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    United States AI Solar System (6)

    orthodoxymoron
    orthodoxymoron


    Posts : 13283
    Join date : 2010-09-28
    Location : The Matrix

    United States AI Solar System (6) - Page 2 Empty Re: United States AI Solar System (6)

    Post  orthodoxymoron Sat Jun 23, 2018 11:49 pm

    I have an interesting book by Charles Hapgood, titled Earth's Shifting Crust. Hapgood's theory was featured in the movie 2012. I'm slowly attempting to combine Religion, Science, and Science-Fiction into Extreme-Eschatology!! It's strange -- but I both support and undermine religion (as we know it) which makes everyone dislike me. But I'm NOT doing this to convert people, or to make a fast-buck. I just think that some of us common-folk need to consider the possibilities, and possibly contribute to the understanding of the best and the brightest (as unlikely as that sounds) -- or at least to be better-prepared for what MIGHT happen. Prevention might be a possibility, as well. It's been quite unsettling to talk face to face with several Individuals of Interest about Armageddon and the End of the World. I frankly haven't toughened myself up enough to properly deal with this sort of thing -- but I'm trying. This general subject could make a person go nuts. It's not fun stuff. I usually don't talk about this in "real-life" -- but I've got a stack of books on prophecy and global-catastrophe -- which might ultimately push me over the edge. BTW -- Charles Hapgood was hit and killed by a car on December 21, 1982 (exactly 30 years prior to December 21, 2012). What are the odds?? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Hapgood Here's a PDF of Hapgood's book.


    My internet-posting is the product of curiosity, insecurity, confusion, concern, and misery. Ambition might figure into the equation -- but it's honestly NOT a priority in this particular incarnation -- but I don't know how things might've been in previous incarnations and other solar systems!! I'm extremely-apprehensive concerning my soul-history!! If I'm an Ancient ET Warrior (on a soul-basis) I might have a HUGE Amount of Karmic-Debt!! But what if there were no other reasonable options available at the time?? Would it make everyone happy if my Doctrinal-Statement were the following sources (in the context of the Whole-Bible and the Complete SDA Bible Commentary)??

    1. 1 Chronicles to Ephesians ( New King James Version).

    2. The SDA Bible Commentary -- Volumes 3, 4, 5, 6 (1 Chronicles to Ephesians).

    3. Sacred Classical Music.

    I keep thinking it might be cool to just live in a mountain-top 600 square-foot underground office-apartment with a powerful-computer and absolute-access InterPlaNet!! As always, I'm sort of joking, and sort of Sirius!! I'm simply attempting to make all of us think in unusual ways -- to solve unimaginable problems!! My insecurity, confusion, and misery are becoming worse and worse and worse. My concern is increasing -- while my curiosity is decreasing. I know that I don't know -- and the more I know, the more I know that I don't want to know!! You know?? What Would Noah Say??

    Noah preached for 120 years, prior to the Flood. I have been speculating about A.D. 2133 (regarding the Possible End of the World -- as we know it). The movie Noah was released at the beginning of 2014 (approximately 120 years prior to A.D. 2133). December 21, 2012 was also approximately 120 years prior to A.D. 2133. The last Easter date in my 1928 Book of Common Prayer Easter-Table was in 2013 -- again approximately 120 years prior to A.D. 2133. The bulk of my internet-posting occurred approximately 120 years prior to A.D. 2133. The Ancient Egyptian Deity (and other Individuals of Interest) contacted me approximately 120 years prior to A.D. 2133. What is the meaning of this?? Damned if I know. "As it was in the days of Noah"?? Should anyone want the world to end?? Should anyone NOT want humanity to survive and thrive?? Is "I'm saved!!" triumphalism a good-thing?? Should the Saints "Praise the Lord" while the "Sinners Burn"?? As most of you know -- I'm a "Law and Order" kind of guy -- rather than a "Fire and Brimstone" sort of person -- but will good-intentions and catchy-phrases save the world and humanity?? Is attempting to save the world and humanity really "Rebellion Against God"?? Is "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry (and Jealous) God" a good-thing?? Will the Ten-Commandments be broken at the Second-Coming of Christ -- when the Commandment-Breakers are destroyed?? Think About It.

    PART NINE - THE INMATES OF THE ARK

    The ark was completed according to the instructions laid down in the Book of Raziel. Noah’s next task was gathering in the animals. No less than thirty-two species of birds and three hundred and sixty-five of reptiles he had to take along with him. But God ordered the animals to go to the ark, and they trooped there, and Noah did not have to do so much as stretch out a finger. Indeed, more appeared than were required to come, and God instructed him to sit at the door of the ark and note which of the animals lay down as they reached the entrance and which stood. The former belonged in the ark, but not the latter. Taking up his post as he had been commanded, Noah observed a lioness with her two cubs. All three beasts crouched. But the two young ones began to struggle with the mother, and she arose and stood up next to them. Then Noah led the two cubs into the ark. The wild beasts, and the cattle, and the birds which were not accepted, remained standing about the ark all of seven days, for the assembling of the animals happened one week before the flood began to descend. Many strange creatures, created by the fallen angel’s experiments of miscegenation, joined with the clean and unclean animals around the ark. Noah and his sons paid careful attention not to allow these abominations to enter.

    On the day on which the animals came to the ark, the sun was darkened, and the foundations of the Earth trembled, and lightning flashed, and the thunder boomed as never before. And yet the sinners remained impenitent. In no way did they change their wicked doings during those last seven days. During this time, the laws of nature were suspended, the sun rose in the west and set in the east. Noah saw the Earth had tilted and that its destruction was near. From the disturbance of the waters came the smell of burning sulfur and rivers of fire flowed from the valleys. The temperature of the springs changed, and places on the Earth that were once cold, became warm, and places that were once warm, became cold. Even the firmament itself appeared to be melting. When finally the flood broke loose, seven hundred thousand of the children of men gathered around the ark, and begged Noah to grant them protection. With a loud voice he replied, and said: “Are you not those who were rebellious toward God, saying, ‘There is no God’? Therefore He has brought ruin upon you, to annihilate you and destroy you from the face of the Earth. Have I not been prophesying this to you these hundred and twenty years, and you would not pay attention to the voice of God? Yet now you desire to be kept alive!”

    Then the sinners cried out: “So be it! We all are ready now to turn back to God, if only you will open the door of your ark to receive us, that we may live and not die.” Noah made answer, and said: “That you do now, when your need presses hard upon you. Why did you not turn to God during all the hundred and twenty years which the Lord appointed to you as the term of repentance? Now do you come, and you speak like this, because distress troubles your lives. Therefore God will not listen to you and give you ear; you will accomplish nothing!” The crowd of sinners tried to take the entrance to the ark by storm, but the wild beasts and strange creatures keeping watch around the ark set upon them, and many were slain, while the rest escaped, only to meet death in the waters of the flood. The water alone could not have made an end of the giants, for they were giants in stature and strength. When Noah threatened them with the scourge of God, they would make reply: “If the waters of the flood come from above, they will never reach up to our necks; and if they come from below, the soles of our feet are large enough to dam up the springs.” But God commanded each drop to pass through Hell before it fell to Earth, and the hot rain scalded the skin of the sinners. The punishment that overtook them was fitting for their crime.

    As their sensual desires had made them hot, and inflamed them to immoral excesses, so they were punished by means of heated water. Not even in the hour of the death struggle could the sinners suppress their vile instincts. When the water began to stream up out of the springs, they threw their little children into them, to choke the flood. It was by the grace of God, not because of his merits, that Noah found shelter in the ark before the overwhelming force of the waters. Although he was better than the others in his generation, he was yet not worthy of having wonders done for his sake. He had so little faith that he did not enter the ark until the waters had risen to his knees. With him his pious wife Naamah, the daughter of Enosh, escaped the peril, and his three sons, and the wives of his three sons.” Noah had not married until he was four hundred and ninety-eight years old. Then the Lord had bidden him to take a wife for himself. He had not desired to bring children into the world, seeing that they would all have to perish in the flood, and he had only three sons, born to him shortly before the deluge came. God had given him so small a number of offspring that he might be spared the necessity of building the ark on an overlarge scale incase they turned out to be pious. And if not, if they, too, were depraved like the rest of their generation, sorrow over their destruction would but be increased in proportion to their number.

    As Noah and his family were the only ones not to have a share in the corruptness of the age, so the animals received into the ark were such as had led a natural life. For the animals of the time were as immoral as the men: the dog united with the wolf, the rooster with the pea-fowl, and many others paid no heed to sexual purity. Those that were saved were such ashad kept themselves untainted. Before the flood the number of unclean animals had been greater than the number of the clean. Afterward the ratio was reversed, because while seven pairs of clean animals were preserved in the ark, but two pairs of the unclean were preserved. One animal, the re’em, Noah could not take into the ark. Because of its size and uncontrollable wildness, it could not stay in there. Noah therefore tied it to the ark, and it ran on behind. Also, he would not make space for the giant Og. He sat on top of the ark securely, and escaped the flood of waters like this. Noah doled out his food to him daily, through a hole, because Og had promised that he and his descendants would serve him as slaves in perpetuity.

    The assembling of the animals in the ark was but the smaller part of the task imposed upon Noah. His chief difficulty was to provide food for a year and accommodations for them. Long afterward Shem, the son of Noah, related to Eliezer, the servant of Abraham, the tale of their experiences with the animals in the ark. This is what he said: “We had sore troubles in the ark. The day animals had to be fed by day, and the night animals by night. My father did not know what food to give to the little zikta. Once he cut a pomegranate in half, and aworm dropped out of the fruit, and was devoured by the zikta. From then on, my father would knead bran, and let it stand until it bred worms, which were fed to the animal. The lion suffered with a fever all the time, and therefore he did not annoy the others, because he did not relish dry food. The difficulties were increased when the flood began to toss the ark from side to side. All inside of it were shaken up like lentils in a pot. The lions began to roar, the oxen lowed, the wolves howled, and all the animals gave vent to their agony, each through the sounds it had the power to utter. The men would often go for weeks without sleep. Also Noah and his sons, thinking that death was near, broke into tears. Noah prayed to God: “O Lord, help us, for we are not able to bear the evil that surrounds us. The waves surge about us, the streams of destruction make us afraid, and death stares us in the face. O hear our prayer, deliver us, incline Yourself to us, and be gracious to us! Redeem us and save us!”

    The flood was produced by a union of the male waters, which are above the firmament, and the female waters issuing from the Earth. The upper waters rushed through the space left when God removed two stars out of the constellation Pleiades. Afterward, to put a stop to the flood, God had to transfer two stars from the constellation of the Bear to the constellation of the Pleiades. That is why the Bear runs after the Pleiades. She wants her two children back, but they will be restored to her only in the future world. There were other changes among the celestial spheres during the year of the flood. All the time it lasted, the sun and the moon shed no light, from where Noah was called by his name, “the resting one,” for in his life the sun and the moon rested. The ark was illuminated by a precious stone, the light of which was more brilliant by night than by day, so enabling Noah to distinguish between day and night. The duration of the flood was a whole year. It began on the seventeenth day of Heshwan, and the rain continued for forty days, until the twenty-seventh of Kislew.

    The punishment corresponded to the crime of the sinful generation. They had led immoral lives, and fathered bastard children, whose embryonic state lasts forty days. From the twenty seventh of Kislew until the first of Siwan, a period of one hundred and fifty days, the water stood at one andthe same height, fifteen ells above the highest mountains. During that time all the wicked men and four hundred and nine thousand giants were destroyed, each one receiving the punishment due to him. So powerful were the waters in working havoc that the corpse of Adam was not spared in its grave.Maintaining the animals consumed much of the men’s time. Removing the refuse, feeding the animals, and maintaining their own bodies left little time for entertainment. When sleep would not come to the men, the brothers would carve the name of a prophet on a plank of the ark until on every plank was the name of a prophet. Other times they would sing the songs of the sage, for protection against the evil spirits of the bastard giants. On the first of Siwan the waters began to abate, a quarter of an ell a day, and at the end of sixty days, on the tenth day of Ab, the summits of the mountains showed themselves. But many days before, on the tenth of Tammuz, Noah had sent out the raven, and a week later the dove, on the first of her three sallies, repeated at intervals of a week.

    It took from the first of Ab until the first of Tishri for the waters to subside completely from the face of the Earth. Even then the soil was so muddy that the dwellers in the ark had to remain within until the twenty-seventh day of Heshwan, completing a full sun year, consisting of twelve moons and eleven days. When the supply of food began to decrease, it was the giant Og who would do without, not the men. One day Og began to protest, “I sit upon this thing of boards and nails because I wish to live, not die! Do you not see how my figure has withered and my countenance has become weak?” Therefore, Noah doled out a piece of bread through the refuse hole and comforted him saying, “I believe the waters will abate soon, therefore you may eat!” Noah had experienced difficulty all along in determining the state of the waters and so he decided to dispatch the raven. The raven’s errand had no success, for when he saw the body of a dead man, he set to work to devour it, and did not execute the orders given to him by Noah. As a consequence of that, the dove was sent out. Toward evening she returned with an olive leaf in her bill, plucked upon the Mount of Olives at Jerusalem, for the Holy Land had not been ravaged by the deluge. As she plucked it, she said to God: “O Lord of the world, let my food be as bitter as the olive, but do You give it to me from Your hand, rather than it should be sweet, and I be delivered into the power of men.”

    PART ELEVEN - NOAH LEAVES THE ARK

    Though the Earth assumed its old form at the end of the year of punishment, Noah did not abandon the ark until he received the command of God to leave it. He said to himself, “As I entered the ark at the bidding of God, so I will leave it only at His bidding.” Yet, when God called Noah to go out of the ark, he refused, because he feared that after he lived upon the dry land for some time, and fathered children, God would bring another flood. He therefore would not leave the ark until God swore He would never visit the Earth with a flood again. When he stepped out from the ark into the open, he began to weep bitterly at sight of the enormous ravages done by the flood, and he said to God: “O Lord of the world! You are called the Merciful, and You should have had mercy upon Your creatures.” God answered, and said: “O you foolish shepherd, now you speak to Me. You did not so when I addressed kind words to you, saying: ‘I saw you as a righteous man and perfect in your generation, and I will bring the flood upon the Earth to destroy all flesh. Make an ark for yourself of gopherwood.’ I spoke to you like this, telling you all these circumstances, that you might ask mercy for the Earth. But you, as soon as you heard that you would be rescued in the ark, you did not concern yourself about the ruin that would strike the Earth. You merely built an ark for yourself, in which you were saved. Now that the Earth is wasted, you open your mouth to appeal and pray.”

    Noah realized that he had been guilty of foolishness. To appease God and acknowledge his sin, he brought a sacrifice. God accepted the offering with favor, from where he is called by his name Noah. The sacrifice was not offered by Noah with his own hands; the priestly services connected with it were performed by his son Shem. There was a reason for this. One day in the ark Noah forgot to give his ration to the lion, and the hungry beast struck him so violent a blow with his paw that he was lame forever after, and, having a bodily defect, he was not permitted to do the offices of a priest. The sacrifices consisted of an ox, a sheep, a goat, two turtle doves, and two young pigeons. Noah had chosen these kinds because he supposed they were appointed for sacrifices, seeing that God had commanded him to take seven pairs of them into the ark with him. The altar was erected in the same place on which Adam, Cain and Abel had brought their sacrifices, and on which later the altar was to be in the sanctuary at Jerusalem. After the sacrifice was completed, God blessed Noah and his sons. He made them to be rulers of the world as Adam had been, and He gave them a command, saying, “Be fruitful and multiply upon the Earth,” for during their stay in the ark, the two sexes, of men and animals alike, had lived apart from each other, because while a public calamity rages, abstinence is becoming even to those who are left free from harm. This law of conduct had been violated by none in the ark except by Ham, by the dog, and by the raven. They all received a punishment. Ham’s was that his descendants were men of dark-hued skin. As a token that He would destroy the Earth no more, God set His bow in the cloud. Even if men should be excessive in sin again, the bow proclaims to them that their sins will cause no harm to the world. Times came in the course of the ages when men were pious enough not to have to live in dread of punishment. In such times the bow was not visible.

    When the giant Og came down from the ark, he was ordered by Noah to stay with his son Shem. He would live a long life, exceeding five hundred years and be passed from Shem to his son Arphaxad, to his son Kainan, to his son Shelah, to his son Eber, to his son Peleg, to his son Reu, to his son Serug, to his son Nahor, to his son Terah, and eventually, to Abraham, who would set him free. God granted permission to Noah and his descendants to use the flesh of animals for food, which had been forbidden from the time of Adam until then. But they were to abstain from the use of blood. He ordained the seven Noachian laws, the observance of which is obligatory for all men, not upon Israel alone. God enjoined particularly the command against the shedding of human blood. Whoever sheds man’s blood, his blood would be shed. Even if human judges let the guilty man go free, his punishment would overtake him. He would die an unnatural death, such as he had inflicted upon his fellow-man. Yea, even beasts that slew men, even of them would the life of men be required.

    PART TWELVE - THE CURSE OF DRUNKENNESS

    Noah lost his title “the pious” when he began to occupy himself with the growing of the vine. He became a “man of the ground,” and this first attempt to produce wine at the same time produced the first to drink to excess, the first to utter curses upon his associates, and the first to introduce slavery. This is the way it all came about. Noah found the vine which Adam had taken with him from Paradise, when he was driven out. He tasted the grapes upon it, and, finding them savory, he resolved to plant the vine and tend it. On the very same day on which he planted it, it bore fruit, he put it in the wine-press, drew off the juice, drank it, became drunken, and was dishonored--all on one day. His assistant in the work of cultivating the vine was Satan, who had happened along at the very moment when he was engaged in planting the slip he had found. Satan asked him: “What is it you are planting here?” Noah answered, “A vineyard.” Satan inquired, “And what may be the qualities of what it produces?” Noah continued, “The fruit it bears is sweet, be it dry or moist. It yields wine that rejoices the heart of man.” Satan offered, “Let us go into partnership in this business of planting a vineyard.” “Agreed!” said Noah.

    Satan at once slaughtered a lamb, and then, in succession, a lion, a pig, and a monkey. The blood of each as it was killed he made to flow under the vine. In this manner he conveyed to Noah what the qualities of wine are: before man drinks of it, he is innocent as a lamb; if he drinks of it moderately, he feels as strong as a lion; if he drinks more of it than he can bear, he resembles the pig; and if he drinks to the point of intoxication, then he behaves like a monkey, he dances around, sings, talks obscenely, and does not know what he is doing. This deterred Noah no more than did the example of Adam, whose fall had also been due to wine, for the forbidden fruit had been the grape, with which he had made himself drunk. In his drunken condition, Noah committed himself to the tent of his wife. His son Ham saw him there, and he told his brothers what he had noticed, and said: “The first man had but two sons, and one slew the other; this man Noah has three sons, yet he desires to father a fourth besides.” Nor did Ham rest satisfied with these disrespectful words against his father. He added to this sin of disrespect the still greater outrage of attempting to perform an operation upon his father designed to prevent procreation.

    When Noah awoke from his wine and became sober, he pronounced a curse upon Ham in the person of his youngest son Canaan. To Ham himself he could do no harm, for God had conferred a blessing upon Noah and his three sons as they departed from the ark. Therefore he put the curse upon the last-born son of the son that had prevented him from fathering a younger son than the three he had.” The descendants of Ham through Canaan therefore have dark eyes, because Ham looked upon the nakedness of his father; they have misshapen lips, because Ham spoke with his lips to his brothers about the unseemly condition of his father; they have twisted curly hair, because Ham turned and twisted his head round to seethe nakedness of his father; and they go about naked, because Ham did not cover the nakedness of his father. In this manner, he was avenged, for it is the way of God to distribute punishment measure for measure. Canaan had to suffer as a substitute for his father’s sin. Yet some of the punishment was inflicted upon him on his own account, for it had been Canaan who had drawn the attention of Ham to Noah’s revolting condition. Ham, it appears, was but the worthy father of such a son. The last will and testament of Canaan addressed to his children read as follows: “Do not speak the truth; do not hold yourselves distant from theft; lead an immoral life; hate your master with an exceeding great hate; and love one another.” As Ham was made to suffer avengement for his disrespect, so Shem and Japheth received a reward for their respect, the unique way in which they took a garment and laid it upon both their shoulders, and walking backward, with averted faces, covered the nakedness of their father.

    The naked the descendants of Ham, the Egyptians and Ethiopians, were led away captive and into exile by the king of Assyria, while the descendants of Shem, the Assyrians, even when the angel of the Lord burned them in the camp, were not exposed, their garments remained upon their corpses unsinged. And in times to come, when Gog will suffer his defeat, God will provide both shrouds and a place of burial for him and all his multitude, the descendants of Japheth. Though Shem and Japheth both showed themselves to be dutiful and respectful, it was Shem who deserved the larger compensation of praise. He was the first to set about covering his father. Japheth joined him after the good deed had begun. Therefore the descendants of Shem received as their special reward the tallit, the garment worn by them, while the Japhethites have only the toga. A further distinction accorded to Shem was the mention of his name in connection with God’s in the blessing of Noah. “Blessed be the Lord, the God of Shem,” he said, though as a rule the name of God is not joined to the name of a living person, only to the name of one who has departed this life. The relation of Shem to Japheth was expressed in the blessing their father pronounced upon them: God will grant a land of beauty to Japheth, and his sons will be new-comers dwelling in the academies of Shem. At the same time Noah conveyed by his words that the Shekinah would dwell only in the first Temple, erected by Solomon, a son of Shem, and not in the second Temple, the builder of which would be Cyrus, a descendant of Japheth.

    PART THIRTEEN - NOAH’S DESCENDANTS SPREAD ABROAD

    When it became known to Ham that his father had cursed him, he fled ashamed, and with his family he settled in the city built by him, and named Neelatamauk for his wife. Jealous of his brother, Japheth followed his example. He likewise built a city which he named for his wife, Adataneses. Shem was the only one of the sons of Noah who did not abandon him. In the vicinity of his father’s home, by the mountain, he built his city, to which he also gave his wife’s name, Zedeketelbab. The three cities are all near Mount Ararat, the high ground upon which the ark rested. The first lies to the south of it, the second to the west, and the third to the east. Noah strived to teach the laws and commands known to him upon his children and his children’s children. In particular he warned them against the fornication, the uncleanness, and all the iniquity which had brought the flood down upon the Earth. He criticized them with living apart from one another, and with their jealousies, for he feared that, after his death, they might go so far as to shed human blood. Against this he warned them impressively, that they are never annihilated from the Earth like those that went before. Another law which he enjoined upon them, to observe it, was the law ordaining that the fruit of a tree will not be used the first three years it bears, and even in the fourth year it will be the portion of the priests alone, after a part of it has been offered upon the altar of God. And having made an end of giving his teachings and injunctions, Noah said: “For in this manner Enoch, your ancestor, advised his son Methuselah, and Methuselah his son Lamech, and Lamech delivered all to me as his father had commanded him, and now I advise you, my children, as Enoch advised his son. When he lived, in his generation, which was the seventh generation of man, he commanded it and testified it to his children and his children’s children, until the day of his death.”

    When Canaan grew, his father taught him writing, and he went to seek for himself a place where he might seize for himself a city. And he found a writing which former generations had carved on the rock, and he read what was on it, and he transcribed it and sinned owingto it; for it contained the teaching of the Watchers in accordance with which they used to observe the omens of the sun and moon and stars in all the signs of heaven. And he wrote it down and said nothing regarding it; for he was afraid to speak to Noah about it for fear that he should be angry with him because of it. In the 1,569th year after the creation of the world, Noah divided the Earth by lot among his three sons, in the presence of an angel. Each one stretched out his hand and took a slip from the bosom of Noah. Shem’s slip was inscribed with the middle of the Earth, and this portion became the inheritance of his descendants to all eternity. Noah rejoiced that the lot had been assigned to Shem. In this manner his blessing was fulfilled upon him, “And God in the habitation of Shem,” for three holy places fell within his precincts--the Holy of Holies in the Temple, Mount Sinai, the middle point of the desert, and Mount Zion, the middle point of the navel of the Earth.

    The south fell to the lot of Ham, and the north became the inheritance of Japheth. The land of Ham is hot, Japheth’s cold, but Shem’s is neither hot nor cold, its temperature is hot and cold mixed. This division of the Earth took place toward the end of the life of Peleg, the name given to him by his father Eber, who, being a prophet, knew that the division of the Earth would take place in the time of his son. The brother of Peleg was called Joktan, because the duration of the life of man was shortened in his time. In turn, the three sons of Noah, while they were still standing in the presence of their father, divided each his portion among his children, Noah threatening with his curse any who should stretch out his hand to take a portion not assigned to him by lot. And they all cried, “So be it! So be it!”In this manner one hundred and four lands and ninety-nine islands were divided among seventy-two nations, each with a language of its own, using sixteen different sets of characters for writing. To Japheth, forty-four lands, thirty-three islands, twenty-two languages, and five kinds of writing were allotted; Ham received thirty-four lands, thirty-three islands, twenty-four languages, and five kinds of writing; and Shem twenty-six lands, thirty-three islands, twenty-six languages, and six kinds of writing--one set of written characters more to Shem than to either of his brothers, the extra set being the Hebrew.

    The land appointed as the inheritance of the twelve sons of Jacob was provisionally granted to Canaan, Zidon, Heth, the Jebusites, the Amorites, the Girgashites, the Hivites, the Arkites, the Sinites, the Arvadites, the Zemarites, and the Hamathites. It was the duty of these nations to take care of the land until the rightful owners should come. No sooner had the children of Noah and their children’s children taken possession of the habitations apportioned to them, than the unclean spirits began to seduce men and torment them with pain and all sorts of suffering leading to spiritual and physical death. Upon the request of Noah, God sent down the angel Raphael, who banished all of the unclean spirits from the Earth. Upon which, Satan appeared to the very gates of heaven and petitioned God saying, “'Lord creator, leave some of them before me; let them listen to me and do everything that I tell them, because I alone am left of all the angels of heaven that fell and I cannot exist if I have no one to rule over! Then God said that nine-tenths should descend to the place of judgment, leaving but one-tenth for Satan, to punish sinners through them. Raphael, supported by the chief of the unclean spirits, at that time revealed to Noah all the remedies residing in plants, that he might resort to them at need. Noah recorded them in a book, which he transmitted to his son Shem. This is the source to which go back all the medical books from where the wise men of India, Aram, Macedonia, and Egypt draw their knowledge.

    The sages of India devoted themselves particularly to the study of curative trees and spices; the Arameans were well versed in the knowledge of the properties of grains and seeds, and they translated the old medical books into their language. The wise men of Macedonia were the first to apply medical knowledge practically, while the Egyptians sought to effect cures by means of magic arts and by means of astrology, and they taught the Midrash of the Chaldees, composed by Kangar, the son of Ur, the son of Kesed. Medical skill spread further and further until the time of aesculapius. This Macedonian sage, accompanied by forty learned magicians, journeyed from country to country, until they came to the land beyond India, in the direction of Paradise. They hoped there to find some wood of the tree of life, and in this way their fame spread abroad over the whole world. Their hope was frustrated. When they arrived at the spot, they found healing trees and wood of the treeof life, but when they were in the act of stretching out their hands to gather what they desired, lightning darted out of the ever-turning sword, struck them to the ground, and they were all burned. With them disappeared all knowledge of medicine, and it did not revive until the time of the first Artaxerxes, under the Macedonian sage Hippocrates, Dioscorides of Baala, Galen of Caphtor, and the Hebrew Asaph.


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    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noah%27s_Flood The Genesis flood narrative comprises chapters 6–9 in the Book of Genesis, in the Bible.[1] The narrative, one of many flood myths found in human cultures, indicates that the God of Israel intended to return the Earth to its pre-Creation state of watery chaos by flooding the Earth for 370 days (the 150 days of flooding + the 220 days it took to dry up the floodwaters) because of humanity's misdeeds and then remake it using the microcosm of Noah's ark. Thus, the flood was no ordinary overflow but a reversal of creation.[2] The narrative discusses the evil of mankind that moved God to destroy the world by the way of the flood, the preparation of the ark for certain animals, Noah, and his family, and God's guarantee for the continued existence of life under the promise that he would never send another flood.[3]

    Although scholarly consensus since the 19th century has been that the story cannot be literally true, some religious groups still fully embrace the story of the ark. Among other issues are the immense difficulties of explaining how housing, watering, feeding and caring for very large numbers of animals in a wooden ship smaller than many modern ships could be achieved. Additionally there are the problems of how the animals subsequently travelled to where they are now geographically found. For these and many other reasons the ark story is generally considered to be legend.[4][5][6][7]

    David W. Cotter says that most exegetes feel the Genesis narrative is composed of two different stories that were combined into the final canonical form of Genesis 6–9.[8] Some scholars call these the Jahwist (YHWH) source and the Priestly (Elohim) source. Cotter lists some notable difficulties between the two sources: two different reasons are given for why the flood happens, Noah is given two different instructions about what animals and birds to take on board the ark, there are two different time frames given for how long the flood lasts, there are different explanations of the "nature of the flood waters", different circumstances by which Noah and the animals leave the ark, and two different "divine names" (elohim and Yahweh) are used.[8]

    Barry L. Bandstra says that these are differences in characteristic style and vocabulary, and that overall they are not contradictory.[2] John Byron says that, where apparent contradictions do exist, they are not typically viewed as mistakes by Jewish scholars, but as allusions to deeper meanings. Even later interpreters have sought to discover the basic harmony that underlies the narrative, whether written by different authors, at different times, or within different cultures.[9]

    The Genesis flood narrative is one of a number of similar flood myths. Many scholars believe that the Noah story and the Biblical Flood story are derived from the Mesopotamian versions, predominantly because Biblical mythology that is today found in Judaism, Christianity, Islam and Mandeanism shares overlapping consistency with far older written Mesopotamian stories of The Great Flood, and that some of the early Hebrews were believed to have lived in Mesopotamia,[10] for example during the Babylonian captivity. The earliest written flood myth is the Sumerian flood myth found in the 'Epic of Ziusudra’.[11] Later and very similar Mesopotamian flood stories are found in the Epic of Atrahasis and Epic of Gilgamesh texts.

    The Masoretic text of the Torah, or Pentateuch, places the Great Deluge 1,656 years after Creation, or 1656 AM (Anno Mundi, "Year of the World"). Many attempts have been made to place this time-span to a specific date in history.[12] At the turn of the 17th century, Joseph Scaliger placed Creation at 3950 BC, Petavius calculated 3982 BC,[13][14] and according to James Ussher's Ussher chronology, Creation took place in 4004 BC, dating the Great Deluge to 2348 BC.[15]

    The development of scientific geology had a profound impact on attitudes towards the biblical Flood narrative. Without the support of the Biblical chronology, which placed the Creation and the Flood in a history which stretched back no more than a few thousand years, the historicity of the ark itself was undermined. In 1823, William Buckland interpreted geological phenomena as Reliquiae Diluvianae: relics of the flood which "attested the action of a universal deluge". His views were supported by other English clergymen and naturalists at the time, including the influential Adam Sedgwick, but by 1830 Sedgwick considered that the evidence only showed local floods. The deposits were subsequently explained by Louis Agassiz as the results of glaciation.[16]

    In 1862, William Thompson, later Lord Kelvin, calculated the age of the Earth at between 24 million and 400 million years, and for the remainder of the 19th century, discussion focused not on whether this theory of deep time was viable, but on the derivation of a more precise figure for the age of the Earth.[17] Lux Mundi, an 1889 volume of theological essays which is usually held to mark a stage in the acceptance of a more critical approach to scripture, took the stance that the gospels could be relied upon as completely historical, but that the earlier chapters of Genesis should not be taken literally.[18]

    Genesis 6:1–4 presents the Sons of God marrying the daughters of men and siring a race of giants, the "mighty men that were of old, the men of renown." Genesis continues, "And the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually."[19] God decided to destroy what he had made and start again with the righteous Noah. God chose the flood as the instrument for destruction which is portrayed as a veritable reversal of creation.[20]

    Beginning with Genesis 6:14, God gives instructions to Noah to build a waterproof vessel that would house his immediate family, along with a sample of animal life.[21] The vessel is an ark made of gopher wood covered in pitch inside and outside. The ark was to be 300 cubits long, 50 cubits wide, and 30 cubits high, and have an opening for daylight near the top, an entrance on its side, and three decks. God told Noah that he, his sons, his wife, his sons’ wives, and two of each kind of beast — male and female — would survive in the Ark (Genesis 6:1–22). Seven days before the Flood, God told Noah to enter the Ark with his household, and to take seven pairs of every clean animal and every bird, and one pair of every other animal, to keep their kind alive (Genesis 7:1–5).

    The priestly (Elohim) source of Genesis 7:11;8:1-2 describes the nature of the flood waters as a cosmic cataclysm, by the opening of the springs of the deep and the floodgates, or windows, of heaven. This is the reverse of the separation of the waters recounted in the Genesis creation narrative of chapter 1. After Noah and the remnant of animals were secured, the fountains of the great deep and the floodgates, or windows, of the heavens were opened, causing rain to fall on the Earth for 40 days. The waters elevated, with the summits of the highest mountains under 15 cubits (22 feet 6 inches) of water, [21] flooding the world for 150 days, and then receding in 220 days.[22]

    The Jahwist (YHWH) version of how the flood waters came to be, is indicated in Genesis 7:12 where it develops by way of a torrential downpour that lasts 40 days, then recedes in seven day periods.[22] During this time, the Ark came to rest on the mountains of Ararat where Noah opens the window and sends out a raven that went to and fro. Then he sends out a dove to see if the waters had decreased from the ground, but the dove could not find a resting place, and returned to the Ark. He waited another seven days, and again sent out the dove, and the dove came back toward evening with an olive leaf. He waited another seven days and sent out the dove, and it did not return. When Noah removed the covering of the Ark, he saw that the ground was drying. (Genesis 8:1–13)

    God makes a pledge of commitment to Noah in Genesis 9:1–17. The priestly (Elohim) version takes the form of a covenant arrangement. This is the first explicit act of a covenant in the Hebrew Bible and is used seven times in this episode. God commits to continue both human and animal life and vows to never again use a second deluge against humanity. The covenant is sealed with the sign of a rainbow, after a storm, as a reminder.[23]

    God blesses Noah and his sons using the same language as the priestly source of the Genesis creation narrative, "Be fruitful and increase and fill the earth."[24] Before the flood, animals and humans coexisted in a realm of peace only knowing a vegetarian diet. After the flood, God maintained that mankind would be in charge over the animals, granting that they may be eaten for food under the condition that their blood be removed.[25] God set these purity rules well before any transaction with Ancient Israel, effectively not confining such precedence solely to the Jewish faith.[26] Human life receives special divine sanction because humanity is in the image of Elohim.[27]

    The Qu'ran states that Noah (Nu?) was inspired by the God in Islam, believed in the oneness of God, and preached Islam.[28] God commands Noah to build a ship. As he was building it, the chieftains passed him and mocked him. Upon its completion, the ship was loaded with only the animals in Noah's care[citation needed] as well as his immediate household,[29] along with 76 who did submit to God. The people who denied the message of Noah, including one of his own sons, drowned.[30] The final resting place of the ship was referred to as Mount Judi.[31]

    According to the Yazidi Mishefa Res, two flood events occur. The first Deluge involved Noah and his family whose ark landed at a place called Ain Sifni in the region of Nineveh Plains, 40 kilometres (25 mi) north-east of Mosul. In the second flood, the Yazidi race was preserved in the person of Na'mi (or Na'umi), surnamed Malik Miran, who became the second founder of their race.[32] His ship was pierced by a rock as it floated above Mount Sinjar, but settled in the same location as it is in Islamic tradition, Mount Judi.[citation needed]

    While some scholars have offered possible explanations for the origins of the flood myth including a legendary retelling of a possible Black Sea deluge, the general mythological exaggeration and implausibility of the story are widely recognized by relevant academic fields. The acknowledgement of this follows closely the development of understanding of the natural history and especially the geology and paleontology of the planet.

    In Europe, the Renaissance saw much speculation on the nature of the ark that might have seemed familiar to early theologians such as Origen and Augustine. At the same time, however, a new class of scholarship arose, one which, while never questioning the literal truth of the Ark story, began to speculate on the practical workings of Noah's vessel from within a purely naturalistic framework. In the 15th century, Alfonso Tostada gave a detailed account of the logistics of the ark, down to arrangements for the disposal of dung and the circulation of fresh air. The 16th-century geometrician Johannes Buteo calculated the ship's internal dimensions, allowing room for Noah's grinding mills and smokeless ovens, a model widely adopted by other commentators.[34][incomplete short citation]

    Various editions of the Encyclopædia Britannica reflect the collapse of belief in the historicity of the ark in the face of advancing scientific knowledge. Its 1771 edition offered the following as scientific evidence for the ark's size and capacity: "...Buteo and Kircher have proved geometrically, that, taking the common cubit as a foot and a half, the ark was abundantly sufficient for all the animals supposed to be lodged in it...the number of species of animals will be found much less than is generally imagined, not amounting to a hundred species of quadrupeds". By the eighth edition (1853–1860), the encyclopedia said of the Noah story, "The insuperable difficulties connected with the belief that all other existing species of animals were provided for in the ark are obviated by adopting the suggestion of Bishop Stillingfleet, approved by Matthew Poole...and others, that the Deluge did not extend beyond the region of the Earth then inhabited". By the ninth edition, in 1875, no attempt was made to reconcile the Noah story with scientific fact, and it was presented without comment. In the 1960 edition, the article on the ark stated that "Before the days of 'higher criticism' and the rise of the modern scientific views as to the origin of the species, there was much discussion among the learned, and many ingenious and curious theories were advanced, as to the number of animals on the ark".[4]

    By the 17th century, it was becoming necessary to reconcile the exploration of the New World and increased awareness of the global distribution of species with the older belief that all life had sprung from a single point of origin on the slopes of Mount Ararat. The obvious answer was that man had spread over the continents following the destruction of the Tower of Babel and taken animals with him, yet some of the results seemed peculiar. In 1646, Sir Thomas Browne wondered why the natives of North America had taken rattlesnakes with them, but not horses: "How America abounded with Beasts of prey and noxious Animals, yet contained not in that necessary Creature, a Horse, is very strange".[34]

    Browne, who was among the first to question the notion of spontaneous generation, was a medical doctor and amateur scientist making this observation in passing. However, biblical scholars of the time, such as Justus Lipsius (1547–1606) and Athanasius Kircher (c.1601–80), were also beginning to subject the Ark story to rigorous scrutiny as they attempted to harmonize the biblical account with the growing body of natural historical knowledge. The resulting hypotheses were an important impetus to the study of the geographical distribution of plants and animals, and indirectly spurred the emergence of biogeography in the 18th century. Natural historians began to draw connections between climates and the animals and plants adapted to them. One influential theory held that the biblical Ararat was striped with varying climatic zones, and as climate changed, the associated animals moved as well, eventually spreading to repopulate the globe.

    There was also the problem of an ever-expanding number of known species: for Kircher and earlier natural historians, there was little problem finding room for all known animal species in the ark. Less than a century later, discoveries of new species made it increasingly difficult to justify a literal interpretation for the Ark story.[6] By the middle of the 18th century only a few natural historians accepted a literal interpretation of the narrative.[35]

    References

    1. Silverman, Jason (2013). Opening Heaven's Floodgates: The Genesis Flood Narrative, Its Context, and Reception. Gorgias Press.
    2. Bandstra 2009, p. 61.
    3. Cotter 2003, p. 49, 50.
    4. All quotations from the article "Ark" in the 1960 Encyclopædia Britannica
    5. Young 1995, p. History of the Collapse of "Flood Geology" and a Young Earth.
    6. Browne 1983.
    7. Ginzberg, Louis, 1909. The Legends of the Jews, vol. 1, pp. 145-169, Jewish Publication Society of America, Philadelphia. Reprinted as "Noah and the Flood in Jewish legend" in: Dundes, Alan (ed.), 1988. The Flood Myth, University of California Press, Berkeley and London, pp. 319-336.
    8. Cotter 2003, p. 50.
    9. Byron, John (2011). Cain and Abel in text and tradition : Jewish and Christian interpretations of the first sibling rivalry. Leiden: Brill Publishers. p. 5. ISBN 9789004192522.: References Kugel. HU Center for Jewish Studies, 2001, p. 18
    10. Bottero (2001:21–22)
    11. Bandstra 2009, p. 61, 62.
    12. Timeline for the Flood. AiG, 9 March 2012. Retrieved 2012-04-24.
    13. Barr 1984–85, 582.
    14. Davis A. Young, Ralph F. Stearley, The Bible, Rocks, and Time: Geological Evidence for the Age of the Earth, p. 45.[1]
    15. James Barr, 1984–85. "Why the World Was Created in 4004 BC: Archbishop Ussher and Biblical Chronology", Bulletin of the John Rylands University Library of Manchester 67:604 [2]
    16. Herbert, Sandra (1991). "Charles Darwin as a prospective geological author". British Journal for the History of Science (24). pp. 171–174. Retrieved 2009-07-24.
    17. Dalrymple 1991, pp. 14–17
    18. James Barr (4 March 1987). "Biblical Chronology, Fact or Fiction?" (PDF). The Ethel M. Wood Lecture 1987 (University of London). p. 17. ISBN 978-0718708641. Retrieved 2010-08-08.
    19. Genesis 6:5
    20. Bandstra 2009, p. 59, 60.
    21. Bandstra 2009, p. 62.
    22. Bandstra 2009, p. 65.
    23. Bandstra 2009, p. 65, 66.
    24. Bandstra 2009, p. 66: Genesis 1:28
    25. Blenkinsopp 2004, p. 45: Genesis 9:3–4
    26. Blenkinsopp 2004, p. 45.
    27. Bandstra 2009, p. 66: Genesis 9:6
    28. Quran 4:163, Quran 26:105–107
    29. Quran 11:35–41
    30. Quran 7:64
    31. Quran 11:44
    32. Bulletin of the School of Oriental Studies, London Institution, Volume 2 (1921). University of London: School of Oriental Studies. Missing or empty |title= (help)
    33. "Cameo with Noah's Ark". The Walters Art Museum.
    34. Cohn 1996
    35. Young 1995, p. History of the Collapse of "Flood Geology" and a Young Earth.

    Bibliography

    Bandstra, Barry L. (2009). Reading the Old Testament : an introduction to the Hebrew Bible (4th ed. ed.). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth/ Cengage Learning. pp. 59–66. ISBN 0495391050.Blenkinsopp, Joseph (2004). Treasures old and new : essays in the theology of the Pentateuch. Grand Rapids, Mich. [u.a.]: W.B. Eerdmans Pub. Co. p. 45. ISBN 0802826792.Cotter, David W. (2003). Genesis. Collegeville (Minn.): Liturgical press. pp. 49–64. ISBN 0814650406.

    Further reading

    Hamilton, Victor P (1990). The book of Genesis: chapters 1–17. Eerdmans.Kessler, Martin; Deurloo, Karel Adriaan (2004). A commentary on Genesis: the book of beginnings. Paulist Press.McKeown, James (2008). Genesis. Eerdmans.Rogerson, John William (1991). Genesis 1–11. T&T Clark.Sacks, Robert D (1990). A Commentary on the Book of Genesis. Edwin Mellen.Towner, Wayne Sibley (2001). Genesis. Westminster John Knox Press.Wenham, Gordon (2003). "Genesis". In James D. G. Dunn, John William Rogerson. Eerdmans Bible Commentary. Eerdmans.Whybray, R.N (2001). "Genesis". In John Barton. Oxford Bible Commentary. Oxford University Press.

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    RedEzra wrote:How come no government is talking about the elephant in the room named nazi flying saucer ? What is the reason for this silence ? Why do they not come clean about the fact that nazi Germany developed operational UFOs ? Anybody ? Why would the victors in WW II be silent about nazi flying saucers ? Well instead of telling it as it is that they are nazi tech... they are trying to make us believe that they are alien tech. Why ?
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    "As It Was In the Days of Noah??"


    Last edited by orthodoxymoron on Sun Jun 24, 2018 12:11 pm; edited 1 time in total
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    Post  orthodoxymoron Sat Jun 23, 2018 11:51 pm

    Would YOU Sleep with the Devil if you thought you'd get a "Better-Deal" than dealing with a seemingly Weak "Good-Guy"?? What must we do to be "saved"?? What if a dynamic-equilibrium of scholarly and devotional multidisciplinary-research are required to "Set Us Free"?? What if ethics and honesty are fundamentally-important and vitally-salvific?? What if seemingly irreverent possibility-thinking is essential to "Getting Out of Jail" and "Exiting Death-Row"?? What if the Established-Paradigm is a Death-Sentence?? What if ALL of US were tried and sentenced 5,000 years ago (when the Lamb was Slain from the Foundation of the World)?? Is YOUR Name Written in the "Lamb's Book of Life"?? Will fast-walking, fast-talking, and fast-working save us?? Will "More Orthodox and Submissive Than Thou Attitudes" Save Us?? What if the Substitutionary-Atonement AND Obedience to the Perfect-Law of the Lord are BOTH Required when Standing Before a Holy-God Without a Mediator?? What Does 1 Corinthians 15:24-28 REALLY Teach?? What if Daily Agonizing Over Sacred-Scripture is NOT Optional?? Think Long and Hard about what I just said.

    I continue to think that the writings of Ellen White are NOT a Bible-Commentary. They skip a lot -- and add a lot. An editorial-bias and royal-model modus-operandi are superimposed upon the Sacred-Texts. Is this a "New-Bible" as many critics allege?? Are most (if not all) religions New-Theologies when compared to what the Bible REALLY Teaches?? The Seven-Volume core of the SDA Bible Commentary covers more than 7,000 pages!! That's a HUGE Amount of Detailed and Scholarly Material. The entire-collection of Sacred Classical Music is probably even more complex and intimidating!! Combining the two are quite-overwhelming!! Climbing Pilates Staircase on One's Knees is a Cakewalk by Comparison!! What Would Martin Luther Say?? Are Luther's Works the Gold-Standard of Doctrinal-Purity?? What Does Job through Malachi REALLY Teach?? What Does Romans through Jude REALLY Teach?? What Would Martin Luther Say Concerning Hebrews, James, Jude, and Revelation?? You Might be Surprised!! What if Significant Spiritual Growth and Development are MUCH More Important Than Simply Belonging to the "Right" Church and Giving Lip-Service to the "Truth"?? Think Fast. The End is Near.

    http://www.whiteestate.org/books/pp/pp9.html Like the Sabbath, the week originated at creation, and it has been preserved and brought down to us through Bible history. God Himself measured off the first week as a sample for successive weeks to the close of time. Like every other, it consisted of seven literal days. Six days were employed in the work of creation; upon the seventh, God rested, and He then blessed this day and set it apart as a day of rest for man.

    In the law given from Sinai, God recognized the week, and the facts upon which it is based. After giving the command, "Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy," and specifying what shall be done on the six days, and what shall not be done on the seventh, He states the reason for thus observing the week, by pointing back to His own example: "For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day, and hallowed it." Exodus 20:8-11. This reason appears beautiful and forcible when we understand the days of creation to be literal. The first six days of each week are given to man for labor, because God employed the same period of the first week in the work of creation. On the seventh day man is to refrain from labor, in commemoration of the Creator's rest.

    But the assumption that the events of the first week required thousands upon thousands of years, strikes directly at the foundation of the fourth commandment. It represents the Creator as commanding men to observe the week of literal days in commemoration of vast, indefinite periods. This is unlike His method of dealing with His creatures. It makes indefinite and obscure that which He has made very plain. It is infidelity in its most insidious and hence most dangerous form; its real character is so disguised that it is held and taught by many who profess to believe the Bible.

    "By the word of the Lord were the heavens made; and all the host of them by the breath of His mouth." "For He spake, and it was done; He commanded, and it stood fast." Psalm 33:6, 9. The Bible recognizes no long ages in which the earth was slowly evolved from chaos. Of each successive day of creation, the sacred record declares that it consisted of the evening and the morning, like all other days that have followed. At the close of each day is given the result of the Creator's work. The statement is made at the close of the first week's record, "These are the generations of the heavens and of the earth when they were created." Genesis 2:4. But this does not convey the idea that the days of creation were other than literal days. Each day was called a generation, because that in it God generated, or produced, some new portion of His work.

    Geologists claim to find evidence from the earth itself that it is very much older than the Mosaic record teaches. Bones of men and animals, as well as instruments of warfare, petrified trees, etcetera, much larger than any that now exist, or that have existed for thousands of years, have been discovered, and from this it is inferred that the earth was populated long before the time brought to view in the record of creation, and by a race of beings vastly superior in size to any men now living. Such reasoning has led many professed Bible believers to adopt the position that the days of creation were vast, indefinite periods.

    But apart from Bible history, geology can prove nothing. Those who reason so confidently upon its discoveries have no adequate conception of the size of men, animals, and trees before the Flood, or of the great changes which then took place. Relics found in the earth do give evidence of conditions differing in many respects from the present, but the time when these conditions existed can be learned only from the Inspired Record. In the history of the Flood, inspiration has explained that which geology alone could never fathom. In the days of Noah, men, animals, and trees, many times larger than now exist, were buried, and thus preserved as an evidence to later generations that the antediluvians perished by a flood. God designed that the discovery of these things should establish faith in inspired history; but men, with their vain reasoning, fall into the same error as did the people before the Flood--the things which God gave them as a benefit, they turn into a curse by making a wrong use of them.

    It is one of Satan's devices to lead the people to accept the fables of infidelity; for he can thus obscure the law of God, in itself very plain, and embolden men to rebel against the divine government. His efforts are especially directed against the fourth commandment, because it so clearly points to the living God, the Maker of the heavens and the earth.

    There is a constant effort made to explain the work of creation as the result of natural causes; and human reasoning is accepted even by professed Christians, in opposition to plain Scripture facts. There are many who oppose the investigation of the prophecies, especially those of Daniel and the Revelation, declaring them to be so obscure that we cannot understand them; yet these very persons eagerly receive the suppositions of geologists, in contradiction of the Mosaic record. But if that which God has revealed is so difficult to understand, how inconsistent it is to accept mere suppositions in regard to that which He has not revealed!

    "The secret things belong unto the Lord our God: but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children forever." Deuteronomy 29:29. Just how God accomplished the work of creation He has never revealed to men; human science cannot search out the secrets of the Most High. His creative power is as incomprehensible as His existence.

    God has permitted a flood of light to be poured upon the world in both science and art; but when professedly scientific men treat upon these subjects from a merely human point of view, they will assuredly come to wrong conclusions. It may be innocent to speculate beyond what God's word has revealed, if our theories do not contradict facts found in the Scriptures; but those who leave the word of God, and seek to account for His created works upon scientific principles, are drifting without chart or compass upon an unknown ocean. The greatest minds, if not guided by the word of God in their research, become bewildered in their attempts to trace the relations of science and revelation. Because the Creator and His works are so far beyond their comprehension that they are unable to explain them by natural laws, they regard Bible history as unreliable. Those who doubt the reliability of the records of the Old and New Testaments, will be led to go a step further, and doubt the existence of God; and then, having lost their anchor, they are left to beat about upon the rocks of infidelity.

    These persons have lost the simplicity of faith. There should be a settled belief in the divine authority of God's Holy Word. The Bible is not to be tested by men's ideas of science. Human knowledge is an unreliable guide. Skeptics who read the Bible for the sake of caviling, may, through an imperfect comprehension of either science or revelation, claim to find contradictions between them; but rightly understood, they are in perfect harmony. Moses wrote under the guidance of the Spirit of God, and a correct theory of geology will never claim discoveries that cannot be reconciled with his statements. All truth, whether in nature or in revelation, is consistent with itself in all its manifestations.

    In the word of God many queries are raised that the most profound scholars can never answer. Attention is called to these subjects to show us how much there is, even among the common things of everyday life, that finite minds, with all their boasted wisdom, can never fully understand.

    Yet men of science think that they can comprehend the wisdom of God, that which He has done or can do. The idea largely prevails that He is restricted by His own laws. Men either deny or ignore His existence, or think to explain everything, even the operation of His Spirit upon the human heart; and they no longer reverence His name or fear His power. They do not believe in the supernatural, not understanding God's laws or His infinite power to work His will through them. As commonly used, the term "laws of nature" comprises what men have been able to discover with regard to the laws that govern the physical world; but how limited is their knowledge, and how vast the field in which the Creator can work in harmony with His own laws and yet wholly beyond the comprehension of finite beings!

    Many teach that matter possesses vital power--that certain properties are imparted to matter, and it is then left to act through its own inherent energy; and that the operations of nature are conducted in harmony with fixed laws, with which God Himself cannot interfere. This is false science, and is not sustained by the word of God. Nature is the servant of her Creator. God does not annul His laws or work contrary to them, but He is continually using them as His instruments. Nature testifies of an intelligence, a presence, an active energy, that works in and through her laws. There is in nature the continual working of the Father and the Son. Christ says, "My Father worketh hitherto, and I work." John 5:17.

    The Levites, in their hymn recorded by Nehemiah, sang, "Thou, even Thou, art Lord alone; Thou hast made heaven, the heaven of heavens, with all their host, the earth, and all things therein, . . . and Thou  preservest  them all." Nehemiah 9:6. As regards this world, God's work of creation is completed. For "the works were finished from the foundation of the world." Hebrews 4:3. But His energy is still exerted in upholding the objects of His creation. It is not because the mechanism that has once been set in motion continues to act by its own inherent energy that the pulse beats and breath follows breath; but every breath, every pulsation of the heart, is an evidence of the all-pervading care of Him in whom "we live, and move, and have our being." Acts 17:28. It is not because of inherent power that year by year the earth produces her bounties and continues her motion around the sun. The hand of God guides the planets and keeps them in position in their orderly march through the heavens. He "bringeth out their host by number: He calleth them all by names by the greatness of His might, for that He is strong in power; not one faileth." Isaiah 40:26.

    It is through His power that vegetation flourishes, that the leaves appear and the flowers bloom. He "maketh grass to grow upon the mountains" (Psalm 147:Cool, and by Him the valleys are made fruitful. "All the beasts of the forest . . . seek their meat from God," and every living creature, from the smallest insect up to man, is daily dependent upon His providential care. In the beautiful words of the psalmist, "These wait all upon Thee. . . . That Thou givest them they gather: Thou openest Thine hand, they are filled with good." Psalm 104:20, 21, 27, 28. His word controls the elements; He covers the heavens with clouds and prepares rain for the earth. "He giveth snow like wool: He scattereth the hoarfrost like ashes." Psalm 147:16. "When He uttereth His voice, there is a multitude of waters in the heavens, and He causeth the vapors to ascend from the ends of the earth; He maketh lightnings with rain, and bringeth forth the wind out of His treasuries." Jeremiah 10:13.

    God is the foundation of everything. All true science is in harmony with His works; all true education leads to obedience to His government. Science opens new wonders to our view; she soars high, and explores new depths; but she brings nothing from her research that conflicts with divine revelation. Ignorance may seek to support false views of God by appeals to science, but the book of nature and the written word shed light upon each other. We are thus led to adore the Creator and to have an intelligent trust in His word.

    No finite mind can fully comprehend the existence, the power, the wisdom, or the works of the Infinite One. Says the sacred writer: "Canst thou by searching find out God? canst thou find out the Almighty unto perfection? It is as high as heaven; what canst thou do? deeper than hell; what canst thou know? The measure thereof is longer than the earth, and broader than the sea." Job 11:7-9. The mightiest intellects of earth cannot comprehend God. Men may be ever searching, ever learning, and still there is an infinity beyond.

    Yet the works of creation testify of God's power and greatness. "The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament showeth His handiwork." Psalm 19:1. Those who take the written word as their counselor will find in science an aid to understand God. "The invisible things of Him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead." Romans 1:20.

    http://www.whiteestate.org/books/pp/pp10.html To repeople the desolate earth, which the Flood had so lately swept from its moral corruption, God had preserved but one family, the household of Noah, to whom He had declared, "Thee have I seen righteous before Me in this generation." Genesis 7:1. Yet in the three sons of Noah was speedily developed the same great distinction seen in the world before the Flood. In Shem, Ham, and Japheth, who were to be the founders of the human race, was foreshadowed the character of their posterity.

    Noah, speaking by divine inspiration, foretold the history of the three great races to spring from these fathers of mankind. Tracing the descendants of Ham, through the son rather than the father, he declared, "Cursed be Canaan; a servant of servants shall he be unto his brethren." The unnatural crime of Ham declared that filial reverence had long before been cast from his soul, and it revealed the impiety and vileness of his character. These evil characteristics were perpetuated in Canaan and his posterity, whose continued guilt called upon them the judgments of God.

    On the other hand, the reverence manifested by Shem and Japheth for their father, and thus for the divine statutes, promised a brighter future for their descendants. Concerning these sons it was declared: "Blessed be Jehovah, God of Shem; and Canaan shall be his servant. God shall enlarge Japheth, and he shall dwell in the tents of Shem; and Canaan shall be his servant." The line of Shem was to be that of the chosen people, of God's covenant, of the promised Redeemer. Jehovah was the God of Shem. From him would descend Abraham, and the people of Israel, through whom Christ was to come. "Happy is that people, whose God is the Lord." Psalm 144:15. And Japheth "shall dwell in the tents of Shem." In the blessings of the gospel the descendants of Japheth were especially to share.

    The posterity of Canaan descended to the most degrading forms of heathenism. Though the prophetic curse had doomed them to slavery, the doom was withheld for centuries. God bore with their impiety and corruption until they passed the limits of divine forbearance. Then they were dispossessed, and became bondmen to the descendants of Shem and Japheth.

    The prophecy of Noah was no arbitrary denunciation of wrath or declaration of favor. It did not fix the character and destiny of his sons. But it showed what would be the result of the course of life they had severally chosen and the character they had developed. It was an expression of God's purpose toward them and their posterity in view of their own character and conduct. As a rule, children inherit the dispositions and tendencies of their parents, and imitate their example; so that the sins of the parents are practiced by the children from generation to generation. Thus the vileness and irreverence of Ham were reproduced in his posterity, bringing a curse upon them for many generations. "One sinner destroyeth much good." Ecclesiastes 9:18.

    On the other hand, how richly rewarded was Shem's respect for his father; and what an illustrious line of holy men appears in his posterity! "The Lord knoweth the days of the upright," "and his seed is blessed." Psalm 37:18, 26. "Know therefore that the Lord thy God He is God, the faithful God, which keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love Him and keep His commandments to a thousand generations." Deuteronomy 7:9.

    For a time the descendants of Noah continued to dwell among the mountains where the ark had rested. As their numbers increased, apostasy soon led to division. Those who desired to forget their Creator and to cast off the restraint of His law felt a constant annoyance from the teaching and example of their God-fearing associates, and after a time they decided to separate from the worshipers of God. Accordingly they journeyed to the plain of Shinar, on the banks of the river Euphrates. They were attracted by the beauty of the situation and the fertility of the soil, and upon this plain they determined to make their home.

    Here they decided to build a city, and in it a tower of such stupendous height as should render it the wonder of the world. These enterprises were designed to prevent the people from scattering abroad in colonies. God had directed men to disperse throughout the earth, to replenish and subdue it; but these Babel builders determined to keep their community united in one body, and to found a monarchy that should eventually embrace the whole earth. Thus their city would become the metropolis of a universal empire; its glory would command the admiration and homage of the world and render the founders illustrious. The magnificent tower, reaching to the heavens, was intended to stand as a monument of the power and wisdom of its builders, perpetuating their fame to the latest generations.

    The dwellers on the plain of Shinar disbelieved God's covenant that He would not again bring a flood upon the earth. Many of them denied the existence of God and attributed the Flood to the operation of natural causes. Others believed in a Supreme Being, and that it was He who had destroyed the antediluvian world; and their hearts, like that of Cain, rose up in rebellion against Him. One object before them in the erection of the tower was to secure their own safety in case of another deluge. By carrying the structure to a much greater height than was reached by the waters of the Flood, they thought to place themselves beyond all possibility of danger. And as they would be able to ascend to the region of the clouds, they hoped to ascertain the cause of the Flood. The whole undertaking was designed to exalt still further the pride of its projectors and to turn the minds of future generations away from God and lead them into idolatry.

    When the tower had been partially completed, a portion of it was occupied as a dwelling place for the builders; other apartments, splendidly furnished and adorned, were devoted to their idols. The people rejoiced in their success, and praised the gods of silver and gold, and set themselves against the Ruler of heaven and earth. Suddenly the work that had been advancing so prosperously was checked. Angels were sent to bring to naught the purpose of the builders. The tower had reached a lofty height, and it was impossible for the workmen at the top to communicate directly with those at the base; therefore men were stationed at different points, each to receive and report to the one next below him the orders for needed material or other directions concerning the work. As messages were thus passing from one to another the language was confounded, so that material was called for which was not needed, and the directions delivered were often the reverse of those that had been given. Confusion and dismay followed. All work came to a standstill. There could be no further harmony or co-operation. The builders were wholly unable to account for the strange misunderstandings among them, and in their rage and disappointment they reproached one another. Their confederacy ended in strife and bloodshed. Lightnings from heaven, as an evidence of God's displeasure, broke off the upper portion of the tower and cast it to the ground. Men were made to feel that there is a God who ruleth in the heavens.

    Up to this time all men had spoken the same language; now those that could understand one another's speech united in companies; some went one way, and some another. "The Lord scattered them abroad from thence upon the face of all the earth." This dispersion was the means of peopling the earth, and thus the Lord's purpose was accomplished through the very means that men had employed to prevent its fulfillment.

    But at what a loss to those who had set themselves against God! It was His purpose that as men should go forth to found nations in different parts of the earth they should carry with them a knowledge of His will, that the light of truth might shine undimmed to succeeding generations. Noah, the faithful preacher of righteousness, lived for three hundred and fifty years after the Flood, Shem for five hundred years, and thus their descendants had an opportunity to become acquainted with the requirements of God and the history of His dealings with their fathers. But they were unwilling to listen to these unpalatable truths; they had no desire to retain God in their knowledge; and by the confusion of tongues they were, in a great measure, shut out from intercourse with those who might have given them light.

    The Babel builders had indulged the spirit of murmuring against God. Instead of gratefully remembering His mercy to Adam and His gracious covenant with Noah, they had complained of His severity in expelling the first pair from Eden and destroying the world by a flood. But while they murmured against God as arbitrary and severe, they were accepting the rule of the cruelest of tyrants. Satan was seeking to bring contempt upon the sacrificial offerings that prefigured the death of Christ; and as the minds of the people were darkened by idolatry, he led them to counterfeit these offerings and sacrifice their own children upon the altars of their gods. As men turned away from God, the divine attributes--justice, purity, and love--were supplanted by oppression, violence, and brutality.

    The men of Babel had determined to establish a government that should be independent of God. There were some among them, however, who feared the Lord, but who had been deceived by the pretensions of the ungodly and drawn into their schemes. For the sake of these faithful ones the Lord delayed His judgments and gave the people time to reveal their true character. As this was developed, the sons of God labored to turn them from their purpose; but the people were fully united in their Heaven-daring undertaking. Had they gone on unchecked, they would have demoralized the world in its infancy. Their confederacy was founded in rebellion; a kingdom established for self-exaltation, but in which God was to have no rule or honor. Had this confederacy been permitted, a mighty power would have borne sway to banish righteousness--and with it peace, happiness, and security--from the earth. For the divine statutes, which are "holy and just and good" (Romans 7:12), men were endeavoring to substitute laws to suit the purpose of their own selfish and cruel hearts.

    Those that feared the Lord cried unto Him to interpose. "And the Lord came down to see the city and the tower, which the children of men builded." In mercy to the world He defeated the purpose of the tower builders and overthrew the memorial of their daring. In mercy He confounded their speech, thus putting a check on their purposes of rebellion. God bears long with the perversity of men, giving them ample opportunity for repentance; but He marks all their devices to resist the authority of His just and holy law. From time to time the unseen hand that holds the scepter of government is stretched out to restrain iniquity. Unmistakable evidence is given that the Creator of the universe, the One infinite in wisdom and love and truth, is the Supreme Ruler of heaven and earth, and that none can with impunity defy His power.

    The schemes of the Babel builders ended in shame and defeat. The monument to their pride became the memorial of their folly. Yet men are continually pursuing the same course--depending upon self, and rejecting God's law. It is the principle that Satan tried to carry out in heaven; the same that governed Cain in presenting his offering.

    There are tower builders in our time. Infidels construct their theories from the supposed deductions of sciences, and reject the revealed word of God. They presume to pass sentence upon God's moral government; they despise His law and boast of the sufficiency of human reason. They, "because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil." Ecclesiastes 8:11.

    In the professedly Christian world many turn away from the plain teachings of the Bible and build up a creed from human speculations and pleasing fables, and they point to their tower as a way to climb up to heaven. Men hang with admiration upon the lips of eloquence while it teaches that the transgressor shall not die, that salvation may be secured without obedience to the law of God. If the professed followers of Christ would accept God's standard, it would bring them into unity; but so long as human wisdom is exalted above His Holy Word, there will be divisions and dissension. The existing confusion of conflicting creeds and sects is fitly represented by the term "Babylon," which prophecy (Revelation 14:8; 18:2) applies to the world-loving churches of the last days.

    Many seek to make a heaven for themselves by obtaining riches and power. They "speak wickedly concerning oppression: they speak loftily" (Psalm 73:Cool, trampling upon human rights and disregarding divine authority. The proud may be for a time in great power, and may see success in all that they undertake; but in the end they will find only disappointment and wretchedness.

    The time of God's investigation is at hand. The Most High will come down to see that which the children of men have builded. His sovereign power will be revealed; the works of human pride will be laid low. "The Lord looketh from heaven; He beholdeth all the sons of men. From the place of His habitation He looketh upon all the inhabitants of the earth." "The Lord bringeth the counsel of the heathen to nought: He maketh the devices of the people of none effect. The counsel of the Lord standeth forever, the thoughts of His heart to all generations." Psalm 33:13, 14, 10, 11.

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    orthodoxymoron
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    United States AI Solar System (6) - Page 2 Empty Re: United States AI Solar System (6)

    Post  orthodoxymoron Sat Jun 23, 2018 11:56 pm


    What Do YOU Want?? Right off the bat -- I must say that I don't know enough about the colonization of the solar system to know what to desire. I have suggested the possibility of four billion people on Earth (with two billion on the surface -- and two billion subsurface) -- with four billion people throughout the rest of the solar system (mostly subsurface). But this presently makes me very nervous. I have no idea what's really going on in this solar system. My online activities have really been a process of discovery. I sometimes talk BIG -- but I am NOT an Insider (in any way, shape, or form -- that I know of). The population figures were simply a place of beginning -- and an effort to get some sort of a discussion going. I simply wish for Earth, the Moon, and Mars (for starters) to remain pristine (for all eternity). I also wish for the human race to survive any threats. Sub-Surface Living would seem to facilitate both objectives. But who knows what the correct numbers should be?? Eight Billion just sounded a lot better than Five-Hundred Million -- if you know what I mean. My computers can't seem to handle some of the larger posts -- so I am reposting the most recent United States of the Solar System thread -- with smaller posts -- while deleting dead links. Don't be frightened -- the Solar System Governance Canon has essentially closed (for now). It seems as if I can't even copy and paste portions of posts from that other thread -- so perhaps I won't be able to create this thread. Part of that other thread disappeared from my word processor -- so perhaps I'm screwed regarding doing anything with what I've already done. I have made repeated informal requests for some sort of non-nefarious assistance regarding doing something with my tripe. I have resisted doing anything with it myself -- simply because I don't know what's what -- and I don't know what I'm doing. I've improvised some sort of a Stupid-Fugue -- and perhaps that's the end of it.


    Consider reading the first seventeen books of the Bible (plus Revelation) --- and then comparing these eighteen books with the other forty-eight books. The eighteen might've been necessary historically -- but should they guide our lives in modernity??? You might be interested in Sherry Shriner's 3-17-14 show, regarding the missing airliner. http://sherrytalkradio.com/ I continue to think that there's a lot more to Sherry than one might think -- but listen to the show with a boatload of salt. In one way, I like Sherry -- but in another way, I am very wary of Sherry. That goes for several individuals I have conversed with over the past several years (online and in-person). What if they are all one??? That wouldn't surprise me. I once asked someone "who decides who is saved and who is lost?" -- and they replied "I do." I was afraid to ask any follow-up questions -- and I'm not sure if they understood my initial question -- but this reply absolutely floored me. I made it clear that my preference was to incarcerate the bad guys and gals -- without cruel and unusual punishment -- for all eternity (if necessary) -- rather than torturing and exterminating them. I guess I'm sort of a "softy." Anyway, consider reading Job through Jude -- and The Desire of Ages by Ellen White -- side by side -- over and over again -- regardless of any historical or authorship issues -- as a mental and spiritual exercise. 22 Old-Testament Books. 4 Gospels. 22 Non-Gospel New Testament Books. This approach has MUCH Less Blood, Guts, Weeping, Wailing, and Gnashing of Teeth -- but does it reflect the reality of our predicament?? My background is SDA -- but I no longer attend services. I guess what I just suggested reflects what I consider to be some of the best Judeo-Christian Minimalist-Traditionalist Theology -- which might be foundational to bigger and better things for humanity. BTW -- Why did Jesus Christ need to become a human-sacrifice to save us from our sins -- if the following passage from Isaiah is true???

    Isaiah 43 1 But now thus saith the LORD that created thee, O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israel, Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine. 2 When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned ; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee. 3 For I am the LORD thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Saviour : I gave Egypt for thy ransom, Ethiopia and Seba for thee. 4 Since thou wast precious in my sight, thou hast been honourable , and I have loved thee: therefore will I give men for thee, and people for thy life. 5 Fear not: for I am with thee: I will bring thy seed from the east, and gather thee from the west; 6 I will say to the north, Give up ; and to the south, Keep not back : bring my sons from far, and my daughters from the ends of the earth; 7 Even every one that is called by my name: for I have created him for my glory, I have formed him; yea, I have made him. 8 Bring forth the blind people that have eyes, and the deaf that have ears. 9 Let all the nations be gathered together, and let the people be assembled : who among them can declare this, and shew us former things? let them bring forth their witnesses, that they may be justified : or let them hear , and say , It is truth. 10 Ye are my witnesses, saith the LORD, and my servant whom I have chosen : that ye may know and believe me, and understand that I am he: before me there was no God formed , neither shall there be after me.

    11 I, even I, am the LORD; and beside me there is no saviour . 12 I have declared , and have saved , and I have shewed , when there was no strange god among you: therefore ye are my witnesses, saith the LORD, that I am God. 13 Yea, before the day was I am he; and there is none that can deliver out of my hand: I will work , and who shall let it? 14 Thus saith the LORD, your redeemer , the Holy One of Israel; For your sake I have sent to Babylon, and have brought down all their nobles, and the Chaldeans, whose cry is in the ships. 15 I am the LORD, your Holy One, the creator of Israel, your King. 16 Thus saith the LORD, which maketh a way in the sea, and a path in the mighty waters; 17 Which bringeth forth the chariot and horse, the army and the power; they shall lie down together, they shall not rise : they are extinct , they are quenched as tow. 18 Remember ye not the former things, neither consider the things of old. 19 Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth ; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert. 20 The beast of the field shall honour me, the dragons and the owls : because I give waters in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert, to give drink to my people, my chosen. 21 This people have I formed for myself; they shall shew forth my praise. 22 But thou hast not called upon me, O Jacob; but thou hast been weary of me, O Israel. 23 Thou hast not brought me the small cattle of thy burnt offerings; neither hast thou honoured me with thy sacrifices. I have not caused thee to serve with an offering, nor wearied thee with incense. 24 Thou hast bought me no sweet cane with money, neither hast thou filled me with the fat of thy sacrifices: but thou hast made me to serve with thy sins, thou hast wearied me with thine iniquities. 25 I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins. 26 Put me in remembrance : let us plead together: declare thou, that thou mayest be justified . 27 Thy first father hath sinned , and thy teachers have transgressed against me. 28 Therefore I have profaned the princes of the sanctuary, and have given Jacob to the curse, and Israel to reproaches.

    Matthew was supposedly the only New Testament book originally written in Hebrew (or Aramaic). Interesting! What if Matthew is the only truly legitimate New Testament book??? What if Job through Matthew constitutes True Judeo-Christianity??? What does Job through Matthew teach regarding the Sabbath and the Substitutionary-Atonement??? Why is there a relatively silent Intertestamental Period??? Why did the Biblical-Canon end with Revelation??? Something is very-right and very-wrong with the Bible and Judeo-Christianity. The absence of Lucifer in the Bible really bothers me. There is just that one reference in Isaiah 14 -- and that passage seems to be referring to the King of Babylon. Gabriel supposedly replaced Lucifer -- but what if Gabriel really replaced Michael??? What if there was never a "Lucifer"??? What if Michael was a Soft-Liner who got replaced by a Hard-Liner Gabriel -- with the full authorization of the Galactic Powers That Be??? What if -- at some point -- Gabriel went rogue??? I have NO idea about this sort of thing -- and I don't make this speculation personal -- but I really wonder. I still think that it's possible that Gabriel and Michael were (and are) Best-Friends and Worst-Enemies. What if Gabriel and Michael have played multiple roles throughout the history of this solar system??? What if Gabriel and Michael were BOTH Ancient Egyptian Deities??? What if Official Judeo-Christianity is a cover-story for the real-story??? Once again, I wish No-One any harm. Not yet, anyway.

    Isaiah 14: 1 For the LORD will have mercy on Jacob, and will yet choose Israel, and set them in their own land: and the strangers shall be joined with them, and they shall cleave to the house of Jacob. 2 And the people shall take them, and bring them to their place: and the house of Israel shall possess them in the land of the LORD for servants and handmaids: and they shall take them captives , whose captives they were; and they shall rule over their oppressors . 3 And it shall come to pass in the day that the LORD shall give thee rest from thy sorrow, and from thy fear, and from the hard bondage wherein thou wast made to serve , 4 That thou shalt take up this proverb against the king of Babylon, and say , How hath the oppressor ceased ! the golden city ceased ! 5 The LORD hath broken the staff of the wicked, and the sceptre of the rulers . 6 He who smote the people in wrath with a continual stroke, he that ruled the nations in anger, is persecuted, and none hindereth . 7 The whole earth is at rest , and is quiet : they break forth into singing. 8 Yea, the fir trees rejoice at thee, and the cedars of Lebanon, saying, Since thou art laid down , no feller is come up against us. 9 Hell from beneath is moved for thee to meet thee at thy coming : it stirreth up the dead for thee, even all the chief ones of the earth; it hath raised up from their thrones all the kings of the nations. 10 All they shall speak and say unto thee, Art thou also become weak as we? art thou become like unto us? 11 Thy pomp is brought down to the grave, and the noise of thy viols: the worm is spread under thee, and the worms cover thee. 12 How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning ! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! 13 For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: 14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High. 15 Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit. 16 They that see thee shall narrowly look upon thee, and consider thee, saying, Is this the man that made the earth to tremble , that did shake kingdoms; 17 That made the world as a wilderness, and destroyed the cities thereof; that opened not the house of his prisoners?

    18 All the kings of the nations, even all of them, lie in glory, every one in his own house. 19 But thou art cast out of thy grave like an abominable branch, and as the raiment of those that are slain , thrust through with a sword, that go down to the stones of the pit; as a carcase trodden under feet . 20 Thou shalt not be joined with them in burial, because thou hast destroyed thy land, and slain thy people: the seed of evildoers shall never be renowned . 21 Prepare slaughter for his children for the iniquity of their fathers; that they do not rise , nor possess the land, nor fill the face of the world with cities . 22 For I will rise up against them, saith the LORD of hosts, and cut off from Babylon the name, and remnant, and son, and nephew, saith the LORD. 23 I will also make it a possession for the bittern, and pools of water: and I will sweep it with the besom of destruction , saith the LORD of hosts. 24 The LORD of hosts hath sworn , saying , Surely as I have thought , so shall it come to pass; and as I have purposed , so shall it stand : 25 That I will break the Assyrian in my land, and upon my mountains tread him under foot : then shall his yoke depart from off them, and his burden depart from off their shoulders. 26 This is the purpose that is purposed upon the whole earth: and this is the hand that is stretched out upon all the nations. 27 For the LORD of hosts hath purposed , and who shall disannul it? and his hand is stretched out , and who shall turn it back ? 28 In the year that king Ahaz died was this burden. 29 Rejoice not thou, whole Palestina, because the rod of him that smote thee is broken : for out of the serpent's root shall come forth a cockatrice, and his fruit shall be a fiery flying serpent. 30 And the firstborn of the poor shall feed , and the needy shall lie down in safety: and I will kill thy root with famine, and he shall slay thy remnant. 31 Howl , O gate; cry , O city; thou, whole Palestina, art dissolved : for there shall come from the north a smoke, and none shall be alone in his appointed times. 32 What shall one then answer the messengers of the nation? That the LORD hath founded Zion, and the poor of his people shall trust in it.

    It seems as if the Founding Documents of the United States of the Solar System cannot be edited!!! Interesting!!! I can edit, copy, and paste the next post!!! Does this imply that someone takes that first post seriously -- and that it is now somehow set in concrete??? Is this similar to the closing of the Old Project Avalon site??? Please understand that I mostly wished to model and discuss various solar system governance modalities -- and I wish to reiterate that I am NOT an authority on ANYTHING. Anyway, I will now attempt to proceed with my little reposting project. BTW -- Supposedly, J.S. Bach was some sort of a Demon-Fighter -- and Demons supposedly HATE the Music of Bach!! If nothing else works -- try playing BWV 552, BWV 565, and BWV 582 over and over and over again!!! When I played BWV 565 over and over and over again -- on a 50ft high pipe-organ -- one dark night -- my organ professor entered the church -- and in a very strange voice asked "Who's Here -- and Why??"




    I've included the Bible and Theology in this first post, because I think they should be studied side by side with Solar System Studies and Governance. In connection with what I said regarding Job through Matthew -- consider the Gospel According to Matthew in some depth. What if the Source "Q" somehow belongs somewhere among Job through Malachi?? What if the Jesus-Story (as we know it) was a doctored-version of an earlier Messianic-Story?? Consider studying the relationship between Egyptology and Judeo-Christianity. I seem to have a mental-block regarding this sort of thing -- but I'm trying to expose myself to some of it. Please remember that I am merely providing you with a study-guide -- to help you deal with a very nasty Info-War. I am NOT a scholar or an authority. I'm just a basket-case of a completely-ignorant fool -- and I wish I were kidding. The reality of my life is really quite sad and boring -- regardless of who I might be on a soul-basis. I somehow think I got my butt kicked in this incarnation. But anyway -- learn what you can from this thread -- and then move on. One more thing. Sometimes I get the sinking-feeling that the purpose of religion is to make people love a False-God and hate the Real-God. Namaste and Godspeed. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gospel_of_Matthew

    The Gospel According to Matthew (Greek: ?at? ?at?a??? e?a???????, kata Matthaion euangelion, t? e?a??????? ?at? ?at?a???, to euangelion kata Matthaion) (Gospel of Matthew or simply Matthew) is one of the four canonical gospels, one of the three synoptic gospels, and the first book of the New Testament. The narrative tells how the Messiah, Jesus, rejected by Israel, finally sends the disciples to preach his Gospel to the whole world.[1]

    The Gospel of Matthew is generally believed to have been composed between 70 and 110, with most scholars preferring the period 80–90;[2] a pre-70 date remains a minority view, but has been strongly supported.[3] The anonymous author was probably a highly educated Jew, intimately familiar with the technical aspects of Jewish law, and the disciple Matthew was probably honored within his circle.[4] The author drew on three main sources to compose his gospel: the Gospel of Mark; the hypothetical collection of sayings known as the Q source; and material unique to his own community, called "Special Matthew", or the M source.[5]

    The Gospel of Matthew is anonymous: the author is not named within the text, and the superscription "according to Matthew" was added some time in the second century.[6][7] The tradition that the author was the disciple Matthew begins with the early Christian bishop Papias of Hierapolis (c.100-140 CE), who is cited by the Church historian Eusebius (260-340 CE), as follows: "Matthew collected the oracles (logia: sayings of or about Jesus) in the Hebrew language ( Hebraïdi dialektoi— perhaps "Hebraic style"), and each one interpreted (hermeneusen - perhaps "translated") them as best he could."[8][Notes 1] On the surface, this implies that Matthew's Gospel was written in Hebrew or Aramaic by the apostle Matthew and later translated into Greek, but nowhere does the author claim to have been an eyewitness to events, and Matthew's Greek "reveals none of the telltale marks of a translation."[9][6] Scholars have put forward several theories to explain Papias: perhaps Matthew wrote two gospels, one, now lost, in Hebrew, the other our Greek version; or perhaps the logia was a collection of sayings rather than the gospel; or by dialektoi Papias may have meant that Matthew wrote in the Jewish style rather than in the Hebrew language.[8] The consensus is that Papias does not describe the Gospel of Matthew as we know it, and it is generally accepted that Matthew was written in Greek, not Aramaic or Hebrew.[10]

    Matthew's sources include the Gospel of Mark, the "shared tradition" called Q, and material unique to Matthew, called "M". The majority view of modern scholars is that Mark was the first gospel to be composed and that Matthew (who includes some 600 of Mark's 661 verses)[11] and Luke both drew upon it as a major source for their works.[12] The author of Matthew did not, however, simply copy Mark, but edited his source freely, emphasizing Jesus' place in the Jewish tradition and adding large blocks of teaching.[13] An additional 220 (approximately) verses, shared by Matthew and Luke but not found in Mark, form a second source, a hypothetical collection of sayings to which scholars give the name "Quelle", or the Q source.[14] This view, known as the two-source theory (Mark and Q), allows for a further body of tradition known as "Special Matthew", or the M source, meaning material unique to Matthew; this may represent a separate source, or it may come from the author's church, or he may have composed these verses himself.[11] The author also had at his disposal the Jewish scriptures, both as book-scrolls (Greek translations of Isaiah, the Psalms etc) and in the form of "testimony collections" (collections of excerpts), and, finally, the oral traditions of his community.[15] All these sources were at least mostly in Greek;[16] although a few scholars hold that some of these source documents may have been Greek translations of older Hebrew or Aramaic sources.[17][18]

    The majority view among scholars is that Matthew was a product of the second generation of Christians, those active after 70 CE. The defining events marking this period off from the first generation was the Jewish revolt of 66-73, and especially the destruction of the Second Temple by the Romans in 70. From this point on, what had begun with Jesus of Nazareth as a Jewish messianic movement became an increasingly Gentile movement that would evolve in time into a distinct religion.[19]

    The Christian community to which Matthew belonged, like many 1st century Christians, were still part of the larger Jewish community: hence the designation Jewish-Christian to describe them.[20] The relationship of Matthew to this wider world of Judaism remains a subject of study and difference, the principle question being the extent to which Matthew's community had separated itself from its Jewish roots.[21] Certainly there was conflict between Matthew's group and other Jewish groups, and it is generally agreed that the root of the conflict was the Matthew community's belief in Jesus as the messiah and authoritative interpreter of the law, as one risen from the dead and uniquely endowed with divine authority.[22]

    The author of Matthew wrote for a community of Greek-speaking Jewish Christians located probably in Syria (Antioch, the largest city in Roman Syria and the third-largest in the empire, is often mentioned).[23] Unlike Mark, he never bothers to explain Jewish customs; unlike Luke, who traces Jesus' ancestry back to Adam, father of the human race, he traces it only to Abraham, father of the Jews; of his three presumed sources only "M", the material from his own community, refers to a "church" (ecclesia), an organised group with rules for keeping order; and the content of "M" suggests that this community was strict in keeping the Jewish law, holding that they must exceed the scribes and the Pharisees in "righteousness" (adherence to Jewish law).[24] Writing from within a Jewish-Christian community growing increasingly distant from other Jews and becoming increasingly Gentile in its membership and outlook, Matthew put down in his gospel his vision "of an assembly or church in which both Jew and Gentile would flourish together."[25]

    1. Birth Stories
    Genealogy (1:1–17)
    Nativity (1:18–25)
    Biblical Magi (2:1–12)
    Flight into Egypt (2:13–20)
    Return to Nazareth (2:21-23)
    2. Baptism and early ministry
    John the Baptist (3:1–12)
    Baptism of Jesus (3:13–17)
    Temptation of Jesus (4:1–11)
    Capernaum (4:12–17)
    First disciples of Jesus (4:18–22)
    Galilee preaching tour (4:23–25)
    3. Sermon on the Mount (5–7)
    4. Healing and miracles
    Healing many (8:1–17)
    Foxes have holes (8:18–20)
    Let the dead bury the dead (8:21–22)
    Calming the storm (8:23–27)
    Gadarene demoniacs (8:28–34)
    Healing a paralytic (9:1–Cool
    Calling of Matthew (9:9–13)
    On fasting (9:14–15)
    New Wine into Old Wineskins (9:16-17)
    Daughter of Jairus (9:18–26)
    Two blind men (9:27–31)
    Exorcising a mute (9:32-34)
    Good crop but few harvesters (9:35–38)
    5. Little Commission (10:1–11:1)
    6. Responses to Jesus
    Messengers from John the Baptist (11:2-19)
    Cursing Chorazin, Bethsaida, and Capernaum (11:20–24)
    Praising the Father (11:25–30)
    Lord of the Sabbath (12:1-Cool
    Man with withered hand (12:9-14)
    Chosen servant (12:15–21)
    Blind-mute man (12:22–28)
    Strong man (12:29)
    Those not with me are against me (12:30)
    Unforgivable sin (12:31–32)
    The Tree and its Fruits (12:33–37)
    Request for a sign (12:38–42)
    Return of the unclean spirit (12:43–45)
    Jesus' true relatives (12:46-50)
    Parabolic Discourse (13:1–52)
    7. Conflicts, rejections, and conferences with disciples
    Hometown rejection (13:53–58)
    Death of John the Baptist (14:1-12)
    Feeding the 5000 (14:13–21)
    Walking on water (14:22–33)
    Fringe of his cloak heals (14:34–36)
    Discourse on Defilement (15:1–20)
    Canaanite woman's daughter (15:21–28)
    Healing on a mountain (15:29-31)
    Feeding the 4000 (15:32–39)
    Sign of Jonah (16:1-4)
    Beware of yeast (16:5–12)
    Peter's confession (16:13–20)
    Jesus predicts his death (16:21-28,17:22-23,20:17-19)
    Transfiguration (17:1–13)
    Possessed boy (17:14–21)
    Coin in the fish's mouth (17:24-27)
    8. Life in the Christian community
    The Little Children (18:1–7)
    If thy hand offend thee (18:8–9)
    The Lost Sheep (18:10–14)
    Binding and loosing (18:15–22)
    Unmerciful Servant (18:23–35)
    9. Journey to Jerusalem
    Entering Judea (19:1–2)
    Divorce (19:3–9)
    Celibacy (19:10-12)
    Little Children Blessed (19:13-15)
    Jesus and the rich young man (19:16–30)
    Parable of the Workers in the Vineyard (20:1–16)
    Son of man came to serve (20:20–28)
    Blind near Jericho (20:29-34)
    10. Jerusalem, cleansing of the temple, debates
    Triumphal entry into Jerusalem (21:1–11)
    Temple incident (21:12–17)
    Cursing the fig tree (21:18–22)
    Authority questioned (21:23-27)
    The Two Sons, The Wicked Husbandman, Parable of the Wedding Feast (21:28–22:14)
    Render unto Caesar... (22:15–22)
    Resurrection of the Dead (22:23–33)
    Great Commandment (22:34–40)
    Is the Messiah the son of David? (22:41–46)
    11. Woes of the Pharisees (23:1–39)
    12. Judgment day
    Little Apocalypse (24)
    Parables of the Ten Virgins, Talents (25:1–30)
    Judgment of the Nations (25:31–46)
    13. Trial, crucifixion, resurrection
    Plot to kill Jesus (26:1–5)
    Anointing of Jesus (26:6–13)
    Bargain of Judas (26:14-16)
    Last Supper (26:17–30)
    Denial of Peter (26:31–35,69–75)
    Agony in the Garden (26:36-46)
    Kiss of Judas (26:47-49)
    Arrest (26:50–56)
    Before the High Priest (26:57–68)
    Pilate's court (27:1–2,11–26)
    Death of Judas (27:3-10)
    Soldiers mock Jesus (27:27-31)
    Simon of Cyrene (27:32)
    Crucifixion (27:33–56)
    Entombment (27:57–61)
    Guarding the tomb (27:62–66,28:11-15)
    Empty tomb (28:1–6)
    Appearance to the women (28:7-10)
    Great Commission (28:16–20)

    Matthew, alone among the gospels, alternates five blocks of narrative with five of discourse, marking each off with the phrase "When Jesus had finished..."[26] (see Five Discourses of Matthew). Some scholars see in this a deliberate plan to create a parallel to the first five books of the Old Testament; others see a three-part structure based around the idea of Jesus as Messiah; or a set of weekly readings spread out over the year; or no plan at all.[27] Davies and Allison, in their widely used commentary, draw attention to the use of "triads" (the gospel groups things in threes),[28] and R. T. France, in another influential commentary, notes the geographic movement from Galilee to Jerusalem and back, with the post-resurrection appearances in Galilee as the culmination of the whole story.[29]

    The Gospel of Matthew begins with the words "The Book of Genealogy [in Greek, "Genesis"] of Jesus Christ", deliberately echoing the words of Genesis 2:4 in the Old Testament in Greek.[Notes 2] The genealogy tells of Jesus' descent from Abraham and King David and the miraculous events surrounding his virgin birth,[Notes 3] and the infancy narrative tells of the massacre of the innocents, the flight into Egypt, and eventual journey to Nazareth.

    The first narrative section begins. John baptizes Jesus, and the Holy Spirit descends upon him. Jesus prays and meditates in the wilderness for forty days, and is tempted by Satan. His early ministry by word and deed in Galilee meets with much success, and leads to the Sermon on the Mount, the first of the discourses. The sermon presents the ethics of the kingdom of God, introduced by the Beatitudes ("Blessed are..."). It concludes with a reminder that the response to the kingdom will have eternal consequences, and the crowd's amazed response leads into the next narrative block.[30]

    From the authoritative words of Jesus the gospel turns to three sets of three miracles interwoven with two sets of two discipleship stories (the second narrative), followed by a discourse on mission and suffering.[31] Jesus commissions the Twelve Disciples and sends them to preach to the Jews, perform miracles, and prophesy the imminent coming of the Kingdom, commanding them to travel lightly, without staff or sandals.[32]

    Opposition to Jesus comes to a head with accusations that his deeds are done through the power of Satan; Jesus in turn accuses his opponents of blaspheming the Holy Spirit. The discourse is a set of parables emphasising the sovereignty of God, and concluding with a challenge to the disciples to understand the teachings as scribes of the kingdom of heaven.[33] (Matthew avoids using the holy word God in the expression "Kingdom of God"; instead he prefers the term "Kingdom of Heaven", reflecting the Jewish tradition of not speaking the name of God).[34]

    The fourth narrative section reveals that the increasing opposition to Jesus will result in his crucifixion in Jerusalem, and that his disciples must therefore prepare for his absence.[35] The instructions for the post-crucifixion church emphasize responsibility and humility. (This section contains Matthew 16:13–19, in which Simon, newly renamed Peter, (p?t???, petros, meaning "stone"), calls Jesus "the Christ, the son of the living God", and Jesus states that on this "bedrock" (p?t?a, petra) he will build his church—the passage forms the foundation for the papacy's claim of authority).

    Jesus travels toward Jerusalem, and the opposition intensifies: he is tested by Pharisees as soon as he begins to move towards the city, and when he arrives he is soon in conflict with the Temple and other religious leaders. The disciples ask about the future, and in his final discourse (the Olivet discourse) Jesus speaks of the coming end.[36]There will be false Messiahs, earthquakes, and persecutions, the sun, moon, and stars will fail, but "this generation" will not pass away before all the prophecies are fulfilled.[32] The disciples must steel themselves for ministry to all the nations. At the end of the discourse Matthew notes that Jesus has finished all his words, and attention turns to the crucifixion.[36]

    The events of Jesus' last week occupy a third of the content of all four gospels.[37] Jesus enters Jerusalem in triumph and drives the money changers from the temple, holds a last supper, prays to be spared the coming agony (but concludes "if this cup may not pass away from me, except I drink it, thy will be done"), and is betrayed. He is tried by the Jewish leaders (the Sanhedrin) and before Pontius Pilate, and Pilate washes his hands to indicate that he does not assume responsibility. Jesus is crucified as king of the Jews, mocked by all. On his death there is an earthquake, the veil of the Temple is rent, and saints rise from their tombs. Mary Magdalene and another Mary discover the empty tomb, guarded by an angel, and Jesus himself tells them to tell the disciples to meet him in Galilee.

