced
- its meaning to the original Greek.
- His findings were first published in World Forum of
- Autumn, 1947. He reveals that the nineteen Gospel references
- to "meat" should have been more accurately translated thus:
- Greek Number of references Meaning
- ------------------------------------------------------------
- Broma 4 "food"
- Brosis 4 "the act of
- eating food"
- Phago 3 "to eat"
- Brosimos 1 "That which
- may be eaten"
- Trophe 6 "nourishment"
- Prosphagon 1 "anything to
- eat"
- Thus, the Authorized Version of John 21:5, "Have ye any
- meat?" is incorrect; It should have been translated: "Have ye
- anything to eat?"
- "Fish" is another frequently mistranslated word in the
- Bible. Its reference is often not to the form of swimming life,
- but to the symbol by which early Christians could identify each
- other. It was a secret sign, needed in times of persecution,
- prior to official acceptance of Christianity as a state
- religion.
- The sign of the fish was a mystical symbol and a
- conversational password, deriving from the Greek word for fish,
- "Ichthus." As such, it represented an acrostic, composed of
- leading letters of the Greek phrase, "Iesous Christos Theou
- Uios Soter" -- "Jesus Christ, Son of God, Saviour."
- Frequent references to fish are intended as symbolic of
- The Christ, having nothing to do with the act of eating a dead
- fish. But the symbol of a fish did not meet with Roman
- approval. They preferred the sign of the cross, choosing to
- concentrate more on the death of Christ than on His brilliant
- life. Perhaps this is one reason only ten percent of His life
- record appears in the canonical scriptures. Most of His first
- thirty years is omitted.
- How many worshippers go home from church and sit down to a
- feast cut from a once proud beast in defiance of the very
- commandments they have just been advocating? The verses below
- should clear up any misgivings the reader may have in this
- connection.
- DISCUSSION OF MEAT IN THE BIBLE (OLD TESTAMENT)
- "And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing
- seed, which is on the face of all the earth, and every tree, in
- which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be
- for meat."
- Genesis 1:29
- Shows that the true diet of man is vegetarian.
- ________________________________________________
- "But flesh with the life thereof, which is the blood
- thereof, shall ye not eat. And surely your blood of your lives
- will require; at the hand of every beast will I require it.
- Genesis 9:4-5
- Shows that man is not allowed to eat meat, and if he does he
- will pay with his own life. And he will be killed by the one he
- kills. This is called Karma.
- ________________________________________________
- "To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices unto
- me? Said the Lord: I am full of the burnt offerings of rams,
- and the fat of fed beasts; and I delight not in the blood of
- bullocks, or of lambs, or of goats. When ye spread forth your
- hands, I will hide Mine eyes from you: yea, when ye make many
- prayers, I will not hear, for your hands are
- full of blood."
- Isaiah 1:11,15
- Shows that God does not accept even the prayers of a meat-
- eater.
- ________________________________________________
- "He that killeth an ox is as if he slew a man."
- Isaiah 66:3
- Shows that cow killing is equated with murder.
- ________________________________________________
- "It shall be a perpetual statue for your generations
- throughout all your dwellings, that ye eat neither fat nor
- blood."
- Leviticus 3:17
- A trick commandment: You cannot eat meat and not eat blood.
- This is the origin of the idea of Kosher food (meat with the
- blood drained out of it.) It has been compared to passing stool
- and not passing urine. Impossible!
- ________________________________________________
- "And whatsoever man there be of the house of Israel, or of
- strangers who sojourn among you, that eateth any manner of
- blood; I will even set My face against that soul that eateth
- blood."
- Leviticus 17:10
- Note the term "any manner of blood". All flesh comes from
- blood.
- ________________________________________________
- APPEARANCES OF THE WORD "MEAT" IN THE NEW TESTAMENT
- This section shows how certain words were translated
- wrongly in the King James Version of the Bible. The correct
- translation are taken from the Nestle Interlinear Greek-English
- New Testament, which also references the King James Version.
- "And the same John (the Baptist) had his raiment of camels
- hair, and a leathern girdle about his loins; and his meat was
- locust and wild honey."
- Matthew 3:4
- The word used here is trophe, nourishment. Also note that the
- word "locusts" refers to locust beans, or carob, St. John's
- bread.
- ________________________________________________
- "And her spirit came again (referring to a woman Jesus
- raised from the dead), and she arose straightaway: and he
- (Jesus) commanded to hive her meat."
- Luke 8:55
- The word here is phago, to eat.
- ________________________________________________
- 14) "Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold,
- a young woman shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call
- his name Immanuel."
- 15) "Butter and honey shall he eat, that he may know to refuse
- the evil, and choose the good."