    After the resurrection the remaining disciples return to Galilee, "to the mountain that Jesus had appointed," where he comes to them and tells them that he has been given "all authority in heaven and on Earth." He gives the Great Commission: "Therefore go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you;" Jesus will be with them "to the very end of the age."[38]

    Christology is the theological doctrine of Christ, "the affirmations and definitions of Christ's humanity and deity".[39] There is a variety of Christologies in the New Testament, albeit with a single centre - Jesus is the figure in whom God has acted for mankind's salvation.[40]

    Matthew has taken over his key Christological texts from Mark, but sometimes he has changed the stories he found in Mark, giving evidence of his own concerns.[41] The title Son of David identifies Jesus as the healing and miracle-working Messiah of Israel (it is used exclusively in relation to miracles), and the Jewish messiah is sent to Israel alone.[42] As Son of Man he will return to judge the world, a fact his disciples recognise but of which his enemies are unaware.[43] As Son of God he is named Immanuel (God with us) (Matthew 1:23), God revealing himself through his son, and Jesus proving his sonship through his obedience and example.[44]

    Matthew's prime concern was that the Jewish tradition should not be lost in a church increasingly becoming gentile.[45] This concern lies behind the frequent citations of Jewish scripture, the evocation of Jesus as the new Moses along with other events from Jewish history, and the concern to present Jesus as fulfilling, not destroying, the Law.[46]

    The gospel has been interpreted as reflecting the struggles and conflicts between the evangelist's community and the other Jews, particularly with its sharp criticism of the scribes and Pharisees.[47] Prior to the Crucifixion the Jews are called Israelites, the honorific title of God's chosen people; after it, they are called "Ioudaioi", Jews, a sign that through their rejection of the Christ the "kingdom of Heaven" has been taken away from them and given instead to the church.[48]

    The divine nature of Jesus was a major issue for the community of Matthew, the crucial element marking them off from their Jewish neighbors. Early understandings of this nature grew as the gospels were being written. Before the gospels, that understanding was focused on the revelation of Jesus as God in his resurrection, but the gospels reflect a broadened focus extended backwards in time.[49] The gospel of Mark recounts prior revelations in Jesus' lifetime on earth, at his baptism and transfiguration. Matthew and Luke go back further still, showing Jesus as the Son of God from his birth. Matthew most of all the gospels identifies how his coming to earth was the fulfillment of many Old Testament prophecies. Finally John calls God the Word (Jesus) pre-existent before creation, and thus before all time.

    Matthew is a creative reinterpretation of Mark,[50] stressing Jesus' teachings as much as his acts,[51] and making subtle changes in order to stress his divine nature – Mark's "young man" who appears at Jesus' tomb, for example, becomes a radiant angel in Matthew.[52] The miracle stories in Mark do not demonstrate the divinity of Jesus, but rather confirm his status as an emissary of God (which was Mark's understanding of the Messiah).[53]

    There is a broad disagreement over chronology between Matthew, Mark and Luke on one hand and John on the other: all four agree that Jesus' public ministry began with an encounter with John the Baptist, but Matthew, Mark and Luke follow this with an account of teaching and healing in Galilee, then a trip to Jerusalem where there is an incident in the Temple, climaxing with the crucifixion on the day of the Passover holiday. John, by contrast, puts the Temple incident very early in Jesus' ministry, has several trips to Jerusalem, and puts the crucifixion immediately before the Passover holiday, on the day when the lambs for the Passover meal were being sacrificed in Temple.[54] Matthew, unlike Paul and like Luke, believed that the Law was still in force, which meant that Jews within the church had to keep it.[55]

    In Insular Gospel Books (copies of the Gospels produced in Ireland and Britain under Celtic Christianity), the first verse of Matthew's genealogy of Christ was often treated in a decorative manner, as it began not only a new book of the Bible, but was the first verse in the Gospels.

    Notes

    1. Eusebius, "History of the Church" 3.39.14-17, c. 325 CE, Greek text 16: "ta?ta µ?? ??? ?st???ta? t? ?ap?? pe?? t?? ??????· pe?? d? t?? ?at?a??? ta?t’ e???ta?· ?at?a??? µ?? ??? ?ß?a?d? d?a???t? t? ????a s??et??at?, ??µ??e?se? d’ a?t? ?? ?? d??at?? ??ast??. Various English translations published, standard reference translation by Philip Schaff at CCEL: "[C]oncerning Matthew he [Papias] writes as follows: 'So then(963) Matthew wrote the oracles in the Hebrew language, and every one interpreted them as he was able.'(964)" Online version includes footnotes 963 and 964 by Schaff.
    Irenaeus of Lyons (died c. 202 CE) makes a similar comment, possibly also drawing on Papias, in his Against Heresies, Book III, Chapter 1, "Matthew also issued a written Gospel among the Hebrews in their own dialect" (see Dwight Jeffrey Bingham (1998), Irenaeus' Use of Matthew's Gospel in Adversus Haereses, Peeters, p. 64 ff).
    2. France, p. 26 note 1, and p. 28: "The first two words of Matthew's gospel are literally “book of genesis”.
    3. France, p. 28 note 7: "All MSS and versions agree in making it explicit that Joseph was not Jesus' father, with the one exception of sys, which reads “Joseph, to whom was betrothed Mary the virgin, begot Jesus.”

    References

    1. Luz 2005, p. 249-250.
    2. Duling 2010, p. 298-299.
    3. France 2007, p. 19.
    4. Duling 2010, p. 298-299, 302.
    5. Burkett 2002, p. 175.
    6. Harrington 1991, p. 8.
    7. Nolland 2005, p. 16.
    8. Turner 2008, p. 15-16.
    9. Hagner 1986, p. 281.
    10. Ehrman 1999, p. 43.
    11. Senior 1996, p. 22.
    12. Turner 2008, p. 6-7.
    13. Harrington 1991, p. 5-6.
    14. McMahon 2008, p. 57.
    15. Beaton 2005, p. 116.
    16. Nolland 2005, p. 3.
    17. Casey 2010, pp. 87–8.
    18. Davies & Allison 1988, pp. 12–3.
    19. Scholtz 2009, p. 34-35.
    20. Saldarini 1994, p. 4.
    21. Senior 2011, p. 7-8,72.
    22. Senior 2011, p. 11.
    23. Nolland 2005, p. 18.
    24. Burkett 2002, p. 180-181.
    25. Senior 2011, p. 19.
    26. Turner 2008, p. 9.
    27. Davies & Allison 1988, p. 59-61.
    28. Davies & Allison 1988, p. 62ff.
    29. France 2007, p. 2ff.
    30. Turner 2008, p. 101.
    31. Turner, p. 226
    32. Harris 1985.
    33. Turner 2008, p. 285.
    34. Browning 2004, p. 248.
    35. Turner 2008, p. 265.
    36. Turner 2008, p. 445.
    37. Turner 2008, p. 613.
    38. Turner 2008, p. 687-688.
    39. Levison & Pope-Levison 2009, p. 167.
    40. Fuller 2001, p. 68-69.
    41. Tuckett 2001, p. 119.
    42. Luz 1995, p. 86,111.
    43. Luz 1995, p. 91,97.
    44. Luz 1995, p. 93.
    45. Davies & Allison 1997, p. 722.
    46. Senior 2001, p. 17-18.
    47. Burkett, p. 182
    48. Strecker pp. 369–370
    49. Peppard 2011, p. 133.
    50. Bockmuehl&Hagner, p. 117
    51. Morris, p. 114
    52. Bockmuehl&Hagner, p. 123
    53. Aune (1987), p. 59
    54. Levine, p. 373
    55. Allison, p.xxvi

    Commentaries

    Allison, D.C. (2004). Matthew: A Shorter Commentary. T&T Clark. ISBN 978-0-567-08249-7.
    Davies, W.D.; Allison, D.C. (1988). Matthew 1–7. T&T Clark. ISBN 978-0-567-08355-5.
    Davies, W.D.; Allison, D.C. (1991). Matthew 8–18. T&T Clark. ISBN 978-0-567-08365-4.
    Davies, W.D.; Allison, D.C. (1997). Matthew 19–28. T&T Clark. ISBN 978-0-567-08375-3.
    Duling, Dennis C. (2010). "The Gospel of Matthew". In Aune, David E. The Blackwell Companion to the New Testament. Wiley-Blackwell. pp. 296–318. ISBN 978-1-4051-0825-6.
    France, R.T (2007). The Gospel of Matthew. Eerdmans. ISBN 978-0-8028-2501-8.
    Harrington, Daniel J. (1991). The Gospel of Matthew. Liturgical Press. ISBN 9780814658031
    Keener, Craig S. (1999). A commentary on the Gospel of Matthew. Eerdmans. ISBN 978-0-8028-3821-6.
    Luz, Ulrich (1992). Matthew 1–7: a commentary. Fortress Press. ISBN 978-0-8006-9600-9.
    Luz, Ulrich (2001). Matthew 8–20: a commentary. Fortress Press. ISBN 978-0-8006-6034-5.
    Luz, Ulrich (2005). Matthew 21–28: a commentary. Fortress Press. ISBN 978-0-8006-3770-5.
    Morris, Leon (1992). The Gospel according to Matthew. Eerdmans. ISBN 978-0-85111-338-8.
    Nolland, John (2005). The Gospel of Matthew: A Commentary on the Greek Text. Eerdmans. ISBN 0802823890.
    Turner, David L. (2008). Matthew. Baker. ISBN 978-0-8010-2684-3.

    General works

    Aune, David E. (ed.) (2001). The Gospel of Matthew in current study. Eerdmans. ISBN 978-0-8028-4673-0.
    Aune, David E. (1987). The New Testament in its literary environment. Westminster John Knox Press. ISBN 978-0-664-25018-8.
    Beaton, Richard C. (2005). "How Matthew Writes". In Bockmuehl, Markus; Hagner, Donald A. The Written Gospel. Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-521-83285-4.
    Browning, W.R.F (2004). Oxford Dictionary of the Bible. Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-860890-5.
    Burkett, Delbert (2002). An introduction to the New Testament and the origins of Christianity. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0-521-00720-7.
    Casey, Maurice (2010). Jesus of Nazareth: An Independent Historian's Account of His Life and Teaching. Continuum. ISBN 978-0-567-64517-3.
    Clarke, Howard W. (2003). The Gospel of Matthew and Its Readers. Indiana University Press. ISBN 978-0-253-34235-5.
    Cross, Frank L.; Livingstone, Elizabeth A., eds. (2005) [1997]. "Matthew, Gospel acc. to St.". The Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church (3 ed.). Oxford University Press. p. 1064. ISBN 978-0-19-280290-3.
    Dunn, James D.G. (2003). Jesus Remembered. Eerdmans. ISBN 978-0-8028-3931-2.
    Ehrman, Bart D. (1999). Jesus: Apocalyptic Prophet of the New Millennium. Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-512474-3.
    Ehrman, Bart D. (2012). Did Jesus Exist?: The Historical Argument for Jesus of Nazareth. HarperCollins. ISBN 978-0-06-220460-8.
    Fuller, Reginald H. (2001). "Biblical Theology". In Metzger, Bruce M.; Coogan, Michael D. The Oxford Guide to Ideas & Issues of the Bible. Oxford University Press.
    Hagner, D.A. (1986). "Matthew, Gospel According to". In Bromiley, Geoffrey W. International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, Vol. 3: K-P. Wm. B. Eerdmans. pp. 280–8. ISBN 978-0-8028-8163-2.
    Kupp, David D. (1996). Matthew's Emmanuel: Divine Presence and God's People in the First Gospel. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0-521-57007-7.
    Levine, Michael D. (2001). "Visions of kingdoms: From Pompey to the first Jewish revolt". In Coogan. The Oxford History of the Biblical World. Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-513937-2.
    Levison, J.; Pope-Levison, P. (2009). "Christology". In Dyrness, William A.; Veli-Matti. Global Dictionary of Theology. InterVarsity Press.
    Luz, Ulrich (2005). Studies in Matthew. Eerdmans. ISBN 978-0-8028-3964-0.
    Luz, Ulrich (1995). The Theology of the Gospel of Matthew. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0-521-43576-5.
    McMahon, Christopher (2008). "Introduction to the Gospels and Acts of the Apostles". In Ruff, Jerry. Understanding the Bible: A Guide to Reading the Scriptures. Cambridge University Press.
    Morris, Leon (1986). New Testament Theology. Zondervan. ISBN 978-0-310-45571-4.
    Peppard, Michael (2011). The Son of God in the Roman World: Divine Sonship in Its Social and Political Context. Oxford University Press.
    Perkins, Pheme (1998-07-28). "The Synoptic Gospels and the Acts of the Apostles: Telling the Christian Story". The Cambridge Companion to Biblical Interpretation. ISBN 0521485932., in Kee, Howard Clark, ed. (1997). The Cambridge companion to the bible: part 3. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0-521-48593-7.
    Saldarini, Anthony (2003). "Matthew". Eerdmans commentary on the Bible. ISBN 0802837115., in Dunn, James D.G.; Rogerson, John William (2003). Eerdmans Commentary on the Bible. Eerdmans. ISBN 978-0-8028-3711-0.
    Saldarini, Anthony (1994). Matthew's Christian-Jewish Community. University of Chicago Press. ISBN 978-0-226-73421-7.
    Sanford, Christopher B. (2005). Matthew: Christian Rabbi. Author House.
    Scholtz, Donald (2009). Jesus in the Gospels and Acts: Introducing the New Testament. Saint Mary's Press.
    Senior, Donald (2001). "Directions in Matthean Studies". The Gospel of Matthew in Current Study: Studies in Memory of William G. Thompson, S.J. ISBN 0802846734., in Aune, David E. (ed.) (2001). The Gospel of Matthew in current study. Eerdmans. ISBN 978-0-8028-4673-0.
    Senior, Donald (1996). What are they saying about Matthew?. PaulistPress. ISBN 978-0-8091-3624-7.
    Stanton, Graham (1993). A gospel for a new people: studies in Matthew. Westminster John Knox Press. ISBN 978-0-664-25499-5.
    Strecker, Georg (2000) [1996]. Theology of the New Testament. Walter de Gruyter. ISBN 978-0-664-22336-6.
    Tuckett, Christopher Mark (2001). Christology and the New Testament: Jesus and His Earliest Followers. Westminster John Knox Press.
    Van de Sandt, H.W.M. (2005). "Introduction". Matthew and the Didache: Two Documents from the Same Jewish-Christian Milieu ?. ISBN 9023240774., in Van de Sandt, H.W.M, ed. (2005). Matthew and the Didache. Royal Van Gorcum&Fortress Press. ISBN 978-90-232-4077-8.
    Weren, Wim (2005). "The History and Social Setting of the Matthean Community". Matthew and the Didache: Two Documents from the Same Jewish-Christian Milieu ?. ISBN 9023240774., in Van de Sandt, H.W.M, ed. (2005). Matthew and the Didache. Royal Van Gorcum&Fortress Press. ISBN 978-90-232-4077-8.


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    orthodoxymoron
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    Post  orthodoxymoron Sun Jun 24, 2018 12:00 am

    I'm just thinking about what Alex Collier said in 1996 regarding "Tyranny" coming to this solar system 357 years in the future. This would be in or around A.D. 2353. What if "Tyranny" is considered to be "God"?? If this is even somewhat true, what would this do to my hypothetical A.D. 2133 for the termination of the 2300 days/years of Daniel 8:14?? What if that hypothetical United States of the Solar System will be nefariously launched without the "Blessing and Presence of God"?? I'm still bothered by that pesky "Millennium". My background indicates that Satan will be the solitary occupant of Earth for 1,000 years. A Significant Individual of Interest believes that Christ will rule the Kingdom of God on Planet Earth for 1,000 years. That's quite a contrast, isn't it??!! I'm tending to distrust Everyone and Everything (especially regarding the Historical and the Otherworldly). If this solar system has been nefariously ruled by a Single CEO for at least the past 5,000 years, who and what can REALLY be trusted?? That virus completely wrecked my computer, so I might not be posting on this site for a while. I'm presently using the library computer -- but this situation might be a good excuse for me to not post on the internet.

    Anyway, consider obtaining Volume 4 of the SDA Bible Commentary, and reading it straight-through (over and over). This volume covers Isaiah through Malachi -- yet employs a "Whole-Bible" modus operandi. Try listening to the Music of J.S. Bach while engaging in this study. This won't make you healthy, wealthy, and wise -- but it might be a significant piece of the puzzle for Sirius-Researchers. This involves "Going Against the Grain" (even for SDA's it seems) so beware of the consequences!! It might be a lot easier and productive to "Eat the Flesh -- Drink the Blood -- and Get Back to Work!!" I think the time has arrived for me to not venture further down the rabbit-hole (and just try to climb back out). I tried to help, but that didn't help. Just the opposite occurred. Please continue to note the Wonderful contrasted with the Reprehensible in the Bible. Ellen White expands on both. I really think this has sent many to the insane-asylum BUT what if the real state of affairs is MUCH worse than presented in the Bible and Ellen White?? Alternative-Research seems to have uncovered unimaginable horrors and perplexities. I continue to suggest that you treat my threads as Religious and Political Science-Fiction -- rather than being an Evangelistic-Crusade. This stuff is probably mostly for the Secret-Theologians in Underground-Bases!! The Horror!!

    http://www.whiteestate.org/books/pp/pp11.html After the dispersion from Babel idolatry again became well-nigh universal, and the Lord finally left the hardened transgressors to follow their evil ways, while He chose Abraham, of the line of Shem, and made him the keeper of His law for future generations. Abraham had grown up in the midst of superstition and heathenism. Even his father's household, by whom the knowledge of God had been preserved, were yielding to the seductive influences surrounding them, and they "served other gods" than Jehovah. But the true faith was not to become extinct. God has ever preserved a remnant to serve Him. Adam, Seth, Enoch, Methuselah, Noah, Shem, in unbroken line, had preserved from age to age the precious revealings of His will. The son of Terah became the inheritor of this holy trust. Idolatry invited him on every side, but in vain. Faithful among the faithless, uncorrupted by the prevailing apostasy, he steadfastly adhered to the worship of the one true God. "The Lord is nigh unto all them that call upon Him, to all that call upon Him in truth." Psalm 145:18. He communicated His will to Abraham, and gave him a distinct knowledge of the requirements of His law and of the salvation that would be accomplished through Christ.

    There was given to Abraham the promise, especially dear to the people of that age, of a numerous posterity and of national greatness: "I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing." And to this was added the assurance, precious above every other to the inheritor of faith, that of his line the Redeemer of the world should come: "In thee shall all families of the earth be blessed." Yet, as the first condition of fulfillment, there was to be a test of faith; a sacrifice was demanded.

    The message of God came to Abraham, "Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will show thee." In order that God might qualify him for his great work as the keeper of the sacred oracles, Abraham must be separated from the associations of his early life. The influence of kindred and friends would interfere with the training which the Lord purposed to give His servant. Now that Abraham was, in a special sense, connected with heaven, he must dwell among strangers. His character must be peculiar, differing from all the world. He could not even explain his course of action so as to be understood by his friends. Spiritual things are spiritually discerned, and his motives and actions were not comprehended by his idolatrous kindred.

    "By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went." Hebrews 11:8. Abraham's unquestioning obedience is one of the most striking evidences of faith to be found in all the Bible. To him, faith was "the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." Verse 1. Relying upon the divine promise, without the least outward assurance of its fulfillment, he abandoned home and kindred and native land, and went forth, he knew not whither, to follow where God should lead. "By faith he became a sojourner in the land of promise, as in a land not his own, dwelling in tents, with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise." Hebrews 11:9, R.V.

    It was no light test that was thus brought upon Abraham, no small sacrifice that was required of him. There were strong ties to bind him to his country, his kindred, and his home. But he did not hesitate to obey the call. He had no question to ask concerning the land of promise--whether the soil was fertile and the climate healthful; whether the country afforded agreeable surroundings and would afford opportunities for amassing wealth. God has spoken, and His servant must obey; the happiest place on earth for him was the place where God would have him to be.

    Many are still tested as was Abraham. They do not hear the voice of God speaking directly from the heavens, but He calls them by the teachings of His word and the events of His providence. They may be required to abandon a career that promises wealth and honor, to leave congenial and profitable associations and separate from kindred, to enter upon what appears to be only a path of self-denial, hardship, and sacrifice. God has a work for them to do; but a life of ease and the influence of friends and kindred would hinder the development of the very traits essential for its accomplishment. He calls them away from human influences and aid, and leads them to feel the need of His help, and to depend upon Him alone, that He may reveal Himself to them. Who is ready at the call of Providence to renounce cherished plans and familiar associations? Who will accept new duties and enter untried fields, doing God's work with firm and willing heart, for Christ's sake counting his losses gain? He who will do this has the faith of Abraham, and will share with him that "far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory," with which "the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared." 2 Corinthians 4:17; Romans 8:18.

    The call from heaven first came to Abraham while he dwelt in "Ur of the Chaldees" and in obedience to it he removed to Haran. Thus far his father's family accompanied him, for with their idolatry they united the worship of the true God. Here Abraham remained till the death of Terah. But from his father's grave the divine Voice bade him go forward. His brother Nahor with his household clung to their home and their idols. Besides Sarah, the wife of Abraham, only Lot, the son of Haran long since dead, chose to share the patriarch's, pilgrim life. Yet it was a large company that set out from Mesopotamia. Abraham already possessed extensive flocks and herds, the riches of the East, and he was surrounded by a numerous body of servants and retainers. He was departing from the land of his fathers, never to return, and he took with him all that he had, "their substance that they had gathered, and the souls that they had gotten in Haran." Among these were many led by higher considerations than those of service and self-interest. During their stay in Haran, both Abraham and Sarah had led others to the worship and service of the true God. These attached themselves to the patriarch's household, and accompanied him to the land of promise. "And they went forth to go into the land of Canaan; and into the land of Canaan they came."

    The place where they first tarried was Shechem. Under the shade of the oaks of Moreh, in a wide, grassy valley, with its olive groves and gushing springs, between Mount Ebal on the one side and Mount Gerizim on the other, Abraham made his encampment. It was a fair and goodly country that the patriarch had entered--"a land of brooks of water, of fountains and depths that spring out of valleys and hills; a land of wheat, and barley, and vines, and fig trees, and pomegranates; a land of oil olive, and honey." Deuteronomy 8:7, 8. But to the worshiper of Jehovah, a heavy shadow rested upon wooded hill and fruitful plain. "The Canaanite was then in the land." Abraham had reached the goal of his hopes to find a country occupied by an alien race and overspread with idolatry. In the groves were set up the altars of false gods, and human sacrifices were offered upon the neighboring heights. While he clung to the divine promise, it was not without distressful forebodings that he pitched his tent. Then "the Lord appeared unto Abram, and said, Unto thy seed will I give this land." His faith was strengthened by this assurance that the divine presence was with him, that he was not left to the mercy of the wicked. "And there builded he an altar unto the Lord, who appeared unto him." Still a wayfarer, he soon removed to a spot near Bethel, and again erected an altar, and called upon the name of the Lord.

    Abraham, "the friend of God," set us a worthy example. His was a life of prayer. Wherever he pitched his tent, close beside it was set up his altar, calling all within his encampment to the morning and evening sacrifice. When his tent was removed, the altar remained. In following years, there were those among the roving Canaanites who received instruction from Abraham; and whenever one of these came to that altar, he knew who had been there before him; and when he had pitched his tent, he repaired the altar, and there worshiped the living God.

    Abraham continued to journey southward, and again his faith was tested. The heavens withheld their rain, the brooks ceased to flow in the valleys, and the grass withered on the plains. The flocks and herds found no pasture, and starvation threatened the whole encampment. Did not the patriarch now question the leadings of Providence? Did he not look back with longing to the plenty of the Chaldean plains? All were eagerly watching to see what Abraham would do, as trouble after trouble came upon him. So long as his confidence appeared unshaken, they felt that there was hope; they were assured that God was his Friend, and that He was still guiding him.

    Abraham could not explain the leadings of Providence; he had not realized his expectations; but he held fast the promise, "I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing." With earnest prayer he considered how to preserve the life of his people and his flocks, but he would not allow circumstances to shake his faith in God's word. To escape the famine he went down into Egypt. He did not forsake Canaan, or in his extremity turn back to the Chaldean land from which he came, where there was no scarcity of bread; but he sought a temporary refuge as near as possible to the Land of Promise, intending shortly to return where God had placed him.

    The Lord in His providence had brought this trial upon Abraham to teach him lessons of submission, patience, and faith-- lessons that where to be placed on record for the benefit of all who should afterward be called to endure affliction. God leads His children by a way that they know not, but He does not forget or cast off those who put their trust in Him. He permitted affliction to come upon Job, but He did not forsake him. He allowed the beloved John to be exiled to lonely Patmos, but the Son of God met him there, and his vision was filled with scenes of immortal glory. God permits trials to assail His people, that by their constancy and obedience they themselves may be spiritually enriched, and that their example may be a source of strength to others. "I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil." Jeremiah 29:11. The very trials that task our faith most severely and make it seem that God has forsaken us, are to lead us closer to Christ, that we may lay all our burdens at His feet and experience the peace which He will give us in exchange.

    God has always tried His people in the furnace of affliction. It is in the heat of the furnace that the dross is separated from the true gold of the Christian character. Jesus watches the test; He knows what is needed to purify the precious metal, that it may reflect the radiance of His love. It is by close, testing trials that God disciplines His servants. He sees that some have powers which may be used in the advancement of His work, and He puts these persons upon trial; in His providence He brings them into positions that test their character and reveal defects and weaknesses that have been hidden from their own knowledge. He gives them opportunity to correct these defects and to fit themselves for His service. He shows them their own weakness, and teaches them to lean upon Him; for He is their only help and safeguard. Thus His object is attained. They are educated, trained, and disciplined, prepared to fulfill the grand purpose for which their powers were given them. When God calls them to action, they are ready, and heavenly angels can unite with them in the work to be accomplished on the earth.

    During his stay in Egypt, Abraham gave evidence that he was not free from human weakness and imperfection. In concealing the fact that Sarah was his wife, he betrayed a distrust of the divine care, a lack of that lofty faith and courage so often and nobly exemplified in his life. Sarah was fair to look upon, and he doubted not that the dusky Egyptians would covet the beautiful stranger, and that in order to secure her, they would not scruple to slay her husband. He reasoned that he was not guilty of falsehood in representing Sarah as his sister, for she was the daughter of his father, though not of his mother. But this concealment of the real relation between them was deception. No deviation from strict integrity can meet God's approval. Through Abraham's lack of faith, Sarah was placed in great peril. The king of Egypt, being informed of her beauty, caused her to be taken to his palace, intending to make her his wife. But the Lord, in His great mercy, protected Sarah by sending judgments upon the royal household. By this means the monarch learned the truth in the matter, and, indignant at the deception practiced upon him, he reproved Abraham and restored to him his wife, saying, "What is this that thou hast done unto me? . . . Why saidst thou, She is my sister? So I might have taken her to me to wife. Now therefore behold thy wife, take her, and go thy way."

    Abraham had been greatly favored by the king; even now Pharaoh would permit no harm to be done him or his company, but ordered a guard to conduct them in safety out of his dominions. At this time laws were made prohibiting the Egyptians from intercourse with foreign shepherds in any such familiarity as eating or drinking with them. Pharaoh's dismissal of Abraham was kind and generous; but he bade him leave Egypt, for he dared not permit him to remain. He had ignorantly been about to do him a serious injury, but God had interposed, and saved the monarch from committing so great a sin. Pharaoh saw in this stranger a man whom the God of heaven honored, and he feared to have in his kingdom one who was so evidently under divine favor. Should Abraham remain in Egypt, his increasing wealth and honor would be likely to excite the envy or covetousness of the Egyptians, and some injury might be done him, for which the monarch would be held responsible, and which might again bring judgments upon the royal house.

    The warning that had been given to Pharaoh proved a protection to Abraham in his after-intercourse with heathen peoples; for the matter could not be kept secret, and it was seen that the God whom Abraham worshiped would protect His servant, and that any injury done him would be avenged. It is a dangerous thing to wrong one of the children of the King of heaven. The psalmist refers to this chapter in Abraham's experience when he says, in speaking of the chosen people, that God "reproved kings for their sakes; saying, Touch not Mine anointed, and do My prophets no harm." Psalm 105:14, 15.

    There is an interesting similarity between Abraham's experience in Egypt and that of his posterity, centuries later. Both went down into Egypt on account of a famine, and both sojourned there. Through the manifestation of divine judgments in their behalf, the fear of them fell upon the Egyptians; and, enriched by the gifts of the heathen, they went out with great substance.

    http://www.whiteestate.org/books/pp/pp12.html Abraham returned to Canaan "very rich in cattle, in silver, and in gold." Lot was still with him, and again they came to Bethel, and pitched their tents by the altar which they had before erected. They soon found that increased possessions brought increased trouble. In the midst of hardships and trials they had dwelt together in harmony, but in their prosperity there was danger of strife between them. The pasturage was not sufficient for the flocks and herds of both, and the frequent disputes among the herdsmen were brought for settlement to their masters. It was evident that they must separate. Abraham was Lot's senior in years, and his superior in relation, in wealth, and in position; yet he was the first to propose plans for preserving peace. Although the whole land had been given him by God Himself, he courteously waived this right.

    "Let there be no strife," he said, "between me and thee, and between my herdmen and thy herdmen; for we be brethren. Is not the whole land before thee? separate thyself, I pray thee, from me: if thou wilt take the left hand, then I will go to the right; or if thou depart to the right hand, then I will go to the left."

    Here the noble, unselfish spirit of Abraham was displayed. How many under similar circumstances would, at all hazards, cling to their individual rights and preferences! How many households have thus been rent asunder! How many churches have been divided, making the cause of truth a byword and a reproach among the wicked! "Let there be no strife between me and thee," said Abraham, "for we be brethren;" not only by natural relationship, but as worshipers of the true God. The children of God the world over are one family, and the same spirit of love and conciliation should govern them. "Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honor preferring one another" (Romans 12:10), is the teaching of our Saviour. The cultivation of a uniform courtesy, a willingness to do to others as we would wish them to do to us, would annihilate half the ills of life. The spirit of self-aggrandizement is the spirit of Satan; but the heart in which the love of Christ is cherished, will possess that charity which seeketh not her own. Such will heed the divine injunction, "Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others." Philippians 2:4.

    Although Lot owed his prosperity to his connection with Abraham, he manifested no gratitude to his benefactor. Courtesy would have dictated that he yield the choice to Abraham, but instead of this he selfishly endeavored to grasp all its advantages. He "lifted up his eyes, and beheld all the plain of Jordan, that it was well watered everywhere, . . . even as the garden of the Lord, like the land of Egypt, as thou comest unto Zoar." The most fertile region in all Palestine was the Jordan Valley, reminding the beholders of the lost Paradise and equaling the beauty and productiveness of the Nile-enriched plains they had so lately left. There were cities also, wealthy and beautiful, inviting to profitable traffic in their crowded marts. Dazzled with visions of worldly gain, Lot overlooked the moral and spiritual evils that would be encountered there. The inhabitants of the plain were "sinners before the Lord exceedingly;" but of this he was ignorant, or, knowing, gave it but little weight. He "chose him all the plain of Jordan," and "pitched his tent toward Sodom." How little did he foresee the terrible results of that selfish choice!

    After the separation from Lot, Abraham again received from the Lord a promise of the whole country. Soon after this he removed to Hebron, pitching his tent under the oaks of Mamre and erecting beside it an altar to the Lord. In the free air of those upland plains, with their olive groves and vineyards, their fields of waving grain, and the wide pasture grounds of the encircling hills, he dwelt, well content with his simple, patriarchal life, and leaving to Lot the perilous luxury of the vale of Sodom.

    Abraham was honored by the surrounding nations as a mighty prince and a wise and able chief. He did not shut away his influence from his neighbors. His life and character, in their marked contrast with those of the worshipers of idols, exerted a telling influence in favor of the true faith. His allegiance to God was unswerving, while his affability and benevolence inspired confidence and friendship and his unaffected greatness commanded respect and honor.

    His religion was not held as a precious treasure to be jealously guarded and enjoyed solely by the possessor. True religion cannot be thus held, for such a spirit is contrary to the principles of the gospel. While Christ is dwelling in the heart it is impossible to conceal the light of His presence, or for that light to grow dim. On the contrary, it will grow brighter and brighter as day by day the mists of selfishness and sin that envelop the soul are dispelled by the bright beams of the Sun of Righteousness.

    The people of God are His representatives upon the earth, and He intends that they shall be lights in the moral darkness of this world. Scattered all over the country, in the towns, cities, and villages, they are God's witnesses, the channels through which He will communicate to an unbelieving world the knowledge of His will and the wonders of His grace. It is His plan that all who are partakers of the great salvation shall be missionaries for Him. The piety of the Christian constitutes the standard by which worldlings judge the gospel. Trials patiently borne, blessings gratefully received, meekness, kindness, mercy, and love, habitually exhibited, are the lights that shine forth in the character before the world, revealing the contrast with the darkness that comes of the selfishness of the natural heart.

    Rich in faith, noble in generosity, unfaltering in obedience, and humble in the simplicity of his pilgrim life, Abraham was also wise in diplomacy and brave and skillful in war. Notwithstanding he was known as the teacher of a new religion, three royal brothers, rulers of the Amorite plains in which he dwelt, manifested their friendship by inviting him to enter into an alliance with them for greater security; for the country was filled with violence and oppression. An occasion soon arose for him to avail himself of this alliance.

    Chedorlaomer, king of Elam, had invaded Canaan fourteen years before, and made it tributary to him. Several of the princes now revolted, and the Elamite king, with four allies, again marched into the country to reduce them to submission. Five kings of Canaan joined their forces and met the invaders in the vale of Siddim, but only to be completely overthrown. A large part of the army was cut to pieces, and those who escaped fled for safety to the mountains. The victors plundered the cities of the plain and departed with rich spoil and many captives, among whom were Lot and his family.

    Abraham, dwelling in peace in the oak groves at Mamre, learned from one of the fugitives the story of the battle and the calamity that had befallen his nephew. He had cherished no unkind memory of Lot's ingratitude. All his affection for him was awakened, and he determined that he should be rescued. Seeking, first of all, divine counsel, Abraham prepared for war. From his own encampment he summoned three hundred and eighteen trained servants, men trained in the fear of God, in the service of their master, and in the practice of arms. His confederates, Mamre, Eschol, and Aner, joined him with their bands, and together they started in pursuit of the invaders. The Elamites and their allies had encamped at Dan, on the northern border of Canaan. Flushed with victory, and having no fear of an assault from their vanquished foes, they had given themselves up to revealing. The patriarch divided his force so as to approach from different directions, and came upon the encampment by night.

    His attack, so vigorous and unexpected, resulted in speedy victory. The king of Elam was slain and his panic-stricken forces were utterly routed. Lot and his family, with all the prisoners and their goods, were recovered, and a rich booty fell into the hands of the victors. To Abraham, under God, the triumph was due. The worshiper of Jehovah had not only rendered a great service to the country, but had proved himself a man of valor. It was seen that righteousness is not cowardice, and that Abraham's religion made him courageous in maintaining the right and defending the oppressed. His heroic act gave him a widespread influence among the surrounding tribes. On his return, the king of Sodom came out with his retinue to honor the conqueror. He bade him take the goods, begging only that the prisoners should be restored. By the usage of war, the spoils belonged to the conquerors; but Abraham had undertaken this expedition with no purpose of gain, and he refused to take advantage of the unfortunate, only stipulating that his confederates should receive the portion to which they entitled.

    Few, if subjected to such a test, would have shown themselves as noble as did Abraham. Few would have resisted the temptation to secure so rich a booty. His example is a rebuke to self-seeking, mercenary spirits. Abraham regarded the claims of justice and humanity. His conduct illustrates the inspired maxim, "Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself." Leviticus 19:18. "I have lifted up my hand," he said, "unto the Lord, the most high God, the possessor of heaven and earth, that I will not take from a thread even to a shoe latchet, and that I will not take anything that is thine, lest thou shouldest say, I have made Abram rich." He would give them no occasion to think that he had engaged in warfare for the sake of gain, or to attribute his prosperity to their gifts or favor. God had promised to bless Abraham, and to Him the glory should be ascribed.

    Another who came out to welcome the victorious patriarch was Melchizedek, king of Salem, who brought forth bread and wine for the refreshment of his army. As "priest of the most high God," he pronounced a blessing upon Abraham, and gave thanks to the Lord, who had wrought so great a deliverance by his servant. And Abraham "gave him tithes of all."

    Abraham gladly returned to his tents and his flocks, but his mind was disturbed by harassing thoughts. He had been a man of peace, so far as possible shunning enmity and strife; and with horror he recalled the scene of carnage he had witnessed. But the nations whose forces he had defeated would doubtless renew the invasion of Canaan, and make him the special object of their vengeance. Becoming thus involved in national quarrels, the peaceful quiet of his life would be broken. Furthermore, he had not entered upon the possession of Canaan, nor could he now hope for an heir, to whom the promise might be fulfilled.

    In a vision of the night the divine Voice was again heard. "Fear not, Abram," were the words of the Prince of princes; "I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward." But his mind was so oppressed by forebodings that he could not now grasp the promise with unquestioning confidence as heretofore. He prayed for some tangible evidence that it would be fulfilled. And how was the covenant promise to be realized, while the gift of a son was withheld? "What wilt thou give me," he said, "seeing I go childless?" "And, lo, one born in my house is mine heir." He proposed to make his trusty servant Eliezer his son by adoption, and the inheritor of his possessions. But he was assured that a child of his own was to be his heir. Then he was led outside his tent, and told to look up to the unnumbered stars glittering in the heavens; and as he did so, the words were spoken, "So shall thy seed be." "Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness." Romans 4:3.

    Still the patriarch begged for some visible token as a confirmation of his faith and as an evidence to after-generations that God's gracious purposes toward them would be accomplished. The Lord condescended to enter into a covenant with His servant, employing such forms as were customary among men for the ratification of a solemn engagement. By divine direction, Abraham sacrificed a heifer, a she-goat, and a ram, each three years old, dividing the bodies and laying the pieces a little distance apart. To these he added a turtledove and a young pigeon, which, however, were not divided. This being done, he reverently passed between the parts of the sacrifice, making a solemn vow to God of perpetual obedience. Watchful and steadfast, he remained beside the carcasses till the going down of the sun, to guard them from being defiled or devoured by birds of prey. About sunset he sank into a deep sleep; and, "lo, a horror of great darkness fell upon him." And the voice of God was heard, bidding him not to expect immediate possession of the Promised Land, and pointing forward to the sufferings of his posterity before their establishment in Canaan. The plan of redemption was here opened to him, in the death of Christ, the great sacrifice, and His coming in glory. Abraham saw also the earth restored to its Eden beauty, to be given him for an everlasting possession, as the final and complete fulfillment of the promise.

    As a pledge of this covenant of God with men, a smoking furnace and a burning lamp, symbols of the divine presence, passed between the severed victims, totally consuming them. And again a voice was heard by Abraham, confirming the gift of the land of Canaan to his descendants, "from the river of Egypt unto the great river, the river Euphrates."

    When Abraham had been nearly twenty-five years in Canaan, the Lord appeared unto him, and said, "I am the Almighty God; walk before Me, and be thou perfect." In awe, the patriarch fell upon his face, and the message continued: "Behold, My covenant is with thee, and thou shalt be a father of many nations." In token of the fulfillment of this covenant, his name, heretofore called Abram, was changed to Abraham, which signifies, "father of a great multitude." Sarai's name became Sarah--"princess;" for, said the divine Voice, "she shall be a mother of nations; kings of people shall be of her."

    At this time the rite of circumcision was given to Abraham as "a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had yet being uncircumcised." Romans 4:11. It was to be observed by the patriarch and his descendants as a token that they were devoted to the service of God and thus separated from idolaters, and that God accepted them as His peculiar treasure. By this rite they were pledged to fulfill, on their part, the conditions of the covenant made with Abraham. They were not to contact marriages with the heathen; for by so doing they would lose their reverence for God and His holy law; they would be tempted to engage in the sinful practices of other nations, and would be seduced into idolatry.

    God conferred great honor upon Abraham. Angels of heaven walked and talked with him as friend with friend. When judgments were about to be visited upon Sodom, the fact was not hidden from him, and he became an intercessor with God for sinners. His interview with the angels presents also a beautiful example of hospitality.

    In the hot summer noontide the patriarch was sitting in his tent door, looking out over the quiet landscape, when he saw in the distance three travelers approaching. Before reaching his tent, the strangers halted, as if consulting as to their course. Without waiting for them to solicit favors, Abraham rose quickly, and as they were apparently turning in another direction, he hastened after them, and with the utmost courtesy urged them to honor him by tarrying for refreshment. With his own hands he brought water that they might wash the dust of travel from their feet. He himself selected their food, and while they were at rest under the cooling shade, an entertainment was made ready, and he stood respectfully beside them while they partook of his hospitality. This act of courtesy God regarded of sufficient importance to record in His word; and a thousand years later it was referred to by an inspired apostle: "Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares." Hebrews 13:2.

    Abraham had seen in his guests only three tired wayfarers, little thinking that among them was One whom he might worship without sin. But the true character of the heavenly messengers was now revealed. Though they were on their way as ministers of wrath, yet to Abraham, the man of faith, they spoke first of blessings. Though God is strict to mark iniquity and to punish transgression, He takes no delight in vengeance. The work of destruction is a "strange work" to Him who is infinite in love.

    "The secret of the Lord is with them that fear Him." Psalm 25:14. Abraham had honored God, and the Lord honored him, taking him into His counsels, and revealing to him His purposes. "Shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I do?" said the Lord. "The cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grievous, I will go down now, and see whether they have done altogether according to the cry of it, which is come unto me; and if not, I will know." God knew well the measure of Sodom's guilt; but He expressed Himself after the manner of men, that the justice of His dealings might be understood. Before bringing judgment upon the transgressors He would go Himself, to institute an examination of their course; if they had not passed the limits of divine mercy, He would still grant them space for repentance.

    Two of the heavenly messengers departed, leaving Abraham alone with Him whom he now knew to be the Son of God. And the man of faith pleaded for the inhabitants of Sodom. Once he had saved them by his sword, now he endeavored to save them by prayer. Lot and his household were still dwellers there; and the unselfish love that prompted Abraham to their rescue from the Elamites, now sought to save them, if it were God's will, from the storm of divine judgment.

    With deep reverence and humility he urged his plea: "I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord, which am but dust and ashes." There was no self-confidence, no boasting of his own righteousness. He did not claim favor on the ground of his obedience, or of the sacrifices he had made in doing God's will. Himself a sinner, he pleaded in the sinner's behalf. Such a spirit all who approach God should possess. Yet Abraham manifested the confidence of a child pleading with a loved father. He came close to the heavenly Messenger, and fervently urged his petition. Though Lot had become a dweller in Sodom, he did not partake in the iniquity of its inhabitants. Abraham thought that in that populous city there must be other worshipers of the true God.

    And in view of this he pleaded, "That be far from Thee, to do after this manner, to slay the righteous with the wicked: . . . that be far from Thee: Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?" Abraham asked not once merely, but many times. Waxing bolder as his requests were granted, he continued until he gained the assurance that if even ten righteous persons could be found in it, the city would be spared.

    Love for perishing souls inspired Abraham's prayer. While he loathed the sins of that corrupt city, he desired that the sinners might be saved. His deep interest for Sodom shows the anxiety that we should feel for the impenitent. We should cherish hatred of sin, but pity and love for the sinner. All around us are souls going down to ruin as hopeless, as terrible, as that which befell Sodom. Every day the probation of some is closing. Every hour some are passing beyond the reach of mercy. And where are the voices of warning and entreaty to bid the sinner flee from this fearful doom? Where are the hands stretched out to draw him back from death? Where are those who with humility and persevering faith are pleading with God for him?

    The spirit of Abraham was the spirit of Christ. The Son of God is Himself the great Intercessor in the sinner's behalf. He who has paid the price for its redemption knows the worth of the human soul. With an antagonism to evil such as can exist only in a nature spotlessly pure, Christ manifested toward the sinner a love which infinite goodness alone could conceive. In the agonies of the crucifixion, Himself burdened with the awful weight of the sins of the whole world, He prayed for His revilers and murderers, "Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do." Luke 23:34.

    Of Abraham it is written that "he was called the friend of God," "the father of all them that believe." James 2:23; Romans 4:11. The testimony of God concerning this faithful patriarch is, "Abraham obeyed My voice, and kept My charge, My commandments, My statutes, and My laws." And again, "I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the Lord, to do justice and judgment; that the Lord may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him." It was a high honor to which Abraham was called, that of being the father of the people who for centuries were the guardians and preservers of the truth of God for the world--of that people through whom all the nations of the earth should be blessed in the advent of the promised Messiah. But He who called the patriarch judged him worthy. It is God that speaks. He who understands the thoughts afar off, and places the right estimate upon men, says, "I know him." There would be on the part of Abraham no betraying of the truth for selfish purposes. He would keep the law and deal justly and righteously. And he would not only fear the Lord himself, but would cultivate religion in his home. He would instruct his family in righteousness. The law of God would be the rule in his household.

    Abraham's household comprised more than a thousand souls. Those who were led by his teachings to worship the one God, found a home in his encampment; and here, as in a school, they received such instruction as would prepare them to be representatives of the true faith. Thus a great responsibility rested upon him. He was training heads of families, and his methods of government would be carried out in the households over which they should preside.

    In early times the father was the ruler and priest of his own family, and he exercised authority over his children, even after they had families of their own. His descendants were taught to look up to him as their head, in both religious and secular matters. This patriarchal system of government Abraham endeavored to perpetuate, as it tended to preserve the knowledge of God. It was necessary to bind the members of the household together, in order to build up a barrier against the idolatry that had become so widespread and so deep-seated. Abraham sought by every means in his power to guard the inmates of his encampment against mingling with the heathen and witnessing their idolatrous practices, for he knew that familiarity with evil would insensibly corrupt the principles. The greatest care was exercised to shut out every form of false religion and to impress the mind with the majesty and glory of the living God as the true object of worship.

    It was a wise arrangement, which God Himself had made, to cut off His people, so far as possible, from connection with the heathen, making them a people dwelling alone, and not reckoned among the nations. He had separated Abraham from his idolatrous kindred, that the patriarch might train and educate his family apart from the seductive influences which would have surrounded them in Mesopotamia, and that the true faith might be preserved in its purity by his descendants from generation to generation.

    Abraham's affection for his children and his household led him to guard their religious faith, to impart to them a knowledge of the divine statutes, as the most precious legacy he could transmit to them, and through them to the world. All were taught that they were under the rule of the God of heaven. There was to be no oppression on the part of parents and no disobedience on the part of children. God's law had appointed to each his duties, and only in obedience to it could any secure happiness or prosperity.

    His own example, the silent influence of his daily life, was a constant lesson. The unswerving integrity, the benevolence and unselfish courtesy, which had won the admiration of kings, were displayed in the home. There was a fragrance about the life, a nobility and loveliness of character, which revealed to all that he was connected with Heaven. He did not neglect the soul of the humblest servant. In his household there was not one law for the master and another for the servant; a royal way for the rich and another for the poor. All were treated with justice and compassion, as inheritors with him of the grace of life.

    "He will command his . . . household." There would be no sinful neglect to restrain the evil propensities of his children, no weak, unwise, indulgent favoritism; no yielding of his conviction of duty to the claims of mistaken affection. Abraham would not only give right instruction, but he would maintain the authority of just and righteous laws.

    How few there are in our day who follow this example! On the part of too many parents there is a blind and selfish sentimentalism, miscalled love, which is manifested in leaving children, with their unformed judgment and undisciplined passions, to the control of their own will. This is the veriest cruelty to the youth and a great wrong to the world. Parental indulgence causes disorder in families and in society. It confirms in the young the desire to follow inclination, instead of submitting to the divine requirements. Thus they grow up with a heart averse to doing God's will, and they transmit their irreligious, insubordinate spirit to their children and children's children. Like Abraham, parents should command their households after them. Let obedience to parental authority be taught and enforced as the first step in obedience to the authority of God.

    The light esteem in which the law of God is held, even by religious leaders, has been productive of great evil. The teaching which has become so widespread, that the divine statutes are no longer binding upon men, is the same as idolatry in its effect upon the morals of the people. Those who seek to lessen the claims of God's holy law are striking directly at the foundation of the government of families and nations. Religious parents, failing to walk in His statutes, do not command their household to keep the way of the Lord. The law of God is not made the rule of life. The children, as they make homes of their own, feel under no obligation to teach their children what they themselves have never been taught. And this is why there are so many godless families; this is why depravity is so deep and widespread.

    Not until parents themselves walk in the law of the Lord with perfect hearts will they be prepared to command their children after them. A reformation in this respect is needed--a reformation which shall be deep and broad. Parents need to reform; ministers need to reform; they need God in their households. If they would see a different state of things, they must bring His word into their families and must make it their counselor. They must teach their children that it is the voice of God addressed to them, and is to be implicitly obeyed. They should patiently instruct their children, kindly and untiringly teach them how to live in order to please God. The children of such a household are prepared to meet the sophistries of infidelity. They have accepted the Bible as the basis of their faith, and they have a foundation that cannot be swept away by the incoming tide of skepticism.

    In too many households prayer is neglected. Parents feel that they have no time for morning and evening worship. They cannot spare a few moments to be spent in thanksgiving to God for His abundant mercies--for the blessed sunshine and the showers of rain, which cause vegetation to flourish, and for the guardianship of holy angels. They have no time to offer prayer for divine help and guidance and for the abiding presence of Jesus in the household. They go forth to labor as the ox or the horse goes, without one thought of God or heaven. They have souls so precious that rather than permit them to be hopelessly lost, the Son of God gave His life to ransom them; but they have little more appreciation of His great goodness than have the beasts that perish.

    Like the patriarchs of old, those who profess to love God should erect an altar to the Lord wherever they pitch their tent. If ever there was a time when every house should be a house of prayer, it is now. Fathers and mothers should often lift up their hearts to God in humble supplication for themselves and their children. Let the father, as priest of the household, lay upon the altar of God the morning and evening sacrifice, while the wife and children unite in prayer and praise. In such a household Jesus will love to tarry.

    From every Christian home a holy light should shine forth. Love should be revealed in action. It should flow out in all home intercourse, showing itself in thoughtful kindness, in gentle, unselfish courtesy. There are homes where this principle is carried out--homes where God is worshiped and truest love reigns. From these homes morning and evening prayer ascends to God as sweet incense, and His mercies and blessings descend upon the suppliants like the morning dew.

    A well-ordered Christian household is a powerful argument in favor of the reality of the Christian religion--an argument that the infidel cannot gainsay. All can see that there is an influence at work in the family that affects the children, and that the God of Abraham is with them. If the homes of professed Christians had a right religious mold, they would exert a mighty influence for good. They would indeed be the "light of the world." The God of heaven speaks to every faithful parent in the words addressed to Abraham: "I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the Lord, to do justice and judgment; that the Lord may bring upon Abraham that which He hath spoken of him."
    orthodoxymoron
    orthodoxymoron


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    Post  orthodoxymoron Sun Jun 24, 2018 12:06 am

    It seems as if we might be in a Philosophical-Freefall presently. Art Bell's 'Quickening' seems more and more relevant, each and every day. I find it difficult to research my own threads, so I doubt anyone else is attempting to enlighten themselves with my tripe!! You spooks don't have to worry about me 'spearheading a movement'!! I presently think my threads are completely useless. They are NOT 'Insider-Based' or 'Agency-Approved' so they don't have a snowball's chance in hell of gaining any traction. I'm too old and feeble-minded to 'play the game' and 'obey the man'. I'm sort of 'Lost in Cyberspace'!! I've been told that my personal editorial content doesn't amount to much, and I agree. But for those of you who wish to get acquainted with 'orthodoxymoron' just tag along for a bizarre 'road less traveled'. I doubt that anyone will get what I'm getting at, but hope springs eternal. I've been told that my material is 'difficult to follow' and I agree. I've purposely created an online-puzzle for the truly-dedicated. We might discuss the solution in A.D. 2133. I honestly don't think I'll have much of a role in anything-significant for the remainder of the twenty-first century. I wish to watch, listen, and reflect. Well, let's get going!!

    I'll start out in Berkeley, California -- and end up within Ida -- and maybe even Dactyl. I just re-watched 'Legion' and now my computer is 'possessed'. There really does seem to be a connection. Isn't it interesting that Michael was depicted as being the 'rebel-angel' rather than Lucifer??!! Somewhat relatedly, watch the 'Dark Frontier' episodes (parts 1&2) of 'Star Trek Voyager' (seaon 5). This is one of the most chilling shows I have ever watched. Might that hellish Borg-Ship be representative of an 'intermediate stage' or 'half-way house' wherein Humans from Earth (Demons from Hell?) are assimilated back into a hive-minded Reptilian Universe as Angels in Heaven??!! I have no idea -- but I continue to wonder about such things. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sKoJxGHCvyI As I mentioned, this quest is becoming too dark for me to continue to speculate in public.

    I'd still like to hang-out with the Jesuits on Mt. Graham -- and perhaps participate in the University of Arizona astronomy program (with an emphasis on Lunar and Planetary Studies). http://www.lpl.arizona.edu/ Perhaps such a formal study might be integrated with a deeper academic study of this thread -- at both undergraduate and graduate levels. I'm not sure I could deal with campus life, at this point, so some sort of 'independent-study' might be necessary (which might include Reptilian Theocracies and Space Law). Is anyone (human or otherwise) presently living within Ida and/or Dactyl?? What if there were a Reptilian Theological Seminary within Ida??? Or what about the University of Arizona at Ida (with an Asteroid, Lunar, and Planetary Studies Center)??? What if the Jesuits had one of those big binocular telescopes on Ida?? Just a thought.


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    Imagine a Solar System Studies and Governance PhD Program at the University of California at Berkeley in conjunction with a United States of the Solar System based at the hypothetically-deconsecrated St. Mary's Cathedral in San Francisco! This might be an interdisciplinary study based upon select classes from most of the 350 available major programs. http://berkeley.edu/academics/dept/a.shtml It might even include the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, complete with maglev-train fieldtrips to Area 51!!! This might be sort of a kinder and gentler Rand Corporation, with Soldiers of Common-Sense! Just remember that the 'best and the brightest' can be incredibly stupid and shortsighted, especially regarding simple common-sense! You guys and gals really don't like me much, do you?? Don't forget that the road to hell is paved with good intentions, compartmentalization, treaties, concordats, executive orders, and national security.

    Your weekend homework is to watch all of the linked classes on the U.C. Berkeley You Tube Channel! https://www.youtube.com/user/UCBerkeley Test on Monday! I would love to spend a couple of months on the moon, listening to 100 leading authorities (human and non-human, corrupt and non-corrupt) discussing Solar System Studies and Governance, with no notes, recordings, or minutes kept. Can you imagine what one might learn?! I think we should keep trying to figure things out, but such a gathering would probably be very different than anything we have been exposed to, or even imagined. Consider this thread as being a prerequisite to a University Solar System Studies and Governance Program, which might eventually lead to a post-graduate program which might involve being exposed to the aforementioned group. Just think about this for a while. We are merely scratching the surface. But try going through this thread, at least a couple of times. It is designed to make you think, and to arrive at your own answers. This is just the beginning of the Dawning of a New Day of a New Solar System! What would Jordan Maxwell say? What would Amen Ra say?

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    United States AI Solar System (6) - Page 2 523-ST-MARYS-CHURCH

    Here are some cool space videos to enlighten Solar System Studies and Governance. https://www.youtube.com/user/SpaceRip I'm going to pretend that I'm the last person alive in the solar system - and that I'm making this thread just in case intelligent life from another solar system happens across this cyber-record of madness. The next step in my evolution is to learn to not give a $hi+ if no one gives a $hi+! I don't mean to be shrill. Wait a minute. Yes I do! Boy! Will the space-travellers be in for a disappointment when they see this! "Mork!!! Damn!!! All that way through space for this bs??? FOR THIS???!!! NOOOOOOOOoooooooooooo!!!!!! And those poor bastards thought they were going to be free..." I can do uber-refined extremely well, but remember, this is a test. This is only a test. A word to the wise, and to everyone else...

    1. The Asteroid That Flattened Mars https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FlXuUxFTcLs&feature=fvsr

    2. When Will Time End? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5OFThORmR-s&feature=relmfu

    3. Super Massive Black Hole in the Milky Way Galaxy https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KCADH3x56eE&feature=related

    4. The Search for Earth-Like Planets https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v3Kcw0UrIFI&feature=relmfu

    5. Voyage to Pandora: The First Intersteller Space Flight https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YPjXxKpM4DM&feature=related

    6. Crashing into the Moon https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i8OLcbxZ0cA&feature=relmfu

    7. The Pulse of Alien Life https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ieKdvNJ20HE&feature=relmfu

    8. Exploding Stars https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qfRiqwQBegQ&feature=relmfu

    9. To the Edge of Time https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h_IiiEF4rGw&feature=relmfu

    10. UC Berkeley Lecture in Astronomy: Dr. Steven Beckwith https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x22o8TUdOuw&feature=related

    11. UC Berkeley Lecture in Astronomy: Angels and Demons https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_sqYh8puZ-I&feature=relmfu

    12. UC Berkeley Lecture in Astronomy: How Did the Universe Begin? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e_4bMIqmV9U&feature=relmfu

    13. Disclosure: The Truth About 2012 and Extraterrestrials https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3u810PTA5Tc&feature=relmfu

    14. Is the Universe Infinite? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dG1JpC5jels&feature=related

    15. Cold Sparks and Black Holes https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0lTbQ4nPFjg&feature=related

    16. Hubble Space-Shattering Discoveries https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=--X9zfgZtS0&feature=related


    United States AI Solar System (6) - Page 2 SpaceShipTwo-1600

    Do Politics, Religion, Business, Journalism, Acting, Warfare, Sports, Dating, and Marriage ALL Rely Upon DECEPTION??!! Come-On!! Be HONEST!! Are the Best Liars Those Who Don't Know They're Lying??!! Would Strict-Honesty Cause Civilization (As We Know It) to COLLAPSE??!! Is there some legitimate substance to focusing upon certain sections of the Bible (in the context of the Whole-Bible)?? I often wish to not even think about the Bible and Theology. It's just too painful -- and the difficulties never seem to resolve. The True-Believers don't wish to be told anything which contradicts that which they already believe -- and the Unbelievers think the Whole-Bible is Utter-Bullshit (and don't wish to listen to a Biblical Sales-Pitch)!! Is there a Happy-Medium in this Sad-Matter??

    I've recently been thinking in terms of focusing upon 1 Chronicles to Malachi (NKJV) which corresponds with Volumes 3 and 4 of the SDA Bible Commentary. The theory is that the New Testament should probably include an Old-Testament Commentary which at least focuses upon the Most New-Testament Portions of the Old-Testament. Why didn't Jesus and Paul preach from the Old-Testament with Expository-Preaching?? I'm sorry if my Bible-Talk turns most of you off -- but I think this boring-matter is an important-part of what we discuss in The Mists of Avalon. Those two commentary volumes might be supplemented with Volume 6 (Acts through Ephesians) in an effort to make the Old-Testament Material Completely New-Testament in Nature. Does ANYONE Know What I'm Talking About?? Does ANYONE Give a Damn?? The so-called Awake and Aware often seem to be neither Awake or Aware. Anyway, here is some religious-controversy to liven things up!! Notice that I include a lot of SDA controversy. I don't just pick on the Catholics!!

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Davidian_Seventh-day_Adventist Davidian Seventh-day Adventist is the official title given to the adherents of a layman's reform movement that arose from within the Seventh-day Adventist Church. The late Victor T. Houteff, a Bulgarian immigrant who became a convert to the Seventh-day Adventist faith in 1919, founded the movement in the 1930s. Davidians are best identified and most widely known by the name of its first publication, The Shepherd’s Rod; however, the organization itself considers it incorrect to refer to the adherents of the movement by this title.[1]

    Although often confused with Branch Davidians (known for the stand off and fire of 1993 near Waco, Texas) the two groups are separate and distinct. Branch Davidian Seventh-day Adventists was begun by the late Benjamin Roden after the death of Davidian founder Victor T. Houteff in 1955. After Roden's death, the Branch Davidian Association was continued by Lois I. Roden. All beliefs and associations marked by these two individuals to the name Davidian qualifies the connection as Branch and not original Davidian, as it is not directly associated with the originator, Victor T. Houteff. Tenets not held in common with original Davidians include: the femininity of the Holy Spirit, The Branch as God's new name and the keeping of Feast days. After the passing of Lois Roden, Vernon Howell (who later changed his name to David Koresh) assumed control of the Branch organization and held additional beliefs that were not maintained by original Davidians.

    Original Davidians adhere to the original message as it was presented under Victor Houteff. Houteff himself wrote, "Do not weave into "The Shepherd's Rod" message your own interpretations of the Bible and of Sr. White's writings, nor any of your constructions on anything that is written therein before first submitting your points to this office.[2]

    Adherents to the writings of V. T. Houteff have often been referred to as "Shepherd's Rods", however the correct term is "Davidian Seventh Day Adventists".[3] This name is derived from the title of a two-volume series authored by Victor Houteff, the first volume of which was released in 1929. In both volumes of his original work Houteff made references to the biblical book of Micah:

    "The Lord's voice crieth unto the city, and the man of wisdom shall see thy name: Hear ye the rod, and who hath appointed it," Micah 6: 9 and

    "Feed Thy people with Thy rod, the flock of Thine heritage, which dwell solitarily in the wood, in the midst of Carmel." Micah 7:14.

    "The name, Davidian, deriving from the name of the king of Ancient Israel, accrues to this Association by reason of its following aspects: First, it is dedicated to the work of announcing and bringing forth the restoration (as predicted in Hosea 1:11; 3:5) of David's kingdom in antitype, upon the throne of which Christ, "the son of David," is to sit. Second, it purports itself to be the first of the first fruits of the living, the vanguard from among the present-day descendants of those Jews who composed the Early Christian Church. With the emergence of this vanguard and its army, the first fruits, from which are elected the 12,000 out of each of the twelve tribes of Jacob, "the 144,000" (Rev. 14:1; 7:2–Cool who stand on Mount Zion with the Lamb (Rev. 14:1; 7:2–Cool, the reign of antitypical David begins."[4]

    DSDA use the writings of Ellen G. White. Their basis of the 144,000 coming from the SDA church is from Ellen White.[5] Here she says that the "Israel of today" is the SDA church.

    The Davidian Seventh-day Adventist organization’s mission is to announce and prepare the way for the restoration of kingdom of peace predicted in the Bible. This is understood to be David’s kingdom in antitype and is the concept from which the term “Davidian” is derived.[6] This Davidic kingdom is to bring about “peace on earth and good will toward men.” The mission states that it will accomplish this by first calling for reformation in the Seventh-day Adventist church and then spreading the “Three Angels’ Messages” of Revelation 14 throughout the world. It is believed that this will prepare a people for Christ’s Second Coming and usher in the end of all sorrow and suffering.

    Davidian Seventh-day Adventists have the same fundamental beliefs as their Adventist counterparts. The divergence of views begins with the interpretation of additional subjects of prophecy. Differing interpretations of certain prophetic subjects add fifteen fundamental beliefs to those that are held in common with mainstream Adventists.[7]

    The Davidian Seventh-day Adventist message largely focuses on the interpretation of symbolic prophecy. Because of this, it has been criticized as leading its adherents to being legalistic and neglecting “more important” matters such as love and devotion to God. Houteff addressed these criticisms both directly and indirectly in his publications.[8][9]

    The major themes of the Rod message published by Houteff are listed below with brief explanations:

    1. A Call for Reformation It is believed that the Adventist church had become lax in its standards, practices and devotion to God. It is also believed that the church’s institutions have changed from the original founder’s pattern of operation and purpose.[10] Reformation on an individual and corporate level is needed to correct these areas. In recent years the Adventist church has agreed that reformation is needed, though it sharply differs with Davidians as to how it should be brought about.

    2. The 144,000: Revelation chapter 7 The fundamental purpose of the Shepherd’s Rod message is to identify the corporate identity of the 144,000 of Revelation 7. This topic has been a much-discussed subject in Adventism for many years. Houteff believed that he received revelations that unlocked the mystery. First, he asserted that they were the same company as the “marked ones” found in Ezekiel 9 (see the next section). Next, he described them as Christian Jews that had lost their racial identity over the centuries.[11] Finally, he described them as the ones who would preach to all nations and gather an innumerable company of people who would accept their teachings.[12] Regarding this final point, he stated that the S.D.A. church had taught nearly identical views just three years prior to the publication of his first book,[13] and he felt that it should not have been a point of contention.

    3. Ezekiel 9 Though it is largely attributed to his views, Houteff was not the first writer connected with Seventh-day Adventism to fuse Ezekiel 9 with Revelation 7. Adventist pioneer James White was the first to make the link in their first publication.[14] His wife, church prophetess Ellen White, made the connection later in more detail.[15][16] Houteff relied heavily on the link from Ellen White but is unique in describing the event in detail as the beginning of the “investigative judgment for the living” (see the next section).[17] He is also unique in describing it as the final purification of the church and placing its fulfillment just prior to the gathering of the innumerable company.

    Houteff maintained that the “slaying” mentioned in the text was a literal, future event performed by angels. A statement published by the Ellen G. White estate twenty-five years after his death appears to substantiate this assertion.[18] He is also sometimes falsely credited with teaching that Davidians will perform the slaying depicted. His writings do not reflect such teachings and contains a direct denial of this, dismissing such notions as “absurd.”[19][20]

    4. The Investigative Judgment for the Living The concept of the “investigative judgment” is almost exclusive to Seventh-day Adventists. The coming of Christ is believed to be imminent. Just prior to the Second Coming of Christ, a judgment is to take place in heaven that constitutes a review of the records to see who will be saved and lost (see Dan. 7:9, 10). In common with Adventists, Davidians believe that this judgment began in 1844 with the dead. Houteff explained that the judgment for the living was not only an investigation of the records in heaven, but also an investigation of the people on earth; first in the church, then in the world. He never set a date for when this would occur,[21] but he did assert that it would begin in the Adventist church and was depicted in Ezekiel 9 and Matthew 13:30.[22] The 144,000 would be those who survived the judgment in the church.

    5. The Pre-Millennial Kingdom This concept represents their widest departure from Adventist theology. The Middle East has a significant role in the Davidian understanding of end-time events. In modern Adventist eschatology it has little to none. Davidians believe that a kingdom will be set up in Palestine just prior to Christ’s return based primarily upon numerous Old Testament prophecies (such as Hosea 3: 4, 5; Mic. 4, Eze. 36, 37; Jer. 30, 31; Isa. 11). It is believed that it will be a kingdom of peace where none, human or animal, will harm another.[23] Houteff claimed that every prophet in the Old Testament scriptures predicted this kingdom.[24] He explained that the current State of Israel did not fulfill those prophecies.[25] Mainstream Adventists view these prophecies as conditional based on ancient Israel’s obedience; some may never be fulfilled and some may be fulfilled in principle but not necessarily in every detail.[26]

    In addition to symbolic prophecy, the Shepherd’s Rod message contains counsel regarding healthful living,[27] a successful marriage and family life,[28][29] education,[30] prayer,[31] and other practical topics.

    The governing document for Davidian Seventh-day Adventists is entitled, The Leviticus of the Davidian Seventh-day Adventists. It is referred to as one of “three organizational tracts…of 102 pages”[32] and the “literature of reformation.”.[33] This tract contains the constitution and by-laws as well as the Association’s purpose and pattern. While it claims to constitute the literature of “reformation,” it acknowledges that its constitution and by-laws will not be fully operational until the proposed “kingdom of peace” is established.[34]

    The Executive Council constitutes the governing body. Ideally it consists of seven members: four officers and three non-officers. The Executive Council has full administrative and executive authority between sessions of the Association. When the Association is in Session, the Executive Council yields its authority to the Session. The regular officers of the council are: President, Vice-President, Treasurer and Secretary. The scriptural examples referred to in the constitution outline that the President is chosen directly by God through a direct, face-to-face encounter. This process is without any other human involvement.[35] The President has the dual role as prophet and chief administrator of the Association.

    The scriptural examples connected with all of the other officers outline three methods of appointment: direct appointment by the President, indirect appointment by the President and direct appointment by the body of believers.[36] In the absence of someone to fill the position of President, some Davidian groups have a Vice-President as their chief administrator. Their vice-president assumes the administrative role only and not the prophetic role. This position is taken based on the understanding that no additional inspired interpreters (prophets) are due to the church until after the establishment of the kingdom.[37]

    Davidian ministers may be either licensed or ordained. Ordained ministers are qualified to officially teach and represent the Davidian movement as well as perform ceremonies such as baptisms, funerals and weddings. Licensed ministers may teach and represent the movement but may not perform scriptural ceremonies unless specially authorized by the Executive Council. Since there is no desire to establish separate houses of worship, the ministers do not function in the traditional sense but have the capacity to do so if and when the need arises. The ceremonies are usually performed for adherents to the Davidian message when mainstream Adventist ministers refuse to do so.[38]

    Field Secretaries are credentialed ministers or Bible workers who are responsible for a particular geographic area within a designated territory. They may make contact with interested parties, answer inquiries and direct individuals to workers within their territory.

    Bible workers are individuals who have demonstrated competency with teaching the Davidian message. They may engage in this activity on a full-time or part-time basis. Under most circumstances, those who became credentialed Bible workers and ministers graduated from the training school: the Davidic-Levitical Institute (D.L.I.).[39] These training schools are held at various times in various locations domestically and internationally.

    Members generally fall into two classifications: accredited and non-accredited. The accredited member is one who has applied for and been granted a Certificate of Fellowship. A non-accredited member is someone who has not been granted a Certificate of Fellowship but supports the movement through various means and believes in its publications.[40]

    Davidian Seventh-day Adventists trace their roots to Victor Tasho Houteff, a Sabbath School teacher and assistant Sabbath School superintendent in the Seventh-day Adventist church. Initially, Houteff had no intention of establishing a new movement and was actually opposed to the idea.[41] During the first quarter of 1929 Sabbath School lessons he came into conflict with church authorities over differing interpretations of the book of Isaiah, chapters 54–66. He believed that the church was becoming lax in its standards and needed to reform.[42] He shared these concepts through the vehicle of the Sabbath School lesson as well as in afternoon study classes at the church that some members asked him to conduct. After complaints from other members, local leadership determined that his interpretations were not compatible with Adventist theology and he was asked to discontinue his classes at the church.

    Shortly thereafter, he had an informal, unofficial meeting with some local and regional administrators to share his views. Initially, they dismissed his views as “fanciful” and did not take him seriously.[43] Approximately one year later, he prepared a 172-page manuscript entitled “The Shepherd’s Rod, Volume One.” In this book he listed twelve specific areas that he felt the church needed to address under the heading “Partial List of Abominations.[44] According to him, the book’s chief purpose was “a call for reformation.”[45] It also included information attempting to define the identity of the 144,000 of the book of Revelation, as well as his disputed interpretations of Isaiah 54–66. Thirty-three hectographed copies were distributed to leading officials at the General Conference Session in June 1930. According to Houteff, each recipient promised to investigate the book thoroughly and respond to him either in person or by letter.[46] Houteff also desired an official hearing. In the subsequent six years only two recipients responded. It is unclear as to whether there were additional responses prior to Houteff's death in 1955. The official church explanation was that the recipients were preoccupied with the tasks of the Session and did not have sufficient time to review the manuscript.[47]

    One of the recipients, F.C. Gilbert, a field secretary for the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, responded approximately two weeks after receiving the manuscript. After an incomplete investigation, he composed a letter stating his findings.[48] To Houteff's disappointment, he did not address his twelve points or views on the “144,000.” He challenged Houteff’s application of certain symbols, questioned his method of analysis and rejected his manuscript as unsound. He also sent church leaders in the Los Angeles area copies of his findings.[49] Church leaders were satisfied that Houteff’s interpretations had been refuted. Houteff, however, remained sure of his teachings. He completed his book by adding 83 pages and had it printed in November 1930. Two weeks prior to the publication of his book, he was disfellowshipped “for the protection of the church.[50] Houteff was completely unmoved by this action. Five thousand copies of his book were published in December and distributed to various ministers, workers and laymen.

    Despite being disfellowshipped, Houteff remained opposed to establishing a new movement. His instructions were “in case some one’s name is taken off the church books for carrying on the message, do not be discouraged in any way but press onward as though nothing happened. Pay your honest tithe and offering to your church and feel like IT IS your Father’s house.[51] Collections of study groups began to form in various Adventist churches across the country for the purpose of reviewing Houteff's new doctrines. Those who accepted his conclusions and promoted his material were also disfellowshipped.[52] Up to that point, no official investigation of Houteff’s teachings had been made or official statement issued.

    Demand for Houteff’s materials increased. In response, in 1932 he published The Shepherd’s Rod, Volume 2, a 304-page book. Two additional booklets followed in 1933 comprising the beginning of a series of tracts that would be later referred to as Volume Three.[53] Allegations began to surface that believers of Houteff’s teachings were being physically removed from worship services simply due to their attendance at meetings where Houteff's materials were being studied .[54] Reports also spread that Houteff himself was brutally assaulted upon attempting to enter a Seventh-day Adventist church in Los Angeles, California.[55][56] There was still no official investigation of Houteff’s teachings made, no official statement issued and no record of an investigation of the alleged incidents. In spite of this, Houteff continued to be opposed to starting a new movement.

    In December of the same year, Carolina Conference president E.T. Wilson publicly embraced Houteff’s views and began promoting them.[57] Wilson was also the Religious Liberty Director and held the position of Conference President in a sister conference for several years prior to relocating to the Carolinas.

    On January 18, 1934, one month after Wilson’s public confession, a formal hearing was finally granted when the Tabernacle S.D.A. church of Fullerton, California sent a request to regional administrators requesting an official hearing to examine Victor Houteff’s teachings. The agreement stipulated that twelve ministers were to assemble as a panel to hear Houteff’s views. He was to present five studies to the panel in one week. After each study, the panel was to review his study, determine its veracity and reconvene the meeting. If error was found in the study, the meeting was to be discontinued. The same terms were to apply to each succeeding study.[58]

    The hearing took place on Monday, February 19, 1934, in Los Angeles, California. According to Houteff, he only learned of the details of the hearing on the previous Thursday.[59] Twelve experienced ministers were chosen to hear his views and decide whether they were consistent with the church’s understanding of prophecy. The twelve ministers were: A. G. Daniells, Field Secretary; Glenn A. Calkins, President of the Pacific Union Conference; G. A. Roberts, President of the Southern California Conference, C. S. Prout, President of the Southeastern California-Arizona Conference; W. G. Wirth, Bible Teacher at the College of Medical Evangelists; H. M. S. Richards, Evangelist; C. M. Sorenson, Bible Teacher at Southern California Junior College; J. A. Burden, Manager of Paradise Valley Sanitarium; J. C. Stevens, Pastor of the SDA church in Glendale; W. M. Adams, Religious Liberty Secretary of the Pacific Union Conference; J. E. Fulton, President of the Northern California Conference and F. C. Gilbert, Field Secretary of the General Conference. Unknown to Houteff, the highest ecclesiastical body of the church met that same day in Washington, D.C., declared his teaching to be heresy and appointed a committee to prepare a document refuting his arguments for general circulation.[60]

    In Los Angeles, the meeting began with prayer and a verbatim reading of the agreement that brought the panel together. It was expressed by the chairman (A.G. Daniells) that the meeting would be conducted “in strict harmony with the terms of the agreement set forth in the written request.[61] Houteff presented his first study on the topic of “The Harvest.” Despite the chairman’s statement and the terms of the agreement, the panel requested that Houteff continue with the remainder of his studies after the conclusion of his first study, so they could get the “full picture.[62] When Houteff declined in harmony with the terms of the agreement previously read by the secretary of the panel (W.G. Wirth), the meeting was abruptly adjourned.[63] The committee presented their findings in writing four weeks later, on March 18.[64] They unanimously declared that his teachings were false. This investigation was controversial and Houteff composed a document explaining the facts from his perspective.[65] After feeling that he was unjustly dealt with at his hearing, he started to form an association for the purpose of promoting the looked-for revival and reformation among Seventh-day Adventists. Despite feeling forced to take this step,[66] he continued to advocate that adherents continue to maintain membership within the SDA church.

    The events of the first few years of the Davidian movement provide insight into the reasons that the controversy continues in the Adventist church to a greater or lesser degree. Adventists feel that Houteff was incorrigible and headstrong, listening to no voice but his own and persisted in teaching his ideas until the church was forced to dis-fellowship him. Davidians respond that his teachings were not officially declared heresy at the time he was disfellowshipped or for several years thereafter and there was no other grounds upon which to do so. Adventists also contend that the panel of twelve ministers heard his views even after he was disfellowshipped and found them to be unsound. Davidians assert that his hearing was unfair because it reportedly violated the Fullerton agreement and his teachings had already been judged. Davidians point out that, in their view, the leadership was underhanded by having the meeting in Washington, D.C. behind Houteff's back before the committee’s decision was made.[67] There is contention about whether Houteff voluntarily forfeited his membership or not. The official Adventist history states in several places that he was disfellowshipped and did not voluntarily forfeit his membership.[68][69]

    On March 12, 1934, the Davidian movement was officially organized. Houteff argued that this was done because the Fullerton agreement stipulated that the SDA Conference committee should have responded to his first study in approximately 24 hours and several weeks had passed with no communication from them after abruptly adjourning the meeting.[70] The church responded that they told him at the close of the first study that they would need time to study and compare notes.[71]

    On July 15 the organization’s first newsletter, The Symbolic Code, was published. Davidian leaders began to desire a larger, more centrally located place to establish headquarters. In April 1935, 189 acres were purchased just outside Waco, Texas and in September the headquarters' office was relocated to that property. Envisioning the work that they desired to be accomplished from there, the new home for their work was named “Mount Carmel Center” after the Biblical place where Elijah called the Israelites back to worshiping God.[72]

    In 1937 the organization took a more definite form by purchasing an additional 186 acres, naming nine persons to form an Executive Council, listing field secretaries and other officers and composing a constitution and by-laws under the name “The General Association of Shepherd’s Rod Seventh-day Adventists.[73] In 1942 the name was officially changed to “Davidian Seventh-day Adventists”[74] and three organizational tracts were issued in early 1943 identifying additional components of the existing organization. The organization became known as “The General Association of Davidian Seventh-day Adventists.” It was also called “The Davidian Seventh-day Adventist Association” in one of its organizational tracts.

    One of Houteff’s primary complaints was that the church’s institutions were compromising their message and mission by seeking approval and accreditation of the applicable medical and educational boards.[75][76][77] Ironically, some of Houteff’s critics issued similar complaints.[78][79] The Davidian organization countered these moves by establishing institutions of its own, claiming to strictly follow the guidelines of the original church founders.[80] Over the next twenty years a children’s school, sanitarium, rest home, vocational and home economics school, and other improvements were established on the property.[81][82] There was also an extensive farming operation with an orchard of approximately 900 trees, dairy cows and a large vegetable garden.[83] The flagship structure was the multi-level administration building, which housed the main office, additional staff offices, chapel, printing equipment and Houteff’s sleeping quarters. This building is currently in the possession of Vanguard College Preparatory School.

    The height of Davidian strength and activity occurred in the early 1950s. Believing that the predicted events in Houteff’s writings may have been on the verge of fulfillment and seizing on apparent momentum from a failed prediction that the church made regarding the return of the Jews to Palestine,[84] the movement launched a “hunting campaign” in 1953. This was a door-to-door effort to reach Adventists with the Davidian publications. To help accomplish this, the Association began to sell Mount Carmel Center property [85] and purchased half a dozen new automobiles.[86] An additional factor fueling the sale of Mount Carmel’s property was its encroachment onto Waco’s city limits.[87] The anticipation was that the encroachment of the city limits upon the property would coalesce with the completion of the door-to-door effort. It was believed that this would have led to witnessing the fulfillment of Houteff’s predictions and going to “the Kingdom.”[85]

    Houteff unexpectedly died in the midst of this campaign, on February 5, 1955. This left a vacancy of the President's position. A power struggle ensued. E.T. Wilson had been Vice-President of the Association since its inception and was appointed to that position by Houteff personally.[73] He became chief administrator by default, but he did not receive a chance to officiate in that capacity. Houteff’s widow, Florence, convened an Executive Council meeting the day after her husband's death. E. T. Wilson was not present because of illness. In his absence, Florence successfully convinced the Executive Council to appoint her (from Secretary to) Vice-President and remove him from the post. The strength of her argument rested upon the assertion that these actions “were in harmony with recommendations made by Bro. Houteff prior to his death”. This request seemed so unusual that, in a meeting the next day, an Executive Council member challenged her to provide evidence for her claim.[88] Despite acknowledging that she could not provide any proof, the Executive Council yielded to her and continued to uphold her request. Once she was established as Vice-President, she announced that she had some procedural changes in mind. She increased the veto power of the Vice-President.[88]

    A challenge came to her authority several months later. Benjamin Roden, a follower of Houteff’s teachings, began to circulate that he had received new revelations from God and should be recognized as the new leader of the movement.[89] Florence Houteff and the Executive Council rebuffed his attempts. He founded the Branch Davidian organization several months later.

    Shortly after rebuffing Roden's quest for leadership Florence Houteff published a prediction that the forty-two month period of Revelation 11:3–6 began in November 1955 and would terminate on April 22, 1959.[90][91] This prediction has been falsely attributed to Victor Houteff but no statement from Houteff’s writings has ever been produced supporting this interpretation. Mrs. Houteff's claims, assertions, challenges and subsequent false predictions are entirely separate from and contrary to Victor Houteff's teachings. In 1958 M.J. Bingham, a pioneer Davidian, documented his opposition to her interpretation. This document gained some acceptance. Mrs. Houteff and the Executive Council were undaunted and published an open challenge to the Adventist church leadership shortly before the termination of the 42 months.[92] Florence's challenge stated that the fulfillment of her prediction would determine whether her late husband’s message was true or not. On April 9, 1959, a group of Davidians who opposed her prediction sent a protest letter to the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists clarifying their opposition to Mrs. Houteff’s predictions and their rationale for doing so.[93]

    The date passed without the predicted events materializing. Confusion and embarrassment set in. The Davidian movement began to fracture. Many adherents left the organization. Some joined the Branch Davidian movement, as it had been Ben Roden who had initially opposed her prediction.[94] In 1962, the group of Davidians that sent the protest letter to Seventh-day Adventist church authorities banded together and went to California to reorganize and continue the distribution of Houteff’s original literature.[95] They became the forerunners of the Davidians of today. Mrs. Houteff and the Executive Council members that remained loyal to her resigned on March 1, 1962, took five thousand dollars in cash with them and left the remaining assets in the hands of a lawyer for distribution.[96]

    Victor Houteff continued to publish additional volumes of his prophetic writings until his death in 1955. These publications contain, but are not limited to, no fewer than 15 numbered tracts, five volumes of "The Answerer"(questions submitted to his office from believers and non-believers of his message), two volumes of "Timely Greetings", (Volume 1 containing 52 books and Volume 2 containing 46 books), a series of usually monthly publications entitled "The Symbolic Code" containing many of Victor Houteff's Sabbath sermons given after believers in both "the Spirit of Prophecy" (Ellen White) and Davidian messages were disfellowshipped and chose to have private worship rather than begin a new church denomination. All included were questions and answers, recipes for healthful living, spiritual encouragement and admonition, letters from the field of their work in the Seventh-day Adventist Church, and many other practical Christian-living topics. He also published miscellaneous publications and public letters to the leadership of the Seventh-day Adventist Church (nine "Jezreel Letters"). All of these publications were distributed and mailed free of charge to many thousands of recipients throughout the world. (See "1950 General Conference Special" p. 34–35, p. 44.)

    Davidians continue to exist in various locations across the world. While their theology has been far from accepted or considered mainstream, Davidian contributions have received historical and artistic recognition in some circles. For example, the administration building, the flagship building of the old Mount Carmel Center complex, has recently been remodeled, through a grant from the Scott Poage Foundation, and renamed Bostic Hall. It is currently owned by the Vanguard College Preparatory School in Waco, Tx. and houses state-of-the-art science labs, a student activity center and the Scott Poage Foundation Reference Center.[97][98] School officials expect it to receive recognition as a Texas Historical Site at some time in the future. Also, eight of Victor Houteff’s prophetic charts were featured in an art exhibit entitled “At the Eleventh Hour,” in Brooklyn, N.Y. in 2009.[99]

    Davidian believers can be found worshiping in a Seventh-day Adventist church on any given Sabbath when allowed to do so.

    In 1934–1936 the Seventh-day Adventist church declared the Shepherd's Rod message to be heresy. Today it continues to identify the Davidian movement as a “disloyal, divisive movement.”[100] Any member choosing to identify with either the Davidian message or its originator subjects himself to church discipline, up to and including being disfellowshipped. This is primarily accomplished through the local church board.

    Because of the above and in addition to the reformatory nature of their message and frequent misidentification of Davidians with the Branch and David Koresh,[101] relations with the general body of Seventh-day Adventists have been tense and remain that way presently.

    While there is a uniform policy regarding Adventist views of the Davidian message and movement, there is not a church-wide policy regarding church attendance. Consequently, local and regional perceptions of Davidians are varied. In some localities Davidians experience tepid toleration to mild acceptance. Attitudes toward them range from being a mild annoyance to a serious threat to the stability and mission of the church. This has led to some far-reaching policies and recommendations regarding how to deal with them. At the very least, church members are instructed not to study with Davidians.[102] According to Dr. William Pitts, Professor of Religion at Baylor University and noted Davidian expert, “Adventists have told me of their counselors who collected Davidian tracts from campers as soon as they were distributed and deposited them in trash cans.”[86] Some Adventist leaders have published that Davidians were so apostate that they should be denied participation in communion services held by the church even though the church traditionally allows non-members to participate. [103] Published testimonies by adherents at the time suggest that those instructions were carried out.[104]

    Davidian representatives were implicated by certain Adventist leaders in setting a fire that resulted in four deaths in San Francisco, California at the time of the General Conference Session in 1936.[105] The Davidians suspected were detained, questioned and were cleared and released within thirty minutes.[106] The lapse of time since 1929 has not softened the sharp rhetoric of some Adventist leadership. In a memo to its area pastors, the Georgia-Cumberland Conference referred to adherents of the Davidian message as “hardcore aggressors against the church” and compared them to “cancer cells.” [107] The memo also includes a form letter that is to be given to any individual identified with the Davidian movement requesting that they cease and desist from coming onto church property immediately. It further states that if the individual decides to recant the Rod message, they will not receive help from the local congregation, but must communicate with local conference officials. There is evidence that this policy has been implemented. In countering and dispelling these allegations, Davidians generally point to historical incidents in which their adherents were treated with unprovoked physical and psychological abuse, from the SDA leadership or church personnel .[108][109] They advocate that the Davidian message strictly teaches to be non-disruptive and peaceful.[110]

    Davidian Seventh-day Adventists have existed parallel to Branch Davidians since 1955. While they are not as cohesive as in earlier years, Davidians continue to exist today in various locations domestically and internationally. There are various publishing houses throughout the country that publish the original writings of Victor Houteff. The support of these sites appears to be growing. With the onset of the internet, these publishing houses and individuals who adhere to the Davidian message have been able to make the Shepherd’s Rod message available to interested parties, fueling their reported growth, both nationally and internationally. The exact numbers of Davidian Seventh-day Adventist adherents is not known, however, they can trace their origin to the 1961 group who reorganized in California subsequent to the death of Victor Houteff.

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    orthodoxymoron
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    United States AI Solar System (6) - Page 2 Empty Re: United States AI Solar System (6)

    Post  orthodoxymoron Sun Jun 24, 2018 12:10 am

    http://www.projectavalon.net/forum/showthread.php?t=18900&highlight=thuban&page=38  I keep thinking about my conversation with abraxasinas on the old and closed Project Avalon. I liked that site!! I asked about two beings being in conflict with each other in a Great Controversy Between Christ and Satan in the Conflict of the Ages. abraxasinas replied that it was really one being in conflict with themselves. This fits with my idea of One CEO with Multiple-Bodies and Multiple-Personalities. This sort of fits with my theory about one being running this solar system for at least the past 5,000 years, for better or worse, I know not. This would also fit with my concept of this being requiring a Scapegoat for all of the reprehensible-stuff. What Would Azazel Say?? What Would Dr. Who Say?? What Would the Inquisitor Say?? What Would the Valeyard Say?? What Would the Brickyard Say?? What Would the Master Say??

    What if one angel farmed-out the management of humanity, mostly because they couldn't deal with the inevitable murder and mayhem of a developing race?? What if the stand-in was chosen because they didn't like humanity, and had no problem whatsoever with the murder and mayhem?? Just for conversations sake, imagine Anna and the V's running this solar system for the past 5,000 years!! I keep suspecting that the real-story is unbearable. What Would Balem Abrasax Say?? I kept muttering under my breath "Everyone Hates Me". The "Ancient Egyptian Deity" said "You Think Everyone Hates You?? They REALLY Hate Me!!" Honest. Once again, what if there is a lot of truth to the movies Paul, Jupiter Ascending, Iron Sky, and Guardians of the Galaxy?? Here's another interesting exchange I had with abraxasinas. http://www.projectavalon.net/forum/showthread.php?t=18900&highlight=thuban&page=40 Here's the page where abraxasinas stopped posting (or was banned). Notice my post which immediately preceded the shutdown. Was there a connection?? I tend to think so.

    The Thuban Q&A was shut-down on page 63. http://www.projectavalon.net/forum/showthread.php?t=18900&highlight=thuban&page=62 Less than a year later, I began encountering Individuals of Interest (including Bartleby and Loki pulling-up next to me in their car -- and staring at me for 20 seconds -- while I was walking my dog). Honest. You might find the entire thread to be somewhat interesting -- but BEWARE!! Some claimed that they were supernaturally attacked in connection with their participation in that thread!! Notice especially the posts by GaiaLove (aka Richard), Anchor, abraxasinas, orthodoxymoron, and Humble Janitor. Notice also the Australian-Connection!! What is it with the English and Australians?? What Would St. George Say?? What Would the Dragon Say?? Here's an interesting Issac Newton quote regarding the End of the World.

    http://www.openculture.com/2015/10/in-1704-isaac-newton-predicts-the-world-will-end-in-2060.html For a sense of the exacting, yet completely bizarre flavor of Newton’s prophetic calculations, see another Newton letter at the of the post, transcribed below.

    Prop. 1. The 2300 prophetick days did not commence before the rise of the little horn of the He Goat.

    2 Those day [sic] did not commence a[f]ter the destruction of Jerusalem & ye Temple by the Romans A.[D.] 70.

    3 The time times & half a time did not commence before the year 800 in wch the Popes supremacy commenced

    4 They did not commence after the re[ig]ne of Gregory the 7th. 1084

    5 The 1290 days did not commence b[e]fore the year 842.

    6 They did not commence after the reigne of Pope Greg. 7th. 1084

    7 The diffence [sic] between the 1290 & 1335 days are a parts of the seven weeks.

    Therefore the 2300 years do not end before ye year 2132 nor after 2370.

    The time times & half time do n[o]t end before 2060 nor after [2344]

    The 1290 days do not begin [this should read: end] before 2090 [Newton might mean: 2132] nor after 1374 [sic; Newton probably means 2374]

    SDA's claim that both the 70 Weeks and the 2300 Days/Years commenced in 457 B.C. But what if the 2300 Days/Years began with the Destruction of Jerusalem in A.D. 70?? That's when Old-School Judaism came to a screeching-halt, didn't it?? What Would Antiochus Epiphanes Say?? Did Ford Have a Better Idea?? What Would Gane Say?? Remember what Alex Collier said regarding tyranny arising in this solar system (sometime around A.D. 2370)?? Would a Royal-Model United States of the Solar System (under the "Right" God) constitute "Tyranny"?? What if A.D. 2133 to A.D. 2370 will be Human-Rule without God?? What if God will shut-down the whole-operation in A.D. 2060 or A.D. 2133 or A.D 2370?? When will we learn who the "Man (and/or Woman) Behind the Curtain" REALLY has-been, presently-is, and will-be?? What Would the "Man Behind the Curtain" at Deja Vu Do?? Must I Explain??

    http://www.whiteestate.org/books/pp/pp13.html Abraham had accepted without question the promise of a son, but he did not wait for God to fulfill His word in His own time and way. A delay was permitted, to test his faith in the power of God; but he failed to endure the trial. Thinking it impossible that a child should be given her in her old age, Sarah suggested, as a plan by which the divine purpose might be fulfilled, that one of her handmaidens should be taken by Abraham as a secondary wife. Polygamy had become so widespread that it had ceased to be regarded as a sin, but it was no less a violation of the law of God, and was fatal to the sacredness and peace of the family relation. Abraham's marriage with Hagar resulted in evil, not only to his own household, but to future generations.

    Flattered with the honor of her new position as Abraham's wife, and hoping to be the mother of the great nation to descend from him, Hagar became proud and boastful, and treated her mistress with contempt. Mutual jealousies disturbed the peace of the once happy home. Forced to listen to the complaints of both, Abraham vainly endeavored to restore harmony. Though it was at Sarah's earnest entreaty that he had married Hagar, she now reproached him as the one at fault. She desired to banish her rival; but Abraham refused to permit this; for Hagar was to be the mother of this child, as he fondly hoped, the son of promise. She was Sarah's servant, however, and he still left her to the control of her mistress. Hagar's haughty spirit would not brook the harshness which her insolence had provoked. "When Sarai dealt hardly with her, she fled from her face."

    She made her way to the desert, and as she rested beside a fountain, lonely and friendless, an angel of the Lord, in human form, appeared to her. Addressing her as "Hagar, Sarai's maid," to remind her of her position and her duty, he bade her, "Return to thy mistress, and submit thyself under her hands." Yet with the reproof there were mingled words of comfort. "The Lord hath heard thy affliction." "I will multiply thy seed exceedingly, that it shall not be numbered for multitude." And as a perpetual reminder of His mercy, she was bidden to call her child Ishmael, "God shall hear."

    When Abraham was nearly one hundred years old, the promise of a son was repeated to him, with the assurance that the future heir should be the child of Sarah. But Abraham did not yet understand the promise. His mind at once turned to Ishmael, clinging to the belief that through him God's gracious purposes were to be accomplished. In his affection for his son he exclaimed, "O that Ishmael might live before Thee!" Again the promise was given, in words that could not be mistaken: "Sarah thy wife shall bear thee a son indeed; and thou shalt call his name Isaac: and I will establish My covenant with him." Yet God was not unmindful of the father's prayer. "As for Ishmael," He said, "I have heard thee: Behold, I have blessed him, . . . and I will make him a great nation."

    The birth of Isaac, bringing, after a lifelong waiting, the fulfillment of their dearest hopes, filled the tents of Abraham and Sarah with gladness. But to Hagar this event was the overthrow of her fondly cherished ambitions. Ishmael, now a youth, had been regarded by all in the encampment as the heir of Abraham's wealth and the interior of the blessings promised to his descendants. Now he was suddenly set aside; and in their disappointment, mother and son hated the child of Sarah. The general rejoicing increased their jealousy, until Ishmael dared openly to mock the heir of God's promise. Sarah saw in Ishmael's turbulent disposition a perpetual source of discord, and she appealed to Abraham, urging that Hagar and Ishmael be sent away from the encampment. The patriarch was thrown into great distress. How could he banish Ishmael his son, still dearly beloved? In his perplexity he pleaded for divine guidance. The Lord, through a holy angel, directed him to grant Sarah's desire; his love for Ishmael or Hagar ought not to stand in the way, for only thus could he restore harmony and happiness to his family. And the angel gave him the consoling promise that though separated from his father's home, Ishmael should not be forsaken by God; his life should be preserved, and he should become the father of a great nation. Abraham obeyed the angel's word, but it was not without keen suffering. The father's heart was heavy with unspoken grief as he sent away Hagar and his son.

    The instruction given to Abraham touching the sacredness of the marriage relation was to be a lesson for all ages. It declares that the rights and happiness of this relation are to be carefully guarded, even at a great sacrifice. Sarah was the only true wife of Abraham. Her rights as a wife and mother no other person was entitled to share. She reverenced her husband, and in this she is presented in the New Testament as a worthy example. But she was unwilling that Abraham's affections should be given to another, and the Lord did not reprove her for requiring the banishment of her rival. Both Abraham and Sarah distrusted the power of God, and it was this error that led to the marriage with Hagar.

    God had called Abraham to be the father of the faithful, and his life was to stand as an example of faith to succeeding generations. But his faith had not been perfect. He had shown distrust of God in concealing the fact that Sarah was his wife, and again in his marriage with Hagar. That he might reach the highest standard, God subjected him to another test, the closest which man was ever called to endure. In a vision of the night he was directed to repair to the land of Moriah, and there offer up his son as a burnt offering upon a mountain that should be shown him.

    At the time of receiving this command, Abraham had reached the age of a hundred and twenty years. He was regarded as an old man, even in his generation. In his earlier years he had been strong to endure hardship and to brave danger, but now the ardor of his youth had passed away. One in the vigor of manhood may with courage meet difficulties and afflictions that would cause his heart to fail later in life, when his feet are faltering toward the grave. But God had reserved His last, most trying test for Abraham until the burden of years was heavy upon him, and he longed for rest from anxiety and toil.

    The patriarch was dwelling at Beersheba, surrounded by prosperity and honor. He was very rich, and was honored as a mighty prince by the rulers of the land. Thousands of sheep and cattle covered the plains that spread out beyond his encampment. On every side were the tents of his retainers, the home of hundreds of faithful servants. The son of promise had grown up to manhood by his side. Heaven seemed to have crowned with its blessing a life of sacrifice in patient endurance of hope deferred.

    In the obedience of faith, Abraham had forsaken his native country--had turned away from the graves of his fathers and the home of his kindred. He had wandered as a stranger in the land of his inheritance. He had waited long for the birth of the promised heir. At the command of God he had sent away his son Ishmael. And now, when the child so long desired was entering upon manhood, and the patriarch seemed able to discern the fruition of his hopes, a trial greater than all others was before him.

    The command was expressed in words that must have wrung with anguish that father's heart: "Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, . . . and offer him there for a burnt offering." Isaac was the light of his home, the solace of his old age, above all else the inheritor of the promised blessing. The loss of such a son by accident or disease would have been heart rending to the fond father; it would have bowed down his whitened head with grief; but he was commanded to shed the blood of that son with his own hand. It seemed to him a fearful impossibility.

    Satan was at hand to suggest that he must be deceived, for the divine law commands, "Thou shalt not kill," and God would not require what He had once forbidden. Going outside his tent, Abraham looked up to the calm brightness of the unclouded heavens, and recalled the promise made nearly fifty years before, that his seed should be innumerable as the stars. If this promise was to be fulfilled through Isaac, how could he be put to death? Abraham was tempted to believe that he might be under a delusion. In his doubt and anguish he bowed upon the earth, and prayed, as he had never prayed before, for some confirmation of the command if he must perform this terrible duty. He remembered the angels sent to reveal to him God's purpose to destroy Sodom, and who bore to him the promise of this same son Isaac, and he went to the place where he had several times met the heavenly messengers, hoping to meet them again, and receive some further direction; but none came to his relief. Darkness seemed to shut him in; but the command of God was sounding in his ears, "Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest." That command must be obeyed, and he dared not delay. Day was approaching, and he must be on his journey.

    Returning to his tent, he went to the place where Isaac lay sleeping the deep, untroubled sleep of youth and innocence. For a moment the father looked upon the dear face of his son, then turned tremblingly away. He went to the side of Sarah, who was also sleeping. Should he awaken her, that she might once more embrace her child? Should he tell her of God's requirement? He longed to unburden his heart to her, and share with her this terrible responsibility; but he was restrained by the fear that she might hinder him. Isaac was her joy and pride; her life was bound up in him, and the mother's love might refuse the sacrifice.

    Abraham at last summoned his son, telling him of the command to offer sacrifice upon a distant mountain. Isaac had often gone with his father to worship at some one of the various altars that marked his wanderings, and this summons excited no surprise. The preparations for the journey were quickly completed. The wood was made ready and put upon the ass, and with two menservants they set forth.

    Side by side the father and the son journeyed in silence. The patriarch, pondering his heavy secret, had no heart for words. His thoughts were of the proud, fond mother, and the day when he should return to her alone. Well he knew that the knife would pierce her heart when it took the life of her son.

    That day--the longest that Abraham had ever experienced--dragged slowly to its close. While his son and the young men were sleeping, he spent the night in prayer, still hoping that some heavenly messenger might come to say that the trial was enough, that the youth might return unharmed to his mother. But no relief came to his tortured soul. Another long day, another night of humiliation and prayer, while ever the command that was to leave him childless was ringing in his ears. Satan was near to whisper doubts and unbelief, but Abraham resisted his suggestions. As they were about to begin the journey of the third day, the patriarch, looking northward, saw the promised sign, a cloud of glory hovering over Mount Moriah, and he knew that the voice which had spoken to him was from heaven.

    Even now he did not murmur against God, but strengthened his soul by dwelling upon the evidences of the Lord's goodness and faithfulness. This son had been unexpectedly given; and had not He who bestowed the precious gift a right to recall His own? Then faith repeated the promise, "In Isaac shall they seed be called"--a seed numberless as the grains of sand upon the shore. Isaac was the child of a miracle, and could not the power that gave him life restore it? Looking beyond that which was seen, Abraham grasped the divine word, "accounting that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead." Hebrews 11:19.

    Yet none but God could understand how great was the father's sacrifice in yielding up his son to death; Abraham desired that none but God should witness the parting scene. He bade his servants remain behind, saying, "I and the lad will go yonder and worship, and come again to you." The wood was laid upon Isaac, the one to be offered, the father took the knife and the fire, and together they ascended toward the mountain summit, the young man silently wondering whence, so far from folds and flocks, the offering was to come. At last he spoke, "My father," "behold the fire and the wood: but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?" Oh, what a test was this! How the endearing words, "my father," pierced Abraham's heart! Not yet--he could not tell him now . "My son," he said, "God will provide Himself a lamb for a burnt offering."

    At the appointed place they built the altar and laid the wood upon it. Then, with trembling voice, Abraham unfolded to his son the divine message. It was with terror and amazement that Isaac learned his fate, but he offered no resistance. He could have escaped his doom, had he chosen to do so; the grief-stricken old man, exhausted with the struggle of those three terrible days, could not have opposed the will of the vigorous youth. But Isaac had been trained from childhood to ready, trusting obedience, and as the purpose of God was opened before him, he yielded a willing submission. He was a sharer in Abraham's faith, and he felt that he was honored in being called to give his life as an offering to God. He tenderly seeks to lighten the father's grief, and encourages his nerveless hands to bind the cords that confine him to the altar.

    And now the last words of love are spoken, the last tears are shed, the last embrace is given. The father lifts the knife to slay his son, when suddenly his arm is stayed. An angel of God calls to the patriarch out of heaven, "Abraham, Abraham!" He quickly answers, "Here am I," And again the voice is heard, "Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou any thing unto him: for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son, from Me." Then Abraham saw "a ram caught in a thicket," and quickly bringing the new victim, he offered it "in the stead of his son." In his joy and gratitude Abraham gave a new name to the sacred spot--"Jehovah-jireh," "the Lord will provide."

    On Mount Moriah, God again renewed His covenant, confirming with a solemn oath the blessing to Abraham and to his seed through all coming generations: "By myself have I sworn, saith Jehovah, for because thou hast done this thing, and hast not withheld thy son, thine only son, that in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the seashore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies; and in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed My voice."

    Abraham's great act of faith stands like a pillar of light, illuminating the pathway of God's servants in all succeeding ages. Abraham did not seek to excuse himself from doing the will of God. During that three days' journey he had sufficient time to reason, and to doubt God, if he was disposed to doubt. He might have reasoned that the slaying of his son would cause him to be looked upon as a murderer, a second Cain; that it would cause his teaching to be rejected and despised; and thus destroy his power to do good to his fellow men. He might have pleaded that age should excuse him from obedience. But the patriarch did not take refuge in any of these excuses. Abraham was human; his passions and attachments were like ours; but he did not stop to question how the promise could be fulfilled if Isaac should be slain. He did not stay to reason with his aching heart. He knew that God is just and righteous in all His requirements, and he obeyed the command to the very letter.

    "Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: an he was called the friend of God." James 2:23. And Paul says, "They which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham." Galatians 3:7. But Abraham's faith was made manifest by his works. "Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar? Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect?" James 2:21, 22. There are many who fail to understand the relation of faith and works. They say, "Only believe in Christ, and you are safe. You have nothing to do with keeping the law." But genuine faith will be manifest in obedience. Said Christ to the unbelieving Jews, "If ye were Abraham's children, ye would do the works of Abraham." John 8:39. And concerning the father of the faithful the Lord declares, "Abraham obeyed My voice, and kept My charge, My commandments, My statutes, and My laws." Genesis 26:5. Says the apostle James, "Faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone." James 2:17. And John, who dwells so fully upon love, tells us, "This is the love of God, that we keep His commandments." 1 John 5:3.

    Through type and promise God "preached before the gospel unto Abraham." Galatians 3:8. And the patriarch's faith was fixed upon the Redeemer to come. Said Christ to the Jews. "Your father Abraham rejoiced that he should see My day; and he saw it, and was glad." John 8:56, R.V., margin. The ram offered in the place of Isaac represented the Son of God, who was to be sacrificed in our stead. When man was doomed to death by transgression of the law of God, the Father, looking upon His Son, said to the sinner, "Live: I have found a ransom."

    It was to impress Abraham's mind with the reality of the gospel, as well as to test his faith, that God commanded him to slay his son. The agony which he endured during the dark days of that fearful trial was permitted that he might understand from his own experience something of the greatness of the sacrifice made by the infinite God for man's redemption. No other test could have caused Abraham such torture of soul as did the offering of his son. God gave His Son to a death of agony and shame. The angels who witnessed the humiliation and soul anguish of the Son of God were not permitted to interpose, as in the case of Isaac. There was no voice to cry, "It is enough." To save the fallen race, the King of glory yielded up His life. What stronger proof can be given of the infinite compassion and love of God? "He that spared not His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?" Romans 8:32.

    The sacrifice required of Abraham was not alone for his own good, nor solely for the benefit of succeeding generations; but it was also for the instruction of the sinless intelligences of heaven and of other worlds. The field of the controversy between Christ and Satan--the field on which the plan of redemption is wrought out--is the lesson book of the universe. Because Abraham had shown a lack of faith in God's promises, Satan had accused him before the angels and before God of having failed to comply with the conditions of the covenant, and as unworthy of its blessings. God desired to prove the loyalty of His servant before all heaven, to demonstrate that nothing less than perfect obedience can be accepted, and to open more fully before them the plan of salvation.

    Heavenly beings were witnesses of the scene as the faith of Abraham and the submission of Isaac were tested. The trial was far more severe than that which had been brought upon Adam. Compliance with the prohibition laid upon our first parents involved no suffering, but the command to Abraham demanded the most agonizing sacrifice. All heaven beheld with wonder and admiration Abraham's unfaltering obedience. All heaven applauded his fidelity. Satan's accusations were shown to be false. God declared to His servant, "Now I know that thou fearest God [notwithstanding Satan's charges], seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from Me." God's covenant, confirmed to Abraham by an oath before the intelligences of other worlds, testified that obedience will be rewarded.

    It had been difficult even for the angels to grasp the mystery of redemption--to comprehend that the Commander of heaven, the Son of God, must die for guilty man. When the command was given to Abraham to offer up his son, the interest of all heavenly beings was enlisted. With intense earnestness they watched each step in the fulfillment of this command. When to Isaac's question, "Where is the lamb for a burnt offering?" Abraham made answer, "God will provide Himself a lamb;" and when the father's hand was stayed as he was about to slay his son, and the ram which God had provided was offered in the place of Isaac--then light was shed upon the mystery of redemption, and even the angels understood more clearly the wonderful provision that God had made for man's salvation. 1 Peter 1:12.

    http://www.whiteestate.org/books/pp/pp14.html Fairest among the cities of the Jordan Valley was Sodom, set in a plain which was "as the garden of the Lord" in its fertility and beauty. Here the luxuriant vegetation of the tropics flourished. Here was the home of the palm tree, the olive, and the vine; and flowers shed their fragrance throughout the year. Rich harvests clothed the fields, and flocks and herds covered the encircling hills. Art and commerce contributed to enrich the proud city of the plain. The treasures of the East adorned her palaces, and the caravans of the desert brought their stores of precious things to supply her marts of trade. With little thought or labor, every want of life could be supplied, and the whole year seemed one round of festivity.

    The profusion reigning everywhere gave birth to luxury and pride. Idleness and riches make the heart hard that has never been oppressed by want or burdened by sorrow. The love of pleasure was fostered by wealth and leisure, and the people gave themselves up to sensual indulgence. "Behold," says the prophet, "this was the iniquity of thy sister Sodom, pride, fullness of bread, and abundance of idleness was in her and in her daughters, neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and needy. And they were haughty, and committed abomination before Me: therefore I took them away as I saw good." Ezekiel 16:49, 50. There is nothing more desired among men than riches and leisure, and yet these gave birth to the sins that brought destruction upon the cities of the plain. Their useless, idle life made them a prey to Satan's temptations, and they defaced the image of God, and became satanic rather than divine. Idleness is the greatest curse that can fall upon man, for vice and crime follow in its train. It enfeebles the mind, perverts the understanding, and debases the soul. Satan lies in ambush, ready to destroy those who are unguarded, whose leisure gives him opportunity to insinuate himself under some attractive disguise. He is never more successful than when he comes to men in their idle hours.

    In Sodom there was mirth and revelry, feasting and drunkenness. The vilest and most brutal passions were unrestrained. The people openly defied God and His law and delighted in deeds of violence. Though they had before them the example of the antediluvian world, and knew how the wrath of God had been manifested in their destruction, yet they followed the same course of wickedness.

    At the time of Lot's removal to Sodom, corruption had not become universal, and God in His mercy permitted rays of light to shine amid the moral darkness. When Abraham rescued the captives from the Elamites, the attention of the people was called to the true faith. Abraham was not a stranger to the people of Sodom, and his worship of the unseen God had been a matter of ridicule among them; but his victory over greatly superior forces, and his magnanimous disposition of the prisoners and spoil, excited wonder and admiration. While his skill and valor were extolled, none could avoid the conviction that a divine power had made him conqueror. And his noble and unselfish spirit, so foreign to the self-seeking inhabitants of Sodom, was another evidence of the superiority of the religion which he had honored by his courage and fidelity.

    Melchizedek, in bestowing the benediction upon Abraham, had acknowledged Jehovah as the source of his strength and the author of the victory: "Blessed be Abram of the most high God, possessor of heaven and earth: and blessed be the most high God, which hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand." Genesis 14:19, 20. God was speaking to that people by His providence, but the last ray of light was rejected as all before had been.

    And now the last night of Sodom was approaching. Already the clouds of vengeance cast their shadows over the devoted city. But men perceived it not. While angels drew near on their mission of destruction, men were dreaming of prosperity and pleasure. The last days was like every other that had come and gone. Evening fell upon a scene of loveliness and security. A landscape of unrivaled beauty was bathed in the rays of the declining sun. The coolness of eventide had called forth the inhabitants of the city, and the pleasure-seeking throngs were passing to and fro, intent upon the enjoyment of the hour.

    In the twilight two strangers drew near to the city gate. They were apparently travelers coming in to tarry for the night. None could discern in those humble wayfarers the mighty heralds of divine judgment, and little dreamed the gay, careless multitude that in their treatment of these heavenly messengers that very night they would reach the climax of the guilt which doomed their proud city. But there was one man who manifested kindly attention toward the strangers and invited them to his home. Lot did not know their true character, but politeness and hospitality were habitual with him; they were a part of his religion--lessons that he had learned from the example of Abraham. Had he not cultivated a spirit of courtesy, he might have been left to perish with the rest of Sodom. Many a household, in closing its doors against a stranger, has shut out God's messenger, who would have brought blessing and hope and peace.

    Every act of life, however small, has its bearing for good or for evil. Faithfulness or neglect in what are apparently the smallest duties may open the door for life's richest blessings or its greatest calamities. It is little things that test the character. It is the unpretending acts of daily self-denial, performed with a cheerful, willing heart, that God smiles upon. We are not to live for self, but for others. And it is only by self-forgetfulness, by cherishing a loving, helpful spirit, that we can make our life a blessing. The little attentions, the small, simple courtesies, go far to make up the sum of life's happiness, and the neglect of these constitutes no small share of human wretchedness.

    Seeing the abuse to which strangers were exposed in Sodom, Lot made it one of his duties to guard them at their entrance, by offering them entertainment at his own house. He was sitting at the gate as the travelers approached, and upon observing them, he rose from his place to meet them, and bowing courteously, said, "Behold now, my lords, turn in, I pray you, into your servant's house, and tarry all night." They seemed to decline his hospitality, saying, "Nay; but we will abide in the street." Their object in this answer was twofold--to test the sincerity of Lot and also to appear ignorant of the character of the men of Sodom, as if they supposed it safe to remain in the street at night. Their answer made Lot the more determined not to leave them to the mercy of the rabble. He pressed his invitation until they yielded, and accompanied him to his house.

    He had hoped to conceal his intention from the idlers at the gate by bringing the strangers to his home by a circuitous route; but their hesitation and delay, and his persistent urging, caused them to be observed, and before they had retired for the night, a lawless crowd gathered about the house. It was an immense company, youth and aged men alike inflamed by the vilest passions. The strangers had been making inquiry in regard to the character of the city, and Lot had warned them not to venture out of his door that night, when the hooting and jeers of the mob were heard, demanding that the men be brought out to them.

    Knowing that if provoked to violence they could easily break into his house, Lot went out to try the effect of persuasion upon them. "I pray you, brethren," he said, "do not so wickedly," using the term "brethren" in the sense of neighbors, and hoping to conciliate them and make them ashamed of their vile purposes. But his words were like oil upon the flames. Their rage became like the roaring of a tempest. They mocked Lot as making himself a judge over them, and threatened to deal worse with him than they had purposed toward his guests. They rushed upon him, and would have torn him in pieces had he not been rescued by the angels of God. The heavenly messengers "put forth their hand, and pulled Lot into the house to them, and shut to the door." The events that followed, revealed the character of the guests he had entertained. "They smote the men that were at the door of the house with blindness, both small and great: so that they wearied themselves to find the door." Had they not been visited with double blindness, being given up to hardness of heart, the stroke of God upon them would have caused them to fear, and to desist from their evil work. That last night was marked by no greater sins than many others before it; but mercy, so long slighted, had at last ceased its pleading. The inhabitants of Sodom had passed the limits of divine forbearance--"the hidden boundary between God's patience and His wrath." The fires of His vengeance were about to be kindled in the vale of Siddim.

    The angels revealed to Lot the object of their mission: "We will destroy this place, because the cry of them is waxen great before the face of the Lord; and the Lord hath sent us to destroy it." The strangers whom Lot had endeavored to protect, now promised to protect him, and to save also all the members of his family who would flee with him from the wicked city. The mob had wearied themselves out and departed, and Lot went out to warn his children. He repeated the words of the angels, "Up, get you out of this place; for the Lord will destroy this city." But he seemed to them as one that mocked. They laughed at what they called his superstitious fears. His daughters were influenced by their husbands. They were well enough off where they were. They could see no evidence of danger. Everything was just as it had been. They had great possessions, and they could not believe it possible that beautiful Sodom would be destroyed.

    Lot returned sorrowfully to his home and told the story of his failure. Then the angels bade him arise and take his wife and the two daughters who were yet in his house and leave the city. But Lot delayed. Though daily distressed at beholding deeds of violence, he had no true conception of the debasing and abominable iniquity practiced in that vile city. He did not realize the terrible necessity for God's judgments to put a check on sin. Some of his children clung to Sodom, and his wife refused to depart without them. The thought of leaving those whom he held dearest on earth seemed more than he could bear. It was hard to forsake his luxurious home and all the wealth acquired by the labors of his whole life, to go forth a destitute wanderer. Stupefied with sorrow, he lingered, loath to depart. But for the angels of God, they would all have perished in the ruin of Sodom. The heavenly messengers took him and his wife and daughters by the hand and led them out of the city.

    Here the angels left them, and turned back to Sodom to accomplish their work of destruction. Another--He with whom Abraham had pleaded--drew near to Lot. In all the cities of the plain, even ten righteous persons had not been found; but in answer to the patriarch's prayer, the one man who feared God was snatched from destruction. The command was given with startling vehemence: "Escape for thy life; look not behind thee, neither stay thou in all the plain; escape to the mountain, lest thou be consumed." Hesitancy or delay now would be fatal. To cast one lingering look upon the devoted city, to tarry for one moment from regret to leave so beautiful a home, would have cost their life. The storm of divine judgment was only waiting that these poor fugitives might make their escape.

    But Lot, confused and terrified, pleaded that he could not do as he was required lest some evil should overtake him and he should die. Living in that wicked city, in the midst of unbelief, his faith had grown dim. The Prince of heaven was by his side, yet he pleaded for his own life as though God, who had manifested such care and love for him, would not still preserve him. He should have trusted himself wholly to the divine Messenger, giving his will and his life into the Lord's hands without a doubt or a question. But like so many others, he endeavored to plan for himself: "Behold now, this city is near to flee unto, and it is a little one: O, let me escape thither, (is it not a little one?) and my soul shall live." The city here mentioned was Bela, afterward called Zoar. It was but a few miles from Sodom, and, like it, was corrupt and doomed to destruction. But Lot asked that it might be spared, urging that this was but a small request; and his desire was granted. The Lord assured him, "I have accepted thee concerning this thing also, that I will not overthrow this city, for the which thou hast spoken." Oh, how great the mercy of God toward His erring creatures!

    Again the solemn command was given to hasten, for the fiery storm would be delayed but little longer. But one of the fugitives ventured to cast a look backward to the doomed city, and she became a monument of God's judgment. If Lot himself had manifested no hesitancy to obey the angels' warning, but had earnestly fled toward the mountains, without one word of pleading or remonstrance, his wife also would have made her escape. The influence of his example would have saved her from the sin that sealed her doom. But his hesitancy and delay caused her to lightly regard the divine warning. While her body was upon the plain, her heart clung to Sodom, and she perished with it. She rebelled against God because His judgments involved her possessions and her children in the ruin. Although so greatly favored in being called out from the wicked city, she felt that she was severely dealt with, because the wealth that it had taken years to accumulate must be left to destruction. Instead of thankfully accepting deliverance, she presumptuously looked back to desire the life of those who had rejected the divine warning. Her sin showed her to be unworthy of life, for the preservation of which she felt so little gratitude.

    We should beware of treating lightly God's gracious provisions for our salvation. There are Christians who say, "I do not care to be saved unless my companion and children are saved with me." They feel that heaven would not be heaven to them without the presence of those who are so dear. But have those who cherish this feeling a right conception of their own relation to God, in view of His great goodness and mercy toward them? Have they forgotten that they are bound by the strongest ties of love and honor and loyalty to the service of their Creator and Redeemer? The invitations of mercy are addressed to all; and because our friends reject the Saviour's pleading love, shall we also turn away? The redemption of the soul is precious. Christ has paid an infinite price for our salvation, and no one who appreciates the value of this great sacrifice or the worth of the soul will despise God's offered mercy because others choose to do so. The very fact that others are ignoring His just claims should arouse us to greater diligence, that we may honor God ourselves, and lead all whom we can influence, to accept His love.

    "The sun was risen upon the earth when Lot entered into Zoar." The bright rays of the morning seemed to speak only prosperity and peace to the cities of the plain. The stir of active life began in the streets; men were going their various ways, intent on the business or the pleasures of the day. The sons-in law of Lot were making merry at the fears and warnings of the weak-minded old man. Suddenly and unexpectedly as would be a thunder peal from an unclouded sky, the tempest broke. The Lord rained brimstone and fire out of heaven upon the cities and the fruitful plain; its palaces and temples, costly dwellings, gardens and vineyards, and the gay, pleasure-seeking throngs that only the night before had insulted the messengers of heaven--all were consumed. The smoke of the conflagration went up like the smoke of a great furnace. And the fair vale of Siddim became a desolation, a place never to be built up or inhabited--a witness to all generations of the certainty of God's judgments upon transgression.

    The flames that consumed the cities of the plain shed their warning light down even to our time. We are taught the fearful and solemn lesson that while God's mercy bears long with the transgressor, there is a limit beyond which men may not go on in sin. When that limit is reached, then the offers of mercy are withdrawn, and the ministration of judgment begins.

    The Redeemer of the world declares that there are greater sins than that for which Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed. Those who hear the gospel invitation calling sinners to repentance, and heed it not, are more guilty before God than were the dwellers in the vale of Siddim. And still greater sin is theirs who profess to know God and to keep His commandments, yet who deny Christ in their character and their daily life. In the light of the Saviour's warning, the fate of Sodom is a solemn admonition, not merely to those who are guilty of outbreaking sin, but to all who are trifling with Heaven-sent light and privileges.

    Said the True Witness to the church at Ephesus: "I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love. Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent." Revelation 2:4, 5. The Saviour watches for a response to His offers of love and forgiveness, with a more tender compassion than that which moves the heart of an earthly parent to forgive a wayward, suffering son. He cries after the wanderer, "Return unto Me, and I will return unto you." Malachi 3:7. But if the erring one persistently refuses to heed the voice that calls him with pitying, tender love, he will at last be left in darkness. The heart that has long slighted God's mercy, becomes hardened in sin, and is no longer susceptible to the influence of the grace of God. Fearful will be the doom of that soul of whom the pleading Saviour shall finally declare, he "is joined to idols: let him alone." Hosea 4:17. It will be more tolerable in the day of judgment for the cities of the plain than for those who have known the love of Christ, and yet have turned away to choose the pleasures of a world of sin.

    You who are slighting the offers of mercy, think of the long array of figures accumulating against you in the books of heaven; for there is a record kept of the impieties of nations, of families, of individuals. God may bear long while the account goes on, and calls to repentance and offers of pardon may be given; yet a time will come when the account will be full; when the soul's decision has been made; when by his own choice man's destiny has been fixed. Then the signal will be given for judgment to be executed.

    There is cause for alarm in the condition of the religious world today. God's mercy has been trifled with. The multitudes make void the law of Jehovah, "teaching for doctrines the commandments of men." Matthew 15:9. Infidelity prevails in many of the churches in our land; not infidelity in its broadest sense--an open denial of the Bible--but an infidelity that is robed in the garb of Christianity, while it is undermining faith in the Bible as a revelation from God. Fervent devotion and vital piety have given place to hollow formalism. As the result, apostasy and sensualism prevail. Christ declared, "As it was in the days of Lot, . . . even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed." Luke 17:28, 30. The daily record of passing events testifies to the fulfillment of His words. The world is fast becoming ripe for destruction. Soon the judgments of God are to be poured out, and sin and sinners are to be consumed.

    Said our Saviour: "Take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares. For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth"--upon all whose interests are centered in this world. "Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man." Luke 21:34-36.

    Before the destruction of Sodom, God sent a message to Lot, "Escape for thy life; look not behind thee, neither stay thou in all the plain; escape to the mountain, lest thou be consumed." The same voice of warning was heard by the disciples of Christ before the destruction of Jerusalem: "When ye shall see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that the desolation thereof is nigh. Then let them which are in Judea flee to the mountains." Luke 21:20, 21. They must not tarry to secure anything from their possessions, but must make the most of the opportunity to escape.

    There was a coming out, a decided separation from the wicked, an escape for life. So it was in the days of Noah; so with Lot; so with the disciples prior to the destruction of Jerusalem; and so it will be in the last days. Again the voice of God is heard in a message of warning, bidding His people separate themselves from the prevailing iniquity.

    The state of corruption and apostasy that in the last days would exist in the religious world, was presented to the prophet John in the vision of Babylon, "that great city, which reigneth over the kings of the earth." Revelation 17:18. Before its destruction the call is to be given from heaven, "Come out of her, My people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues." Revelation 18:4. As in the days of Noah and Lot, there must be a marked separation from sin and sinners. There can be no compromise between God and the world, no turning back to secure earthly treasures. "Ye cannot serve God and mammon." Matthew 6:24.

    Like the dwellers in the vale of Siddim, the people are dreaming of prosperity and peace. "Escape for thy life," is the warning from the angels of God; but other voices are heard saying, "Be not excited; there is no cause for alarm." The multitudes cry, "Peace and safety," while Heaven declares that swift destruction is about to come upon the transgressor. On the night prior to their destruction, the cities of the plain rioted in pleasure and derided the fears and warnings of the messenger of God; but those scoffers perished in the flames; that very night the door of mercy was forever closed to the wicked, careless inhabitants of Sodom. God will not always be mocked; He will not long be trifled with. "Behold, the day of the Lord cometh, cruel both with wrath and fierce anger, to lay the land desolate: and He shall destroy the sinners thereof out of it." Isaiah 13:9. The great mass of the world will reject God's mercy, and will be overwhelmed in swift and irretrievable ruin. But those who heed the warning shall dwell "in the secret place of the Most High," and "abide under the shadow of the Almighty." His truth shall be their shield and buckler. For them is the promise, "With long life will I satisfy him, and show him My salvation." Psalm 91:1, 4, 16.

    Lot dwelt but a short time in Zoar. Iniquity prevailed there as in Sodom, and he feared to remain, lest the city should be destroyed. Not long after, Zoar was consumed, as God had purposed. Lot made his way to the mountains, and abode in a cave, stripped of all for which he had dared to subject his family to the influences of a wicked city. But the curse of Sodom followed him even here. The sinful conduct of his daughters was the result of the evil associations of that vile place. Its moral corruption had become so interwoven with their character that they could not distinguish between good and evil. Lot's only posterity, the Moabites and Ammonites, were vile, idolatrous tribes, rebels against God and bitter enemies of His people.

    In how wide contrast to the life of Abraham was that of Lot! Once they had been companions, worshiping at one altar, dwelling side by side in their pilgrim tents; but how widely separated now! Lot had chosen Sodom for its pleasure and profit. Leaving Abraham's altar and its daily sacrifice to the living God, he had permitted his children to mingle with a corrupt and idolatrous people; yet he had retained in his heart the fear of God, for he is declared in the Scriptures to have been a "just" man; his righteous soul was vexed with the vile conversation that greeted his ears daily and the violence and crime he was powerless to prevent. He was saved at last as "a brand plucked out of the fire" (Zechariah 3:2), yet stripped of his possessions, bereaved of his wife and children, dwelling in caves, like the wild beasts, covered with infamy in his old age; and he gave to the world, not a race of righteous men, but two idolatrous nations, at enmity with God and warring upon His people, until, their cup of iniquity being full, they were appointed to destruction. How terrible were the results that followed one unwise step!

    Says the wise man, "Labor not to be rich: cease from thine own wisdom." "He that is greedy of gain troubleth his own house; but he that hateth gifts shall live." Proverbs 23:4; 15:27. And the apostle Paul declares, "They that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition." 1 Timothy 6:9.

    When Lot entered Sodom he fully intended to keep himself free from iniquity and to command his household after him. But he signally failed. The corrupting influences about him had an effect upon his own faith, and his children's connection with the inhabitants of Sodom bound up his interest in a measure with theirs. The result is before us.

    Many are still making a similar mistake. In selecting a home they look more to the temporal advantages they may gain than to the moral and social influences that will surround themselves and their families. They choose a beautiful and fertile country, or remove to some flourishing city, in the hope of securing greater prosperity; but their children are surrounded by temptation, and too often they form associations that are unfavorable to the development of piety and the formation of a right character. The atmosphere of lax morality, of unbelief, of indifference to religious things, has a tendency to counteract the influence of the parents. Examples of rebellion against parental and divine authority are ever before the youth; many form attachments for infidels and unbelievers, and cast in their lot with the enemies of God.

    In choosing a home, God would have us consider, first of all, the moral and religious influences that will surround us and our families. We may be placed in trying positions, for many cannot have their surroundings what they would; and whenever duty calls us, God will enable us to stand uncorrupted, if we watch and pray, trusting in the grace of Christ. But we should not needlessly expose ourselves to influences that are unfavorable to the formation of Christian character. When we voluntarily place ourselves in an atmosphere of worldliness and unbelief, we displease God and drive holy angels from our homes.

    Those who secure for their children worldly wealth and honor at the expense of their eternal interests, will find in the end that these advantages are a terrible loss. Like Lot, many see their children ruined, and barely save their own souls. Their lifework is lost; their life is a sad failure. Had they exercised true wisdom, their children might have had less of worldly prosperity, but they would have made sure of a title to the immortal inheritance.

    The heritage that God has promised to His people is not in this world. Abraham had no possession in the earth, "no, not so much as to set his foot on." Acts 7:5. He possessed great substance, and he used it to the glory of God and the good of his fellow men; but he did not look upon this world as his home. The Lord had called him to leave his idolatrous countrymen, with the promise of the land of Canaan as an everlasting possession; yet neither he nor his son nor his son's son received it. When Abraham desired a burial place for his dead, he had to buy it of the Canaanites. His sole possession in the Land of Promise was that rock-hewn tomb in the cave of Machpelah.

    But the word of God had not failed; neither did it meet its final accomplishment in the occupation of Canaan by the Jewish people. "To Abraham and his seed were the promises made."

    Galatians 3:16. Abraham himself was to share the inheritance. The fulfillment of God's promise may seem to be long delayed--for "one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day" (2 Peter 3:Cool; it may appear to tarry; but at the appointed time "it will surely come, it will not tarry." Habakkuk 2:3. The gift to Abraham and his seed included not merely the land of Canaan, but the whole earth. So says the apostle, "The promise, that he should be the  heir of the world,  was not to Abraham, or to his seed, through the law, but through the righteousness of faith." Romans 4:13. And the Bible plainly teaches that the promises made to Abraham are to be fulfilled through Christ. All that are Christ's are "Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise"--heirs to "an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away"--the earth freed from the curse of sin. Galatians 3:29; 1 Peter 1:4. For "the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the Most High;" and "the meek shall inherit the earth; and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace." Daniel 7:27; Psalm 37:11. God gave to Abraham a view of this immortal inheritance, and with this hope he was content. "By faith he sojourned in the Land of Promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise: for he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God." Hebrews 11:9, 10.

    Of the posterity of Abraham it is written, "These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth." Verse 13. We must dwell as pilgrims and strangers here if we would gain "a better country, that is, an heavenly." Verse 16. Those who are children of Abraham will be seeking the city which he looked for, "whose builder and maker is God."

    United States AI Solar System (6) - Page 2 Stockholm-cathedral-st-george-and-the-dragon-march-2014-283
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    orthodoxymoron
    orthodoxymoron


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    United States AI Solar System (6) - Page 2 Empty Re: United States AI Solar System (6)

    Post  orthodoxymoron Sun Jun 24, 2018 12:13 am

    I'm very tentative regarding the following. I simply don't know who and what we're dealing with. I see through a glass, darkly. This is simply a study-guide and a place of beginning. We might need to study this stuff for the rest of the twenty-first century, to get it right. I am very conflicted regarding the American-System, the English-System, the Roman-System, the New World Order, and the Kingdom of God. I am very concerned regarding who owns and operates the solar system. Who should rightfully own and operate the solar system??


    THE FOUNDING DOCUMENTS OF THE UNITED STATES OF THE SOLAR SYSTEM

    PREAMBLE

    WE THE PEOPLE OF EARTH are determined to save succeeding generations from the scourge of war, and to reaffirm faith in fundamental human rights, in the dignity and worth of the human person, in the equal rights of men and women and of nations large and small, and to establish conditions under which justice and respect for the obligations arising from the Constitution of the United States of the Solar System can be maintained, and to promote social progress and better standards of life in larger freedom. To practice tolerance and live together in peace with one another as good neighbours, and to unite our strength to maintain interplanetary peace and security, and to ensure, by the acceptance of principles and the institution of methods, that armed force shall not be used, save in the common interest, and to employ interplanetary machinery for the promotion of the economic and social advancement of all peoples.

    Recognition of the inherent dignity and of the equal and inalienable rights of all members of the human family is the foundation of freedom, justice and peace in the world. Disregard and contempt for human rights have resulted in barbarous acts which have outraged the conscience of mankind, and the advent of a world in which human beings shall enjoy freedom of speech and belief and freedom from fear and want has been proclaimed as the highest aspiration of the common people. It is essential, if man is not to be compelled to have recourse, as a last resort, to rebellion against tyranny and oppression, that human rights should be protected by the rule of law. It is essential to promote the development of friendly relations between Member States. We the people of Earth have reaffirmed our faith in fundamental human rights, in the dignity and worth of the human person and in the equal rights of men and women and have determined to promote social progress and better standards of life in larger freedom. Member States have pledged themselves to achieve, in co-operation with the United States of the Solar System the promotion of universal respect for and observance of human rights and fundamental freedoms. A common understanding of these rights and freedoms is of the greatest importance.

    Namaste Constitutional Responsible Freedom...in the context of The United States of the Solar System...is a common standard of achievement for all peoples and all Member States, to the end that every individual and every organ of society, keeping these principles, concepts, and documents constantly in mind, shall strive by teaching and education to promote respect for these rights and freedoms and by progressive measures, interstate and interplanetary, to secure their universal and effective recognition and observance among the peoples of Member States.

    All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights.They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood. Everyone is entitled to all the rights and freedoms inherent in the United States of the Solar System, without distinction of any kind, such as race, colour, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, territorial or social origin, property, birth or other status. Furthermore, no distinction shall be made on the basis of the political or jurisdictional status of the Member State to which a person belongs.

    Everyone has the right to life, liberty and security of person. No one shall be held in slavery or servitude; slavery and the slave trade shall be prohibited in all their forms. No one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment. Everyone has the right to recognition everywhere as a person before the law. All are equal before the law and are entitled without any discrimination to equal protection of the law. All are entitled to equal protection against any discrimination in violation of this Declaration and against any incitement to such discrimination. Everyone has the right to an effective remedy by the competent Member State tribunals for acts violating the fundamental rights granted him by the constitution or by law.

    No one shall be subjected to arbitrary arrest, detention or exile. Everyone is entitled in full equality to a fair and public hearing by an independent and impartial tribunal, in the determination of his rights and obligations and of any criminal charge against him. Everyone charged with a penal offence has the right to be presumed innocent until proved guilty according to law in a public trial at which he has had all the guarantees necessary for his defence. No one shall be held guilty of any penal offence on account of any act or omission which did not constitute a penal offence, under state or interplanetary law, at the time when it was committed. Nor shall a heavier penalty be imposed than the one that was applicable at the time the penal offence was committed.

    No one shall be subjected to arbitrary interference with his privacy, family, home or correspondence, nor to attacks upon his honour and reputation. Everyone has the right to the protection of the law against such interference or attacks. Everyone has the right to freedom of movement and residence within the borders of each Member State. Everyone has the right to leave any Member State, and to return. Everyone has the right to seek and to enjoy in other Member States asylum from persecution. This right may not be invoked in the case of prosecutions genuinely arising from non-political crimes or from acts contrary to the purposes and principles of the United States of the Solar System. Everyone has the right to own property alone as well as in association with others. No one shall be arbitrarily deprived of his property.

    Men and women of full age, without any limitation due to race, state or religion, have the right to marry and to found a family. They are entitled to equal rights as to marriage, during marriage and at its dissolution. Marriage shall be entered into only with the free and full consent of the intending spouses. The family is the natural and fundamental group unit of society and is entitled to protection by society and the State.

    Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion; this right includes freedom to change his religion or belief, and freedom, either alone or in community with others and in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship and observance. Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers. Everyone has the right to freedom of peaceful assembly and association. No one may be compelled to belong to an association.

    Everyone has the right to take part in the government of his state, directly or through freely chosen representatives. Everyone has the right of equal access to public service in his Member State. The will of the people shall be the basis of the authority of government; this will shall be expressed in periodic and genuine elections which shall be by universal and equal suffrage and shall be held by secret vote or by equivalent free voting procedures.

    Everyone, as a member of society, has the right to social security and is entitled to realization, through state effort and interplanetary co-operation and in accordance with the organization and resources of each Member State, of the economic, social and cultural rights indispensable for his dignity and the free development of his personality.

    Everyone has the right to work, to free choice of employment, to just and favourable conditions of work and to protection against unemployment. Everyone, without any discrimination, has the right to equal pay for equal work. Everyone who works has the right to just and favourable remuneration ensuring for himself and his family an existence worthy of human dignity, and supplemented, if necessary, by other means of social protection. Everyone has the right to form and to join trade unions for the protection of his interests. Everyone has the right to rest and leisure, including reasonable limitation of working hours and periodic holidays with pay. Everyone has the right to work to achieve a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of himself and of his family, including food, clothing, housing and medical care and necessary social services, and the right to security in the event of unemployment, sickness, disability, widowhood, old age or other lack of livelihood in circumstances beyond his control. Motherhood and childhood are entitled to special care and assistance. All children, whether born in or out of wedlock, shall enjoy the same social protection.

    Everyone has the right to education. Education shall be free, at least in the elementary and fundamental stages. Elementary education shall be compulsory. Technical and professional education shall be made generally available and higher education shall be equally accessible to all on the basis of merit. Education shall be directed to the full development of the human personality and to the strengthening of respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms. It shall promote understanding, tolerance and friendship among all Member States, racial or religious groups, and shall further the activities of the United States of the Solar System for the maintenance of peace. Parents have a prior right to choose the kind of education that shall be given to their children.

    Everyone has the right freely to participate in the cultural life of the community, to enjoy the arts and to share in scientific advancement and its benefits. Everyone has the right to the protection of the moral and material interests resulting from any scientific, literary or artistic production of which he is the author. Everyone has duties to the community in which alone the free and full development of his personality is possible. In the exercise of his rights and freedoms, everyone shall be subject only to such limitations as are determined by law solely for the purpose of securing due recognition and respect for the rights and freedoms of others and of meeting the just requirements of morality, public order and the general welfare in a democratic society. These rights and freedoms may in no case be exercised contrary to the purposes and principles of the United States of the Solar System.


    DECLARATION OF HUMAN SOVEREIGNTY REGARDING
    CONTACT WITH EXTRATERRESTRIAL NATIONS AND FORCES

    We, the People of Earth, extend greetings to all races in the Greater Community of the Universe. We acknowledge our common heritage before the Creator of all the Universe, both visible and invisible. We declare the planet Earth as our sacred inheritance. We pledge henceforth to sustain and preserve the Earth for all generations to come. We call upon all humanity to treat all races everywhere with wisdom and justice, here on Earth and throughout the Universe.

    Fundamental Rights

    We, the People of Earth, regard the need for freedom to be universal. Therefore, we hold that all individuals in all worlds are created equal and are endowed by the Creator with sacred and inalienable rights. Fundamental among these are the right to live as a free race; the right of self-determination, self-sufficiency, and creative expression; the right to life without oppression; and the right to pursue in life a higher purpose and a higher calling that the Creator has provided to all.

    Before the Greater Community of the Universe, we, the People of Earth, do now invoke these fundamental rights for ourselves, along with certain rights that naturally derive from them, including:

    -The right of sovereignty. The People of Earth shall be self-governed and independent, neither subject to nor dependent upon any other authority. No extraterrestrial force shall contravene or abrogate the human sovereignty of this planet.

    -The right of planetary sanctity. Earth shall be free from extraterrestrial intervention, intrusion, interference, or exploitation, both mental and physical. No extraterrestrial force shall make close approach, or assume close orbit, or make any landing, or engage in trade, except openly and with the expressed consent of the People of Earth achieved through a democratic means.

    -The right of sanctity of biological and genetic material. No extraterrestrial power shall take, possess, or manipulate human biological or genetic material for any purpose whatsoever.

    -The right of occupation. We the People of Earth claim this Solar System as our sphere of influence. No extraterrestrial bases may be established on bodies or stations orbiting the Earth, nor on other planets or bodies of this Solar System, except with the expressed consent of the People of Earth.

    -The right of peaceful navigation. We claim the right to travel and explore within our Solar System without interference or restraint from extraterrestrial forces, and maintain the right to deny access to this Solar System by any extraterrestrial forces.

    We, the People of Earth, consider it our rightful responsibility to assert and defend these fundamental rights, and to give and receive aid consistent with these rights.

    The Assessment

    When in the course of their evolution it becomes necessary for the native people of a planet to unite, to transcend the conflicts and differences that have separated them from one another, and to assume among the powers of the Universe a separate and equal sovereignty, a respectful consideration of that sovereignty requires that they declare the causes which impel them to this present course of action.

    Although the Earth has undergone a long history of extraterrestrial visitation, the current situation is that the People of Earth are now suffering the effects of a global extraterrestrial intervention into human affairs. This intervention employs a strategy of deception, manipulation, and exploitation, the goal of which is control over humanity, which will result in the loss of human freedom and self-determination. It is now the sacred right and duty of the People of Earth to oppose, resist, and repel this extraterrestrial intervention, to declare and defend our sovereignty, our freedom, and our independence from all extraterrestrial forces.

    Let these violations be considered by those supporting the cause of freedom throughout the Greater Community:

    -Intervening extraterrestrial forces have refused to openly disclose and reveal the nature and intent of their activities on and around Earth. This extraterrestrial presence is clandestine, covert, uninvited, and unapproved by the People of Earth. These extraterrestrial forces have concealed their own identity, their political or economic alliances and allegiances, as well as the authorities and powers which they serve.

    -As is becoming increasingly apparent from their actions, extraterrestrial forces intend to exploit the Earth, its resources, and its people, and are engaged in a systematic program of colonizing humanity into a subservient client state to be ruled by agents of these extraterrestrial forces. The extraterrestrial intervention and occupation seeks commercial gain, economic power, and the strategic advantage offered by this world in relation to other worlds.

    -Extraterrestrial forces have repeatedly and with impunity violated national and international laws of the Earth’s people. These offenses, which still continue today, have included violation of restricted airspace; abduction and transportation of humans without their consent; murder, rape, torture, sexual abuse, interbreeding with humans, and cruel experimentation; theft and trade of human biological and genetic materials; theft and trade of Earth’s natural resources; covert mental and psychological influence; mutilation of humans and animals; tampering with and disabling of military defense systems; and clandestine infiltration into human society.

    -Extraterrestrial forces have secretly negotiated treaties and agreements with human individuals and groups, without the informed consent of the People of Earth.

    -Extraterrestrial forces have systematically attempted to persuade and mislead humans through extending false hopes and promises of wealth, power, and protection; rescue from planetary catastrophe; membership in a “galactic federation”; and spiritual salvation and enlightenment.

    -Extraterrestrial forces have exploited and exacerbated human conflicts to serve their own ends.

    -Extraterrestrial forces have been disempowering humanity by leading us to believe that we can only survive with their help and their advanced technology, thus fostering our complete dependence upon them and denying our ability to ensure our own survival.

    Demands and Declarations

    Accordingly, we, the People of Earth, do hereby declare all previously existing agreements or treaties between any human government, group, or individual and any extraterrestrials to be forthwith null, void, and permanently suspended. We demand that any such previously existing treaties or agreements be fully and publicly disclosed. Any future agreements or treaties between human governments, groups, or individuals and extraterrestrials must be negotiated only with the full consent of the People of Earth, publicly and openly expressed by an international democratic body representing the nations and peoples of Earth.

    We demand that all extraterrestrials now cease all operations and activities and immediately vacate and depart from the Earth and its surroundings including the Sun, Earth’s Moon, and all planets of this Solar System. This includes vacating any natural or artificial satellites, as well as all space within the Solar System.

    We demand that all extraterrestrial organizations who have established or operated bases on the Earth, its Moon, or anywhere else within this Solar System, to vacate these bases, and fully disclose their nature. These bases should then be used to defend the Solar System.

    We further demand that all living humans who are now in custody of extraterrestrials be returned immediately in good health; further, we demand a full accounting of all humans who have been taken or held by extraterrestrials, including those who have died in captivity. In addition, we demand that all human biological or genetic materials taken from any individuals be accounted for and destroyed, and their intended use be identified. Any devices implanted in living individuals must be identified so that they may be safely removed.

    We demand full public disclosure of the purpose and details of the extraterrestrial hybridization program, including the location, identity, and activities of all living human-extraterrestrial hybrids, whether on Earth or elsewhere.

    Be it known throughout the Universe that from this time forward, extraterrestrials may only enter our Solar System, approach our Earth, fly in our skies, set foot on our soil, or enter our waters with the explicit consent of the People of Earth.

    We, therefore, do solemnly declare that the People of Earth are and should be a free and independent people; that all humans are hereby absolved from all allegiance to extraterrestrial powers, and that all political and economic connections between them and the People of Earth are totally dissolved; that as a free and sovereign race in the Greater Community of the Universe, we assume full power within this Solar System to conclude peace, levy war, contract alliances, establish commerce, and to undertake all other actions which a sovereign planetary race may rightfully and ethically do.

    Concluding Statement

    Let it be understood that in making this Declaration of Human Sovereignty, we, the People of Earth, affirm our future and destiny as a free race within a Greater Community of intelligent life. We recognize that we are a part of this Greater Community and that we are destined over time to encounter many different races from beyond our world.

    To them and to all others, we hereby declare that our intention is not conquest or domination in space. We declare that the rights and privileges that we affirm here for ourselves, we also affirm for all races of beings whom we might encounter.

    In making our Declaration of Human Sovereignty, we proclaim our rights, responsibilities, and privileges as a free race in order that we may pursue greater unity, peace, and cooperation within the human family without unwanted or unwarranted intrusion and interference by any outside nation or force from the Greater Community. We make this proclamation as an expression of our Divine right and honorable intent for the human family and for all races in the Universe who seek to be free.

    www.humansovereignty.org



    THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES OF THE SOLAR SYSTEM

    We the People of the United States of the Solar System, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of the Solar System.

    Article 1.

    Section 1
    All legislative Powers herein granted shall be vested in a Congress of the United States of the Solar System, which shall consist of a Senate and House of Representatives.

    Section 2
    The House of Representatives shall be composed of Members chosen every second Year by the People of the several States, and the Electors in each State shall have the Qualifications requisite for Electors of the most numerous Branch of the State Legislature.

    No Person shall be a Representative who shall not have attained to the Age of twenty five Years, and been seven Years a Citizen of the United States of the Solar System, and who shall not, when elected, be an Inhabitant of that State in which they shall be chosen.

    Representatives and direct Taxes shall be apportioned among the several States which may be included within this Union, according to their respective Numbers.

    When vacancies happen in the Representation from any State, the Executive Authority thereof shall issue Writs of Election to fill such Vacancies.

    The House of Representatives shall choose their Speaker and other Officers; and shall have the sole Power of Impeachment.

    Section 3
    The Senate of the United States of the Solar System shall be composed of two Senators from each State, chosen by the Legislature thereof, for six Years; and each Senator shall have one Vote.

    Immediately after they shall be assembled in Consequence of the first Election, they shall be divided as equally as may be into three Classes. The Seats of the Senators of the first Class shall be vacated at the Expiration of the second Year, of the second Class at the Expiration of the fourth Year, and of the third Class at the Expiration of the sixth Year, so that one third may be chosen every second Year; and if Vacancies happen by Resignation, or otherwise, during the Recess of the Legislature of any State, the Executive thereof may make temporary Appointments until the next Meeting of the Legislature, which shall then fill such Vacancies.

    No Person shall be a Senator who shall not have attained to the Age of thirty Years, and been nine Years a Citizen of the United States of the Solar System, and who shall not, when elected, be an Inhabitant of that State for which they shall be chosen.

    The Vice President of the United States of the Solar System shall be President of the Senate, but shall have no Vote, unless they be equally divided.

    The Senate shall choose their other Officers, and also a President pro tempore, in the absence of the Vice President, or when he shall exercise the Office of President of the United States of the Solar System.

    The Senate shall have the sole Power to try all Impeachments. When sitting for that Purpose, they shall be on Oath or Affirmation. When the President of the United States of the Solar System is tried, the Chief Justice shall preside: And no Person shall be convicted without the Concurrence of two thirds of the Members present.

    Judgment in Cases of Impeachment shall not extend further than to removal from Office, and disqualification to hold and enjoy any Office of honor, Trust or Profit under the United States of the Solar System: but the Party convicted shall nevertheless be liable and subject to Indictment, Trial, Judgment and Punishment, according to Law.

    Section 4
    The Times, Places and Manner of holding Elections for Senators and Representatives, shall be prescribed in each State by the Legislature thereof; but the Congress may at any time by Law make or alter such Regulations, except as to the Place of Choosing Senators.

    The Congress shall assemble at least once in every Year, and such Meeting shall be on the first Monday in December, unless they shall by Law appoint a different Day.

    Section 5
    Each House shall be the Judge of the Elections, Returns and Qualifications of its own Members, and a Majority of each shall constitute a Quorum to do Business; but a smaller number may adjourn from day to day, and may be authorized to compel the Attendance of absent Members, in such Manner, and under such Penalties as each House may provide.

    Each House may determine the Rules of its Proceedings, punish its Members for disorderly Behavior, and, with the Concurrence of two-thirds, expel a Member.

    Each House shall keep a Journal of its Proceedings, and from time to time publish the same, excepting such Parts as may in their Judgment require Secrecy; and the Yeas and Nays of the Members of either House on any question shall, at the Desire of one fifth of those Present, be entered on the Journal.

    Neither House, during the Session of Congress, shall, without the Consent of the other, adjourn for more than three days, nor to any other Place than that in which the two Houses shall be sitting.

    Section 6
    The Senators and Representatives shall receive a Compensation for their Services, to be ascertained by Law, and paid out of the Treasury of the United States of the Solar System. They shall in all Cases, except Treason, Felony and Breach of the Peace, be privileged from Arrest during their Attendance at the Session of their respective Houses, and in going to and returning from the same; and for any Speech or Debate in either House, they shall not be questioned in any other Place.

    No Senator or Representative shall, during the Time for which he was elected, be appointed to any civil Office under the Authority of the United States of the Solar System which shall have been created, or the Emoluments whereof shall have been increased during such time; and no Person holding any Office under the United States of the Solar System, shall be a Member of either House during their Continuance in Office.

    Section 7
    All bills for raising Revenue shall originate in the House of Representatives; but the Senate may propose or concur with Amendments as on other Bills.

    Every Bill which shall have passed the House of Representatives and the Senate, shall, before it become a Law, be presented to the President of the United States of the Solar System; If they approve they shall sign it, but if not they shall return it, with their Objections to that House in which it shall have originated, who shall enter the Objections at large on their Journal, and proceed to reconsider it. If after such Reconsideration two thirds of that House shall agree to pass the Bill, it shall be sent, together with the Objections, to the other House, by which it shall likewise be reconsidered, and if approved by two thirds of that House, it shall become a Law. But in all such Cases the Votes of both Houses shall be determined by Yeas and Nays, and the Names of the Persons voting for and against the Bill shall be entered on the Journal of each House respectively. If any Bill shall not be returned by the President within ten Days (Sundays excepted) after it shall have been presented to them, the Same shall be a Law, in like Manner as if he had signed it, unless the Congress by their Adjournment prevent its Return, in which Case it shall not be a Law.

    Every Order, Resolution, or Vote to which the Concurrence of the Senate and House of Representatives may be necessary (except on a question of Adjournment) shall be presented to the President of the United States of the Solar System; and before the Same shall take Effect, shall be approved by them, or being disapproved by them, shall be repassed by two thirds of the Senate and House of Representatives, according to the Rules and Limitations prescribed in the Case of a Bill.

    Section 8
    The Congress shall have Power To lay and collect Taxes, Duties, Imposts and Excises, to pay the Debts and provide for the common Defence and general Welfare of the United States of the Solar System; but all Duties, Imposts and Excises shall be uniform throughout the United States of the Solar System;

    To borrow money on the credit of the United States of the Solar System;

    To regulate Commerce with foreign Nations, and among the several States.

    To establish an uniform Rule of Naturalization, and uniform Laws on the subject of Bankruptcies throughout the United States of the Solar System;

    To coin Money, regulate the Value thereof, and of foreign Coin, and fix the Standard of Weights and Measures;

    To provide for the Punishment of counterfeiting the Securities and current Coin of the United States of the Solar System;

    To establish Post Offices and Post Roads;

    To promote the Progress of Science and useful Arts, by securing for limited Times to Authors and Inventors the exclusive Right to their respective Writings and Discoveries;

    To constitute Tribunals inferior to the supreme Court;

    To define and punish Piracies and Felonies committed on the high seas and outer space, and Offenses against the Law of Nations;

    To declare War, grant Letters of Marque and Reprisal, and make Rules concerning Captures on Land, Water, and in Space;

    To raise and support Armies, but no Appropriation of Money to that Use shall be for a longer Term than two Years;

    To provide and maintain a Navy and a Space Force;

    To make Rules for the Government and Regulation of the land, naval, and Space Forces;

    To provide for calling forth the Militia to execute the Laws of the Union, suppress Insurrections and repel Invasions;

    To provide for organizing, arming, and disciplining the Militia, and for governing such Part of them as may be employed in the Service of the United States of the Solar System, reserving to the States respectively, the Appointment of the Officers, and the Authority of training the Militia according to the discipline prescribed by Congress;

    To exercise exclusive Legislation in all Cases whatsoever, over such District (not exceeding ten Miles square) as may, by Cession of particular States, and the acceptance of Congress, become the Seat of the Government of the United States of the Solar System, and to exercise like Authority over all Places purchased by the Consent of the Legislature of the State in which the Same shall be, for the Erection of Forts, Magazines, Arsenals, dock-Yards, and other needful Buildings; And

    To make all Laws which shall be necessary and proper for carrying into Execution the foregoing Powers, and all other Powers vested by this
    Constitution in the Government of the United States of the Solar System, or in any Department or Officer thereof.

    Section 9
    The Migration or Importation of such Persons as any of the States now existing shall think proper to admit, shall not be prohibited by the Congress prior to the Year one thousand eight hundred and eight, but a tax or duty may be imposed on such Importation, not exceeding ten dollars for each Person.

    The privilege of the Writ of Habeas Corpus shall not be suspended, unless when in Cases of Rebellion or Invasion the public Safety may require it.

    No Bill of Attainder or ex post facto Law shall be passed.

    No capitation, or other direct, Tax shall be laid, unless in Proportion to the Census or Enumeration herein before directed to be taken.

    No Tax or Duty shall be laid on Articles exported from any State.

    No Preference shall be given by any Regulation of Commerce or Revenue to the Ports of one State over those of another: nor shall Vessels bound to, or from, one State, be obliged to enter, clear, or pay Duties in another.

    No Money shall be drawn from the Treasury, but in Consequence of Appropriations made by Law; and a regular Statement and Account of the Receipts and Expenditures of all public Money shall be published from time to time.

    No Title of Nobility shall be granted by the United States of the Solar System: And no Person holding any Office of Profit or Trust under them, shall, without the Consent of the Congress, accept of any present, Emolument, Office, or Title, of any kind whatever, from any King, Prince or foreign State.

    Section 10
    No State shall enter into any Treaty, Alliance, or Confederation; grant Letters of Marque and Reprisal; coin Money; emit Bills of Credit; make any Thing but gold and silver Coin a Tender in Payment of Debts; pass any Bill of Attainder, ex post facto Law, or Law impairing the Obligation of Contracts, or grant any Title of Nobility.

    No State shall, without the Consent of the Congress, lay any Imposts or Duties on Imports or Exports, except what may be absolutely necessary for executing its inspection Laws: and the net Produce of all Duties and Imposts, laid by any State on Imports or Exports, shall be for the Use of the Treasury of the United States of the Solar System; and all such Laws shall be subject to the Revision and Control of the Congress.

    No State shall, without the Consent of Congress, lay any duty of Tonnage, keep Troops, or Ships of War in time of Peace, enter into any Agreement or Compact with another State, or with a foreign Power, or engage in War, unless actually invaded, or in such imminent Danger as will not admit of delay.

    Article 2.

    Section 1
    The executive Power shall be vested in a President of the United States of the Solar System. They shall hold their Office during the Term of four Years, and, together with the Vice-President chosen for the same Term, be elected, as follows:

    Each State shall appoint, in such Manner as the Legislature thereof may direct, a Number of Electors, equal to the whole Number of Senators and Representatives to which the State may be entitled in the Congress: but no Senator or Representative, or Person holding an Office of Trust or Profit under the United States of the Solar System, shall be appointed an Elector.

    The Electors shall meet in their respective States, and vote by Ballot for two persons, of whom one at least shall not lie an Inhabitant of the same State with themselves. And they shall make a List of all the Persons voted for, and of the Number of Votes for each; which List they shall sign and certify, and transmit sealed to the Seat of the Government of the United States of the Solar System, directed to the President of the Senate. The President of the Senate shall, in the Presence of the Senate and House of Representatives, open all the Certificates, and the Votes shall then be counted. The Person having the greatest Number of Votes shall be the President, if such Number be a Majority of the whole Number of Electors appointed; and if there be more than one who have such Majority, and have an equal Number of Votes, then the House of Representatives shall immediately choose by Ballot one of them for President; and if no Person have a Majority, then from the five highest on the List the said House shall in like Manner choose the President. But in choosing the President, the Votes shall be taken by States, the Representation from each State having one Vote; a quorum for this Purpose shall consist of a Member or Members from two-thirds of the States, and a Majority of all the States shall be necessary to a Choice. In every Case, after the Choice of the President, the Person having the greatest Number of Votes of the Electors shall be the Vice President. But if there should remain two or more who have equal Votes, the Senate shall choose from them by Ballot the Vice-President.

    The Congress may determine the Time of choosing the Electors, and the Day on which they shall give their Votes; which Day shall be the same throughout the United States of the Solar System.

    No Person except a natural born Citizen, or a Citizen of the United States of the Solar System, at the time of the Adoption of this Constitution, shall be eligible to the Office of President; neither shall any Person be eligible to that Office who shall not have attained to the Age of thirty-five Years, and been fourteen Years a Resident within the United States of the Solar System.

    In Case of the Removal of the President from Office, or of his Death, Resignation, or Inability to discharge the Powers and Duties of the said
    Office, the same shall devolve on the Vice President, and the Congress may by Law provide for the Case of Removal, Death, Resignation or Inability, both of the President and Vice President, declaring what Officer shall then act as President, and such Officer shall act accordingly, until the Disability be removed, or a President shall be elected.

    The President shall, at stated Times, receive for his Services, a Compensation, which shall neither be increased nor diminished during the Period for which he shall have been elected, and he shall not receive within that Period any other Emolument from the United States of the Solar System, or any of them.

    Before they enter on the Execution of their Office, they shall take the following Oath or Affirmation:

    "I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the Office of President of the United States of the Solar System, and will to the best of my Ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States of the Solar System."

    Section 2
    The President shall be Commander in Chief of the Army, Navy, and Space Force of the United States of the Solar System, and of the Militia of the several States, when called into the actual Service of the United States of the Solar System; they may require the Opinion, in writing, of the principal Officer in each of the executive Departments, upon any subject relating to the Duties of their respective Offices, and he shall have Power to Grant Reprieves and Pardons for Offenses against the United States of the Solar System, except in Cases of Impeachment.

    They shall have Power, by and with the Advice and Consent of the Senate, to make Treaties, provided two thirds of the Senators present concur; and he shall nominate, and by and with the Advice and Consent of the Senate, shall appoint Ambassadors, other public Ministers and Consuls, Judges of the supreme Court, and all other Officers of the United States of the Solar System, whose Appointments are not herein otherwise provided for, and which shall be established by Law: but the Congress may by Law vest the Appointment of such inferior Officers, as they think proper, in the President alone, in the Courts of Law, or in the Heads of Departments.

    The President shall have Power to fill up all Vacancies that may happen during the Recess of the Senate, by granting Commissions which shall expire at the End of their next Session.

    Section 3
    They shall from time to time give to the Congress Information of the State of the Union, and recommend to their Consideration such Measures as they shall judge necessary and expedient; they may, on extraordinary Occasions, convene both Houses, or either of them, and in Case of Disagreement between them, with Respect to the Time of Adjournment, they may adjourn them to such Time as they shall think proper; they shall receive Ambassadors and other public Ministers; they shall take Care that the Laws be faithfully executed, and shall Commission all the Officers of the United States of the Solar System.

    Section 4
    The President, Vice President and all civil Officers of the United States of the Solar System, shall be removed from Office on Impeachment for, and Conviction of, Treason, Bribery, or other high Crimes and Misdemeanors.

    Article 3.

    Section 1
    The judicial Power of the United States of the Solar System, shall be vested in one supreme Court, and in such inferior Courts as the Congress may from time to time ordain and establish. The Judges, both of the supreme and inferior Courts, shall hold their Offices during good Behavior, and shall, at stated Times, receive for their Services a Compensation which shall not be diminished during their Continuance in Office.

    Section 2
    The judicial Power shall extend to all Cases, in Law and Equity, arising under this Constitution, the Laws of the United States of the Solar System, and Treaties made, or which shall be made, under their Authority; to all Cases affecting Ambassadors, other public Ministers and Consuls; to all Cases of admiralty, maritime, and space Jurisdiction; to Controversies to which the United States of the Solar System shall be a Party; to Controversies between two or more States; between a State and Citizens of another State; between Citizens of different States; between Citizens of the same State claiming Lands under Grants of different States, and between a State, or the Citizens thereof, and foreign States, Citizens or Subjects.

    In all Cases affecting Ambassadors, other public Ministers and Consuls, and those in which a State shall be Party, the supreme Court shall have original Jurisdiction. In all the other Cases before mentioned, the supreme Court shall have appellate Jurisdiction, both as to Law and Fact, with such Exceptions, and under such Regulations as the Congress shall make.

    The Trial of all Crimes, except in Cases of Impeachment, shall be by Jury; and such Trial shall be held in the State where the said Crimes shall have been committed; but when not committed within any State, the Trial shall be at such Place or Places as the Congress may by Law have directed.

    Section 3
    Treason against the United States of the Solar System, shall consist only in levying War against them, or in adhering to their Enemies, giving them Aid and Comfort. No Person shall be convicted of Treason unless on the Testimony of two Witnesses to the same overt Act, or on Confession in open Court.

    The Congress shall have power to declare the Punishment of Treason, but no Attainder of Treason shall work Corruption of Blood, or Forfeiture except during the Life of the Person attainted.

    Article 4.

    Section 1
    Full Faith and Credit shall be given in each State to the public Acts, Records, and judicial Proceedings of every other State. And the Congress may by general Laws prescribe the Manner in which such Acts, Records and Proceedings shall be proved, and the Effect thereof.

    Section 2
    The Citizens of each State shall be entitled to all Privileges and Immunities of Citizens in the several States.

    A Person charged in any State with Treason, Felony, or other Crime, who shall flee from Justice, and be found in another State, shall on demand of the executive Authority of the State from which they fled, be delivered up, to be removed to the State having Jurisdiction of the Crime.

    No Person held to Service or Labour in one State, under the Laws thereof, escaping into another, shall, in Consequence of any Law or Regulation therein, be discharged from such Service or Labour, But shall be delivered up on Claim of the Party to whom such Service or Labour may be due.

    Section 3
    New States may be admitted by the Congress into this Union; but no new States shall be formed or erected within the Jurisdiction of any other State; nor any State be formed by the Junction of two or more States, or parts of States, without the Consent of the Legislatures of the States concerned as well as of the Congress.

    The Congress shall have Power to dispose of and make all needful Rules and Regulations respecting the Territory or other Property belonging to the United States of the Solar System; and nothing in this Constitution shall be so construed as to Prejudice any Claims of the United States of the Solar System, or of any particular State.

    Section 4
    The United States of the Solar System shall guarantee to every State in this Union a Republican Form of Government, and shall protect each of them against Invasion; and on Application of the Legislature, or of the Executive (when the Legislature cannot be convened) against domestic Violence.

    Article 5.

    The Congress, whenever two thirds of both Houses shall deem it necessary, shall propose Amendments to this Constitution, or, on the Application of the Legislatures of two thirds of the several States, shall call a Convention for proposing Amendments, which, in either Case, shall be valid to all Intents and Purposes, as part of this Constitution, when ratified by the Legislatures of three fourths of the several States, or by Conventions in three fourths thereof, as the one or the other Mode of Ratification may be proposed by the Congress; Provided that no Amendment which may be made prior to the Year One thousand eight hundred and eight shall in any Manner affect the first and fourth Clauses in the Ninth Section of the first Article; and that no State, without its Consent, shall be deprived of its equal Suffrage in the Senate.

    Article 6.

    The Senators and Representatives before mentioned, and the Members of the several State Legislatures, and all executive and judicial Officers, both of the United States of the Solar System and of the several States, shall be bound by Oath or Affirmation, to support this Constitution; but no religious Test shall ever be required as a Qualification to any Office or public Trust under the United States of the Solar System.

    Article 7.

    Amendment 1
    Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people to peaceably assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

    Amendment 2
    A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.

    Amendment 3
    No Soldier shall, in time of peace be quartered in any house, without the consent of the Owner, nor in time of war, but in a manner to be prescribed by law.

    Amendment 4
    The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the people or things to be seized.

    Amendment 5
    No person shall be held to answer for a capital, or otherwise infamous crime, unless on a presentment or indictment of a Grand Jury, except in cases arising in the land or naval forces, or in the Militia, when in actual service in time of War or public danger; nor shall any person be subject for the same offense to be twice put in jeopardy of life or limb; nor shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against themself, nor be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation.

    Amendment 6
    In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right to a speedy and public trial, by an impartial jury of the State and district wherein the crime shall have been committed, which district shall have been previously ascertained by law, and to be informed of the nature and cause of the accusation; to be confronted with the witnesses against him; to have compulsory process for obtaining witnesses in his favor, and to have the Assistance of Counsel for his defence.

    Amendment 7
    In Suits at common law, where the value in controversy shall exceed twenty dollars, the right of trial by jury shall be preserved, and no fact tried by a jury, shall be otherwise re-examined in any Court of the United States of the Solar System, than according to the rules of the common law.

    Amendment 8
    Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted.

    Amendment 9
    The enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people.

    Amendment 10
    The powers not delegated to the United States of the Solar System by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.

    Amendment 11
    The Judicial power of the United States of the Solar System shall not be construed to extend to any suit in law or equity, commenced or prosecuted against one of the United States by Citizens of another State, or by Citizens or Subjects of any Foreign State.

    Amendment 12
    The Electors shall meet in their respective states, and vote by ballot for President and Vice-President, one of whom, at least, shall not be an inhabitant of the same state with themselves; they shall name in their ballots the person voted for as President, and in distinct ballots the persons voted for as Vice-President, and they shall make distinct lists of all persons voted for as President, and of all persons voted for as Vice-President and of the number of votes for each, which lists they shall sign and certify, and transmit sealed to the seat of the government of the United States of the Solar System, directed to the President of the Senate;

    The President of the Senate shall, in the presence of the Senate and House of Representatives, open all the certificates and the votes shall then be counted;

    The person having the greatest Number of votes for President, shall be the President, if such number be a majority of the whole number of Electors appointed; and if no person have such majority, then from the persons having the highest numbers not exceeding three on the list of those voted for as President, the House of Representatives shall choose immediately, by ballot, the President. But in choosing the President, the votes shall be taken by states, the representation from each state having one vote; a quorum for this purpose shall consist of a member or members from two-thirds of the states, and a majority of all the states shall be necessary to a choice. And if the House of Representatives shall not choose a President whenever the right of choice shall devolve upon them, before the fourth day of March next following, then the Vice-President shall act as President, as in the case of the death or other constitutional disability of the President.

    The person having the greatest number of votes as Vice-President, shall be the Vice-President, if such number be a majority of the whole number of Electors appointed, and if no persons have a majority, then from the two highest numbers on the list, the Senate shall choose the Vice-President; a quorum for the purpose shall consist of two-thirds of the whole number of Senators, and a majority of the whole number shall be necessary to a choice. But no person constitutionally ineligible to the office of President shall be eligible to that of Vice-President of the United States of the Solar System.

    Amendment 13
    1. Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States of the Solar System, or any place subject to their jurisdiction.

    2. Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.

    Amendment 14
    1. All persons born or naturalized in the United States of the Solar System, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States of the Solar System and of the State wherein they reside. No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States of the Solar System; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.

    2. Representatives shall be apportioned among the several States according to their respective numbers, counting the whole number of people in each State. But when the right to vote at any election for the choice of electors for President and Vice-President of the United States of the Solar System, Representatives in Congress, the Executive and Judicial officers of a State, or the members of the Legislature thereof, is denied to any citizen of such State, being twenty-one years of age, and citizens of the United States of the Solar System, or in any way abridged, except for participation in rebellion, or other crime, the basis of representation therein shall be reduced in the proportion which the number of such citizens shall bear to the whole number of citizens twenty-one years of age in such State.

    3. No person shall be a Senator or Representative in Congress, or elector of President and Vice-President, or hold any office, civil or military, under the United States, or under any State, who, having previously taken an oath, as a member of Congress, or as an officer of the United States of the Solar System, or as a member of any State legislature, or as an executive or judicial officer of any State, to support the Constitution of the United States of the Solar System, shall have engaged in insurrection or rebellion against the same, or given aid or comfort to the enemies thereof. But Congress may by a vote of two-thirds of each House, remove such disability.

    4. The validity of the public debt of the United States of the Solar System, authorized by law, including debts incurred for payment of pensions and bounties for services in suppressing insurrection or rebellion, shall not be questioned. But neither the United States of the Solar System nor any State shall assume or pay any debt or obligation incurred in aid of insurrection or rebellion against the United States of the Solar System, or any claim for the loss or emancipation of any slave; but all such debts, obligations and claims shall be held illegal and void.

    5. The Congress shall have power to enforce, by appropriate legislation, the provisions of this article.

    Amendment 15
    1. The right of citizens of the United States of the Solar System to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States of the Solar System or by any State on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude.

    2. The Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.

    Amendment 16
    Removed because of passage and ratification issues...and because of unfathomable corruption since 1913.

    Amendment 17
    The Senate of the United States of the Solar System shall be composed of two Senators from each State, elected by the people thereof, for six years; and each Senator shall have one vote. The electors in each State shall have the qualifications requisite for electors of the most numerous branch of the State legislatures.

    When vacancies happen in the representation of any State in the Senate, the executive authority of such State shall issue writs of election to fill such vacancies: Provided, That the legislature of any State may empower the executive thereof to make temporary appointments until the persons fill the vacancies by election as the legislature may direct.

    This amendment shall not be so construed as to affect the election or term of any Senator chosen before it becomes valid as part of the Constitution.

    Amendment 18 (Repealed by Amendment 21)

    Amendment 19
    The right of citizens of the United States of the Solar System to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States of the Solar System or by any State on account of sex.

    Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.

    Amendment 20
    1. The terms of the President and Vice President shall end at noon on the 20th day of January, and the terms of Senators and Representatives at noon on the 3d day of January, of the years in which such terms would have ended if this article had not been ratified; and the terms of their successors shall then begin.

    2. The Congress shall assemble at least once in every year, and such meeting shall begin at noon on the 3d day of January, unless they shall by law appoint a different day.

    3. If, at the time fixed for the beginning of the term of the President, the President elect shall have died, the Vice President elect shall become President. If a President shall not have been chosen before the time fixed for the beginning of his term, or if the President elect shall have failed to qualify, then the Vice President elect shall act as President until a President shall have qualified; and the Congress may by law provide for the case wherein neither a President elect nor a Vice President elect shall have qualified, declaring who shall then act as President, or the manner in which one who is to act shall be selected, and such person shall act accordingly until a President or Vice President shall have qualified.

    4. The Congress may by law provide for the case of the death of any of the persons from whom the House of Representatives may choose a President whenever the right of choice shall have devolved upon them, and for the case of the death of any of the persons from whom the Senate may choose a Vice President whenever the right of choice shall have devolved upon them.

    5. Sections 1 and 2 shall take effect on the 15th day of October following the ratification of this article.

    6. This article shall be inoperative unless it shall have been ratified as an amendment to the Constitution by the legislatures of three-fourths of the several States within seven years from the date of its submission.

    Amendment 21 (Repeal of Amendment 18)

    Amendment 22
    1. No person shall be elected to the office of the President more than twice, and no person who has held the office of President, or acted as President, for more than two years of a term to which some other person was elected President shall be elected to the office of the President more than once. But this Article shall not apply to any person holding the office of President, when this Article was proposed by the Congress, and shall not prevent any person who may be holding the office of President, or acting as President, during the term within which this Article becomes operative from holding the office of President or acting as President during the remainder of such term.

    2. This article shall be inoperative unless it shall have been ratified as an amendment to the Constitution by the legislatures of three-fourths of the several States within seven years from the date of its submission to the States by the Congress.

    Amendment 23
    1. The District constituting the seat of Government of the United States of the Solar System shall appoint in such manner as the Congress may direct: A number of electors of President and Vice President equal to the whole number of Senators and Representatives in Congress to which the District would be entitled if it were a State, but in no event more than the least populous State; they shall be in addition to those appointed by the States, but they shall be considered, for the purposes of the election of President and Vice President, to be electors appointed by a State; and they shall meet in the District and perform such duties as provided by the twelfth article of amendment.

    2. The Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.

    Amendment 24
    1. The right of citizens of the United States of the Solar System to vote in any primary or other election for President or Vice President, for electors for President or Vice President, or for Senator or Representative in Congress, shall not be denied or abridged by the United States of the Solar System or any State by reason of failure to pay any poll tax or other tax.

    2. The Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.

    Amendment 25
    1. In case of the removal of the President from office or of their death or resignation, the Vice President shall become President.

    2. Whenever there is a vacancy in the office of the Vice President, the President shall nominate a Vice President who shall take office upon
    confirmation by a majority vote of both Houses of Congress.

    3. Whenever the President transmits to the President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives his written declaration that they are unable to discharge the powers and duties of their office, and until they transmits to them a written declaration to the contrary, such powers and duties shall be discharged by the Vice President as Acting President.

    4. Whenever the Vice President and a majority of either the principal officers of the executive departments or of such other body as Congress may by law provide, transmit to the President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives their written declaration that the President is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office, the Vice President shall immediately assume the powers and duties of the office as Acting President.

    Thereafter, when the President transmits to the President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives his written declaration that no inability exists, they shall resume the powers and duties of their office unless the Vice President and a majority of either the principal officers of the executive department or of such other body as Congress may by law provide, transmit within four days to the President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives their written declaration that the President is unable to discharge the powers and duties of their office. Thereupon Congress shall decide the issue, assembling within forty eight hours for that purpose if not in session. If the Congress, within twenty one days after receipt of the latter written declaration, or, if Congress is not in session, within twenty one days after Congress is required to assemble, determines by two thirds vote of both Houses that the President is unable to discharge the powers and duties of their office, the Vice President shall continue to discharge the same as Acting President; otherwise, the President shall resume the powers and duties of their office.

    Amendment 26
    1. The right of citizens of the United States of the Solar System, who are eighteen years of age or older, to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States of the Solar System or by any State on account of age.

    2. The Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.

    Amendment 27
    No law, varying the compensation for the services of the Senators and Representatives, shall take effect, until an election of Representatives shall have intervened.
    orthodoxymoron
    orthodoxymoron


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    United States AI Solar System (6) - Page 2 Empty Re: United States AI Solar System (6)

    Post  orthodoxymoron Sun Jun 24, 2018 12:15 am

    Regarding Ellen White, I suggest studying the 'Conflict of the Ages Series' in the context of Victorian England. Not necessarily within Queen Victoria's Inner-Circle, but close to royalty nonetheless. This is very-different than watching and listening to Doug Batchelor and Ted Wilson. I get where they're coming from, and understand the hoops they have to jump through, but my recommended approach seems closer to the source, and more in-context, rather than being a religious popularity-contest. You Know What I'm Talking About. I think SDA scholars encountered unexpected and insurmountable obstacles in their study of Daniel 7-12. I honestly can't handle a lot of what I study. I see things which stop me in my tracks, and scare the hell out of me, with a resulting "deer in the headlights" paralysis of analysis. I'm going to repeat that I think the relentless pursuit of Volume 4 of the SDA Bible Commentary (Isaiah to Malachi) will be most enlightening to Sirius-Researchers. I'm not suggesting this for the masses. The stuff I cover in my threads is mostly NOT Fun-Stuff!! It's NOT MumboJumboTron material!! My humor often is born of unyielding-despair. What Would Bertrand Russell Say?? My laughter is often sick and silly -- which is NOT a promising sign!! My brashness is sort of like the mouse giving the finger to the fast-approaching hawk!! I don't think I have ANYONE on the run!! I don't think this is a game I can win!! I'm simply passively pursuing the truth -- and providing a few alphabet-agents with some laughs!! This stuff is so sad, that it's actually funny!! I'd mostly rather just listen to Michael Murray recordings. Perhaps I should seek a 600 square-foot office-apartment under the Cathedral of St. John the Divine!! Those Trompettes ROCK!!!

    http://www.whiteestate.org/books/pp/pp15.html Abraham had become an old man, and expected soon to die; yet one act remained for him to do in securing the fulfillment of the promise to his posterity. Isaac was the one divinely appointed to succeed him as the keeper of the law of God and the father of the chosen people, but he was yet unmarried. The inhabitants of Canaan were given to idolatry, and God had forbidden intermarriage between His people and them, knowing that such marriages would lead to apostasy. The patriarch feared the effect of the corrupting influences surrounding his son. Abraham's habitual faith in God and submission to His will were reflected in the character of Isaac; but the young man's affections were strong, and he was gentle and yielding in disposition. If united with one who did not fear God, he would be in danger of sacrificing principle for the sake of harmony. In the mind of Abraham the choice of a wife for his son was a matter of grave importance; he was anxious to have him marry one who would not lead him from God.

    In ancient times marriage engagements were generally made by the parents, and this was the custom among those who worshiped God. None were required to marry those whom they could not love; but in the bestowal of their affections the youth were guided by the judgment of their experienced, God-fearing parents. It was regarded as a dishonor to parents, and even a crime, to pursue a course contrary to this.

    Isaac, trusting to his father's wisdom and affection, was satisfied to commit the matter to him, believing also that God Himself would direct in the choice made. The patriarch's thoughts turned to his father's kindred in the land of Mesopotamia. Though not free from idolatry, they cherished the knowledge and the worship of the true God. Isaac must not leave Canaan to go to them, but it might be that among them could be found one who would leave her home and unite with him in maintaining the pure worship of the living God. Abraham committed the important matter to "his eldest servant," a man of piety, experience, and sound judgment, who had rendered him long and faithful service. He required this servant to make a solemn oath before the Lord, that he would not take a wife for Isaac of the Canaanites, but would choose a maiden from the family of Nahor in Mesopotamia. He charged him not to take Isaac thither. If a damsel could not be found who would leave her kindred, then the messenger would be released from his oath. The patriarch encouraged him in his difficult and delicate undertaking with the assurance that God would crown his mission with success. "The Lord God of heaven," he said, "which took me from my father's house, and from the land of my kindred, . . . He shall send His angel before thee."

    The messenger set out without delay. Taking with him ten camels for the use of his own company and the bridal party that might return with him, provided also with gifts for the intended wife and her friends, he made the long journey beyond Damascus, and onward to the rich plains that border on the great river of the East. Arrived at Haran, "the city of Nahor," he halted outside the walls, near the well to which the women of the place came at evening for water. It was a time of anxious thought with him. Important results, not only to his master's household, but to future generations, might follow from the choice he made; and how was he to choose wisely among entire strangers? Remembering the words of Abraham, that God would send His angel with him, he prayed earnestly for positive guidance. In the family of his master he was accustomed to the constant exercise of kindness and hospitality, and he now asked that an act of courtesy might indicate the maiden whom God had chosen.

    Hardly was the prayer uttered before the answer was given. Among the women who were gathered at the well, the courteous manners of one attracted his attention. As she came from the well, the stranger went to meet her, asking for some water from the pitcher upon her shoulder. The request received a kindly answer, with an offer to draw water for the camels also, a service which it was customary even for the daughters of princes to perform for their fathers' flocks and herds. Thus the desired sign was given. The maiden "was very fair to look upon," and her ready courtesy gave evidence of a kind heart and an active, energetic nature. Thus far the divine hand had been with him. After acknowledging her kindness by rich gifts, the messengers asked her parentage, and on learning that she was the daughter of Bethuel, Abraham's nephew, he "bowed down his head, and worshiped the Lord."

    The man had asked for entertainment at her father's house, and in his expressions of thanksgiving had revealed the fact of his connection with Abraham. Returning home, the maiden told what had happened, and Laban, her brother, at once hastened to bring the stranger and his attendants to share their hospitality.

    Eliezer would not partake of food until he had told his errand, his prayer at the well, with all the circumstances attending it. Then he said, "And now, if ye will deal kindly and truly with my master, tell me: and if not, tell me; that I may turn to the right hand, or to the left." The answer was, "The thing proceedeth from the Lord: we cannot speak unto thee bad or good. Behold, Rebekah is before thee; take her, and go, and let her be thy master's son's wife, as the Lord hath spoken."

    After the consent of the family had been obtained, Rebekah herself was consulted as to whether she would go to so great a distance from her father's house, to marry the son of Abraham. She believed, from what had taken place, that God had selected her to be Isaac's wife, and she said, "I will go."

    The servant, anticipating his master's joy at the success of his mission, was impatient to be gone; and with the morning they set out on the homeward journey. Abraham dwelt at Beersheba, and Isaac, who had been attending to the flocks in the adjoining country, had returned to his father's tent to await the arrival of the messenger from Haran. "And Isaac went out to meditate in the field at the eventide: and he lifted up his eyes, and saw, and, behold, the camels were coming. And Rebekah lifted up her eyes, and when she saw Isaac, she lighted off the camel. For she had said unto the servant, What man is that that walketh in the field to meet us? And the servant had said, It is my master: therefore she took a veil, and covered herself. And the servant told Isaac all things that he had done. And Isaac brought her into his mother Sarah's tent, and took Rebekah, and she became his wife; and he loved her: and Isaac was comforted after his mother's death."

    Abraham had marked the result of the intermarriage of those who feared God and those who feared Him not, from the days of Cain to his own time. The consequences of his own marriage with Hagar, and of the marriage connections of Ishmael and Lot, were before him. The lack of faith on the part of Abraham and Sarah had resulted in the birth of Ishmael, the mingling of the righteous seed with the ungodly. The father's influence upon his son was counteracted by that of the mother's idolatrous kindred and by Ishmael's connection with heathen wives. The jealousy of Hagar, and of the wives whom she chose for Ishmael, surrounded his family with a barrier that Abraham endeavored in vain to overcome.

    Abraham's early teachings had not been without effect upon Ishmael, but the influence of his wives resulted in establishing idolatry in his family. Separated from his father, and embittered by the strife and contention of a home destitute of the love and fear of God, Ishmael was driven to choose the wild, marauding life of the desert chief, "his hand" "against every man, and every man's hand against him." Genesis 16:12. In his latter days he repented of his evil ways and returned to his father's God, but the stamp of character given to his posterity remained. The powerful nation descended from him were a turbulent, heathen people, who were ever an annoyance and affliction to the descendants of Isaac.

    The wife of Lot was a selfish, irreligious woman, and her influence was exerted to separate her husband from Abraham. But for her, Lot would not have remained in Sodom, deprived of the counsel of the wise, God-fearing patriarch. The influence of his wife and the associations of that wicked city would have led him to apostatize from God had it not been for the faithful instruction he had early received from Abraham. The marriage of Lot and his choice of Sodom for a home were the first links in a chain of events fraught with evil to the world for many generations.

    No one who fears God can without danger connect himself with one who fears Him not. "Can two walk together, except they be agreed?" Amos 3:3. The happiness and prosperity of the marriage relation depends upon the unity of the parties; but between the believer and the unbeliever there is a radical difference of tastes, inclinations, and purposes. They are serving two masters, between whom there can be no concord. However pure and correct one's principles may be, the influence of an unbelieving companion will have a tendency to lead away from God.

    He who has entered the marriage relation while unconverted, is by his conversion placed under stronger obligation to be faithful to his companion, however widely they may differ in regard to religious faith; yet the claims of God should be placed above every earthly relationship, even though trials and persecution may be the result. With the spirit of love and meekness, this fidelity may have an influence to win the unbelieving one. But the marriage of Christians with the ungodly is forbidden in the Bible. The Lord's direction is, "Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers." 2 Corinthians 6:14, 17, 18.

    Isaac was highly honored by God in being made inheritor of the promises through which the world was to be blessed; yet when he was forty years of age he submitted to his father's judgment in appointing his experience, God-fearing servant to choose a wife for him. And the result of that marriage, as presented in the Scriptures, is a tender and beautiful picture of domestic happiness: "Isaac brought her into his mother Sarah's tent, and took Rebekah, and she became his wife; and he loved her: and Isaac was comforted after his mother's death."

    What a contrast between the course of Isaac and that pursued by the youth of our time, even among professed Christians! Young people too often feel that the bestowal of their affections is a matter in which self alone should be consulted--a matter that neither God nor their parents should in any wise control. Long before they have reached manhood or womanhood they think themselves competent to make their own choice, without the aid of their parents. A few years of married life are usually sufficient to show them their error, but often too late to prevent its baleful results. For the same lack of wisdom and self-control that dictated the hasty choice is permitted to aggravate the evil, until the marriage relation a galling yoke. Many have thus wrecked their happiness in this life and their hope of the life to come.

    If there is any subject which should be carefully considered and in which the counsel of older and more experienced persons should be sought, it is the subject of marriage; if ever the Bible was needed as a counselor, if ever divine guidance should be sought in prayer, it is before taking a step that binds persons together for life.

    Parents should never lose sight of their own responsibility for the future happiness of their children. Isaac's deference to his father's judgment was the result of the training that had taught him to love a life of obedience. While Abraham required his children to respect parental authority, his daily life testified that that authority was not a selfish or arbitrary control, but was founded in love, and had their welfare and happiness in view.

    Fathers and mothers should feel that a duty devolves upon them to guide the affections of the youth, that they may be placed upon those who will be suitable companions. They should feel it a duty, by their own teaching and example, with the assisting grace of God, to so mold the character of the children from their earliest years that they will be pure and noble and will be attracted to the good and true. Like attracts like; like appreciates like. Let the love for truth and purity and goodness be early implanted in the soul, and the youth will seek the society of those who possess these characteristics.