- Isaiah 7:14,15
- Christians are fond of quoting the first part of this verse as
- proof that Jesus is the saviour, but they rarely quote the very
- next verse, which says he will be a vegetarian.
- ________________________________________________
- "And while they yet believed not for joy, and wondered, he
- (Jesus) said unto them (his disciples), Have ye here any meat?
- And they gave him a piece of a broiled fish, and a honeycomb.
- And took 'it', and did eat before them."
- Luke 24:41-43
- The word here is brosimos, eatable. Note the use of the word
- "it" (my emphases), which is in the singular. Jesus was offered
- fish and a honeycomb, but took only one. Judging from Isaiah
- 7:15, we know which he chose.
- ________________________________________________
- "For his disciples were gone away unto the city to buy
- meat."
- John 4:8
- The word used here is trophe, nourishment.
- ________________________________________________
- "And when he had received meat, he was strengthened."
- Acts 9:19
- The word used here is trophe, nourishment.
- ________________________________________________
- "And while the day was coming on, Paul besought them all
- to take meat, saying, this is the fourteenth day ye have
- tarried and continued fasting, having taking nothing.
- Wherefore I pray you to take some meat: for this is your
- health: for there shall not an hair fall from the head of any
- of you. And when he had thus spoken, he took bread, and gave
- thanks to God in the presence of them all: and when he had
- broken it, he began to eat. Then were they all of good cheer,
- and they also took some meat."
- Acts 27:33-36
- The word used here is trophe, nourishment. Note that even
- though they say meat, they show clearly that what he was
- referring to was bread, which they all took.
- ________________________________________________
- "And when he had brought them into his house, he sat meat
- before them, and rejoiced, believing in God with all his
- house."
- Acts 16:34
- The word used here is trapesa, table. It says he set a table
- before them!
- ________________________________________________
- "But if thy brother be grieved with that meat, now walkest
- thou not charitably. Destroy him not with thy meat, for whom
- Christ Died."
- Romans 14:15
- Both words here are broma, food. This is actually a reference
- to spiritual food.
- ________________________________________________
- "For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but
- righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost."
- Romans 14:17
- The word used here is borsis, act of eating. This is a
- reference to the fact that the kingdom of God is not material
- ________________________________________________
- "But meat commendeth us not to God, for neither, if we
- eat, are we the better; neither, if we eat not, are we the
- worse."
- I Corinthians 8:8
- The word used here is Broma, food. This verse does not say that
- it doesn't matter if we eat meat or not, but that the activity
- of eating has little to do with our relationship of God.
- ________________________________________________
- "Wherefore, if meat makes my brother offend, I will eat no
- flesh while the world standeth lest I make my brother to
- offend."
- I Corinthians 8:13
- ________________________________________________
- "And (they) did all eat the same spiritual meat;"
- I Corinthians 10:3
- The word here is broma, food.
- ________________________________________________
- "For meat destroy not the word of God. All things are
- indeed pure; but it is evil for that man who eateth with
- offence. It is good neither to eat flesh, nor to drink wine,
- nor anything whereby thy brother stumbleth, or is offended, or
- is made weak."
- Romans 14:20-21
- A very good verse. The word meat used here is Broma, food. It
- shows that it is not food which is wrong, it is not eating
- prasadam, food offered to God. The word flesh used here is
- kreas, flesh. So it is clear that meat eating is not good.
- ________________________________________________
- 5) REINCARNATION
- Under circumstances that to this very day remain shrouded
- in mystery, the Byznatine emperor Justinian in 553 A.D. (at the
- Second Council of Constantinople) banned the teachings of
- reincarnation from the Christian scriptures. There remain,
- however, certain allusions to reincarnation in the Bible. And
- these few are very powerful.
- * * *
- In the ninth century B.C. the Hebrew prophet Elijah is
- supposed to have live. Four centuries later, Malachi recorded
- this prophecy in the closing lines of the Old Testament:
- "Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming
- of the great and dreadful day of the Lord."
- The first book of the New Testament, Matthew, refers to
- this prophecy on three occasions, and the remaining gospels
- speak of it seven times. In the verses that follow, the Greek
- form of the prophet's name is used. It will be noted from the
- remarks of the disciples of Jesus that there was much
- speculation and widespread acceptance among the Jews concerning
- not only the return of Elijah, but of other ancient Hebrew
- prophets.
- When Jesus came into the coasts of Caesarea Philippi, he
- asked his disciples, saying, Who do men say that I am? And they
- replied, Some say that thou art John the Baptist; some, Elias;
- and others, Jeremias, or one of the other prophets.