    Let parents seek, in their own character and in their home life, to exemplify the love and beneficence of the heavenly Father. Let the home be full of sunshine. This will be worth far more to your children than lands or money. Let the home love be kept alive in their hearts, that they may look back upon the home of their childhood as a place of peace and happiness next to heaven. The members of the family do not all have the same stamp of character, and there will be frequent occasion for the exercise of patience and forbearance; but through love and self-discipline all may be bound together in the closest union.

    True love is a high and holy principle, altogether different in character from that love which is awakened by impulse and which suddenly dies when severely tested. It is by faithfulness to duty in the parental home that the youth are to prepare themselves for homes of their own. Let them here practice self-denial and manifest kindness, courtesy, and Christian sympathy. Thus love will be kept warm in the heart, and he who goes out from such a household to stand at the head of a family of his own will know how to promote the happiness of her whom he has chosen as a companion for life. Marriage, instead of being the end of love, will be only its beginning.

    http://www.whiteestate.org/books/pp/pp16.html Jacob and Esau, the twin sons of Isaac, present a striking contrast, both in character and in life. This unlikeness was foretold by the angel of God before their birth. When in answer to Rebekah's troubled prayer he declared that two sons would be given her, he opened to her their future history, that each would become the head of a mighty nation, but that one would be greater than the other, and that the younger would have the pre-eminence.

    Esau grew up loving self-gratification and centering all his interest in the present. Impatient of restraint, he delighted in the wild freedom of the chase, and early chose the life of a hunter. Yet he was the father's favorite. The quiet, peace-loving shepherd was attracted by the daring and vigor of this elder son, who fearlessly ranged over mountain and desert, returning home with game for his father and with exciting accounts of his adventurous life. Jacob, thoughtful, diligent, and care-taking, ever thinking more of the future than the present, was content to dwell at home, occupied in the care of the flocks and the tillage of the soil. His patient perseverance, thrift, and foresight were valued by the mother. His affections were deep and strong, and his gentle, unremitting attentions added far more to her happiness than did the boisterous and occasional kindnesses of Esau. To Rebekah, Jacob was the dearer son.

    The promises made to Abraham and confirmed to his son were held by Isaac and Rebekah as the great object of their desires and hopes. With these promises Esau and Jacob were familiar. They were taught to regard the birthright as a matter of great importance, for it included not only an inheritance of worldly wealth but spiritual pre-eminence. He who received it was to be the priest of his family, and in the line of his posterity the Redeemer of the world would come. On the other hand, there were obligations resting upon the possessor of the birthright. He who should inherit its blessings must devote his life to the service of God. Like Abraham, he must be obedient to the divine requirements. In marriage, in his family relations, in public life, he must consult the will of God.

    Isaac made known to his sons these privileges and conditions, and plainly stated that Esau, as the eldest, was the one entitled to the birthright. But Esau had no love for devotion, no inclination to a religious life. The requirements that accompanied the spiritual birthright were an unwelcome and even hateful restraint to him. The law of God, which was the condition of the divine covenant with Abraham, was regarded by Esau as a yoke of bondage. Bent on self-indulgence, he desired nothing so much as liberty to do as he pleased. To him power and riches, feasting and reveling, were happiness. He gloried in the unrestrained freedom of his wild, roving life. Rebekah remembered the words of the angel, and she read with clearer insight than did her husband the character of their sons. She was convinced that the heritage of divine promise was intended for Jacob. She repeated to Isaac the angel's words; but the father's affections were centered upon the elder son, and he was unshaken in his purpose.

    Jacob had learned from his mother of the divine intimation that the birthright should fall to him, and he was filled with an unspeakable desire for the privileges which it would confer. It was not the possession of his father's wealth that he craved; the spiritual birthright was the object of his longing. To commune with God as did righteous Abraham, to offer the sacrifice of atonement for his family, to be the progenitor of the chosen people and of the promised Messiah, and to inherit the immortal possessions embraced in the blessings of the covenant--here were the privileges and honors that kindled his most ardent desires. His mind was ever reaching forward to the future, and seeking to grasp its unseen blessings.

    With secret longing he listened to all that his father told concerning the spiritual birthright; he carefully treasured what he had learned from his mother. Day and night the subject occupied his thoughts, until it became the absorbing interest of his life. But while he thus esteemed eternal above temporal blessings, Jacob had not an experimental knowledge of the God whom he revered. His heart had not been renewed by divine grace. He believed that the promise concerning himself could not be fulfilled so long as Esau retained the rights of the first-born, and he constantly studied to devise some way whereby he might secure the blessing which his brother held so lightly, but which was so precious to himself.

    When Esau, coming home one day faint and weary from the chase, asked for the food that Jacob was preparing, the latter, with whom one thought was ever uppermost, seized upon his advantage, and offered to satisfy his brother's hunger at the price of the birthright. "Behold, I am at the point to die," cried the reckless, self-indulgent hunter, "and what profit shall this birthright do to me?" And for a dish of red pottage he parted with his birthright, and confirmed the transaction by an oath. A short time at most would have secured him food in his father's tents, but to satisfy the desire of the moment he carelessly bartered the glorious heritage that God Himself had promised to his fathers. His whole interest was in the present. He was ready to sacrifice the heavenly to the earthly, to exchange a future good for a momentary indulgence.

    "Thus Esau despised his birthright." In disposing of it he felt a sense of relief. Now his way was unobstructed; he could do as he liked. For this wild pleasure, miscalled freedom, how many are still selling their birthright to an inheritance pure and undefiled, eternal in the heavens!

    Ever subject to mere outward and earthly attractions, Esau took two wives of the daughters of Heth. They were worshipers of false gods, and their idolatry was a bitter grief to Isaac and Rebekah. Esau had violated one of the conditions of the covenant, which forbade intermarriage between the chosen people and the heathen; yet Isaac was still unshaken in his determination to bestow upon him the birthright. The reasoning of Rebekah, Jacob's strong desire for the blessing, and Esau's indifference to its obligations had no effect to change the father's purpose.

    Years passed on, until Isaac, old and blind, and expecting soon to die, determined no longer to delay the bestowal of the blessing upon his elder son. But knowing the opposition of Rebekah and Jacob, he decided to perform the solemn ceremony in secret. In accordance with the custom of making a feast upon such occasions, the patriarch bade Esau, "Go out to the field, and take me some venison; and make me savory meat, . . . that my soul may bless thee before I die."

    Rebekah divined his purpose. She was confident that it was contrary to what God had revealed as His will. Isaac was in danger of incurring the divine displeasure and of debarring his younger son from the position to which God had called him. She had in vain tried the effect of reasoning with Isaac, and she determined to resort to stratagem.

    No sooner had Esau departed on his errand than Rebekah set about the accomplishment of her purpose. She told Jacob what had taken place, urging the necessity of immediate action to prevent the bestowal of the blessing, finally and irrevocably, upon Esau. And she assured her son that if he would follow her directions, he might obtain it as God had promised. Jacob did not readily consent to the plan that she proposed. The thought of deceiving his father caused him great distress. He felt that such a sin would bring a curse rather than a blessing. But his scruples were overborne, and he proceeded to carry out his mother's suggestions. It was not his intention to utter a direct falsehood, but once in the presence of his father he seemed to have gone too far to retreat, and he obtained by fraud the coveted blessing.

    Jacob and Rebekah succeeded in their purpose, but they gained only trouble and sorrow by their deception. God had declared that Jacob should receive the birthright, and His word would have been fulfilled in His own time had they waited in faith for Him to work for them. But like many who now profess to be children of God, they were unwilling to leave the matter in His hands. Rebekah bitterly repented the wrong counsel she had given her son; it was the means of separating him from her, and she never saw his face again. From the hour when he received the birthright, Jacob was weighed down with self-condemnation. He had sinned against his father, his brother, his own soul, and against God. In one short hour he had made work for a lifelong repentance. This scene was vivid before him in afteryears, when the wicked course of his sons oppressed his soul.

    No sooner had Jacob left his father's tent than Esau entered. Though he had sold his birthright, and confirmed the transfer by a solemn oath, he was now determined to secure its blessings, regardless of his brother's claim. With the spiritual was connected the temporal birthright, which would give him the headship of the family and possession of a double portion of his father's wealth. These were blessings that he could value. "Let my father arise," he said, "and eat of his son's venison, that thy soul may bless me."

    Trembling with astonishment and distress, the blind old father learned the deception that had been practiced upon him. His long and fondly cherished hopes had been thwarted, and he keenly felt the disappointment that must come upon his elder son. Yet the conviction flashed upon him that it was God's providence which had defeated his purpose and brought about the very thing he had determined to prevent. He remembered the words of the angel to Rebekah, and notwithstanding the sin of which Jacob was now guilty, he saw in him the one best fitted to accomplish the purposes of God. While the words of blessing were upon his lips, he had felt the Spirit of inspiration upon him; and now, knowing all the circumstances, he ratified the benediction unwittingly pronounced upon Jacob: "I have blessed him; yea, and he shall be blessed."

    Esau had lightly valued the blessing while it seemed within his reach, but he desired to possess it now that it was gone from him forever. All the strength of his impulsive, passionate nature was aroused, and his grief and rage were terrible. He cried with an exceeding bitter cry, "Bless me, even me also, O my father!" "Hast thou not reserved a blessing for me?" But the promise given was not to be recalled. The birthright which he had so carelessly bartered he could not now regain. "For one morsel of meat," for a momentary gratification of appetite that had never been restrained, Esau sold his inheritance; but when he saw his folly, it was too late to recover the blessing. "He found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears." Hebrews 12:16, 17. Esau was not shut out from the privilege of seeking God's favor by repentance, but he could find no means of recovering the birthright. His grief did not spring from conviction of sin; he did not desire to be reconciled to God. He sorrowed because of the results of his sin, but not for the sin itself.

    Because of his indifference to the divine blessings and requirements, Esau is called in Scripture "a profane person." Verse 16. He represents those who lightly value the redemption purchased for them by Christ, and are ready to sacrifice their heirship to heaven for the perishable things of earth. Multitudes live for the present, with no thought or care for the future. Like Esau they cry, "Let us eat and drink; for tomorrow we die." 1 Corinthians 15:32. They are controlled by inclination; and rather than practice self-denial, they will forgo the most valuable considerations. If one must be relinquished, the gratification of a depraved appetite or the heavenly blessings promised only to the self-denying and God-fearing, the claims of appetite prevail, and God and heaven are virtually despised. How many, even of professed Christians, cling to indulgences that are injurious to health and that benumb the sensibilities of the soul. When the duty is presented of cleansing themselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God, they are offended. They see that they cannot retain these hurtful gratifications and yet secure heaven, and they conclude that since the way to eternal life is so strait, they will no longer walk therein.

    Multitudes are selling their birthright for sensual indulgence. Health is sacrificed, the mental faculties are enfeebled, and heaven is forfeited; and all for a mere temporary pleasure--an indulgence at once both weakening and debasing in its character. As Esau awoke to see the folly of his rash exchange when it was too late to recover his loss, so it will be in the day of God with those who have bartered their heirship to heaven for selfish gratifications.

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    orthodoxymoron
    orthodoxymoron


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    Post  orthodoxymoron Sun Jun 24, 2018 12:18 am

    I honestly don't want trouble -- but I suspect that I will be made to make trouble -- in some way, shape, or form. Damned if I do?? Damned if I don't?? Things can be spun any way the PTB wish -- or so it seems. If I want change -- that might be construed as rebellion. If I don't want change -- that might be construed as me being a Custodian of the Status-Quo. This whole thing seems like some sort of a Courtroom Popularity-Contest -- wherein whatever one says (or doesn't say) can (and will) be used against them.

    I'm mostly reposting old-posts on this thread, with minimal modification. I've mostly been removing dead links, videos, and images. I really can't function very well. I haven't been able to for years, and it seems to have everything to do with attempting to know the truth, and do the right thing. The lack of support from all-concerned is making me less and less concerned about all-concerned. I'm withdrawing from just about everyone and everything. I mostly wish to watch, listen, and reflect. During the three months of my heart-surgery ordeal, the only ones who expressed any interest in my situation were Carol, my mother, my stepdaughter, and those who were paid to care at the hospital. I'm pretty much a lone-nut, so that didn't really surprise me. It goes with the territory. I often feel like a Neo John Nash, if you know what I mean. I'd like to write a book, but I don't seem to be capable of doing it the right way, so I doubt that I'll do it at all. A book-signing (with a question and answer session) would be an absolute disaster. My life would become even more of an 'open-book' than it is presently, and I've got NOTHING to be proud of (believe me).

    The following is a composite of previous posts, which I wished to focus upon. Is Greed Good? Greed may be good - but Responsibility Rocks! Here is a thread on "Healthy Competition?" from AV1: http://www.projectavalon.net/forum/showthread.php?t=13299 This thread is sort of related to my 'Lucifer' thread, and my 'Tibet, Kali, and the Trinity Goddess' thread. If one was in a perfect Garden of Eden or a Harmonious Heaven - with a Kind and Loving God in charge - what more could one want? But what if one wished to exercise their creativity, curiosity, and ambition - in forbidden ways? Something has been bothering me a lot for a long time. It has to do with why we seem to be killing ourselves with industrialization, high-technology surveillance and warfare, designer diseases, massive pollution, bitter science vs religion battles, acute-care drugs and surgery medicine instead of prevention, and running around like chickens with our heads cut off instead of smelling the roses and savoring the creation. There's a lot more to it than what I just said - and I will try to elaborate on this in subsequent posts.

    I'm really trying to get at why Lucifer rebelled against God (assuming that this actually did occur in some way, shape, or form). I seem to be enamored with Lucifer - to an unhealthy degree. My speculations are causing me a significant amount of mental anguish - but I'm beginning to think that a Lucifer Centered Search for Truth - might yield the clearest view of the way things really are. I have no particular animosity toward Lucifer (assuming that Lucifer actually exists) - and I simply want to try to figure things out - and eventually try to find some peace of mind. I have very little presently - and I feel a bit like Elvis Presley - who wished for a single day of peace. Sometimes I wonder if I might even be Lucifer with amnesia - or a potential Lucifer of the future. Thinking about Lucifer related subjects and issues is scaring the hell out of me. I love it in one way - but I seem to keep sliding down the slippery slope - into I know not what. The horror.





    If you can - get DVD's of 'Contact' and 'Avatar' - and watch them several times - noting especially the philosophical and theological aspects. Also - consider 'The Lucifer Effect - MIT Lecture'. This is just a start. I continue to think that unconventional and heretical theological pursuits will provide many solutions - possibly even disclosure. I continue to contemplate a harmonization of the Teachings of Jesus, the U.S. Constitution, and the Latin Mass. This may be a dead-end, and we may need to move way beyond such a historical approach, but I think there is merit in exploring this possibility - as a mental and spiritual exercise - if nothing else. I'm just rambling now. I'm concerned that society may be on the verge of getting a lot meaner and nastier. If half of what I have speculated about is true - this could cause a lot of societal problems - some of them possibly violent. Waking people up could backfire - if we're not very careful. Are we creating mass-hysteria? Should maybe 10% of the key people of the world be properly woken-up? I think I might be trying to do this in my various postings and threads. I wonder who really reads them? I do not wish to yell 'FIRE!!!' in a crowded theater. I continue to seek a top-down non-revolution - to make the world and solar system a better place. I'm too lazy, stupid, and squeamish to run in the streets with torches and pitchforks. I much prefer armchair blogging. Born to blog. The incredible blog.

    Has technology and industrialization made us better and happier people? Have any wars in the history of the universe really done anyone any real good? Why do we compete with each other? What if we stopped competing with each other? Would we have a greater or lesser chance of survival? Would the breed improve if we ceased to compete? Was it John D. Rockefeller who said 'Competition is a Sin'? Why do we need jets, trains, busses, nukes, cities, cathedrals, mansions, space-travel, etc, etc? Why can't we live in teepees or grass huts? We seem to be killing ourselves in very sophisticated and clever ways. If we destroy ourselves - then what?

    Are love and pity really signs of weakness? Are positive-thinking and self-esteem really delusions? Would a focus on responsibility result in appropriate levels of love, pity, positive-thinking, and self-esteem? A long, long time ago - I proposed a Religion of Responsibility to a well-known theologian - and he liked the idea - but I never followed-through - until now, that is. This general subject may be more important than you can imagine. How did a pristine solar system get so screwed-up? How do we make this solar system pristine again? How do we keep it that way? This gets right at the core of Solar System Governance and my pet Namaste Constitutional Responsible Freedom Solar System aka The United States of the Solar System. Once again, I don't really know if this is the correct approach, but I do know that the subject needs to be discussed extensively - rather than gravitating to the latest fad, sensation, guru, or freak-show.

    "In that vast throng are multitudes of the long-lived race that existed before the Flood; men of lofty stature and giant intellect, who, yielding to the control of fallen angels, devoted all their skill and knowledge to the exaltation of themselves; men whose wonderful works of art led the world to idolize their genius, but whose cruelty and evil inventions, defiling the earth and defacing the image of God, caused Him to blot them from the face of His creation."- 'The Great Controversy' by Ellen White.

    Did these beings, spoken of above, survive the Deluge (in Tibet perhaps?) and proceed to rule over us? Think of Ancient Babylon, Ancient Egypt, Ancient Greece, Ancient Rome, Papal Rome, the Nazi Party, and the New World Order - as being ruled over by this race. Does the shoe fit? If so - what can be constructively done? Might they be sort of like the Ori and the Goa'uld in Stargate SG-1? Could they be the equivalent of the Reptilians which Alex Collier describes? Or could they be in league with the Reptilians? Or did they CREATE the Reptilians in a Hybridization Program? Might Reptilians be the Ultimate Human/Reptile Super-Soldiers? Hallowed Be the Ori? How Much Philosophical, Spiritual, and Technological Trouble Might We Really Be In? Talk to Me Lucifer.

    Where should I post this sort of thing? Should I post this sort of thing? There is a fleeting window of opportunity to get this thing right - and I'm just not seeing it happen. Is there a site somewhere on the internet with tens of thousands of regular posters - who are interested in what we discuss? I'm thinking that Kali, the Jesuits, and the Alphabet Agents have me all figured out (knowing more about me than I know about myself) - and on the proper lists (probably including the Red-List) - but that very few others really notice - in a world of seven billion human beings - and goddess knows how many hybrid humanoids. The subjects are driving me crazy - but the lack of interest and response is driving me even crazier. The cumulative effect is not positive - and there really does not seem to be a bright future in whipping a dead horse (or whipping a live Whore of Babylon). I wonder if Kali is into that sort of thing? Sticks and stones may break my bones - but whips and chains excite me! What about that debate-date Kali? You bring the whips - and I'll bring the chains!

    I just keep imagining what it might be like to be a fly on the wall when people who REALLY know what's going on are deep into a several hour long discussion/debate regarding the most sensitive issues in the solar system - which is completely off the record - with no recordings or minutes kept. THAT would be completely different than anything we have been exposed to (I think). This might sound hokey - but I'm trying to look at things through the hypothetical eyes of the goddess who I think MIGHT have been at the center of things in this solar system - going back tens of thousands of years - with complete reincarnational recall - and massive learning. It's easy to get very lost in the process of doing this - and I don't necessarily recommend it. I think theology is central - but that the sacred texts, visions, preachers, scholars, gurus, and channeling cannot be trusted.

    If I weren't so afraid of them - I would love to study with renegade Jesuits and Alphabet Agents - who I think - know more than just about anyone else. But I really don't want to venture away from the illusory security of my own home and my spyware laden PC. I once attended a lecture given by a black Jesuit from San Francisco. He was a very eloquent scholar. I just think these people are ultimately working for the wrong boss. Unfortunately, this boss may really be in the driver's seat in this solar system - whether anyone likes it or not. I used to be Christocentric - but I am toying with the possibility that a goddess created virtually all of the sacred texts and religions. This is just more speculation, of course - but thinking this way might provide insights, unobtainable in any other way. Obviously, I don't worship or venerate this hypothetical minor deity. In fact, I am down-right irreverent. I keep asking this hypothetical goddess out on a debate-date - but so far, I have received no response - and I doubt that I ever will - even if they do actually exist.

    Back to the subject at hand - the words in the title of this thread are so central and far-reaching - but It takes a lot of hard mental work to really get some productive thought processes going which involve all of these words. I think that RESPONSIBILITY tempers and qualifies each word - such that they all become constructive in nature. Art Bell has said a lot about 'The Quickening'. IRRESPONSIBILITY seems to be the major culprit in the melt-down and destruction of our civilization. Once again - the movie 'Contact' contains a lot of food for thought regarding the words under consideration.

    I think we may have to be hard-driving Illuminati-types - but without the corruption and creepy ritual rubbish. Are touchy-feely types going to save the world? I've been way, way too easy-going, accomodating, and gullible in my life - and I have paid a terrible price for not being more aggressive. If we sing kumbaya - the rich and powerful are going to keep right on observing the golden-rule (He who has the gold - RULES). How do we achieve a proper balance of exoteric/esoteric, cooperation/competition, etc/etc?

    I'm just casting my pearls into the nether worlds of cyberspace. Who knows, a Pluto-Dude might be using them on a local website called plutocrat.plu! Your experiences are quite interesting. I remain conflicted regarding visions and supernatural experiences. I tend to be wary, and to distrust my own. I just add them to all of the other data. Your fondness for Kali is fascinating. I know someone who studies this sort of thing, and they also have a fondness for Kali. They had no idea that Kali is known as a goddess of destruction - which is often depicted in the artwork devoted to Kali. I am thinking of Kali as being a mixture of good and evil. I think this of all of the gods and goddesses. All of the gods and goddesses might be various expressions of a single minor deity. This is my theory - and I'm sticking to it - for now.

    PAPER 53: THE LUCIFER REBELLION - from The Urantia Book http://www.urantia.org/en/urantia-book-standardized/paper-53-lucifer-rebellion

    53:0.1 Lucifer was a brilliant primary Lanonandek Son of Nebadon. He had experienced service in many systems, had been a high counselor of his group, and was distinguished for wisdom, sagacity, and efficiency. Lucifer was number 37 of his order, and when commissioned by the Melchizedeks, he was designated as one of the one hundred most able and brilliant personalities in more than seven hundred thousand of his kind. From such a magnificent beginning, through evil and error, he embraced sin and now is numbered as one of three System Sovereigns in Nebadon who have succumbed to the urge of self and surrendered to the sophistry of spurious personal liberty—rejection of universe allegiance and disregard of fraternal obligations, blindness to cosmic relationships.
    53:0.2 In the universe of Nebadon, the domain of Christ Michael, there are ten thousand systems of inhabited worlds. In all the history of Lanonandek Sons, in all their work throughout these thousands of systems and at the universe headquarters, only three System Sovereigns have ever been found in contempt of the government of the Creator Son.

    053:1 THE LEADERS OF REBELLION
    53:1.1 Lucifer was not an ascendant being; he was a created Son of the local universe, and of him it was said: " You were perfect in all your ways from the day you were created till unrighteousness was found in you. " Many times had he been in counsel with the Most Highs of Edentia. And Lucifer reigned " upon the holy mountain of God, " the administrative mount of Jerusem, for he was the chief executive of a great system of 607 inhabited worlds.
    53:1.2 Lucifer was a magnificent being, a brilliant personality; he stood next to the Most High Fathers of the constellations in the direct line of universe authority. Notwithstanding Lucifer's transgression, subordinate intelligences refrained from showing him disrespect and disdain prior to Michael's bestowal on Urantia. Even the archangel of Michael, at the time of Moses' resurrection, " did not bring against him an accusing judgment but simply said, `the Judge rebuke you.' " Judgment in such matters belongs to the Ancients of Days, the rulers of the superuniverse.
    53:1.3 Lucifer is now the fallen and deposed Sovereign of Satania. Self-contemplation is most disastrous, even to the exalted personalities of the celestial world. Of Lucifer it was said: " Your heart was lifted up because of your beauty; you corrupted your wisdom because of your brightness. " Your olden prophet saw his sad estate when he wrote: " How are you fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! How are you cast down, you who dared to confuse the worlds! "
    53:1.4 Very little was heard of Lucifer on Urantia owing to the fact that he assigned his first lieutenant, Satan, to advocate his cause on your planet. Satan was a member of the same primary group of Lanonandeks but had never functioned as a System Sovereign; he entered fully into the Lucifer insurrection. The " devil " is none other than Caligastia, the deposed Planetary Prince of Urantia and a Son of the secondary order of Lanonandeks. At the time Michael was on Urantia in the flesh, Lucifer, Satan, and Caligastia were leagued together to effect the miscarriage of his bestowal mission. But they signally failed.
    53:1.5 Abaddon was the chief of the staff of Caligastia. He followed his master into rebellion and has ever since acted as chief executive of the Urantia rebels. Beelzebub was the leader of the disloyal midway creatures who allied themselves with the forces of the traitorous Caligastia.
    53:1.6 The dragon eventually became the symbolic representation of all these evil personages. Upon the triumph of Michael, " Gabriel came down from Salvington and bound the dragon (all the rebel leaders) for an age. " Of the Jerusem seraphic rebels it is written: " And the angels who kept not their first estate but left their own habitation, he has reserved in sure chains of darkness to the judgment of the great day. "

    53:2 THE CAUSES OF REBELLION
    53:2.1 Lucifer and his first assistant, Satan, had reigned on Jerusem for more than five hundred thousand years when in their hearts they began to array themselves against the Universal Father and his then vicegerent Son, Michael.
    53:2.2 There were no peculiar or special conditions in the system of Satania which suggested or favored rebellion. It is our belief that the idea took origin and form in Lucifer's mind, and that he might have instigated such a rebellion no matter where he might have been stationed. Lucifer first announced his plans to Satan, but it required several months to corrupt the mind of his able and brilliant associate. However, when once converted to the rebel theories, he became a bold and earnest advocate of " self-assertion and liberty. "
    53:2.3 No one ever suggested rebellion to Lucifer. The idea of self-assertion in opposition to the will of Michael and to the plans of the Universal Father, as they are represented in Michael, had its origin in his own mind. His relations with the Creator Son had been intimate and always cordial. At no time prior to the exaltation of his own mind did Lucifer openly express dissatisfaction about the universe administration. Notwithstanding his silence, for more than one hundred years of standard time the Union of Days on Salvington had been reflectivating to Uversa that all was not at peace in Lucifer's mind. This information was also communicated to the Creator Son and the Constellation Fathers of Norlatiadek.
    53:2.4 Throughout this period Lucifer became increasingly critical of the entire plan of universe administration but always professed wholehearted loyalty to the Supreme Rulers. His first outspoken disloyalty was manifested on the occasion of a visit of Gabriel to Jerusem just a few days before the open proclamation of the Lucifer Declaration of Liberty. Gabriel was so profoundly impressed with the certainty of the impending outbreak that he went direct to Edentia to confer with the Constellation Fathers regarding the measures to be employed in case of open rebellion.
    53:2.5 It is very difficult to point out the exact cause or causes which finally culminated in the Lucifer rebellion. We are certain of only one thing, and that is: Whatever these first beginnings were, they had their origin in Lucifer's mind. There must have been a pride of self that nourished itself to the point of self-deception, so that Lucifer for a time really persuaded himself that his contemplation of rebellion was actually for the good of the system, if not of the universe. By the time his plans had developed to the point of disillusionment, no doubt he had gone too far for his original and mischief-making pride to permit him to stop. At some point in this experience he became insincere, and evil evolved into deliberate and willful sin. That this happened is proved by the subsequent conduct of this brilliant executive. He was long offered opportunity for repentance, but only some of his subordinates ever accepted the proffered mercy. The Faithful of Days of Edentia, on the request of the Constellation Fathers, in person presented the plan of Michael for the saving of these flagrant rebels, but always was the mercy of the Creator Son rejected and rejected with increasing contempt and disdain.

    53:3 THE LUCIFER MANIFESTO
    53:3.1 Whatever the early origins of trouble in the hearts of Lucifer and Satan, the final outbreak took form as the Lucifer Declaration of Liberty. The cause of the rebels was stated under three heads:
    53:3.2 1. The reality of the Universal Father. Lucifer charged that the Universal Father did not really exist, that physical gravity and space-energy were inherent in the universe, and that the Father was a myth invented by the Paradise Sons to enable them to maintain the rule of the universes in the Father's name. He denied that personality was a gift of the Universal Father. He even intimated that the finaliters were in collusion with the Paradise Sons to foist fraud upon all creation since they never brought back a very clear-cut idea of the Father's actual personality as it is discernible on Paradise. He traded on reverence as ignorance. The charge was sweeping, terrible, and blasphemous. It was this veiled attack upon the finaliters that no doubt influenced the ascendant citizens then on Jerusem to stand firm and remain steadfast in resistance to all the rebel's proposals.
    53:3.3 2. The universe government of the Creator Son—Michael. Lucifer contended that the local systems should be autonomous. He protested against the right of Michael, the Creator Son, to assume sovereignty of Nebadon in the name of a hypothetical Paradise Father and require all personalities to acknowledge allegiance to this unseen Father. He asserted that the whole plan of worship was a clever scheme to aggrandize the Paradise Sons. He was willing to acknowledge Michael as his Creator-father but not as his God and rightful ruler.
    53:3.4 Most bitterly did he attack the right of the Ancients of Days—" foreign potentates "—to interfere in the affairs of the local systems and universes. These rulers he denounced as tyrants and usurpers. He exhorted his followers to believe that none of these rulers could do aught to interfere with the operation of complete home rule if men and angels only had the courage to assert themselves and boldly claim their rights.
    53:3.5 He contended that the executioners of the Ancients of Days could be debarred from functioning in the local systems if the native beings would only assert their independence. He maintained that immortality was inherent in the system personalities, that resurrection was natural and automatic, and that all beings would live eternally except for the arbitrary and unjust acts of the executioners of the Ancients of Days.
    53:3.6 3. The attack upon the universal plan of ascendant mortal training. Lucifer maintained that far too much time and energy were expended upon the scheme of so thoroughly training ascending mortals in the principles of universe administration, principles which he alleged were unethical and unsound. He protested against the agelong program for preparing the mortals of space for some unknown destiny and pointed to the presence of the finaliter corps on Jerusem as proof that these mortals had spent ages of preparation for some destiny of pure fiction. With derision he pointed out that the finaliters had encountered a destiny no more glorious than to be returned to humble spheres similar to those of their origin. He intimated that they had been debauched by overmuch discipline and prolonged training, and that they were in reality traitors to their mortal fellows since they were now co-operating with the scheme of enslaving all creation to the fictions of a mythical eternal destiny for ascending mortals. He advocated that ascenders should enjoy the liberty of individual self-determination. He challenged and condemned the entire plan of mortal ascension as sponsored by the Paradise Sons of God and supported by the Infinite Spirit.
    53:3.7 And it was with such a Declaration of Liberty that Lucifer launched his orgy of darkness and death.

    53:4 OUTBREAK OF THE REBELLION
    53:4.1 The Lucifer manifesto was issued at the annual conclave of Satania on the sea of glass, in the presence of the assembled hosts of Jerusem, on the last day of the year, about two hundred thousand years ago, Urantia time. Satan proclaimed that worship could be accorded the universal forces—physical, intellectual, and spiritual—but that allegiance could be acknowledged only to the actual and present ruler, Lucifer, the " friend of men and angels " and the " God of liberty. "
    53:4.2 Self-assertion was the battle cry of the Lucifer rebellion. One of his chief arguments was that, if self-government was good and right for the Melchizedeks and other groups, it was equally good for all orders of intelligence. He was bold and persistent in the advocacy of the " equality of mind " and " the brotherhood of intelligence. " He maintained that all government should be limited to the local planets and their voluntary confederation into the local systems. All other supervision he disallowed. He promised the Planetary Princes that they should rule the worlds as supreme executives. He denounced the location of legislative activities on the constellation headquarters and the conduct of judicial affairs on the universe capital. He contended that all these functions of government should be concentrated on the system capitals and proceeded to set up his own legislative assembly and organized his own tribunals under the jurisdiction of Satan. And he directed that the princes on the apostate worlds do the same.
    53:4.3 The entire administrative cabinet of Lucifer went over in a body and were sworn in publicly as the officers of the administration of the new head of " the liberated worlds and systems. "
    53:4.4 While there had been two previous rebellions in Nebadon, they were in distant constellations. Lucifer held that these insurrections were unsuccessful because the majority of the intelligences failed to follow their leaders. He contended that " majorities rule, " that " mind is infallible. " The freedom allowed him by the universe rulers apparently sustained many of his nefarious contentions. He defied all his superiors; yet they apparently took no note of his doings. He was given a free hand to prosecute his seductive plan without let or hindrance.
    53:4.5 All the merciful delays of justice Lucifer pointed to as evidence of the inability of the government of the Paradise Sons to stop the rebellion. He would openly defy and arrogantly challenge Michael, Immanuel, and the Ancients of Days and then point to the fact that no action ensued as positive evidence of the impotency of the universe and the superuniverse governments.
    53:4.6 Gabriel was personally present throughout all these disloyal proceedings and only announced that he would, in due time, speak for Michael, and that all beings would be left free and unmolested in their choice; that the " government of the Sons for the Father desired only that loyalty and devotion which was voluntary, wholehearted, and sophistry-proof. "
    53:4.7 Lucifer was permitted fully to establish and thoroughly to organize his rebel government before Gabriel made any effort to contest the right of secession or to counterwork the rebel propaganda. But the Constellation Fathers immediately confined the action of these disloyal personalities to the system of Satania. Nevertheless, this period of delay was a time of great trial and testing to the loyal beings of all Satania. All was chaotic for a few years, and there was great confusion on the mansion worlds.

    53:5 NATURE OF THE CONFLICT
    53:5.1 Upon the outbreak of the Satania rebellion, Michael took counsel of his Paradise brother, Immanuel. Following this momentous conference, Michael announced that he would pursue the same policy which had characterized his dealings with similar upheavals in the past, an attitude of noninterference.
    53:5.2 At the time of this rebellion and the two which preceded it there was no absolute and personal sovereign authority in the universe of Nebadon. Michael ruled by divine right, as vicegerent of the Universal Father, but not yet in his own personal right. He had not completed his bestowal career; he had not yet been vested with " all power in heaven and on earth. "
    53:5.3 From the outbreak of rebellion to the day of his enthronement as sovereign ruler of Nebadon, Michael never interfered with the rebel forces of Lucifer; they were allowed to run a free course for almost two hundred thousand years of Urantia time. Christ Michael now has ample power and authority to deal promptly, even summarily, with such outbreaks of disloyalty, but we doubt that this sovereign authority would lead him to act differently if another such upheaval should occur.
    53:5.4 Since Michael elected to remain aloof from the actual warfare of the Lucifer rebellion, Gabriel called his personal staff together on Edentia and, in counsel with the Most Highs, elected to assume command of the loyal hosts of Satania. Michael remained on Salvington while Gabriel proceeded to Jerusem, and establishing himself on the sphere dedicated to the Father—the same Universal Father whose personality Lucifer and Satan had questioned—in the presence of the forgathered hosts of loyal personalities, he displayed the banner of Michael, the material emblem of the Trinity government of all creation, the three azure blue concentric circles on a white background.
    53:5.5 The Lucifer emblem was a banner of white with one red circle, in the center of which a black solid circle appeared.
    53:5.6 " There was war in heaven; Michael's commander and his angels fought against the dragon (Lucifer, Satan, and the apostate princes); and the dragon and his rebellious angels fought but prevailed not. " This " war in heaven " was not a physical battle as such a conflict might be conceived on Urantia. In the early days of the struggle Lucifer held forth continuously in the planetary amphitheater. Gabriel conducted an unceasing exposure of the rebel sophistries from his headquarters taken up near at hand. The various personalities present on the sphere who were in doubt as to their attitude would journey back and forth between these discussions until they arrived at a final decision.
    53:5.7 But this war in heaven was very terrible and very real. While displaying none of the barbarities so characteristic of physical warfare on the immature worlds, this conflict was far more deadly; material life is in jeopardy in material combat, but the war in heaven was fought in terms of life eternal.

    53:6 A LOYAL SERAPHIC COMMANDER
    53:6.1 There were many noble and inspiring acts of devotion and loyalty which were performed by numerous personalities during the interim between the outbreak of hostilities and the arrival of the new system ruler and his staff. But the most thrilling of all these daring feats of devotion was the courageous conduct of Manotia, the second in command of the Satania headquarters' seraphim.
    53:6.2 At the outbreak of rebellion on Jerusem the head of the seraphic hosts joined the Lucifer cause. This no doubt explains why such a large number of the fourth order, the system administrator seraphim, went astray. The seraphic leader was spiritually blinded by the brilliant personality of Lucifer; his charming ways fascinated the lower orders of celestial beings. They simply could not comprehend that it was possible for such a dazzling personality to go wrong.
    53:6.3 Not long since, in describing the experiences associated with the onset of the Lucifer rebellion, Manotia said: " But my most exhilarating moment was the thrilling adventure connected with the Lucifer rebellion when, as second seraphic commander, I refused to participate in the projected insult to Michael; and the powerful rebels sought my destruction by means of the liaison forces they had arranged. There was a tremendous upheaval on Jerusem, but not a single loyal seraphim was harmed.
    53:6.4 " Upon the default of my immediate superior it devolved upon me to assume command of the angelic hosts of Jerusem as the titular director of the confused seraphic affairs of the system. I was morally upheld by the Melchizedeks, ably assisted by a majority of the Material Sons, deserted by a tremendous group of my own order, but magnificently supported by the ascendant mortals on Jerusem.
    53:6.5 " Having been automatically thrown out of the constellation circuits by the secession of Lucifer, we were dependent on the loyalty of our intelligence corps, who forwarded calls for help to Edentia from the near-by system of Rantulia; and we found that the kingdom of order, the intellect of loyalty, and the spirit of truth were inherently triumphant over rebellion, self-assertion, and so-called personal liberty; we were able to carry on until the arrival of the new System Sovereign, the worthy successor of Lucifer. And immediately thereafter I was assigned to the corps of the Melchizedek receivership of Urantia, assuming jurisdiction over the loyal seraphic orders on the world of the traitorous Caligastia, who had proclaimed his sphere a member of the newly projected system of `liberated worlds and emancipated personalities' proposed in the infamous Declaration of Liberty issued by Lucifer in his call to the `liberty-loving, free-thinking, and forward-looking intelligences of the misruled and maladministered worlds of Satania.' "
    53:6.6 This angel is still in service on Urantia, functioning as associate chief of seraphim.

    53:7 HISTORY OF THE REBELLION
    53:7.1 The Lucifer rebellion was system wide. Thirty-seven seceding Planetary Princes swung their world administrations largely to the side of the archrebel. Only on Panoptia did the Planetary Prince fail to carry his people with him. On this world, under the guidance of the Melchizedeks, the people rallied to the support of Michael. Ellanora, a young woman of that mortal realm, grasped the leadership of the human races, and not a single soul on that strife-torn world enlisted under the Lucifer banner. And ever since have these loyal Panoptians served on the seventh Jerusem transition world as the caretakers and builders on the Father's sphere and its surrounding seven detention worlds. The Panoptians not only act as the literal custodians of these worlds, but they also execute the personal orders of Michael for the embellishment of these spheres for some future and unknown use. They do this work as they tarry en route to Edentia.
    53:7.2 Throughout this period Caligastia was advocating the cause of Lucifer on Urantia. The Melchizedeks ably opposed the apostate Planetary Prince, but the sophistries of unbridled liberty and the delusions of self-assertion had every opportunity for deceiving the primitive peoples of a young and undeveloped world.
    53:7.3 All secession propaganda had to be carried on by personal effort because the broadcast service and all other avenues of interplanetary communication were suspended by the action of the system circuit supervisors. Upon the actual outbreak of the insurrection the entire system of Satania was isolated in both the constellation and the universe circuits. During this time all incoming and outgoing messages were dispatched by seraphic agents and Solitary Messengers. The circuits to the fallen worlds were also cut off, so that Lucifer could not utilize this avenue for the furtherance of his nefarious scheme. And these circuits will not be restored so long as the archrebel lives within the confines of Satania.
    53:7.4 This was a Lanonandek rebellion. The higher orders of local universe sonship did not join the Lucifer secession, although a few of the Life Carriers stationed on the rebel planets were somewhat influenced by the rebellion of the disloyal princes. None of the Trinitized Sons went astray. The Melchizedeks, archangels, and the Brilliant Evening Stars were all loyal to Michael and, with Gabriel, valiantly contended for the Father's will and the Son's rule.
    53:7.5 No beings of Paradise origin were involved in disloyalty. Together with the Solitary Messengers they took up headquarters on the world of the Spirit and remained under the leadership of the Faithful of Days of Edentia. None of the conciliators apostatized, nor did a single one of the Celestial Recorders go astray. But a heavy toll was taken of the Morontia Companions and the Mansion World Teachers.
    53:7.6 Of the supreme order of seraphim, not an angel was lost, but a considerable group of the next order, the superior, were deceived and ensnared. Likewise a few of the third or supervisor order of angels were misled. But the terrible breakdown came in the fourth group, the administrator angels, those seraphim who are normally assigned to the duties of the system capitals. Manotia saved almost two thirds of them, but slightly over one third followed their chief into the rebel ranks. One third of all the Jerusem cherubim attached to the administrator angels were lost with their disloyal seraphim.
    53:7.7 Of the planetary angelic helpers, those assigned to the Material Sons, about one third were deceived, and almost ten per cent of the transition ministers were ensnared. In symbol John saw this when he wrote of the great red dragon, saying: " And his tail drew a third part of the stars of heaven and cast them down in darkness. "
    53:7.8 The greatest loss occurred in the angelic ranks, but most of the lower orders of intelligence were involved in disloyalty. Of the 681,227 Material Sons lost in Satania, ninety-five per cent were casualties of the Lucifer rebellion. Large numbers of midway creatures were lost on those individual planets whose Planetary Princes joined the Lucifer cause.
    53:7.9 In many respects this rebellion was the most widespread and disastrous of all such occurrences in Nebadon. More personalities were involved in this insurrection than in both of the others. And it is to their everlasting dishonor that the emissaries of Lucifer and Satan spared not the infant-training schools on the finaliter cultural planet but rather sought to corrupt these developing minds in mercy salvaged from the evolutionary worlds.
    53:7.10 The ascending mortals were vulnerable, but they withstood the sophistries of rebellion better than the lower spirits. While many on the lower mansion worlds, those who had not attained final fusion with their Adjusters, fell, it is recorded to the glory of the wisdom of the ascension scheme that not a single member of the Satania ascendant citizenship resident on Jerusem participated in the Lucifer rebellion.
    53:7.11 Hour by hour and day by day the broadcast stations of all Nebadon were thronged by the anxious watchers of every imaginable class of celestial intelligence, who intently perused the bulletins of the Satania rebellion and rejoiced as the reports continuously narrated the unswerving loyalty of the ascending mortals who, under their Melchizedek leadership, successfully withstood the combined and protracted efforts of all the subtle evil forces which so swiftly gathered around the banners of secession and sin.
    53:7.12 It was over two years of system time from the beginning of the " war in heaven " until the installation of Lucifer's successor. But at last the new Sovereign came, landing on the sea of glass with his staff. I was among the reserves mobilized on Edentia by Gabriel, and I well remember the first message of Lanaforge to the Constellation Father of Norlatiadek. It read: " Not a single Jerusem citizen was lost. Every ascendant mortal survived the fiery trial and emerged from the crucial test triumphant and altogether victorious. " And on to Salvington, Uversa, and Paradise went this message of assurance that the survival experience of mortal ascension is the greatest security against rebellion and the surest safeguard against sin. This noble Jerusem band of faithful mortals numbered just 187,432,811.
    53:7.13 With the arrival of Lanaforge the archrebels were dethroned and shorn of all governing powers, though they were permitted freely to go about Jerusem, the morontia spheres, and even to the individual inhabited worlds. They continued their deceptive and seductive efforts to confuse and mislead the minds of men and angels. But as concerned their work on the administrative mount of Jerusem, " their place was found no more. "
    53:7.14 While Lucifer was deprived of all administrative authority in Satania, there then existed no local universe power nor tribunal which could detain or destroy this wicked rebel; at that time Michael was not a sovereign ruler. The Ancients of Days sustained the Constellation Fathers in their seizure of the system government, but they have never handed down any subsequent decisions in the many appeals still pending with regard to the present status and future disposition of Lucifer, Satan, and their associates.
    53:7.15 Thus were these archrebels allowed to roam the entire system to seek further penetration for their doctrines of discontent and self-assertion. But in almost two hundred thousand Urantia years they have been unable to deceive another world. No Satania worlds have been lost since the fall of the thirty-seven, not even those younger worlds peopled since that day of rebellion.

    53:8 THE SON OF MAN ON URANTIA
    53:8.1 Lucifer and Satan freely roamed the Satania system until the completion of the bestowal mission of Michael on Urantia. They were last on your world together during the time of their combined assault upon the Son of Man.
    53:8.2 Formerly, when the Planetary Princes, the " Sons of God, " were periodically assembled, " Satan came also, " claiming that he represented all of the isolated worlds of the fallen Planetary Princes. But he has not been accorded such liberty on Jerusem since Michael's terminal bestowal. Subsequent to their effort to corrupt Michael when in the bestowal flesh, all sympathy for Lucifer and Satan has perished throughout all Satania, that is, outside the isolated worlds of sin.
    53:8.3 The bestowal of Michael terminated the Lucifer rebellion in all Satania aside from the planets of the apostate Planetary Princes. And this was the significance of Jesus' personal experience, just before his death in the flesh, when he one day exclaimed to his disciples, " And I beheld Satan fall as lightning from heaven. " He had come with Lucifer to Urantia for the last crucial struggle.
    53:8.4 The Son of Man was confident of success, and he knew that his triumph on your world would forever settle the status of his agelong enemies, not only in Satania but also in the other two systems where sin had entered. There was survival for mortals and security for angels when your Master, in reply to the Lucifer proposals, calmly and with divine assurance replied, " Get you behind me, Satan. " That was, in principle, the real end of the Lucifer rebellion. True, the Uversa tribunals have not yet rendered the executive decision regarding the appeal of Gabriel praying for the destruction of the rebels, but such a decree will, no doubt, be forthcoming in the fullness of time since the first step in the hearing of this case has already been taken.
    53:8.5 Caligastia was recognized by the Son of Man as the technical Prince of Urantia up to near the time of his death. Said Jesus: " Now is the judgment of this world; now shall the prince of this world be cast down. " And then still nearer the completion of his lifework he announced, " The prince of this world is judged. " And it is this same dethroned and discredited Prince who was once termed " God of Urantia. "
    53:8.6 The last act of Michael before leaving Urantia was to offer mercy to Caligastia and Daligastia, but they spurned his tender proffer. Caligastia, your apostate Planetary Prince, is still free on Urantia to prosecute his nefarious designs, but he has absolutely no power to enter the minds of men, neither can he draw near to their souls to tempt or corrupt them unless they really desire to be cursed with his wicked presence.
    53:8.7 Before the bestowal of Michael these rulers of darkness sought to maintain their authority on Urantia, and they persistently withstood the minor and subordinate celestial personalities. But since the day of Pentecost this traitorous Caligastia and his equally contemptible associate, Daligastia, are servile before the divine majesty of the Paradise Thought Adjusters and the protective Spirit of Truth, the spirit of Michael, which has been poured out upon all flesh.
    53:8.8 But even so, no fallen spirit ever did have the power to invade the minds or to harass the souls of the children of God. Neither Satan nor Caligastia could ever touch or approach the faith sons of God; faith is an effective armor against sin and iniquity. It is true: " He who is born of God keeps himself, and the wicked one touches him not. "
    53:8.9 In general, when weak and dissolute mortals are supposed to be under the influence of devils and demons, they are merely being dominated by their own inherent and debased tendencies, being led away by their own natural propensities. The devil has been given a great deal of credit for evil which does not belong to him. Caligastia has been comparatively impotent since the cross of Christ.

    53:9 PRESENT STATUS OF THE REBELLION
    53:9.1 Early in the days of the Lucifer rebellion, salvation was offered all rebels by Michael. To all who would show proof of sincere repentance, he offered, upon his attainment of complete universe sovereignty, forgiveness and reinstatement in some form of universe service. None of the leaders accepted this merciful proffer. But thousands of the angels and the lower orders of celestial beings, including hundreds of the Material Sons and Daughters, accepted the mercy proclaimed by the Panoptians and were given rehabilitation at the time of Jesus' resurrection nineteen hundred years ago. These beings have since been transferred to the Father's world of Jerusem, where they must be held, technically, until the Uversa courts hand down a decision in the matter of Gabriel vs. Lucifer. But no one doubts that, when the annihilation verdict is issued, these repentant and salvaged personalities will be exempted from the decree of extinction. These probationary souls now labor with the Panoptians in the work of caring for the Father's world.
    53:9.2 The archdeceiver has never been on Urantia since the days when he sought to turn back Michael from the purpose to complete the bestowal and to establish himself finally and securely as the unqualified ruler of Nebadon. Upon Michael's becoming the settled head of the universe of Nebadon, Lucifer was taken into custody by the agents of the Uversa Ancients of Days and has since been a prisoner on satellite number one of the Father's group of the transition spheres of Jerusem. And here the rulers of other worlds and systems behold the end of the unfaithful Sovereign of Satania. Paul knew of the status of these rebellious leaders following Michael's bestowal, for he wrote of Caligastia' s chiefs as " spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. "
    53:9.3 Michael, upon assuming the supreme sovereignty of Nebadon, petitioned the Ancients of Days for authority to intern all personalities concerned in the Lucifer rebellion pending the rulings of the superuniverse tribunals in the case of Gabriel vs. Lucifer, placed on the records of the Uversa supreme court almost two hundred thousand years ago, as you reckon time. Concerning the system capital group, the Ancients of Days granted the Michael petition with but a single exception: Satan was allowed to make periodic visits to the apostate princes on the fallen worlds until another Son of God should be accepted by such apostate worlds, or until such time as the courts of Uversa should begin the adjudication of the case of Gabriel vs. Lucifer.
    53:9.4 Satan could come to Urantia because you had no Son of standing in residence—neither Planetary Prince nor Material Son. Machiventa Melchizedek has since been proclaimed vicegerent Planetary Prince of Urantia, and the opening of the case of Gabriel vs. Lucifer has signalized the inauguration of temporary planetary regimes on all the isolated worlds. It is true that Satan did periodically visit Caligastia and others of the fallen princes right up to the time of the presentation of these revelations, when there occurred the first hearing of Gabriel's plea for the annihilation of the archrebels. Satan is now unqualifiedly detained on the Jerusem prison worlds.
    53:9.5 Since Michael's final bestowal no one in all Satania has desired to go to the prison worlds to minister to the interned rebels. And no more beings have been won to the deceiver's cause. For nineteen hundred years the status has been unchanged.
    53:9.6 We do not look for a removal of the present Satania restrictions until the Ancients of Days make final disposition of the archrebels. The system circuits will not be reinstated so long as Lucifer lives. Meantime, he is wholly inactive.
    53:9.7 The rebellion has ended on Jerusem. It ends on the fallen worlds as fast as divine Sons arrive. We believe that all rebels who will ever accept mercy have done so. We await the flashing broadcast that will deprive these traitors of personality existence. We anticipate the verdict of Uversa will be announced by the executionary broadcast which will effect the annihilation of these interned rebels. Then will you look for their places, but they shall not be found. " And they who know you among the worlds will be astonished at you; you have been a terror, but never shall you be any more. " And thus shall all of these unworthy traitors " become as though they had not been. " All await the Uversa decree.
    53:9.8 But for ages the seven prison worlds of spiritual darkness in Satania have constituted a solemn warning to all Nebadon, eloquently and effectively proclaiming the great truth " that the way of the transgressor is hard "; " that within every sin is concealed the seed of its own destruction "; that " the wages of sin is death."

    I have been somewhat skeptical regarding the 'galactic wave', 'crossing the galactic plane', 'earth changes', 'global warming', '2012', etc. I fear that they are distractions, covers, or red-herrings designed to enable a hidden-agenda. There are aspects of the goddess concept which I adore - and there are aspects which I despise. I found the 'eight limbs of yoga' to be intriguing. Doesn't Kali have at least eight limbs? Jesus seems to be a perfect blend of masculine and feminine, humanity and divinity. I guess I'm thinking in terms of NOT scaring people, rushing to judgement, making people angry, creating hatred, etc. - but rather informing people through entertainment, or in a round about way - without pressuring them to make major changes or sacrifices. I have seen religious leaders speak authoritatively about the immanent Second Coming of Christ - and that only those who believe and live in certain ways will be saved and rewarded - while the other unlucky souls will be punished and lost. People come forward in altar calls (many of them in tears) to receive salvation. I used to think this was a good thing - but now I think that it is sort of a mass hysteria or mind control phenomenon.

    We seem to be emotional and irrational in counter-productive and destructive ways. I've recently considered that it is more blessed to learn how to think, and to teach people to think - than it is to coerce them or convince them regarding anything. At this point - I think I just want to become more responsible and more response-able - and then to encourage others to do the same - and just leave it at that. Then they can wake themselves up - in their own way - and in their own time. Eventually the 100th monkey will wake-up - and a positive paradigm-shift will occur. I am uneasy with the term 'harvest'. Does this term imply that not everyone will survive or make it? I insist that everyone survives and makes it - even if some have to exist in sort of an isolated state for a while. Are the PTB tightening the noose by their own free will - or are they being commanded to do so by those who are not human as we know human to be? Are there executive orders stating that the human race shall not gain their freedom - regardless of whether they are responsible or not? Are we serving a life-sentence, with an eventual final-judgment and a final harvest/execution/sacrifice? Do the orders still stand? What would Dick Cheney say?

    I'm working hard to reject traditional religion - and I'm working hard to reject the new age. I really don't know which way to jump at this point. Definitions and perceptions are very important. I simply do not wish to be exclusive or to exclude anyone as we journey into the future. Has anyone considered the distinction between 'pure science' and 'applied science'? I think 'pure science' is a good thing - but often 'applied science' is a bad thing. But how does one pay the bills with 'pure science'? Are we happier with all of our technology and industrialization? I am trying very hard to get back to my childhood scientific experience. I really enjoy going through all of the forbidden knowledge on the internet - and openly discussing it - even if it puts me on lists - and places several more interdimensional beings on my case. Maybe I'll get to meet them someday - but not today - ok?

    There are approximately 20 words which we really need to spend a lot of time thinking about. The title of this thread includes some of these. I am very apprehensive regarding the low numbers of participants on MOA. This site should have thousands of members. I'm still very suspicious regarding the closure of AV1. I continue to be mystified as to whether the PTB want us to be researching and discussing forbidden information - or not. I really and truly don't know. I don't know if I'm helping or hurting. Perhaps the PTB could care less. Perhaps no one monitors this site. Everything is a big question mark for me. Is it really possible to make money without hurting someone in some way? Doing the right thing seems to get in the way of making money. How does this fit in with pure and applied science? Can we be so heavenly minded that we are of no earthly good? OK - what about pure and applied science? That's what I really wish to talk about.

    Are hatred, rebellion, and deception integral aspects of competition and freedom? Please think long and hard about this question. Was whoever rebelled against God in Heaven really on the right track? Is ruling humanity by secrecy and deception really a legitimate modality of governance? Should democracy rule? Should theocracy rule? Should a theocracy rule a democracy? Should a theocracy and democracy be intertwined? What would be the proper role of God in a United States of the Solar System? Once again, what was the Original Sin? Was the Original Sin also the Unforgivable Sin? Would an idealistic United States of the Solar System need to be theocratically implemented and maintained? Would Responsibility need to be enforced with an Iron Fist? Would Responsible Freedom need to be imposed upon the inhabitants of the Solar System - whether they like it, or not? I advocate maximizing Responsible Freedom in a Context of Legitimate Law and Order. How does a civilization keep all of this in a properly buffered balance??? I continue to think that we are running out of time to get this right. I continue to think that some very powerful eyes and minds are focused upon this solar system and the fate of humanity. All is not well in this neck of the woods.

    Has anyone read 'Jesus - Last of the Pharaohs' by Ralph Ellis? Or 'The Historical Jesus and the Mythical Christ' by Gerald Massey? What about 'The Quest of the Historical Jesus' by Albert Schweitzer? Or 'Jesus in the House of the Pharaohs' by Ahmed Osman? Has anyone considered the work of the 'Jesus Seminar'? What if the biblical-historical Jesus never existed, but what if a very different (and in many ways superior) actual historical Jesus (or equivalent) really did (and does) exist? I'm conceptually considering a demythologized Michael / Horus / Mithras / ????? / Jesus / ????? who might be archangelic / pharonic / artistic / scientific / technological / funny / sexy!!! What if Jesus has always been here? What if Jesus never left? What if Jesus has been reincarnating over and over in this solar system for hundreds of thousands of years? What if Jesus has been sacrificing on behalf of humanity for hundreds of thousands of years? This subject might be extremely important. What did the Vatican know, and when did they know it? There's a cancer growing on the Papacy! And what about the Monarchy? Should the Mass celebrate and commemorate the sacrifice of humanity (for hundreds of thousands of years?) in it's pursuit of responsible-freedom in the context of male and female human physicality, rather than being the repeated unbloody human-sacrfice of Jesus Christ? What if Lucifer is an Agent-Angel of Satan to Buffet Us? I need to stop.


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    orthodoxymoron
    orthodoxymoron


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    United States AI Solar System (6) - Page 2 Empty Re: United States AI Solar System (6)

    Post  orthodoxymoron Sun Jun 24, 2018 12:20 am

    United States AI Solar System (6) - Page 2 Funny-Hillary-Clinton-Jokes
    "Orthodoxymoron Sent Me a Bill for Screwing His Laptop!!"

    I'm grieving the loss of my old computer (the victim of a vicious-virus)!! I think it's all because I posted that funny Hillary image with that Collier/Valerian interview. That's when the virus attacked!! When Viruses Attack!! The Horror!! I hold Hillary responsible for the loss of my computer, and I might send her a Bill. BTW -- has anyone seen the "Clinton Memorial"?? What Would Monica Do?? It's not what you know. It's who you (never-mind). Don't take my brash-irreverence too-seriously!! My threads are a Moot Holy-War aka Galactic Boot-Camp!! They are a conditioning-process utilizing Contextual-Superimposition!! I am NOT like this in Real-Life!! Not even close. I am HONESTLY a Completely Ignorant Fool!! Raven was Right!!

    I continue to have a love/hate relationship with the writings of Ellen White. Something is very-right and very-wrong with them. Same goes for the Bible. What if BOTH were somehow derived from ancient-sources -- and then presented in a deceptive-manner?? The Ancient Egyptian Deity said the writings of Ellen White were somehow deceptive -- yet they reacted somewhat fearfully when I read a portion of the last-chapter of The Great Controversy to them. They indicated that the Bible provided "clues only". They also claimed that I had historically endorsed considering the Bible from every possible angle. I remember hearing Chuck Swindoll saying that the Bible needs to be mastered in every conceivable way, prior to moving on to bigger and better things (or something to that effect). I wish to "move-on" yet the historical-perplexities keep me from progressing. Multivariable-Calculus is difficult to learn if one hasn't mastered Algebra with Trigonometry.

    Think about Diana in the 2009-10 version of "V". She was exiled to sort of a dungeon on the "V" Ship -- while her daughter, Anna, ruled the roost. Is there a "Lilith and Eve" parallel?? I keep looking for clues in science-fiction, but I seem to be running out of steam. I think my quest is a "lost-cause". I mostly wish to watch, as I shake the dust off my shoes, and move-on. I get the message regarding what everyone wants and doesn't want. What are the implications and ramifications of the 2300 days/years terminating in A.D. 2370?? Daniel 7-12 might be Total BS BUT what if it's the key to some of the most important matters imaginable?? I simply think some of us must agonize over the historical and the otherworldly, regardless of whether anyone appreciates it or not. But what if my threads are simply a Red-Herring?? What if my life is a Red-Herring (in ways I can't imagine)?? Am I a "deep-thinker" or am I just "lazy and stupid"??

    http://www.whiteestate.org/books/pp/pp17.html Threatened with death by the wrath of Esau, Jacob went out from his father's home a fugitive; but he carried with him the father's blessing; Isaac had renewed to him the covenant promise, and had bidden him, as its inheritor, to seek a wife of his mother's family in Mesopotamia. Yet it was with a deeply troubled heart that Jacob set out on his lonely journey. With only his staff in his hand he must travel hundreds of miles through a country inhabited by wild, roving tribes. In his remorse and timidity he sought to avoid men, lest he should be traced by his angry brother. He feared that he had lost forever the blessing that God had purposed to give him; and Satan was at hand to press temptations upon him.

    The evening of the second day found him far away from his father's tents. He felt that he was an outcast, and he knew that all this trouble had been brought upon him by his own wrong course. The darkness of despair pressed upon his soul, and he hardly dared to pray. But he was so utterly lonely that he felt the need of protection from God as he had never felt it before. With weeping and deep humiliation he confessed his sin, and entreated for some evidence that he was not utterly forsaken. Still his burdened heart found no relief. He had lost all confidence in himself, and he feared that the God of his fathers had cast him off.

    But God did not forsake Jacob. His mercy was still extended to His erring, distrustful servant. The Lord compassionately revealed just what Jacob needed--a Saviour. He had sinned, but his heart was filled with gratitude as he saw revealed a way by which he could be restored to the favor of God.

    Wearied with his journey, the wanderer lay down upon the ground, with a stone for his pillow. As he slept he beheld a ladder, bright and shining, whose base rested upon the earth, while the top reached to heaven. Upon this ladder angels were ascending and descending; above it was the Lord of glory, and from the heavens His voice was heard: "I am the Lord God of Abraham thy father, and the God of Isaac." The land whereon he lay as an exile and fugitive was promised to him and to his posterity, with the assurance, "In thee and in thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed." This promise had been given to Abraham and to Isaac, and now it was renewed to Jacob. Then in special regard to his present loneliness and distress, the words of comfort and encouragement were spoken: "Behold, I am with thee, and will keep thee in all places whither thou goest, and will bring thee again into this land; for I will not leave thee, until I have done that which I have spoken to thee of."

    The Lord knew the evil influences that would surround Jacob, and the perils to which he would be exposed. In mercy He opened up the future before the repentant fugitive, that he might understand the divine purpose with reference to himself, and be prepared to resist the temptations that would surely come to him when alone amid idolaters and scheming men. There would be ever before him the high standard at which he must aim; and the knowledge that through him the purpose of God was reaching its accomplishment, would constantly prompt him to faithfulness.

    In the vision the plan of redemption was presented to Jacob, not fully, but in such parts as were essential to him at that time. The mystic ladder revealed to him in his dream was the same to which Christ referred in His conversation with Nathanael. Said He, "Ye shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man." John 1:51. Up to the time of man's rebellion against the government of God, there had been free communion between God and man. But the sin of Adam and Eve separated earth from heaven, so that man could not have communion with his Maker. Yet the world was not left in solitary hopelessness. The ladder represents Jesus, the appointed medium of communication. Had He not with His own merits bridged the gulf that sin had made, the ministering angels could have held no communion with fallen man. Christ connects man in his weakness and helplessness with the source of infinite power.

    All this was revealed to Jacob in his dream. Although his mind at once grasped a part of the revelation, its great and mysterious truths were the study of his lifetime, and unfolded to his understanding more and more.

    Jacob awoke from his sleep in the deep stillness of night. The shining forms of his vision had disappeared. Only the dim outline of the lonely hills, and above them the heavens bright with stars, now met his gaze. But he had a solemn sense that God was with him. An unseen presence filled the solitude. "Surely the Lord is in this place," he said, "and I knew it not. . . . This is none other but the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven."

    "And Jacob rose up early in the morning, and took the stone that he had put for his pillows, and set it up for a pillar, and poured oil upon the top of it." In accordance with the custom of commemorating important events, Jacob set up a memorial of God's mercy, that whenever he should pass that way he might tarry at this sacred spot to worship the Lord. And he called the place Bethel, or the "house of God." With deep gratitude he repeated the promise that God's presence would be with him; and then he made the solemn vow, "If God will be with me, and will keep me in this way that I go, and will give me bread to eat, and raiment to put on, so that I come again to my father's house in peace; then shall the Lord be my God: and this stone, which I have set for a pillar, shall be God's house: and of all that Thou shalt give me I will surely give the tenth unto Thee."

    Jacob was not here seeking to make terms with God. The Lord had already promised him prosperity, and this vow was the outflow of a heart filled with gratitude for the assurance of God's love and mercy. Jacob felt that God had claims upon him which he must acknowledge, and that the special tokens of divine favor granted him demanded a return. So does every blessing bestowed upon us call for a response to the Author of all our mercies. The Christian should often review his past life and recall with gratitude the precious deliverances that God has wrought for him, supporting him in trial, opening ways before him when all seemed dark and forbidding, refreshing him when ready to faint. He should recognize all of them as evidences of the watchcare of heavenly angels. In view of these innumerable blessings he should often ask, with subdued and grateful heart, "What shall I render unto the Lord for all His benefits toward me?" Psalm 116:12.

    Our time, our talents, our property, should be sacredly devoted to Him who has given us these blessings in trust. Whenever a special deliverance is wrought in our behalf, or new and unexpected favors are granted us, we should acknowledge God's goodness, not only by expressing our gratitude in words, but, like Jacob, by gifts and offerings to His cause. As we are continually receiving the blessings of God, so we are to be continually giving.

    "Of all that Thou shalt give me," said Jacob, "I will surely give the tenth unto Thee." Shall we who enjoy the full light and privileges of the gospel be content to give less to God than was given by those who lived in the former, less favored dispensation? Nay, as the blessings we enjoy are greater, are not our obligations correspondingly increased? But how small the estimate; how vain the endeavor to measure with mathematical rules, time, money, and love, against a love so immeasurable and a gift of such inconceivable worth. Tithes for Christ! Oh, meager pittance, shameful recompense for that which cost so much! From the cross of Calvary, Christ calls for an unreserved consecration. All that we have, all that we are, should be devoted to God.

    With a new and abiding faith in the divine promises, and assured of the presence and guardianship of heavenly angels, Jacob pursued his journey to "the land of the children of the East." Genesis 29:1, margin. But how different his arrival from that of Abraham's messenger nearly a hundred years before! The servant had come with a train of attendants riding upon camels, and with rich gifts of gold and silver; the son was a lonely, footsore traveler, with no possession save his staff. Like Abraham's servant, Jacob tarried beside a well, and it was here that he met Rachel, Laban's younger daughter. It was Jacob now who rendered service, rolling the stone from the well and watering the flocks. On making known his kinship, he was welcomed to the home of Laban. Though he came portionless and unattended, a few weeks showed the worth of his diligence and skill, and he was urged to tarry. It was arranged that he should render Laban seven years' service for the hand of Rachel.

    In early times custom required the bridegroom, before the ratification of a marriage engagement, to pay a sum of money or its equivalent in other property, according to his circumstances, to the father of his wife. This was regarded as a safeguard to the marriage relation. Fathers did not think it safe to trust the happiness of their daughters to men who had not made provision for the support of a family. If they had not sufficient thrift and energy to manage business and acquire cattle or lands, it was feared that their life would prove worthless. But provision was made to test those who had nothing to pay for a wife. They were permitted to labor for the father whose daughter they loved, the length of time being regulated by the value of the dowry required. When the suitor was faithful in his services, and proved in other respects worthy, he obtained the daughter as his wife; and generally the dowry which the father had received was given her at her marriage. In the case of both Rachel and Leah, however, Laban selfishly retained the dowry that should have been given them; they referred to this when they said, just before the removal from Mesopotamia, "He hath sold us, and hath quite devoured also our money."

    The ancient custom, though sometimes abused, as by Laban, was productive of good results. When the suitor was required to render service to secure his bride, a hasty marriage was prevented, and there was opportunity to rest the depth of his affections, as well as his ability to provide for a family. In our time many evils result from pursuing an opposite course. It is often the case that persons before marriage have little opportunity to become acquainted with each other's habits and disposition, and, so far as everyday life is concerned, they are virtually strangers when they unite their interests at the altar. Many find, too late, that they are not adapted to each other, and lifelong wretchedness is the result of their union. Often the wife and children suffer from the indolence and inefficiency or the vicious habits of the husband and father. If the character of the suitor had been tested before marriage, according to the ancient custom, great unhappiness might have been prevented.

    Seven years of faithful service Jacob gave for Rachel, and the years that he served "seemed unto him but a few days, for the love he had to her." But the selfish and grasping Laban, desiring to retain so valuable a helper, practiced a cruel deception in substituting Leah for Rachel. The fact that Leah herself was a party to the cheat, caused Jacob to feel that he could not love her. His indignant rebuke to Laban was met with the offer of Rachel for another seven years' service. But the father insisted that Leah should not be discarded, since this would bring disgrace upon the family. Jacob was thus placed in a most painful and trying position; he finally decided to retain Leah and marry Rachel. Rachel was ever the one best loved; but his preference for her excited envy and jealousy, and his life was embittered by the rivalry between the sister-wives.

    For twenty years Jacob remained in Mesopotamia, laboring in the service of Laban, who, disregarding the ties of kinship, was bent upon securing to himself all the benefits of their connection. Fourteen years of toil he demanded for his two daughters; and during the remaining period, Jacob's wages were ten times changed. Yet Jacob's service was diligent and faithful. His words to Laban in their last interview vividly describe the untiring vigilance which he had given to the interests of his exacting master: "This twenty years have I been with thee; thy ewes and thy she-goats have not cast their young, and the rams of thy flock have I not eaten. That which was torn of beasts I brought not unto thee; I bare the loss of it; of my hand didst thou require it, whether stolen by day, or stolen by night. Thus I was; in the day the drought consumed me, and the frost by night; and my sleep departed from mine eyes."

    It was necessary for the shepherd to watch his flocks day and night. They were in danger from robbers, and also from wild beasts, which were numerous and bold, often committing great havoc in flocks that were not faithfully guarded. Jacob had many assistants in caring for the extensive flocks of Laban, but he himself was held responsible for them all. During some portions of the year it was necessary for him to be constantly with the flocks in person, to guard them in the dry season against perishing from thirst, and during the coldest months from becoming chilled with the heavy night frosts. Jacob was the chief shepherd; the servants in his employ were the undershepherds. If any of the sheep were missing, the chief shepherd suffered the loss; and he called the servants to whom he entrusted the care of the flock to a strict account if it was not found in a flourishing condition.

    The shepherd's life of diligence and care-taking, and his tender compassion for the helpless creatures entrusted to his charge, have been employed by the inspired writers to illustrate some of the most precious truths of the gospel. Christ, in His relation to His people, is compared to a shepherd. After the Fall He saw His sheep doomed to perish in the dark ways of sin. To save these wandering ones He left the honors and glories of His Father's house. He says, "I will seek that which was lost, and bring again that which was driven away, and will bind up that which was broken, and will strengthen that which was sick." I will "save My flock, and they shall no more be a prey." "Neither shall the beast of the land devour them." Ezekiel 34:16, 22, 28. His voice is heard calling them to His fold, "a shadow in the daytime from the heat, and for a place of refuge, and for a covert from storm and from rain." Isaiah 4:6. His care for the flock is unwearied. He strengthens the weak, relieves the suffering, gathers the lambs in His arms, and carries them in His bosom. His sheep love Him. "And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him; for they know not the voice of strangers." John 10:5.

    Christ says, "The good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep. But he that is an hireling, and not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth; and the wolf catcheth them, and scattereth the sheep. The hireling fleeth, because he is an hireling, and careth not for the sheep. I am the Good Shepherd, and know My sheep, and am known of Mine." Verses 11-14.

    Christ, the Chief Shepherd, has entrusted the care of His flock to His ministers as undershepherds; and He bids them have the same interest that He has manifested, and feel the sacred responsibility of the charge He has entrusted to them. He has solemnly commanded them to be faithful, to feed the flock, to strengthen the weak, to revive the fainting, and to shield them from devouring wolves.

    To save His sheep, Christ laid down His own life; and He points His shepherds to the love thus manifested, as their example. But "he that is an hireling, . . . whose own the sheep are not," has no real interest in the flock. He is laboring merely for gain, and he cares only for himself. He studies his own profit instead of the interest of his charge; and in time of peril or danger he will flee, and leave the flock.

    The apostle Peter admonishes the undershepherds: "Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind; neither as being lords over God's heritage, but being ensamples to the flock." 1 Peter 5:2, 3. Paul says, "Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which He hath purchased with His own blood. For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock." Acts 20:28, 29.

    All who regard as an unwelcome task the care and burdens that fall to the lot of the faithful shepherd, are reproved by the apostle: "Not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind." 1 Peter 5:2. All such unfaithful servants the Chief Shepherd would willingly release. The church of Christ has been purchased with His blood, and every shepherd should realize that the sheep under his care cost an infinite sacrifice. He should regard them each as of priceless worth, and should be unwearied in his efforts to keep them in a healthy, flourishing condition. The shepherd who is imbued with the spirit of Christ will imitate His self-denying example, constantly laboring for the welfare of his charge; and the flock will prosper under his care.

    All will be called to render a strict account of their ministry. The Master will demand of every shepherd, "Where is the flock that was given thee, thy beautiful flock?" Jeremiah 13:20. He that is found faithful, will receive a rich reward. "When the Chief Shepherd shall appear," says the apostle, "ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away." 1 Peter 5:4.

    When Jacob, growing weary of Laban's service, proposed to return to Canaan, he said to his father-in-law, "Send me away, that I may go unto mine own place, and to my country. Give me my wives and my children, for whom I have served thee, and let me go: for thou knowest my service which I have done thee." But Laban urged him to remain, declaring, "I have learned by experience that the Lord hath blessed me for thy sake." He saw that his property was increasing under the care of his son-in-law.

    Said Jacob, "It was little which thou hadst before I came, and it is now increased unto a multitude." But as time passed on, Laban became envious of the greater prosperity of Jacob, who "increased exceedingly, and had much cattle, and maidservants, and menservants, and camels, and asses." Laban's sons shared their father's jealousy, and their malicious speeches came to Jacob's ears: He "hath taken away all that was our father's, and of that which was our father's hath he gotten all this glory. And Jacob beheld the countenance of Laban, and, behold, it was not toward him as before."

    Jacob would have left his crafty kinsman long before but for the fear of encountering Esau. Now he felt that he was in danger from the sons of Laban, who, looking upon his wealth as their own, might endeavor to secure it by violence. He was in great perplexity and distress, not knowing which way to turn. But mindful of the gracious Bethel promise, he carried his case to God, and sought direction from Him. In a dream his prayer was answered: "Return unto the land of thy fathers, and to thy kindred; and I will be with thee."

    Laban's absence afforded opportunity for departure. The flocks and herds were speedily gathered and sent forward, and with his wives, children, and servants, Jacob crossed the Euphrates, urging his way toward Gilead, on the borders of Canaan. After three days Laban learned of their flight, and set forth in pursuit, overtaking the company on the seventh day of their journey. He was hot with anger, and bent on forcing them to return, which he doubted not he could do, since his band was much the stronger. The fugitives were indeed in great peril.

    That he did not carry out his hostile purpose was due to the fact that God Himself had interposed for the protection of His servant. "It is in the power of my hand to do you hurt," said Laban, "but the God of your father spake unto me yesternight, saying, Take thou heed that thou speak not to Jacob either good or bad;" that is, he should not force him to return, or urge him by flattering inducements.

    Laban had withheld the marriage dowry of his daughters and had ever treated Jacob with craft and harshness; but with characteristic dissimulation he now reproached him for his secret departure, which had given the father no opportunity to make a parting feast or even to bid farewell to his daughters and their children.

    In reply Jacob plainly set forth Laban's selfish and grasping policy, and appealed to him as a witness to his own faithfulness and honesty. "Except the God of my father, the God of Abraham, and the fear of Isaac, had been with me," said Jacob, "surely thou hadst sent me away now empty. God hath seen mine affliction, and the labor of my hands, and rebuked thee yesternight."

    Laban could not deny the facts brought forward, and he now proposed to enter into a covenant of peace. Jacob consented to the proposal, and a pile of stones was erected as a token of the compact. To this pillar Laban gave the name Mizpah, "watchtower," saying, "The Lord watch between me and thee, when we are absent one from another."

    "And Laban said to Jacob, Behold this heap, and behold this pillar, which I have cast betwixt me and thee; this heap be witness, and this pillar be witness, that I will not pass over this heap to thee, and that thou shalt not pass over this heap and this pillar unto me, for harm. The God of Abraham, and the God of Nahor, the God of their father, judge betwixt us. And Jacob sware by the fear of his father Isaac." To confirm the treaty, the parties held a feast. The night was spent in friendly communing; and at the dawn of day, Laban and his company departed. With this separation ceased all trace of connection between the children of Abraham and the dwellers in Mesopotamia.

    http://www.whiteestate.org/books/pp/pp18.html Though Jacob had left Padan-aram in obedience to the divine direction, it was not without many misgivings that he retraced the road which he had trodden as a fugitive twenty years before. His sin in the deception of his father was ever before him. He knew that his long exile was the direct result of that sin, and he pondered over these things day and night, the reproaches of an accusing conscience making his journey very sad. As the hills of his native land appeared before him in the distance, the heart of the patriarch was deeply moved. All the past rose vividly before him. With the memory of his sin came also the thought of God's favor toward him, and the promises of divine help and guidance.

    As he drew nearer his journey's end, the thought of Esau brought many a troubled foreboding. After the flight of Jacob, Esau had regarded himself as the sole heir of their father's possessions. The news of Jacob's return would excite the fear that he was coming to claim the inheritance. Esau was now able to do his brother great injury, if so disposed, and he might be moved to violence against him, not only by the desire for revenge, but in order to secure undisturbed possession of the wealth which he had so long looked upon as his own.

    Again the Lord granted Jacob a token of the divine care. As he traveled southward from Mount Gilead, two hosts of heavenly angels seemed to encompass him behind and before, advancing with his company, as if for their protection. Jacob remembered the vision at Bethel so long before, and his burdened heart grew lighter at this evidence that the divine messengers who had brought him hope and courage at his flight from Canaan were to be the guardians of his return. And he said, "This is God's host: and he called the name of that place Mahanaim"--"two hosts, or, camps."

    Yet Jacob felt that he had something to do to secure his own safety. He therefore dispatched messengers with a conciliatory greeting to his brother. He instructed them as to the exact words in which they were to address Esau. It had been foretold before the birth of the two brothers that the elder should serve the younger, and, lest the memory of this should be a cause of bitterness, Jacob told the servants they were sent to "my lord Esau;" when brought before him, they were to refer to their master as "thy servant Jacob;" and to remove the fear that he was returning, a destitute wanderer, to claim the paternal inheritance, Jacob was careful to state in his message, "I have oxen, an asses, flocks, and menservants, and womenservants: and I have sent to tell my lord, that I may find grace in thy sight."

    But the servants returned with the tidings that Esau was approaching with four hundred men, and no response was sent to the friendly message. It appeared certain that he was coming to seek revenge. Terror pervaded the camp. "Jacob was greatly afraid and distressed." He could not go back, and he feared to advance. His company, unarmed and defenseless, were wholly unprepared for a hostile encounter. He accordingly divided them into two bands, so that if one should be attacked, the other might have an opportunity to escape. He sent from his vast flocks generous presents to Esau, with a friendly message. He did all in his power to atone for the wrong to his brother and to avert the threatened danger, and then in humiliation and repentance he pleaded for divine protection: Thou "saidst unto me, Return unto thy country, and to thy kindred, and I will deal well with thee: I am not worthy of the least of all the mercies, and of all the truth, which Thou hast showed unto Thy servant; for with my staff I passed over this Jordan; and now I am become two bands. Deliver me, I pray Thee, from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau: for I fear him, lest he will come and smite me, and the mother with the children."

    They had now reached the river Jabbok, and as night came on, Jacob sent his family across the ford of the river, while he alone remained behind. He had decided to spend the night in prayer, and he desired to be alone with God. God could soften the heart of Esau. In Him was the patriarch's only hope.

    It was in a lonely, mountainous region, the haunt of wild beasts and the lurking place of robbers and murderers. Solitary and unprotected, Jacob bowed in deep distress upon the earth. It was midnight. All that made life dear to him were at a distance, exposed to danger and death. Bitterest of all was the thought that it was his own sin which had brought this peril upon the innocent. With earnest cries and tears he made his prayer before God. Suddenly a strong hand was laid upon him. He thought that an enemy was seeking his life, and he endeavored to wrest himself from the grasp of his assailant. In the darkness the two struggled for the mastery. Not a word was spoken, but Jacob put forth all his strength, and did not relax his efforts for a moment. While he was thus battling for his life, the sense of his guilt pressed upon his soul; his sins rose up before him, to shut him out from God. But in his terrible extremity he remembered God's promises, and his whole heart went out in entreaty for His mercy.

    The struggle continued until near the break of day, when the stranger placed his finger upon Jacob's thigh, and he was crippled instantly. The patriarch now discerned the character of his antagonist. He knew that he had been in conflict with a heavenly messenger, and this was why his almost superhuman effort had not gained the victory. It was Christ, "the Angel of the covenant," who had revealed Himself to Jacob. The patriarch was now disabled and suffering the keenest pain, but he would not loosen his hold. All penitent and broken, he clung to the Angel; "he wept, and made supplication" (Hosea 12:4), pleading for a blessing. He must have the assurance that his sin was pardoned. Physical pain was not sufficient to divert his mind from this object. His determination grew stronger, his faith more earnest and persevering, until the very last. The Angel tried to release Himself; He urged, "Let Me go, for the day breaketh;" but Jacob answered, "I will not let Thee go, except Thou bless me." Had this been a boastful, presumptuous confidence, Jacob would have been instantly destroyed; but his was the assurance of one who confesses his own unworthiness, yet trusts the faithfulness of a covenant-keeping God.

    Jacob "had power over the Angel, and prevailed." Hosea 12:4. Through humiliation, repentance, and self-surrender, this sinful, erring mortal prevailed with the Majesty of heaven. He had fastened his trembling grasp upon the promises of God, and the heart of Infinite Love could not turn away the sinner's plea.

    The error that had led to Jacob's sin in obtaining the birthright by fraud was now clearly set before him. He had not trusted God's promises, but had sought by his own efforts to bring about that which God would have accomplished in His own time and way. As an evidence that he had been forgiven, his name was changed from one that was a reminder of his sin, to one that commemorated his victory. "Thy name," said the Angel, "shall be called no more Jacob [the supplanter], but Israel: for as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed."

    Jacob had received the blessing for which his soul had longed. His sin as a supplanter and deceiver had been pardoned. The crisis in his life was past. Doubt, perplexity, and remorse had embittered his existence, but now all was changed; and sweet was the peace of reconciliation with God. Jacob no longer feared to meet his brother. God, who had forgiven his sin, could move the heart of Esau also to accept his humiliation and repentance.

    While Jacob was wrestling with the Angel, another heavenly messenger was sent to Esau. In a dream, Esau beheld his brother for twenty years an exile from his father's house; he witnessed his grief at finding his mother dead; he saw him encompassed by the hosts of God. This dream was related by Esau to his soldiers, with the charge not to harm Jacob, for the God of his father was with him.

    The two companies at last approached each other, the desert chief leading his men of war, and Jacob with his wives and children, attended by shepherds and handmaidens, and followed by long lines of flocks and herds. Leaning upon his staff, the patriarch went forward to meet the band of soldiers. He was pale and disabled from his recent conflict, and he walked slowly and painfully, halting at every step; but his countenance was lighted up with joy and peace.

    At sight of that crippled sufferer, "Esau ran to meet him, and embraced him, and fell on his neck, and kissed him: and they wept." As they looked upon the scene, even the hearts of Esau's rude soldiers were touched. Notwithstanding he had told them of his dream, they could not account for the change that had come over their captain. Though they beheld the patriarch's infirmity, they little thought that this his weakness had been made his strength.

    In his night of anguish beside the Jabbok, when destruction seemed just before him, Jacob had been taught how vain is the help of man, how groundless is all trust in human power. He saw that his only help must come from Him against whom he had so grievously sinned. Helpless and unworthy, he pleaded God's promise of mercy to the repentant sinner. That promise was his assurance that God would pardon and accept him. Sooner might heaven and earth pass than that word could fail; and it was this that sustained him through that fearful conflict.

    Jacob's experience during that night of wrestling and anguish represents the trial through which the people of God must pass just before Christ's second coming. The prophet Jeremiah, in holy vision looking down to this time, said, "We have heard a voice of trembling, of fear, and not of peace. . . . All faces are turned into paleness. Alas! for that day is great, so that none is like it: it is even the time of Jacob's trouble; but he shall be saved out of it." Jeremiah 30:5-7.

    When Christ shall cease His work as mediator in man's behalf, then this time of trouble will begin. Then the case of every soul will have been decided, and there will be no atoning blood to cleanse from sin. When Jesus leaves His position as man's intercessor before God, the solemn announcement is made, "He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still." Revelation 22:11. Then the restraining Spirit of God is withdrawn from the earth. As Jacob was threatened with death by his angry brother, so the people of God will be in peril from the wicked who are seeking to destroy them. And as the patriarch wrestled all night for deliverance from the hand of Esau, so the righteous will cry to God day and night for deliverance from the enemies that surround them.

    Satan had accused Jacob before the angels of God, claiming the right to destroy him because of his sin; he had moved upon Esau to march against him; and during the patriarch's long night of wrestling, Satan endeavored to force upon him a sense of his guilt, in order to discourage him, and break his hold upon God. When in his distress Jacob laid hold of the Angel, and made supplication with tears, the heavenly Messenger, in order to try his faith, also reminded him of his sin, and endeavored to escape from him. But Jacob would not be turned away. He had learned that God is merciful, and he cast himself upon His mercy. He pointed back to his repentance for his sin, and pleaded for deliverance. As he reviewed his life, he was driven almost to despair; but he held fast the Angel, and with earnest, agonizing cries urged his petition until he prevailed.

    Such will be the experience of God's people in their final struggle with the powers of evil. God will test their faith, their perseverance, their confidence in His power to deliver them. Satan will endeavor to terrify them with the thought that their cases are hopeless; that their sins have been too great to receive pardon. They will have a deep sense of their shortcomings, and as they review their lives their hopes will sink. But remembering the greatness of God's mercy, and their own sincere repentance, they will plead His promises made through Christ to helpless, repenting sinners. Their faith will not fail because their prayers are not immediately answered. They will lay hold of the strength of God, as Jacob laid hold of the Angel, and the language of their souls will be, "I will not let Thee go, except Thou bless me."

    Had not Jacob previously repented of his sin in obtaining the birthright by fraud, God could not have heard his prayer and mercifully preserved his life. So in the time of trouble, if the people of God had unconfessed sins to appear before them while tortured with fear and anguish, they would be overwhelmed; despair would cut off their faith, and they could not have confidence to plead with God for deliverance. But while they have a deep sense of their unworthiness, they will have no concealed wrongs to reveal. Their sins will have been blotted out by the atoning blood of Christ, and they cannot bring them to remembrance.

    Satan leads many to believe that God will overlook their unfaithfulness in the minor affairs of life; but the Lord shows in His dealing with Jacob that He can in no wise sanction or tolerate evil. All who endeavor to excuse or conceal their sins, and permit them to remain upon the books of heaven, unconfessed and unforgiven, will be overcome by Satan. The more exalted their profession, and the more honorable the position which they hold, the more grievous is their course in the sight of God, and the more certain the triumph of the great adversary.

    Yet Jacob's history is an assurance that God will not cast off those who have been betrayed into sin, but who have returned unto Him with true repentance. It was by self-surrender and confiding faith that Jacob gained what he had failed to gain by conflict in his own strength. God thus taught His servant that divine power and grace alone could give him the blessing he craved. Thus it will be with those who live in the last days. As dangers surround them, and despair seizes upon the soul, they must depend solely upon the merits of the atonement. We can do nothing of ourselves. In all our helpless unworthiness we must trust in the merits of the crucified and risen Saviour. None will ever perish while they do this. The long, black catalogue of our delinquencies is before the eye of the Infinite. The register is complete; none of our offenses are forgotten. But He who listened to the cries of His servants of old, will hear the prayer of faith and pardon our transgressions. He has promised, and He will fulfill His word.

    Jacob prevailed because he was persevering and determined. His experience testifies to the power of importunate prayer. It is now that we are to learn this lesson of prevailing prayer, of unyielding faith. The greatest victories to the church of Christ or to the individual Christian are not those that are gained by talent or education, by wealth or the favor of men. They are those victories that are gained in the audience chamber with God, when earnest, agonizing faith lays hold upon the mighty arm of power.

    Those who are unwilling to forsake every sin and to seek earnestly for God's blessing, will not obtain it. But all who will lay hold of God's promises as did Jacob, and be as earnest and persevering as he was, will succeed as he succeeded. "Shall not God avenge His own elect, which cry day and night unto Him, though He bear long with them? I tell you that He will avenge them speedily." Luke 18:7, 8.
    orthodoxymoron
    orthodoxymoron


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    United States AI Solar System (6) - Page 2 Empty Re: United States AI Solar System (6)

    Post  orthodoxymoron Sun Jun 24, 2018 12:23 am

    I need feedback regarding the Founding-Documents in the Previous-Post. This is all very tentative -- and I am NOT a Scholar. I am honestly a Completely Ignorant Fool. It might take decades to properly study and evaluate the contents of my United States of the Solar System threads. I am suggesting the possibility of studying these threads from beginning to end -- straight-through -- over and over -- year after year -- decade after decade. That's my plan. I include a lot of politics, religion, conspiracy-theories, and alien-stuff -- because I think it's all interrelated -- but I caution everyone to treat the madness as science-fiction. Take it seriously -- but not too seriously. Frankly, this study is probably only appropriate for a select-few researchers -- and I don't mean this in a snob-sense. This takes way too much time -- and is way too traumatic -- for most people (and other than people). BTW -- consider studying the Eschatology of Ellen Gould White in the following books (read in order -- straight-through -- over and over -- as a mental and spiritual exercise):

    1. Patriarchs and Prophets (1890).
    2. Prophets and Kings (1917).
    3. The Desire of Ages (1898).
    4. Christ's Object Lessons (1900).
    5. The Acts of the Apostles (1911).

    Just start-out with the assumption that all of the above are Plagiarized Historical-Fiction written by a Renegade Goa'uld Queen!! What Would Vala Mal Doran Say?? What if these books were the product of Royalty in Victorian England?? Also, consider reading the following PDF straight-through (over and over) as a mental and spiritual exercise. http://www.lifeassuranceministries.com/pdf%20files/Cottrell%201844.pdf SDA scholarship and controversy are quite-interesting -- but it's an acquired-taste!! The Great Controversy and Hermeneutic-Whoredom seem to be the major-culprits regarding problematic-interpretations of Daniel 7-12. What Would the Whore of Babylon Say?? She Babbles On and On and On...

    Think of a Solar System University system consisting of maybe 100 campuses throughout the solar system, which would have well developed departments of Solar System Studies and Governance. There might be 80 campuses on Earth, and 20 at other solar system locations, such as the Moon, Venus, Mars, (Nibiru!), various moons, asteroids, and even spaceships (such as the USSS Namaste aka Phobos). These campuses would be staffed by many United States of the Solar System Representatives, who would communicate with each other via an ubersecure interplanet computer system featuring the latest Cray supercomputers. Imagine attending the University of the Solar System at Nibiru!!! Imagine taking classes from Jesuits, Alphabet Agents, Nazis, Masons, Magicians, Dracs, Greys, Annunaki, Gods, Goddesses, visiting professors from Sirius, et al!!! Is this playing with the hellfire of a very hot Trojan Horse? Is this the way of the future? Damned if I know. Those bastards never tell me anything. They keep me guessing.

    I'm not necessarily saying that there should not be an oversight committee or a theocratic aspect to all of this, but I am saying that there should be appropriate checks and balances in place to keep this pipe-dream of responsible-freedom from spiralling out of control, getting hijacked, or blowing-up in our faces. The universe might be a VERY hostile and nasty place. I suspect that we are shielded from one helluva lot of upsetting information. Some of this is probably designed to deceive us, but some of the blackout is probably designed to prevent society from going to hell. Just more speculation. Once again, I am not shaking my fist at God in all of this. I am simply trying to proceed in a responsible manner. If the Creator God of the Universe imposes Divine Intervention, then So Be It. But I'm not very trusting toward the local gods and goddesses. I'm trying to figure out what has been going wrong on this planet for thousands of years. It isn't a pretty picture, despite the beautiful pictures of Earth from geosynchronous obit. www.youtube.com/watch?v=OjN-eL2YNsM

    I feel an overwhelming sense of dread. I just want to repeat that I envision a perfected humanity living in a perfected solar system - WITHOUT ANY ARMAGEDDON OR EXTERMINATION OF ANY KIND. I think there may be malevolent forces in this universe who want us dead - or at least suffering - and wishing we were dead. I want to repeat also that if any of you (human or otherwise) are not here to help the human race achieve SUSTAINABLE RESPONSIBLE FREEDOM - then please leave this solar system now - without harming anyone or anything. I'm serious about a SOLAR SYSTEM EXORCISM. I'm serious about establishing a NAMASTE CONSTITUTIONAL RESPONSIBLE FREEDOM SOLAR SYSTEM AKA THE UNITED STATES OF THE SOLAR SYSTEM - BASED UPON RESPONSIBILITY AND THE U.S. CONSTITUTION. If any of you are waiting for me to change my mind - it isn't going to happen. I doubt that I have much clout - but I will continue to pretend that I do. What's funny about all of this - is that I'll probably be long-gone by the time this becomes a reality. This concept will probably rise from the ashes (phoenix-like) of a failed New World Order - so please prepare to rebuild this world - the right way.What Would Anu Do? (WWAD?) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tpl6ncyxLGw

    United States AI Solar System (6) - Page 2 Sv003

    What do you think about 10,000 PhD's in Solar System Studies and Governance being Representatives of the United States of the Solar System? Would this be a first step toward the last, great renaissance of an enlightened democracy? I sure wish I could get even just a bit of a discussion going. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doctor_of_Philosophy Doctor of Philosophy, abbreviated as PhD, Ph.D., DPhil or D.Phil. (for the Latin philosophiae doctor or doctor philosophiae), in English-speaking countries, abbreviated as Dr. Phil. or similar in several other countries,[1] is a postgraduate academic degree awarded by universities. The academic level of degrees known as doctorates of philosophy varies considerably according to the country, institution and time period, from entry-level research degrees to higher doctorates.

    The term "philosophy" does not refer solely to the modern field of philosophy, but is used in a broader sense in accordance with its original Greek meaning, which is "love of wisdom." In most of Europe, all fields other than theology, law and medicine were traditionally known as philosophy.

    The doctorate of philosophy as it exists today originated as a doctorate in the liberal arts at the Humboldt University, and was eventually adopted by American universities, becoming common in large parts of the world in the 20th century.[2] In many countries, the doctorate of philosophy is still awarded only in the liberal arts (known as "philosophy" in continental Europe, hence the name of the degree).

    The doctorate was extended to philosophy in the European universities in the Middle Ages. At that time all academic disciplines, the first Doctor of Philosophy degree was awarded in Paris in 1150, but the degree did not acquire its modern status as an advanced research degree until the early nineteenth century, following the practice in Germany. Prior to the nineteenth century, professional doctoral degrees could only be awarded in theology, law, or medicine. In 1861, Yale University adopted the German practice (first introduced in the 19th century at the Humboldt University of Berlin) of granting the degree, abbreviated as Dr. phil., to younger students who had completed a prescribed course of graduate study and successfully defended a thesis/dissertation containing original research in science or in the humanities.[3]

    From the United States, the degree spread to Canada in 1900, and then to the United Kingdom in 1917.[4][5] This displaced the existing Doctor of Philosophy degree in some universities; for instance, the DPhil (higher doctorate in the faculty of philosophy) at the University of St Andrews was discontinued and replaced with the Ph.D., (research doctorate). Oxford retained the DPhil abbreviation for their research degrees. Some newer UK universities, for example Buckingham (est. 1976), Sussex (est. 1961), and, until a few years ago, York (est. 1963), chose to adopt the DPhil, as did some universities in New Zealand.

    The detailed requirements for award of a Ph.D. degree vary throughout the world and even from school to school. In some schools in the US, Canada and Denmark, for example, many universities require coursework in addition to research for Ph.D. degrees. In other countries (such as the UK) there is generally no such condition. It is not uncommon, however, for individual universities or departments to specify additional requirements for students not already in possession of a bachelor's degree or equivalent or higher.

    In schools requiring coursework there is sometimes a prescribed minimum amount of study — typically two to three years full time, or a set number of credit hours — which must take place before submission of a thesis. This requirement is sometimes waived for those submitting a portfolio of peer-reviewed published work. The candidate may also be required to successfully complete a certain number of additional, advanced courses relevant to his or her area of specialization.

    A candidate must submit a project or thesis or dissertation often consisting of a body of original academic research, which is in principle worthy of publication in a peer-refereed context.[6] In many countries a candidate must defend this work before a panel of expert examiners appointed by the university; in other countries, the dissertation is examined by a panel of expert examiners who stipulate whether the dissertation is in principle passable and the issues that need to be addressed before the dissertation can be passed.

    Some universities in the non-English-speaking world have begun adopting similar standards to those of the Anglophone PhD degree for their research doctorates (see the Bologna process).[7]

    A Ph.D. student or candidate (abbreviated to Ph.D.c)[8] is conventionally required to study on campus under close supervision. With the popularity of distance education and e-learning technologies, some universities now accept students enrolled into a distance education part-time mode.

    Neglect, wasted time, few marketable skills, negligible earnings premiums, and vastly out-numbered job offerings are some of the criticisms leveled against PhD programs in many developed countriesThe Economist published an article citing various criticisms against the state of PhDs. Richard B. Freeman explains that, based on pre-2000 data, at most only 20% of life science PhD students end up getting jobs specifically in research.[9] Only in the fastest developing countries (e.g. China or Brazil) is there a shortage of PhDs. Higher education systems often offer little incentive to move students through PhD programs quickly (and may even provide incentive to slow them down). Germany is one of the few nations engaging these issues, and it has been doing so by reconceptualizing PhD programs to be training for careers, outside of academia, but still at high-level positions. Mark C. Taylor opines that total reform of PhD programs in almost every field is necessary in the U.S., and that pressure to make the necessary changes will need to come from many sources (students, administrators, public and private sectors, etc.). These issues and others are discussed in an April 2011 issue of the journal Nature.[10][11][12][13]

    In Canada, where the overflow of PhD degree holders is not as severe, 80% of postdoctoral research fellows end up earning less than or equal to the average construction worker (roughly $38,000 a year).[9] The idea that PhDs are offering little return on investment, monetarily, is bolstered by evidence published in the Journal of Higher Education Management and Policy. Bernard H. Casey suggests that, over all subjects, PhD has an earnings premium of 26%, but notes that masters degrees provide a premium of 23% already. Casey thinks there are significant benefits to society for the extra research training, but points out that this does not change the fact that many individuals could have secured an almost identical salary far earlier (which adds an opportunity cost).[14] Some research suggests that overqualified workers are often less satisfied and less productive at their jobs.[9]

    Not all students, however, are motivated to pursue the PhD by hopes of monetary rewards. Some are driven by the desire for further education beyond the undergraduate level, scientific and humanistic curiosity, the desire to contribute to the academic community, service to others, or personal development.

    The admission to a PhD program at an Argentine University requires the full completion of a Master's degree or a Licentiate's degree. Non-Argentinian Master's titles are generally accepted into a PhD program when the degree comes from a recognized university.

    While a significant portion of postgraduate students finance their tuition and living costs with teaching or research work at private and state-run institutions, international institutions, such as the Fullbright Program and the Organization of American States (OAS), have been known to grant full scholarships for tuition with apportions for housing.[15]

    Upon completion of at least two years' research and course work as a graduate student, a candidate must demonstrate truthful and original contributions to his or her specific field of knowledge within a frame of academic excellence.[16] The doctoral candidate's work should be presented in a dissertation or thesis prepared under the supervision of a tutor or director, and reviewed by a Doctoral Committee. This Committee should be composed of examiners that are external to the program, and at least one of them should also be external to the institution. The academic degree of Doctor, respective to the correspondent field of science that the candidate has contributed with original and rigorous research, is received after a successful defense of the candidate’s dissertation.[17]

    Admission to a PhD program within Australia requires a Masters degree or a Bachelors honours degree (first or second class, upper division), or equivalent, and demonstrated capacity to undertake significant research in the proposed doctoral field.

    Framework for Best Practice in Doctoral Research Education in Australia

    PhD students are sometimes offered a scholarship to study for their PhD degree. The most common of these in Australia is the government-funded Australian Postgraduate Award (APA), which provides a living stipend to students of approximately A$ 22,500 a year (tax free). APAs are paid for a duration of 3 years, while a 6 month extension is usually possible upon citing delays out of the control of the student.[18] Some universities also fund a similar scholarship that matches the APA amount. In recent years, with the tightening of research funding in Australia, these scholarships have become increasingly hard to obtain. However, APAs have become less competitive as the number of scholarships were to be doubled by 2012.[19] Due to a continual increase in living costs, many PhD students are forced to live under the poverty line.[20] In addition to the more common APA and University scholarships, Australian students have other sources of scholarship funding, with options listed on the JASON Postgraduate Scholarship Database.

    Australian citizens and other eligible PhD and Research Masters students in Australia are generally not charged course fees as these are paid for by the Australian Government under the Research Training Scheme[21] International students and Coursework Masters students must pay course fees, unless they receive a scholarship to cover them.

    Completion requirements vary. Most Australian PhD programs do not have a required coursework component. The 72 credit points attached to the degree are all in the product of the research, which has to make a significant new contribution to the field. The PhD research product is sent to external examiners, experts in the field of research, who have not been involved in the work. In Australia a formal oral defense is generally not part of the doctoral examination (largely because of the distances that would need to be traveled by the overseas examiners). Examiners are nominated by the candidate's University (often by the Head of Department or Research Office), and their identities are often not officially revealed to the candidate until the examination is complete. Many New Zealand Universities have retained the oral examination requirement, but often external examiner's report is presented by one of the internal examiners. The Australasian Digital Theses Program provided access to PhDs produced recently, as there are generally automatically digitalised and added to this database available from http://adt.caul.edu.au/. As of March 2011, the site is being decommissioned.[22]

    Admission to a PhD program at a Canadian university usually requires completion of a Master's degree in a related field, with sufficiently high grades and proven research ability. In some cases, a student may progress directly from an Honours Bachelor's degree to a PhD program; other programs allow a student to fast-track to a doctoral program after one year of outstanding work in a Master's program (without having to complete the Master's).

    An application package typically includes a research proposal, letters of reference, transcripts, and in some cases, a writing sample or GRE scores. A common criterion for prospective PhD students is the comprehensive or qualifying examination, a process that often commences in the second year of a graduate program. Generally, successful completion of the qualifying exam permits continuance in the graduate program. Formats for this examination include oral examination by the student's faculty committee (or a separate qualifying committee), or written tests designed to demonstrate the student's knowledge in a specialized area (see below) or both.

    At English-speaking universities, a student may also be required to demonstrate English language abilities, usually by achieving an acceptable score on a standard examination (e.g., Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL)). Depending on the field, the student may also be required to demonstrate ability in one or more additional languages. A prospective student applying to French-speaking universities may also have to demonstrate some English language ability.

    While some students work outside the university (or at student jobs within the university), in some programs students are advised (or must agree) not to devote more than ten hours per week to activities (e.g., employment) outside of their studies, particularly if they have been given funding. For large and prestigious scholarships, such as those from NSERC, this is an absolute requirement.

    At some Canadian universities, most PhD students receive an award equivalent to the tuition amount for the first four years (this is sometimes called a tuition deferral or tuition waiver). Other sources of funding include teaching assistantships and research assistantships; experience as a teaching assistant is encouraged but not requisite in many programs. Some programs may require all PhD candidates to teach, which may be done under the supervision of their supervisor or regular faculty. Besides these sources of funding, there are also various competitive scholarships, bursaries, and awards available, such as those offered by the federal government via NSERC, CIHR, or SSHRC.

    In general, the first two years of study are devoted to completion of coursework and the comprehensive examinations. At this stage, the student is known as a "PhD student" or "doctoral student". It is usually expected that the student will have completed most of his or her required coursework by the end of this stage. Furthermore, it is usually required that by the end of eighteen to thirty-six months after the first registration, the student will have successfully completed the comprehensive exams.

    Upon successful completion of the comprehensive exams, the student becomes known as a "PhD candidate". From this stage on, the bulk of the student's time will be devoted to his or her own research, culminating in the completion of a PhD thesis or dissertation. The final requirement is an oral defense of the thesis, which is open to the public in some, but not all, universities. At most Canadian universities, the time needed to complete a PhD degree typically ranges from four to six years[citation needed]. It is, however, not uncommon for students to be unable to complete all the requirements within six years, particularly given that funding packages often support students for only two to four years; many departments will allow program extensions at the discretion of the thesis supervisor and/or department chair. Alternate arrangements exist whereby a student is allowed to let their registration in the program lapse at the end of six years and re-register once the thesis is completed in draft form. The general rule is that graduate students are obligated to pay tuition until the initial thesis submission has been received by the thesis office. In other words, if a PhD student defers or delays the initial submission of their thesis they remain obligated to pay fees until such time that the thesis has been received in good standing.

    Denmark and Norway were some of the first countries to introduce the Doctor of Philosophy degree, inspired by the German university system, in 1824. The degree was written as Doctor Philosophiae, abbreviated Dr. Phil. or Dr. Philos. The two countries' systems of higher education were more or less identical at that time; following the dissolution of Denmark-Norway in 1814, the only university of Norway (the Royal Frederick University) nonetheless followed the regulations of the only university of Denmark (and for centuries the only university of both countries), the University of Copenhagen, for several years.

    The Dr. Phil. degree was used for all other fields than theology, law and medicine, which had separate degrees: doctor theologiae, doctor juris and doctor medicinae. In the 20th century new degrees were created in the fields of natural sciences, humanities and social sciences, but it was still possible to obtain the Dr. Phil. degree in any field. Most people who started at a doctoral degree had already studied for six or seven years and obtained a Candidate degree (six years) or a Magister degree (seven years), sometimes a Licentiate (a "smaller doctorate"). The former were considered entry-level degrees required before finding permanent employment as a researcher, while the Dr. Phil. degree was often obtained by people who were already well established academics, sometimes even full professors.

    Following reforms in the late 1990s and early 2000s, both countries introduced a new Doctor of Philosophy degree, based upon the American PhD and written as Philosophiae Doctor (PhD). In Norway the PhD replaced all other doctoral degrees except Dr. Philos., while in Denmark, the traditional doctorates are still awarded. In Norway the new PhD and the Dr. Philos. are equivalent. In Denmark, the original Dr. Phil. degree is today considered a higher doctorate, as opposed to the PhD, which is considered a "smaller doctorate" at the same level as the former Licentiate. Unlike the PhD, the Dr. Phil. degree is not a supervised degree, does not include any coursework and requires a much larger degree of independent research in both countries.

    Students pursuing the PhD degree must first complete a Master's degree program, which takes two years after graduation with a Bachelor's degree (five years in total). The candidate must find funding and a formal doctoral advisor (Directeur de thèse) with an habilitation throughout the doctoral program.

    In France, the Masters program is divided into two branches: "master professionnel", which orientates the students towards the working world, and Master of Research (Master-recherche), which is oriented towards research. The PhD admission is granted by a graduate school (in French, "école doctorale"). A PhD Student has to follow some courses offered by the graduate school while continuing his/her research at laboratory. His/her research may be carried out in a laboratory, at a university, or in a company. In the last case, the company hires the student as an engineer and the student is supervised by both the company's tutor and a labs' professor. The validation of the PhD degree requires generally 3 to 4 years after the Master degree. Consequently, the PhD degree is considered in France as a "Bac +8" diploma. "Bac" stands for Baccalauréat which is the French High-school diploma.

    The financing of PhD studies comes mainly from funds for research of the French Ministry of Higher Education and Research. The most common procedure is a short-term employment contract called doctoral contract : the institution of higher education is the employer and the PhD candidate the employee. However, the student can apply for funds from a company who can host him/her at its premise (as in the case where PhD students do their research in a company). Many other resources come from some regional/city projects, some associations, etc.

    In India, a Masters degree is required to gain admission to a doctoral program. In some subjects, doing a Masters in Philosophy (M.Phil) is a prerequisite to start PhD. For some prestigious universities it is required to qualify the all India level examination such as ‘National Eligibility Test for Lectureship (NET)[23] conducted by ‘University Grants Commission' .

    In last few years, there have been many changes in the rules related to PhD in India. According to the new rules, most universities conduct entrance exams in general ability and the selected subject. After clearing these tests, the short-listed candidates need to appear for interview by the available supervisor / guide. The students are required to give presentations of the proposal at the beginning, need to submit progress reports, give pre-submission presentation and finally defend the thesis in an open defence viva voce. Some departments make it mandatory to have one of the examiners to be from US or Europe.

    In Germany an advanced degree (Master, Diploma, Magister or Staatsexamen) and above-average grades are often required to gain admission to a doctoral program. The degree should usually be in a related field. The candidate must also find a tenured professor or Privatdozent to serve as the formal advisor and supervisor (Betreuer) of the dissertation throughout the doctoral program. This supervisor is informally referred to as Doktorvater/Doktormutter (literally 'doctor's father/mother').

    Doctoral programs in Germany generally take one to four years – usually three, up to five in engineering – to complete, strongly depending on the subject. There are usually no formal classes or lectures to attend, and the doctoral candidate (Doktorand/-in) mainly conducts independent research under the tutelage of a single professor or advisory committee.

    Many doctoral candidates work as teaching or research assistants and are thus actually doing most of the research and teaching activities at their home institutions, but are not paid a reasonably competitive salary for that (in most cases, only a half position is granted). However, external funding by research organisations and foundations is also common. Furthermore, many universities have established research-intensive Graduiertenkollegs, which are graduate schools that provide funding for doctoral theses.

    In German-speaking countries, most Eastern European countries, the former Soviet Union, most parts of Africa, Asia, and many Spanish-speaking countries the corresponding degree is simply called "doctor" (Doktor), and is distinguished by subject area with a Latin suffix (e.g. "Dr. med." for doctor medicinae, "Dr. rer. nat." for doctor rerum naturalium — Doctor of Natural Science, "Dr. phil." for doctor philosophiae, "Dr. iur." for doctor iuris, etc.).

    In the former Soviet Union, the Doctor of Sciences is the higher of two sequential post-graduate degrees, with Candidate of Sciences (Russian – ???????? ????) being universally accepted as the equivalent of the PhD, while the Doctorate is a (Full) Professors' or Academicians' separate and subsequent degree, indicating that the holder is a distinguished, honoured, and outstanding member of the scientific community. It is rarely awarded to those younger than late middle age or lacking in achievement and is a symbol of success in an academic career.

    The Dottorato di ricerca (research doctorate), abbreviated to "Dott. Ric." or "Ph.D.", is an academic title awarded at the end of a course of not less than three years, admission to which is based on entrance examinations. In case of MD/PhD the Ph.D. programme may last only two years.

    Doctorate courses are open, without age or citizenship limits, to all those who already hold a "laurea magistrale" (master degree) or similar academic title awarded abroad which has been recognised as equivalent to an Italian degree by the Committee responsible for the entrance examinations.

    The number of places on offer each year and details of the entrance examinations are set out in the examination announcement.

    A doctor's degree (pl. Doktor), abbreviated to Phd (pl. dr) is an advanced academic degree awarded by universities in most fields [24][25][26][27][28] as well as by the Polish Academy of Sciences,[29] regulated by the polish parliament acts[30] and the government orders, in particular by the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Republic of Poland. Commonly, students with a master's degree or equivalent are accepted to a doctoral entrance exam. The title of Phd is awarded to a scientist who 1) completed a minimum of 3 years of Phd studies (pl. studia doktoranckie), 2) finished his/her theoretical and/or laboratory’s scientific work, 3) passed all Phd examinations, 4) submitted his/her dissertation- a document presenting the author's research and findings,[31] 5) successfully defended his/her doctoral thesis. Typically, upon completion, the candidate undergoes an oral examination, always public, by his/her supervisory committee with expertise in the given discipline.

    The doctorate was introduced in Denmark-Norway in 1479 and awarded in theology, law and medicine, while the Magister's degree was the highest degree at the Faculty of Philosophy, equivalent to the doctorate.

    Scandinavian countries were among the early adopters of a modern style doctorate of philosophy, based upon the German model. Denmark and Norway both introduced the Dr. Phil(os). degree in 1824, replacing the Magister's degree as the highest degree, while Uppsala University of Sweden renamed its Magister's degree Filosofie Doktor (Fil.Dr.) in 1863. These degrees, however, became comparable to the German Habilitation rather than the doctorate, as Scandinavian countries did not have a separate Habilitation.[32] The degrees were uncommon and not a prerequisite for employment as a professor; rather, they were seen as distinctions similar to the British (higher) doctorates (D.Litt., D.Sc.). Denmark introduced an American-style PhD in 1989; it formally replaced the Licentiate degree, and is considered a lower degree than the Dr. Phil. degree; officially, the PhD is not considered a doctorate, but unofficially, it is referred to as "the smaller doctorate", as opposed to the Dr. Phil., "the grand doctorate".[33] Currently Denmark and Norway are both awarding the traditional (higher) Dr. Phil(os). degree, and American-style PhDs. Sweden is only awarding the Fil.Dr. degree.

    Doctor Degrees are regulated by Royal Decree (R.D. 778/1998),[34] Real Decreto (in Spanish). They are granted by the University on behalf of the King, and its Diploma has the force of a public document. The Ministry of Science keeps a National Registry of Theses called TESEO.[35]

    All doctoral programs are of a research nature. A minimum of 4 years of study are required, divided into 2 stages:

    A 2-year-long period of studies, which concludes with a public dissertation presented to a panel of 3 Professors. If the projects receives approval from the university, he/she will receive a "Diploma de Estudios Avanzados" (part qualified doctor).
    A 2-year (or longer) period of research. Extensions may be requested for up to 10 years. The student must write his thesis presenting a new discovery or original contribution to Science. If approved by his "thesis director", the study will be presented to a panel of 5 distinguished scholars. Any Doctor attending the public presentations is allowed to challenge the candidate with questions on his research. If approved, he will receive the doctorate. Four marks can be granted (Unsatisfactory, Pass, "Cum laude", and "Summa cum laude"). Those Doctors granted their degree "Summa Cum Laude" are allowed to apply for an "Extraordinary Award".
    A Doctor Degree is required to apply to a teaching position at the University.

    The social standing of Doctors in Spain is evidenced by the fact that only PhD holders, Grandees and Dukes can take seat and cover their heads in the presence of the King.[36] All Doctor Degree holders are reciprocally recognized as equivalent in Germany and Spain ("Bonn Agreement of November 14, 1994").[37]

    Earning a PhD or DPhil infers the title Dr. There is a common misconception (especially among women who are unmarried at the end of their PhD[citation needed]) that this title is specific to the surname which the person had when the degree was obtained. However, this is incorrect and regardless of whether a person changed their name they will not lose the title. Once the title is earned it cannot be removed unless the person requests it to be by Deed Poll.

    The top ten UK universities ranked by research quality according to the Times Literary Supplement[38] with their designatory letters:

    University Letters University Letters
    Cambridge PhD Manchester PhD
    Oxford DPhil Warwick PhD
    LSE PhD Essex PhD
    Imperial PhD York PhD
    UCL PhD Edinburgh PhD

    Universities admit applicants to PhD programmes on a case-by-case basis; depending on the university, admission is typically conditional on the prospective student having successfully completed an undergraduate degree with at least upper second-class honours, or a postgraduate master's degree, but requirements can vary.

    In the case of the University of Oxford, for example, "The one essential condition of being accepted...is evidence of previous academic excellence, and of future potential."[39] Commonly, students are first accepted on to an MPhil programme and may transfer to PhD regulations upon satisfactory progress and is referred to as APG (Advanced Postgraduate) status. This is typically done after one or two years, and the research work done may count towards the PhD degree. If a student fails to make satisfactory progress, he or she may be offered the opportunity to write up and submit for an MPhil degree.

    In addition, PhD students from countries outside the EU/EFTA area are required to comply with the Academic Technology Approval Scheme (ATAS), which involves undergoing a security clearance process with the Foreign Office for certain courses in medicine, mathematics, engineering and material sciences.[40][41] This requirement was introduced in 2007 due to concerns about terrorism and weapons proliferation.[41]

    In the United Kingdom, funding for PhD students is sometimes provided by government-funded Research Councils or the European Social Fund, usually in the form of a tax-free bursary which consists of tuition fees together with a stipend of around £13,000 per year for three years (higher in London),[42] whether or not the degree continues for longer. Scientific studentships are usually paid at a higher rate, for example, in London, Cancer Research UK, the ICR and the Wellcome Trust stipend rates start at around £19,000 and progress annually to around £23,000 a year; an amount that is tax and national insurance free. Research Council funding is sometimes 'earmarked' for a particular department or research group, who then allocate it to a chosen student, although in doing so they are generally expected to abide by the usual minimum entry requirements (typically a first degree with upper second class honours, although successful completion of a postgraduate master's degree is usually counted as raising the class of the first degree by one division for these purposes). However, the availability of funding in many disciplines (especially humanities, social studies, and pure science[citation needed] subjects) means that in practice only those with the best research proposals, references and backgrounds are likely to be awarded a studentship. The ESRC (Economic and Social Science Research Council) explicitly state that a 2.1 minimum (or 2.2 plus additional masters degree) is required – no additional marks are given for students with a first class honours or a distinction at masters level.

    Since 2002, there has been a move by research councils to fund interdisciplinary doctoral training centres such as MOAC[43] which concentrate on communication between traditional disciplines and an emphasis on transferable skills in addition to research training.

    Many students who are not in receipt of external funding may choose to undertake the degree part time, thus reducing the tuition fees, as well as creating free time in which to earn money for subsistence.

    Students may also take part in tutoring, work as research assistants, or (occasionally) deliver lectures, at a rate of typically £25–30 per hour, either to supplement existing low income or as a sole means of funding.[44]

    There is usually a preliminary assessment to remain in the programme and the thesis is submitted at the end of a 3- to 4-year program. These periods are usually extended pro rata for part-time students. With special dispensation, the final date for the thesis can be extended for up to four additional years, for a total of seven, but this is rare.[citation needed] Since the early 1990s, the UK funding councils have adopted a policy of penalising departments where large proportions of students fail to submit their theses in four years after achieving PhD-student status (or pro rata equivalent) by reducing the number of funded places in subsequent years.[45]

    There has recently been an increase in the number of Integrated PhD programs available, such as at the University of Southampton. These courses include a Masters of Research (MRes) in the first year, which consists of a taught component as well as laboratory rotation projects. The PhD must then be completed within the next 3 years. As this includes the MRes all deadlines and timeframes are brought forward to encourage completion of both MRes and PhD within 4 years from commencement. These programs are designed to provide students with a greater range of skills than a standard PhD.

    In the United Kingdom PhD degrees are distinct from other doctorates, most notably the higher doctorates such as D.Litt. (Doctor of Letters) or D.Sc. (Doctor of Science), which may be granted on the recommendation of a committee of examiners on the basis of a substantial portfolio of submitted (and usually published) research. However, most UK universities still maintain the option of submitting a thesis for the award of a higher doctorate.

    Recent years have seen the introduction of professional doctorates, which are the same level as PhDs but more specific in their field.[46] These tend not to be solely academic, but combine academic research, a taught component and a professional qualification. These are most notably in the fields of engineering (Eng.D.), education (Ed.D.), occupational psychology (D.Occ Psych.) clinical psychology (D.Clin.Psych.), public administration (D.P.A.), business administration (D.B.A.), and music (D.M.A.). These typically have a more formal taught component consisting of smaller research projects, as well as a 40,000–60,000 word thesis component, which collectively is equivalent to that of a PhD degree.

    In the United States, the Ph.D. degree is the highest academic degree awarded by universities in most fields of study. American students typically undergo a series of three phases in the course of their work toward the Ph.D. degree. The first phase consists of coursework in the student's field of study and requires one to three years to complete. This often is followed by a preliminary, a comprehensive examination, or a series of cumulative examinations where the emphasis is on breadth rather than depth of knowledge. The student is often later required to pass oral and written examinations in the field of specialization within the discipline, and here, depth is emphasized. Some Ph.D. programs require the candidate to successfully complete requirements in pedagogy (taking courses on higher level teaching and teaching undergraduate courses) or applied science (e.g., clinical practice and predoctoral clinical internship in Ph.D. programs in clinical or counseling psychology).[citation needed]

    Another two to four years are usually required for the composition of a substantial and original contribution to human knowledge in the form of a written dissertation, which in the social sciences and humanities typically ranges from 50 to 450 pages in length. In many cases, depending on the discipline, a dissertation consists of (i) a comprehensive literature review, (ii) an outline of methodology, and (iii) several chapters of scientific, social, historical, philosophical, or literary analysis. Typically, upon completion, the candidate undergoes an oral examination, sometimes public, by his or her supervisory committee with expertise in the given discipline.[citation needed]

    As the Ph.D. degree is often a preliminary step toward a career as a professor, throughout the whole period of study and dissertation research the student, depending on the university and degree, may be required or offered the opportunity to teach undergraduate and occasionally graduate courses in relevant subjects.[citation needed]

    There are 282 universities in the United States that award the PhD degree, and those universities vary widely in their criteria for admission, as well as the rigor of their academic programs.[47] Typically, PhD programs require applicants to have a Bachelor's degree in a relevant field (and, in many cases in the humanities, a master's degree), reasonably high grades, several letters of recommendation, relevant academic coursework, a cogent statement of interest in the field of study, and satisfactory performance on a graduate-level exam specified by the respective program (e.g., GRE, GMAT).[48][49] Specific admissions criteria differ substantially according to university admissions policies and fields of study; some programs in well-regarded research universities may admit less than five percent of applicants and require an exceptional performance on the GRE along with near-perfect grades, strong support in letters of recommendation, substantial research experience, and academically sophisticated samples of their writing.[citation needed]

    As applicants to many Ph.D. programs are not required to have master's degrees, many programs award a Master of Arts or Master of Science degree "en route", "in passing", or "in course" based on the graduate work done in the course of achieving the Ph.D. Students who receive such master's degrees are usually required to complete a certain amount of coursework and a master's thesis or field examination. Not all Ph.D. programs require additional work to obtain a master's en route to the Ph.D. (e.g., a master's thesis). Depending on the specific program, masters-in-passing degrees can be either mandatory or optional. Not all Ph.D. students choose to complete the additional requirements necessary for the MA or MS if such requirements are not mandated by their programs. Those students will simply obtain the Ph.D. degree at the end of their graduate study.[citation needed]

    Depending on the specific field of study, completion of a PhD program usually takes four to eight years of study after the Bachelor's Degree; those students who begin a PhD program with a master's degree may complete their PhD degree a year or two sooner.[50] As PhD programs typically lack the formal structure of undergraduate education, there are significant individual differences in the time taken to complete the degree. Many U.S. universities have set a ten-year limit for students in PhD programs, or refuse to consider graduate credit older than ten years as counting towards a PhD degree. Similarly, students may be required to re-take the comprehensive exam if they do not defend their dissertations within five years after submitting it to their self-chosen dissertation advisors.[citation needed] Overall, 57% of students who begin a PhD program in the US will complete their degree within ten years, approximately 30% will drop out or be dismissed, and the remaining 13% of students will continue on past ten years.[51]

    PhD students are usually discouraged from engaging in external employment during the course of their graduate training. As a result, PhD students at U.S. universities typically receive a tuition waiver and some form of annual stipend.[citation needed] The source and amount of funding varies from field to field and university to university. Many U.S. PhD students work as teaching assistants or research assistants. Graduate schools increasingly[citation needed] encourage their students to seek outside funding; many are supported by fellowships they obtain for themselves or by their advisers' research grants from government agencies such as the National Science Foundation and the National Institutes of Health. Many Ivy League and other well-endowed universities provide funding for the entire duration of the degree program (if it is short) or for most of it.[citation needed]

    A PhD program candidate, or PhDc (sometimes called Candidate of Philosophy), is a postgraduate student at the doctoral level who has successfully satisfied the requirements for doctoral studies, except for the final thesis or dissertation. As such, a PhDc is sometimes called an "ABD" (All But Dissertation or All But Defended). Although a minor distinction in postgraduate study, achieving PhD Candidacy is not without benefit. For example, PhDc status may coincide with an increase in the student's monthly stipend and may make the student eligible for additional employment opportunities.[citation needed]

    Some programs also include a Master of Philosophy degree as part of the PhD program.[52] The MPhil, in those universities that offer it, is usually awarded after the appropriate MA or MS (as above) is awarded, and the degree candidate has completed all further requirements for the PhD degree (which may include additional language requirements, course credits, teaching experiences, and comprehensive exams) aside from the writing and defense of the dissertation itself.[citation needed] This formalizes the "all but dissertation" (ABD) status used informally by some students, and represents that the student has achieved a higher level of scholarship than the MA/MS would indicate – as such, the MPhil is sometimes a helpful credential for those applying for teaching or research posts while completing their dissertation work for the PhD degree itself.[53]

    PhDc is not to be confused with Candidate of Sciences, an academic degree that has been used in certain countries in place of PhD.

    A PhD title holder must fulfill a number of strict requirements including:

    - Passing entrance examinations including a professional examination, a foreign language examination, and successfully defending the dissertation proposal
    - Conducting the research work as approved in the entrance examination
    - Publishing research results in respective professional journals
    - Successfully defending the research results twice, first with a scientific panel designated by the university. If passed, the PhD candidate will have to defend in a nation-wide panel including two hidden external reviewers; the panel is formulated by the ministry of education and training.
    Vietnam is trying to improve its PhD training quality as well as simplifying the procedures required to obtain the degree.

    At some universities, there may be training for those wishing to supervise PhD studies. There is now a lot of literature published for academics who wish to do this, such as Delamont, Atkinson and Parry (1997). Indeed, Dinham and Scott (2001) have argued that the worldwide growth in research students has been matched by increase in a number of what they term "how-to" texts for both students and supervisors, citing examples such as Pugh and Phillips (1987). These authors report empirical data on the benefits that a PhDc may gain if he or she publishes work, and note that PhD students are more likely to do this with adequate encouragement from their supervisors.

    Wisker (2005) has noticed how research into this field has distinguished between two models of supervision: The technical-rationality model of supervision, emphasising technique; The negotiated order model, being less mechanistic and emphasising fluid and dynamic change in the PhD process. These two models were first distinguished by Acker, Hill and Black (1994; cited in Wisker, 2005). Considerable literature exists on the expectations that supervisors may have of their students (Phillips & Pugh, 1987) and the expectations that students may have of their supervisors (Phillips & Pugh, 1987; Wilkinson, 2005) in the course of PhD supervision. Similar expectations are implied by the Quality Assurance Agency's Code for Supervision (Quality Assurance Agency, 1999; cited in Wilkinson, 2005).

    Doctor of Education – Preparation for academic, administrative, clinical or research positions in education.
    PhD in Management – A program designed for students interested in becoming professors in Business.
    Doctorate – A general term describing a set of degrees analogous to the PhD.
    Terminal degree – The highest degree awarded in a field, usually a PhD.
    Graduate student – A student pursuing education past the bachelor's degree, such as Masters Degree or a PhD.
    C.Phil. (also ABD) – Term, usually used unofficially, for a graduate student who has completed all PhD coursework but has yet to defend his or her dissertation.
    ?????? ???? – Degree awarded by USSR and post-Soviet states (for example Russia, Ukraine).
    Licentiate – Degree awarded in various countries, including Portugal, Belgium, the UK, Argentina, Germany, Switzerland, Sweden, Finland, Australia, New Zealand, Mexico and Poland.
    Sandwich PhD Programme

    PhD in popular culture:

    Piled Higher and Deeper – Life (or the lack thereof) in Academia, a comic strip by Jorge Cham

    Notes

    ^ Such as Germany, the Scandinavian countries and formerly the United States
    ^ "History of the Ph.D.". Phdcourse.net. http://phdcourse.net/history-of-the-ph.d./history-of-the-ph.d./. Retrieved 2011-02-01.
    ^ See, for instance, Rosenberg, R. P. (1962). "Eugene Schuyler's Doctor of Philosophy Degree: A Theory Concerning the Dissertation". The Journal of Higher Education 33 (7): 381–386. doi:10.2307/1979947. JSTOR 1979947. edit
    ^ Simpson, Renate (1984). How the PhD came to Britain : A Century of Struggle for Postgraduate Education. Taylor and Francis. ISBN 0900868953.
    ^ "The Mathematics PhD in the United Kingdom". http://www.economics.soton.ac.uk/staff/aldrich/PhD.htm. Retrieved 2010-11-17.
    ^ Dinham, S.; Scott, C. (2001). "The Experience of Disseminating the Results of Doctoral Research". Journal of Further and Higher Education 25: 45–55. doi:10.1080/03098770020030498. edit
    ^ The term "doctor of philosophy" is not always applied by those countries to graduates in disciplines other than philosophy itself. These doctoral degrees, however, are sometimes identified in English as Ph.D. degrees.
    ^ What does PhDc stand for? Acronyms and abbreviations by the Free Online Dictionary
    ^ a b c http://www.economist.com/node/17723223, The disposable academic, The Economist, December 18, 2010
    ^ "Fix the PhD". Nature 472 (7343): 259–260. 2011. doi:10.1038/472259b. PMID 21512527. edit
    ^ Taylor, M. (2011). "Reform the PhD system or close it down". Nature 472 (7343): 261–261. doi:10.1038/472261a. PMID 21512530. edit
    ^ Cyranoski, D.; Gilbert, N.; Ledford, H.; Nayar, A.; Yahia, M. (2011). "Education: The PhD factory". Nature 472 (7343): 276–279. doi:10.1038/472276a. PMID 21512548. edit
    ^ Fiske, P. (2011). "What is a PhD really worth?". Nature 472 (7343): 381–381. doi:10.1038/nj7343-381a. edit
    ^ Journal of Higher Education Management and Policy, the economic contribution of PhDs, http://www.informaworld.com/smpp/content~db=all~content=a912992314
    ^ "Scholarships in Argentina". Spuweb.siu.edu.ar. http://spuweb.siu.edu.ar/studyinargentina/pages/study1203.php. Retrieved 2010-04-28.
    ^ "GFME: Global Foundation for Management Education" (PDF). http://www.gfme.org/global_guide/pdf/13-18%20Argentina.pdf. Retrieved 2010-04-28.
    ^ "Comisión Nacional de Evaluación y Acreditación Universitaria (Spanish)}". Coneau.edu.ar. http://www.coneau.edu.ar/index.php?item=29&apps=16&id=428&act=ver&idioma=en. Retrieved 2010-04-28. [dead link]
    ^ http://www.utas.edu.au/graduate-research/scholarships/domestic-scholarships/australian-postgraduate-awards
    ^ http://www.phdseek.com/logbook/funding/postgraduate-scholarships-for-study-in-australia/
    ^ ABC (2008). "PhD students living below poverty line". ABC News 2008 (April): 1–2. http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/04/30/2231306.htm.
    ^ "http://www.heimshelp.deewr.gov.au/2_Glossary/R/RESEARCH_TRAINING_SCHEME_RTS.htm. Research Training Scheme". DEEWR. 2011.
    ^ http://www.caul.edu.au/caul-programs/australasian-digital-theses
    ^ "N E T – Inside H E – University Grants Commission". Ugc.ac.in. 1988-07-22. http://www.ugc.ac.in/inside/net.html. Retrieved 2010-02-07.
    ^ Medical Centre of Postgraduate Education in Warsaw,
    ^ Over 600 years of Jagiellonian University in Cracow,
    ^ University of Warsaw ,
    ^ Cracow University of Technology ,
    ^ Warsaw University of Technology,
    ^ Polish Academy of Science ,
    ^ Sejm of the Republic of Poland,
    ^ Exemplary results of a laboratory studies – publication,
    ^ Dommasnes, Liv Helga; Else Johansen Kleppe, Gro Mandt and Jenny-Rita Næss (1998). "Women archeologists in retrospect – the Norwegian case". In Margarita Díaz-Andreu García and Marie Louise Stig Sørensen. Excavating women: a history of women in European archaeology. London: Routledge. ISBN 0415157609. "[...] a Dr. philos. degree, which is the highest academic degree in Norway, roughly equivalent to the German Doktor Habilitation. Traditionally, this degree, which was considered a prerequisite for obtaining top positions within academia, was earned rather late in life, often after one had passed 50 years of age."
    ^ Elisabeth Vestergaard (2006). Den danske forskeruddannelse. Rapporter, evalueringer og anbefalinger 1992 – 2006. Aarhus: Dansk Center for Forskningsanalyse
    ^ Universidad Politécnica de Madrid (Spanish)
    ^ Base de Datos TESEO
    ^ "Raíces de las normas y tradiciones del protocolo y ceremonial universitario actual: las universidades del Antiguo Régimen y los actos de colación. Protocolo y Etiqueta" (in (Spanish)). Protocolo.org. http://www.protocolo.org/gest_web/proto_Seccion.pl?rfID=459&arefid=2871&pag=8. Retrieved 2010-04-28.
    ^ "Boletín Oficial del Estado. Texto del Documento". Boe.es. 1995-05-24. http://www.boe.es/g/es/bases_datos/doc.php?coleccion=iberlex&id=1995/12243&codmap=. Retrieved 2010-04-28.
    ^ "University Rankings". timesonline.co.uk. http://extras.timesonline.co.uk/stug/universityguide.php?sort=RESEARCH. Retrieved 26 April 2011.
    ^ "University of Oxford". Ox.ac.uk. http://www.ox.ac.uk/admissions/postgraduate_courses/index.html. Retrieved 2010-04-28.
    ^ FCO Counter terrorism & weapons proliferation staff: Advice for PHD/doctoral level students applying for an ATAS certificate. Retrieved 16 September 2008.
    ^ a b Postgrad checks worry scientists BBC News, 12 March 2007
    ^ Arts and Humanities Research Council[dead link]
    ^ "University of Warwick". Warwick.ac.uk. http://www.warwick.ac.uk/go/moac. Retrieved 2010-04-28.
    ^ Bray, M.; Kwok, P. (2003). "Demand for private supplementary tutoring: Conceptual considerations, and socio-economic patterns in Hong Kong". Economics of Education Review 22 (6): 611–620. doi:10.1016/S0272-7757(03)00032-3. edit
    ^ "ESRC Society Today". ESRC Society Today. http://www.esrcsocietytoday.ac.uk/ESRCInfoCentre/Images/res_grant_linked_studentships_tcm6-12550.pdf. Retrieved 2010-04-28.
    ^ "Professional Doctorate". http://www.professionaldoctorates.com/explained.asp. Retrieved 2010-04-28.
    ^ Listing of Research I Universities, Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching – 282 is the sum of all three categories of doctoral universities.
    ^ "Wharton Doctoral Programs: Application Requirements". Wharton.upenn.edu. 2009-12-15. http://www.wharton.upenn.edu/doctoral/admissions/apply/requirements.cfm#scores. Retrieved 2010-04-28.
    ^ Columbia University in the City of New York[dead link]
    ^ "Research Doctorate Programmes". US Department of Education. 2006-06-18. http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-research-doctorate.html.
    ^ In humanities, ten years may not be enough to get a PhD, "The Chronicle of Higher Education" July 27, 2007
    ^ "Master of Philosophy (M.Phil.)". Columbia.edu. 1999-02-22. http://www.columbia.edu/cu/gsas/rules/chapter-7/pages/deg-req/sec/mphil.html. Retrieved 2010-04-28.
    ^ "Policies and Regulations". Yale.edu. http://www.yale.edu/bulletin/html2003/grad/policies.html. Retrieved 2010-04-28.

    References

    Delamont, S., Atkinson, P. & Parry, O. (1997). Supervising the Ph.D.: A guide to success. Buckingham: Open University Press. ISBN 0-335-19516-4
    Dinham, S. & Scott, C. (2001). The experience of the results of disseminating the results of doctoral research. Journal of Further and Higher Education, 25 (1) 45–55. ISSN: 1469-9486
    Drury, V., Francis, K., & Chapman, Y. (2006). Walking the void – being a rural PhD student. Australian Journal of Rural Health, 14, p233.
    MacGillivray, Alex; Potts, Gareth; Raymond, Polly. Secrets of Their Success (London: New Economics Foundation, 2002).
    Phillips, E. & Pugh, D.S. (1987). How to get a PhD : managing the peaks and troughs of research / Estelle M. Phillips and D.S. Pugh. Milton Keynes: Open University Press ISBN 0-335-15537-5
    Simpson, Renate. How the PhD came to Britain: A century of struggle for postgraduate education, Society for Research into Higher Education, Guildford (1983).
    Wellington, J. Bathmaker, A._M., Hunt, C., McCullough, G. & Sikes, P. (2005). Succeeding with your doctorate. London: Sage. ISBN 1-4129-0116-2
    Wilkinson, D. (2005) The essential guide to postgraduate study. London : SAGE ISBN 1-4129-0062-X (hbk.)
    Wisker, G. (2005) The Good Supervisor: Supervising Postgraduate and Undergraduate Research for Doctoral Theses and Dissertations. Palgrave Macmillan. ISBN 1-4039-0395-6.

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    orthodoxymoron
    orthodoxymoron


    Posts : 13283
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    Post  orthodoxymoron Sun Jun 24, 2018 12:26 am

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    Regarding the previous PhD post, if I were young, smart, and had the right connections, I think I might like to be a Perpetual-Pupil in an Ivy-League University, creating dozens of Interdisciplinary-Dissertations which would then be turned into Bestselling Books!! Do you see what I'm saying?? I'd live and work in an On-Campus Shallow-Underground 600 Square-Foot Office-Apartment with a Supercomputer and the InterPlaNet!! What Would John Nash Say?? It's obviously too-late for that, but I'd still like to turn my Internet-Madness into a Doctoral-Dissertation and a Best-Selling Book!! Actually, that might be a BAD Idea, given that I'm crude, rude, and socially-unacceptable!! We all have our crosses to bear, don't we??

    Note carefully the Story of Joseph in the next several posts. Note how much of Genesis is devoted to the Story of Joseph. Note also the manner in which Ellen White tells this story (with a Royal-Model Whole-Bible approach). What's REALLY going-on here?? What Would King David, King Solomon, and the Queen of Sheba Say?? When the Story of Joseph ends, I might jump to the Story of Israel's First Kings. Is there a significant connection?? Is the Story of Joseph somehow related to the Greatest Story Ever Told?? What Would Dr. Who Say?? Once again, remember the little murdered boy, named "Joseph", in the 1980 movie The Changeling. Remember that my threads are highly intuitive, speculative, irreverent, and unorthodox. Researchers Beware!!


    The Internet Makes It WAY Too Easy
    to Get Into Trouble!!



    United States AI Solar System (6) - Page 2 Alex-jones-equals-bill-hicks
    United States AI Solar System (6) - Page 2 Iconbill

    I suspect that I'll be ignored and hated for the rest of my life -- but that ten-years after I'm dead, someone will notice my long-lost threads -- and I'll become a Religious and Political Rock-Star!!  Meanwhile, try combining the following to achieve a composite-character:

    1. The Story of Joseph (All Versions).

    2. The Story of King David (All Versions).

    3. Job through Isaiah (NKJV).

    4. The Movie Cleopatra (with Elizabeth Taylor -- 1963). Imagine Cleopatra telling the Story of Joseph (as posted below) on a UFO!!

    5. The Movie The Agony and the Ecstasy (with Rex Harrison -- 1965).

    6. All Seasons and Movies of Stargate SG-1.



    http://www.whiteestate.org/books/pp/pp19.html Crossing the Jordan, "Jacob came in peace to the city of Shechem, which is in the land of Canaan." Genesis 33:18, R.V. Thus the patriarch's prayer at Bethel, that God would bring him again in peace to his own land, had been granted. For a time he dwelt in the vale of Shechem. It was here that Abraham, more than a hundred years before, had made his first encampment and erected his first altar in the Land of Promise. Here Jacob "bought the parcel of ground where he had spread his tent, at the hand of the children of Hamor, Shechem's father, for a hundred pieces of money. And he erected there an altar, and called it El-elohe-Israel" (verses 19, 20)--God, the God of Israel." Like Abraham, Jacob set up beside his tent an altar unto the Lord, calling the members of his household to the morning and the evening sacrifice. It was here also that he dug the well to which, seventeen centuries later, came Jacob's Son and Saviour, and beside which, resting during the noontide heat, He told His wondering hearers of that "well of water springing up into everlasting life." John 4:14.

    The tarry of Jacob and his sons at Shechem ended in violence and bloodshed. The one daughter of the household had been brought to shame and sorrow, two brothers were involved in the guilt of murder, a whole city had been given to ruin and slaughter, in retaliation for the lawless deed of one rash youth. The beginning that led to results so terrible was the act of Jacob's daughter, who "went out to see the daughters of the land," thus venturing into association with the ungodly. He who seeks pleasure among those that fear not God is placing himself on Satan's ground and inviting his temptations.

    The treacherous cruelty of Simeon and Levi was not unprovoked; yet in their course toward the Shechemites they committed a grievous sin. They had carefully concealed from Jacob their intentions, and the tidings of their revenge filled him with horror. Heartsick at the deceit and violence of his sons, he only said, "Ye have troubled me to make me to stink among the inhabitants of the land: . . . and I being few in number, they shall gather themselves together against me, and slay me; and I shall be destroyed, I and my house." But the grief and abhorrence with which he regarded their bloody deed is shown by the words in which, nearly fifty years later, he referred to it, as he lay upon his deathbed in Egypt: "Simeon and Levi are brethren; instruments of cruelty are in their habitations. O my soul, come not thou into their secret; unto their assembly, mine honor, be not thou united. . . . Cursed be their anger, for it was fierce; and their wrath, for it was cruel." Genesis 49:5-7.

    Jacob felt that there was cause for deep humiliation. Cruelty and falsehood were manifest in the character of his sons. There were false gods in the camp, and idolatry had to some extent gained a foothold even in his household. Should the Lord deal with them according to their deserts, would He not leave them to the vengeance of the surrounding nations?

    While Jacob was thus bowed down with trouble, the Lord directed him to journey southward to Bethel. The thought of this place reminded the patriarch not only of his vision of the angels and of God's promises of mercy, but also of the vow which he had made there, that the Lord should be his God. He determined that before going to this sacred spot his household should be freed from the defilement of idolatry. He therefore gave direction to all in the encampment, "Put away the strange gods that are among you, and be clean, and change your garments: and let us arise, and go up to Bethel; and I will make there an altar unto God, who answered me in the day of my distress, and was with me in the way which I went."

    With deep emotion Jacob repeated the story of his first visit to Bethel, when he left his father's tent a lonely wanderer, fleeing for his life, and how the Lord had appeared to him in the night vision. As he reviewed the wonderful dealings of God with him, his own heart was softened, his children also were touched by a subduing power; he had taken the most effectual way to prepare them to join in the worship of God when they should arrive at Bethel. "And they gave unto Jacob all the strange gods which were in their hand, and all their earrings which were in their ears; and Jacob hid them under the oak which was by Shechem."

    God caused a fear to rest upon the inhabitants of the land, so that they made no attempt to avenge the slaughter at Shechem. The travelers reached Bethel unmolested. Here the Lord again appeared to Jacob and renewed to him the covenant promise. "And Jacob set up a pillar in the place where He talked with him, even a pillar of stone."

    At Bethel, Jacob was called to mourn the loss of one who had long been an honored member of his father's family--Rebekah's nurse, Deborah, who had accompanied her mistress from Mesopotamia to the land of Canaan. The presence of this aged woman had been to Jacob a precious tie that bound him to his early life, and especially to the mother whose love for him had been so strong and tender. Deborah was buried with expressions of so great sorrow that the oak under which her grave was made, was called "the oak of weeping." It should not be passed unnoticed that the memory of her life of faithful service and of the mourning over this household friend has been accounted worthy to be preserved in the word of God.

    From Bethel it was only a two days' journey to Hebron, but it brought to Jacob a heavy grief in the death of Rachel. Twice seven years' service he had rendered for her sake, and his love had made the toil but light. How deep and abiding that love had been, was shown when long afterward, as Jacob in Egypt lay near his death, Joseph came to visit his father, and the aged patriarch, glancing back upon his own life, said, "As for me, when I came from Padan, Rachel died by me in the land of Canaan in the way, when yet there was but a little way to come unto Ephrath: and I buried her there in the way of Ephrath." Genesis 48:7. In the family history of his long and troubled life the loss of Rachel was alone recalled.

    Before her death Rachel gave birth to a second son. With her parting breath she named the child Benoni, "son of my sorrow." But his father called him Benjamin, "son of my right hand," or "my strength." Rachel was buried where she died, and a pillar was raised upon the spot to perpetuate her memory.

    On the way to Ephrath another dark crime stained the family of Jacob, causing Reuben, the first-born son, to be denied the privileges and honors of the birthright.

    At last Jacob came to his journey's end, "unto Isaac his father unto Mamre, . . . which is Hebron, where Abraham and Isaac sojourned." Here he remained during the closing years of his father's life. To Isaac, infirm and blind, the kind attentions of this long-absent son were a comfort during years of loneliness and bereavement.

    Jacob and Esau met at the deathbed of their father. Once the elder brother had looked forward to this event as an opportunity for revenge, but his feelings had since greatly changed. And Jacob, well content with the spiritual blessings of the birthright, resigned to the elder brother the inheritance of their father's wealth--the only inheritance that Esau sought or valued. They were no longer estranged by jealousy or hatred, yet they parted, Esau removing to Mount Seir. God, who is rich in blessing, had granted to Jacob worldly wealth, in addition to the higher good that he had sought. The possessions of the two brothers "were more than that they might dwell together; and the land wherein they were strangers could not bear them because of their cattle." This separation was in accordance with the divine purpose concerning Jacob. Since the brothers differed so greatly in regard to religious faith, it was better for them to dwell apart.

    Esau and Jacob had alike been instructed in the knowledge of God, and both were free to walk in His commandments and to receive His favor; but they had not both chosen to do this. The two brothers had walked in different ways, and their paths would continue to diverge more and more widely.

    There was no arbitrary choice on the part of God by which Esau was shut out from the blessings of salvation. The gifts of His grace through Christ are free to all. There is no election but one's own by which any may perish. God has set forth in His word the conditions upon which every soul will be elected to eternal life--obedience to His commandments, through faith in Christ. God has elected a character in harmony with His law, and anyone who shall reach the standard of His requirement will have an entrance into the kingdom of glory. Christ Himself said, "He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life." John 3:36. "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." Matthew 7:21. And in the Revelation He declares, "Blessed are they that do His commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city." Revelation 22:14. As regards man's final salvation, this is the only election brought to view in the word of God.

    Every soul is elected who will work out his own salvation with fear and trembling. He is elected who will put on the armor and fight the good fight of faith. He is elected who will watch unto prayer, who will search the Scriptures, and flee from temptation. He is elected who will have faith continually, and who will be obedient to every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. The  provisions  of redemption are free to all; the results of redemption will be enjoyed by those who have complied with the conditions.

    Esau had despised the blessings of the covenant. He had valued temporal above spiritual good, and he had received that which he desired. It was by his own deliberate choice that he was separated from the people of God. Jacob had chosen the inheritance of faith. He had endeavored to obtain it by craft, treachery, and falsehood; but God had permitted his sin to work out its correction. Yet through all the bitter experience of his later years, Jacob had never swerved from his purpose or renounced his choice. He had learned that in resorting to human skill and craft to secure the blessing, he had been warring against God. From that night of wrestling beside the Jabbok, Jacob had come forth a different man. Self-confidence had been uprooted. Henceforth the early cunning was no longer seen. In place of craft and deception, his life was marked by simplicity and truth. He had learned the lesson of simple reliance upon the Almighty Arm, and amid trial and affliction he bowed in humble submission to the will of God. The baser elements of character were consumed in the furnace fire, the true gold was refined, until the faith of Abraham and Isaac appeared undimmed in Jacob.

    The sin of Jacob, and the train of events to which it led, had not failed to exert an influence for evil--an influence that revealed its bitter fruit in the character and life of his sons. As these sons arrived at manhood they developed serious faults. The results of polygamy were manifest in the household. This terrible evil tends to dry up the very springs of love, and its influence weakens the most sacred ties. The jealousy of the several mothers had embittered the family relation, the children had grown up contentious and impatient of control, and the father's life was darkened with anxiety and grief. There was one, however, of a widely different character--the elder son of Rachel, Joseph, whose rare personal beauty seemed but to reflect an inward beauty of mind and heart. Pure, active, and joyous, the lad gave evidence also of moral earnestness and firmness. He listened to his father's instructions, and loved to obey God. The qualities that afterward distinguished him in Egypt--gentleness, fidelity, and truthfulness--were already manifest in his daily life. His mother being dead, his affections clung the more closely to the father, and Jacob's heart was bound up in this child of his old age. He "loved Joseph more than all his children."

    But even this affection was to become a cause of trouble and sorrow. Jacob unwisely manifested his preference for Joseph, and this excited the jealousy of his other sons. As Joseph witnessed the evil conduct of his brothers, he was greatly troubled; he ventured gently to remonstrate with them, but only aroused still further their hatred and resentment. He could not endure to see them sinning against God, and he laid the matter before his father, hoping that his authority might lead them to reform.

    Jacob carefully avoided exciting their anger by harshness or severity. With deep emotion he expressed his solicitude for his children, and implored them to have respect for his gray hairs, and not to bring reproach upon his name, and above all not to dishonor God by such disregard of His precepts. Ashamed that their wickedness was known, the young men seemed to be repentant, but they only concealed their real feelings, which were rendered more bitter by this exposure.

    The father's injudicious gift to Joseph of a costly coat, or tunic, such as was usually worn by persons of distinction, seemed to them another evidence of his partiality, and excited a suspicion that he intended to pass by his elder children, to bestow the birthright upon the son of Rachel. Their malice was still further increased as the boy one day told them of a dream that he had had. "Behold," he said, "we were binding sheaves in the field, and, lo, my sheaf arose, and also stood upright; and, behold, your sheaves stood round about, and made obeisance to my sheaf."

    "Shalt thou indeed reign over us? or shalt thou indeed have dominion over us?" exclaimed his brothers in envious anger.

    Soon he had another dream, of similar import, which he also related: "Behold, the sun and the moon and the eleven stars made obeisance to me." This dream was interpreted as readily as the first. The father, who was present, spoke reprovingly--"What is this dream that thou hast dreamed? Shall I and thy mother and thy brethren indeed come to bow down ourselves to thee to the earth?" Notwithstanding the apparent severity of his words, Jacob believed that the Lord was revealing the future to Joseph.

    As the lad stood before his brothers, his beautiful countenance lighted up with the Spirit of inspiration, they could not withhold their admiration; but they did not choose to renounce their evil ways, and they hated the purity that reproved their sins. The same spirit that actuated Cain was kindling in their hearts.

    The brothers were obliged to move from place to place to secure pasturage for their flocks, and frequently they were absent from home for months together. After the circumstances just related, they went to the place which their father had bought at Shechem. Some time passed, bringing no tidings from them, and the father began to fear for their safety, on account of their former cruelty toward the Shechemites. He therefore sent Joseph to find them, and bring him words as to their welfare. Had Jacob known the real feeling of his sons toward Joseph, he would not have trusted him alone with them; but this they had carefully concealed.

    With a joyful heart, Joseph parted from his father, neither the aged man nor the youth dreaming of what would happen before they should meet again. When, after his long and solitary journey, Joseph arrived at Shechem, his brothers and their flocks were not to be found. Upon inquiring for them, he was directed to Dothan. He had already traveled more than fifty miles, and now an additional distance of fifteen lay before him, but he hastened on, forgetting his weariness in the thought of relieving the anxiety of his father, and meeting the brothers, whom, despite their unkindness, he still loved.

    His brothers saw him approaching; but no thought of the long journey he had made to meet them, of his weariness and hunger, of his claims upon their hospitality and brotherly love, softened the bitterness of their hatred. The sight of the coat, the token of their father's love, filled them with frenzy. "Behold, this dreamer cometh," they cried in mockery. Envy and revenge, long secretly cherished, now controlled them. "Let us slay him," they said, "and cast him into some pit, and we will say, Some evil beast hath devoured him; and we shall see what will become of his dreams."

    They would have executed their purpose but for Reuben. He shrank from participating in the murder of his brother, and proposed that Joseph be cast alive into a pit, and left there to perish; secretly intending, however, to rescue him and return him to his father. Having persuaded all to consent to this plan, Reuben left the company, fearing that he might fail to control his feelings, and that his real intentions would be discovered.

    Joseph came on, unsuspicious of danger, and glad that the object of his long search was accomplished; but instead of the expected greeting, he was terrified by the angry and revengeful glances which he met. He was seized and his coat stripped from him. Taunts and threats revealed a deadly purpose. His entreaties were unheeded. He was wholly in the power of those maddened men. Rudely dragging him to a deep pit, they thrust him in, and having made sure that there was no possibility of his escape, they left him there to perish from hunger, while they "sat down to eat bread."

    But some of them were ill at ease; they did not feel the satisfaction they had anticipated from their revenge. Soon a company of travelers was seen approaching. It was a caravan of Ishmaelites from beyond Jordan, on their way to Egypt with spices and other merchandise. Judah now proposed to sell their brother to these heathen traders instead of leaving him to die. While he would be effectually put out of their way, they would remain clear of his blood; "for," he urged, "he is our brother and our flesh." To this proposition all agreed, and Joseph was quickly drawn out of the pit.

    As he saw the merchants the dreadful truth flashed upon him. To become a slave was a fate more to be feared than death. In an agony of terror he appealed to one and another of his brothers, but in vain. Some were moved with pity, but fear of derision kept them silent; all felt that they had now gone too far to retreat. If Joseph were spared, he would doubtless report them to the father, who would not overlook their cruelty toward his favorite son. Steeling their hearts against his entreaties, they delivered him into the hands of the heathen traders. The caravan moved on, and was soon lost to view.

    Reuben returned to the pit, but Joseph was not there. In alarm and self-reproach he rent his garments, and sought his brothers, exclaiming, "The child is not; and I, whither shall I go?" Upon learning the fate of Joseph, and that it would now be impossible to recover him, Reuben was induced to unite with the rest in the attempt to conceal their guilt. Having killed a kid, they dipped Joseph's coat in its blood, and took it to their father, telling him that they had found it in the fields, and that they feared it was their brother's. "Know now," they said, "whether it be thy son's coat or no." They had looked forward to this scene with dread, but they were not prepared for the heart-rending anguish, the utter abandonment of grief, which they were compelled to witness. "It is my son's coat," said Jacob; "an evil beast hath devoured him. Joseph is without doubt rent in pieces." Vainly his sons and daughters attempted to comfort him. He "rent his clothes, and put sackcloth upon his loins, and mourned for his son many days." Time seemed to bring no alleviation of his grief. "I will go down into the grave unto my son mourning," was his despairing cry. The young men, terrified at what they had done, yet dreading their father's reproaches, still hid in their own hearts the knowledge of their guilt, which even to themselves seemed very great.

    http://www.whiteestate.org/books/pp/pp20.html Meanwhile, Joseph with his captors was on the way to Egypt. As the caravan journeyed southward toward the borders of Canaan, the boy could discern in the distance the hills among which lay his father's tents. Bitterly he wept at thought of that loving father in his loneliness and affliction. Again the scene at Dothan came up before him. He saw his angry brothers and felt their fierce glances bent upon him. The stinging, insulting words that had met his agonized entreaties were ringing in his ears. With a trembling heart he looked forward to the future. What a change in situation--from the tenderly cherished son to the despised and helpless slave! Alone and friendless, what would be his lot in the strange land to which he was going? For a time Joseph gave himself up to uncontrolled grief and terror.

    But, in the providence of God, even this experience was to be a blessing to him. He had learned in a few hours that which years might not otherwise have taught him. His father, strong and tender as his love had been, had done him wrong by his partiality and indulgence. This unwise preference had angered his brothers and provoked them to the cruel deed that had separated him from his home. Its effects were manifest also in his own character. Faults had been encouraged that were now to be corrected. He was becoming self-sufficient and exacting. Accustomed to the tenderness of his father's care, he felt that he was unprepared to cope with the difficulties before him, in the bitter, uncared-for life of a stranger and a slave.

    Then his thoughts turned to his father's God. In his childhood he had been taught to love and fear Him. Often in his father's tent he had listened to the story of the vision that Jacob saw as he fled from his home an exile and a fugitive. He had been told of the Lord's promises to Jacob, and how they had been fulfilled--how, in the hour of need, the angels of God had come to instruct, comfort, and protect him. And he had learned of the love of God in providing for men a Redeemer. Now all these precious lessons came vividly before him. Joseph believed that the God of his fathers would be his God. He then and there gave himself fully to the Lord, and he prayed that the Keeper of Israel would be with him in the land of his exile.

    His soul thrilled with the high resolve to prove himself true to God--under all circumstances to act as became a subject of the King of heaven. He would serve the Lord with undivided heart; he would meet the trials of his lot with fortitude and perform every duty with fidelity. One day's experience had been the turning point in Joseph's life. Its terrible calamity had transformed him from a petted child to a man, thoughtful, courageous, and self-possessed.

    Arriving in Egypt, Joseph was sold to Potiphar, captain of the king's guard, in whose service he remained for ten years. He was here exposed to temptations of no ordinary character. He was in the midst of idolatry. The worship of false gods was surrounded by all the pomp of royalty, supported by the wealth and culture of the most highly civilized nation then in existence. Yet Joseph preserved his simplicity and his fidelity to God. The sights and sounds of vice were all about him, but he was as one who saw and heard not. His thoughts were not permitted to linger upon forbidden subjects. The desire to gain the favor of the Egyptians could not cause him to conceal his principles. Had he attempted to do this, he would have been overcome by temptation; but he was not ashamed of the religion of his fathers, and he made no effort to hide the fact that he was a worshiper of Jehovah.

    "And the Lord was with Joseph, and he was a prosperous man. . . . And his master saw that the Lord was with him, and that the Lord made all that he did to prosper in his hand." Potiphar's confidence in Joseph increased daily, and he finally promoted him to be his steward, with full control over all his possessions. "And he left all that he had in Joseph's hand; and he knew not aught he had, save the bread which he did eat."

    The marked prosperity which attended everything placed under Joseph's care was not the result of a direct miracle; but his industry, care, and energy were crowned with the divine blessing. Joseph attributed his success to the favor of God, and even his idolatrous master accepted this as the secret of his unparalleled prosperity. Without steadfast, well-directed effort, however, success could never have been attained. God was glorified by the faithfulness of His servant. It was His purpose that in purity and uprightness the believer in God should appear in marked contrast to the worshipers of idols--that thus the light of heavenly grace might shine forth amid the darkness of heathenism.

    Joseph's gentleness and fidelity won the heart of the chief captain, who came to regard him as a son rather than a slave. The youth was brought in contact with men of rank and learning, and he acquired a knowledge of science, of languages, and of affairs--an education needful to the future prime minister of Egypt.

    But Joseph's faith and integrity were to be tested by fiery trials. His master's wife endeavored to entice the young man to transgress the law of God. Heretofore he had remained untainted by the corruption teeming in that heathen land; but this temptation, so sudden, so strong, so seductive--how should it be met? Joseph knew well what would be the consequence of resistance. On the one hand were concealment, favor, and rewards; on the other, disgrace, imprisonment, perhaps death. His whole future life depended upon the decision of the moment. Would principle triumph? Would Joseph still be true to God? With inexpressible anxiety, angels looked upon the scene.

    Joseph's answer reveals the power of religious principle. He would not betray the confidence of his master on earth, and, whatever the consequences, he would be true to his Master in heaven. Under the inspecting eye of God and holy angels many take liberties of which they would not be guilty in the presence of their fellow men, but Joseph's first thought was of God. "How can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?" he said.

    If we were to cherish an habitual impression that God sees and hears all that we do and say and keeps a faithful record of our words and actions, and that we must meet it all, we would fear to sin. Let the young ever remember that wherever they are, and whatever they do, they are in the presence of God. No part of our conduct escapes observation. We cannot hide our ways from the Most High. Human laws, though sometimes severe, are often transgressed without detection, and hence with impunity. But not so with the law of God. The deepest midnight is no cover for the guilty one. He may think himself alone, but to every deed there is an unseen witness. The very motives of his heart are open to divine inspection. Every act, every word, every thought, is as distinctly marked as though there were only one person in the whole world, and the attention of heaven were centered upon him.

    Joseph suffered for his integrity, for his tempter revenged herself by accusing him of a foul crime, and causing him to be thrust into prison. Had Potiphar believed his wife's charge against Joseph, the young Hebrew would have lost his life; but the modesty and uprightness that had uniformly characterized his conduct were proof of his innocence; and yet, to save the reputation of his master's house, he was abandoned to disgrace and bondage.

    At the first Joseph was treated with great severity by his jailers. The psalmist says, "His feet they hurt with fetters; he was laid in chains of iron: until the time that his word came to pass; the word of the Lord tried him." Psalm 105:18, 19, R.V. But Joseph's real character shines out, even in the darkness of the dungeon. He held fast his faith and patience; his years of faithful service had been most cruelly repaid, yet this did not render him morose or distrustful. He had the peace that comes from conscious innocence, and he trusted his case with God. He did not brood upon his own wrongs, but forgot his sorrow in trying to lighten the sorrows of others. He found a work to do, even in the prison. God was preparing him in the school of affliction for greater usefulness, and he did not refuse the needful discipline. In the prison, witnessing the results of oppression and tyranny and the effects of crime, he learned lessons of justice, sympathy, and mercy, that prepared him to exercise power with wisdom and compassion.

    Joseph gradually gained the confidence of the keeper of the prison, and was finally entrusted with the charge of all the prisoners. It was the part he acted in the prison--the integrity of his daily life and his sympathy for those who were in trouble and distress--that opened the way for his future prosperity and honor. Every ray of light that we shed upon others is reflected upon ourselves. Every kind and sympathizing word spoken to the sorrowful, every act to relieve the oppressed, and every gift to the needy, if prompted by a right motive, will result in blessings to the giver.

    The chief baker and chief butler of the king had been cast into prison for some offense, and they came under Joseph's charge. One morning, observing that they appeared very sad, he kindly inquired the cause and was told that each had had a remarkable dream, of which they were anxious to learn the significance. "Do not interpretations belong to God?" said Joseph, "tell me them, I pray you." As each related his dream, Joseph made known its import: In three days the butler was to be reinstated in his position, and give the cup into Pharaoh's hand as before, but the chief baker would be put to death by the king's command. In both cases the event occurred as foretold.

    The king's cupbearer had professed the deepest gratitude to Joseph, both for the cheering interpretation of his dream and for many acts of kind attention; and in return the latter, referring in a most touching manner to his own unjust captivity, entreated that his case be brought before the king. "Think on me," he said, "when it shall be well with thee, and show kindness, I pray thee, unto me, and make mention of me unto Pharaoh, and bring me out of this house: for indeed I was stolen away out of the land of the Hebrews: and here also have I done nothing that they should put me into the dungeon." The chief butler saw the dream fulfilled in every particular; but when restored to royal favor, he thought no more of his benefactor. For two years longer Joseph remained a prisoner. The hope that had been kindled in his heart gradually died out, and to all other trials was added the bitter sting of ingratitude.

    But a divine hand was about to open the prison gates. The king of Egypt had in one night two dreams, apparently pointing to the same event and seeming to foreshadow some great calamity. He could not determine their significance, yet they continued to trouble his mind. The magicians and wise men of his realm could give no interpretation. The king's perplexity and distress increased, and terror spread throughout his palace. The general agitation recalled to the chief butler's mind the circumstances of his own dream; with it came the memory of Joseph, and a pang of remorse for his forgetfulness and ingratitude. He at once informed the king how his own dream and that of the chief baker had been interpreted by a Hebrew captive, and how the predictions had been fulfilled.

    It was humiliating to Pharaoh to turn away from the magicians and wise men of his kingdom to consult an alien and a slave, but he was ready to accept the lowliest service if his troubled mind might find relief. Joseph was immediately sent for; he put off his prison attire, and shaved himself, for his hair had grown long during the period of his disgrace and confinement. He was then conducted to the presence of the king.

    "And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, I have dreamed a dream, and there is none that can interpret it: and I have heard say of thee, that thou canst understand a dream to interpret it. And Joseph answered Pharaoh, saying, It is not in me: God shall give Pharaoh an answer of peace." Joseph's reply to the king reveals his humility and his faith in God. He modestly disclaims the honor of possessing in himself superior wisdom. "It is not in me." God alone can explain these mysteries.

    Pharaoh then proceeded to relate his dreams: "Behold, I stood upon the bank of the river: and, behold, there came up out of the river seven kine, fat-fleshed and well-favored; and they fed in a meadow: and, behold, seven other kine came up after them, poor and very ill-favored and lean-fleshed, such as I never saw in all the land of Egypt for badness: and the lean and the ill-favored kine did eat up the first seven fat kine: and when they had eaten them up, it could not be known that they had eaten them; but they were still ill-favored, as at the beginning. So I awoke. And I saw in my dream, and, behold, seven ears came up in one stalk, full and good: and, behold, seven ears, withered, thin, and blasted with the east wind, sprung up after them: and the thin ears devoured the seven good ears: and I told this unto the magicians; but there was none that could declare it to me."

    "The dream of Pharaoh is one," said Joseph. "God hath showed Pharaoh what He is about to do." There were to be seven years of great plenty. Field and garden would yield more abundantly than ever before. And this period was to be followed by seven years of famine. "And the plenty shall not be known in the land by reason of that famine following; for it shall be very grievous." The repetition of the dream was evidence both of the certainty and nearness of the fulfillment. "Now therefore," he continued, "let Pharaoh look out a man discreet and wise, and set him over the land of Egypt. Let Pharaoh do this, and let him appoint officers over the land, and take up the fifth part of the land of Egypt in the seven plenteous years. And let them gather all the food of those good years that come, and lay up corn under the hand of Pharaoh, and let them keep food in the cities. And that food shall be for store to the land against the seven years of famine."

    The interpretation was so reasonable and consistent, and the policy which it recommended was so sound and shrewd, that its correctness could not be doubted. But who was to be entrusted with the execution of the plan? Upon the wisdom of this choice depended the nation's preservation. The king was troubled. For some time the matter of the appointment was under consideration. Through the chief butler the monarch had learned of the wisdom and prudence displayed by Joseph in the management of the prison; it was evident that he possessed administrative ability in a pre-eminent degree. The cupbearer, now filled with self-reproach, endeavored to atone for his former ingratitude, by the warmest praise of his benefactor; and further inquiry by the king proved the correctness of his report. In all the realm Joseph was the only man gifted with wisdom to point out the danger that threatened the kingdom and the preparation necessary to meet it; and the king was convinced that he was the one best qualified to execute the plans which he had proposed. It was evident that a divine power was with him, and that there were none among the king's officers of state so well qualified to conduct the affairs of the nation at this crisis. The fact that he was a Hebrew and a slave was of little moment when weighed against his evident wisdom and sound judgment. "Can we find such a one as this is, a man in whom the Spirit of God is?" said the king to his counselors.

    The appointment was decided upon, and to Joseph the astonishing announcement was made, "Forasmuch as God hath showed thee all this, there is none so discreet and wise as thou art: thou shalt be over my house, and according unto thy word shall all my people be ruled: only in the throne will I be greater than thou." The king proceeded to invest Joseph with the insignia of his high office. "And Pharaoh took off his ring from his hand, and put it upon Joseph's hand, and arrayed him in vestures of fine linen, and put a gold chain about his neck; and he made him to ride in the second chariot which he had; and they cried before him, Bow the knee."

    "He made him lord of his house, and ruler of all his substance: to bind his princes at his pleasure; and teach his senators wisdom." Psalm 105:21, 22. From the dungeon Joseph was exalted to be ruler over all the land of Egypt. It was a position of high honor, yet it was beset with difficulty and peril. One cannot stand upon a lofty height without danger. As the tempest leaves unharmed the lowly flower of the valley, while it uproots the stately tree upon the mountaintop, so those who have maintained their integrity in humble life may be dragged down to the pit by the temptations that assail worldly success and honor. But Joseph's character bore the test alike of adversity and prosperity. The same fidelity to God was manifest when he stood in the palace of the Pharaohs as when in a prisoner's cell. He was still a stranger in a heathen land, separated from his kindred, the worshipers of God; but he fully believed that the divine hand had directed his steps, and in constant reliance upon God he faithfully discharged the duties of his position. Through Joseph the attention of the king and great men of Egypt was directed to the true God; and though they adhered to their idolatry, they learned to respect the principles revealed in the life and character of the worshiper of Jehovah.

    How was Joseph enabled to make such a record of firmness of character, uprightness, and wisdom?--In his early years he had consulted duty rather than inclination; and the integrity, the simple trust, the noble nature, of the youth bore fruit in the deeds of the man. A pure and simple life had favored the vigorous development of both physical and intellectual powers. Communion with God through His works and the contemplation of the grand truths entrusted to the inheritors of faith had elevated and ennobled his spiritual nature, broadening and strengthening the mind as no other study could do. Faithful attention to duty in every station, from the lowliest to the most exalted, had been training every power for its highest service. He who lives in accordance with the Creator's will is securing to himself the truest and noblest development of character. "The fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding." Job 28:28.

    There are few who realize the influence of the little things of life upon the development of character. Nothing with which we have to do is really small. The varied circumstances that we meet day by day are designed to test our faithfulness and to qualify us for greater trusts. By adherence to principle in the transactions of ordinary life, the mind becomes accustomed to hold the claims of duty above those of pleasure and inclination. Minds thus disciplined are not wavering between right and wrong, like the reed trembling in the wind; they are loyal to duty because they have trained themselves to habits of fidelity and truth. By faithfulness in that which is least they acquire strength to be faithful in greater matters.

    An upright character is of greater worth than the gold of Ophir. Without it none can rise to an honorable eminence. But character is not inherited. It cannot be bought. Moral excellence and fine mental qualities are not the result of accident. The most precious gifts are of no value unless they are improved. The formation of a noble character is the work of a lifetime and must be the result of diligent and persevering effort. God gives opportunities; success depends upon the use made of them.

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    orthodoxymoron
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    Post  orthodoxymoron Sun Jun 24, 2018 12:29 am

    RedEzra wrote:
    Swanny wrote:They can trick you into believing that anything has happened these days. Do you believe 9-11?
    These days are very deceptive i agree... and that's why i've been trying to figure out what if anything is not deceptive.

    When 9-11 happened i believed... because we all saw what happened with our own eyes. It was not until 2007 i began to question the official story because i came across some of the work of other people who claimed that all was not well with 9-11.

    So i looked into it and lo and behold... the official story does not make sense at all. So i was stupid for a long time for not questioning the obvious impossibility of planes to free fall the twin towers. In hindsight i guess i was trusting our governments and was not critical thinking for myself... but i'm happy to inform you that all that have changed. I don't trust any source unless it can provide some proof of validity of what it claims.

    And that was my awakening to the fact that all is not well in the world... which sent me on a quest to understand what is really going on... to get a grasp of the big picture if you will.

    I still don't have all the answers... but i believe the Bible is valid because it continues to prove itself by fulfilling what is written therein. Mind you the Bible is under immense attack from all angels... governments alternative and even churches.

    Only i stand with the Bible against the whole world... well almost lol but the Bble is the shite man. It's written in pure gold ink as if it was from God... and it is. Aleluya...
    RedEzra wrote:The new world order is a nazi term which the German ancestry Bush Sr announced or evoked in a speech as potus on 9-11 in 1991. I'm not saying nazis have hijacked the US government... but it sure seems so. There is no need for them to say yea we're nazis... since they act like it.

    The new world order even have new ten commandments i'm not joking... they are written in stone down in Georgia.

    They also have the gulag camps up and ready to accomodate dissidents of the new world order. There is an unbelievable evil at work here possessing the souls of millions of people in positions of power... reducing their brain functions to the basic basal ganglia also known as the reptilian complex.

    I'm sorry to say world but the Holocaust was just practise for them. They will top that.
    RedEzra wrote:I keep coming back to the astronomical mark in time in the Book of Revelation ch 12 which is soon upon us. It seems to be the Day of Resurrection where the righteous dead are risen in glorified bodies... just like Jesus. Soon some men and women will become angels and adopted sons and daughters of God.

    Jesus is on record stating that He will come like a thief on a day or hour no man knows (which is an idiom for the Feast of Trumpets). And a thief comes without notice under cover of night to steal. One day Jesus will rob the earth of the righteous dead and rise them to Himself.

    I see some are ready to believe that this event is just a government project bluebeam... but it's not. God is going to glorify those who loved Him and His commandments... and rise them from man to angels. No problem for God... easy peasy walk in the park.

    The agents alternative and/or not of governments may say it was all a bluebeam... but it's not. God is actually going to do this.
    RedEzra wrote:As with aliens among a lot of other things there is never a straight answer from governments about planet x. But it seems there was a celestial cause to the Bronze Age collapse a little over 3000 years ago... and in Plato's Timaeus, Critias tells the story of Atlantis as recounted to Solon by an Egyptian priest, who prefaced the story by saying:

    "There have been, and will be again, many destructions of mankind arising out of many causes; the greatest have been brought about by the agencies of fire and water, and other lesser ones by innumerable other causes. There is a story that even you [Greeks] have preserved, that once upon a time, Phaethon, the son of Helios, having yoked the steeds in his father's chariot, because he was not able to drive them in the path of his father, burnt up all that was upon the earth, and was himself destroyed by a thunderbolt. Now this has the form of a myth, but really signifies a declination of the bodies moving in the heavens around the earth, and a great conflagration of things upon the earth, which recurs after long intervals."


    There is seldom smoke and rumors without fire and fact so i think it's safe to suppose that something celestial is coming our way... and governments have been busy preparing underground facilities to hide out under mountains so whatever is coming probably packs a whole lot of punch to our civilisation.

    According to my understanding of biblical timeline whatever it is it is running out of time if it doesn't show up soon.
    Carol wrote:

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hn9y3UuWnrg
    Secret Space Program and a Television Show Pilot too Hot to Handle.
    This was a pilot for a tv series that did not get picked up.
    JoeEcho wrote:There is something wrong with the world when a program about getting down to the truth of a matter is overproduced. I wonder, do people realize they are selling out or is it too insidious for them to recognize?
    United States AI Solar System (6) - Page 2 Quote-fame-can-be-very-disruptive-it-can-be-like-a-drug-it-gives-you-the-feeling-that-you-madonna-ciccone-134-37-49
    Thank-you magamud. The truth could be a million different ways -- and how would we ever know which way was the right way??? I sense that my truth-seeking (however passive and non-passionate it may be) is deeply resented by just about everyone. It seems as if too many people (and other-than-people) have too much to lose if the whole-truth comes out of the closet in all of its glory and gory-details. I think things are really bad. I recently heard a person of interest answer a 'how are you?' with 'you don't want to know'. A long time ago, another person of interest stated that (regarding deals and treaties at the highest levels) I didn't want to know how bad they were. Once again, I feel as if I am in profound conflict with Humanity, Divinity, and Myself. I don't see a happy ending anytime soon. I frankly see just the opposite. I still have no enemies lists or vendettas. How am I supposed to when I don't know what's really going on??? I sense that everyone thinks I'm stupid, lazy, and irresponsible -- yet when I try to understand the nature of our predicament -- and when I try to be open and honest -- this seems to damn me to hell for all eternity. What the hell is going on here??? Do you want a Peace-Maker or a God-Damn Son of a Bitch Warrior with Absolutely No Compassion??? Make up your minds what you really want -- and let me know. Don't keep me guessing. Stop playing stupid games. You are making me angry. You probably do not wish to awaken what might be an 'Ancient Sleeping Giant'. And you thought you had problems with an 'Ancient Egyptian Deity'??!! Hell Hath No Fury Like a Reptilian Queen Scorned???!!! Just kidding -- or am I???

    I wish to make it clear that I am acting alone. I am a Lone Completely Ignorant Fool. I have no one to blame but myself. I have no handlers. Please remember that my posts are spontaneous and intuitive. This is NOT a vast lunatic conspiracy. This is simply an attempt to make all of us think in unconventional and potentially beneficial ways -- despite my being politically incorrect and socially unacceptable. Once again, how do we REALLY know anything about anything -- especially regarding antiquity and the otherworldly??? I'll continue to treat all of this madness as science-fiction -- even though I am a genuine truth-seeker. I feel like a rat in a cage -- but I'll just keep telling myself that my life has meaning -- and maybe someday I'll actually believe it. Sorry for the love, light, and joy -- but that's how I feel. Read Fulton Sheen's Life of Christ as historical-fiction and benefit from it. I believe there is a genuine theological truth -- but I'm not so sure the Gods and Goddesses wish for us to know this forbidden truth -- and that's the truth.

    Despite my criticism of Biblical Ethics and Horrible Atrocities -- I still love reading the Bible. What's going on here??? Where might one arrive if they focused upon Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and Daniel??? Where might one arrive if they read Israel and the Nations by F.F. Bruce and Daniel by Desmond Ford repeatedly?? I disagree with Des in many ways, yet the scholarship and writing-style is something to behold. I continue to be puzzled by the Intertestamental Period. Why is there one?? As nasty as the Old Testament was -- was Christianity based upon multiple deceptions (including the re-writing of the Old Testament)??? Once again, how can we REALLY know anything about antiquity and otherworldliness for certain??? How do we NOT follow cunningly devised fables?? What if we based ethics, law, theology, and governance upon Nature, Human-Nature, and Natural-Law??? Might this resemble the Perfect Law of the Lord??? Is Human-Nature really Sinful and Fallen?? Are we the Seed of Satan or are we simply Abused Children??? I think we might require Direction and Discipline rather than Exploitation and Extermination.

    All good and bad things must come to an end. Recent events, my review of this thread, and the responding comments, lead me to the inescapable conclusion that this thread must end. "End the Thread!!" I need to stop brainstorming, stop speculating, stop whining, stop trying to be funny, stop ranting, stop raving, stop being so sensitive, stop being so superficial, stop poking, stop prodding, stop being narcissistic, and stop doing what I'm doing. I might reemerge, and I might not. I have a lot of growing-up to do before I resume posting, and when I complete the work which I think is necessary, I probably won't be posting on the internet. I feel very sad about a helluva lot of things. I think I might become a lot more cold and calculating, and a lot more capable of handling large amounts of upsetting information, without emotion. But who knows what's going to happen? All I know is that I need to make a tangential change. I've been sleep-posting, but I woke-up today, and it was quite the rude awakening. I feel very sheepish and embarrassed. People have stopped talking to me, one by one, and I can see why. This test is now officially over. The data analysis and extreme makeover now begin. I see clearly what I need to do, and I can't keep posting, and perform the necessary internal work.

    Thank-you once more for your patience, support, and comments. A special thank-you to Carol and Mercuriel, but there are many others. Thank-you all! I continue to worry that I have gotten it seriously wrong, and been too easy or too tough or too sarcastic or too insensitive or too rude or too crude or too timid or too bold or too anal or too radical or too traditional or too socially unacceptable. I am truly sorry for any harm I might've caused, and I am very willing to make changes and retractions as needed. I still don't know who or what I have encountered. I still agree with Raven, that I am a completely ignorant fool, but I think the nature of my thinking, combined with a very real spiritual war, makes me appear to be less intelligent than I really am. I'm probably more of a burned-out fool than anything. When one is intellectually, spiritually, and emotionally burned-out - as well as being profoundly disillusioned - it's hard to be sharp. Life is hard. Especially when you're a completely ignorant zombie. My life is very hard. But I won't stop thinking about Ancient Egypt, the Queen of Heaven, the God of This World, the Monarchy, the Papacy, and the Nazi Party. Please keep posting, but I'm going to keep quiet for a while. What do you think about the 'Holy Tablets'? http://www.themistsofavalon.net/t2867-the-holy-tablets The winged-serpents of Rome and Egypt remind me of the serpent in the Garden of Eden. It seems that we might have reptilian-roots, and that we might've opened a heretical mammalian-reptilian humanoid branch-office here on Planet Earth, and that this has caused alarm throughout the reptilian universal church. What if the chain of command is as follows? (I still don't really know!)

    1. Draconian Reptilian Queen of Heaven.
    2. Hybrid Hermaphrodite God of This World. (who manifests as male, female, black, white, ?????)
    3. Hybrid Elites.
    4. Human Elites.
    5. Human Front-Men and Errand-Boys. (Patriarchy)
    6. The Rest of Us.

    Regardless of Who Rules, and regardless of Past and Present Star Wars, I desire a Perfected Humanity Living in a Perfected Solar System - Without War and Slavery. Earth seems to be a Prison Planet in Rebellion, with Exploitive and Abusive Prison Management. Some of this might be deserved. We might've brought a lot of this madness upon ourselves, but it seems that we have been taken advantage-of, just the same. If the governance modality changes for the better, I worry that we might blow-it, and end up in worse shape than before. This whole situation seems to be very unstable and precarious. I merely seek more idealistic political and religious modalities for managing the insanity. My best answer, so far, is a Theocratically Implemented United States of the Solar System - Centered in Responsibility. Obviously, we are in deep do-do, and all of the options are probably bad, at this point. I'm thinking a lot about Egypt and Reptilians, but I really need to let the sand settle before I proceed. I'll keep reading, while I mostly keep silent. BTW - I still don't have an enemies-list, but I'm working on one. I continue to worry, day and night, about my potential reincarnational role in this madness known as Life on Earth. I am so very sad that I was, and am, so much less than the best of humanity. I hope you all find who, and what, you are looking for. I shall return. Yes, I shall return. But until then, continue with your beliefs, and I shall continue with mine, and prove to me that I am not mistaken. Solar System Without End - orthodoxymoron.


    geekBEWARE OF COMPLETELY IGNORANT FOOL!! geek
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    "IT MIGHT'VE BEEN. GERONIMO!"

    I have tried to be idealistic and open-minded, but I have seen no evidence of a change for the better. This thing doesn't seem to be over at all. I grew-up with an eschatological worldview, but I'm not seeing a light at the end of the tunnel. I'm seeing nothing but trouble in our future. I really wish to be happy, but I don't expect to ever be happy. Today, I was reading about the atrocities committed during the Second World War, and so many people were involved. It wasn't isolated at all. It could all happen again, and I expect that it will, only with uber-high technology, and the utmost sophistication. But I will stand for the right, though the heavens fall. I am prepared to die before my time, and I expect that I will. I've created too many problems and burned too many bridges.

    It seems that the good, the bad, and the ugly, are deeply involved in deception and dishonesty. No one (or not very many) are really and truly "good". A while back, someone told me that no one was really good, and I thought about it, on a deep level, and realized that they were right in many ways. Godlike or Angelic Righteousness seems to be very, very rare. I don't think the Substitutionary Atonement is the answer. We really do have to just simply be Good. Religious services are a discipline which can help us to be better people, but eating the bread and drinking the wine doesn't get us off the hook. We still have to be Good, as inconvenient and unpleasant as that might be. Bartleby and Loki were onto something, but I obviously disagreed with their methodology. They needed to be Good too! Why is it so goddamn hard to be Good? Why is it so goddamn bad to say 'goddamn'? Does God really give a damn if we say 'goddamn' occasionally and discreetly? I think not. I mean no disrespect whatsoever.

    My computer just got attacked again. We really are under a Theocratic Technocracy, to keep us Uppity Humans under control, aren't we? Crowd Control is probably necessary, but I don't like the manner in which the Irresponsible Warden and Guards are guarding and punishing the Irresponsible Devil's Island Death-Row Prisoners. The Whole Thing Stinks. Again, I don't have a problem with the ethical and proper management of people, planets, and technology. In fact, I insist on it.

    I continue to think that I don't know much about what's really going on. All I can do is consider possibilities and probabilities. Despite my nasty accusations and speculations, I don't know who the good-guys and bad-guys really are. How can one really know, without exhaustive information. I have to keep thinking about idealistic politics and religion, and then do battle with various challenges. So far, there has been very little support or opposition. I'd like to be like President Martinez in 'The Event', but it's a bit late for that. http://www.nbc.com/classic-tv/the-event Consider the Planet X and Elenin (extermination-level event?) parallels in this episode. I still think it would be cool if all of the renegade piloted-planets, piloted-comets, piloted-dwarf-stars, piloted-asteroids, piloted-moons, subsurface-bases, ufo's, etc., became part of a Brave New Solar System aka the United States of the Solar System, and I'm not speaking of Nazi-like, harsh, and dictatorial. Not the Old World Order. Not the New World Order. But the New Solar System, based upon Responsibility and an uncorrupted-form of the U.S. Constitution and Bill of Rights, appropriately adapted and applied to the entire solar system.

    Perhaps Nibiru (if it really exists) could orbit 1 astronomical-unit beyond the orbit of Pluto. Pluto and Nibiru for Planethood!! I will continue to think about Solar System Governance because of my insecurity and disillusionment with the bullshit. I think the truth is really, really bad, and I doubt there is a satisfying solution. I feel a horrible sense of dread. I think my ideas on this thread are reasonable, but I fear that the ancient conflicts and universal realities might be impossible to resolve. The rest of my life will probably be hell, and my life after death will probably be an even worse hell. I tend to doubt that I will be allowed to continue to exist in this universe. Perhaps none of us will be allowed to live as Responsible and Free Male and Female Human Beings. To be, or not to be? That is the question.