- Matthew 16:13-14
- And as they came down from the mountain, Jesus charged
- them saying, Tell the vision to no man, until the Son of Man be
- risen again from the dead. And his disciples asked him, saying,
- Why then say the scribes that Elias must first come? And Jesus
- answered them, Elias truly shall first come, and restore all
- things. But I say unto you, that Elias has come already, and
- they knew him not, but have done unto him whatsoever they
- listed. Likewise shall the Son of Man suffer from them. Then
- the disciples understood that he spake unto them of John the
- Baptist [who had already been beheaded by Herod].
- Matthew 17:9-13
- Jesus began to say unto the multitudes concerning
- John...this is he, of whom it is written, Behold, I send my
- messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before
- thee...And if ye will receive it: this is Elias, which was for
- to come. He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.
- Matthew 11:7,10-11,14-15
- Another reference is to be found in Luke 9:7-9: "Now Herod
- the tetrarch heard of all that was done by Jesus, and he was
- perplexed, because it was said of some, that John was risen
- from the dead; and of some, that Elias had appeared; and of
- others, that one of the old prophets was risen again. And Herod
- said, John have I beheaded; but who is this of whom I hear such
- things?" The same incident is related in Mark 6:14-16
- The early church father Tertullian offers the view that
- some orthodox people take concerning all these verses from the
- New Testament [Although Tertullian was also an outspoken
- advocate of reincarnation]. In brief, Tertullian's reasoning is
- that Elias never died in the first place. God translated him
- directly to heaven. Thus, his subsequent re-descent was not a
- rebirth, but merely a return visit. It has been described that
- Tertullian bases his reasoning on the statement in II Kings
- 2:11: "Behold there appeared a chariot of fire, and horses of
- fire...and Elijah went up by a whirlwind to heaven" and was
- seen no more. However, if this church father's reasoning is to
- be logically sustained, Elijah's return to earth as John the
- Baptist should have been in the same miraculous way he left: He
- should have been precipitated on earth as a mature man. Yet the
- scriptures indicate that John was born in the ordinary way.
- Thus all serious Christian theologians have concluded that
- Tertullian's theory is not tenable.
- The nineteenth-century [North] American philosopher
- Francis Bowen of Harvard, after citing a number of the Gospel
- passages already quoted, remarks in his article, "Christian
- Metemphychosis": "That the commentators have not been willing
- to receive, in their obvious and literal meaning, assertions so
- direct and so frequently repeated as this, but have attempted
- to explain them away in a non-natural and metaphorical sense,
- is a fact that proves nothing but the existence of an
- invincible prejudice against the doctrine of the transmigration
- of souls."
- One final point. The rebirth of saviors and prophets is
- clear enough in Christian teaching, but what about ordinary
- men? Do they return? That the disciples of Jesus seriously
- considered this possibility is evident from their question
- concerning the man who had been born blind. They asked: "Who
- did sin, this man, or his parents, that he is born blind?" One
- can not evade the conclusion that the disciples must have had
- reincarnation in mind, for obviously if the man had been born
- blind his sin could not have been committed in this life. Jesus
- had a good opportunity to smash the reincarnation idea once and
- for all--but he did not! He merely replied that the man was
- afflicted because he was destined through Christ to have his
- sight restored so that "the works of God should be made
- manifest in him."
- That it may be legitimate to look to a previous life for
- the source of individual goodness or badness seems plain from
- St. Paul's comments on Jacob and Esau. He says that the Lord
- loved one and hated the other before they were born--Romans
- 9:10-13; Malachi 1:2-3. How could a nonexistent being be loved
- or hated?
- Another illustration is the one in which Christ warns that
- those who live by the sword will die by the sword [Matthew
- 26:52]. This could only be universally true--as all of the
- savior's statements should be--if there is more than one life
- in which to experience the reaction for many professional
- combat soldiers die quietly in their own beds. This view is
- completely consistent with Newton's Third Law of Motion--for
- every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction--and with
- the Law of Karma promulgated in the Vedic literatures.
- A similar reference is found in Mark 10:28-31, where
- rewards are listed that could hardly be fulfilled in one life.
- Peter said unto Jesus: "Lo, we have left all, and have followed
- thee." And Jesus answered: "Verily I say unto you, There is no
- man that has left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or
- mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my sake, But he
- shall receive an hundredfold now in this time [in this age]
- houses, and brethren, and sisters and mothers, and children,
- and lands, with persecutions; and in the world to come eternal
- life. But many that are first shall be last; and the last
- first." Certainly the enumerated rewards could not possibly be
- fulfilled in one incarnation.
- Saint John states in Revelation 3:12: "Him that overcometh
- will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go
- no more out." It seems he had gone out into incarnation before,
- otherwise the words "no more" could have no place or meaning.
- It may have been the old idea of the exile of the soul and the
- need for it to be purified by long sojourn before it could be
- admitted as a "pillar in the temple of my God." In Luke 20:35-
- 36, a similar idea again occurs. Jesus says: "They who are
- accounted worthy to obtain that world...neither marry...neither
- can they die any more."