    One final disclaimer: Take everything I have said, with a sea of salt. I have engaged in a lot of make-believe, role-playing, bluffing, pseudo-intellectualizing, speculating, posturing, joking, brainstorming, etc. I haven't lied, but I've come close to telling less than the truth. But now the jokes are over, folks. Just kidding! I'm going to just keep reviewing the mess that I've created, and try to create order out of chaos. I continue to think that this has merely been an introduction to insanity, which just scratches the surface of some very deep subjects. Damn! I just got a burn-notice from the God of This World! Wait a minute! I never worked for the God of This World! Oh, you got the notice from your mom? Well, I might've done some work for her in a previous life, but certainly not in this one! I think that burn-notice is from several thousand years ago! I found out that I was black-listed when I got stabbed in the back! I heard "You'll never work in this palace again!" as I lost consciousness! Just kidding! Or am I? What would Isis say?

    I'd love to keep talking about all of the "out of this world" stuff, but it really isn't resonating with anyone, and it certainly isn't doing me any good. Just the opposite. I think I might write a book, but it probably won't resemble this thread. It might be idealistic sci-fi, but I don't really know yet. All I know is that what I'm doing isn't working. Attempting to solve the world's problems seems to be viewed as being a mental-illness and a threat to national-security. If anything changes, you know where I live and work, and you probably have my phone-number. The ball is in your court. Namaste and Geronimo.

    The following couple of paragraphs were written a few years ago, and a lot has changed since then. Robert and Arvella Schuller have both died, and the Roman Catholics now own and operate the former Crystal Cathedral campus. I'm leaving these paragraphs 'as-is' as a historical-record of my thinking.

    I just had to comment on Dr. Robert H. Schuller being removed from the board of the Crystal Cathedral. This is sad. Despite any shortcomings, the senior Schuller had the 'right-stuff' for conducting his pioneering ministry. I hope they can properly sort things out. I'd like to see someone take all of Dr. Schuller's books and sermons, and take all of the personalized parts out, and end-up with just principles and concepts content, complete with phrases such as 'Turn Your Scars Into Stars!', 'The Me That I See Is the Me That I'll Be!', 'Tough Times Never Last, But Tough People Do!', 'Bloom Where You Are Planted!', 'When Faced With a Mountain, I Will Not Quit. I Will Keep Striving Until I Climb Over, Find a Pass Through, Tunnel Underneath, or Simply Stay and Turn the Mountain Into a Goldmine, With God's Help!'. Believe it or not, I can actually do a pretty fair Robert Schuller imitation, especially the 'This is the Day That God Has Made! Let Us Rejoice and be Glad In It!!' One morning he started out the service with 'Come-On Fred! Let's Go!!' (Fred Swann was the organist/choirmaster).

    There is so much to learn from Robert Schuller and the Crystal Cathedral - both positive and negative. I still think the Crystal Cathedral might be a cool headquarters for the United States of the Solar System. But I still don't know how to properly implement such a thing. I can conceptualize the idealistic aspects, but the realities might be very different. If this concept were botched, it could turn into a HUGE mess. I keep thinking that no matter what we do, the discontent and disillusionment of the general public is going to be very, very difficult to deal with. They have been programmed with so much BS throughout the years, and things are so screwed-up, that even the best solutions are probably going to be trampled upon by some very angry and unhappy people. The demise of the Crystal Cathedral is an example of an idealistic venture which has gone on the rocks. They got so many things right, but yet they are still up Stink Creek.

    The world is getting way too small, and we are finding out way too much, and even if we do EVERYTHING right, it's going to take decades, or even centuries, for things to properly settle-down. I think people are probably going to have to be horribly shocked and disillusioned, before moving-on to bigger and better things. The finger in the dike thing just won't cut-it. The Catholics are interested in the Cathedral, which might be a good thing. I'd be very interested to see what they would do with such a facility. I continue to think that they are a big part of the problem and the solution. I continue to try to internalize an integration of the Teachings of Jesus, the U.S. Constitution, the Latin Mass, and Sacred Classical Music. This is just an exercise for me, which I think might be helpful for others. I sort of like the big French Catholic Churches and French Romantic Sacred Music, but the unbloody-sacrifice still gives me the creeps. The Sacrifice of the Mass should not be turned into a Happy Meal, but of what should an Ideal Church Service consist? I'd be a lot more comfortable with the Mass being sort of a Memorial for All Who Have Died Throughout the Centuries, complete with solemn reflection upon life, which makes people face themselves and think about things transcendent and eternal. I tend to think that Michael / Horus / Mithras / Jesus / ????? (The Greatest Possibility-Thinker) has sacrificed a helluva lot for hundreds of thousands of years, in life after life after life after life. But so have billions of others. Pain Seems to be the Cost of Doing Business in the Universe. It doesn't seem to get any easier, does it?

    Just remember that self-exaltation is no solution for self-degradation, and self-degradation is no solution for self-exaltation. Positive-delusion is no solution for negative-delusion, and negative-delusion is no solution for positive-delusion. A half-truth is not the truth. Research endlessly. I am going under the assumption that I am very likely deceived, at some level. This is one reason why I keep hedging and joking. I really don't wish to be taken too seriously. I want YOU to figure things out for yourselves. This is all about YOU. Researching this thread and the books and sermons of Dr. Robert H. Schuller are probably good places to begin, but certainly not to end. The Quest is Endless. Don't let it get you down. Stay away from the creepy stuff. There's a helluva lot of it out there. Related Researching and daydreaming is creepy enough for me, and this seems to attract a certain amount of supernatural activity, but I certainly don't go looking for it.

    I think EVERYONE (both good and bad) is in trouble. Can I really afford to stop posting when things are so bad? But no one really reads this tripe, do they? Look at the comments posted above. Do you see much in-depth and on-topic discussion? I feel as though this is mostly a lost-cause, which has fallen on deaf-ears. One would really have to study this thread to get any benefit from it. I'm trying to do this, but it takes a helluva lot of discipline. We seem to mostly be dealing with Deception vs Deception throughout the whole world. Just know that I will not tolerate sin. Sin is NOT OK. But this doesn't mean that I'm intolerant. I wish to make Solar System Governance more and more idealistic and pragmatic, so as to lift everyone up, rather than picking on individual sinners in the backseat of their Yugo. What would Loki do? I think I'll rewatch 'Dogma' just for the heck of it. One evening, in the late 80's, Dr. Schuller stated very soberly that 'A Storm is Coming'. He wasn't kidding, and I think we're still in the eye of the hurricane. Namaste and Godspeed.


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    I get the feeling that I am supposed to clean-up my act, and become much more dignified, refined, publicly presentable, and socially acceptable. Well, I have not done all of the above for a reason. This all continues to be a test, and everyone is being tested. Everyone, including me. I am sorry if I don't measure-up to everyone's high and exacting standards. If you dress and act with the utmost taste and refinement, and just keep screwing-up the world, do you really expect that everything will eventually work out just fine??? This whole thing is so incredibly sick and stupid. I really do want a perfected humanity living in a perfected solar system, and I want it now. Why is this so hard??? This whole thing stinks!!!

    There really seems to be at least two governments, visible and hidden. The hidden government seems to have some similarities to the Nazi phenomenon. So much of this seems to be creepy, corrupt, cruel, and violent. If we were just dealing with strange life-forms and advanced-technology, I might be able to get used to that, if the reasons for it were truly legitimate, but we seem to be dealing with something which is hostile towards the human-race, for whatever reasons. I know I sound like a broken-record, but I would like to see a United States of the Solar System control all of the presently secret stuff throughout the solar system. But obviously, the representatives would have to be a helluva lot more competent and responsible than the current crew of nitwits! This is seemingly a worldwide and solar system wide problem, and not just an American phenomenon, although it might be centered in underground bases located in the United States. Some of the underground and secret activities are sort of cool, but they MUST be properly and ethically managed, with reasonable access and transparency. There continues to be so many unknowns, that it's really difficult to make proper determinations. We have to do the best we can, with what we have to go on, pending future revelations. I am completely willing to do an about-face if presented with legitimate information which contradicts my biases.

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    "Just Read the Teleprompter!!"

    I think the time has arrived for me to re-read the Holy Bible (KJV) and the Five-Volume 'Conflict of the Ages Series' by Ellen G. White - in light of this thread and everything I have learned over the past several years. I will listen to Latin Masses, Gregorian Chant, and Sacred Classical Music while I engage in this ambitious project. Very few of you will understand why I am doing this. I could try to explain, but I doubt that it would do any good. However, I don't think the Queen of Heaven and God of This World would require any explanation whatsoever. I further suspect that a lot of Jesuits know what I'm talking about as well. What would Des Ford say? I don't think Ellen White wrote the Writings of Ellen White and I don't think William Shakespeare wrote the Writings of William Shakespeare. What would Walter Rea say? What would Francis Bacon say? I could go on and on in this vein, but I will spare you. Once again, this thread merely scratches the surface. This is a deeper and nastier thing than I think any of us can imagine, including me. I realize and admit how little I know, and this terrifies me 24/7. I think I knew a helluva lot in previous lives, but I think my last life was a real doozie, and that I entered this life as a basket-case. I think I might be starting to remember, but perhaps I should try to forget. This stuff is REALLY creeping me out. I feel weaker than the weakest of the weak...

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    Today, I'm reading from a 1,000 page book about Daniel 8:14 and the Day of Atonement, by Dr. Desmond Ford. This is a difficult study. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Desmond_Ford I fundamentally disagree with him - but I deeply respect his thinking, writing, speaking, and debating skills. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wy37dpBXjEs&feature=related I'd love to know who ALL of his teachers were (in addition to Edward Heppenstall and F.F. Bruce). Tomorrow, I'll go back to conceptualizing a Vatican-Based Namaste Constitutional Responsible Freedom United States of the Solar System. From what I hear - the Vatican REALLY loves me! Also, I supposedly have a fan-club on Phobos!! I'd like to visit them someday! Sorry. I was going to stop, wasn't I? But, in a sense, this thread really started decades ago, with my exposure to Dr. Ford. Just blame Des. I just realized that when I spoke to Desmond Ford in the late 80's - the subject was 'The Life and Teachings of Jesus'. Des considered the Life of Christ titled 'The Desire of Ages' by Ellen White - to be the greatest book outside of the Holy Bible. (See his Oct. 27, 1979 Forum Lecture) You can't imagine how much trouble this lecture caused! I once spoke to the respondant - Dr. Eric Syme about the aftermath of this lecture. Another controversial Adventist was/is Robert Brinsmead. He encouraged me to focus on the Teachings of Jesus a few years ago.

    Try reading 'The Desire of Ages' side by side with 'The Keys of This Blood' by Malachi Martin. Add 'The Federalist Papers' and a Latin Mass to this recipe for a very tasty doctrinal and governmental dish. Try applying that '79 Ford lecture to the perpetual-sacrificial aspect of the Mass (instead of the Investigative Judgment) and to the Papacy (instead of Ellen White). How much flexibility is there regarding the practice and interpretation of the Mass, while still maintaining it's validity? Can the Teachings of Jesus and Sacred Classical Music be properly and seamlessly woven into the Traditional Latin Mass - so as to maximize the Life and Teachings of Jesus - rather than the Human Sacrifice of Christ? I'm trying to make this work - but I need some serious help in this sensitive area. People are rather particular and testy regarding how they pray.

    I am not a Seventh-day Sedavacantist by birth, but by conviction! The relentless pursuit of truth can be rather excruciating, at times. Each individual and organization is offered truth or repose. You can have one - or the other - but you can't have both - and the truth is sometimes of a most startling nature. The truth might set us free - by driving us completely insane. But please, where might I find a proper debate regarding solar system governance - with the level of scholarship and intensity exhibited by Dr. Desmond Ford??? I just wish I could make my case with the combined communication skills of Desmond Ford, Robert H. Schuller, and Malachi Martin. Sometimes I wonder if they had the same teacher. What would Gillian Ford say? What would Luke Ford say? (now there's an interesting story!) Siriusly. It's probably pointless and futile to talk about all of this on this web-site, isn't it? But where in this solar system could I get into a heated scholarly debate regarding everything I have posted on Avalon 1 and Mists of Avalon? I really do have to talk to myself, don't I? But don't blame the SDA Church for my disruptive insanity. I am a product of my own delusions. I doubt that they want to have anything to do with me. They never tried to save my lost soul after I quit attending church, which led me to believe that they either didn't give a damn, or that they didn't believe their own teachings.

    I learned to distrust the Roman Catholic Church, but I also learned to distrust the Seventh-day Adventist Church. I still love the Writings of Ellen White, but I pick and choose. I espouse 'Dalmatian Theology'! Also, read 'John Harvey Kellogg, M.D.' by Richard Schwartz. It's a real eye-opener. What would Zane Kime say, if he were still alive? Who killed Dr. Kime? And why? Watch 'The Tomato Effect' http://www.veoh.com/watch/v1920841852Fktg64?h1=The+Tomato+Effect+by+Director+Faun+Kime and notice a particularly strange interview at around 01:15:00 to 01:25:00. How many people were on that mountain when Zane died??? I communicated with Faun regarding this. And take a long, hard look at the proton-accelerator at Loma Linda University Medical Center. What would timetotelltheworld say? Remember him? What would the DOE and the DOD say? What would Dr. James Slater say? What would Harvard say? What would Los Alamos say? We have events!!! Nothing succeeds like fame, fortune, power, high-technology, and acute-care medicine in God's name! We have God-Particles! And those nurses are so sexy! But whatever happened to prevention?? What? Never-mind. You wouldn't believe who I think I might've gone to school with!!! Nuff said! Hell hath no fury like this scorned and sick little mind of mine!!! Once again:

    Consider the Integration of:

    1. The Teachings of Jesus.

    2. The U.S. Constitution.

    3. The Latin Mass.

    4. The Sacred Classical Music.

    5. A Vatican-Based Namaste Constitutional Responsible Freedom United States of the Solar System.

    I'm not necessarily saying this is the way things should be, or that this is my final answer. I'm simply saying that this possibility should be exhaustively thought-through by the best and the brightest beings in the solar system.


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    Namaste to the People of the World.
    I Know in Whom I Have Believed.
    On Christ the Solid Rock I Stand.
    All Other Ground is Sinking Sand.
    Namaste to the Beings of the Universe.

    Is it really possible to win in this solar system, without deception and corruption, masked with an innocent-looking front and a happy-face? Angelic on the outside, and demonic on the inside? Do the dishonest rule the honest? Do the corrupt rule the stupid? You know what I'm talking about. I think this is an uphill battle which isn't over at all. It might never be over. Deception seems to be at the core of life in this solar system, for both the good and the bad. White-Lies vs Black-Lies? None seems to be righteous, but don't expect a human-sacrifice to get you off the hook. There might be a helluva lot of surprises in the great hereafter. Let him and her who is righteous, be righteous still? Let him and her who is filthy, be filthy still? Is it time for Probation to close? If you don't know what that is, you need to do some research. It might be later than all of us think. I want things to work out well for everyone, but is this really possible?

    Am I so soft and kind, that business won't get taken care of? Is my philosophy a recipe for never ending sin and corruption in this solar system? Do I need to be a lot tougher? I am open to all perspectives. I really want a perfected humanity to live in a perfected solar system, and I will do whatever it takes to make this happen. I want to be a highly, highly ethical tough-guy, who is very kind, but very firm. That's the goal. This is probably an internal battle which will never be resolved. The only place I can seem to debate the issues which concern me most, are within my own mind. Nowhere else. This is my private hell, which I have tried to share in some threads and posts, which very few seem to be even remotely interested in. I don't wish to make a great big public deal out of this. My only hope is that some key individuals might gain something of value from this tempest in a teapot. I've never felt lower than I feel right now. My nerves, teeth, finances, and faith are shot. I feel like the pilot in the 50's who calmly radioed, "I'm over the Grand Canyon. I'm on fire, and I'm going down." Geronimo.

    There is a brutal gang of facts (or a brutal gang of Dracs?!) in this solar system, which I think the 'regressives' have taken advantage of. (I'd still like to start a Home for Battered Dracs) I think the guilt goes in all directions. The truth seems to be hidden and protected by the good and the bad, with a wide variety of lies and delusions. It's as if the biggest secret can never be known by the Goyim, or anyone else, for that matter. Perhaps with good reason. I haven't been eager to have my speculations and ideas go viral on the internet. Waking people up with the wrong information, in the wrong way, could be utterly devastating. I don't think the truth should be suppressed, but I think it needs to be very wisely revealed. I always knew there was a helluva lot more to the solar system than I knew about, but I wasn't particularly eager to find out the details. I have proceeded in a very passive manner, but the internet has slingshotted me into a heap of trouble. I'm really trying to extinguish fires, rather than trying to set new fires, believe it or not.

    Is my 'East of Eden' or 'East of Giza' Archangelic Theory essentially correct? I have no idea whether it is, or not, but PLEASE watch 'East of Eden' over and over again, and see what you think, especially regarding the Rebellion and War in Heaven, the Old World Order, the New World Order, and even my desired New Solar System. I doubt that any of you will do this, but you should. To speak plainly, are we dealing with a Sirian King and Three Reptilian Queens? We Three Queens of Orion are Trying to Rule the Heavens Afar (After Removing the Sirian King?)? Gabriel v Lucifer v Michael? Old World Order v New World Order v New Solar System? Did Michael break rank with Gabriel and Lucifer in Ancient Egypt at the Time of Christ? Did Lucifer break rank with Gabriel around 800-900 AD? Babylonian, Egyptian, Grecian, Roman Catholic Old World Order v Teutonic Zionist, Bavarian Illuminati, Protestant Reformation, Nazi New World Order? I have not a clue how Michael might fit into all of this hypothetical madness, except that I think Michael might be a reincarnating writer, musician, architect, artist, scientist, creator, conspirator, and possibly a hostage. Original Hostage Michael? Dr. Who? Indiana Jones? Michelangelo? Pastor Angelicus? Damned if I know, but I know I should stop, because they have ways to make me stop. Many ways.

    I frankly don't know what I'm supposed to be doing, or not doing. No one, or hardly anyone, will talk to me. Should I try to get an appointment with the Pope or the Queen? Should I channel Elvis? I really think I should just shut-up and study, but I can't seem to stop rambling. I think this is mostly due to insecurity, and not knowing what the hell is going on. I can mentally generate my own version of "V" or "The Event" and try to imagine saving the solar system and the human race, but this is just dreamland. I like the University of Solar System Studies and Governance idea. I like the idea of idealistically looking at the Secret Government, the Secret Space Program, the Vatican, the City of London, Washington DC, the United Nations, the Alphabet Agencies, the Monarchy, and Colonizing the Solar System, but again, this is just dreamland. I think I should probably spend most of my time conceptualizing a Namaste Constitutional Responsible Freedom United States of the Solar System - with a variety of Headquarter Scenarios. I'm liking the University Concept, with campuses throughout the solar system, as integral parts of a United States of the Solar System, which might be run mostly by those who have PhD's in Solar System Studies and Governance, and who have a network of colleagues to interact with. But I do wish to make it clear that I don't wish to cut the Roman Catholic Church out, and thumb my nose at them! That would be a HUGE mistake, wouldn't it?

    I would like to make use of existing solar system governance infrastructures and networks. I just want the whole thing cleaned-up, reformed, improved, made more transparent, less corrupt and corruptible, with high levels of responsibility and response-ability. That's the theory anyway. I want this thing to be as competent and inclusive as possible. I do not want petty bullshit. I want that which is in everyone's best interest. But this is really just a continuation of my little tempest in a teapot. I still don't have a clue what's REALLY going on, and learning the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth about life, the universe, and everything - could change EVERYTHING. I just wish that I didn't feel like I'm fighting all the time, and feel like I'm being supernaturally attacked 24/7. I could be delusional, but that's sure what it feels like, complete with ringing in the ears, tight muscles, anxiety, and occasional amoeba-like wisps of white-light passing before my eyes. I try to take it in stride, but it just isn't working. My mind is probably working at about 25% of the level that it should be operating. This has been going on for a very long time, and I'm so very sick and tired of it. Anyway, that's my sad story, but don't we all have our sorry little tales of woe? We all have our crosses to bear, whether or not we have Messiah-Complexes.

    I'm sort of working on becoming a cross between Anna in 'V' and Palmer Joss in 'Contact', as strange as that sounds. I just want a highly responsible and spiritual secular society, without all of the religious and militaristic baggage. But whenever I say something, I immediately think of the counterpoints to what I just said. I wouldn't mind seeing everyone go through some sort of military training, for the discipline and character-developing aspects, more than anything. I also think that proper participation in religious services can be a good thing, while not being required for 'salvation'. How does one reform society, without destroying civilization? I'm going to try to live what I've been ranting about. My personal life needs serious therapy, but if I'm being quadruple-teamed by the darkside, I might be screwed no matter what I try to do to change my life. They could've at least sent dominatrix-succubi to rein me in! Just remember, once you've had Drac, you never go back!

    I'm going to keep idealistically conceptualizing a perfected humanity living in a perfected solar system - even though I know that things are not ideal, and that they probably never will be. I love everyone, but I distrust everyone, and I mean everyone. The Bavarian Illuminati, Teutonic Zionism, Freemasonry, the Nazis, the Alphabet Agencies, and the Jesuits are VERY interesting to me. Are they interlinked? I'm going to try to be objective and unemotional, as I continue to passively try to listen to as many perspectives as possible. I continue to say that I don't have this mess figured-out. I don't think I'm even close, but I do think I'm on the right track. I continue to think that we are mostly dealing with Bad Guys fighting Bad Guys, and Good Guys getting caught in the middle. I continue to think that I might have a very interesting reincarnational past, but I don't really know. I won't do regression or anything creepy. I just research and speculate. Continue to focus upon RESPONSIBILITY, and build everything on this word. This is the underlying concept in the Teachings of Jesus. Please study this thread as a whole, do your own research, and come to your own conclusions. Even if I had the power to lead, I would facilitate responsible excellence in others, and I would mostly keep doing what I'm doing right now, believe it or not. This really is over - for now - but it will never really be over, will it? I just wish to lift EVERYONE up. That's the goal. I love all of you. Namaste.

    ONE MORE TIME: KEEP ASKING QUESTIONS. DON'T TRUST ANYONE OR ANYTHING. I HAVE NO IDEA HOW ACCURATE AND PURE OR MISTAKEN AND DECEIVED I HAVE BEEN IN MY INTERNET POSTING. I AM VERY FEARFUL REGARDING THE STATE OF THE SOLAR SYSTEM. I THINK WE ARE IN VERY SERIOUS TROUBLE, BUT I DON'T KNOW THE DETAILS. I DESIRE A HAPPY ENDING, AND I HAVE TRIED TO BE IDEALISTIC, BUT MY EFFORTS COULD BE HIJACKED INTO SOMETHING WHICH MIGHT BE QUITE DESTRUCTIVE TO HUMANITY. BUT PLEASE KEEP THINKING ABOUT IDEALISTIC PSYCHOLOGY, ETHICS, POLITICS, AND RELIGION. I MIGHT BE COMPLETELY SCREWED, BUT TRY TO LEARN AS MUCH AS YOU CAN FROM WHAT I HAVE POSTED. I'M REALLY STOPPING BECAUSE I DON'T WANT TO BE A USED AND UNBALANCED PAWN OF THE DARKSIDE. GOOD INTENTIONS HAVE PAVED THE ROAD TO HELL, OVER AND OVER AGAIN, AND MY GOOD INTENTIONS COULD GO TO HELL. THINGS COULD GET VERY BAD, VERY QUICKLY. ASK A HELL OF A LOT OF QUESTIONS BEFORE YOU JUMP ON A BAND-WAGON OR A UFO. IT COULD BE THE FAST-TRACK TO HELL.


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    orthodoxymoron
    orthodoxymoron


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    United States AI Solar System (6) - Page 2 Empty Re: United States AI Solar System (6)

    Post  orthodoxymoron Sun Jun 24, 2018 12:30 am

    United States AI Solar System (6) - Page 2 RGvao8CGRgtFmiJewzJxCe6cspl
    "If You Don't Know, Say 'I Don't Know.'"

    I'm re-watching Sum of All Fears and I think I've seen the guy who drives the Nuclear-Bomb into Baltimore in a pickup-truck!! He's quite strange. I've encountered him several times. He's given me the 'creeps' every time. I'd rather read about Joseph (while drinking coffee made with water heated to 185 fahrenheit-degrees). I think it might be cool to be the BMOC (in A.D. 2133) -- but I think they want someone else. Perhaps a Beast-Computer (combined with chip-implantation) might be more to their liking...

    http://www.whiteestate.org/books/pp/pp21.html At the very opening of the fruitful years began the preparation for the approaching famine. Under the direction of Joseph, immense storehouses were erected in all the principal places throughout the land of Egypt, and ample arrangements were made for preserving the surplus of the expected harvest. The same policy was continued during the seven years of plenty, until the amount of grain laid in store was beyond computation.

    And now the seven years of dearth began to come, according to Joseph's prediction. "And the dearth was in all lands; but in all the land of Egypt there was bread. And when all the land of Egypt was famished, the people cried to Pharaoh for bread: and Pharaoh said unto all the Egyptians, Go unto Joseph; what he saith to you, do. And the famine was over all the face of the earth: and Joseph opened all the storehouses, and sold unto the Egyptians."

    The famine extended to the land of Canaan and was severely felt in that part of the country where Jacob dwelt. Hearing of the abundant provision made by the king of Egypt, ten of Jacob's sons journeyed thither to purchase grain. On their arrival they were directed to the king's deputy, and with other applicants they came to present themselves before the ruler of the land. And they "bowed down themselves before him with their faces to the earth." "Joseph knew his brethren, but they knew not him." His Hebrew name had been exchanged for the one bestowed upon him by the king, and there was little resemblance between the prime minister of Egypt and the stripling whom they had sold to the Ishmaelites. As Joseph saw his brothers stooping and making obeisance, his dreams came to his mind, and the scenes of the past rose vividly before him. His keen eye, surveying the group, discovered that Benjamin was not among them. Had he also fallen a victim to the treacherous cruelty of those savage men? He determined to learn the truth. "Ye are spies," he said sternly; "to see the nakedness of the land ye are come."

    They answered, "Nay, my lord, but to buy food are thy servants come. We are all one man's sons; we are true men; thy servants are no spies." He wished to learn if they possessed the same haughty spirit as when he was with them, and also to draw from them some information in regard to their home; yet he well knew how deceptive their statements might be. He repeated the charge, and they replied, "Thy servants are twelve brethren, the sons of one man in the land of Canaan; and, behold, the youngest is this day with our father, and one is not."

    Professing to doubt the truthfulness of their story, and to still look upon them as spies, the governor declared that he would prove them, by requiring them to remain in Egypt till one of their number should go and bring their youngest brother down. If they would not consent to this, they were to be treated as spies. But to such an arrangement the sons of Jacob could not agree, since the time required for carrying it out would cause their families to suffer for food; and who among them would undertake the journey alone, leaving his brothers in prison? How could he meet his father under such circumstances? It appeared probable that they were to be put to death or to be made slaves; and if Benjamin were brought, it might be only to share their fate. They decided to remain and suffer together, rather than bring additional sorrow upon their father by the loss of his only remaining son. They were accordingly cast into prison, where they remained three days.

    During the years since Joseph had been separated from his brothers, these sons of Jacob had changed in character. Envious, turbulent, deceptive, cruel, and revengeful they had been; but now, when tested by adversity, they were shown to be unselfish, true to one another, devoted to their father, and, themselves middle-aged men, subject to his authority.

    The three days in the Egyptian prison were days of bitter sorrow as the brothers reflected upon their past sins. Unless Benjamin could be produced their conviction as spies appeared certain, and they had little hope of gaining their father's consent to Benjamin's absence. On the third day Joseph caused the brothers to be brought before him. He dared not detain them longer.

    Already his father and the families with him might be suffering for food. "This do, and live," he said; "for I fear God; if ye be true men, let one of your brethren be bound in the house of your prison: go ye, carry corn for the famine of your houses: but bring your youngest brother unto me; so shall your words be verified, and ye shall not die." This proposition they agreed to accept, though expressing little hope that their father would let Benjamin return with them. Joseph had communicated with them through an interpreter, and having no thought that the governor understood them, they conversed freely with one another in his presence. They accused themselves in regard to their treatment of Joseph: "We are verily guilty concerning our brother, in that we saw the anguish of his soul, when he besought us, and we would not hear; therefore is this distress come upon us." Reuben, who had formed the plan for delivering him at Dothan, added, "Spake I not unto you, saying, Do not sin against the child; and ye would not hear? therefore, behold, also his blood is required." Joseph, listening, could not control his emotions, and he went out and wept. On his return he commanded that Simeon be bound before them and again committed to prison. In the cruel treatment of their brother, Simeon had been the instigator and chief actor, and it was for this reason that the choice fell upon him.

    Before permitting his brothers to depart, Joseph gave directions that they should be supplied with grain, and also that each man's money should be secretly placed in the mouth of his sack. Provender for the beasts on the homeward journey was also supplied. On the way one of the company, opening his sack, was surprised to find his bag of silver. On his making known the fact to the others, they were alarmed and perplexed, and said one to another, "What is this that God hath done unto us?"--should they regard it as a token of good from the Lord, or had He suffered it to occur to punish them for their sins and plunge them still deeper in affliction? They acknowledged that God had seen their sins, and that He was now punishing them.

    Jacob was anxiously awaiting the return of his sons, and on their arrival the whole encampment gathered eagerly around them as they related to their father all that had occurred. Alarm and apprehension filled every heart. The conduct of the Egyptian governor seemed to imply some evil design, and their fears were confirmed, when, as they opened their sacks, the owner's money was found in each. In his distress the aged father exclaimed, "Me have ye bereaved of my children: Joseph is not, and Simeon is not, and ye will take Benjamin away: all these things are against me." Reuben answered, "Slay my two sons, if I bring him not to thee: deliver him into my hand, and I will bring him to thee again." This rash speech did not relieve the mind of Jacob. His answer was, "My son shall not go down with you; for his brother is dead, and he is left alone: if mischief befall him by the way in the which ye go, then shall ye bring down my gray hairs with sorrow to the grave."

    But the drought continued, and in process of time the supply of grain that had been brought from Egypt was nearly exhausted. The sons of Jacob well knew that it would be in vain to return to Egypt without Benjamin. They had little hope of changing their father's resolution, and they awaited the issue in silence. Deeper and deeper grew the shadow of approaching famine; in the anxious faces of all in the encampment the old man read their need; at last he said, "Go again, buy us a little food."

    Judah answered, "The man did solemnly protest unto us, saying, Ye shall not see my face, except your brother be with you. If thou wilt send our brother with us, we will go down and buy thee food: but if thou wilt not send him, we will not go down: for the man said unto us, Ye shall not see my face, except your brother be with you." Seeing that his father's resolution began to waver, he added, "Send the lad with me, and we will arise and go; that we may live, and not die, both we, and thou, and also our little ones;" and he offered to be surety for his brother and to bear the blame forever if he failed to restore Benjamin to his father.

    Jacob could no longer withhold his consent, and he directed his sons to prepare for the journey. He bade them also take to the ruler a present of such things as the famine-wasted country afforded--"a little balm, and a little honey, spices and myrrh, nuts and almonds," also a double quantity of money. "Take also your brother," he said, "and arise, go again unto the man." As his sons were about to depart on their doubtful journey the aged father arose, and raising his hands to heaven, uttered the prayer, "God Almighty give you mercy before the man, that he may send away your other brother, and Benjamin. If I be bereaved of my children, I am bereaved."

    Again they journeyed to Egypt and presented themselves before Joseph. As his eye fell upon Benjamin, his own mother's son, he was deeply moved. He concealed his emotion, however, but ordered that they be taken to his house, and that preparation be made for them to dine with him. Upon being conducted to the governor's palace, the brothers were greatly alarmed, fearing that they were to be called to account for the money found in their sacks. They thought that it might have been intentionally placed there, to furnish occasion for making them slaves. In their distress they consulted with the steward of the house, relating to him the circumstances of their visit to Egypt; and in proof of their innocence informed him that they had brought back the money found in their sacks, also other money to buy food; and they added, "We cannot tell who put our money in our sacks." The man replied, "Peace be to you, fear not: your God, and the God of your father, hath given you treasure in your sacks: I had your money." Their anxiety was relieved, and when Simeon, who had been released from prison, joined them, they felt that God was indeed gracious unto them.

    When the governor again met them they presented their gifts and humbly "bowed themselves to him to the earth." Again his dreams came to his mind, and after saluting his guests he hastened to ask, "Is your father well, the old man of whom ye spake? Is he yet alive?" "Thy servant our father is in good health, he is yet alive," was the answer, as they again made obeisance. Then his eye rested upon Benjamin, and he said, "Is this your younger brother, of whom ye spake unto me?" "God be gracious unto thee, my son;" but, overpowered by feelings of tenderness, he could say no more. "He entered into his chamber, and wept there."

    Having recovered his self-possession, he returned, and all proceeded to the feast. By the laws of caste the Egyptians were forbidden to eat with people of any other nation. The sons of Jacob had therefore a table by themselves, while the governor, on account of his high rank, ate by himself, and the Egyptians also had separate tables. When all were seated the brothers were surprised to see that they were arranged in exact order, according to their ages. Joseph "sent messes unto them from before him;" but Benjamin's was five times as much as any of theirs. By this token of favor to Benjamin he hoped to ascertain if the youngest brother was regarded with the envy and hatred that had been manifested toward himself. Still supposing that Joseph did not understand their language, the brothers freely conversed with one another; thus he had a good opportunity to learn their real feelings. Still he desired to test them further, and before their departure he ordered that his own drinking cup of silver should be concealed in the sack of the youngest. Joyfully they set out on their return. Simeon and Benjamin were with them, their animals were laden with grain, and all felt that they had safely escaped the perils that had seemed to surround them. But they had only reached the outskirts of the city when they were overtaken by the governor's steward, who uttered the scathing inquiry, "Wherefore have ye rewarded evil for good? Is not this it in which my lord drinketh, and whereby indeed he divineth? ye have done evil in so doing." This cup was supposed to possess the power of detecting any poisonous substance placed therein. At that day cups of this kind were highly valued as a safeguard against murder by poisoning.

    To the steward's accusation the travelers answered, "Wherefore saith my lord these words? God forbid that thy servants should do according to this thing: behold, the money, which we found in our sack's mouths, we brought again unto thee out of the land of Canaan: how then should we steal out of thy lord's house silver or gold? With whomsoever of thy servants it be found, both let him die, and we also will be my lord's bondmen."

    "Now also let it be according unto your words," said the steward; "he with whom it is found shall be my servant; and ye shall be blameless."

    The search began immediately. "They speedily took down every man his sack to the ground," and the steward examined each, beginning with Reuben's, and taking them in order down to that of the youngest. In Benjamin's sack the cup was found.

    The brothers rent their garments in token of utter wretchedness, and slowly returned to the city. By their own promise Benjamin was doomed to a life of slavery. They followed the steward to the palace, and finding the governor yet there, they prostrated themselves before him. "What deed is this that ye have done?" he said. "Wot ye not that such a man as I can certainly divine?" Joseph designed to draw from them an acknowledgment of their sin. He had never claimed the power of divination, but was willing to have them believe that he could read the secrets of their lives.

    Judah answered, "What shall we say unto my Lord? what shall we speak? or how shall we clear ourselves? God hath found out the iniquity of thy servants: behold, we are my lord's servants, both we, and he also with whom the cup is found."

    "God forbid that I should do so," was the reply; "but the man in whose hand the cup is found, he shall be my servant; and as for you, get you up in peace unto your father."

    In his deep distress Judah now drew near to the ruler and exclaimed, "O my lord, let thy servant, I pray thee, speak a word in my lord's ears, and let not thine anger burn against thy servant: for thou art even as Pharaoh." In words of touching eloquence he described his father's grief at the loss of Joseph and his reluctance to let Benjamin come with them to Egypt, as he was the only son left of his mother, Rachel, whom Jacob so dearly loved. "Now therefore," he said, "when I come to thy servant my father, and the lad be not with us; seeing that his life is bound up in the lad's life; it shall come to pass, when he seeth that the lad is not with us, that he will die: and thy servants shall bring down the gray hairs of thy servant our father with sorrow to the grave. For thy servant became surety for the lad unto my father, saying, If I bring him not unto thee, then I shall bear the blame to my father forever. Now therefore, I pray thee, let thy servant abide instead of the lad a bondman to my lord; and let the lad go up with his brethren. For how shall I go up to my father, and the lad be not with me? lest peradventure I see the evil that shall come on my father."

    Joseph was satisfied. He had seen in his brothers the fruits of true repentance. Upon hearing Judah's noble offer he gave orders that all but these men should withdraw; then, weeping aloud, he cried, "I am Joseph; doth my father yet live?"

    His brothers stood motionless, dumb with fear and amazement. The ruler of Egypt their brother Joseph, whom they had envied and would have murdered, and finally sold as a slave! All their ill treatment of him passed before them. They remembered how they had despised his dreams and had labored to prevent their fulfillment. Yet they had acted their part in fulfilling these dreams; and now that they were completely in his power he would, no doubt, avenge the wrong that he had suffered.

    Seeing their confusion, he said kindly, "Come near to me, I pray you;" and as they came near, he continued, "I am Joseph your brother, whom ye sold into Egypt. Now therefore be not grieved, nor angry with yourselves, that ye sold me hither: for God did send me before you to preserve life." Feeling that they had already suffered enough for their cruelty toward him, he nobly sought to banish their fears and lessen the bitterness of their self-reproach.

    "For these two years," he continued, "hath the famine been in the land: and yet there are five years, in the which there shall neither be earing not harvest. And God sent me before you to preserve you a posterity in the earth, and to save your lives by a great deliverance. So now it was not you that sent me hither, but God: and He hath made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house, and a ruler throughout all the land of Egypt. Haste ye, and go up to my father, and say unto him, Thus saith thy son Joseph, God hath made me lord of all Egypt: come down unto me tarry not: and thou shalt dwell in the land of Goshen, and thou shalt be near unto me, thou, and thy children, and thy children's children, and thy flocks, and thy herds, and all that thou hast: and there will I nourish thee; for yet there are five years of famine; lest thou, and thy household, and all that thou hast, come to poverty. And, behold, your eyes see, and the eyes of my brother Benjamin, that it is my mouth that speaketh unto you." "And he fell upon his brother Benjamin's neck, and wept; and Benjamin wept upon his neck. Moreover he kissed all his brethren, and wept upon them: and after that his brethren talked with him." They humbly confessed their sin and entreated his forgiveness. They had long suffered anxiety and remorse, and now they rejoiced that he was still alive.

    The news of what had taken place was quickly carried to the king, who, eager to manifest his gratitude to Joseph, confirmed the governor's invitation to his family, saying, "The good of all the land of Egypt is yours." The brothers were sent away abundantly supplied with provision and carriages and everything necessary for the removal of all their families and attendants to Egypt. On Benjamin, Joseph bestowed more valuable gifts than upon the others. Then, fearing that disputes would arise among them on the homeward journey, he gave them, as they were about to leave him, the charge, "See that ye fall not out by the way."

    The sons of Jacob returned to their father with the joyful tidings, "Joseph is yet alive, and he is governor over all the land of Egypt." At first the aged man was overwhelmed; he could not believe what he heard; but when he saw the long train of wagons and loaded animals, and when Benjamin was with him once more, he was convinced, and in the fullness of his joy exclaimed, "It is enough; Joseph my son is yet alive: I will go and see him before I die." Another act of humiliation remained for the ten brothers. They now confessed to their father the deceit and cruelty that for so many years had embittered his life and theirs. Jacob had not suspected them of so base a sin, but he saw that all had been overruled for good, and he forgave and blessed his erring children.

    The father and his sons, with their families, their flocks and herds, and numerous attendants, were soon on the way to Egypt. With gladness of heart they pursued their journey, and when they came to Beersheba the patriarch offered grateful sacrifices and entreated the Lord to grant them an assurance that He would go with them. In a vision of the night the divine word came to him: "Fear not to go down into Egypt; for I will there make of thee a great nation. I will go down with thee into Egypt; and I will also surely bring thee up again."

    The assurance, "Fear not to go down into Egypt; for I will  there  make of thee a great nation," was significant. The promise had been given to Abraham of a posterity numberless as the stars, but as yet the chosen people had increased but slowly. And the land of Canaan now offered no field for the development of such a nation as had been foretold. It was in the possession of powerful heathen tribes, that were not to be dispossessed until "the fourth generation." If the descendants of Israel were here to become a numerous people, they must either drive out the inhabitants of the land or disperse themselves among them. The former, according to the divine arrangement, they could not do; and should they mingle with the Canaanites, they would be in danger of being seduced into idolatry. Egypt, however, offered the conditions necessary to the fulfillment of the divine purpose. A section of country well-watered and fertile was open to them there, affording every advantage for their speedy increase. And the antipathy they must encounter in Egypt on account of their occupation--for every shepherd was "an abomination unto the Egyptians"--would enable them to remain a distinct and separate people and would thus serve to shut them out from participation in the idolatry of Egypt.

    Upon reaching Egypt the company proceeded directly to the land of Goshen. Thither came Joseph in his chariot of state, attended by a princely retinue. The splendor of his surroundings and the dignity of his position were alike forgotten; one thought alone filled his mind, one longing thrilled his heart. As he beheld the travelers approaching, the love whose yearnings had for so many long years been repressed, would no longer be controlled. He sprang from his chariot and hastened forward to bid his father welcome. "And he fell on his neck, and wept on his neck a good while. And Israel said unto Joseph, Now let me die, since I have seen thy face, because thou art ye alive."

    Joseph took five of his brothers to present to Pharaoh and receive from him the grant of land for their future home. Gratitude to his prime minister would have led the monarch to honor them with appointments to offices of state; but Joseph, true to the worship of Jehovah, sought to save his brothers from the temptations to which they would be exposed at a heathen court; therefore he counseled them, when questioned by the king, to tell him frankly their occupation. The sons of Jacob followed this counsel, being careful also to state that they had come to sojourn in the land, not to become permanent dwellers there, thus reserving the right to depart if they chose. The king assigned them a home, as offered, in "the best of the land," the country of Goshen.

    Not long after their arrival Joseph brought his father also to be presented to the king. The patriarch was a stranger in royal courts; but amid the sublime scenes of nature he had communed with a mightier Monarch; and now, in conscious superiority, he raised his hands and blessed Pharaoh.

    In his first greeting to Joseph, Jacob had spoken as if, with this joyful ending to his long anxiety and sorrow, he was ready to die. But seventeen years were yet to be granted him in the peaceful retirement of Goshen. These years were in happy contrast to those that had preceded them. He saw in his sons evidence of true repentance; he saw his family surrounded by all the conditions needful for the development of a great nation; and his faith grasped the sure promise of their future establishment in Canaan. He himself was surrounded with every token of love and favor that the prime minister of Egypt could bestow; and happy in the society of his long-lost son, he passed down gently and peacefully to the grave.

    As he felt death approaching, he sent for Joseph. Still holding fast the promise of God respecting the possession of Canaan, he said, "Bury me not, I pray thee, in Egypt: but I will lie with my fathers, and thou shalt carry me out of Egypt, and bury me in their burying place." Joseph promised to do so, but Jacob was not satisfied; he exacted a solemn oath to lay him beside his fathers in the cave of Machpelah.

    Another important matter demanded attention; the sons of Joseph were to be formally instated among the children of Israel. Joseph, coming for a last interview with his father, brought with him Ephraim and Manasseh. These youths were connected, through their mother, with the highest order of the Egyptian priesthood; and the position of their father opened to them the avenues to wealth and distinction, should they choose to connect themselves with the Egyptians. It was Joseph's desire, however, that they should unite with their own people. He manifested his faith in the covenant promise, in behalf of his sons renouncing all the honors that the court of Egypt offered, for a place among the despised shepherd tribes, to whom had been entrusted the oracles of God.

    Said Jacob, "Thy two sons, Ephraim, and Manasseh, which were born unto thee in the land of Egypt, before I came unto thee into Egypt, are mine; as Reuben and Simeon, they shall be mine." They were to be adopted as his own, and to become the heads of separate tribes. Thus one of the birthright privileges, which Reuben had forfeited, was to fall to Joseph--a double portion in Israel.

    Jacob's eyes were dim with age, and he had not been aware of the presence of the young men; but now, catching the outline of their forms, he said, "Who are these?" On being told, he added, "Bring them, I pray thee, unto me, and I will bless them." As they came nearer, the patriarch embraced and kissed them, solemnly laying his hands upon their heads in benediction. Then he uttered the prayer, "God, before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac did walk, the God which fed me all my life long unto this day, the Angel which redeemed me from all evil, bless the lads." There was no spirit of self-dependence, no reliance upon human power or cunning now. God had been his preserver and support. There was no complaint of the evil days in the past. Its trials and sorrows were no longer regarded as things that were "against" him. Memory recalled only His mercy and loving-kindness who had been with him throughout his pilgrimage.

    The blessing ended, Jacob gave his son the assurance--leaving for the generations to come, through long years of bondage and sorrow, this testimony to his faith--"Behold, I die; but God shall be with you, and bring you again unto the land of your fathers."

    At the last all the sons of Jacob were gathered about his dying bed. And Jacob called unto his sons, and said, "Gather yourselves together, and hear, ye sons of Jacob; and hearken unto Israel your father," "that I may tell you that which shall befall you in the last days." Often and anxiously he had thought of their future, and had endeavored to picture to himself the history of the different tribes. Now as his children waited to receive his last blessing the Spirit of Inspiration rested upon him, and before him in prophetic vision the future of his descendants was unfolded. One after another the names of his sons were mentioned, the character of each was described, and the future history of the tribes was briefly foretold.

    "Reuben, thou art my first-born,
    My might, and the beginning of my strength,
    The excellency of dignity, and the excellency of power."

    Thus the father pictured what should have been the position of Reuben as the first-born son; but his grievous sin at Edar had made him unworthy of the birthright blessing. Jacob continued--

    "Unstable as water,
    Thou shalt not excel."

    The priesthood was apportioned to Levi, the kingdom and the Messianic promise to Judah, and the double portion of the inheritance to Joseph. The tribe of Reuben never rose to any eminence in Israel; it was not so numerous as Judah, Joseph, or Dan, and was among the first that were carried into captivity.

    Next in age to Reuben were Simeon and Levi. They had been united in their cruelty toward the Shechemites, and they had also been the most guilty in the selling of Joseph. Concerning them it was declared--

    "I will divide them in Jacob,
    And scatter them in Israel."

    At the numbering of Israel, just before their entrance to Canaan, Simeon was the smallest tribe. Moses, in his last blessing, made no reference to Simeon. In the settlement of Canaan this tribe had only a small portion of Judah's lot, and such families as afterward became powerful formed different colonies and settled in territory outside the borders of the Holy Land. Levi also received no inheritance except forty-eight cities scattered in different parts of the land. In the case of this tribe, however, their fidelity of Jehovah when the other tribes apostatized, secured their appointment to the sacred service of the sanctuary, and thus the curse was changed into a blessing.

    The crowning blessings of the birthright were transferred to Judah. The significance of the name--which denotes praise,--is unfolded in the prophetic history of this tribe:

    "Judah, thou art he whom thy brethren shall praise:
    Thy hand shall be in the neck of thine enemies;
    Thy father's children shall bow down before thee.
    Judah is a lion's whelp:
    From the prey, my son, thou art gone up:
    He stooped down, he couched as a lion,
    And as an old lion: who shall rouse him up?
    The scepter shall not depart from Judah,
    Nor a lawgiver from between his feet,
    Until Shiloh come;
    And unto Him shall the gathering of the people be."

    The lion, king of the forest, is a fitting symbol of this tribe, from which came David, and the Son of David, Shiloh, the true "Lion of the tribe of Judah," to whom all powers shall finally bow and all nations render homage.

    For most of his children Jacob foretold a prosperous future. At last the name of Joseph was reached, and the father's heart overflowed as he invoked blessings upon "the head of him that was separate from his brethren":

    "Joseph is a fruitful bough,
    Even a fruitful bough by a well;
    Whose branches run over the wall:
    The archers have sorely grieved him,
    And shot at him, and hated him:
    But his bow abode in strength,
    And the arms of his hands were made strong
    By the hands of the mighty God of Jacob;
    (From thence is the shepherd, the stone of Israel;)

    Even by the God of thy father, who shall help thee;
    And by the Almighty, who shall bless thee
    With blessings of heaven above,
    Blessings of the deep that lieth under,
    Blessings of the breasts, and of the womb:
    The blessings of thy father have prevailed
    Above the blessings of my progenitors
    Unto the utmost bound of the everlasting hills:
    They shall be on the head of Joseph,
    And on the crown of the head of him that was separate from
    his brethren."

    Jacob had even been a man of deep and ardent affection; his love for his sons was strong and tender, and his dying testimony to them was not the utterance of partiality or resentment. He had forgiven them all, and he loved them to the last. His paternal tenderness would have found expression only in words of encouragement and hope; but the power of God rested upon him, and under the influence of Inspiration he was constrained to declare the truth, however painful.

    The last blessings pronounced, Jacob repeated the charge concerning his burial place: "I am to be gathered unto my people: bury me with my fathers . . . in the cave that is in the field of Machpelah." "There they buried Abraham and Sarah his wife; there they buried Isaac and Rebekah his wife; and there I buried Leah." Thus the last act of his life was to manifest his faith in God's promise.

    Jacob's last years brought an evening of tranquillity and repose after a troubled and weary day. Clouds had gathered dark above his path, yet his sun set clear, and the radiance of heaven illumined his parting hours. Says the Scripture, "At evening time it shall be light." Zechariah 14:7. "Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright: for the end of that man is peace." Psalm 37:37.

    Jacob had sinned, and had deeply suffered. Many years of toil, care, and sorrow had been his since the day when his great sin caused him to flee from his father's tents. A homeless fugitive, separated from his mother, whom he never saw again; laboring seven years for her whom he loved, only to be basely cheated; toiling twenty years in the service of a covetous and grasping kinsman; seeing his wealth increasing, and sons rising around him, but finding little joy in the contentious and divided household; distressed by his daughter's shame, by her brothers' revenge, by the death of Rachel, by the unnatural crime of Reuben, by Judah's sin, by the cruel deception and malice practiced toward Joseph--how long and dark is the catalogue of evils spread out to view! Again and again he had reaped the fruit of that first wrong deed. Over and over he saw repeated among his sons the sins of which he himself had been guilty. But bitter as had been the discipline, it had accomplished its work. The chastening, though grievous, had yielded "the peaceable fruit of righteousness." Hebrews 12:11.

    Inspiration faithfully records the faults of good men, those who were distinguished by the favor of God; indeed, their faults are more fully presented than their virtues. This has been a subject of wonder to many, and has given the infidel occasion to scoff at the Bible. But it is one of the strongest evidences of the truth of Scripture, that facts are not glossed over, nor the sins of its chief characters suppressed. The minds of men are so subject to prejudice that it is not possible for human histories to be absolutely impartial. Had the Bible been written by uninspired persons, it would no doubt have presented the character of its honored men in a more flattering light. But as it is, we have a correct record of their experiences.

    Men whom God favored, and to whom He entrusted great responsibilities, were sometimes overcome by temptation and committed sin, even as we at the present day strive, waver, and frequently fall into error. Their lives, with all their faults and follies, are open before us, both for our encouragement and warning. If they had been represented as without fault, we, with our sinful nature, might despair at our own mistakes and failures. But seeing where others struggled through discouragements like our own, where they fell under temptations as we have done, and yet took heart again and conquered through the grace of God, we are encouraged in our striving after righteousness. As they, though sometimes beaten back, recovered their ground, and were blessed of God, so we too may be overcomers in the strength of Jesus. On the other hand, the record of their lives may serve as a warning to us. It shows that God will by no means clear the guilty. He sees sin in His most favored ones, and He deals with it in them even more strictly than in those who have less light and responsibility.

    After the burial of Jacob fear again filled the hearts of Joseph's brothers. Notwithstanding his kindness toward them, conscious guilt made them distrustful and suspicious. It might be that he had but delayed his revenge, out of regard to their father, and that he would now visit upon them the long-deferred punishment for their crime. They dared not appear before him in person, but sent a message: "Thy father did command before he died, saying, So shall ye say unto Joseph, Forgive, I pray thee now, the trespass of thy brethren, and their sin; for they did unto thee evil: and now, we pray thee, forgive the trespass of the servants of the God of thy father." This message affected Joseph to tears, and, encouraged by this, his brothers came and fell down before him, with the words, "Behold, we be thy servants." Joseph's love for his brothers was deep and unselfish, and he was pained at the thought that they could regard him as cherishing a spirit of revenge toward them. "Fear not," he said; "for am I in the place of God? But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive. Now therefore fear ye not: I will nourish you, and your little ones."

    The life of Joseph illustrates the life of Christ. It was envy that moved the brothers of Joseph to sell him as a slave; they hoped to prevent him from becoming greater than themselves. And when he was carried to Egypt, they flattered themselves that they were to be no more troubled with his dreams, that they had removed all possibility of their fulfillment. But their own course was overruled by God to bring about the very event that they designed to hinder. So the Jewish priests and elders were jealous of Christ, fearing that He would attract the attention of the people from them. They put Him to death, to prevent Him from becoming king, but they were thus bringing about this very result.

    Joseph, through his bondage in Egypt, became a savior to his father's family; yet this fact did not lessen the guilt of his brothers. So the crucifixion of Christ by His enemies made Him the Redeemer of mankind, the Saviour of the fallen race, and Ruler over the whole world; but the crime of His murderers was just as heinous as though God's providential hand had not controlled events for His own glory and the good of man.

    As Joseph was sold to the heathen by his own brothers, so Christ was sold to His bitterest enemies by one of His disciples. Joseph was falsely accused and thrust into prison because of his virtue; so Christ was despised and rejected because His righteous, self-denying life was a rebuke to sin; and though guilty of no wrong, He was condemned upon the testimony of false witnesses. And Joseph's patience and meekness under injustice and oppression, his ready forgiveness and noble benevolence toward his unnatural brothers, represent the Saviour's uncomplaining endurance of the malice and abuse of wicked men, and His forgiveness, not only of His murderers, but of all who have come to Him confessing their sins and seeking pardon.

    Joseph outlived his father fifty-four years. He lived to see "Ephraim's children of the third generation: the children also of Machir the son of Manasseh were brought up upon Joseph's knees." He witnessed the increase and prosperity of his people, and through all the years his faith in God's restoration of Israel to the Land of Promise was unshaken.

    When he saw that his end was near, he summoned his kinsmen about him. Honored as he had been in the land of the Pharaohs, Egypt was to him but the place of his exile; his last act was to signify that his lot was cast with Israel. His last words were, "God will surely visit you, and bring you out of this land unto the land which He sware to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob." And he took a solemn oath of the children of Israel that they would carry up his bones with them to the land of Canaan. "So Joseph died, being an hundred and ten years old: and they embalmed him, and he was put in a coffin in Egypt." And through the centuries of toil which followed, the coffin, a reminder of the dying words of Joseph, testified to Israel that they were only sojourners in Egypt, and bade them keep their hopes fixed upon the Land of Promise, for the time of deliverance would surely come.


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    Last edited by orthodoxymoron on Sun Jun 24, 2018 1:39 pm; edited 1 time in total
    orthodoxymoron
    orthodoxymoron


    Posts : 13283
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    United States AI Solar System (6) - Page 2 Empty Re: United States AI Solar System (6)

    Post  orthodoxymoron Sun Jun 24, 2018 12:32 am

    United States AI Solar System (6) - Page 2 Rha-zt94

    What if it turns out that I got paid to participate in an Alphabet-Agency Psychological-Experiment?? Would that change your perceptions of my posting, and me personally?? Or what if I was selected by the Secret-Government to be manipulated into doing what I've done throughout my life, but without my knowledge?? What if my life and posting is a HUGE Red-Herring?? What if I'm somehow a diversion?? What if I somehow have 'Immunity' in this incarnation?? Tell Me What YOU Think.

    I spoke with a significant-someone regarding NIBIRU (a couple of years ago) -- and supposedly this HUGE "Heavenly-Body" was supposed to be a problem by the end of 2015 -- but one hears a lot of things -- so who knows what the truth is?! I made an unofficial request a few years ago for NIBIRU to take up a relatively circular orbit safely beyond the orbit of Pluto -- and possibly join a United States of the Solar System. What's odd is that talk about NIBIRU began receding. Was this coincidental?? Were people just tired of the eschatological-talk?? Or did NIBIRU really alter its course -- and essentially become part of this solar system?? I've backtracked regarding an Imminent USSS -- mostly because I don't have enough reliable information -- and because I've become increasingly skeptical regarding my physical, mental, and spiritual health. I honestly feel horrible 24/7. I'm explaining -- rather than complaining. Something is VERY Wrong with me. I've been pretty agitated and aggressive over the past couple of weeks (mostly because I am unbelievably miserable) -- and I wonder if I've angered the Galactic PTB when I've poked, prodded, and joked?!

    I'm honestly NOT trying to be a "Scoffer at the End of Time". I simply seek the truth (in a straight-forward and matter of fact manner). The significant individual I spoke with suggested that God was involved in the approach of NIBIRU (and the expected devastation of Earth). They seemed to be pleased (if I'm not mistaken) that some significant destruction might be finally inflicted upon Earth (after years of delays). I continue to wonder about "Thou Shalt Not Kill" and "Unto 2300 days (years) then shall the Sanctuary be Cleansed". I keep thinking in terms of a 120 year Investigative and Executive Judgment -- terminating in A.D. 2133 -- with the possibility of an idealistic and refined version of a United States of the Solar System emerging from an Illuminated, Judged, Chastened, and Contrite World -- with perhaps a lot of people involved in some sort of program of restitution and karmic-debt reduction (rather than being exterminated physically and spiritually). I guess I'm a "softie". Once again -- I am a Law and Order kind of guy -- rather than a Fire and Brimstone sort of individual. One should not have to break the Perfect Law of the Lord -- to uphold and enforce the Perfect Law of God. Consider yet another KJV Study-List:

    1. The Psalms.
    2. Isaiah.
    3. Daniel.
    4. Luke.
    5. Acts.
    6. James.
    7. Bach.
    8. Handel.

    Do I really need to explain why I included all of the above -- especially when no one gives a damn about this entire thread (let alone this particular post)??!! Someone please tell me why I chose these eight sources!! For anyone who cares -- I am continuing to suggest agonizing over the Psychology, Ethics, and Legality of Life, the Universe, and Eschatology. One thing that REALLY bothers me about my SDA background is the contradictory thinking regarding the Eschatological Character-Perfection of the Righteous -- and the Utter-Destruction of the Wicked. How can a Perfect-God -- Perfect-Angels -- and Perfect-People preside over the Murder and Mayhem of the Apocalypse -- and be Happy (to top it off)??!! I really think this might have something to do with Ancient (and Ongoing) Star-Wars in Heaven and Earth. What if all of us really were Ancient Absolutely-Obedient Reptilian-Warriors?? What if this might be the Genesis of Earthly-Wars and Eschatological-Theologies??

    I keep thinking that I might need to include the conceptualization and actualization of BOTH the Medical-Military-Money Complex AND the Prevention-Peace-Philanthropy Complex -- in order to properly understand the realities of SDA Healthcare AND the Solar-System We Live In!! Both the Bible and Ellen White can be extremely violent and matter-of-fact -- while almost simultaneously be extolling the Love and Righteous Character of God -- and the Love and Righteousness of God's People. This phenomenon is bizarre and upsetting to me -- especially when SDA's are Conscientious-Objectors!! How can we condemn the Catholic Crusades and Inquisition -- Hitler and Stalin -- when we embrace the Murder and Mayhem (ordered and carried-out by God -- the Angels -- and God's Chosen People) in the Old-Testament and the Book of Revelation??!!

    I have tried to get around this glaring problem by focusing on Job through Daniel -- while viewing a lot of the reprehensible scriptural stuff as being highly suspect (or at least completely misunderstood). But how dare I (or anyone) doubt God's Holy and Inspired Word?? A Harvard Divinity School Graduate once spoke to me mockingly of "The Word of God" -- and suggested that the Bible had everything to do with "Maintaining Power". To me -- the dishonesty and inconsistency in the religious world is beyond belief. How can we call ourselves "Civilized"??!! I'm Sirius about stopping posting -- but I will continue to agonize over the unthinkable and the unknowable. Why?? I don't know why. I Think. Therefore I Am Nucking Futs!! If, and when, the poop contacts the blower, it might be too late to talk to me about what to do. I might mutter something like "It's a Touching Story -- But I Can't Do a Thing for You." I wish I were kidding -- but I'm deadly serious. I get the distinct impression that I somehow got black-listed -- red-listed -- and sidelined. Sometimes I feel like a disinherited Jupiter Jones. So really -- the window of opportunity for productive conversation and interaction might've passed quite some time ago. Probation might've closed on December 21, 2012. Who knows?? I don't necessarily wish for that to be the case -- but consider 2012 -- 2133 (which is approximately 120 years). "As It Was in the Days of Noah"?? The Noah movie was released in 2013 -- wasn't it?? The advertising read "The End is Only the Beginning". Think about it. I'm NOT dogmatic. I'm just trying to get the right people (and other-than-people) to think.

    I feel a bit like Daniel Jackson regarding the exodus of viewers and contributors to this thread. The view-count is almost at a standstill compared to what it's been in the past. This probably is an excellent time to exit stage-left. Unfortunately, I still have a lot of reposting and editing to do, so I might be quite busy, right up to the end of August, at which time I really will from all my labors rest. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KrbU341Y7Y4 I really enjoy hymn-singing (especially with the alternative verses we used at the Crystal Cathedral). I remember that first Sunday in the Morning-Choir, when we sang People, People Everywhere!! Fred called it 'People, People All Over the Place!!' https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7TWTWpYOD8c Isn't that a very cool church, organ, organist, and acoustical-environment??!! Check this out!! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G5DzwtEyPj0 I would be quite pleased if church consisted of nothing more than a Prelude, Processional, Hymn-Singing, a Sermon, a Recessional, and a Postlude!! The more hymn-singing the better!!!

    Consider Natural-Law. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natural_law Natural law, or the law of nature (Latin: lex naturalis), is a system of law that is purportedly determined by nature, and thus universal.[1] Classically, natural law refers to the use of reason to analyze human nature—both social and personal—and deduce binding rules of moral behavior from it. Natural law is classically contrasted with the positive law of a given political community, society, or state, and thus serves as a standard by which to criticize said positive law.[2] In legal theory, on the other hand, the interpretation of positive law requires some reference to natural law. On this understanding of natural law, natural law can be invoked to criticize judicial decisions about what the law says but not to criticize the best interpretation of the law itself. Some scholars use natural law synonymously with natural justice or natural right (Latin ius naturale),[3] while others distinguish between natural law and natural right.[1]

    Although natural law is often conflated with common law, the two are distinct in that natural law is a view that certain rights or values are inherent in or universally cognizable by virtue of human reason or human nature, while common law is the legal tradition whereby certain rights or values are legally cognizable by virtue of judicial recognition or articulation.[4] Natural law theories have, however, exercised a profound influence on the development of English common law,[5][full citation needed] and have featured greatly in the philosophies of Thomas Aquinas, Francisco Suárez, Richard Hooker, Thomas Hobbes, Hugo Grotius, Samuel von Pufendorf, John Locke, Francis Hutcheson, Jean Jacques Burlamaqui, and Emmerich de Vattel. Because of the intersection between natural law and natural rights, it has been cited as a component in the United States Declaration of Independence and the Constitution of the United States, as well as in the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen. Declarationism states that the founding of the United States is based on Natural law.

    History

    The use of natural law, in its various incarnations, has varied widely through its history. There are a number of different theories of natural law, differing from each other with respect to the role that morality plays in determining the authority of legal norms. This article deals with its usages separately rather than attempt to unify them into a single theory.

    Plato

    This section possibly contains original research. Please improve it by verifying the claims made and adding inline citations. Statements consisting only of original research may be removed. (May 2011)

    Although Plato does not have an explicit theory of natural law (he almost never uses the phrase natural law except in Gorgias 484 and Timaeus 83e), his concept of nature, according to John Wild, contains some of the elements found in many natural law theories.[6] According to Plato we live in an orderly universe.[7] At the basis of this orderly universe or nature are the forms, most fundamentally the Form of the Good, which Plato describes as "the brightest region of Being".[8] The Form of the Good is the cause of all things and when it is seen it leads a person to act wisely.[9] In the Symposium, the Good is closely identified with the Beautiful.[10] Also in the Symposium, Plato describes how the experience of the Beautiful by Socrates enables him to resist the temptations of wealth and sex.[11] In the Republic, the ideal community is, “...a city which would be established in accordance with nature.”[12]

    Aristotle

    Greek philosophy emphasized the distinction between "nature" (physis, fús??) on the one hand and "law", "custom", or "convention" (nomos, ?óµ??) on the other. What the law commanded varied from place to place, but what was "by nature" should be the same everywhere. A "law of nature" would therefore have had the flavor more of a paradox than something that obviously existed.[1] Against the conventionalism that the distinction between nature and custom could engender, Socrates and his philosophic heirs, Plato and Aristotle, posited the existence of natural justice or natural right (dikaion physikon, d??a??? f?s????, Latin ius naturale). Of these, Aristotle is often said to be the father of natural law.[3]

    Aristotle's association with natural law may be due to the interpretation given to his works by Thomas Aquinas.[13] But whether Aquinas correctly read Aristotle is a disputed question. According to some, Aquinas conflates the natural law and natural right, the latter of which Aristotle posits in Book V of the Nicomachean Ethics (Book IV of the Eudemian Ethics). According to this interpretation, Aquinas's influence was such as to affect a number of early translations of these passages in an unfortunate manner, though more recent translations render them more literally.[14] Aristotle notes that natural justice is a species of political justice, viz. the scheme of distributive and corrective justice that would be established under the best political community; were this to take the form of law, this could be called a natural law, though Aristotle does not discuss this and suggests in the Politics that the best regime may not rule by law at all.[15]

    The best evidence of Aristotle's having thought there was a natural law comes from the Rhetoric, where Aristotle notes that, aside from the "particular" laws that each people has set up for itself, there is a "common" law that is according to nature.[16] Specifically, he quotes Sophocles and Empedocles:

    Universal law is the law of Nature. For there really is, as every one to some extent divines, a natural justice and injustice that is binding on all men, even on those who have no association or covenant with each other. It is this that Sophocles' Antigone clearly means when she says that the burial of Polyneices was a just act in spite of the prohibition: she means that it was just by nature: "Not of to-day or yesterday it is, But lives eternal: none can date its birth." And so Empedocles, when he bids us kill no living creature, says that doing this is not just for some people while unjust for others: "Nay, but, an all-embracing law, through the realms of the sky Unbroken it stretcheth, and over the earth's immensity."[17]

    Some critics believe that the context of this remark suggests only that Aristotle advised that it could be rhetorically advantageous to appeal to such a law, especially when the "particular" law of one's own city was averse to the case being made, not that there actually was such a law;[3] Moreover, they claim that Aristotle considered two of the three candidates for a universally valid, natural law provided in this passage to be wrong.[1] Aristotle's theoretical paternity of the natural law tradition is consequently disputed.

    Stoic natural law

    The development of this tradition of natural justice into one of natural law is usually attributed to the Stoics. The rise of natural law as a universal system coincided with the rise of large empires and kingdoms in the Greek world.[18][full citation needed] Whereas the "higher" law Aristotle suggested one could appeal to was emphatically natural, in contradistinction to being the result of divine positive legislation, the Stoic natural law was indifferent to the divine or natural source of the law: the Stoics asserted the existence of a rational and purposeful order to the universe (a divine or eternal law), and the means by which a rational being lived in accordance with this order was the natural law, which spelled out action that accorded with virtue.[1]

    As the historian A.J. Carlyle notes: "There is no change in political theory so startling in its completeness as the change from the theory of Aristotle to the later philosophical view represented by Cicero and Seneca.... We think that this cannot be better exemplified than with regard to the theory of the equality of human nature." [19] Charles H. McIlwain likewise observes that "the idea of the equality of men is the profoundest contribution of the Stoics to political thought" and that "its greatest influence is in the changed conception of law that in part resulted from it."[20]

    Natural law first appeared among the stoics who believed that God is everywhere and in everyone. Within humans is a "divine spark" which helps them to live in accordance with nature. The stoics felt that there was a way in which the universe had been designed and natural law helped us to harmonise with this.

    Marcus Tullius Cicero

    Cicero wrote in his De Legibus that both justice and law derive their origin from what nature has given to man, from what the human mind embraces, from the function of man, and from what serves to unite humanity.[21] For Cicero, natural law obliges us to contribute to the general good of the larger society.[22] The purpose of positive laws is to provide for "the safety of citizens, the preservation of states, and the tranquility and happiness of human life." In this view, "wicked and unjust statutes" are "anything but 'laws,'" because "in the very definition of the term 'law' there inheres the idea and principle of choosing what is just and true."[23] Law, for Cicero, "ought to be a reformer of vice and an incentive to virtue."[24] Cicero expressed the view that "the virtues which we ought to cultivate, always tend to our own happiness, and that the best means of promoting them consists in living with men in that perfect union and charity which are cemented by mutual benefits."[22]

    Cicero influenced the discussion of natural law for many centuries to come, up through the era of the American Revolution. The jurisprudence of the Roman Empire was rooted in Cicero, who held "an extraordinary grip . . . upon the imagination of posterity" as "the medium for the propagation of those ideas which informed the law and institutions of the empire."[25] Cicero's conception of natural law "found its way to later centuries notably through the writings of Saint Isidore of Seville and the Decretum of Gratian."[26] Thomas Aquinas, in his summary of medieval natural law, quoted Cicero's statement that "nature" and "custom" were the sources of a society's laws.[27]

    The Renaissance Florentine chancellor Leonardo Bruni praised Cicero as the man "who carried philosophy from Greece to Italy, and nourished it with the golden river of his eloquence."[28] The legal culture of Elizabethan England, exemplified by Sir Edward Coke, was "steeped in Ciceronian rhetoric."[29] The Scottish moral philosopher Francis Hutcheson, as a student at Glasgow, "was attracted most by Cicero, for whom he always professed the greatest admiration."[30] More generally in eighteenth-century Great Britain, Cicero's name was a household word among educated people.[30] Likewise, "in the admiration of early Americans Cicero took pride of place as orator, political theorist, stylist, and moralist."[31]

    The British polemicist Thomas Gordon "incorporated Cicero into the radical ideological tradition that travelled from the mother country to the colonies in the course of the eighteenth century and decisively shaped early American political culture."[32] Cicero's description of the immutable, eternal, and universal natural law was quoted by Burlamaqui[33] and later by the American revolutionary legal scholar James Wilson.[34] Cicero became John Adams's "foremost model of public service, republican virtue, and forensic eloquence."[35] Adams wrote of Cicero that "as all the ages of the world have not produced a greater statesman and philosopher united in the same character, his authority should have great weight."[36] Thomas Jefferson "first encountered Cicero as a schoolboy learning Latin, and continued to read his letters and discourses as long as he lived. He admired him as a patriot, valued his opinions as a moral philosopher, and there is little doubt that he looked upon Cicero's life, with his love of study and aristocratic country life, as a model for his own."[37] Jefferson described Cicero as "the father of eloquence and philosophy."[38]

    Christian natural law

    Some early Church Fathers, especially those in the West, sought to incorporate natural law into Christianity. The most notable among these was Augustine of Hippo, who equated natural law with man's prelapsarian state; as such, a life according to nature was no longer possible and men needed instead to seek salvation through the divine law and grace of Jesus Christ.

    In the Twelfth Century, Gratian equated the natural law with divine law. A century later, St. Thomas Aquinas in his Summa Theologiae I-II qq. 90-106, restored Natural Law to its independent state, asserting natural law as the rational creature's participation in the eternal law.[39] Yet, since human reason could not fully comprehend the Eternal law, it needed to be supplemented by revealed Divine law. (See also Biblical law in Christianity.) Meanwhile, Aquinas taught that all human or positive laws were to be judged by their conformity to the natural law. An unjust law is not a law, in the full sense of the word. It retains merely the 'appearance' of law insofar as it is duly constituted and enforced in the same way a just law is, but is itself a 'perversion of law.'[40] At this point, the natural law was not only used to pass judgment on the moral worth of various laws, but also to determine what the law said in the first place. This principle laid the seed for possible societal tension with reference to tyrants.[41]

    The natural law was inherently teleological and deontological in that although it is aimed at goodness, it is entirely focused on the ethicalness of actions, rather than the consequence. The specific content of the natural law was therefore determined by a conception of what things constituted happiness, be they temporal satisfaction or salvation. The state, in being bound by the natural law, was conceived as an institution directed at bringing its subjects to true happiness.

    In the 16th century, the School of Salamanca (Francisco Suárez, Francisco de Vitoria, etc.) further developed a philosophy of natural law. After the Church of England broke from Rome, the English theologian Richard Hooker adapted Thomistic notions of natural law to Anglicanism. There are five important principles: to live, to learn, to reproduce, to worship God, and to live in an ordered society.[citation needed]

    Those who see biblical support for the doctrine of natural law often point to Paul's Epistle to the Romans: "For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves: Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another. (Romans 2:14-15). The intellectual historian A.J. Carlyle has commented on this passage, "There can be little doubt that St Paul's words imply some conception analogous to the 'natural law' in Cicero, a law written in men's hearts, recognized by man's reason, a law distinct from the positive law of any State, or from what St Paul recognized as the revealed law of God. It is in this sense that St Paul's words are taken by the Fathers of the fourth and fifth centuries like St Hilary of Poitiers, St Ambrose, and St Augustine, and there seems no reason to doubt the correctness of their interpretation."[42]

    English jurisprudence

    Heinrich A. Rommen remarked upon "the tenacity with which the spirit of the English common law retained the conceptions of natural law and equity which it had assimilated during the Catholic Middle Ages, thanks especially to the influence of Henry de Bracton (d. 1268) and Sir John Fortescue (d. cir. 1476)."[43] Bracton's translator notes that Bracton "was a trained jurist with the principles and distinctions of Roman jurisprudence firmly in mind"; but Bracton adapted such principles to English purposes rather than copying slavishly.[44] In particular, Bracton turned the imperial Roman maxim that "the will of the prince is law" on its head, insisting that the king is under the law.[45] The legal historian Charles F. Mullett has noted Bracton's "ethical definition of law, his recognition of justice, and finally his devotion to natural rights."[46] Bracton considered justice to be the "fountain-head" from which "all rights arise."[47] For his definition of justice, Bracton quoted the twelfth-century Italian jurist Azo: "'Justice is the constant and unfailing will to give to each his right.'"[48] Bracton's work was the second legal treatise studied by the young apprentice lawyer Thomas Jefferson.[49]

    Fortescue stressed "the supreme importance of the law of God and of nature" in works that "profoundly influenced the course of legal development in the following centuries."[50] The legal scholar Ellis Sandoz has noted that "the historically ancient and the ontologically higher law--eternal, divine, natural--are woven together to compose a single harmonious texture in Fortescue's account of English law."[51] As the legal historian Norman Doe explains: "Fortescue follows the general pattern set by Aquinas. The objective of every legislator is to dispose people to virtue. It is by means of law that this is accomplished. Fortescue's definition of law (also found in Accursius and Bracton), after all, was 'a sacred sanction commanding what is virtuous [honesta] and forbidding the contrary.'"[52] Fortescue cited Leonardo Bruni for his statement that "virtue alone produces happiness."[53]

    Christopher St. Germain's Doctor and Student was a classic of English jurisprudence,[54] and it was thoroughly annotated by Thomas Jefferson.[55] St. Germain informs his readers that English lawyers generally don't use the phrase "law of nature," but rather use "reason" as the preferred synonym.[56][57] Norman Doe notes that St. Germain's view "is essentially Thomist," quoting Thomas Aquinas's definition of law as "an ordinance of reason made for the common good by him who has charge of the community, and promulgated."[58]

    Sir Edward Coke was the preeminent jurist of his time.[59] Coke's preeminence extended across the ocean: "For the American revolutionary leaders, 'law' meant Sir Edward Coke's custom and right reason."[60] [61] Coke defined law as "perfect reason, which commands those things that are proper and necessary and which prohibits contrary things."[62] For Coke, human nature determined the purpose of law; and law was superior to any one man's reason or will.[63] Coke's discussion of natural law appears in his report of Calvin's Case (1608): "The law of nature is that which God at the time of creation of the nature of man infused into his heart, for his preservation and direction." In this case the judges found that "the ligeance or faith of the subject is due unto the King by the law of nature: secondly, that the law of nature is part of the law of England: thirdly, that the law of nature was before any judicial or municipal law: fourthly, that the law of nature is immutable." To support these findings, the assembled judges (as reported by Coke, who was one of them) cited as authorities Aristotle, Cicero, and the Apostle Paul; as well as Bracton, Fortescue, and St. Germain.[64]

    As early as the thirteenth century, it was held that "the law of nature...is the ground of all laws"[65] and by the Chancellor and Judges that "it is required by the law of nature that every person, before he can be punish’d, ought to be present; and if absent by contumacy, he ought to be summoned and make default.".[66][67] Further, in 1824, we find it held that "proceedings in our Courts are founded upon the law of England, and that law is again founded upon the law of nature and the revealed law of God. If the right sought to be enforced is inconsistent with either of these, the English municipal courts cannot recognize it."[68]

    American jurisprudence

    The U.S. Declaration of Independence states that it has become necessary for the United States to assume "the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them". Some early American lawyers and judges perceived natural law as too tenuous, amorphous and evanescent a legal basis for grounding concrete rights and governmental limitations.[4] Natural law did, however, serve as authority for legal claims and rights in some judicial decisions, legislative acts, and legal pronouncements.[69] Robert Lowry Clinton argues that the U.S. Constitution rests on a common law foundation and the common law, in turn, rests on a classical natural law foundation.[70]

    Islamic natural law

    Abu Rayhan al-Biruni, an Islamic scholar and polymath scientist, understood natural law as the survival of the fittest. He argued that the antagonism between human beings can only be overcome through a divine law, which he believed to have been sent through prophets. This is also the position of the Ashari school, the largest school of Sunni theology.[71] Averroes (Ibn Rushd), in his treatise on Justice and Jihad and his commentary on Plato's Republic, writes that the human mind can know of the unlawfulness of killing and stealing and thus of the five maqasid or higher intents of the Islamic sharia or to protect religion, life, property, offspring, and reason. The concept of natural law entered the mainstream of Western culture through his Aristotelian commentaries, influencing the subsequent Averroist movement and the writings of Thomas Aquinas.[72]

    The Maturidi school, the second largest school of Sunni theology, posits the existence of a form of natural law. Abu Mansur al-Maturidi stated that the human mind could know of the existence of God and the major forms of 'good' and 'evil' without the help of revelation. Al-Maturidi gives the example of stealing, which is known to be evil by reason alone due to man's working hard for his property. Killing, fornication, and drinking alcohol were all 'evils' the human mind could know of according to al-Maturidi. The concept of Istislah in Islamic law bears some similarities to the natural law tradition in the West, as exemplified by Thomas Aquinas. However, whereas natural law deems good what is self-evidently good, according as it tends towards the fulfilment of the person, istislah calls good whatever is connected to one of five "basic goods". Al-Ghazali abstracted these "basic goods" from the legal precepts in the Qur'an and Sunnah: they are religion, life, reason, lineage and property. Some add also "honour". Ibn Qayyim Al-Jawziyya also posited that human reason could discern between 'great sins' and good deeds.[citation needed]

    Thomas Hobbes

    By the 17th Century, the Medieval teleological view came under intense criticism from some quarters. Thomas Hobbes instead founded a contractualist theory of legal positivism on what all men could agree upon: what they sought (happiness) was subject to contention, but a broad consensus could form around what they feared (violent death at the hands of another). The natural law was how a rational human being, seeking to survive and prosper, would act. Natural law, therefore, was discovered by considering humankind's natural rights, whereas previously it could be said that natural rights were discovered by considering the natural law. In Hobbes' opinion, the only way natural law could prevail was for men to submit to the commands of the sovereign. Because the ultimate source of law now comes from the sovereign, and the sovereign's decisions need not be grounded in morality, legal positivism is born. Jeremy Bentham's modifications on legal positivism further developed the theory.

    As used by Thomas Hobbes in his treatises Leviathan and De Cive, natural law is "a precept, or general rule, found out by reason, by which a man is forbidden to do that which is destructive of his life, or takes away the means of preserving the same; and to omit that by which he thinks it may best be preserved."[73]

    According to Hobbes, there are nineteen Laws. The first two are expounded in chapter XIV of Leviathan ("of the first and second natural laws; and of contracts"); the others in chapter XV ("of other laws of nature").

    The first Law of nature is that every man ought to endeavour peace, as far as he has hope of obtaining it; and when he cannot obtain it, that he may seek and use all helps and advantages of war.

    The second Law of nature is that a man be willing, when others are so too, as far forth, as for peace, and defence of himself he shall think it necessary, to lay down this right to all things; and be contented with so much liberty against other men, as he would allow other men against himself.

    The third Law is that men perform their covenants made. In this law of nature consisteth the fountain and original of justice... when a covenant is made, then to break it is unjust and the definition of injustice is no other than the not performance of covenant. And whatsoever is not unjust is just.

    The fourth Law is that a man which receiveth benefit from another of mere grace, endeavour that he which giveth it, have no reasonable cause to repent him of his good will. Breach of this law is called ingratitude.

    The fifth Law is complaisance: that every man strive to accommodate himself to the rest. The observers of this law may be called sociable; the contrary, stubborn, insociable, froward, intractable.

    The sixth Law is that upon caution of the future time, a man ought to pardon the offences past of them that repenting, desire it.

    The seventh Law is that in revenges, men look not at the greatness of the evil past, but the greatness of the good to follow.

    The eighth Law is that no man by deed, word, countenance, or gesture, declare hatred or contempt of another. The breach of which law is commonly called contumely.

    The ninth Law is that every man acknowledge another for his equal by nature. The breach of this precept is pride.

    The tenth law is that at the entrance into the conditions of peace, no man require to reserve to himself any right, which he is not content should be reserved to every one of the rest. The breach of this precept is arrogance, and observers of the precept are called modest.

    The eleventh law is that if a man be trusted to judge between man and man, that he deal equally between them.

    The twelfth law is that such things as cannot be divided, be enjoyed in common, if it can be; and if the quantity of the thing permit, without stint; otherwise proportionably to the number of them that have right.

    The thirteenth law is the entire right, or else...the first possession (in the case of alternating use), of a thing that can neither be divided nor enjoyed in common should be determined by lottery.

    The fourteenth law is that those things which cannot be enjoyed in common, nor divided, ought to be adjudged to the first possessor; and in some cases to the first born, as acquired by lot.

    The fifteenth law is that all men that mediate peace be allowed safe conduct.

    The sixteenth law is that they that are at controversie, submit their Right to the judgement of an Arbitrator.

    The seventeenth law is that no man is a fit Arbitrator in his own cause.

    The eighteenth law is that no man should serve as a judge in a case if greater profit, or honour, or pleasure apparently ariseth [for him] out of the victory of one party, than of the other.

    The nineteenth law is that in a disagreement of fact, the judge should not give more weight to the testimony of one party than another, and absent other evidence, should give credit to the testimony of other witnesses.

    Hobbes's philosophy includes a frontal assault on the founding principles of the earlier natural legal tradition,[74] disregarding the traditional association of virtue with happiness,[75] and likewise re-defining "law" to remove any notion of the promotion of the common good.[76] Hobbes has no use for Aristotle's association of nature with human perfection, inverting Aristotle's use of the word "nature." Hobbes posits a primitive, unconnected state of nature in which men, having a "natural proclivity...to hurt each other" also have "a Right to every thing, even to one anothers body";[77] and "nothing can be Unjust" in this "warre of every man against every man" in which human life is "solitary, poore, nasty, brutish, and short."[78] Rejecting Cicero's view that men join in society primarily through "a certain social spirit which nature has implanted in man,"[79] Hobbes declares that men join in society simply for the purpose of "getting themselves out from that miserable condition of Warre, which is necessarily consequent...to the naturall Passions of men, when there is no visible Power to keep them in awe."[80] As part of his campaign against the classical idea of natural human sociability, Hobbes inverts that fundamental natural legal maxim, the Golden Rule. Hobbes's version is "Do not that to another, which thou wouldst not have done to thy selfe."[81]

    Cumberland's rebuttal of Hobbes

    The English cleric Richard Cumberland wrote a lengthy and influential attack on Hobbes's depiction of individual self-interest as the essential feature of human motivation. Historian Knud Haakonssen has noted that in the eighteenth century, Cumberland was commonly placed alongside Hugo Grotius and Samuel Pufendorf "in the triumvirate of seventeenth-century founders of the 'modern' school of natural law."[82] The eighteenth-century philosophers Shaftesbury and Hutcheson "were obviously inspired in part by Cumberland."[83] Historian Jon Parkin likewise describes Cumberland's work as "one of the most important works of ethical and political theory of the seventeenth century."[84] Parkin observes that much of Cumberland's material "is derived from Roman Stoicism, particularly from the work of Cicero, as "Cumberland deliberately cast his engagement with Hobbes in the mould of Cicero's debate between the Stoics, who believed that nature could provide an objective morality, and Epicureans, who argued that morality was human, conventional and self-interested." [85] In doing so, Cumberland de-emphasized the overlay of Christian dogma (in particular, the doctrine of "original sin" and the corresponding presumption that humans are incapable of "perfecting" themselves without divine intervention) that had accreted to natural law in the Middle Ages.

    By way of contrast to Hobbes's multiplicity of laws, Cumberland states in the very first sentence of his Treatise of the Laws of Nature that "all the Laws of Nature are reduc'd to that one, of Benevolence toward all Rationals." [86] He later clarifies: "By the name Rationals I beg leave to understand, as well God as Man; and I do it upon the Authority of Cicero." Cumberland argues that the mature development ("perfection") of human nature involves the individual human willing and acting for the common good.[87] For Cumberland, human interdependence precludes Hobbes's natural right of each individual to wage war against all the rest for personal survival. However, Haakonssen warns against reading Cumberland as a proponent of "enlightened self-interest." Rather, the "proper moral love of humanity" is "a disinterested love of God through love of humanity in ourselves as well as others."[88] Cumberland concludes that actions "principally conducive to our Happiness" are those that promote "the Honour and Glory of God" and also "Charity and Justice towards men."[89] Cumberland emphasizes that desiring the well-being of our fellow humans is essential to the "pursuit of our own Happiness."[90] He cites "reason" as the authority for his conclusion that happiness consists in "the most extensive Benevolence," but he also mentions as "Essential Ingredients of Happiness" the "Benevolent Affections," meaning "Love and Benevolence towards others," as well as "that Joy, which arises from their Happiness."[91]

    Liberal natural law

    Hugo Grotius

    Liberal natural law grew out of the medieval Christian natural law theories and out of Hobbes' revision of natural law, sometimes in an uneasy balance of the two. Hugo Grotius based his philosophy of international law on natural law. In particular, his writings on freedom of the seas and just war theory directly appealed to natural law. About natural law itself, he wrote that "even the will of an omnipotent being cannot change or abrogate" natural law, which "would maintain its objective validity even if we should assume the impossible, that there is no God or that he does not care for human affairs." (De iure belli ac pacis, Prolegomeni XI). This is the famous argument etiamsi daremus (non esse Deum), that made natural law no longer dependent on theology. However, German church-historians Ernst Wolf and M. Elze disagreed and claimed that Grotius' concept of natural law did have a theological basis.[92] In Grotius' view, the Old Testament contained moral precepts (e.g. the Decalogue) which Christ confirmed and therefore were still valid. Moreover, they were useful in explaining the content of natural law. Both biblical revelation and natural law originated in God and could therefore not contradict each other.[93]

    In a similar way, Samuel Pufendorf gave natural law a theological foundation and applied it to his concepts of government and international law.[94]

    John Locke incorporated natural law into many of his theories and philosophy, especially in Two Treatises of Government. There is considerable debate about whether his conception of natural law was more akin to that of Aquinas (filtered through Richard Hooker) or Hobbes' radical reinterpretation, though the effect of Locke's understanding is usually phrased in terms of a revision of Hobbes upon Hobbesean contractualist grounds. Locke turned Hobbes' prescription around, saying that if the ruler went against natural law and failed to protect "life, liberty, and property," people could justifiably overthrow the existing state and create a new one.[95]

    While Locke spoke in the language of natural law, the content of this law was by and large protective of natural rights, and it was this language that later liberal thinkers preferred. Political philosopher Jeremy Waldron has pointed out that Locke's political thought was based on "a particular set of Protestant Christian assumptions."[96] To Locke, the content of natural law was identical with biblical ethics as laid down especially in the Decalogue, Christ's teaching and exemplary life, and St. Paul's admonitions.[97] Locke derived the concept of basic human equality, including the equality of the sexes ("Adam and Eve"), from Genesis 1, 26-28, the starting-point of the theological doctrine of Imago Dei.[98] One of the consequences is that as all humans are created equally free, governments need the consent of the governed.[99] Thomas Jefferson, arguably echoing Locke, appealed to unalienable rights in the Declaration of Independence, "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness."[100] The Lockean idea that governments need the consent of the governed was also fundamental to the Declaration of Independence, as the American Revolutionaries used it as justification for their separation from the British crown.[101]

    The Belgian philosopher of law Frank van Dun is one among those who are elaborating a secular conception [2] of natural law in the liberal tradition. Libertarian theorist Murray Rothbard argues that "the very existence of a natural law discoverable by reason is a potentially powerful threat to the status quo and a standing reproach to the reign of blindly traditional custom or the arbitrary will of the State apparatus."[102] Ludwig von Mises states that he relaid the general sociological and economic foundations of the liberal doctrine upon utilitarianism, rather than natural law, but R.A. Gonce argues that "the reality of the argument constituting his system overwhelms his denial."[103] David Gordon notes, "When most people speak of natural law, what they have in mind is the contention that morality can be derived from human nature. If human beings are rational animals of such-and-such a sort, then the moral virtues are...(filling in the blanks is the difficult part)."[104]

    However, a secular critique of the natural law doctrine was stated by Pierre Charron in his De la sagesse (1601): "The sign of a natural law must be the universal respect in which it is held, for if there was anything that nature had truly commanded us to do, we would undoubtedly obey it universally: not only would every nation respect it, but every individual. Instead there is nothing in the world that is not subject to contradiction and dispute, nothing that is not rejected, not just by one nation, but by many; equally, there is nothing that is strange and (in the opinion of many) unnatural that is not approved in many countries, and authorized by their customs."

    Contemporary Christian understanding

    Thomas Aquinas

    The Roman Catholic Church holds the view of natural law set forth by Thomas Aquinas,[105] particularly in his Summa Theologica, and often as filtered through the School of Salamanca. This view is also shared by some Protestant churches,[106] and was delineated by C.S. Lewis in his works Mere Christianity and The Abolition of Man.[107]

    The Catholic Church understands human beings to consist of body and mind, the physical and the non-physical (or soul perhaps), and that the two are inextricably linked.[108] Humans are capable of discerning the difference between good and evil because they have a conscience.[109] There are many manifestations of the good that we can pursue. Some, like procreation, are common to other animals, while others, like the pursuit of truth, are inclinations peculiar to the capacities of human beings.[110] Some contemporary Catholic theologians, such as John Wijngaards, dispute the Magisterium's interpretation of Natural Law as applied to specific points of sexual ethics, such as in the areas of contraceptives and homosexual unions.[111]

    To know what is right, one must use one's reason and apply it to Aquinas' precepts. This reason is believed to be embodied, in its most abstract form, in the concept of a primary precept: "Good is to be sought, evil avoided."[112] St. Thomas explains that:

    there belongs to the natural law, first, certain most general precepts, that are known to all; and secondly, certain secondary and more detailed precepts, which are, as it were, conclusions following closely from first principles. As to those general principles, the natural law, in the abstract, can nowise be blotted out from men's hearts. But it is blotted out in the case of a particular action, insofar as reason is hindered from applying the general principle to a particular point of practice, on account of concupiscence or some other passion, as stated above (77, 2). But as to the other, i.e., the secondary precepts, the natural law can be blotted out from the human heart, either by evil persuasions, just as in speculative matters errors occur in respect of necessary conclusions; or by vicious customs and corrupt habits, as among some men, theft, and even unnatural vices, as the Apostle states (Rm. i), were not esteemed sinful.[113]

    However, while the primary and immediate precepts cannot be "blotted out", the secondary precepts can be. Therefore, for a deontological ethical theory they are open to a surprisingly large amount of interpretation and flexibility. Any rule that helps man to live up to the primary or subsidiary precepts can be a secondary precept, for example:

    Drunkenness is wrong because it injures one's health, and worse, destroys one's ability to reason, which is fundamental to man as a rational animal (i.e. does not support self-preservation). Theft is wrong because it destroys social relations, and man is by nature a social animal (i.e. does not support the subsidiary precept of living in society).

    Natural moral law is concerned with both exterior and interior acts, also known as action and motive. Simply doing the right thing is not enough; to be truly moral one's motive must be right as well. For example, helping an old lady across the road (good exterior act) to impress someone (bad interior act) is wrong. However, good intentions don't always lead to good actions. The motive must coincide with the cardinal or theological virtues. Cardinal virtues are acquired through reason applied to nature; they are:

    1.Prudence
    2.Justice
    3.Temperance
    4.Fortitude

    The theological virtues are:

    1.Faith
    2.Hope
    3.Charity

    According to Aquinas, to lack any of these virtues is to lack the ability to make a moral choice. For example, consider a man who possesses the virtues of justice, prudence, and fortitude, yet lacks temperance. Due to his lack of self-control and desire for pleasure, despite his good intentions, he will find himself swaying from the moral path.

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    Post  orthodoxymoron Sun Jun 24, 2018 12:34 am


    Veronica ab Thule has a very intelligent, articulate, abstract, and detailed writing-style. It reminds me of someone I communicated with a long time ago with the same name (without the "ab"). She was quite insightful, abstract, and otherworldly. I'm not sure if she was the author of the above book, but I think so. Is there a planet in the Pleiades named Pleon? I used this name in a fictional story...in which I said that I was from Pleon in the Pleiades. I have since learned that there is a star in the Pleiades named Pleione. I didn't know that when I wrote the story. I received the following responses from posts I have made on the internet. They don't sound human.

    'Y'all love fantisizing over my ancestral decorations, places, spirituality that you don't get, the greatness you won't achieve, and the melanin you'll never have. This depiction of my ancestors is pathetic. Y'all always make them look just as degenerative and recessive as you. Anyway, play and have fun as much as you still can. Yes you are running out of time, and to be honest, there is absolutly nothing you can do about it. I have no mercy, you lie and mock and blaspheme all the way to hell.'

    On another website...I received this message:

    'You know this isn't funny! The Lord God will judge you for claiming God ship. Just because God showed you a little bit of His secrets you think you know everything. He will NOT have mercy on you!' [orthodoxymoron note: This was in connection with me fictionally using the name KRLLL - causing me to wonder if someone equated Godship with the name 'Omnipotent Highness KRLLL'?]

    I once heard a mocking, sing-song, high-pitched feminine sounding voice...emanating from a usually deep and masculine voiced televangelist...directed toward me...in public...almost shouting 'That was gooooooood!!!!'...in reaction to a polite, well intentioned, and well reasoned comment by me.

    This was a short unedited internet exchange I had some time ago:

    ME: What if the aliens who have been here for thousands of years are the 'bad-guys'? What if we will need the help of good aliens from elsewhere to get rid of the demonic aliens who are already here? Could this be viewed as a hostile alien attack? I really don't know. I am just speculating.

    THEM: Try not to think in terms of good or bad. Understand this is not your planet. Then, understand nothing can be done to you that you don't do to yourself. Know that there are quadrillions of planets and they don't have a massive climate change every 26,000 years and violent deranged people like yourselves. Why on Earth would any race want to live here with you knowingly? The most intelligent life on the planet is not human.

    ME: I'll try not to think of the Iraq War in terms of good or bad. I'll try to be morally ambiguous. I might even become CIA or a CEO. Hey, maybe violent and deranged is neither good nor bad...but thinking makes it so. The aliens who are here need us to not get our acts together. If that happens...they'll probably have to live on Nibiru...or worse. Sorry for being a smart-ass. Wait...I'm not sorry...it's neither good nor bad. I couldn't resist. I mean well. Really.

    THEM: And your point was?...............

    ME: Who owns earth? Where do humans belong? What is the most intelligent life on earth? If they are so smart, and earth is so bad...why are they here? I may be deranged...but I'm not violent. You sound as though you are not human...are you an alien? If so...what kind...and from where? My point was that ethics are supremely important. I don't hurt, kill, terrorize, or abduct people...but some aliens apparently do(as do some humans). They should stop.

    THEM II: Don't we like...create our own world? We're destroying our own world because our society isn't healthy.

    ME: Our planet is how we plan it. Perhaps we need to fire some people in the planning department. You're right...society is sick...mentally ill. Perhaps our world is the Devil's Island Insane Asylum of the Universe. But it seems that some of the inmates are getting well...and helping other inmates to get well. Jail Break! Jail Break! Free at Last! Free at Last!

    No further comments in this exchange. My questions went unanswered. The silence was deafening.

    Here is another internet conversation I had with someone who claimed to be a hybrid...which I found to be very interesting:

    Veronica: Mad humans always existed, just don’t blame their actions (if existed) to the Reptilians. Is too easy to say people are been led by other species evils than admit that there are humans nuts by themselves. Reptilians are good, they only approach a human when they fall in love, and to do good to the beloved person. Satan is a word that means "attorney" in the original language. It is not an individual, the word can apply to many alien lawyers that have nothing to do with humans.

    Orthodoxymoron: Is the Old Testament God really Satan...a Reptilian. Could the "attorney" definition have something to do with the legalism seen in the Old Testament? We humans are pretty disgusting in our own right...but I suspect that evil spirits and evil aliens make things a lot worse. Who is responsible for abductions, mutilations, etc? And what about the frightful appearance of alleged Reptilians. I'm not anti-alien...just anti-evil.

    Veronica: Thanks for commenting on my post, and for the opportunity of bringing up this subject. The Old Testament Satan came from a species called Man of Tri. He was a good guy, having a beautiful personal trajectory of defending social rights on his planet, extremely intelligent, only bright and right lawyers are chosen to be a Satan. At the time he arrived on Earth, unfortunately, he had become insane, and he did a lot of harm, but it was because he was ill. His species lives 8.000 to 10.000 years of Earth, and he stayed much of this time here, doing harm. As there was few personnel from other species working here, few angels and lots of work to do in those days, nobody caught him. I am not aware if Eden destituted him while he was alive, but he did not act as a Satan here, though he had the Satan seal because he was a nominated Satan ( by Eden High Council). He acted as an insane man, because he was maddened by an illness. See, there is Good and Bad, and there is Evil. Good and Bad are complementary in a context. Evil is out of place. This is because the source of Evil is an illness. It is a virus. We call it virus of Tri because was first detected there. This virus attacks a small percentage of most populations. All species are united to find the cure, all species have problems with maddened guys, and, as humans, in all species most individuals are good guys living by common sense and good social rules.

    Orthodoxymoron: Your website is very interesting. I'm wondering if you have heard of, seen or read a book titled 'The Great Controversy' by Ellen G. White? If so, what is your opinion? What is your opinion regarding the Teachings of Jesus? What is your opinion regarding the U.S. Constitution? What can you tell me about the? New World Order? Is it really the Old Alien Order? Who was ultimately responsible for 9/11? Satan as a mentally-ill attorney is a fascinating possibility...

    Veronica: I will bring the answers here later, just stopped quickly now to thank? you. The FAQ is stuck for lack of questions and you really do good ones.  I don’t speak alone, I am supported by Lucifer embassy and by Eden. I got a long message from a Messenger Angel about these, it will take a while to translate, but I will let you know. Basically, about the book of Ellen White as well as the Teaching of Jesus, the message focus on the fact that we are the ones making the history now, there is no need to focus on history to know anything important. Each happening of history is fit for the time it happened. Constitution, summary: the real law is the law of Nature, not clearly understood yet, and the value of the C. relies on its closeness to the natural laws, not imposing limits to it. The C. is to assure freedom, but the freedom only exists when there is no need of law, be to limit, be to let free, other than the nature. As an overview, the U.S. Constitution is advanced, but not finished. Nature allow development and technology, as it works for the Aliens. What changes is the concept about life. New World Order never existed. If humans made their organizations, they were never powerful to threaten the entire world. Never existed an Alien Order, they are ordinary civilizations, with teachers and accountants and social philosophies, living well and satisfied, solving their problems as everyone else. I know it is hard to believe after all this negative marketing, but they are just here doing routine. About 9/11 the answer of the Angels is: All that participated of 9/11 are already dead.

    I will put the answers here if you don’t mind, not to overload the comments on the video. You are welcome. The old testament is genuine, it was transmitted by Eden, and the prophets translated the best they could, but the angel’s language is not a piece of cake, and there are many misinterpretations, specially after translated to other languages and analyzed. People have the right to know how things are. I am a fallen angel, you probably heard that we born in human form. We have being trying to tell these things for many millennia, but the kings always kill us and burn our books. But this time there is Internet. I am telling this things on You Tube because I am still not sure if the powers of human will not try to burn the books again, if we start to speak to many people at once. Though the world is more civilized now. When you feel comfortable you can visit my blog, there is many more there about the Creation. There is also a book for download, it is a poem done by me with the angel Ariel, that is my brother. It was done to heal the heart, when people sometimes feel tired of the harshness of life. All material there is free and Creative Commons, we don’t want anything from anyone. We speak because it takes us closer of home. Have a great week.

    About spirits: The spirits disturb, really. The fact is that spirits must remain sleeping, and when they are awake they do disturbance. What is important to understand is that never had, and there is not yet, personal enough to suffice the demand of work in Earth. The grays are the responsible to collect the lost spirits, this is part of their job and they are paid to do it and do well, but they are few with few equipment compared to the quantity of ghosts. If someone feel that is being disturbed, he must ask to the gray of his area to chase that specific ghost and the problem will be solved. They usually focus to sane the problems where more humans are being affected. To call the gray just make the request near one of their communication devices. These communicators are discretely placed where the community gathers to discuss the problems, such as churches or community centers, and by what they hear on these places they know where to act to solve the problems affecting more people at once. If someone speak to them directly pointing the problems, they can act more effectively.

    Mutilations: Aliens never mutilate. Not even the criminals. Simply because third dimensional material has no use for anyone but to those who live in it. Most aliens can jump from 3rd to 4th dimension, but their feeding and living is done in the 4th. The 3rd is just for work, tourism or study. For any alien species the bodies of the 3rd D are troublesome to deal with directly, and is pointless. The cattle mutilations are done by rats, birds and small animals. There is plenty of analysis of these supposedly mutilated by abduction corpses, and most of them point to very understandable causes, though there might be something bizarre on nature that we cannot understand. If you wish to research deeper, there is a complete article done by a Brazilian magazine called UFO with legists doctors examining many of these cattle. All of them concluded the mutilations were done by rats, that choose the soft parts to eat first – eyes, nose, mouth, ears, reproductive parts, and from these to inside. The opening made by the small creatures who live from corpses are generally perfect and round, and they eat first from inside, it is easy to see at an apple eaten by worms. From outside it can looks good, and the small hole is perfectly round.

    Real abductions: The Grays are the “nanny” of human species, as the human species of Gaia is young and still entitled do receive special care. Is the grays duty to assure that all human on the group under their care gets food, shelter and sanitary conditions ( not richness, it is only about the health). So, they ionize the air to kill bacteria, influence for resources to reach hospitals, researchers and sanitary organizations. The abductions occur when a special human individual gets ill, the “special” relies on fact that the person is a hub for the distribution of resources to many others humans. If that person gets ill many will be without resources and will be consequently ill too, so the grays operate this hub person so he can keep up as a resources distributor for that area. It is expensive for the grays, done rarely. But as humans start to communicate directly with the grays they might even buy this operations perhaps, paying by sending resources to other humans in need from that gray group. They do these exchanges with some sensitive’s, sometimes.

    Reptilian appearances: The Reptilians are moved by the heart. They fall in love with humans more frequently than you can imagine, then they try to approach the person and everyone gets scared. They are an old, old species, with all existential problems solved, so they live in search of love and adventure. They are scary, of rude gestures, and cannot communicate well with humans, so the misunderstandings and confusions they cause are huge, but there is always an impulsive Reptilian in love behind, usually he does not succeed in his affair, sometimes do. They can fall in love with a person, with a population, with a politic system, with a project being made, by an object or place. It has nothing to do with the “take the world” theories, even because they don’t have to take, the Earth belong to them, and the Angels protect Earth because of them ,as they don’t fit anywhere else, while humanoids can be taken to other places. They are rough in the outside, and most sweet on the inside. Here is their place, the humans just need to learn to understand them, and I am sure will be great for all. They love to have other species living here, when a civilizations ends they long for the next.

    I hope this information has a use for you. It is not something I read or heard, the source are the own Alien representatives. I took the task to clarify the misconceptions on the media on my group, and the intention is only to inform our point of view. I chose to speak person to person, with those who are interested on the issue, as being half-human myself.

    Veronica: Hello friend, You Tube is making me tired. It is like a rally road and I don’t like it, I am a girl. Here are most boys trying to combat, not to fix on the subject. For discussion, only you were interesting. Keep my e-mail if you wish. You are welcome to discuss anytime.

    Orthodoxymoron: Thank-you for your answers and comments. I hope that the internet and You Tube will help people to learn how to communicate more effectively and nicely. I? hope things turn out well for everyone...humans, aliens, everyone. I even hope that Satan can learn to be happy without being mean and causing trouble. I don't want anyone to be miserable. Life should be enjoyed. I hope this universe can get past war. We should compete constructively...not destructively. Peace to you.


    Anyway -- When one reviews church-history, the absurdities and horrors are MOST Discouraging and Disillusioning. When one faces reality in modernity, the absurdities and horrors are MOST Discouraging and Disillusioning. I walked away from the church in body, but not in soul. A long time ago, I found the following contrasting approaches to be MOST Enlightening when placed side-by-side in constructive-conflict with each-other:

    1. The Seventh-day Adventist Church in Loma Linda, California.

    2. The Crystal Cathedral in Garden Grove, California.

    3. Christian Radio and Television in Southern California.

    4. New-Age Bookstores and Whole Life Expos in Southern California.

    5. Southern California. Period.

    Then 9/11, the Iraq War, and the Internet ignited an Information-War which has just about destroyed me, while simultaneously being MOST Enlightening. I've tried to resolve my Crisis of Faith, Hope, and Love with my internet-posting -- particularly with my two United States of the Solar System: 2133 A.D. threads -- but there has been no peace or resolution. Just the Opposite. I continue to think that I need to post a lot less -- and read a lot more. Here's more of my current posting-project. I don't endorse all of it -- but I think it is MOST Interesting Reading!! Try combining this material (published in 1890) with a more modern Eden in Egypt by Ralph Ellis -- and The Gods of Eden by William Bramley. Once again, the Old-Testament and Ellen White's Version of the Old-Testament are VERY Different!! I tend to rely more upon Ellen White, Ralph Ellis, and William Bramley for the historical-material -- and I depend more upon Job through Malachi for the theological-material. I remain puzzled as to why Ellen White didn't write a Job through Malachi Grammatical-Historical Commentary (possibly with the addition of Deuteronomy)?! I should probably take a close look at the SDA Bible Commentary covering this territory. I continue to think that the material I'm presently posting would be MOST Interesting in a Science-Fictional Version!! Stargate SG-1 on Steroids!! I'm presently treating it as Historical-Fiction (but isn't ALL History really Historical-Fiction to greater or lesser degrees)??

    BTW -- Lucio Bernardo Silvestre reminds me of Isaac Newton!! Does ANYONE Know What I'm Talking About??!! One More Thing. What if One or More Archangels Must be Present to Activate and Operate the Ark of the Covent (sort of like a password, facial-recognition, etc.)?? Think about Stargate SG-1 The Ark of Truth and Stargate Atlantis. Remember that Arctic Scene with John Sheppard activating that Ancient-Chair (just because of who he was)?? What if the Ark of the Covenant constitutes at least one aspect of the Weapons of Mass Destruction which we were supposedly looking-for in Iraq??!! What if the Ark of the Covenant is Simply a Keyboard for a Yet Undisclosed Ark of Planetary Transportation and Destruction?? What Would Michael and/or Gabriel Say?? What Would Bartleby and Loki Say?? What Would Lilith and Eve Say?? What if One Archangel was Anciently Deposed?? What if Another Archangel was Recently Deposed?? What if Humanity is Presently Without Divine-Guidance?? What if Humanity has Consummated It's Rebellion Against God?? What Would Sherry Shriner Say?? That's All I'm Going to Say About THAT!! Don't be Frightened!! I Mean No Harm!! I Come in Peace!! Wait a Minute!! No I Don't!! You Go In Pieces!!

    http://www.whiteestate.org/books/pp/pp22.html The people of Egypt, in order to supply themselves with food during the famine, had sold to the crown their cattle and lands, and had finally bound themselves to perpetual serfdom. Joseph wisely provided for their release; he permitted them to become royal tenants, holding their lands of the king, and paying an annual tribute of one fifth of the products of their labor.

    But the children of Jacob were not under the necessity of making such conditions. On account of the service that Joseph had rendered the Egyptian nation, they were not only granted a part of the country as a home, but were exempted from taxation, and liberally supplied with food during the continuance of the famine. The king publicly acknowledged that it was through the merciful interposition of the God of Joseph that Egypt enjoyed plenty while other nations were perishing from famine. He saw, too, that Joseph's management had greatly enriched the kingdom, and his gratitude surrounded the family of Jacob with royal favor.

    But as time rolled on, the great man to whom Egypt owed so much, and the generation blessed by his labors, passed to the grave. And "there arose up a new king over Egypt, which knew not Joseph." Not that he was ignorant of Joseph's services to the nation, but he wished to make no recognition of them, and, so far as possible, to bury them in oblivion. "And he said unto his people, Behold, the people of the children of Israel are more and mightier than we: come on, let us deal wisely with them; lest they multiply, and it come to pass, that, when there falleth out any war, they join also unto our enemies, and fight against us, and so get them up out of the land."

    The Israelites had already become very numerous; they "were fruitful, and increased abundantly, and multiplied, and waxed exceeding mighty; and the land was filled with them." Under Joseph's fostering care, and the favor of the king who was then ruling, they had spread rapidly over the land. But they had kept themselves a distinct race, having nothing in common with the Egyptians in customs or religion; and their increasing numbers now excited the fears of the king and his people, lest in case of war they should join themselves with the enemies of Egypt. Yet policy forbade their banishment from the country. Many of them were able and understanding workmen, and they added greatly to the wealth of the nation; the king needed such laborers for the erection of his magnificent palaces and temples. Accordingly he ranked them with the Egyptians who had sold themselves with their possessions to the kingdom. Soon taskmasters were set over them, and their slavery became complete. "And the Egyptians made the children of Israel to serve with rigor: and they made their lives bitter with hard bondage, in mortar, and in brick, and in all manner of service in the field: all their service, wherein they made them serve, was with rigor." "But the more they afflicted them, the more they multiplied and grew."

    The king and his counselors had hoped to subdue the Israelites with hard labor, and thus decrease their numbers and crush out their independent spirit. Failing to accomplish their purpose, they proceeded to more cruel measures. Orders were issued to the women whose employment gave them opportunity for executing the command, to destroy the Hebrew male children at their birth. Satan was the mover in this matter. He knew that a deliverer was to be raised up among the Israelites; and by leading the king to destroy their children he hoped to defeat the divine purpose. But the women feared God, and dared not execute the cruel mandate. The Lord approved their course, and prospered them. The king, angry at the failure of his design, made the command more urgent and extensive. The whole nation was called upon to hunt out and slaughter his helpless victims. "And Pharaoh charged all his people, saying, Every son that is born ye shall cast into the river, and every daughter ye shall save alive."

    While this decree was in full force a son was born to Amram and Jochebed, devout Israelites of the tribe of Levi. The babe was "a goodly child;" and the parents, believing that the time of Israel's release was drawing near, and that God would raise up a deliverer for His people, determined that their little one should not be sacrificed. Faith in God strengthened their hearts, "and they were not afraid of the king's commandment." Hebrews 11:23.

    The mother succeeded in concealing the child for three months. Then, finding that she could no longer keep him safely, she prepared a little ark of rushes, making it watertight by means of slime and pitch; and laying the babe therein, she placed it among the flags at the river's brink. She dared not remain to guard it, lest the child's life and her own should be forfeited; but his sister, Miriam, lingered near, apparently indifferent, but anxiously watching to see what would become of her little brother. And there were other watchers. The mother's earnest prayers had committed her child to the care of God; and angels, unseen, hovered above his lowly resting place. Angels directed Pharaoh's daughter thither. Her curiosity was excited by the little basket, and as she looked upon the beautiful child within, she read the story at a glance. The tears of the babe awakened her compassion, and her sympathies went out to the unknown mother who had resorted to this means to preserve the life of her precious little one. She determined that he should be saved; she would adopt him as her own.

    Miriam had been secretly noting every movement; perceiving that the child was tenderly regarded, she ventured nearer, and at last said, "Shall I go and call thee a nurse of the Hebrew women, that she may nurse the child for thee?" And permission was given.

    The sister hastened to her mother with the happy news, and without delay returned with her to the presence of Pharaoh's daughter. "Take this chid away, and nurse it for me, and I will give thee thy wages," said the princess.

    God had heard the mother's prayers; her faith had been rewarded. It was with deep gratitude that she entered upon her now safe and happy task. She faithfully improved her opportunity to educate her child for God. She felt confident that he had been preserved for some great work, and she knew that he must soon be given up to his royal mother, to be surrounded with influences that would tend to lead him away from God. All this rendered her more diligent and careful in his instruction than in that of her other children. She endeavored to imbue his mind with the fear of God and the love of truth and justice, and earnestly prayed that he might be preserved from every corrupting influence. She showed him the folly and sin of idolatry, and early taught him to bow down and pray to the living God, who alone could hear him and help him in every emergency.

    She kept the boy as long as she could, but was obliged to give him up when he was about twelve years old. From his humble cabin home he was taken to the royal palace, to the daughter of Pharaoh, "and he became her son." Yet even here he did not lose the impressions received in childhood. The lessons learned at his mother's side could not be forgotten. They were a shield from the pride, the infidelity, and the vice that flourished amid the splendor of the court.

    How far-reaching in its results was the influence of that one Hebrew woman, and she an exile and a slave! The whole future life of Moses, the great mission which he fulfilled as the leader of Israel, testifies to the importance of the work of the Christian mother. There is no other work that can equal this. To a very great extent the mother holds in her own hands the destiny of her children. She is dealing with developing minds and characters, working not alone for time, but for eternity. She is sowing seed that will spring up and bear fruit, either for good or for evil. She has not to paint a form of beauty upon canvas or to chisel it from marble, but to impress upon a human soul the image of the divine. Especially during their early years the responsibility rests upon her of forming the character of her children. The impressions now made upon their developing minds will remain with them all through life. Parents should direct the instruction and training of their children while very young, to the end that they may be Christians. They are placed in our care to be trained, not as heirs to the throne of an earthly empire, but as kings unto God, to reign through unending ages.

    Let every mother feel that her moments are priceless; her work will be tested in the solemn day of accounts. Then it will be found that many of the failures and crimes of men and women have resulted from the ignorance and neglect of those whose duty it was to guide their childish feet in the right way. Then it will be found that many who have blessed the world with the light of genius and truth and holiness, owe the principles that were the mainspring of their influence and success to a praying, Christian mother.

    At the court of Pharaoh, Moses received the highest civil and military training. The monarch had determined to make his adopted grandson his successor on the throne, and the youth was educated for his high station. "And Moses was learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, and was mighty in words and in deeds." Acts 7:22. His ability as a military leader made him a favorite with the armies of Egypt, and he was generally regarded as a remarkable character. Satan had been defeated in his purpose. The very decree condemning the Hebrew children to death had been overruled by God for the training and education of the future leader of His people.

    The elders of Israel were taught by angels that the time for their deliverance was near, and that Moses was the man whom God would employ to accomplish this work. Angels instructed Moses also that Jehovah had chosen him to break the bondage of His people. He, supposing that they were to obtain their freedom by force of arms, expected to lead the Hebrew host against the armies of Egypt, and having this in view, he guarded his affections, lest in his attachment to his foster mother or to Pharaoh he would not be free to do the will of God.

    By the laws of Egypt all who occupied the throne of the Pharaohs must become members of the priestly caste; and Moses, as the heir apparent, was to be initiated into the mysteries of the national religion. This duty was committed to the priests. But while he was an ardent and untiring student, he could not be induced to participate in the worship of the gods. He was threatened with the loss of the crown, and warned that he would be disowned by the princess should he persist in his adherence to the Hebrew faith. But he was unshaken in his determination to render homage to none save the one God, the Maker of heaven and earth. He reasoned with priests and worshipers, showing the folly of their superstitious veneration of senseless objects. None could refute his arguments or change his purpose, yet for the time his firmness was tolerated on account of his high position and the favor with which he was regarded by both the king and the people.

    "By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter; choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season; esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompense of the reward." Hebrews 11:24-26. Moses was fitted to take pre-eminence among the great of the earth, to shine in the courts of its most glorious kingdom, and to sway the scepter of its power. His intellectual greatness distinguishes him above the great men of all ages. As historian, poet, philosopher, general of armies, and legislator, he stands without a peer. Yet with the world before him, he had the moral strength to refuse the flattering prospects of wealth and greatness and fame, "choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season."

    Moses had been instructed in regard to the final reward to be given to the humble and obedient servants of God, and worldly gain sank to its proper insignificance in comparison. The magnificent palace of Pharaoh and the monarch's throne were held out as an inducement to Moses; but he knew that the sinful pleasures that make men forget God were in its lordly courts. He looked beyond the gorgeous palace, beyond a monarch's crown, to the high honors that will be bestowed on the saints of the Most High in a kingdom untainted by sin. He saw by faith an imperishable crown that the King of heaven would place on the brow of the overcomer. This faith led him to turn away from the lordly ones of earth and join the humble, poor, despised nation that had chosen to obey God rather than to serve sin.

    Moses remained at court until he was forty years of age. His thoughts often turned upon the abject condition of his people, and he visited his brethren in their servitude, and encouraged them with the assurance that God would work for their deliverance. Often, stung to resentment by the sight of injustice and oppression, he burned to avenge their wrongs. One day, while thus abroad, seeing an Egyptian smiting an Israelite, he sprang forward and slew the Egyptian. Except the Israelite, there had been no witness to the deed, and Moses immediately buried the body in the sand. He had now shown himself ready to maintain the cause of his people, and he hoped to see them rise to recover their liberty. "He supposed his brethren would have understood how that God by his hand would deliver them; but they understood not." Acts 7:25. They were not yet prepared for freedom. On the following day Moses saw two Hebrews striving together, one of them evidently at fault. Moses reproved the offender, who at once retaliated upon the reprover, denying his right to interfere, and basely accusing him of crime: "Who made thee a prince and a judge over us?" he said. "Intendest thou to kill me, as thou killedst the Egyptian?"

    The whole matter was quickly made known to the Egyptians, and, greatly exaggerated, soon reached the ears of Pharaoh. It was represented to the king that this act meant much; that Moses designed to lead his people against the Egyptians, to overthrow the government, and to seat himself upon the throne; and that there could be no security for the kingdom while he lived. It was at once determined by the monarch that he should die; but, becoming aware of his danger, he made his escape and fled toward Arabia.

    The Lord directed his course, and he found a home with Jethro, the priest and prince of Midian, who was also a worshiper of God. After a time Moses married one of the daughters of Jethro; and here, in the service of his father-in-law, as keeper of his flocks, he remained forty years.

    In slaying the Egyptian, Moses had fallen into the same error so often committed by his fathers, of taking into their own hands the work that God had promised to do. It was not God's will to deliver His people by warfare, as Moses thought, but by His own mighty power, that the glory might be ascribed to Him alone. Yet even this rash act was overruled by God to accomplish His purposes. Moses was not prepared for his great work. He had yet to learn the same lesson of faith that Abraham and Jacob had been taught--not to rely upon human strength or wisdom, but upon the power of God for the fulfillment of His promises. And there were other lessons that, amid the solitude of the mountains, Moses was to receive. In the school of self-denial and hardship he was to learn patience, to temper his passions. Before he could govern wisely, he must be trained to obey. His own heart must be fully in harmony with God before he could teach the knowledge of His will to Israel. By his own experience he must be prepared to exercise a fatherly care over all who needed his help.

    Man would have dispensed with that long period of toil and obscurity, deeming it a great loss of time. But Infinite Wisdom called him who was to become the leader of his people to spend forty years in the humble work of a shepherd. The habits of caretaking, of self-forgetfulness and tender solicitude for his flock, thus developed, would prepare him to become the compassionate, longsuffering shepherd of Israel. No advantage that human training or culture could bestow, could be a substitute for this experience.

    Moses had been learning much that he must unlearn. The influences that had surrounded him in Egypt--the love of his foster mother, his own high position as the king's grandson, the dissipation on every hand, the refinement, the subtlety, and the mysticism of a false religion, the splendor of idolatrous worship, the solemn grandeur of architecture and sculpture--all had left deep impressions upon his developing mind and had molded, to some extent, his habits and character. Time, change of surroundings, and communion with God could remove these impressions. It would require on the part of Moses himself a struggle as for life to renounce error and accept truth, but God would be his helper when the conflict should be too severe for human strength.

    In all who have been chosen to accomplish a work for God the human element is seen. Yet they have not been men of stereotyped habits and character, who were satisfied to remain in that condition. They earnestly desired to obtain wisdom from God and to learn to work for Him. Says the apostle, "If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him." James 1:5. But God will not impart to men divine light while they are content to remain in darkness. In order to receive God's help, man must realize his weakness and deficiency; he must apply his own mind to the great change to be wrought in himself; he must be aroused to earnest and persevering prayer and effort. Wrong habits and customs must be shaken off; and it is only by determined endeavor to correct these errors and to conform to right principles that the victory can be gained. Many never attain to the position that they might occupy, because they wait for God to do for them that which He has given them power to do for themselves. All who are fitted for usefulness must be trained by the severest mental and moral discipline, and God will assist them by uniting divine power with human effort.

    Shut in by the bulwarks of the mountains, Moses was alone with God. The magnificent temples of Egypt no longer impressed his mind with their superstition and falsehood. In the solemn grandeur of the everlasting hills he beheld the majesty of the Most High, and in contrast realized how powerless and insignificant were the gods of Egypt. Everywhere the Creator's name was written. Moses seemed to stand in His presence and to be over-shadowed by His power. Here his pride and self-sufficiency were swept away. In the stern simplicity of his wilderness life, the results of the ease and luxury of Egypt disappeared. Moses became patient, reverent, and humble, "very meek, above all the men which were upon the face of the earth" (Numbers 12:3), yet strong in faith in the mighty God of Jacob.

    As the years rolled on, and he wandered with his flocks in solitary places, pondering upon the oppressed condition of his people, he recounted the dealings of God with his fathers and the promises that were the heritage of the chosen nation, and his prayers for Israel ascended by day and by night. Heavenly angels shed their light around him. Here, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, he wrote the book of Genesis. The long years spent amid the desert solitudes were rich in blessing, not alone to Moses and his people, but to the world in all succeeding ages.

    "And it came to pass in process of time, that the king of Egypt died: and the children of Israel sighed by reason of the bondage, and they cried, and their cry came up unto God by reason of the bondage. And God heard their groaning, and God remembered His covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob. And God looked upon the children of Israel, and God had respect unto them." The time for Israel's deliverance had come. But God's purpose was to be accomplished in a manner to pour contempt on human pride. The deliverer was to go forth as a humble shepherd, with only a rod in his hand; but God would make that rod the symbol of His power. Leading his flocks one day near Horeb, "the mountain of God," Moses saw a bush in flames, branches, foliage, and trunk, all burning, yet seeming not to be consumed. He drew near to view the wonderful sight, when a voice from out of the flame called him by name. With trembling lips he answered, "Here am I." He was warned not to approach irreverently: "Put off thy shoes from off thy feet; for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground. . . . I am the God of thy father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob." It was He who, as the Angel of the covenant, had revealed Himself to the fathers in ages past. "And Moses hid his face; for he was afraid to look upon God."

    Humility and reverence should characterize the deportment of all who come into the presence of God. In the name of Jesus we may come before Him with confidence, but we must not approach Him with the boldness of presumption, as though He were on a level with ourselves. There are those who address the great and all-powerful and holy God, who dwelleth in light unapproachable, as they would address an equal, or even an inferior. There are those who conduct themselves in His house as they would not presume to do in the audience chamber of an earthly ruler. These should remember that they are in His sight whom seraphim adore, before whom angels veil their faces. God is greatly to be reverenced; all who truly realize His presence will bow in humility before Him, and, like Jacob beholding the vision of God, they will cry out, "How dreadful is this place! This is none other but the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven."

    As Moses waited in reverent awe before God the words continued: "I have surely seen the affliction of My people which are in Egypt, and have heard their cry by reason of their taskmasters; for I know their sorrows; and I am come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land unto a good land and a large, unto a land flowing with milk and honey. . . . Come now therefore, and I will send thee unto Pharaoh, that thou mayest bring forth My people the children of Israel out of Egypt."

    Amazed and terrified at the command, Moses drew back, saying, "Who am I, that I should go unto Pharaoh, and that I should bring forth the children of Israel out of Egypt?" The reply was, "Certainly I will be with thee; and this shall be a token unto thee, that I have sent thee: When thou hast brought forth the people out of Egypt, ye shall serve God upon this mountain."

    Moses thought of the difficulties to be encountered, of the blindness, ignorance, and unbelief of his people, many of whom were almost destitute of a knowledge of God. "Behold," he said, "when I come unto the children of Israel, and shall say unto them, The God of your fathers hath sent me unto you; and they shall say to me, What is His name? what shall I say unto them?" The answer was-- "I Am That I Am." "Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I Am hath sent me unto you."

    Moses was commanded first to assemble the elders of Israel, the most noble and righteous among them, who had long grieved because of their bondage, and to declare to them a message from God, with a promise of deliverance. Then he was to go with the elders before the king, and say to him--

    "The Lord God of the Hebrews hath met with us: and now let us go, we beseech thee, three days' journey into the wilderness, that we may sacrifice to the Lord our God."

    Moses was forewarned that Pharaoh would resist the appeal to let Israel go. Yet the courage of God's servant must not fail; for the Lord would make this the occasion to manifest His power before the Egyptians and before His people. "And I will stretch out My hand, and smite Egypt with all My wonders which I will do in the midst thereof: and after that he will let you go."

    Direction was also given concerning the provision they were to make for the journey. The Lord declared, "It shall come to pass, that, when ye go, ye shall not go empty: but every woman shall borrow of her neighbor, and of her that sojourneth in her house, jewels of silver, and jewels of gold, and raiment." The Egyptians had been enriched by the labor unjustly exacted from the Israelites, and as the latter were to start on the journey to their new home, it was right for them to claim the reward of their years of toil. They were to ask for articles of value, such as could be easily transported, and God would give them favor in the sight of the Egyptians. The mighty miracles wrought for their deliverance would strike terror to the oppressors, so that the requests of the bondmen would be granted.

    Moses saw before him difficulties that seemed insurmountable. What proof could he give his people that God had indeed sent him? "Behold," he said, "they will not believe me, nor hearken unto my voice: for they will say, The Lord hath not appeared unto thee." Evidence that appealed to his own senses was now given. He was told to cast his rod upon the ground. As he did so, "it became a serpent; and Moses fled from before it." He was commanded to seize it, and in his hand it became a rod.

    He was bidden to put his hand into his bosom. He obeyed, and "when he took it out, behold, his hand was leprous as snow." Being told to put it again into his bosom, he found on withdrawing it that it had become like the other. By these signs the Lord assured Moses that His own people, as well as Pharaoh, should be convinced that One mightier than the king of Egypt was manifest among them. But the servant of God was still overwhelmed by the thought of the strange and wonderful work before him. In his distress and fear he now pleaded as an excuse a lack of ready speech: "O my Lord, I am not eloquent, neither heretofore, nor since Thou hast spoken unto Thy servant; but I am slow of speech, and of a slow tongue." He had been so long away from the Egyptians that he had not so clear knowledge and ready use of their language as when he was among them.

    The Lord said unto him, "Who hath made man's mouth? or who maketh the dumb, or deaf, or the seeing, or the blind? have not I the Lord?" To this was added another assurance of divine aid: "Now therefore go, and I will be with thy mouth, and teach thee what thou shalt say." But Moses still entreated that a more competent person be selected. These excuses at first proceeded from humility and diffidence; but after the Lord had promised to remove all difficulties, and to give him final success, then any further shrinking back and complaining of his unfitness showed distrust of God. It implied a fear that God was unable to qualify him for the great work to which He had called him, or that He had made a mistake in the selection of the man.

    Moses was now directed to Aaron, his elder brother, who, having been in daily use of the language of the Egyptians, was able to speak it perfectly. He was told that Aaron was coming to meet him. The next words from the Lord were an unqualified command:

    "Thou shalt speak unto him, and put words in his mouth: and I will be with thy mouth, and with his mouth, and will teach you what ye shall do. And he shall be thy spokesman unto the people: and he shall be, even he shall be to thee instead of a mouth, and thou shalt be to him instead of God. And thou shalt take this rod in thine hand, wherewith thou shalt do signs." He could make no further resistance, for all ground for excuse was removed.

    The divine command given to Moses found him self-distrustful, slow of speech, and timid. He was overwhelmed with a sense of his incapacity to be a mouthpiece for God to Israel. But having once accepted the work, he entered upon it with his whole heart, putting all his trust in the Lord. The greatness of his mission called into exercise the best powers of his mind. God blessed his ready obedience, and he became eloquent, hopeful, self-possessed, and well fitted for the greatest work ever given to man. This is an example of what God does to strengthen the character of those who trust Him fully and give themselves unreservedly to His commands.

    A man will gain power and efficiency as he accepts the responsibilities that God places upon him, and with his whole soul seeks to qualify himself to bear them aright. However humble his position or limited his ability, that man will attain true greatness who, trusting to divine strength, seeks to perform his work with fidelity. Had Moses relied upon his own strength and wisdom, and eagerly accepted the great charge, he would have evinced his entire unfitness for such a work. The fact that a man feels his weakness is at least some evidence that he realizes the magnitude of the work appointed him, and that he will make God his counselor and his strength.

    Moses returned to his father-in-law and expressed his desire to visit his brethren in Egypt. Jethro's consent was given, with his blessing, "Go in peace." With his wife and children, Moses set forth on the journey. He had not dared to make known the object of his mission, lest they should not be allowed to accompany him. Before reaching Egypt, however, he himself thought it best for their own safety to send them back to the home in Midian.

    A secret dread of Pharaoh and the Egyptians, whose anger had been kindled against him forty years before, had rendered Moses still more reluctant to return to Egypt; but after he had set out to obey the divine command, the Lord revealed to him that his enemies were dead.

    On the way from Midian, Moses received a startling and terrible warning of the Lord's displeasure. An angel appeared to him in a threatening manner, as if he would immediately destroy him. No explanation was given; but Moses remembered that he had disregarded one of God's requirements; yielding to the persuasion of his wife, he had neglected to perform the rite of circumcision upon their youngest son. He had failed to comply with the condition by which his child could be entitled to the blessings of God's covenant with Israel; and such a neglect on the part of their chosen leader could not but lessen the force of the divine precepts upon the people. Zipporah, fearing that her husband would be slain, performed the rite herself, and the angel then permitted Moses to pursue his journey. In his mission to Pharaoh, Moses was to be placed in a position of great peril; his life could be preserved only through the protection of holy angels. But while living in neglect of a known duty, he would not be secure; for he could not be shielded by the angels of God. In the time of trouble just before the coming of Christ, the righteous will be preserved through the ministration of heavenly angels; but there will be no security for the transgressor of God's law. Angels cannot then protect those who are disregarding one of the divine precepts.


    Note Very Prayerfully and Carefully the Law and Commandments of God (in Letter, Voice, and Deed) in Each of the Sixty-Six Books of the Bible. Be Honest and Complete. That's All I'm Going to Say (for now).



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    Post  orthodoxymoron Sun Jun 24, 2018 12:36 am

    Thank-you eNWO. I am NOT opposed to religion -- but I am opposed to mindless religious-participation -- and salvation4sale. As Jordan Maxwell keeps saying -- people do NOT study. We really are a flock of stupid sheep. I seek to reform religion -- rather than to destroy religion. The problem is that I think the real-story is VERY upsetting. I know some of the story -- and it's making a mess out of me. I keep thinking about Josephus. What if Josephus was an undercover deposed deity?! I keep thinking that the New Testament was booby-trapped. Religion is a HUGE can of worms. I just try to take everything in (positive and negative) -- and then just move on -- without getting too upset. God knows there's a lot to get upset about. I keep thinking this world got taken-over thousands of years ago -- and that the original ruler of this world is NOT the present administrator of Earth. I think what we see all around us is a corrupted version of an idealistic plan. This is probably why I don't wish to tear everything down -- and start over. I guess I wish to reform that which presently exists -- until I learn more regarding how things should really be. I guess I'm trying to positively-reinforce the Vatican -- the City of London -- Washington D.C. -- the United Nations -- and the Moon. I don't wish to get into a Trench-Jihad with all of the above -- but I wish for things to exponentially improve in an evolutionary (rather than a revolutionary) manner. I think that when the general-public finds out what's REALLY been going on -- they're going to go NUTS!!
    magamud wrote:
    magamud wrote:I would suggest we dont even know what reason looks like. All of reasons energy is being used to lubricate the machines synaptic clefts for self actualization. I would compare it to a black hole. It has force and weight and its magnetizing people to conform to its resonance. But I agree natural law is good if we can get there.
    I just started reading The God Shaped Brain by Timothy R. Jennings, M.D. http://www.amazon.com/The-God-Shaped-Brain-Changing-Transforms/dp/0830834168/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1375389240&sr=8-1&keywords=god+shaped+brain This book might shed light upon the subject of 'Natural Law'. Natural Law continued In contemporary jurisprudence. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natural_law

    In jurisprudence, natural law can refer to the several doctrines:

    That just laws are immanent in nature; that is, they can be "discovered" or "found" but not "created" by such things as a bill of rights;
    That they can emerge by the natural process of resolving conflicts, as embodied by the evolutionary process of the common law; or
    That the meaning of law is such that its content cannot be determined except by reference to moral principles. These meanings can either oppose or complement each other, although they share the common trait that they rely on inherence as opposed to design in finding just laws.

    Whereas legal positivism would say that a law can be unjust without it being any less a law, a natural law jurisprudence would say that there is something legally deficient about an unjust law. Legal interpretivism, famously defended in the English speaking world by Ronald Dworkin, claims to have a position different from both natural law and positivism.

    Besides utilitarianism and Kantianism, natural law jurisprudence has in common with virtue ethics that it is a live option for a first principles ethics theory in analytic philosophy.

    The concept of natural law was very important in the development of the English common law. In the struggles between Parliament and the monarch, Parliament often made reference to the Fundamental Laws of England, which were at times said to embody natural law principles since time immemorial and set limits on the power of the monarchy. According to William Blackstone, however, natural law might be useful in determining the content of the common law and in deciding cases of equity, but was not itself identical with the laws of England. Nonetheless, the implication of natural law in the common law tradition has meant that the great opponents of natural law and advocates of legal positivism, like Jeremy Bentham, have also been staunch critics of the common law.

    Natural law jurisprudence is currently undergoing a period of reformulation (as is legal positivism). The most prominent contemporary natural law jurist, Australian John Finnis, is based in Oxford, but there are also Americans Germain Grisez, Robert P. George, and Canadian Joseph Boyle. All have tried to construct a new version of natural law. The 19th-century anarchist and legal theorist, Lysander Spooner, was also a figure in the expression of modern natural law.

    "New Natural Law" as it is sometimes called, originated with Grisez. It focuses on "basic human goods," such as human life, knowledge, and aesthetic experience, which are self-evidently and intrinsically worthwhile, and states that these goods reveal themselves as being incommensurable with one another.

    The tensions between the natural law and the positive law have played, and continue to play a key role in the development of international law.[114]

    See also

    Aristotle
    Antigone
    Thomas Aquinas
    Jean Barbeyrac
    Richard Cumberland
    Declarationism
    John Finnis
    Henry George
    Robert P. George
    Hugo Grotius
    Thomas Hobbes
    International legal theory
    Land Value Taxation
    John Locke
    Legal positivism
    Lysander Spooner
    Moral realism
    Natural justice
    Natural order
    Natural rights
    Naturalistic fallacy
    Non-aggression principle
    Objectivism (philosophy)
    Orders of creation
    Samuel von Pufendorf
    Social contract
    Purposive theory
    Rule of law
    Rule according to higher law
    School of Salamanca
    Spontaneous order
    Stoicism
    Substantive due process
    Unenumerated rights
    Universality (philosophy)
    White Rose Society
    Xeer

    Notes

    1.^ a b c d e Strauss, Leo (1968). "Natural Law". International Encyclopedia of the Social Sciences. Macmillan.
    2.^ "Natural Law". Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Columbia University Press. 2007.
    3.^ a b c Shellens, Max Solomon (1959). "Aristotle on Natural Law". Natural Law Forum 4 (1): 72–100.
    4.^ a b Douglas E. Edlin (Jul., 2006), "Judicial Review without a Constitution", Polity (Palgrave Macmillan Journals) 38 (3): 345–368, doi:10.1057/palgrave.polity.2300065, JSTOR 3877071.
    5.^ Blackstone, William. Commentaries on the Laws of England.
    6.^ Wild, John (1953). Plato’s Modern Enemies and the Theory of Natural Law. Chicago: University of Chicago Press. p. 136.
    7.^ Plato, Gorgias 508a.
    8.^ Plato, The Republic, 518b–d.
    9.^ Plato, The Republic, 540a, 517b–d.
    10.^ Plato, Symposium, 205e–6a.
    11.^ Plato, Symposium, 211d–e.
    12.^ Plato, The Republic, 428e9.
    13.^ Jaffa, Harry (1979) [1952]. Thomism and Aristotelianism. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press.
    14.^ Corbett, Ross J. (April 2012). "The Philosophic Context of the Development of Natural Law". Midwest Political Science Association. SSRN 2021235.
    15.^ Corbett, Ross J. (Summer 2009). "The Question of Natural Law in Aristotle". History of Political Thought 30 (2): 229–50.
    16.^ Aristotle, Rhetoric 1373b2–8.
    17.^ Aristotle, Rhetoric, Book I - Chapter 13, http://rhetoric.eserver.org/aristotle/rhet1-13.html
    18.^ Lloyd's Introduction to Jurisprudence Seventh Edition.
    19.^ Carlyle, A.J. (1903). A History of Medieval Political Theory in the West, vol. 1. Edinburgh. pp. 8–9.
    20.^ McIlwain, Charles H. (1932). The Growth of Political Thought in the West: From the Greeks to the End of the Middle Ages. New York. pp. 114–15.
    21.^ Cicero, De Legibus, bk. 1, sec. 16–17.
    22.^ a b Barham, Francis (1842), "Introduction", The Political Works of Marcus Tullius Cicero, London: Edmund Spettigue
    23.^ Cicero, De Legibus (Keyes translation), bk. 2, sec. 11.
    24.^ Cicero, De Legibus (Keyes translation), bk. 1, sec. 58.
    25.^ Cochrane, Charles Norris (1957). Christianity and Classical Culture: A Study of Thought and Action from Augustus to Augustine. New York: Oxford University Press. p. 39.
    26.^ Corwin, Edward S. (1955). The "Higher Law" Background of American Constitutional Law. Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press. pp. 17–18.
    27.^ Thomas Aquinas, Treatise on Law (Summa Theologica, Questions 90-97), ed. Stanley Parry (Chicago: Henry Regnery Company, 1969), p. 18
    28.^ Quoted in Quentin Skinner, The Foundations of Modern Political Thought(Cambridge, 1978), vol. 1, p.89.
    29.^ Boyer, Allen D. (2004), "Sir Edward Coke, Ciceronianus: Classical Rhetoric and the Common Law Tradition", in Allen D. Boyer, Law, Liberty, and Parliament: Selected Essays on the Writings of Sir Edward Coke, Indianapolis: Liberty Fund, pp. 224–25
    30.^ a b Scott, William Robert (1966) [1900]. Francis Hutcheson: His Life, Teaching, and Position in the History of Philosophy. New York: Augustus M. Kelley.
    31.^ Reinhold, Meyer (1984). Classica Americana: The Greek and Roman Heritage in the United States. Detroit: Wayne State University Press. p. 150.
    32.^ Botein, Stephen (April–May 1978page=315). "Cicero as Role Model for Early American Lawyers: A Case Study in Classical 'Influence'". The Classical Journal 73 (4).
    33.^ Burlamaqui, Jean Jacques (2006) [1763]. The Principles of Natural and Politic Law. Trans. Thomas Nugent. Indianapolis: Liberty Fund. book I, part 2, ch. 5, sec. 11.
    34.^ Wilson, James (1967), "Of the Law of Nature", in McCloskey, Robert Green, The Works of James Wilson 1, Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, pp. 145–46
    35.^ Farrell, James M. (Dec. 1989). "John Adams's Autobiography: The Ciceronian Paradigm and the Quest for Fame". The New England Quarterly 62 (4): 506.
    36.^ Adams, John (1979) [1797]. A Defence of the Constitutions of Government of the United States of America 1 (3 ed.). Darmstadt: Scientia Verlag Aalen. xvii–xviii.
    37.^ Wilson, Douglas L., ed. (1989). Jefferson's Literary Commonplace Book. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press. p. 159.
    38.^ Jefferson to Amos J. Cook, 21 Jan. 1816; quoted in Jefferson's Literary Commonplace Book, p. 161.
    39.^ Summa Theologica, I-II, Q. 91, Art. 2 "I answer that"
    40.^ Summa Theologicae, Q. 95, A. 2.
    41.^ Burns, Tony (2000). "Aquinas's Two Doctrines of Natural Law". Political Studies 48: 929–946.
    42.^ Carlyle, A.J. (1903). A History of Medieval Political Theory in the West 1. New York: G.P. Putnam's Sons. p. 83.
    43.^ Rommen, Heinrich A. (1998) [1947]. The Natural Law: A Study in Legal and Social History and Philosophy. Trans. and rev. Thomas R. Hanley. Indianapolis: Liberty Fund. pp. 100–101.
    44.^ Thorne, Samuel E. (1968), "Translator's Introduction", in de Bracton, Henry, Of the Laws and Customs of England 1, trans. Samuel E. Thorne, Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, Belknap Press and The Selden Society, p. xxxiii
    45.^ McIlwain, Charles Howard (1958) [1947]. Constitutionalism: Ancient and Modern (rev. ed.). Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press. pp. 71–89.
    46.^ Mullett, Charles F. (1966) [1933]. Fundamental Law and the American Revolution 1760–1776. New York: Octagon Books. p. 33.
    47.^ de Bracton, Henry (1968). Of the Laws and Customs of England 2. trans. Samuel E. Thorne. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, Belknap Press and The Selden Society. p. 22.
    48.^ de Bracton, Henry (1968). Of the Laws and Customs of England 2. trans. Samuel E. Thorne. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, Belknap Press and The Selden Society. p. 23.
    49.^ Brown, Imogene E. (1981). American Aristides: A Biography of George Wythe. East Brunswick, NJ: Associated University Presses. p. 77.
    50.^ Hazeltine, Harold Dexter (1949), "General Preface: The Age of Littleton and Fortescue", in Fortescue, John, De Laudibus Legum Anglie, ed. and trans. S. B. Chrimes, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, pp. l, xxviii
    51.^ Sandoz, Ellis (1993), "Editor's Introduction", The Roots of Liberty: Magna Carta, Ancient Constitution, and the Anglo-American Tradition of Rule of Law, ed. Ellis Sandoz, Columbia, MO: University of Missouri Press, p. 7
    52.^ Doe, Norman (1990). Fundamental Authority in Late Medieval English Law. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. p. 49.
    53.^ Fortescue, John (1949). Chrimes, S. B., ed. De Laudibus Legum Anglie. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. p. l1.
    54.^ Vinogradoff, Paul (Oct. 1908). "Reason and Conscience in Sixteenth-Century Jurisprudence". The Law Quarterly Review 96: 373–74.
    55.^ Mullett, Charles F. (1966) [1933], Fundamental Law and the American Revolution 1760-1776, New York: Octagon Books, p. 39
    56.^ Doctor and Student, bk. 1, ch. 5.
    57.^ Doe, Norman (1990). Fundamental Authority in Late Medieval English Law. Cambridge University Press. pp. 112–13.
    58.^ Doe, Norman (1990). Fundamental Authority in Late Medieval English Law. Cambridge University Press. p. 113., note 23, citing Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologica, 1a, 2ae, 90, 4.
    59.^ Sir Edward Coke, The Selected Writings and Speeches of Sir Edward Coke, ed. Steve Sheppard (Indianapolis: Liberty Fund, 2003), vol. 1, p. xxvii.
    60.^ John Phillip Reid, In a Defiant Stance: The Conditions of Law in Massachusetts Bay, The Irish Comparison, and the Coming of the American Revolution (University Park, Penn.: The Pennsylvania State University Press, 1977), 71.
    61.^ Thomas Jefferson wrote to James Madison in 1826 that before the Revolution, the first volume of Coke's Institutes of the Laws of England "was the universal elementary book of law students, and a sounder Whig never wrote, nor of profounder learning in the orthodox doctrines of the British constitution, or in what were called English liberties." See The Writings of Thomas Jefferson, vol. 16, p. 155.
    62.^ John Underwood Lewis, "Sir Edward Coke (1552-1634): His Theory of 'Artificial Reason' as a Context for Modern Basic Legal Theory," in Law, Liberty, and Parliament: Selected Essays on the Writings of Sir Edward Coke, ed. Allen D. Boyer (Indianapolis: Liberty Fund, 2004), pp. 108-109; citing Edward Coke, First Part of the Institutes, 319b.
    63.^ Lewis, "Sir Edward Coke (1552-1634): His Theory of 'Artificial Reason' as a Context for Modern Basic Legal Theory,", p. 120.
    64.^ Sir Edward Coke, The Selected Writings and Speeches of Sir Edward Coke, ed. Steve Sheppard (Indianapolis: Liberty Fund, 2003), vol. 1, pp. 195-97.
    65.^ 8 Edw 4 fol. 12
    66.^ 9 Ed. 4 fol. 14
    67.^ Fort. 206
    68.^ 2 B. & C. 471
    69.^ Reid, John Phillip (1986), Constitutional History of the American Revolution: The Authority of Rights, University of Wisconsin Press, pp. 90–91
    70.^ Clinton, Robert Lowry (1997), God and Man in the Law: The Foundations of Anglo-American Constitutionalism, University Press of Kansas
    71.^ Corbin, Henry (1993), History of Islamic Philosophy, Translated by Liadain Sherrard, Philip Sherrard, London; Kegan Paul International in association with Islamic Publications for The Institute of Ismaili Studies, p. 39, ISBN 0-7103-0416-1 Unknown parameter |unused_data= ignored (help)
    72.^ Roeber, A. G. (October 2001), "What the Law Requires Is Written on Their Hearts: Noachic and Natural Law among German-Speakers in Early Modern North America", The William and Mary Quarterly, Third Series 58 (4): 883–912 [887], doi:10.2307/2674504
    73.^ Hobbes, Leviathan, pt. 1, ch. 14 (p. 64)
    74.^ Paul A. Rahe, Republics Ancient and Modern: Classical Republicanism and the American Revolution (Chapel Hill, 1992), pp. 372-73
    75.^ A Hobbes Dictionary: http://www.blackwellreference.com/public/tocnode?id=g9780631192626_chunk_g978063119262612_ss1-2
    76.^ James R. Stoner, Jr., Common Law and Liberal Theory: Coke, Hobbes, and the Origins of American Constitutionalism (Lawrence, Kansas, 1992), 71; see also John Phillip Reid, "In the Taught Tradition: The Meaning of Law in Massachusetts-Bay Two-Hundred Years Ago," Suffolk University Law Review 14 (1980), 938-40.
    77.^ Thomas Hobbes, De Cive (The Citizen), ed. Sterling P. Lamprecht (New York, 1949; orig. 1642), ch. 2, sec. 2 (p. 29).
    78.^ Thomas Hobbes, Leviathan, or the Matter, Forme, & Power of a Common-Wealth Ecclesiasticall and Civill (Mineola, N.Y., 2006; orig. 1651), pt. 1, ch. 14 (p. 72); p. 1, ch. 13 (pp. 21, 70).
    79.^ Cicero, De re publica (Keyes translation), bk. 1, ch. 25, sec. 39
    80.^ Hobbes, Leviathan, pt. 2, ch. 17 (p. 93)
    81.^ Hobbes, Leviathan, pt. 1, ch. 15 (p. 79)(emphasis in original). See also Rahe, Republics Ancient and Modern, p. 387.
    82.^ Knud Haakonssen, "The Character and Obligation of Natural Law according to Richard Cumberland," in English Philosophy in the Age of Locke, ed. M.A. Stewart (Oxford, 2000), 29.
    83.^ Haakonssen, Natural Law and Moral Philosophy: From Grotius to the Scottish Enlightenment (Cambridge, 1996), 51.
    84.^ Jon Parkin, Science, Religion and Politics in Restoration England: Richard Cumberland's De Legibus Naturae (Bury St. Edmunds, United Kingdom, 1999), 8.
    85.^ Parkin, 8.
    86.^ Richard Cumberland, A Treatise of the Laws of Nature, trans. John Maxwell (Indianapolis, 2005; orig. 1727), "Contents" (p. 237). Cumberland's treatise was originally published in Latin in 1672. A Latin edition was published in Germany in 1684.
    87.^ Cumberland, ch. 1, sec. 33 (p. 356)
    88.^ Haakonssen, "The Character and Obligation of Natural Law according to Richard Cumberland," pp. 34, 35.
    89.^ Cumberland, ch. 5, sec. 13 (pp. 523-24).
    90.^ Cumberland, ch. 5, sec. 12 (p. 525)
    91.^ Cumberland, ch. 5, sec. 15 (pp. 527-28).
    92.^ Ernst Wolf, Naturrecht, in Die Religion in Geschichte und Gegenwart, 3. Auflage, Band IV (1960), Tübingen (Germany), col. 1357
    93.^ M. Elze, Grotius, Hugo, in Die Religion in Geschichte und Gegenwart, 3. Auflage, Band II (1958), col. 1885
    94.^ H. Hohlwein, Pufendorf, Samuel Freiherr von, in Die Religion in Geschichte und Gegenwart, 3. Auflage, Band V (1961), col. 721
    95.^ John Locke, Two Treatises of Government, Second Treatise, Chapter 13, §149
    96.^ Jeremy Waldron (2002), God, Locke, and Equality: Christian Foundations in Locke's Political Thought. Cambridge University Press, p. 13
    97.^ Jeremy Waldron, God, Locke, and Equality, pp. 12-15, 45-46, 95-97, 195-198, 230
    98.^ Jeremy Waldron, God, Locke, and Equailiy, pp. 21-43
    99.^ Jeremy Waldron, God, Locke, and Equality, p. 136
    100.^ Pangle, The Spirit of Modern Republicanism (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1988), 209.
    101.^ Cf. Robert Middlekauff (2005),The Glorious Cause: The American Revolution, 1763-1789, Revised and Expanded Edition, Oxford University Press, ISBN 978-0-19-531588-2, pp. 49-52, 136
    102.^ Rothbard, Murray, "Natural Law Versus Positive Law", The Ethics of Liberty, p. 17
    103.^ R. A. Gonce (Apr., 1973), "Natural Law and Ludwig von Mises' Praxeology and Economic Science", Southern Economic Journal (Southern Economic Journal) 39 (4): 490–507, doi:10.2307/1056701, JSTOR 1056701. Unknown parameter |unused_data= ignored (help)
    104.^ Gordon, David, Review of In Defense of Natural Law by Robert George, Ludwig von Mises Institute
    105.^ Pope John Paul II, Veritatis Splendor, n. 44; International Theological Commission, The Search for Universal Ethics: A New Look at the Natural Law, n. 37.
    106.^ A Biblical Case for Natural Law, by David VanDrunen. Studies in Christian Social Ethics and Economics, no. 1. Grand Rapids: Acton Institute, 2006.
    107.^ Raymond Paul Tripp (1975). Man's "natural powers": essays for and about C.S. Lewis. Society for New Language Study.
    108.^ Pope John Paul II, Veritatis Splendor, n. 48.
    109.^ Pope John Paul II, Veritatis Splendor, n. 54 ff.
    110.^ International Theological Commission, The Search for Universal Ethics: A New Look at the Natural Law, n. 46.
    111.^ AMRUTHA. What the Pope's man found out about the Law of Nature by John Wijngaards, Author House 2011, [1].
    112.^ Summa Theologica I-II, Q. 94, A. 2.
    113.^ Summa Theologica I-II, Q. 94, A. 6.
    114.^ Prabhakar Singh, From "narcissistic" positive international law to "universal" natural international law: the dialectics of "absentee colonialism", African Journal of International and Comparative Law, 2008, 16(1), 56-82

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    http://www.whiteestate.org/books/pp/pp23.html Aaron, being instructed by angels, went forth to meet his brother, from whom he had been so long separated; and they met amid the desert solitudes, near Horeb. Here they communed together, and Moses told Aaron "all the words of the Lord who had sent him, and all the signs which He had commanded him." Exodus 4:28. Together they journeyed to Egypt; and having reached the land of Goshen, they proceeded to assemble the elders of Israel. Aaron repeated to them all the dealings of God with Moses, and then the signs which God had given Moses were shown before the people. "The people believed: and when they heard that the Lord had visited the children of Israel, and that He had looked upon their affliction, then they bowed their heads and worshiped." Verse 31.

    Moses had been charged also with a message for the king. The two brothers entered the palace of the Pharaohs as ambassadors from the King of kings, and they spoke in His name: "Thus saith Jehovah, God of Israel, Let My people go, that they may hold a feast unto Me in the wilderness."

    "Who is Jehovah, that I should obey His voice to let Israel go?" demanded the monarch; "I know not Jehovah, neither will I let Israel go."

    Their answer was, "The God of the Hebrews hath met with us: let us go, we pray thee, three days' journey into the desert, and sacrifice unto the Lord our God; lest He fall upon us with pestilence, or with the sword."

    Tidings of them and of the interest they were exciting among the people had already reached the king. His anger was kindled. "Wherefore do ye, Moses and Aaron, let [hinder] the people from their works?" he said. "Get you unto your burdens." Already the kingdom had suffered loss by the interference of these strangers. At thought of this he added, "Behold, the people of the land now are many, and ye make them rest from their burdens."

    In their bondage the Israelites had to some extent lost the knowledge of God's law, and they had departed from its precepts. The Sabbath had been generally disregarded, and the exactions of their taskmasters made its observance apparently impossible. But Moses had shown his people that obedience to God was the first condition of deliverance; and the efforts made to restore the observance of the Sabbath had come to the notice of their oppressors.

    The king, thoroughly roused, suspected the Israelites of a design to revolt from his service. Disaffection was the result of idleness; he would see that no time was left them for dangerous scheming. And he at once adopted measures to tighten their bonds and crush out their independent spirit. The same day orders were issued that rendered their labor still more cruel and oppressive. The most common building material of that country was sun-dried brick; the walls of the finest edifices were made of this, and then faced with stone; and the manufacture of brick employed great numbers of the bondmen. Cut straw being intermixed with the clay, to hold it together, large quantities of straw were required for the work; the king now directed that no more straw be furnished; the laborers must find it for themselves, while the same amount of brick should be exacted.

    This order produced great distress among the Israelites throughout the land. The Egyptian taskmasters had appointed Hebrew officers to oversee the work of the people, and these officers were responsible for the labor performed by those under their charge. When the requirement of the king was put in force, the people scattered themselves throughout the land, to gather stubble instead of straw; but they found it impossible to accomplish the usual amount of labor. For this failure the Hebrew officers were cruelly beaten.

    These officers supposed that their oppression came from their taskmasters, and not from the king himself; and they went to him with their grievances. Their remonstrance was met by Pharaoh with a taunt: "Ye are idle, ye are idle: therefore ye say, Let us go and do sacrifice to the Lord." They were ordered back to their work, with the declaration that their burdens were in no case to be lightened. Returning, they met Moses and Aaron, and cried out to them, "The Lord look upon you, and judge; because ye have made our savor to be abhorred in the eyes of Pharaoh, and in the eyes of his servants, to put a sword in their hand to slay us."

    As Moses listened to these reproaches he was greatly distressed. The sufferings of the people had been much increased. All over the land a cry of despair went up from old and young, and all united in charging upon him the disastrous change in their condition. In bitterness of soul he went before God, with the cry, "Lord, wherefore hast Thou so evil entreated this people? why is it that Thou hast sent me? For since I came to Pharaoh to speak in Thy name, he hath done evil to this people; neither hast Thou delivered Thy people at all." The answer was, "Now shalt thou see what I will do to Pharaoh: for with a strong hand shall he let them go, and with a strong hand shall he drive them out of his land." Again he was pointed back to the covenant which God had made with the fathers, and was assured that it would be fulfilled.

    During all the years of servitude in Egypt there had been among the Israelites some who adhered to the worship of Jehovah. These were solely troubled as they saw their children daily witnessing the abominations of the heathen, and even bowing down to their false gods. In their distress they cried unto the Lord for deliverance from the Egyptian yoke, that they might be freed from the corrupting influence of idolatry. They did not conceal their faith, but declared to the Egyptians that the object of their worship was the Maker of heaven and earth, the only true and living God. They rehearsed the evidences of His existence and power, from creation down to the days of Jacob. The Egyptians thus had an opportunity to become acquainted with the religion of the Hebrews; but disdaining to be instructed by their slaves, they tried to seduce the worshipers of God by promises of reward, and, this failing, by threats and cruelty.

    The elders of Israel endeavored to sustain the sinking faith of their brethren by repeating the promises made to their fathers, and the prophetic words of Joseph before his death, foretelling their deliverance from Egypt. Some would listen and believe. Others, looking at the circumstances that surrounded them, refused to hope. The Egyptians, being informed of what was reported among their bondmen, derided their expectations and scornfully denied the power of their God. They pointed to their situation as a nation of slaves, and tauntingly said, "If your God is just and merciful, and possesses power above that of the Egyptian gods, why does He not make you a free people?" They called attention to their own condition. They worshiped deities termed by the Israelites false gods, yet they were a rich and powerful nation. They declared that their gods had blessed them with prosperity, and had given them the Israelites as servants, and they gloried in their power to oppress and destroy the worshipers of Jehovah. Pharaoh himself boasted that the God of the Hebrews could not deliver them from his hand.

    Words like these destroyed the hopes of many of the Israelites. The case appeared to them very much as the Egyptians had represented. It was true that they were slaves, and must endure whatever their cruel taskmasters might choose to inflict. Their children had been hunted and slain, and their own lives were a burden. Yet they were worshiping the God of heaven. If Jehovah were indeed above all gods, surely He would not thus leave them in bondage to idolaters. But those who were true to God understood that it was because of Israel's departure from Him--because of their disposition to marry with heathen nations, thus being led into idolatry--that the Lord had permitted them to become bondmen; and they confidently assured their brethren that He would soon break the yoke of the oppressor.

    The Hebrews had expected to obtain their freedom without any special trial of their faith or any real suffering or hardship. But they were not yet prepared for deliverance. They had little faith in God, and were unwilling patiently to endure their afflictions until He should see fit to work for them. Many were content to remain in bondage rather than meet the difficulties attending removal to a strange land; and the habits of some had become so much like those of the Egyptians that they preferred to dwell in Egypt. Therefore the Lord did not deliver them by the first manifestation of His power before Pharaoh. He overruled events more fully to develop the tyrannical spirit of the Egyptian king and also to reveal Himself to His people. Beholding His justice, His power, and His love, they would choose to leave Egypt and give themselves to His service. The task of Moses would have been much less difficult had not many of the Israelites become so corrupted that they were unwilling to leave Egypt.

    The Lord directed Moses to go again to the people and repeat the promise of deliverance, with a fresh assurance of divine favor. He went as he was commanded; but they would not listen. Says the Scripture, "They hearkened not . . . for anguish of spirit, and for cruel bondage." Again the divine message came to Moses, "Go in, speak unto Pharaoh king of Egypt, that he let the children of Israel go out of his land." In discouragement he replied, "Behold, the children of Israel have not hearkened unto me; how then shall Pharaoh hear me?" He was told to take Aaron with him and go before Pharaoh, and again demand "that he send the children of Israel out of his land."

    He was informed that the monarch would not yield until God should visit judgments upon Egypt and bring out Israel by the signal manifestation of His power. Before the infliction of each plague, Moses was to describe its nature and effects, that the king might save himself from it if he chose. Every punishment rejected would be followed by one more severe, until his proud heart would be humbled, and he would acknowledge the Maker of heaven and earth as the true and living God. The Lord would give the Egyptians an opportunity to see how vain was the wisdom of their mighty men, how feeble the power of their gods, when opposed to the commands of Jehovah. He would punish the people of Egypt for their idolatry and silence their boasting of the blessings received from their senseless deities. God would glorify His own name, that other nations might hear of His power and tremble at His mighty acts, and that His people might be led to turn from their idolatry and render Him pure worship.

    Again Moses and Aaron entered the lordly halls of the king of Egypt. There, surrounded by lofty columns and glittering adornments, by the rich paintings and sculptured images of heathen gods, before the monarch of the most powerful kingdom then in existence, stood the two representatives of the enslaved race, to repeat the command from God for Israel's release. The king demanded a miracle, in evidence of their divine commission. Moses and Aaron had been directed how to act in case such a demand should be made, and Aaron now took the rod and cast it down before Pharaoh. It became a serpent. The monarch sent for his "wise men and the sorcerers," who "cast down every man his rod and they became serpents: but Aaron's rod swallowed up their rods." Then the king, more determined than before, declared his magicians equal in power with Moses and Aaron; he denounced the servants of the Lord as impostors, and felt himself secure in resisting their demands. Yet while he despised their message, he was restrained by divine power from doing them harm.

    It was the hand of God, and no human influence or power possessed by Moses and Aaron, that wrought the miracles which they showed before Pharaoh. Those signs and wonders were designed to convince Pharaoh that the great "I AM" had sent Moses, and that it was the duty of the king to let Israel go, that they might serve the living God. The magicians also showed signs and wonders; for they wrought not by their own skill alone, but by the power of their god, Satan, who assisted them in counterfeiting the work of Jehovah.

    The magicians did not really cause their rods to become serpents; but by magic, aided by the great deceiver, they were able to produce this appearance. It was beyond the power of Satan to change the rods to living serpents. The prince of evil, though possessing all the wisdom and might of an angel fallen, has not power to create, or to give life; this is the prerogative of God alone. But all that was in Satan's power to do, he did; he produced a counterfeit. To human sight the rods were changed to serpents. Such they were believed to be by Pharaoh and his court. There was nothing in their appearance to distinguish them from the serpent produced by Moses. Though the Lord caused the real serpent to swallow up the spurious ones, yet even this was regarded by Pharaoh, not as a work of God's power, but as the result of a kind of magic superior to that of his servants.

    Pharaoh desired to justify his stubbornness in resisting the divine command, and hence he was seeking some pretext for disregarding the miracles that God had wrought through Moses. Satan gave him just what he wanted. By the work that he wrought through the magicians he made it appear to the Egyptians that Moses and Aaron were only magicians and sorcerers, and that the message they brought could not claim respect as coming from a superior being. Thus Satan's counterfeit accomplished its purpose of emboldening the Egyptians in their rebellion and causing Pharaoh to harden his heart against conviction. Satan hoped also to shake the faith of Moses and Aaron in the divine origin of their mission, that his instruments might prevail. He was unwilling that the children of Israel should be released from bondage to serve the living God.

    But the prince of evil had a still deeper object in manifesting his wonders through the magicians. He well knew that Moses, in breaking the yoke of bondage from off the children of Israel, pre-figured Christ, who was to break the reign of sin over the human family. He knew that when Christ should appear, mighty miracles would be wrought as an evidence to the world that God had sent Him. Satan trembled for his power. By counterfeiting the work of God through Moses, he hoped not only to prevent the deliverance of Israel, but to exert an influence through future ages to destroy faith in the miracles of Christ. Satan is constantly seeking to counterfeit the work of Christ and to establish his own power and claims. He leads men to account for the miracles of Christ by making them appear to be the result of human skill and power. In many minds he thus destroys faith in Christ as the Son of God, and leads them to reject the gracious offers of mercy through the plan of redemption.

    Moses and Aaron were directed to visit the riverside next morning, where the king was accustomed to repair. The overflowing of the Nile being the source of food and wealth for all Egypt, the river was worshiped as a god, and the monarch came thither daily to pay his devotions. Here the two brothers again repeated the message to him, and then they stretched out the rod and smote upon the water. The sacred stream ran blood, the fish died, and the river became offensive to the smell. The water in the houses, the supply preserved in cisterns, was likewise changed to blood. But "the magicians of Egypt did so with their enchantments," and "Pharaoh turned and went into his house, neither did he set his heart to this also." For seven days the plague continued, but without effect.

    Again the rod was stretched out over the waters, and frogs came up from the river and spread over the land. They overran the houses, took possession of the bed chambers, and even the ovens and kneading troughs. The frog was regarded as sacred by the Egyptians, and they would not destroy it; but the slimy pests had now become intolerable. They swarmed even in the palace of the Pharaohs, and the king was impatient to have them removed. The magicians had appeared to produce frogs, but they could not remove them. Upon seeing this, Pharaoh was somewhat humbled. He sent for Moses and Aaron, and said, "Entreat the Lord, that He may take away the frogs from me, and from my people; and I will let the people go, that they may do sacrifice unto the Lord." After reminding the king of his former boasting, they requested him to appoint a time when they should pray for the removal of the plague. He set the next day, secretly hoping that in the interval the frogs might disappear of themselves, and thus save him from the bitter humiliation of submitting to the God of Israel. The plague, however, continued till the time specified, when throughout all Egypt the frogs died, but their putrid bodies, which remained, polluted the atmosphere.

    The Lord could have caused them to return to dust in a moment; but He did not do this lest after their removal the king and his people should pronounce it the result of sorcery or enchantment, like the work of the magicians. The frogs died, and were then gathered together in heaps. Here the king and all Egypt had evidence which their vain philosophy could not gainsay, that this work was not accomplished by magic, but was a judgment from the God of heaven.

    "When Pharaoh saw that there was respite, he hardened his heart." At the command of God, Aaron stretched out his hand, and the dust of the earth became lice throughout all the land of Egypt. Pharaoh called upon the magicians to do the same, but they could not. The work of God was thus shown to be superior to that of Satan. The magicians themselves acknowledged, "This is the finger of God." But the king was still unmoved.

    Appeal and warning were ineffectual, and another judgment was inflicted. The time of its occurrence was foretold, that it might not be said to have come by chance. Flies filled the houses and swarmed upon the ground, so that "the land was corrupted by reason of the swarms of flies." These flies were large and venomous, and their bite was extremely painful to man and beast. As had been foretold, this visitation did not extend to the land of Goshen.

    Pharaoh now offered the Israelites permission to sacrifice in Egypt, but they refused to accept such conditions. "It is not meet," said Moses; "lo, shall we sacrifice the abomination of the Egyptians before their eyes, and will they not stone us?" The animals which the Hebrews would be required to sacrifice were among those regarded as sacred by the Egyptians; and such was the reverence in which these creatures were held, that to slay one, even accidentally, was a crime punishable with death. It would be impossible for the Hebrews to worship in Egypt without giving offense to their masters. Moses again proposed to go three days' journey into the wilderness. The monarch consented, and begged the servants of God to entreat that the plague might be removed. They promised to do this, but warned him against dealing deceitfully with them. The plague was stayed, but the king's heart had become hardened by persistent rebellion, and he still refused to yield.

    A more terrible stroke followed--murrain upon all the Egyptian cattle that were in the field. Both the sacred animals and the beasts of burden--kine and oxen and sheep, horses and camels and asses--were destroyed. It had been distinctly stated that the Hebrews were to be exempt; and Pharaoh, on sending messengers to the home of the Israelites, proved the truth of this declaration of Moses. "Of the cattle of the children of Israel died not one." Still the king was obstinate.

    Moses was next directed to take ashes of the furnace, and "sprinkle it toward heaven in the sight of Pharaoh." This act was deeply significant. Four hundred years before, God had shown to Abraham the future oppression of His people, under the figure of a smoking furnace and a burning lamp. He had declared that He would visit judgments upon their oppressors, and would bring forth the captives with great substance. In Egypt, Israel had long languished in the furnace of affliction. This act of Moses was an assurance to them that God was mindful of His covenant, and that the time for their deliverance had come.

    As the ashes were sprinkled toward heaven, the fine particles spread over all the land of Egypt, and wherever they settled, produced boils "breaking forth with blains upon man, and upon beast." The priests and magicians had hitherto encouraged Pharaoh in his stubbornness, but now a judgment had come that reached even them. Smitten with a loathsome and painful disease, their vaunted power only making them contemptible, they were no longer able to contend against the God of Israel. The whole nation was made to see the folly of trusting in the magicians, when they were not able to protect even their own persons.

    Still the heart of Pharaoh grew harder. And now the Lord sent a message to him, declaring, "I will at this time send all My plagues upon thy heart, and upon thy servants, and upon thy people; that thou mayest know that there is none like Me in all the earth. . . . And in very deed for this cause have I raised thee up, for to show in thee My power." Not that God had given him an existence for this purpose, but His providence had overruled events to place him upon the throne at the very time appointed for Israel's deliverance. Though this haughty tyrant had by his crimes forfeited the mercy of God, yet his life had been preserved that through his stubbornness the Lord might manifest His wonders in the land of Egypt. The disposing of events is of God's providence. He could have placed upon the throne a more merciful king, who would not have dared to withstand the mighty manifestations of divine power. But in that case the Lord's purposes would not have been accomplished. His people were permitted to experience the grinding cruelty of the Egyptians, that they might not be deceived concerning the debasing influence of idolatry. In His dealing with Pharaoh, the Lord manifested His hatred of idolatry and His determination to punish cruelty and oppression.

    God had declared concerning Pharaoh, "I will harden his heart, that he shall not let the people go." Exodus 4:21. There was no exercise of supernatural power to harden the heart of the king. God gave to Pharaoh the most striking evidence of divine power, but the monarch stubbornly refused to heed the light. Every display of infinite power rejected by him, rendered him the more determined in his rebellion. The seeds of rebellion that he sowed when he rejected the first miracle, produced their harvest. As he continued to venture on in his own course, going from one degree of stubbornness to another, his heart became more and more hardened, until he was called to look upon the cold, dead faces of the first-born.

    God speaks to men through His servants, giving cautions and warnings, and rebuking sin. He gives to each an opportunity to correct his errors before they become fixed in the character; but if one refuses to be corrected, divine power does not interpose to counteract the tendency of his own action. He finds it more easy to repeat the same course. He is hardening the heart against the influence of the Holy Spirit. A further rejection of light places him where a far stronger influence will be ineffectual to make an abiding impression.

    He who has once yielded to temptation will yield more readily the second time. Every repetition of the sin lessens his power of resistance, blinds his eyes, and stifles conviction. Every seed of indulgence sown will bear fruit. God works no miracle to prevent the harvest. "Whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap." Galatians 6:7. He who manifests an infidel hardihood, a stolid indifference to divine truth, is but reaping the harvest of that which he has himself sown. It is thus that multitudes come to listen with stoical indifference to the truths that once stirred their very souls. They sowed neglect and resistance to the truth, and such is the harvest which they reap.

    Those who are quieting a guilty conscience with the thought that they can change a course of evil when they choose, that they can trifle with the invitations of mercy, and yet be again and again impressed, take this course at their peril. They think that after casting all their influence on the side of the great rebel, in a moment of utmost extremity, when danger compasses them about, they will change leaders. But this is not so easily done. The experience, the education, the discipline of a life of sinful indulgence, has so thoroughly molded the character that they cannot then receive the image of Jesus. Had no light shone upon their pathway, the case would have been different. Mercy might interpose, and give them an opportunity to accept her overtures; but after light has been long rejected and despised, it will be finally withdrawn.

    A plague of hail was next threatened upon Pharaoh, with the warning, "Send therefore now, and gather thy cattle, and all that thou hast in the field; for upon every man and beast which shall be found in the field, and shall not be brought home, the hail shall come down upon them, and they shall die." Rain or hail was unusual in Egypt, and such a storm as was foretold had never been witnessed. The report spread rapidly, and all who believed the word of the Lord gathered in their cattle, while those who despised the warning left them in the field. Thus in the midst of judgment the mercy of God was displayed, the people were tested, and it was shown how many had been led to fear God by the manifestation of His power.

    The storm came as predicted--thunder and hail, and fire mingled with it, "very grievous, such as there was none like it in all the land of Egypt since it became a nation. And the hail smote throughout all the land of Egypt all that was in the field, both man and beast; and the hail smote every herb of the field, and brake every tree of the field." Ruin and desolation marked the path of the destroying angel. The land of Goshen alone was spared. It was demonstrated to the Egyptians that the earth is under the control of the living God, that the elements obey His voice, and that the only safety is in obedience to Him.

    All Egypt trembled before the awful outpouring of divine judgment. Pharaoh hastily sent for the two brothers, and cried out, "I have sinned this time: the Lord is righteous, and I and my people are wicked. Entreat the Lord (for it is enough) that there be no more mighty thunderings and hail; and I will let you go, and ye shall stay no longer." The answer was, "As soon as I am gone out of the city, I will spread abroad my hands unto the Lord; and the thunder shall cease, neither shall there be any more hail; that thou mayest know how that the earth is the Lord's. But as for thee and thy servants, I know that ye will not yet fear the Lord God."

    Moses knew that the contest was not ended. Pharaoh's confessions and promises were not the effect of any radical change in his mind or heart, but were wrung from him by terror and anguish. Moses promised, however, to grant his request; for he would give him no occasion for further stubbornness. The prophet went forth, unheeding the fury of the tempest, and Pharaoh and all his host were witnesses to the power of Jehovah to preserve His messenger. Having passed without the city, Moses "spread abroad his hands unto the Lord: and the thunders and hail ceased, and the rain was not poured upon the earth." But no sooner had the king recovered from his fears than his heart returned to its perversity.

    Then the Lord said unto Moses, "Go in unto Pharaoh: for I have hardened his heart, and the heart of his servants, that I might show these My signs before him; and that thou mayest tell in the ears of thy son, and of thy son's son, what things I have wrought in Egypt, and My signs which I have done among them; that ye may know how that I am Jehovah." The Lord was manifesting His power, to confirm the faith of Israel in Him as the only true and living God. He would give unmistakable evidence of the difference He placed between them and the Egyptians, and would cause all nations to know that the Hebrews, whom they had despised and oppressed, were under the protection of the God of heaven.

    Moses warned the monarch that if he still remained obstinate, a plague of locusts would be sent, which would cover the face of the earth and eat up every green thing that remained; they would fill the houses, even the palace itself; such a scourge, he said, as "neither thy fathers, nor thy fathers' fathers have seen, since the day that they were upon the earth unto this day."

    The counselors of Pharaoh stood aghast. The nation had sustained great loss in the death of their cattle. Many of the people had been killed by the hail. The forests were broken down and the crops destroyed. They were fast losing all that had been gained by the labor of the Hebrews. The whole land was threatened with starvation. Princes and courtiers pressed about the king and angrily demanded, "How long shall this man be a snare unto us? let the men go, that they may serve the Lord their God: knowest thou not yet that Egypt is destroyed?"

    Moses and Aaron were again summoned, and the monarch said to them, "Go, serve the Lord your God: but who are they that shall go?"

    The answer was, "We will go with our young and with our old, with our sons and with our daughters, with our flocks and with our herds will we go; for we must hold a feast unto the Lord."

    The king was filled with rage. "Let the Lord be so with you," he cried, "as I will let you go, and your little ones: look to it; for evil is before you. Not so: go now ye that are men, and serve the Lord; for that ye did desire. And they were driven out from Pharaoh's presence." Pharaoh had endeavored to destroy the Israelites by hard labor, but he now pretended to have a deep interest in their welfare and a tender care for their little ones. His real object was to keep the women and children as surety for the return of the men.

    Moses now stretched forth his rod over the land, and an east wind blew, and brought locusts. "Very grievous were they; before them there were no such locusts as they, neither after them shall be such." They filled the sky till the land was darkened, and devoured every green thing remaining. Pharaoh sent for the prophets in haste, and said, "I have sinned against the Lord your God, and against you. Now therefore, forgive, I pray thee, my sin only this once, and entreat the Lord your God, that He may take away from me this death only." They did so, and a strong west wind carried away the locusts toward the Red Sea. Still the king persisted in his stubborn resolution.

    The people of Egypt were ready to despair. The scourges that had already fallen upon them seemed almost beyond endurance, and they were filled with fear for the future. The nation had worshiped Pharaoh as a representative of their god, but many were now convinced that he was opposing himself to One who made all the powers of nature the ministers of His will. The Hebrew slaves, so miraculously favored, were becoming confident of deliverance. Their taskmasters dared not oppress them as heretofore. Throughout Egypt there was a secret fear that the enslaved race would rise and avenge their wrongs. Everywhere men were asking with bated breath, What will come next?

    Suddenly a darkness settled upon the land, so thick and black that it seemed a "darkness which may be felt." Not only were the people deprived of light, but the atmosphere was very oppressive, so that breathing was difficult. "They saw not one another, neither rose any from his place for three days: but all the children of Israel had light in their dwellings." The sun and moon were objects of worship to the Egyptians; in this mysterious darkness the people and their gods alike were smitten by the power that had undertaken the cause of the bondmen. Yet fearful as it was, this judgment is an evidence of God's compassion and His unwillingness to destroy. He would give the people time for reflection and repentance before bringing upon them the last and most terrible of the plagues.

    Fear at last wrung from Pharaoh a further concession. At the end of the third day of darkness he summoned Moses, and consented to the departure of the people, provided the flocks and herds were permitted to remain. "There shall not an hoof be left behind," replied the resolute Hebrew. "We know not with what we must serve the Lord, until we come thither." The king's anger burst forth beyond control. "Get thee from me," he cried, "take heed to thyself, see my face no more; for in that day thou seest my face thou shalt die."

    The answer was, "Thou hast spoken well, I will see thy face again no more."

    "The man Moses was very great in the land of Egypt, in the sight of Pharaoh's servants, and in the sight of the people." Moses was regarded with awe by the Egyptians. The king dared not harm him, for the people looked upon him as alone possessing power to remove the plagues. They desired that the Israelites might be permitted to leave Egypt. It was the king and the priests that opposed to the last the demands of Moses.

    http://www.whiteestate.org/books/pp/pp24.html When the demand for Israel's release had been first presented to the king of Egypt, the warning of the most terrible of the plagues had been given. Moses was directed to say to Pharaoh, "Thus saith the Lord, Israel is My son, even My first-born: and I say unto thee, Let My son go, that he may serve Me: and if thou refuse to let him go, behold, I will slay thy son, even thy first-born." Exodus 4:22, 23. Though despised by the Egyptians, the Israelites had been honored by God, in that they were singled out to be the depositaries of His law. In the special blessings and privileges accorded them, they had pre-eminence among the nations, as the first-born son had among brothers.

    The judgment of which Egypt had first been warned, was to be the last visited. God is long-suffering and plenteous in mercy. He has a tender care for the beings formed in His image. If the loss of their harvests and their flocks and herds had brought Egypt to repentance, the children would not have been smitten; but the nation had stubbornly resisted the divine command, and now the final blow was about to fall.

    Moses had been forbidden, on pain of death, to appear again in Pharaoh's presence; but a last message from God was to be delivered to the rebellious monarch, and again Moses came before him, with the terrible announcement: "Thus saith the Lord, About midnight will I go out into the midst of Egypt: and all the first-born in the land of Egypt shall die, from the first-born of Pharaoh that sitteth upon his throne, even unto the first-born of the maidservant that is behind the mill; and all the first-born of beasts. And there shall be a great cry throughout all the land of Egypt, such as there was none like it, nor shall be like it any more. But against any of the children of Israel shall not a dog move his tongue, against man or beast: that ye may know how that the Lord doth put a difference between the Egyptians and Israel. And all these thy servants shall come down unto me, and bow down themselves unto me, saying, Get thee out, and all the people that follow thee: and after that I will go out."

    Before the execution of this sentence the Lord through Moses gave direction to the children of Israel concerning their departure from Egypt, and especially for their preservation from the coming judgment. Each family, alone or in connection with others, was to slay a lamb or a kid "without blemish," and with a bunch of hyssop sprinkle its blood on "the two side posts and on the upper doorpost" of the house, that the destroying angel, coming at midnight, might not enter that dwelling. They were to eat the flesh roasted, with unleavened bread and bitter herbs, at night, as Moses said, "with your loins girded, your shoes on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and ye shall eat it in haste: it is the Lord's Passover."

    The Lord declared: "I will pass through the land of Egypt this night, and will smite all the first-born in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment. . . . And the blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where ye are: and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you, when I smite the land of Egypt."

    In commemoration of this great deliverance a feast was to be observed yearly by the people of Israel in all future generations. "This day shall be unto you for a memorial; and ye shall keep it a feast to the Lord throughout your generations: ye shall keep it a feast by an ordinance forever." As they should keep the feast in future years, they were to repeat to their children the story of this great deliverance, as Moses bade them: "Ye shall say, It is the sacrifice of the Lord's Passover, who passed over the houses of the children of Israel in Egypt, when He smote the Egyptians, and delivered our houses."

    Furthermore, the first-born of both man and beast were to be the Lord's, to be bought back only by a ransom, in acknowledgment that when the first-born in Egypt perished, that of Israel, though graciously preserved, had been justly exposed to the same doom but for the atoning sacrifice. "All the first-born are Mine," the Lord declared; "for on the day that I smote all the first-born in the land of Egypt, I hallowed unto Me all the first-born in Israel, both man and beast: Mine they shall be," Numbers 3:13. After the institution of the tabernacle service the Lord chose unto Himself the tribe of Levi for the work of the sanctuary, instead of the first-born of the people. "They are wholly given unto Me from among the children of Israel," He said. "Instead of the first-born of all the children of Israel, have I taken them unto Me." Numbers 8:16. All the people were, however, still required, in acknowledgment of God's mercy, to pay a redemption price for the first-born son. Numbers 18:15, 16.

    The Passover was to be both commemorative and typical, not only pointing back to the deliverance from Egypt, but forward to the greater deliverance which Christ was to accomplish in freeing His people from the bondage of sin. The sacrificial lamb represents "the Lamb of God," in whom is our only hope of salvation. Says the apostle, "Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us." 1 Corinthians 5:7. It was not enough that the paschal lamb be slain; its blood must be sprinkled upon the doorposts; so the merits of Christ's blood must be applied to the soul. We must believe, not only that He died for the world, but that He died for us individually. We must appropriate to ourselves the virtue of the atoning sacrifice.

    The hyssop used in sprinkling the blood was the symbol of purification, being thus employed in the cleansing of the leper and of those defiled by contact with the dead. In the psalmist's prayer also its significance is seen: "Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow." Psalm 51:7.

    The lamb was to be prepared whole, not a bone of it being broken: so not a bone was to be broken of the Lamb of God, who was to die for us. John 19:36. Thus was also represented the completeness of Christ's sacrifice.

    The flesh was to be eaten. It is not enough even that we believe on Christ for the forgiveness of sin; we must by faith be constantly receiving spiritual strength and nourishment from Him through His word. Said Christ, "Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink His blood, ye have no life in you. Whoso eateth My flesh, and drinketh My blood, hath eternal life." John 6:53, 54. And to explain His meaning He said, "The words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life." Verse 63. Jesus accepted His Father's law, wrought out its principles in His life, manifested its spirit, and showed its beneficent power in the heart. Says John, "The Word was made flesh and dwelt among us, (and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth." John 1:14. The followers of Christ must be partakers of His experience. They must receive and assimilate the word of God so that it shall become the motive power of life and action. By the power of Christ they must be changed into His likeness, and reflect the divine attributes. They must eat the flesh and drink the blood of the Son of God, or there is no life in them. The spirit and work of Christ must become the spirit and work of His disciples.

    The lamb was to be eaten with bitter herbs, as pointing back to the bitterness of the bondage in Egypt. So when we feed upon Christ, it should be with contrition of heart, because of our sins. The use of unleavened bread also was significant. It was expressly enjoined in the law of the Passover, and as strictly observed by the Jews in their practice, that no leaven should be found in their houses during the feast. In like manner the leaven of sin must be put away from all who would receive life and nourishment from Christ. So Paul writes to the Corinthian church, "Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump. . . . For even Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us: therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth." 1 Corinthians 5:7, 8.

    Before obtaining freedom, the bondmen must show their faith in the great deliverance about to be accomplished. The token of blood must be placed upon their houses, and they must separate themselves and their families from the Egyptians, and gather within their own dwellings. Had the Israelites disregarded in any particular the directions given them, had they neglected to separate their children from the Egyptians, had they slain the lamb, but failed to strike the doorpost with blood, or had any gone out of their houses, they would not have been secure. They might have honestly believed that they had done all that was necessary, but their sincerity would not have saved them. All who failed to heed the Lord's directions would lose their first-born by the hand of the destroyer.

    By obedience the people were to give evidence of their faith. So all who hope to be saved by the merits of the blood of Christ should realize that they themselves have something to do in securing their salvation. While it is Christ only that can redeem us from the penalty of transgression, we are to turn from sin to obedience. Man is to be saved by faith, not by works; yet his faith must be shown by his works. God has given His Son to die as a propitiation for sin, He has manifested the light of truth, the way of life, He has given facilities, ordinances, and privileges; and now man must co-operate with these saving agencies; he must appreciate and use the helps that God has provided--believe and obey all the divine requirements.