- It can be concluded from both these verses that the goal
- to be achieved is of such a transcendent nature, one short life
- would be insufficient to reach it. Thus, in Professor Bowen's
- essay, "Christian Metemphychosis," previously cited, he wonders
- whether in addition to the obvious spiritual meaning, there may
- be "a literal meaning in the solemn words of the Saviour
- 'Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of
- God.'"
- "An eternity of either reward or punishment," says Bowen,
- "would seem to be inadequately earned by one brief period of
- probation on earth."
- ________________________________________________
- 6) CELIBACY
- There are many verses in the Bible stating that one should be
- chaste and celibate. The entire chapter of I Corinthians,
- chapter 7 deals with this subject comprehensively. Here are the
- highlights of that chapter:
- 1) "Now concerning the things whereof ye wrote unto me (Paul):
- it is good for a man not to touch a woman."
- 2) " Nevertheless, to avoid fornication, let every man have his
- own wife, and let every woman have her own husband."
- 3) "Let the husband render unto the wife due benevolence; and
- likewise also the wife unto the husband."
- 5) "Defraud ye not one the other (i.e. have sex), except it be
- with consent for a time, that ye may give yourself to fasting
- and prayer; and come together again, that Satan tempt you not
- for your incontinency."
- 6) "But I speak this by permission, and not by commandment."
- 7) "For I would that all men were even as I myself (celibate).
- But every man hath his proper gift of God, one after this
- manner, and another after that."
- 8) "I say therefore to the unmarried and widows, it is good for
- them if they abide even as I."
- 9) "But if they cannot contain, let them marry; for it is
- better to marry than to burn."
- 10) "And unto the married I command, yet not I, but the Lord,
- let not the wife depart from her husband:"
- 11) "But and if she depart, let her remain unmarried, or be
- reconciled to her husband; and let not the husband put away his
- wife."
- 25) "Now, concerning virgins I have no commandment of the Lord:
- yet I give my judgement, as one that hath obtained the mercy of
- the Lord to be faithful."
- 26) "I suppose therefore that this is good for the present
- distress, I say, that it is good for a man so to be."
- 27) "Art thou bound unto a wife? Seek not to be loosed. Art
- thou loosed from a wife? Seek not a wife."
- 28) "But and if thou marry, thou hast not sinned: and if a
- virgin marry, she hath not sinned. Nevertheless such shall have
- trouble in the flesh: but I spare you."
- 32) "He that is unmarried careth for the things that belong to
- the Lord, how he may please the Lord:"
- 33) "But he that is married careth for things that are of the
- world, how he may please his wife."
- 34) "There is a difference also between a wife and a virgin.
- The unmarried woman careth for the things of the Lord, that she
- may be holy in body and in spirit: but she that is married
- careth for the things of the world, how she may please her
- husband."
- 37) "He that standeth steadfast in his heart, having no
- necessity, but hath power over his own will, and hath so
- decreed in his heart that he will keep his virgin, doeth well."
- 38) "So he that giveth her in marriage doeth well, but he that
- giveth her not in marriage doeth better."
- I Corinthians, Chapter 7
- ________________________________________________
- "This I say then, walk in the spirit, and ye shall not fulfill
- the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusteth against the
- Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are
- contrary he one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things
- that ye would. But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under
- the law. Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are
- these; adultery, fornication, uncleanliness, lasciviousness,
- idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath,
- strife, seditions, heresies, envyings, murders, drunkeness,
- revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before as I
- have told you in time past, that they which do such things
- shall not inherit the kingdom of God."
- Galatians 5:16-21
- Compare to BG [Bhagavad Gita] 3.37, where Krishna [God] says
- that it is lust only that drives a person to perform sinful
- acts.
- ________________________________________________
- "But fornication, and all uncleanliness, or covetousness, let
- it not be once named among you, as becometh saints."
- Ephesians 5:3
- Note how fornication is linked with uncleanliness, and is
- considered an unsaintly quality
- ________________________________________________
- "Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth;
- fornication; uncleanliness, inordinate affection, evil
- concupiscence (bad desires), and covetousness, which is
- idolatry;"
- Colossians 3:5
- Here also fornication, linked with uncleanliness, is condemned,
- and also plain old inordinate affection.
- ________________________________________________
- "For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye
- should abstain from fornication: that every one of you should
- know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honor."
- I Thessalonians 4:3-4
- This is a good verse. It shows that the method of sanctifying
- the body is to abstain from sex life; it also shows that the
- body is just a vessel for the spirit.
- ________________________________________________
- (Paul speaking to disciples) "For I am jealous over you with
- godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I
- may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ."
- II Corinthians 11:2
- Note the implications here that Paul arranged the marriages of
- his disciples.
- ________________________________________________
- "I (Jesus) say unto you, that whosoever looketh on a woman to
- lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his
- heart."
- Matthew 5:32
- Shows even subtle sex life is to be considered as adultery.
- ________________________________________________
- "It is reported commonly that there is fornication among you,
- and such fornication as is not so much named among the
- Gentiles, that should have his father's wife. And ye are puffed
- up, and have not rather mourned, that he hath done this deed
- might be taken away from among you."
- I Corinthians 5:1-2
- This shows that Paul felt that if one of the followers
- committed fornication, he should be kicked out of the
- association of other disciples.
- ________________________________________________
- "Flee fornication. Every sin that a man dieth is without the
- body; but he that committeh fornication sinneth against his own
- body."
- I Corinthians 6:18
- Very clear verse. Fornication is considered to be the main
- cause of material life. Note that the word used here is
- porneiana [meaning] fornication, not moicheian, or [meaning]
- adultery. The purport is that any sex life, not just illicit
- sex life, causes material consciousness.
- ________________________________________________
- "Meats for the belly, and the belly for meats, but the Lord
- shall destroy both it and them. Now that the body is not for
- fornication, but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body."
- I Corinthians 6:13
- The words used here are both broma, food. Also note the
- statement about the body not being for sex life. The word used
- here is porneia, [meaning] fornication, not moicheia, [meaning]
- adultery.
- ________________________________________________
- THE ADVANTAGE OF CELIBACY
- "It is my opinion, then, that in a time of stress like the
- present this is the best way for a man to live--it is best for
- a man to be as he is (celibate)...If, however, you do marry,
- there is nothing wrong in it; and if a virgin marries, she has
- done no wrong. But those who marry will have pain and grief in
- this bodily life, and my aim is to spare you...I want you to be
- free from anxious care. The unmarried man cares for the Lord's
- business; His aim is to please the Lord. But the married man
- cares for worldly things; his aim is to please his wife; and he
- has a divided mind. The unmarried or celibate woman cares for
- the Lord's business; her aim is to be dedicated to Him in body
- as in spirit; but the married woman cares for worldly things;
- her aim is to please her husband."
- "In saying this I have no wish to keep you on a tight rein. I
- am thinking simply of your own good, of what is seemly, and of
- your freedom to wait upon the Lord without distraction."
- I Corinthians 7:25-26,28,32,35
- ________________________________________________
- CHASTITY
- "...The disciples said to him, 'If that is the position with
- husband and wife, it is better not to marry.' To this he
- replied, 'That is something which not everyone can accept, but
- only those for whom God has appointed it. For a while some are
- incapable of marriage because they were born so, or were made
- so by men, there are others who have themselves renounced
- marriage for the sake of the kingdom of Heaven. Let those
- accept it who can.'"
- Matthew 19:10-12
- ________________________________________________
- LUSTY OR GREEDY PERSONS HAVE NO SHARE IN THE KINGDOM OF GOD
- "Fornication and indecency of any kind, or ruthless greed, must
- not be so much as mentioned among you, as befits the people of
- God...no one given to fornication or indecency, or the greed
- which makes an idol of gain, has any share in the kingdom of
- Christ and of God."
- Eph. 5:3,5
- ________________________________________________
- ONE MUST LIVE A PURE LIFE, FREE FROM EARTHLY THINGS
- "Agree together, my friend, to follow my example. You have us
- for a model; watch those whose way of life conforms to it. For,
- as I have often told you, and now tell you with tears in my
- eyes, there are many whose way of life makes them enemies of
- the cross of Christ. They are heading for destruction, appetite
- is their god, and they glory in their shame. Their minds are
- set on earthly things."
- Phil. 3:17-19
- ________________________________________________
- 7) RENUNCIATION
- ONE MUST BE DETACHED FROM THE MATERIAL WORLD
- "Do not set your hearts on the godless world or anything in it.
- Anyone who loves the world is a stranger to the Father's love
- Everything in the world affords, all that panders to the
- appetites or entices the eyes, all the glamor of it's life,
- springs not from the Father but from the godless world. And
- that would is passing away with all its allurements, but he who
- does God's will stands forever."
- John 2:15-17
- ________________________________________________
- ONE "GUIDED BY THE SPIRIT" TRANSCENDS THE LOWER NATURE
- "If you are guided by the Spirit you will not fulfill the
- desires of your lower nature. That nature sets its desires
- against the Spirit, while the Spirit fights against it. They
- are in conflict with one another so that what you will do you
- cannot do. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under
- law."
- Gal. 5:16-18
- ________________________________________________
- ONE WHO HAS THE SPIRIT TRANSCENDS BODILY DEMANDS
- "Our lower nature has no claim upon us; we are not obligated to
- live on that level. If you do so, you must die. But if by the
- Spirit you put to death all the base pursuits of the body, then
- you will live."
- Romans 8:12-13
- ________________________________________________
- RENUNCIATION OF POSSESSIONS
- "...none of you can be a disciple of mine without parting with
- all his possessions."
- Luke 14:33
- ________________________________________________
- "If thou wilt be perfect, go sell what thou hast and give to
- the poor and thou shalt have treasure in heaven. And come
- follow Me."
- Matt. 19:21
- ________________________________________________
- SELF-SACRIFICE
- "If anyone wishes to be a follower of mine, he must leave self
- behind; day after day he must take up his cross, and come with
- me."
- Luke 9:23, Matt. 16:24, Mark 8:34
- ________________________________________________
- "As they were going along the road a man said to him, 'I will
- follow you wherever you go.' Jesus answered, 'Foxes have their
- holes, birds their roosts; but the Son of Man has nowhere to
- lay his head.' To another he said, 'Follow me,' but the man
- replied, 'Let me go and bury my father first.' Jesus said,
- 'leave the dead to bury their dead; you must go and announce
- the kingdom of God.'
- "Yet another said, 'I will follow you, sir; but let me first
- say good-bye to my people at home.' To him Jesus said, 'No one
- who sets his hand to the plough and then keeps looking back is
- fit for the kingdom of God.'"
- Luke 9:57-62
- ________________________________________________
- THE DEVOTEE NEED NOT ENDEAVOR FOR MATERIAL NECESSITIES
- "I bid you put away anxious thoughts about food and drink to
- keep you alive, and cloths to cover your body. Surely life is
- more than food, the body more than clothes. Look at the birds
- of the air; they do not sow and reap and store in barns, yet
- your heavenly Father feeds them. You are worth more than the
- birds!...And why be anxious about clothes! Consider how the
- lilies grow in the fields; they do not work, they do not spin;
- and yet, I tell you, even Solomon in all his splendor was not
- attired like on of these. But if that is how God clothes the
- grass in the fields, which is there today, and tomorrow is
- thrown on the stove, will he not all the more clothe you? How
- little faith you have! No, do not ask anxiously, 'What are we
- to eat? What are we to drink? What shall we wear?' All these
- are things for the heathen to run after, not for you, because
- your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. Set your
- mind on God's kingdom and his justice before everything else,
- and all the rest will come to you as well. So do not be anxious
- about tomorrow; tomorrow will look after itself. Each day has
- troubles enough of its own."
- Matt. 6:25-34
- ________________________________________________
- ONE SHOULD RENOUNCE THE MATERIAL WORLD
- "The world is crucified to me, and I to the world."
- Gal. 4:14
- ________________________________________________
- AUSTERITY OF THE BODY
- "It is time for you to wake out of sleep, for deliverance is
- nearer to us now than it was when first we believed. It is far
- on in the night; day is near. Let us therefore throw off the
- deeds of darkness and put on our armour as soldiers of the
- light...give no more thought to satisfying the bodily
- appetites."
- Rom. 13:11,12,14
- ________________________________________________
- THE REAL CHRISTIAN CRUCIFIES THE FLESH
- "Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the lower
- nature with its passions and desires. If the Spirit is the
- source of our life; let the Spirit also direct our course."
- Gal. 5:24-25
- ________________________________________________
- RENUNCIATION OF FAMILY
- "If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother,
- wife and children, brothers and sisters, even his own life, he
- cannot be a disciple of mine. No one who does not carry his
- cross and come with me can be a disciple of mine."
- Luke 14:26-27
- ________________________________________________
- "You must not think that I have come to bring peace to the
- earth; I have not come to bring peace, but a sword. I have come
- to set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother,
- a son's wife against her mother-in-law; and a man will find his
- enemies under his own roof."
- "No man is worthy of me who cares more for father and mother
- than for me; no man is worthy of me who cares more for son or
- daughter; no man is worthy of me who does not take up his cross
- and walk in my footsteps. By gaining his life a many will loose
- it; by losing his life for my sake, he will gain it."
- Matt. 10:34-39
- ________________________________________________
- "...anyone who has left brother or sister, father, mother, or
- children, land or houses for the sake of my name will be repaid
- many times over, and gain eternal life."
- Matt. 19:29
- ________________________________________________
- MATERIALISTIC PERSON CANNOT UNDERSTAND SPIRITUAL THINGS
- "The sensual man perceiveth not the things that are of the
- Spirit of God, for it is foolishness to him, and he cannot
- understand it."
- "A man who is unspiritual refuses what belongs to the Spirit of
- God; it is folly to him; he cannot grasp it, because it needs
- to be judged in the light of the Spirit."
- I Cor. 2:14
- ________________________________________________
- AUSTERITY AND RENUNCIATION
- "The young man saith unto him (Jesus), All these things have I
- kept from my youth up: what lack I yet? And Jesus said unto
- him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell what thou hast, and
- give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven and
- come and follow me."
- Matthew 19:20-21
- This clearly says to give away everything you own and take up
- spiritual life, if you want to become perfect.
- ________________________________________________
- "And it came to pass, that as they went in the way, a certain
- man said unto him, Lord, I will follow thee wheresoever thou
- goest. And Jesus said unto him, Foxes have holes, and birds of
- the air have nests, but the Son of Man hath not where to lay
- his head. And he said unto another, Follow me. But he said,
- Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father. Jesus said unto
- him, Let the dead bury their dead; but thou go and preach the
- kingdom of God. And another also said, Lord, I will follow
- thee; but let me first go bid them farewell, which are at home
- in my house. And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his
- hand to the plough, and looking back, it fit for the kingdom of
- God.
- Luke 9:57-62
- ________________________________________________
- "Whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he
- cannot be my disciple."
- Luke 14:33
- ________________________________________________
- "Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live
- after the flesh. For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die;
- but if ye live through the spirit do mortify the deeds of the
- body, ye shall live."
- Romans 6:12-13
- ________________________________________________
- "Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world.
- If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in
- him. For all that is this world, the lust of the flesh, and the
- lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father,
- but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust
- thereof; but he that doeth the will of God abideth forever."
- I John 2:15-17
- ________________________________________________
- STATEMENTS SHOWING THE NECESSITY OF RENOUNCING THE FAMILY TO
- TAKE UP SPIRITUAL LIFE
- "And everyone that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or
- sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands,
- for may name's sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall
- inherit everlasting life."
- Matthew 19:29
- ________________________________________________
- 8) "THERE IS MUCH I HAVE TO TELL YOU..."
- STATEMENTS SHOWING THAT THE BIBLE IS NOT THE ONLY OR FINAL WORD
- OF GOD
- "I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear
- them now."
- John 16:12
- Here it is clear that there is more knowledge to be had, but
- the disciples were not purified enough to receive it or
- understand it.
- ________________________________________________
- "These things I have spoken unto you in proverbs; but the time
- cometh when I shall no more speak unto you in proverbs; but I
- shall show you of the father
- John 16:25
- Here also Jesus is saying that there is more to come, and that
- the disciples have not yet learned anything of God Himself, but
- that more teachings were to come that would describe God
- Himself clearly.
- ________________________________________________
- "And there are also many other things which Jesus did, the
- which, if they should be written every one, I suppose that even
- the world itself could not contain the books that could be
- written."
- John 21:25
- Here it is shown that not all of Jesus' activities are known;
- in fact, it is intimated that only a small fraction of them are
- known.
- ________________________________________________
- "All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is
- profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for
- instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be
- perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works."
- II Timothy 3:16-17
- Here it is clearly shown that any bonafide scripture must be
- accepted, at least on the basis of instruction, even if it does
- not describe Jesus. Therefore, the Christians should all accept
- Bhagavad-gita [the Koran, and any other bonafide scriptures].
- ________________________________________________
- "If you do not believe when I tell you of material things, how
- will you believe if I tell you of spiritual things?"
- John 3:12
- ________________________________________________
- 9) JESUS AND GOD MAY BE ONE--BUT THEY ARE ALSO DIFFERENT
- "I do nothing of myself."
- John 14:2
- ________________________________________________
- "My Father is greater than I."
- John 14:2
- ________________________________________________
- "The Lord our God is one Lord."
- Mark 12:29
- ________________________________________________
- My God, my God, why hast Thou forsaken me?"
- Matt. 27:46
- ________________________________________________
- "Father, into Thy hands I commend my spirit."
- Luke 23:46
- ________________________________________________
- "As You and I are one, let them also be one in Us."
- c.f. John 17:21
- Thus, Jesus implies that his "oneness" with God is something
- that can be achieved by others.
- ________________________________________________
- "But of that day and that hour knowth no man, no, not the
- angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father."
- Mark 13:32
- ________________________________________________
- It is also written of Jesus: "Behold my servant, whom I have
- chosen,"
- Matt. 12:18
- ________________________________________________
- "God...glorified His servant, Jesus."
- Acts 3:13
- ________________________________________________
- 10) MISCELLANEOUS
- GOD IS NOT AN OLD MAN WITH A FLOWING WHITE BEARD
- 10) My beloved is white and ruddy, the chiefest among ten
- thousand.
- 11) His head is as the most fine gold, his locks are bushy, and
- black as a raven.
- 12) His eyes are as the eyes of doves by the rivers of waters,
- washed with milk, and fitly set.
- 13) His cheeks are as a bet of spices, as sweet flowers; his
- lips like lilies, dropping sweet smelling myrrh.
- 14) His hands are as gold rings set with the beryl; his belly
- is as bright ivory overlaid with sapphires.
- 15) His legs are as pillars of marble, set upon socks of fine
- gold; his countenance is as Lebanon, excellent as the cedars.
- 16) His mouth is most sweet; yea, he is altogether lovely. This
- is my beloved, and this is my friend.
- Song of Solomon 5
- Compare to Vedic description in Brahma Samhita.
- ________________________________________________
- THE GREATEST COMMANDMENTS: TO LOVE GOD AND ONE'S NEIGHBOR
- (It is thus also indicated that to love God and to love one's
- neighbor are two separate things)
- "'Master, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?' He
- answered, 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all
- your soul, with all your mind." That is the greatest
- commandment. It comes first. The second is like it: "Love your
- neighbor as yourself." Everything in the Law and the prophets
- hangs on these two commandments'"
- Matt. 22:36-40
- ________________________________________________
- SELF-SURRENDER
- "Father...Thy will be done."
- Matt 26:42
- ________________________________________________
- CONTINUAL PRAYER
- "Pray without ceasing."
- Thess. 5:17
- ________________________________________________
- THE SINFUL PERSON HATES GOD, TRUTH. HONEST PERSON OTHERWISE
- "Here lies the test: the light has come into the world,
- but men preferred darkness to light because their deeds were
- evil. Bad men all hate the light and avoid it, for fear their
- practices should be shown up. The honest man comes to the light
- so that it may be clearly seen that God is in all he does."
- John 3:19-21
- ________________________________________________
- ON THE UNPOPULARITY OF POTENT PREACHERS
- "If the world hate you, know that it hated me (Jesus) before it
- hated you. If ye were of the world, the world would love its
- own; but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you
- out of the world, therefore the world hateth you."
- John 15:18-19
- ________________________________________________
- ON LISTENING TO GOD FROM WITHIN THE HEART (INSTEAD OF FROM
- AUTHORITY)
- "Jesus answered them and said, My doctrine is not mine, but His
- that sent me. If any man will do His (God's) will, he shall
- know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak
- of myself. He that speaketh of himself seeketh his own glory;
- but he that seeketh His (God's) glory that sent him, the same
- is true and no unrighteousness is in him. Did not Moses give
- you the law, and yet none of you keepeth the law?"
- John 7:16-19
- This clearly says that we must not follow our own ideas, but
- just obey the law and try to understand what the authorities
- say. This defeats the people who day "Jesus speaks to me in my
- heart."
- ________________________________________________
- 11) AFTERWORD
- The merits of this pamphlet can easily be obscured by the
- Christian exclusivity. Dogmatic denial of non-Christian
- religions seems to be a tenet of popular Christianity. Such
- prejudice is largely based on the following verse from the New
- Testament:
- ego eimi ha hodos kai ha alatheia kai ha zoa; oudeis
- erketia pros ton patera ei ma di emou
- "I am the way, the truth, and the life; no one comes to
- the Father except through me." )Matt. 14:6)
- However, this is a rather slender peg on which to hang
- one's religious intolerance. Especially since the original
- Greek renders the verse a bit differently than cited above--
- although the above translation is the one you would probably
- find in your Bible.
- The Greek work erketai is extremely present tense. So,
- rather than "comes" as the word is rendered above, it would
- more accurately be "can presently come." This, of course,
- changes the whole meaning. Jesus is actually saying, "I am the
- way, the truth, and the life; no one can presently come to the
- father except through me." Thus, Christian exclusivity becomes
- absurd. Unlike the interpretations pushed upon us by the Bible-
- thumpers--who say that surrender to Jesus is the only way, for
- all time--Jesus simply said that eh was the way presently, at
- that time, in Palestine-- 2,000 years ago. Says Dr. Boyd
- Daniels of The American Bible Society, "Oh, yes. The word
- erketai is definitely the present tense form of the verb. Jesus
- was speaking to his contemporaries." (From a personal
- conversation with the author.)
- ________________________________________________
- The Codex Sinaiticus, our earliest existing Greek
- manuscript of the New Testament, can presently be found in the
- British Museum. Interestingly, this manuscript was written in
- the year 331 A.D. - Just six years after the Council of Nicaea.
- We have no New Testament manuscripts from before this council.
- Why is this interesting? Because history reveals that
- everything was rearranged at the council--and at the many
- councils that followed. No one knows what Christianity may
- have been like before this first ecumenical synod. And no one
- is ever likely to find out--for the Christian tradition has not
- been preserved. Rather, it has been subject to change and
- decay
- This pamphlet was keyed by Skosch Penrose.
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