    As Moses rehearsed to Israel the provisions of God for their deliverance, "the people bowed the head and worshiped." The glad hope of freedom, the awful knowledge of the impending judgment upon their oppressors, the cares and labors incident to their speedy departure--all were for the time swallowed up in gratitude to their gracious Deliverer. Many of the Egyptians had been led to acknowledge the God of the Hebrews as the only true God, and these now begged to be permitted to find shelter in the homes of Israel when the destroying angel should pass through the land. They were gladly welcomed, and they pledged themselves henceforth to serve the God of Jacob and to go forth from Egypt with His people.

    The Israelites obeyed the directions that God had given. Swiftly and secretly they made their preparations for departure. Their families were gathered, the paschal lamb slain, the flesh roasted with fire, the unleavened bread and bitter herbs prepared. The father and priest of the household sprinkled the blood upon the doorpost, and joined his family within the dwelling. In haste and silence the paschal lamb was eaten. In awe the people prayed and watched, the heart of the eldest born, from the strong man down to the little child, throbbing with indefinable dread. Fathers and mothers clasped in their arms their loved first-born as they thought of the fearful stroke that was to fall that night. But no dwelling of Israel was visited by the death-dealing angel. The sign of blood--the sign of a Saviour's protection--was on their doors, and the destroyer entered not.

    At midnight "there was a great cry in Egypt: for there was not a house where there was not one dead." All the first-born in the land, "from the firstborn of Pharaoh that sat on his throne unto the firstborn of the captive that was in the dungeon; and all the firstborn of cattle" had been smitten by the destroyer. Throughout the vast realm of Egypt the pride of every household had been laid low. The shrieks and wails of the mourners filled the air. King and courtiers, with blanched faces and trembling limbs, stood aghast at the overmastering horror. Pharaoh remembered how he had once exclaimed, "Who is Jehovah, that I should obey His voice to let Israel go? I know not Jehovah, neither will I let Israel go." Now, his heaven-daring pride humbled in the dust, he "called for Moses and Aaron by night, and said, Rise up, and get you forth from among my people, both ye and the children of Israel; and go, serve the Lord, as ye have said. Also take your flocks and your herds, as ye have said. . . . And be gone; and bless me also." The royal counselors also and the people entreated the Israelites to depart "out of the land in haste; for they said, We be all dead men."

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    Post  orthodoxymoron Sun Jun 24, 2018 12:42 am

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    I just re-watched the movie Spotlight regarding the church and pedophilia, and what troubled me the most was how many seemingly 'good' people looked the other way and/or deliberately covered-up the whole-mess!! This reminded me of the medical-fraud book Coronary regarding the systematic and deliberate performing of open-heart surgeries on perfectly normal hearts, in hundreds of patients, over several years, with seemingly 'good' people looking the other way and/or deliberately covering-up the whole-mess!! Is this sort of thing the Fatal-Flaw in Human-Nature OR Are the Souls Which Incarnate Humanity Fatally-Flawed?? I sense that seemingly 'good' people have looked the other way and/or deliberately covered-up the glaring-problems in the Bible, Theology, and Church-History for thousands of years!! If the Church of God can't be Honest to God, how can it expect to Reform the World?? The Blind Leading the Blind and/or the Bland leading the Bland?? Does Satan Use 'Faith and Loyalty' Against Us?? It's been my sad-realization that Believers do NOT wish to be honest and thorough about the Bible and Religion. It's also been my sad-realization that Unbelievers do NOT wish to be honest and thorough about the Bible and Religion.

    Are there ANY truly-objective Bible-Commentaries?? I lean-toward the SDA Bible Commentary mostly because of my background, but also because of my perception that it is scholarly and ecumenical, and NOT in slavery to Ellen White and the SDA Church. Much religious-literature seems to be written by Hermeneutic-Whores!! I've gone round and round with 'Good Lifelong Religious-People' about the most simple Ethical and Theological matters imaginable, with VERY disturbing outcomes. Take a long and hard look at the reality of 'Thou Shalt Not Kill' throughout the Bible and History. We seem to wish to have it both ways. Has Satan really deceived the whole-world?? 'RA' said "I've Always Remained One Step Ahead of Humanity!!" When I Suggested That Humanity Has Been Easy to Deceive, 'RA' replied "Very Easy!!" Honest. Has the 'God of This World' Been the 'Regent of This World' for at least 6,000 years?? What Would the Changeling Say?? What Would Dr. Who Do?? Do You Even Know What I'm Talking About?? Do I Even Know What I'm Talking About?? You Don't Need to Answer That Last Question. One More Thing. Once Upon a Time, a Stranger with Insider-Connections introduced himself to me as 'Adolph', and that's all I'm going to say about that. You don't suppose?? Nah!!

    RedEzra wrote:An article for what it's worth coming from a dying CIA agent confessing that CIA blew up WTC7 on 9/11. An aphorism as there are no atheists in foxholes may apply to deathbeds as well... or perhaps it's just the Company man*s last convenient assignment true or not.

    CIA Agent Confesses On Deathbed: ‘We Blew Up WTC7 On 9/11’

    "79-year-old retired CIA agent, Malcom Howard, has made a series of astonishing claims since being released from hospital in New Jersey on Friday and told he has weeks to live. Mr. Howard claims he was involved in the “controlled demolition” of World Trade Center 7, the third building that was destroyed on 9/11."

    http://yournewswire.com/cia-911-wtc7/
    RedEzra wrote:What is that great city which reigns over the kings of the earth ?

    I ask because in the Book of Revelation Ch 17 that great city is about to be abruptly destroyed... which is weird considering it reigns over the kings of the earth. It is said to sit on seven mountains which probably points out Rome...?

    Furthermore in Revelation there are ten kings who have received no kingdom as yet but they receive authority for one hour as kings with the beast whose deadly wound was healed. So there is a not so new world power rising which will destroy the old world order.

    With all the nazis are alive and well rumors i suspect the beast is the Third Reich bandaged up and ready to go again after the deadly wound in WWII. And working with the nazis are ten kings who lost their respective kingdom after an abolition of monarchy... perhaps these kings are the real power behind some of the democracies and are working or waiting to regain their lost kingdoms.

    Anyway these ten kings without kingdoms who work with the emerging beast/nazi system will destroy that great city which reigns over the kings of the earth.... and so ends the old world order and begins the not so new one... which will just last 3.5 years before God destroy it.
    I continue to wonder about Pre Council of Nicea Old-Testament Commentaries. Why is the New-Testament NOT essentially an Old-Testament Commentary (with minimal completely-new material)?? Theology is often Deceptive, Mealy-Mouthed, and Lawyer-Like!! What if there is a very-real theological-reality underlying the predominant-bullshit??!! I've been playing softball in SO many ways!! Should I start playing hardball?? What Would Richard Nixon Say?? Does 1 Chronicles to Malachi contain the essential Old-Testament Story of God's Love, Will, and Ways?? Please take a close-look at 1 Chronicles -- Job -- Ecclesiastes -- Isaiah -- Daniel -- Jonah -- Zechariah -- and Malachi. Who really wrote these books?? Why were they written?? When were they written?? Consider the following study-list:

    1. The SDA Bible Commentary -- Volumes 3 and 4 (1 Chronicles to Malachi).

    2. Prophets and Kings (Ellen White) -- Covering the Second-Half of the Old-Testament.

    Kicking Against the Religious-Pricks is SO Overrated!! Sorry if you don't like the SDA stuff -- but that's my background and starting-point. The SDA's don't like me either -- and I don't go to church -- so there!! I receive ZERO support and encouragement relative to this sort of thing. Just the Opposite. Here is a rather scholarly article on Moral Responsibility, taken from the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. This is the sort of thing which might be studied in a university program devoted to Solar System Studies and Governance, as a prerequisite to being a Representative of the United States of the Solar System. Enjoy. http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/moral-responsibility/ I'm also reading a book titled 'Free to be Responsible' by Ben Thomson Cowles, Ph.D. I'm trying to transition from being a whining speculator to being a erudite scholar. Wish me luck, as I stop posting and start studying. I hope that some of you are joining me in this pursuit. Again, the tempest in a teapot, which I have been in the middle of, is just scratching the surface. Really.

    Moral Responsibility

    First published Sat Jan 6, 2001; substantive revision Wed Nov 18, 2009

    When a person performs or fails to perform a morally significant action, we sometimes think that a particular kind of response is warranted. Praise and blame are perhaps the most obvious forms this reaction might take. For example, one who encounters a car accident may be regarded as worthy of praise for having saved a child from inside the burning car, or alternatively, one may be regarded as worthy of blame for not having used one's mobile phone to call for help. To regard such agents as worthy of one of these reactions is to ascribe moral responsibility to them on the basis of what they have done or left undone. (These are examples of other-directed ascriptions of responsibility. The reaction might also be self-directed, e.g., one can recognize oneself to be blameworthy). Thus, to be morally responsible for something, say an action, is to be worthy of a particular kind of reaction—praise, blame, or something akin to these—for having performed it.[1]

    Though further elaboration and qualification of the above characterization of moral responsibility is called for and will be provided below, this is enough to distinguish concern about this form of responsibility from some others commonly referred to through use of the terms ‘responsibility’ or ‘responsible.’ To illustrate, we might say that higher than normal rainfall in the spring is responsible for an increase in the amount of vegetation or that it is the judge's responsibility to give instructions to the jury before they begin deliberating. In the first case, we mean to identify a causal connection between the earlier amount of rain and the later increased vegetation. In the second, we mean to say that when one assumes the role of judge, certain duties, or obligations, follow. Although these concepts are connected with the concept of moral responsibility discussed here, they are not the same, for in neither case are we directly concerned about whether it would be appropriate to react to some candidate (here, the rainfall or a particular judge) with something like praise or blame.[2]

    Philosophical reflection on moral responsibility has a long history. One reason for this persistent interest is the way the topic seems connected with a widely shared conception of ourselves as members of an importantly distinct class of individuals—call them ‘persons.’[3] Persons are thought to be qualitatively different from other known living individuals, despite their numerous similarities. Many have held that one distinct feature of persons is their status as morally responsible agents, a status resting—some have proposed—on a special kind of control that only they can exercise. Many who view persons in this way have wondered whether their special status is threatened if certain other claims about our universe are true. For example, can a person be morally responsible for her behavior if that behavior can be explained solely by reference to physical states of the universe and the laws governing changes in those physical states, or solely by reference to the existence of a sovereign God who guides the world along a divinely ordained path? It is concerns like these that have often motivated individuals to theorize about moral responsibility.

    A comprehensive theory of moral responsibility would elucidate the following: (1) the concept, or idea, of moral responsibility itself; (2) the criteria for being a moral agent, i.e., one who qualifies generally as an agent open to responsibility ascriptions (e.g., only beings possessing the general capacity to evaluate reasons for acting can be moral agents); (3) the conditions under which the concept of moral responsibility is properly applied, i.e., those conditions under which a moral agent is responsible for a particular something (e.g., a moral agent can be responsible for an action she has performed only if she performed it freely, where acting freely entails the ability to have done otherwise at the time of action); and finally 4) possible objects of responsibility ascriptions (e.g., actions, omissions, consequences, character traits, etc.). Although each of these will be touched upon in the discussion below (see, e.g., the brief sketch of Aristotle's account in the next section), the primary focus of this entry is on the first component—i.e., the concept of moral responsibility. The section immediately following this introduction is a discussion of the origin and history of Western reflection on moral responsibility. This is followed by an overview of recent work on the concept of moral responsibility. For further discussion of issues associated with moral responsibility, see the related entries below.

    1. Some Historical Background
    2. Recent Work on the Concept of Responsibility
    2.1 Strawson and the Reactive Attitudes
    2.2 Developments After Strawson
    Bibliography
    Other Internet Resources
    Related Entries

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    1. Some Historical Background

    What follows in this section is a brief outline of the origins and trajectory of reflection on moral responsibility in the Western philosophical tradition. Against this background, a distinction will be drawn between two conceptions of moral responsibility that have exerted considerable influence on subsequent thinkers.

    An understanding of the concept of moral responsibility and its application is present implicitly in some of the earliest surviving Greek texts, i.e., the Homeric epics (circa 8th century BCE but no doubt informed by a much earlier oral tradition).[4] In these texts, both human and superhuman agents are often regarded as fair targets of praise and blame on the basis of how they have behaved, and at other times, an agent's behavior is excused because of the presence of some factor that has undermined his/her control (Irwin 1999: 225). Reflection on these factors gave rise to fatalism—the view that one's future or some aspect of it is predetermined, e.g., by the gods, or the stars, or simply some facts about truth and time—in such a way as to make one's particular deliberations, choices and actions irrelevant to whether that particular future is realized (recall, e.g., the plight of Oedipus). If some particular outcome is fated, then it seems that the agent concerned could not be morally responsible for that outcome. Likewise, if fatalism were true with respect to all human futures, then it would seem that no human agent could be morally responsible for anything. Though this brand of fatalism has sometimes exerted significant historical influence, most philosophers have rejected it on the grounds that there is no good reason to think that our futures are fated in the sense that they will unfold no matter what particular deliberations we engage in, choices we make, or actions we perform.

    Aristotle (384–323 BCE) seems to have been the first to construct explicitly a theory of moral responsibility.[5] In the course of discussing human virtues and their corresponding vices, Aristotle pauses in Nicomachean Ethics III.1–5 to explore their underpinnings. He begins with a brief statement of the concept of moral responsibility—that it is sometimes appropriate to respond to an agent with praise or blame on the basis of her actions and/or dispositional traits of character (1109b30–35). A bit later, he clarifies that only a certain kind of agent qualifies as a moral agent and is thus properly subject to ascriptions of responsibility, namely, one who possess a capacity for decision. For Aristotle, a decision is a particular kind of desire resulting from deliberation, one that expresses the agent's conception of what is good (1111b5-1113b3). The remainder of Aristotle's discussion is devoted to spelling out the conditions under which it is appropriate to hold a moral agent blameworthy or praiseworthy for some particular action or trait. His general proposal is that one is an apt candidate for praise or blame if and only if the action and/or disposition is voluntary. According to Aristotle, a voluntary action or trait has two distinctive features. First, there is a control condition: the action or trait must have its origin in the agent. That is, it must be up to the agent whether to perform that action or possess the trait—it cannot be compelled externally. Second, Aristotle proposes an epistemic condition: the agent must be aware of what it is she is doing or bringing about (1110a-1111b4).[6]

    There is an instructive ambiguity in Aristotle's account of responsibility, an ambiguity that has led to competing interpretations of his view. Aristotle aims to identify the conditions under which it is appropriate to praise or blame an agent, but it is not entirely clear how to understand the pivotal notion of appropriateness in his conception of responsibility. There are at least two possibilities: a) praise or blame is appropriate in the sense that the agent deserves such a response, given his behavior and/or traits of character; or b) praise or blame is appropriate in the sense that such a reaction is likely to bring about a desired consequence, namely an improvement in the agent's behavior and/or character. These two possibilities may be characterized in terms of two competing interpretations of the concept of moral responsibility: 1) the merit-based view, according to which praise or blame would be an appropriate reaction toward the candidate if and only if she merits—in the sense of ‘deserves’—such a reaction; vs. 2) the consequentialist view, according to which praise or blame would be appropriate if and only if a reaction of this sort would likely lead to a desired change in the agent and/or her behavior.[7]

    Scholars disagree about which of the above views Aristotle endorsed, but the importance of distinguishing between them grew as philosophers began to focus on a newly conceived threat to moral responsibility. While Aristotle argued against a version of fatalism (On Interpretation, ch. 9), he may not have recognized the difference between it and the related possible threat of causal determinism (contra Sorabji). Causal determinism is the view that everything that happens or exists is caused by sufficient antecedent conditions, making it impossible for anything to happen or be other than it does or is. One variety of causal determinism, scientific determinism, identifies the relevant antecedent conditions as a combination of prior states of the universe and the laws of nature. Another, theological determinism, identifies those conditions as being the nature and will of God. It seems likely that theological determinism evolved out of the shift, both in Greek religion and in Ancient Mesopotamian religions, from polytheism to belief in one sovereign God, or at least one god who reigned over all others. The doctrine of scientific determinism can be traced back as far as the Presocratic Atomists (5th cent. BCE), but the difference between it and the earlier fatalistic view seems not to be clearly recognized until the development of Stoic philosophy (3rd. cent. BCE). Though fatalism, like causal determinism, might seem to threaten moral responsibility by threatening an agent's control, the two differ on the significance of human deliberation, choice, and action. If fatalism is true, then human deliberation, choice, and action are completely otiose, for what is fated will transpire no matter what one chooses to do. According to causal determinism, however, one's deliberations, choices, and actions will often be necessary links in the causal chain that brings something about. In other words, even though our deliberations, choices, and actions are themselves determined like everything else, it is still the case, according to causal determinism, that the occurrence or existence of yet other things depends upon our deliberating, choosing and acting in a certain way (Irwin 1999: 243–249; Meyer 1998: 225-227; and Pereboom 1997: ch. 2).

    Since the Stoics, the thesis of causal determinism and its ramifications, if true, have taken center stage in theorizing about moral responsibility. During the Medieval period, especially in the work of Augustine (354–430) and Aquinas (1225-1274), reflection on freedom and responsibility was often generated by questions concerning versions of theological determinism, including most prominently: a) Does God's sovereignty entail that God is responsible for evil?; and b) Does God's foreknowledge entail that we are not free and morally responsible since it would seem that we cannot do anything other than what God foreknows we will do? During the Modern period, there was renewed interest in scientific determinism—a change attributable to the development of increasingly sophisticated mechanistic models of the universe culminating in the success of Newtonian physics. The possibility of giving a comprehensive explanation of every aspect of the universe—including human action—in terms of physical causes now seemed much more plausible. Many thought that persons could not be free and morally responsible if such an explanation of human action were possible. Others argued that freedom and responsibility would not be threatened should scientific determinism be true. In keeping with this focus on the ramifications of causal determinism for moral responsibility, thinkers may be classified as being one of two types: 1) an incompatibilist about causal determinism and moral responsibility—one who maintains that if causal determinism is true, then there is nothing for which one can be morally responsible; or 2) a compatibilist—one who holds that a person can be morally responsible for some things, even if both who she is and what she does is causally determined.[8] In Ancient Greece, these positions were exemplified in the thought of Epicurus (341–270 BCE) and the Stoics, respectively.

    Above, an ambiguity in Aristotle's conception of moral responsibility was highlighted—that it was not clear whether he endorsed a merit-based vs. a consequentialist conception of moral responsibility. The history of reflection on moral responsibility demonstrates that how one interprets the concept of moral responsibility strongly influences one's overall account of moral responsibility. For example, those who accept the merit-based conception of moral responsibility have tended to be incompatibilists. That is, most have thought that if an agent were to genuinely merit praise or blame for something, then he would need to exercise a special form of control over that thing (e.g., the ability at the time of action to both perform or not perform the action) that is incompatible with one's being causally determined. In addition to Epicurus, we can cite early Augustine, Thomas Reid (1710–1796), and Immanuel Kant (1724–1804) as historical examples here. Those accepting the consequentialist conception of moral responsibility, on the other hand, have traditionally contended that determinism poses no threat to moral responsibility since praising and blaming could still be an effective means of influencing another's behavior, even in a deterministic world. Thomas Hobbes (1588–1679), David Hume (1711–1776), and John Stuart Mill (1806–1873) are, along with the Stoics, representatives of this view. This general trend of linking the consequentialist conception of moral responsibility with compatibilism about causal determinism and moral responsibility and the merit-based conception with incompatibilism continued to persist through the first half of the twentieth century.

    2. Recent Work on the Concept of Responsibility

    The issue of how best to understand the concept of moral responsibility is important, for it can strongly influence one's view of what, if any, philosophical problems might be associated with the notion, and further, if there are problems, what might count as a solution. As discussed above, philosophical reflection on moral responsibility has historically relied upon one of two broad interpretations of the concept: 1) the merit-based view, according to which praise or blame would be an appropriate reaction toward the candidate if and only if she merits—in the sense of ‘deserves’—such a reaction; or 2) the consequentialist view, according to which praise or blame would be appropriate if and only if a reaction of this sort would likely lead to a desired change in the agent and/or her behavior. Though versions of the consequentialist view have continued to garner support (Smart; Frankena 1963: ch. 4; Schlick 1966; Brandt 1992; Dennett 1984: ch. 7; and Kupperman 1991: ch. 3), work in the last 50 years on the concept of moral responsibility has increasingly focused on: a) offering alternative versions of the merit-based view; and b) questioning the assumption that there is a single unified concept of moral responsibility.

    Increased attention focusing on the stance of regarding and holding persons morally responsible has generated much of the recent work on the concept of moral responsibility. All theorists have recognized features of this practice—inner attitudes and emotions, their outward expression in censure or praise, and the imposition of corresponding sanctions or rewards. However, most understood the inner attitudes and emotions involved to rest on a more fundamental theoretical judgment about the agent's being responsible. In other words, it was typically assumed that blame and praise depended upon a judgment, or belief (pre-reflective in most cases), that the agent in question had satisfied the objective conditions on being responsible. These judgments were presumed to be independent of the inner attitudinal/emotive states involved in holding responsible in the sense that reaching such judgments and evaluating them required no essential reference to the attitudes and emotions of the one making the judgment. For the holder of the consequentialist view, this is a judgment that the agent exercised a form of control that could be influenced through outward expressions of praise and blame in order to curb or promote certain behaviors. For those holding the merit view, it is a judgment that the agent has exercised the requisite form of metaphysical control, e.g., that she could have done otherwise at the time of action (Watson 1987: 258).

    If holding responsible is best understood as resting on an independent judgment about being responsible, then it is legitimate to inquire whether such underlying judgments and their associated outward expressions can be justified, as a whole, in the face of our best current understanding of the world, e.g., in the face of evidence that our world is possibly deterministic. According to incompatibilists, a judgment that someone is morally responsible could never be true if the world were deterministic; thus praising and blaming in the merit-based sense would be beside the point. Compatibilists, on the other hand, contend that the truth of determinism would not undermine the relevant underlying judgments concerning the efficacy of praising and blaming practices, thereby leaving the rationale of such practices intact.

    2.1 Strawson and the Reactive Attitudes

    In his landmark essay, ‘Freedom and Resentment,’ P. F. Strawson (1962) sets out to adjudicate the dispute between those compatibilists who hold a consequentialist view of responsibility and those incompatibilists who hold the merit-based view.[9] Both are wrong, Strawson believes, because they distort the concept of moral responsibility by sharing the prevailing assumption sketched above — the assumption that holding persons responsible rests upon a theoretical judgment of their being responsible. According to Strawson, the attitudes expressed in holding persons morally responsible are varieties of a wide range of attitudes deriving from our participation in personal relationships, e.g., resentment, indignation, hurt feelings, anger, gratitude, reciprocal love, and forgiveness. The function of these attitudes is to express “…how much we actually mind, how much it matters to us, whether the actions of other people—and particularly some other people—reflect attitudes towards us of good will, affection, or esteem on the one hand or contempt, indifference, or malevolence on the other.” (p. 5, author's emphasis) These attitudes are thus participant reactive attitudes, because they are: a) natural attitudinal reactions to the perception of another's good will, ill will, or indifference (pp. 4–6), and b) expressed from the stance of one who is immersed in interpersonal relationships and who regards the candidate held responsible as a participant in such relationships as well (p. 10).[10]

    The reactive attitudes can be suspended or modified in at least two kinds of circumstances, corresponding to the two features just mentioned. In the first, one might conclude that, contrary to first appearances, the candidate did not violate the demand for a reasonable degree of good will. For example, a person's behavior may be excused when one determines that it was an accident, or one may determine that the behavior was justified, say, in the case of an emergency when some greater good is being pursued. In the second kind of circumstance, one may abandon the participant perspective in relation to the candidate. In these cases, one adopts the objective standpoint, one from which one ceases to regard the individual as capable of participating in genuine personal relations (either for some limited time or permanently). Instead, one regards the individual as psychologically/morally abnormal or undeveloped and thereby a candidate, not for the full range of reactive attitudes, but primarily for those objective attitudes associated with treatment or simply instrumental control. Such individuals lie, in some sense or to some varying extent, outside the boundaries of the moral community. For example, we may regard a very young child as initially exempt from the reactive attitudes (but increasingly less so in cases of normal development) or adopt the objective standpoint in relation to an individual we determine to be suffering from severe mental illness (P. F. Strawson 1962: 6–10; Bennett: 40; Watson 1987: 259–260; R. Jay Wallace: chs. 5-6).

    The central criticism Strawson directs at both consequentialist and traditional merit views is that both have over-intellectualized the issue of moral responsibility—a criticism with which many subsequent thinkers have wrestled.[11] The charge of over intellectualization stems from the traditional tendency to presume that the rationality of holding a person responsible depends upon a judgment that the person in question has satisfied some set of objective requirements on being responsible (conditions on efficacy or metaphysical freedom) and that these requirements themselves are justifiable. Strawson, by contrast, maintains that the reactive attitudes are a natural expression of an essential feature of our form of life, in particular, the interpersonal nature of our way of life. The practice, then, of holding responsible—embedded as it is in our way of life—“neither calls for nor permits, an external ‘rational’ justification” (p. 23). Though judgments about the appropriateness of particular responses may arise (i.e., answers to questions like: Was the candidate's behavior really an expression of ill will?; or Is the candidate involved a genuine participant in the moral sphere of human relations?), these judgments are based on principles internal to the practice. That is, their justification refers back to an account of the reactive attitudes and their role in personal relationships, not to some independent theoretical account of the conditions on being responsible.

    Given the above, Strawson contends that it is pointless to ask whether the practice of holding responsible can be rationally justified if determinism is true. This is either because it is not psychologically possible to divest ourselves of these reactions and so continually inhabit the objective standpoint, or even if that were possible, because it is not clear that rationality could ever demand that we give up the reactive attitudes, given the loss in quality of life should we do so. In sum, Strawson attempts to turn the traditional debate on its head, for now judgments about being responsible are understood in relation to the role reactive attitudes play in the practice of holding responsible, rather than the other way around. Whereas judgments are true or false and thereby can generate the need for justification, the desire for good will and those attitudes generated by it possess no truth value themselves, thereby eliminating any need for an external justification (Magill 1887: 21; Double 1996b: 848).

    Strawson's concept of moral responsibility yields a compatibilist account of being responsible but one that departs significantly from earlier such accounts in two respects. First, Strawson's is a compatibilist view by default only. That is, on Strawson's view, the problem of determinism and freedom/responsibility is not so much resolved by showing that the objective conditions on being responsible are consistent with one's being determined but rather dissolved by showing that the practice of holding people responsible relies on no such conditions and therefore needs no external justification in the face of determinism. Second, Strawson's is a merit-based form of compatibilism. That is, unlike most former consequentialist forms of compatibilism, it helps to explain why we feel that some agents deserve our censure or merit our praise. They do so because they have violated, met, or exceeded our demand for a reasonable degree of good will.

    2.2 Developments After Strawson

    Most agree that Strawson's discussion of the reactive attitudes is a valuable contribution to our understanding of the practice of holding responsible, but many have taken issue with his contentions about the insular nature of that practice, namely that a) since propriety judgments about the reactive attitudes are strictly internal to the practice (i.e., being responsible is defined in relation to the practice of holding responsible), their justification cannot be considered from a standpoint outside that practice; and b) since the reactive attitudes are natural responses deriving from our psychological constitution, they cannot be dislodged by theoretical considerations. Responding to the first of these, some have argued that it does seem possible to critique existing practices of holding responsible from standpoints outside them. For example, one might judge that either one's own existing community practice or some other community's practice of holding responsible ought to be modified (Fischer and Ravizza 1993: 18; Ekstrom: 148–149). If such evaluations are legitimate, then, contrary to what Strawson suggested, it seems that an existing practice can be questioned from a standpoint external to it. In other words, being responsible cannot be explicated strictly in terms of an existing practice of holding responsible. This then, would suggest a possible role to be played by independent theoretical conditions on being responsible, conditions which could prove to be compatibilist or incompatibilist in nature.

    Objecting to the second of Strawson's anti-theory contentions, some have argued that incompatibilist intuitions are embedded in the reactive attitudes themselves so that these attitudes cannot persist unless some justification can be given of them, or more weakly, that they cannot but be disturbed if something like determinism is true. Here, cases are often cited where negative reactive attitudes seem to be dispelled or mitigated upon learning that an agent's past includes severe deprivation and/or abuse. There is a strong pull to think that our reactive attitudes are altered in such cases because we perceive such a background to be deterministic. If this is the proper interpretation of the phenomenon, then it is evidence that theoretical considerations, like the truth of determinism, could in fact dislodge the reactive attitudes (Nagel: 125; Kane: 84–89; Galen Strawson 1986: 88; Honderich 1988: vol. 2, ch. 1; and replies by Watson 1987: 279–286 and 1996: 240; and McKenna 1998).

    Versions of Strawson's view continue to be very ably defended, and shortly, more will be said about the significant way in which his work continues to shape contemporary discussion of the concept of responsibility. However, many have taken objections of the above sort to be decisive in undermining the most radical of Strawson's anti-theory claims. Incompatibilists, in particular, seem largely unpersuaded and so have continued to assume a more or less traditional merit-based conception of moral responsibility as the basis for their theorizing. A number of compatibilists also remain unconvinced that Strawson has successfully shown independent theoretical considerations to be irrelevant to ascriptions of responsibility. It is noteworthy that some of these have accorded the reactive attitudes a central role in their discussions of the concept of responsibility. The result has been new merit-based versions of compatibilism (see e.g., Fischer & Ravizza 1998).

    It is likely that Strawson and others writing on moral responsibility have traditionally seen themselves as attempting to articulate an account of responsible agency that would map onto what was presumed to be a unitary and shared concept of moral responsibility. However, more recently a number of authors have suggested that at least some disagreements about the most plausible overall theory of responsibility might be based on a failure to distinguish between different aspects of the concept of responsibility, or perhaps several distinguishable but related concepts of responsibility.

    Broadly speaking, a distinction has been drawn between responsibility understood as attributability and responsibility as accountability.[12] The central idea in judging whether an agent is responsible in the sense of attributability, say for an action, is whether the action discloses something about the nature of the agent's self (Watson 1996: 228). Some hold additionally that a judgment of responsibility in this sense includes an assessment of the agent's self as measured against some standard (though not necessarily a moral standard)-i.e., that our interest is in what the action discloses about the agent's evaluative commitments (Watson 1996: 235; Bok: 123, nt. 1).[13] Perhaps the clearest example of a conception of responsibility emphasizing attributability is the so-called “ledger view” of moral responsibility. According to such views, the practice of ascribing responsibility involves assigning a credit or debit to a metaphorical ledger associated with each agent (Feinberg: 30–1; Glover: 64; Zimmerman: 38–9; and discussion of such views in Watson 1986: 261–2; and Fischer and Ravizza 1998: 8–10, nt. 12). To regard an agent as praiseworthy or blameworthy in the attributability sense of responsibility is simply to believe that the credit or fault identified properly belongs to the agent.

    To be responsible for an action in the sense of being accountable (or “appraisable” according to the terminology of some) presupposes responsibility in the sense of attributability. However, to judge that an agent is responsible in the further sense of being accountable entails that the behavior properly attributed to the agent is governed by an interpersonal normative standard of conduct that creates expectations between members of a shared community (whereas the standard invoked above may or may not be thought to generate interpersonal expectations). In this way, the concept of moral responsibility as accountability is an inherently social notion, and to hold someone responsible is to address a fellow member of the moral community (Stern; Watson 1987; McKenna). By emphasizing the way the reactive attitudes were tied to expectations of good will grounded in our interpersonal relationships, Strawson drew attention to this social aspect of responsibility. Recent attempts to further articulate how best to understand the relevant notion of holding responsible and its relation to being accountable reflect his on-going influence.

    An agent is praiseworthy or blameworthy, in the sense of accountable, if one is warranted, or justified, in holding her responsible. On one popular view, holding someone responsible is interpreted as regarding him or her as an apt candidate for the reactive attitudes and possibly other forms of reward or censure based on what the agent has done (Zimmerman; R. J. Wallace: 75-77; Watson 1996: 235; Fischer & Ravizza 1998: 6–7). On another view, holding someone responsible is fundamentally a matter of making a moral judgment accompanied by an expectation that the agent who performed the act acknowledge the force of the judgment or provide an exonerating explanation of why she performed the action. To hold someone responsible is thus to be one to whom an explanation is owed. On this view, the reactive attitudes and associated practices are grounded in this more fundamental expectation (Oshana: 76–7; Scanlon 1998: 268–271). Since the reactive attitudes and associated practices may have consequences for the well-being of an agent (especially in the case of those blaming attitudes and practices involved in holding someone accountable for wrong-doing), they are justified only if it is fair that the agent be subject to those consequences (R.J. Wallace: 103–117; Watson 1996: 238–9). The fairness of being subject to those consequences has often,in turn, be interpreted as the source of the idea that praise and blame are justified only if they are merited in the sense of deserved (Zimmerman: ch. 5; Wallace: 106–7; Watson 1996: 238–9; Magill 1997: 42–53). [14]

    The recognition and articulation of diversity within the concept (or amongst concepts) of moral responsibility has generated new reflection on the nature of and prospects for theories attempting to spell-out the conditions on being morally responsible. While some continue to believe that a plausible unified theory can be offered that captures the conceptual diversity sketched above, a number of others have concluded that at least some of the conditions for the applicability of our folk concept are in tension with one another (Nagel; G. Strawson 1986, 105-117, 307–317; Honderich 1988: vol. 2, ch. 1; Double 1996a: chs. 6–7; Bok: ch. 1; Smilansky: ch. 6); For example, some have argued that while a compatibilist sense of freedom is necessary for attributability, genuine accountability would require that agents be capable of exercising libertarian freedom. A rapidly expanding body of empirical data on folk intuitions about freedom and responsibility has added fuel to this debate (Nahmias et. al. 2005 and 2007; Vargas 2006; Nichols and Knobe; Nelkin; Roskies and Nichols; and Knobe and Doris).

    If there are irreconcilable tensions within the concept of responsibility, then the conditions of its application cannot be jointly satisfied. Of course, there have always been those—e.g., hard determinists — who have concluded that the conditions on being morally responsible cannot be met and thus that no one is ever morally responsible. However, a noteworthy new trend amongst both contemporary hard determinists and others who conclude that the conditions for the applicability of our folk concept cannot be jointly satisfied has been the move to offer a revisionist conception of moral responsibility and its associated practices rather than to reject talk about being responsible outright (For this general trend, see Vargas 2004 and 2005). Revisionism about moral responsibility is a matter of degree. Some revisionists seek to salvage much if not most of what they take to be linked to the folk concept (Dennett 1984: 19; Honderich 1988: vol. 2, ch. 1; Scanlon 1998: 274–277; and Vargas 2004 and in Fischer et. al. 2007), while others offer more radical reconstructions of the concept and associated practices (Smart; Pereboom: 199–212; Smilansky: chps. 7–8; Kelly).[15]

    The future direction of reflection on moral responsibility is uncertain. On the one hand, there has been a resurgence of interest in metaphysical treatments of freedom and moral responsibility in recent years, a sign that many philosophers in this area have not been persuaded by Strawson's central critique of such treatments. On the other hand, discussion of the place and role of the reactive attitudes in human life continues to be a central theme in accounts of the concept of responsibility. What is clear is that the long-standing interest in understanding the concept of moral responsibility and its application shows no sign of abating.

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    –––, 1980. “Reason and Responsibility in Aristotle.” in Rorty 1980.
    Kane, Robert, ed., 2002. The Oxford Handbook of Free Will (New York: Oxford University Press).
    –––, 1996. The Significance of Free Will. (New York: Oxford University Press).
    Kant, Immanuel, 1993. The Critique of Practical Reason, trans. by Lewis White Beck, 3rd. ed. (Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Macmillan Publishing Co.).
    Kelly, Erin, 2002. “Doing Without Desert.” Pacific Philosophical Quarterly 83: 180–205.
    Knobe, J. and Doris, J. Forthcoming. “Strawsonian Variations: Folk Morality and the Search for a Unified Theory.” In The Handbook of Moral Psychology, ed. John Doris (New York: Oxford University Press).
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    Levy, Neil, 2005. “The Good, the Bad, and the Blameworthy.” Journal of Ethics and Social Philosophy 2/1: 2–16.
    Mackie, John L., 1985. “Morality and the Retributive Emotions.” In Persons and Values: Vol. 2. (Oxford: Clarendon Press).
    Magill, Kevin, 2000. “Blaming, Understanding, and Justification.” In T. van den Beld 2000.
    –––, 1997/ Freedom and Experience: Self-Determination without Illusions. (New York: St. Martins Press).
    McKenna, Michael, 1998. “The Limits of Evil and the Role of Moral Address: A Defense of Strawsonian Compatibilism.” Journal of Ethics. 2: 123–142.
    McKenna, Michael and Russell, Paul, eds., 2008. Free Will and Reactive Attitudes: Perspectives on P.F. Strawson's “Freedom and Resentment”. (Burlington, VT: Ashgate Publishing).
    Meldon, A.I., ed., 1958. Essays in Moral Philosophy. (Seattle: University of Washington Press).
    Meyer, Susan Suave, 1988. “Moral Responsibility: Aristotle and After.” in Everson 1998.
    –––, 1993. Aristotle on Moral Responsibility. (Cambridge, MA: Blackwell Pub.).
    Mill, John Stuart, 1884. A System of Logic, 8th ed. (New York: Harper and Brothers).
    Milo, Ronald D., 1984. Immorality (Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press).
    Nagel, Thomas, 1986. The View From Nowhere. (New York: Oxford University Press).
    Nahmias, E., Morris, S., Nadelhoffer, T., and Turner, J. 2005. “Surveying Freedom: Folk Intuitions about Free Will and Moral Responsibility.” Philosophical Psychology 18:561–584.
    Nahmias, E., Coates, D. Justin, Kvaran, Trevor, 2007. “Free Will, Moral Responsibility, and Mechanism: Experiments on Folk Intuitions.” Midwest Studies in Philosophy 31: 214–242.
    Nelkin, Dana, 2007. “Do We Have a Coherent Set of Intuitions About Moral Responsibility?” Midwest Studies in Philosophy 31: 243–259.
    Nichols, Shaun and Knobe, Joshua, 2007. “Moral Responsibility and Determinism: The Cognitive Science of Folk Intuitions.” Nous 41/4: 663–685.
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    –––, 2000. “Living Without Free Will: The Case for Hard Compatibilism” in Kane 2000.
    –––, ed., 1997. Free Will. (Indianapolis: Hackett Publishing Co.).
    Roberts, Jean, 1984. “Aristotle on Responsibility for Action and Character.” Ancient Philosophy 9: 23–36.
    Rorty, Amelie Oksenberg, ed., 1980. Essays on Aristotle's Ethics. (Los Angeles: University of California Press).
    Roskies, A.L., and Nichols, S. 2008. “Bringing Responsibility Down to Earth” Journal of Philosophy 105/7: 371–388.
    Russell, Paul, 2000.“Pessimists, Pollyannas, and the New Compatibilism.” in Kane 2000.
    –––, 1995. Freedom and Moral Sentiment: Hume's Way of Naturalizing Responsibility. (New York: Oxford University Press).
    –––, 1992. “Strawson's Way of Naturalizing Responsibility.” Ethics 102: 287–302.
    Scanlon, T. M., 1998. What We Owe to Each Other (Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press).
    –––, 1988. “The Significance of Choice.” In The Tanner Lectures on Human Values, Vol. 8 (Salt Lake City: University of Utah Press).
    Schlick, Moritz, 1966. “When is a Man Responsible,” in Berofsky, 1966.
    Schoeman, Ferdinand, ed., 1987. Responsibility, Character, and the Emotions. (New York: Cambridge University Press)
    Sher, George, 2006. In Praise of Blame. (New York: Oxford University Press).
    Slote, Michael, 1990. “Ethics Without Free Will.” Social Theory and Practice 16:369–383.
    Smart, J.J.C., 1961. “Free Will, Praise, and Blame.” Mind 70: 291–306.
    Smilansky, Saul, 2000. Free Will and Illusion. (New York: Oxford University Press).
    –––, 1996. “Responsibility and Desert: Defending the Connection.” Mind 105:157–163.
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    Smith, Angela M., 2007. “On Being Responsible and Holding Responsible.” The Journal of Ethics 11:465-484.
    –––, 2008. “Control, Responsibility, and Moral Assessment.” Philosophical Studies 138:367–392.
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    –––, 1986. Freedom and Belief. (New York: Oxford University Press).
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    –––, 1993. “Freedom and Resentment.” Proceedings of the British Academy 48 (1962):1–25. Reprinted in Fischer and Ravizza, 1993.
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    –––, 2005. “The Revisionist's Guide to Responsibility.” Philosophical Studies 125:399–429.
    –––, 2006. “Philosophy and the Folk: On Some Implications of Experimental Work for Philosophical Debates on Free Will.” Journal of Cognition and Culture 6/1–2: 239–254.
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    Other Internet Resources
    The Determinism and Freedom Philosophy Website edited by Ted Honderich, University College London.
    The Garden of Forking Paths: A Free Will/Moral Responsibility Blog (multiple contributors, coordinated by Neal Tognazzini and Gustavo Llarull)

    Come on! This isn't that hard to read! I think that to really get this philosophical thing right, we need to be scholars. I'm trying, but the spiritual and emotional pressure I experience is often overwhelming. I really and truly am pretending, at this point, that I am working on a PhD in Solar System Studies and Governance. I know this sounds ridiculous, and in many ways it is, but I think we need to have this sort of a goal clearly in mind. I should really put together some sort of a curriculum, but until I do, consider all of my threads to be your homework. I will be interested to read the first doctoral dissertation based upon the works of orthodoxymoron. This might be somewhat self-aggrandizing, but I really do think that there should be this type of a doctoral study. Once again, I just might create my own doctoral program, and be the first teacher and first student - simultaneously!! Perhaps I'll try, one more time, to stop posting, for a significant time-period. I need to do some homework. I need to read some books. I need to think without moving my lips and fingers. I need to take a higher road. I've probably done enough modeling to make my point. I think I've made my point. A conspiracy-theorist recently told me they were going to be much more positive. Perhaps that was a sign. Perhaps I should go and do likewise.


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    ORTHODOXYMORON GETS HIS DISSERTATION BACK FROM THE NSA!

    It might be cool to be an Indiana Jones kind of professor, but I sort of like to just research and reflect. I think that a room filled with bright college students would be too much for me! They'd probably eat me alive! It might be easier to face a room filled with Illuminati, Jesuits, Nazis, Masons, Magicians, Greys, and Dracs! Anyway, I do like the idea of a PhD program in Solar System Studies and Governance as a prerequisite to being a United States of the Solar System Representative. On the other hand, have all of the universities of the world saved us from the absurd situation we find ourselves in presently? There is such a phenomenon as 'Educated Idiots'. So how in the hell do we achieve an Enlightened Democracy? Are human beings too stupid and unstable to rule themselves? I used to think that was a stupid question, but I really wonder if we are capable of such a feat.

    Do we simply need a less corrupt secret government? Do we really need to be ruled from the shadows? I know what I idealistically want, but what is the reality? A celebration of a newly formed United States of the Solar System might be very short indeed. Again, I wonder if society is past the point of no return on the road to hell? Will there be a core meltdown, no matter what we do? I don't have a problem with 'crowd control' or with the human race being managed, educated, and disciplined in a kind, fair, and orderly manner. What I object to is irresponsible management and cruel exploitation. There are huge problems with the present campaign and election/selection process. The PhD thing would help, but perhaps voters should have to get a two-year degree in voting. To do ANYTHING, one should have to prove that they know what they're doing. Some have even suggested a lottery to 'elect' our leaders! How 'bout a dartboard, like the Wall Street Journal used to 'select' stocks?!


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    God Plays Dice with the Solar System!
    orthodoxymoron
    orthodoxymoron


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    Post  orthodoxymoron Sun Jun 24, 2018 12:50 am

    THEeXchanger wrote:
    United States AI Solar System (6) - Page 2 93301d33c309836e3c2a20eefd451739
    THEeXchanger wrote:
    United States AI Solar System (6) - Page 2 Doubt10
    Thank-you Susan. I've done my share of swearing and doubting, probably because of my overexposure to Swearing-Troopers and Doubting-Thomas's. What Would Hillary Clinton Say?? What is the relationship between Faith, Honesty, and Doubt?? Commands issued by Duly-Constituted Authorities should probably be obeyed presently, and questioned later. I'm wondering if there is an organization for Agnostic-Theologians, who are neither Believers or Unbelievers, and are Diligent-Students of Things-Theological?? Go Anglican-Agnostics!! Siriusly, I'm in Rapid-Repost Mode, so I might not be appropriately-responsive to posts and threads. I'm frankly trying to regain a Benign Delusional-System to keep myself out of the Nuthouse, and off the Red-List. My goal for several-years has been to go almost completely incognito in a semi-vegetative state of blissful-ignorance. I'm sort of kidding, and sort of serious.

    I'm troubled by just about everything -- not just the church and religion. I've tried to take religion out of the church. They seem to have enough trouble without me. I continue to think that religious-controversy and conspiracy-theories belong in a science-fictional context -- rather than in the church. People who are seeking healing shouldn't be given nervous-breakdowns. I've suggested that Sacred Classical Music might be the Foundation of Ecumenism. Inspire people in the church -- and let them grapple with the madness in their own ways (without cramming the madness down their throats). Organist Virgil Fox tried to take the Organ out of the Church -- and toured North America (and probably elsewhere) with a Huge Electronic-Organ (and a Light-Show). What Would Cameron Carpenter Say??

    The other day, I assisted someone (with car-trouble) whom I had never met -- yet who I thought of as being "Angelic". When I got their car started, they called me an "Angel"!! That made my day!! She was young, smart, and sexy -- but I'm old, stupid, and repressed -- so that was the beginning and end of it. Perhaps things will be different in my next life (if I even have one). I'm really serious about paying a smart and sexy female to work as a Research-Assistant in a completely academic and professional manner -- sort of like Dr. Who and his Assistant. I know that sounds weird -- but no-one should have to put-up with me for more than 40 hours a week -- or without significant payment. For example -- I might require them to read a particular book -- and write a report on it -- subsequent to providing a verbal-report (complete with an in-depth discussion).

    BTW -- What if the Tardis is a Symbolic-Representation of the Ark of the Covenant??!! What if it's Bigger On the Inside Than It Is On the Outside -- Simply Because It's a Stargate and/or a Control-Device for a MUCH Bigger Ark Located Elsewhere -- Say 100 Kilometers Under the Gobi Desert??!! What Would the White-Reptilians Say?? Supposedly they have video of Ancient Star-Wars!! What Would Sherry Shriner Say?? What if there will be No Nova in 2046 (Douglas Vogt thinks the Sun might go Nova in 2046) BUT What if the Ark of the Covenant (and Associated-Devices) are capable of moving Earth closer to the Sun -- in the event that Mankind Isn't Kind??!! Isaac Newton mentioned that the End of the World Might Occur Around 2060. Those two dates are separated by fourteen years. What if there is a Fourteen-Year End of the World?? What if the World will be Completely-Reorganized by A.D. 2133?? What Would Lucio Bernardo Silvestre Say??

    A Professional-Astronomer told me there was No Way the Sun Would Go Nova Anytime Soon. But What if an End of the World Countdown (of Some Sort) has Commenced?? If so -- What Would It Take to Stop It?? I was told by an Individual of Interest that an Attempted Management of Humanity Would Fail -- Which Would be Followed by an Extermination -- and This Particular Source Felt That Mankind Deserved What Was Coming. The Ancient Egyptian Deity told me that Humanity was Screwed. Another Individual told me that 80% of Humanity Would Die in the Not Too Distant Future -- and that it would be random (without the best and the brightest being selectively-saved). I'm NOT Making This Up. I've probably exaggerated some-things -- and played-up other-things -- but I've NEVER Lied On This Website. Honest. So much for THAT. One last thing. I told the Ancient Egyptian Deity that Moses must've had a horrible-time dealing with the Israelites in the Desert -- to which the AED asked "Did He??" More Historical-Fiction!!

    http://www.whiteestate.org/books/pp/pp25.html With their loins girt, with sandaled feet, and staff in hand, the people of Israel had stood, hushed, awed, yet expectant, awaiting the royal mandate that should bid them go forth. Before the morning broke, they were on their way. During the plagues, as the manifestation of God's power had kindled faith in the hearts of the bondmen and had struck terror to their oppressors, the Israelites had gradually assembled themselves in Goshen; and notwithstanding the suddenness of their flight, some provision had already been made for the necessary organization and control of the moving multitudes, they being divided into companies, under appointed leaders.

    And they went out, "about six hundred thousand on foot that were men, beside children. And a mixed multitude went up also with them." In this multitude were not only those who were actuated by faith in the God of Israel, but also a far greater number who desired only to escape from the plagues, or who followed in the wake of the moving multitudes merely from excitement and curiosity. This class were ever a hindrance and a snare to Israel.

    The people took also with them "flocks, and herds, even very much cattle." These were the property of the Israelites, who had never sold their possessions to the king, as had the Egyptians. Jacob and his sons had brought their flocks and herds with them to Egypt, where they had greatly increased. Before leaving Egypt, the people, by the direction of Moses, claimed a recompense for their unpaid labor; and the Egyptians were too eager to be freed from their presence to refuse them. The bondmen went forth laden with the spoil of their oppressors.

    That day completed the history revealed to Abraham in prophetic vision centuries before: "Thy seed shall be a stranger in a land that is not theirs, and shall serve them; and they shall afflict them four hundred years; and also that nation, whom they shall serve, will I judge: and afterward shall they come out with great substance." Genesis 15:13, 14. [*See Appendix, Note 3.] The four hundred years had been fulfilled. "And it came to pass the selfsame day, that the Lord did bring the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt by their armies." In their departure from Egypt the Israelites bore with them a precious legacy, in the bones of Joseph, which had so long awaited the fulfillment of God's promise, and which, during the dark years of bondage, had been a reminder of Israel's deliverance.

    Instead of pursuing the direct route to Canaan, which lay through the country of the Philistines, the Lord directed their course southward, toward the shores of the Red Sea. "For God said, Lest peradventure the people repent when they see war, and they return to Egypt." Had they attempted to pass through Philistia, their progress would have been opposed; for the Philistines, regarding them as slaves escaping from their masters, would not have hesitated to make war upon them. The Israelites were poorly prepared for an encounter with that powerful and warlike people. They had little knowledge of God and little faith in Him, and they would have become terrified and disheartened. They were unarmed and unaccustomed to war, their spirits were depressed by long bondage, and they were encumbered with women and children, flocks and herds. In leading them by the way of the Red Sea, the Lord revealed Himself as a God of compassion as well as of judgment.

    "And they took their journey from Succoth, and encamped in Etham, in the edge of the wilderness. And the Lord went before them by day in a pillar of cloud, to lead them the way; and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light; to go by day and night. He took not away the pillar of the cloud by day, nor the pillar of fire by night, from before the people." Says the psalmist, "He spread a cloud for a covering; and fire to give light in the night." Psalm 105:39. See also I Corinthians 10:1, 2. The standard of their invisible Leader was ever with them. By day the cloud directed their journeyings or spread as a canopy above the host. It served as a protection from the burning heat, and by its coolness and moisture afforded grateful refreshment in the parched, thirsty desert. By night it became a pillar of fire, illuminating their encampment and constantly assuring them of the divine presence.

    In one of the most beautiful and comforting passages of Isaiah's prophecy, reference is made to the pillar of cloud and of fire to represent God's care for His people in the great final struggle with the powers of evil: "The Lord will create upon every dwelling place of Mount Zion, and upon her assemblies, a cloud and smoke by day, and the shining of a flaming fire by night: for above all the glory shall be a covering. And there shall be a tabernacle for a shadow in the daytime from the heat, and for a place of refuge, and for a covert from storm and from rain." Isaiah 4:5, 6, margin.

    Across a dreary, desertlike expanse they journeyed. Already they began to wonder whither their course would lead; they were becoming weary with the toilsome way, and in some hearts began to arise a fear of pursuit by the Egyptians. But the cloud went forward, and they followed. And now the Lord directed Moses to turn aside into a rocky defile, and encamp beside the sea. It was revealed to him that Pharaoh would pursue them, but that God would be honored in their deliverance.

    In Egypt the report was spread that the children of Israel, instead of tarrying to worship in the desert, were pressing on toward the Red Sea. Pharaoh's counselors declared to the king that their bondmen had fled, never to return. The people deplored their folly in attributing the death of the first-born to the power of God. Their great men, recovering from their fears, accounted for the plagues as the result of natural causes. "Why have we done this, that we have let Israel go from serving us?" was the bitter cry.

    Pharaoh collected his forces, "six hundred chosen chariots, and all the chariots of Egypt," horsemen, captains, and foot soldiers. The king himself, attended by the great men of his realm, headed the attacking army. To secure the favor of the gods, and thus ensure the success of their undertaking, the priests also accompanied them. The king was resolved to intimidate the Israelites by a grand display of his power. The Egyptians feared lest their forced submission to the God of Israel should subject them to the derision of other nations; but if they should now go forth with a great show of power and bring back the fugitives, they would redeem their glory, as well as recover the services of their bondmen.

    The Hebrews were encamped beside the sea, whose waters presented a seemingly impassable barrier before them, while on the south a rugged mountain obstructed their further progress. Suddenly they beheld in the distance the flashing armor and moving chariots betokening the advance guard of a great army. As the force drew nearer, the hosts of Egypt were seen in full pursuit. Terror filled the hearts of Israel. Some cried unto the Lord, but far the greater part hastened to Moses with their complaints: "Because there were no graves in Egypt, hast thou taken us away to die in the wilderness? wherefore hast thou dealt thus with us, to carry us forth out of Egypt? Is not this the word that we did tell thee in Egypt, saying, Let us alone, that we may serve the Egyptians? For it had been better for us to serve the Egyptians, than that we should die in the wilderness."

    Moses was greatly troubled that his people should manifest so little faith in God, notwithstanding they had repeatedly witnessed the manifestation of His power in their behalf. How could they charge upon him the dangers and difficulties of their situation, when he had followed the express command of God? True, there was no possibility of deliverance unless God Himself should interpose for their release; but having been brought into this position in obedience to the divine direction, Moses felt no fear of the consequences. His calm and assuring reply to the people was, "Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord, which He will show to you today: for the Egyptians whom ye have seen today, ye shall see them again no more forever. The Lord shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace."

    It was not an easy thing to hold the hosts of Israel in waiting before the Lord. Lacking discipline and self-control, they became violent and unreasonable. They expected speedily to fall into the hands of their oppressors, and their wailings and lamentations were loud and deep. The wonderful pillar of cloud had been followed as the signal of God to go forward; but now they questioned among themselves if it might not foreshadow some great calamity; for had it not led them on the wrong side of the mountain, into an impassable way? Thus the angel of God appeared to their deluded minds as the harbinger of disaster.

    But now, as the Egyptian host approached them, expecting to make them an easy prey, the cloudy column rose majestically into the heavens, passed over the Israelites, and descended between them and the armies of Egypt. A wall of darkness interposed between the pursued and their pursuers. The Egyptians could no longer discern the camp of the Hebrews, and were forced to halt. But as the darkness of night deepened, the wall of cloud became a great light to the Hebrews, flooding the entire encampment with the radiance of day.

    Then hope returned to the hearts of Israel. And Moses lifted up his voice unto the Lord. "And the Lord said unto Moses, Wherefore criest thou unto Me? speak unto the children of Israel, that they go forward. But lift thou up thy rod, and stretch out thine hand over the sea, and divide it: and the children of Israel shall go on dry ground through the midst of the sea."

    The psalmist, describing the passage of the sea by Israel, sang, "Thy way was in the sea, and Thy paths in the great waters, and Thy footsteps were not known. Thou leddest Thy people like a flock, by the hand of Moses and Aaron." Psalm 77:19, 20, R.V. As Moses stretched out his rod the waters parted, and Israel went into the midst of the sea, upon dry ground, while the waters stood like a wall upon each side. The light from God's pillar of fire shone upon the foam-capped billows, and lighted the road that was cut like a mighty furrow through the waters of the sea, and was lost in the obscurity of the farther shore.

    "The Egyptians pursued, and went in after them to the midst of the sea, even all Pharaoh's horses, his chariots, and his horsemen. And it came to pass, that in the morning watch the Lord looked unto the host of the Egyptians through the pillar of fire and of the cloud, and troubled the host of the Egyptians." The mysterious cloud changed to a pillar of fire before their astonished eyes. The thunders pealed and the lightnings flashed. "The clouds poured out water; the skies sent out a sound: Thine arrows also went abroad. The voice of Thy thunder was in the whirlwind; the lightning lightened the world: the earth trembled and shook." Psalm 77:17, 18, R.V.

    The Egyptians were seized with confusion and dismay. Amid the wrath of the elements, in which they heard the voice of an angry God, they endeavored to retrace their steps and flee to the shore they had quitted. But Moses stretched out his rod, and the piled-up waters, hissing, roaring, and eager for their prey, rushed together and swallowed the Egyptian army in their black depths.

    As morning broke it revealed to the multitudes of Israel all that remained of their mighty foes--the mail-clad bodies cast upon the shore. From the most terrible peril, one night had brought complete deliverance. That vast, helpless throng--bondmen unused to battle, women, children, and cattle, with the sea before them, and the mighty armies of Egypt pressing behind--had seen their path opened through the waters and their enemies overwhelmed in the moment of expected triumph. Jehovah alone had brought them deliverance, and to Him their hearts were turned in gratitude and faith. Their emotion found utterance in songs of praise. The Spirit of God rested upon Moses, and he led the people in a triumphant anthem of thanksgiving, the earliest and one of the most sublime that are known to man.

    "I will sing unto Jehovah, for He hath triumphed gloriously;
    The horse and his rider hath He thrown into the sea.
    The Lord is my strength and my song,
    And He is become my salvation:
    This is my God, and I will praise Him;
    My father's God, and I will exalt Him.
    The Lord is a man of war:
    Jehovah is His name.
    Pharaoh's chariots and his host hath He cast into the sea:
    And his chosen captains are sunk in the Red Sea.
    The deeps cover them:
    They went down into the depths like a stone.
    Thy right hand, O Lord, is glorious in power,
    Thy right hand, O Lord, dasheth in pieces the enemy. . . .
    Who is like unto Thee, O Lord, among the gods?
    Who is like Thee, glorious in holiness,
    Fearful in praises, doing wonders? . . .
    Thou in Thy mercy hast led the people which Thou has redeemed:
    Thou hast guided them in Thy strength to Thy holy habitation.
    The peoples have heard, they tremble. . . .
    Terror and dread falleth upon them;
    By the greatness of Thine arm they are as still as a stone;
    Till Thy people pass over, O Lord,
    Till the people pass over which Thou hast purchased.
    Thou shalt bring them in, and plant them in the mountain of
    Thine inheritance,
    The place, O Lord, which Thou hast made for Thee to dwell in."
    Exodus 15:1-16, R.V.

    Like the voice of the great deep, rose from the vast hosts of Israel that sublime ascription. It was taken up by the women of Israel, Miriam, the sister of Moses, leading the way, as they went forth with timbrel and dance. Far over desert and sea rang the joyous refrain, and the mountains re-echoed the words of their praise--"Sing ye to Jehovah, for He hath triumphed gloriously."

    This song and the great deliverance which it commemorates, made an impression never to be effaced from the memory of the Hebrew people. From age to age it was echoed by the prophets and singers of Israel, testifying that Jehovah is the strength and deliverance of those who trust in Him. That song does not belong to the Jewish people alone. It points forward to the destruction of all the foes of righteousness and the final victory of the Israel of God. The prophet of Patmos beholds the white-robed multitude that have "gotten the victory," standing on the "sea of glass mingled with fire," having "the harps of God. And they sing the song of Moses the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb." Revelation 15:2, 3.

    "Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but unto Thy name give glory, for Thy mercy, and for Thy truth's sake." Psalm 115:1. Such was the spirit that pervaded Israel's song of deliverance, and it is the spirit that should dwell in the hearts of all who love and fear God. In freeing our souls from the bondage of sin, God has wrought for us a deliverance greater than that of the Hebrews at the Red Sea. Like the Hebrew host, we should praise the Lord with heart and soul and voice for His "wonderful works to the children of men." Those who dwell upon God's great mercies, and are not unmindful of His lesser gifts, will put on the girdle of gladness and make melody in their hearts to the Lord. The daily blessings that we receive from the hand of God, and above all else the death of Jesus to bring happiness and heaven within our reach, should be a theme for constant gratitude. What compassion, what matchless love, has God shown to us, lost sinners, in connecting us with Himself, to be to Him a peculiar treasure! What a sacrifice has been made by our Redeemer, that we may be called children of God! We should praise God for the blessed hope held out before us in the great plan of redemption, we should praise Him for the heavenly inheritance and for His rich promises; praise Him that Jesus lives to intercede for us.

    "Whoso offereth praise," says the Creator, "glorifieth Me." Psalm 50:23. All the inhabitants of heaven unite in praising God. Let us learn the song of the angels now, that we may sing it when we join their shining ranks. Let us say with the psalmist, "While I live will I praise the Lord: I will sing praises unto my God while I have any being." "Let the people praise Thee, O God; let all the people praise Thee." Psalms 146:2; 67:5.

    God in His providence brought the Hebrews into the mountain fastnesses before the sea, that He might manifest His power in their deliverance and signally humble the pride of their oppressors. He might have saved them in any other way, but He chose this method in order to test their faith and strengthen their trust in Him. The people were weary and terrified, yet if they had held back when Moses bade them advance, God would never have opened the path for them. It was "by faith" that "they passed through the Red Sea as by dry land." Hebrews 11:29. In marching down to the very water, they showed that they believed the word of God as spoken by Moses. They did all that was in their power to do, and then the Mighty One of Israel divided the sea to make a path for their feet.

    The great lesson here taught is for all time. Often the Christian life is beset by dangers, and duty seems hard to perform. The imagination pictures impending ruin before and bondage or death behind. Yet the voice of God speaks clearly, "Go forward." We should obey this command, even though our eyes cannot penetrate the darkness, and we feel the cold waves about our feet. The obstacles that hinder our progress will never disappear before a halting, doubting spirit. Those who defer obedience till every shadow of uncertainty disappears and there remains no risk of failure or defeat, will never obey at all. Unbelief whispers, "Let us wait till the obstructions are removed, and we can see our way clearly;" but faith courageously urges an advance, hoping all things, believing all things.

    The cloud that was a wall of darkness to the Egyptians was to the Hebrews a great flood of light, illuminating the whole camp, and shedding brightness upon the path before them. So the dealings of Providence bring to the unbelieving, darkness and despair, while to the trusting soul they are full of light and peace. The path where God leads the way may lie through the desert or the sea, but it is a safe path.

    http://www.whiteestate.org/books/pp/pp26.html From the Red Sea the hosts of Israel again set forth on their journey, under the guidance of the pillar of cloud. The scene around them was most dreary--bare, desolate-looking mountains, barren plains, and the sea stretching far away, its shores strewn with the bodies of their enemies; yet they were full of joy in the consciousness of freedom, and every thought of discontent was hushed.

    But for three days, as they journeyed, they could find no water. The supply which they had taken with them was exhausted. There was nothing to quench their burning thirst as they dragged wearily over the sun-burnt plains. Moses, who was familiar with this region, knew what the others did not, that at Marah, the nearest station where springs were to be found, the water was unfit for use. With intense anxiety he watched the guiding cloud. With a sinking heart he heard the glad shout. "Water! water!" echoed along the line. Men, women, and children in joyous haste crowded to the fountain, when, lo, a cry of anguish burst forth from the host--the water was bitter.

    In their horror and despair they reproached Moses for having led them in such a way, not remembering that the divine presence in that mysterious cloud had been leading him as well as them. In his grief at their distress Moses did what they had forgotten to do; he cried earnestly to God for help. "And the Lord showed him a tree, which when he had cast into the waters, the waters were made sweet." Here the promise was given to Israel through Moses, "If thou wilt diligently hearken to the voice of the Lord thy God, and wilt do that which is right in His sight, and wilt give ear to His commandments, and keep all His statutes, I will put none of these diseases upon thee, which I have brought upon the Egyptians: for I am the Lord that healeth thee."

    From Marah the people journeyed to Elim, where they found "twelve wells of water, and threescore and ten palm trees." Here they remained several days before entering the wilderness of Sin. When they had been a month absent from Egypt, they made their first encampment in the wilderness. Their store of provisions had now begun to fail. There was scanty herbage in the wilderness, and their flocks were diminishing. How was food to be supplied for these vast multitudes? Doubts filled their hearts, and again they murmured. Even the rulers and elders of the people joined in complaining against the leaders of God's appointment: "Would to God we had died by the hand of the Lord in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the fleshpots, and when we did eat bread to the full; for ye have brought us forth into this wilderness, to kill this whole assembly with hunger."

    They had not as yet suffered from hunger; their present wants were supplied, but they feared for the future. They could not understand how these vast multitudes were to subsist in their travels through the wilderness, and in imagination they saw their children famishing. The Lord permitted difficulties to surround them, and their supply of food to be cut short, that their hearts might turn to Him who had hitherto been their Deliverer. If in their want they would call upon Him, He would still grant them manifest tokens of His love and care. He had promised that if they would obey His commandments, no disease should come upon them, and it was sinful unbelief on their part to anticipate that they or their children might die for hunger.

    God had promised to be their God, to take them to Himself as a people, and to lead them to a large and good land; but they were ready to faint at every obstacle encountered in the way to that land. In a marvelous manner He had brought them out from their bondage in Egypt, that He might elevate and ennoble them and make them a praise in the earth. But it was necessary for them to encounter difficulties and to endure privations. God was bringing them from a state of degradation and fitting them to occupy an honorable place among the nations and to receive important and sacred trusts. Had they possessed faith in Him, in view of all that He had wrought for them, they would cheerfully have borne inconvenience, privation, and even real suffering; but they were unwilling to trust the Lord any further than they could witness the continual evidences of His power. They forgot their bitter service in Egypt. They forgot the goodness and power of God displayed in their behalf in their deliverance from bondage. They forgot how their children had been spared when the destroying angel slew all the first-born of Egypt. They forgot the grand exhibition of divine power at the Red Sea. They forgot that while they had crossed safely in the path that had been opened for them, the armies of their enemies, attempting to follow them, had been overwhelmed by the waters of the sea. They saw and felt only their present inconveniences and trials; and instead of saying, "God has done great things for us; whereas we were slaves, He is making of us a great nation," they talked of the hardness of the way, and wondered when their weary pilgrimage would end.

    The history of the wilderness life of Israel was chronicled for the benefit of the Israel of God to the close of time. The record of God's dealings with the wanderers of the desert in all their marchings to and fro, in their exposure to hunger, thirst, and weariness, and in the striking manifestations of His power for their relief, is fraught with warning and instruction for His people in all ages. The varied experience of the Hebrews was a school of preparation for their promised home in Canaan. God would have His people in these days review with a humble heart and teachable spirit the trials through which ancient Israel passed, that they may be instructed in their preparation for the heavenly Canaan.

    Many look back to the Israelites, and marvel at their unbelief and murmuring, feeling that they themselves would not have been so ungrateful; but when their faith is tested, even by little trials, they manifest no more faith or patience than did ancient Israel. When brought into strait places, they murmur at the process by which God has chosen to purify them. Though their present needs are supplied, many are unwilling to trust God for the future, and they are in constant anxiety lest poverty shall come upon them, and their children shall be left to suffer. Some are always anticipating evil or magnifying the difficulties that really exist, so that their eyes are blinded to the many blessings which demand their gratitude. The obstacles they encounter, instead of leading them to seek help from God, the only Source of strength, separate them from Him, because they awaken unrest and repining.

    Do we well to be thus unbelieving? Why should we be ungrateful and distrustful? Jesus is our friend; all heaven is interested in our welfare; and our anxiety and fear grieve the Holy Spirit of God. We should not indulge in a solicitude that only frets and wears us, but does not help us to bear trials. No place should be given to that distrust of God which leads us to make a preparation against future want the chief pursuit of life, as though our happiness consisted in these earthly things. It is not the will of God that His people should be weighed down with care. But our Lord does not tell us that there are no dangers in our path. He does not propose to take His people out of the world of sin and evil, but He points us to a never-failing refuge. He invites the weary and care-laden, "Come unto Me, all ye that labor and are heavy-laden, and I will give you rest." Lay off the yoke of anxiety and worldly care that you have placed on your own neck, and "take My yoke upon you, and learn of Me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls." Matthew 11:28, 29. We may find rest and peace in God, casting all our care upon Him; for He careth for us. See 1 Peter 5:7.

    Says the apostle Paul, "Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God." Hebrews 3:12. In view of all that God has wrought for us, our faith should be strong, active, and enduring. Instead of murmuring and complaining, the language of our hearts should be, "Bless the Lord, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless His holy name. Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits." Psalm 103:1, 2.

    God was not unmindful of the wants of Israel. He said to their leader, "I will rain bread from heaven for you." And directions were given that the people gather a daily supply, with a double amount on the sixth day, that the sacred observance of the Sabbath might be maintained.

    Moses assured the congregation that their wants were to be supplied: "The Lord shall give you in the evening flesh to eat, and in the morning bread to the full." And he added, "What are we? your murmurings are not against us, but against the Lord." He further bade Aaron say to them, "Come near before the Lord: for He hath heard your murmurings." While Aaron was speaking, "they looked toward the wilderness, and, behold, the glory of the Lord appeared in the cloud." A splendor such as they had never witnessed symbolized the divine Presence. Through manifestations addressed to their senses, they were to obtain a knowledge of God. They must be taught that the Most High, and not merely the man Moses, was their leader, that they might fear His name and obey His voice.

    At nightfall the camp was surrounded by vast flocks of quails, enough to supply the entire company. In the morning there lay upon the surface of the ground "a small round thing, as small as the hoarfrost." "It was like coriander seed, white." The people called it "manna." Moses said, "This is the bread which the Lord hath given you to eat." The people gathered the manna, and found that there was an abundant supply for all. They "ground it in mills, or beat it in a mortar, and baked it in pans, and made cakes of it." Numbers 11:8. "And the taste of it was like wafers made with honey." They were directed to gather daily an omer for every person; and they were not to leave of it until the morning. Some attempted to keep a supply until the next day, but it was then found to be unfit for food. The provision for the day must be gathered in the morning; for all that remained upon the ground was melted by the sun.

    In the gathering of the manna it was found that some obtained more and some less than the stipulated amount; but "when they did mete it with an omer, he that gathered much had nothing over, and he that gathered little had no lack." An explanation of this scripture, as well as a practical lesson from it, is given by the apostle Paul in his second epistle to the Corinthians. He says, "I mean not that other men be eased, and ye burdened: but by an equality, that now at this time your abundance may be a supply for their want, that their abundance also may be a supply for your want: that there may be equality: as it is written, He that had gathered much had nothing over; and he that had gathered little had no lack." 2 Corinthians 8:13-15.

    On the sixth day the people gathered two omers for every person. The rulers hastened to acquaint Moses with what had been done. His answer was, "This is that which the Lord hath said, Tomorrow is the rest of the holy Sabbath unto the Lord: bake that which ye will bake today, and seethe that ye will seethe; and that which remaineth over lay up for you to be kept until the morning." They did so, and found that it remained unchanged. "And Moses said, Eat that today; for today is a Sabbath unto the Lord: today ye shall not find it in the field. Six days ye shall gather it; but on the seventh day, which is the Sabbath, in it there shall be none."

    God requires that His holy day be as sacredly observed now as in the time of Israel. The command given to the Hebrews should be regarded by all Christians as an injunction from Jehovah to them. The day before the Sabbath should be made a day of preparation, that everything may be in readiness for its sacred hours. In no case should our own business be allowed to encroach upon holy time. God has directed that the sick and suffering be cared for; the labor required to make them comfortable is a work of mercy, and no violation of the Sabbath; but all unnecessary work should be avoided. Many carelessly put off till the beginning of the Sabbath little things that might have been done on the day of preparation. This should not be. Work that is neglected until the beginning of the Sabbath should remain undone until it is past. This course might help the memory of these thoughtless ones, and make them careful to do their own work on the six working days.

    Every week during their long sojourn in the wilderness the Israelites witnessed a threefold miracle, designed to impress their minds with the sacredness of the Sabbath: a double quantity of manna fell on the sixth day, none on the seventh, and the portion needed for the Sabbath was preserved sweet and pure, when if any were kept over at any other time it became unfit for use.

    In the circumstances connected with the giving of the manna, we have conclusive evidence that the Sabbath was not instituted, as many claim, when the law was given at Sinai. Before the Israelites came to Sinai they understood the Sabbath to be obligatory upon them. In being obliged to gather every Friday a double portion of manna in preparation for the Sabbath, when none would fall, the sacred nature of the day of rest was continually impressed upon them. And when some of the people went out on the Sabbath to gather manna, the Lord asked, "How long refuse ye to keep My commandments and My laws?"

    "The children of Israel did eat manna forty years, until they came to a land inhabited: they did eat manna, until they came unto the borders of the land of Canaan." For forty years they were daily reminded by this miraculous provision, of God's unfailing care and tender love. In the words of the psalmist, God gave them "of the corn of heaven. Man did eat angels' food" (Psalm 78:24, 25)--that is, food provided for them by the angels. Sustained by "the corn of heaven," they were daily taught that, having God's promise, they were as secure from want as if surrounded by fields of waving grain on the fertile plains of Canaan.

    The manna, falling from heaven for the sustenance of Israel, was a type of Him who came from God to give life to the world. Said Jesus, "I am that Bread of life. Your fathers did eat manna in the wilderness, and are dead. This is the bread which cometh down from heaven. . . . If any man eat of this bread, he shall live forever: and the bread that I will give is My flesh, which I will give for the life of the world." John 6:48-51. And among the promises of blessing to God's people in the future life it is written, "To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna." Revelation 2:17.

    After leaving the wilderness of Sin, the Israelites encamped in Rephidim. Here there was no water, and again they distrusted the providence of God. In their blindness and presumption the people came to Moses with the demand, "Give us water that we may drink." But his patience failed not. "Why chide ye with me?" he said; "wherefore do ye tempt the Lord?" They cried in anger, "Wherefore is this, that thou hast brought us up out of Egypt, to kill us and our children and our cattle with thirst?" When they had been so abundantly supplied with food, they remembered with shame their unbelief and murmurings, and promised to trust the Lord in the future; but they soon forgot their promise, and failed at the first trial of their faith. The pillar of cloud that was leading them seemed to veil a fearful mystery. And Moses--who was he? they questioned, and what could be his object in bringing them from Egypt? Suspicion and distrust filled their hearts, and they boldly accused him of designing to kill them and their children by privations and hardships that he might enrich himself with their possessions. In the tumult of rage and indignation they were about to stone him.

    In distress Moses cried to the Lord, "What shall I do unto this people?" He was directed to take the elders of Israel and the rod wherewith he had wrought wonders in Egypt, and to go on before the people. And the Lord said unto him, "Behold, I will stand before thee there upon the rock in Horeb; and thou shalt smite the rock, and there shall come water out of it, that the people may drink." He obeyed, and the waters burst forth in a living stream that abundantly supplied the encampment. Instead of commanding Moses to lift up his rod and call down some terrible plague, like those on Egypt, upon the leaders in this wicked murmuring, the Lord in His great mercy made the rod His instrument to work their deliverance.

    "He clave the rocks in the wilderness, and gave them drink as out of the great depths. He brought streams also out of the rock, and caused waters to run down like rivers." Psalm 78:15, 16. Moses smote the rock, but it was the Son of God who, veiled in the cloudy pillar, stood beside Moses, and caused the life-giving water to flow. Not only Moses and the elders, but all the congregation who stood at a distance, beheld the glory of the Lord; but had the cloud been removed, they would have been slain by the terrible brightness of Him who abode therein.

    In their thirst the people had tempted God, saying, "Is the Lord among us, or not?"--"If God has brought us here, why does He not give us water as well as bread?" The unbelief thus manifested was criminal, and Moses feared that the judgments of God would rest upon them. And he called the name of the place Massah, "temptation," and Meribah, "chiding," as a memorial of their sin.

    A new danger now threatened them. Because of their murmuring against Him, the Lord suffered them to be attacked by their enemies. The Amalekites, a fierce, warlike tribe inhabiting that region, came out against them and smote those who, faint and weary, had fallen into the rear. Moses, knowing that the masses of the people were unprepared for battle, directed Joshua to choose from the different tribes a body of soldiers, and lead them on the morrow against the enemy, while he himself would stand on an eminence near by with the rod of God in his hand. Accordingly the next day Joshua and his company attacked the foe, while Moses and Aaron and Hur were stationed on a hill overlooking the battlefield. With arms outstretched toward heaven, and holding the rod of God in his right hand, Moses prayed for the success of the armies of Israel. As the battle progressed, it was observed that so long as his hands were reaching upward, Israel prevailed, but when they were lowered, the enemy was victorious. As Moses became weary, Aaron and Hur stayed up his hands until the going down of the sun, when the enemy was put to flight.

    As Aaron and Hur supported the hands of Moses, they showed the people their duty to sustain him in his arduous work while he should receive the word from God to speak to them. And the act of Moses also was significant, showing that God held their destiny in His hands; while they made Him their trust, He would fight for them and subdue their enemies; but when they should let go their hold upon Him, and trust in their own power, they would be even weaker than those who had not the knowledge of God, and their foes would prevail against them.

    As the Hebrews triumphed when Moses was reaching his hands toward heaven and interceding in their behalf, so the Israel of God prevail when they by faith take hold upon the strength of their mighty Helper. Yet divine strength is to be combined with human effort. Moses did not believe that God would overcome their foes while Israel remained inactive. While the great leader was pleading with the Lord, Joshua and his brave followers were putting forth their utmost efforts to repulse the enemies of Israel and of God.

    After the defeat of the Amalekites, God directed Moses, "Write this for a memorial in a book, and rehearse it in the ears of Joshua: for I will utterly put out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven." Just before his death the great leader delivered to his people the solemn charge: "Remember what Amalek did unto thee by the way, when ye were come forth out of Egypt; how he met thee by the way, and smote the hindmost of thee, even all that were feeble behind thee, when thou wast faint and weary; and he feared not God. . . . Thou shalt blot out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven; thou shalt not forget it." Deuteronomy 25:17-19. Concerning this wicked people the Lord declared, "The hand of Amalek is against the throne of Jehovah." Exodus 17:16, margin.

    The Amalekites were not ignorant of God's character or of His sovereignty, but instead of fearing before Him, they had set themselves to defy His power. The wonders wrought by Moses before the Egyptians were made a subject of mockery by the people of Amalek, and the fears of surrounding nations were ridiculed. They had taken oath by their gods that they would destroy the Hebrews, so that not one should escape, and they boasted that Israel's God would be powerless to resist them. They had not been injured or threatened by the Israelites. Their assault was wholly unprovoked. It was to manifest their hatred and defiance of God that they sought to destroy His people. The Amalekites had long been high-handed sinners, and their crimes had cried to God for vengeance, yet His mercy had still called them to repentance; but when the men of Amalek fell upon the wearied and defenseless ranks of Israel, they sealed their nation's doom. The care of God is over the weakest of His children. No act of cruelty or oppression toward them is unmarked by Heaven. Over all who love and fear Him, His hand extends as a shield; let men beware that they smite not that hand; for it wields the sword of justice.

    Not far distant from where the Israelites were now encamped was the home of Jethro, the father-in-law of Moses. Jethro had heard of the deliverance of the Hebrews, and he now set out to visit them, and restore to Moses his wife and two sons. The great leader was informed by messengers of their approach, and he went out with joy to meet them, and, the first greetings over, conducted them to his tent. He had sent back his family when on his way to the perils of leading Israel from Egypt, but now he could again enjoy the relief and comfort of their society. To Jethro he recounted the wonderful dealings of God with Israel, and the patriarch rejoiced and blessed the Lord, and with Moses and the elders he united in offering sacrifice and holding a solemn feast in commemoration of God's mercy.

    As Jethro remained in the camp, he soon saw how heavy were the burdens that rested upon Moses. To maintain order and discipline among that vast, ignorant, and untrained multitude was indeed a stupendous task. Moses was their recognized leader and magistrate, and not only the general interests and duties of the people, but the controversies that arose among them, were referred to him. He had permitted this, for it gave him an opportunity to instruct them; as he said, "I do make them know the statutes of God, and His laws." But Jethro remonstrated against this, saying, "This thing is too heavy for thee; thou art not able to perform it thyself alone." "Thou wilt surely wear away," and he counseled Moses to appoint proper persons as rulers of thousands, and others as rulers of hundreds, and others of tens. They should be "able men, such as fear God, men of truth, hating covetousness." These were to judge in all matters of minor consequence, while the most difficult and important cases should still be brought before Moses, who was to be to the people, said Jethro, "to God-ward, that thou mayest bring the causes unto God: and thou shalt teach them ordinances and laws, and shalt show them the way wherein they must walk, and the work that they must do." This counsel was accepted, and it not only brought relief to Moses, but resulted in establishing more perfect order among the people.

    The Lord had greatly honored Moses, and had wrought wonders by his hand; but the fact that he had been chosen to instruct others did not lead him to conclude that he himself needed no instruction. The chosen leader of Israel listened gladly to the suggestions of the godly priest of Midian, and adopted his plan as a wise arrangement.

    From Rephidim the people continued their journey, following the movement of the cloudy pillar. Their route had led across barren plains, over steep ascents, and through rocky defiles. Often as they had traversed the sandy wastes, they had seen before them rugged mountains, like huge bulwarks, piled up directly across their course, and seeming to forbid all further progress. But as they approached, openings here and there appeared in the mountain wall, and beyond, another plain opened to view. Through one of the deep, gravelly passes they were now led. It was a grand and impressive scene. Between the rocky cliffs rising hundreds of feet on either side, flowed in a living tide, far as the eye could reach, the hosts of Israel with their flocks and herds. And now before them in solemn majesty Mount Sinai lifted its massive front. The cloudy pillar rested upon its summit, and the people spread their tents upon the plain beneath. Here was to be their home for nearly a year. At night the pillar of fire assured them of the divine protection, and while they were locked in slumber, the bread of heaven fell gently upon the encampment.

    The dawn gilded the dark ridges of the mountains, and the sun's golden rays pierced the deep gorges, seeming to these weary travelers like beams of mercy from the throne of God. On every hand vast, rugged heights seemed in their solitary grandeur to speak of eternal endurance and majesty. Here the mind was impressed with solemnity and awe. Man was made to feel his ignorance and weakness in the presence of Him who "weighed the mountains in scales, and the hills in a balance." Isaiah 40:12. Here Israel was to receive the most wonderful revelation ever made by God to men. Here the Lord had gathered His people that He might impress upon them the sacredness of His requirements by declaring with His own voice His holy law. Great and radical changes were to be wrought in them; for the degrading influences of servitude and a long-continued association with idolatry had left their mark upon habits and character. God was working to lift them to a higher moral level by giving them a knowledge of Himself.


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    orthodoxymoron
    orthodoxymoron


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    United States AI Solar System (6) - Page 2 Empty Re: United States AI Solar System (6)

    Post  orthodoxymoron Sun Jun 24, 2018 12:52 am

    I don't know who any of the forum-members really are, even though I have some theories!! I suspect that if I really knew, it would scare the hell out of me!! I quote a lot of the articles and videos which Carol has quoted (with credit given) but I always feel a bit guilty doing this. It's really sort of a 'research-baseline'. I assume that the major-posters on this site know at least ten-times as much as I do!! Same goes for Sherry Shriner and the Ancient Egyptian Deity. Siriusly!!
    Carol wrote:
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    The Resurrection of the Phoenician Empire
    https://philosophyofmetrics.com/the-resurrection-of-the-phoenician-empire/

    A Vile Power that has Transitioned Through Time and Waged War on the Light

    This is the third installment in our historical and symbolic investigation into the trends and patterns which have been embedded within the history of the human struggle. This piece will focus on the relationship between the Sea People and the Phoenician culture, and how that relationship is still functioning in the modern world under names and governing bodies which have been successful in misdirecting investigation and avoiding gaining attention to themselves.

    We will also connect some of the double-headed eagle symbolism from the last article with the Hittite culture which was conquered by the Sea People and eventually absorbed by the Phoenicians. The Hittites used the double-headed eagle as a religious and governmental emblem, and before being forced into defending themselves against the Sea People and the economic trade warfare of the Phoenicians, they experienced centuries of peace and prosperity through right relations and trading with other cultures throughout the region.

    The origins of the ancient Sea People are unknown and are the subject of much speculation and historical research. Over the course of four centuries, from 1400BC to 1000BC, the Sea People waged war throughout the Mediterranean against such cultures as the Hittites, the Egyptians, and areas like Anatolia, Syria, Canaan, and Cyprus. Though you will find some researchers and historians who state that the Sea People also invaded the Phoenicians, there is little evidence to support this conclusion. In fact, there is more evidence that the Sea People avoided Phoenicia altogether and were likely used as a weapon by the Phoenicians against the cultures and peoples of the Mediterranean region.

    This would be a similar dynamic to the relationships which exist today, as some nations and cultures appear to be used by a higher force to serve ends which are not always as well defined as one would expect. For instance, during the Bronze Age, Egypt controlled the bread basket which supported the Hittites and others cultures throughout the region. Conquering Egypt and controlling this bread basket meant that the Phoenicians could influence and control the whole region by simply withholding or providing the food which was produced.

    But the Phoenicians had to maintain a sense of relations with the Egyptians and Hittites. Using the Sea People to invade and put constant invasion pressure on those who controlled and benefited from the bread basket provided the Phoenicians with plausible deniability in the event attempts were made to cut them off from the food which was produced.

    We can see similar dynamics playing out in the modern world with access to resource deposits and agricultural land. Add in the large influence of capital flows and central banking philosophies, and a massive picture of similar and strategic cultural and socioeconomic engineering which spans thousands of years becomes definable.

    The Sea People have been historically associated with the Philistines and Corselets. The expanded materialism which they practiced created a natural tendency and need for invasion and hoarding of the spoils. As such, their material weakness was used against them and the Phoenicians successfully indebted the Sea People and used them as a weapon against the region.

    The Phoenicians were known as astute merchants. This is a description we will see appear again and again throughout our investigation. The Merchants of Babylon is another label which we will explore further down the road, but for different reasons than you may suspect. The typical association of Jewish history with these merchants, being the Jewish association with the Merchants, will be proven false, and that the real relationship with the historical Jewish and Hebrew cultures is one of social weakness and replication of religious and governance frameworks.

    The Phoenicians, the power they were before, and the power they became after, have used certain peoples and cultures for thousands of years, while they in turn have remained hidden. There are peoples and cultures which the “Phoenicians” have been unable to manipulate and control successfully. Two of these are the Persians and Russians.

    Some readers may at this point begin making some major connections throughout world history. Relate back to the symbolism of the double-headed eagle and single-headed eagle from the previous article. Without fault one side incorporates the double-headed eagle as its emblem while the other uses the single. It is this single-headed eagle which became the esoteric Phoenix and symbol of the massive work of resurrecting the Phoenician Empire. An empire which was ended by the Persian King Cyrus in 539BC.

    The weak and vile power that is attempting to control the modern world and bring back the Phoenician Empire has maintained some important and specific characteristics over the thousands of years. These tell-tale signs provide us with a well-defined path from the ancient world to the modern world.

    The esoteric priest class of the ancient world who managed the great mystery schools were forced into hiding before the rise of the original Phoenician Empire. The weakness infiltrated the schools and harnessed a corrupt version of the great teachings for their own purposes, including the important learning's and self-realizations of the esoteric Phoenix itself. Every religion on the face of the planet today has descended to us from this corrupt version. Even the Eastern religions have been influenced through invasion and cultural subjugation. The migration of the Eastern religions into the Western world has only furthered the fragmentation of the original teachings.

    The corrupt version not a priest class which emerging within the Phoenician Empire used the same symbolism and headdress as the Catholic Church and Pope does today. These symbols and customs were also brought into Egypt once the Phoenicians subjugated them. These characteristics have been passed down through the ages and are meant to continue being used in the future. The statements of the modern Pope regarding the “dangerous alliance” between Russia and America is an example of how the Phoenician priest class thousands of years ago used similar strategies to attempt the fragmentation of Egyptians and Hittites alliances.

    Another interesting aspect of the Phoenician Empire is that it was structured and governed through the “City State” model. We see this in the modern world through the control framework which is representative of the city states of Washington DC, the Vatican, and the City of London. All three can be considered the military, religious, and banking arms of the new and emerging Phoenician Empire.

    With the collapse of the Phoenician Empire the Middle East was lost and the vile weakness had to create another religion in order to gain a second foothold. The Mohammedan religion was engineered to infiltrate into the Persian culture and prevent the permanent loss of the Middle East. But like all matters involving the corruption of the material world, the new religion also fragmented into two versions. The Persians, who understood the nature of the enemy they were facing, harnessed the Shiite division of the new religion to leverage against the power which was once the backbone of the Phoenician empire.

    Centuries later a similar religious fragmentation would take place with the Protestant Reformation. In a future article we will review how the Knights Templar, of double-headed eagle symbolism, would play an important role in the Reformation.

    As with other aspects of this investigation, there is so much more to research and connect. The forthcoming emergence of Jerusalem as the next city state will be sold as the only viable solution to peace in the Middle East. It will represent the Phoenix rising from its ashes and reclaiming the world which was lost thousands of years before. Trump and company have Middle Eastern peace as one of their top priorities. It is from that administration that the idea of Jerusalem becoming a city state will be put forward.

    Hong Kong and other important areas will also transition into full city states, from which the New World Order Phoenician Empire will build and connect its support structure. It is clear when you begin to see it. The Phoenicians were the greatest traders of the ancient world. The cedars of Lebanon were one of their greatest products. They used the wood to build massive fleets of ships to sail around the world and control trade routes and shipping lanes. What they didn’t use they exported to other cultures and peoples for control of goods and access in and out of markets and regions.

    Baalbek in Lebanon became one of their capitals as a part of the cedar trade. The Phoenicians called it Heliopolis and it was the capital of Sun god worship for that time period. These Sun god beliefs would continue down through the ages and would be the common theme that ran through all religions.

    The Sea People of today are the Americans, the Israeli’s, Saudi Arabia, Great Britain, Germany, France, Canada, and all other nations who are aligned against the Russians and Persians. Whether China is aligned with the New Phoenicians, or with Russia and Iran, is still open for interpretation. It would appear they are with Russia and company, but nothing should be taken for granted, or assumed, when it comes to the vile weakness which has managed to survive since the beginning of consciousness.

    Those who continue to promote the evil Jew conclusion have not been able to grasp the fullness of what we are discussing here. The Phoenicians were one of the greatest empires to ever exist in the world. It is even probable that they had traveled to the Americas and influenced cultures all around the world. Some were absorbed into the Phoenician belief system while others resisted. For all its power and influence, the Phoenician Empire remains as one of the least understood empires to ever have existed. This may not be by accident.

    It is my thesis that those who resisted the Phoenician system incorporated the double-headed eagle into their religious and governance structures. As we continue to travel through history we will see time and time again how the two eagle symbols appear over and over. None of which are a coincidence. One represents the corrupted weakness of the material world. The other represents the un-corrupted spiritual learning's of the ancient mystery schools. These teachings traveled through time under different names and hiding in different cultures. They remained protected and out of reach of the Phoenician weakness. It is still the light inside the darkness which is the hope of the world. It is the one light which can never be extinguished. – JC
    Carol wrote:
    The Life and Teachings of Thoth Hermes Trismegistus
    http://www.sacred-texts.com/eso/sta/sta08.htm

    THUNDER rolled, lightning flashed, the veil of the Temple was rent from top to bottom. The venerable initiator, in his robes of blue and gold, slowly raised his jeweled wand and pointed with it into the darkness revealed by the tearing of the silken curtain: "Behold the Light of Egypt! " The candidate, in his plain white robe, gazed into the utter blackness framed by the two great Lotus-headed columns between which the veil had hung. As he watched, a luminous haze distributed itself throughout the atmosphere until the air was a mass of shining particles. The face of the neophyte was illumined by the soft glow as he scanned the shimmering cloud for some tangible object. The initiator spoke again: "This Light which ye behold is the secret luminance of the Mysteries. Whence it comes none knoweth, save the 'Master of the Light.' Behold Him!" Suddenly, through the gleaming mist a figure appeared, surrounded by a flickering greenish sheen. The initiator lowered his wand and, bowing his head, placed one hand edgewise against his breast in humble salutation. The neophyte stepped back in awe, partly blinded by the glory of the revealed figure. Gaining courage, the youth gazed again at the Divine One. The Form before him was considerably larger than that of a mortal man. The body seemed partly transparent so that the heart and brain could be seen pulsating and radiant. As the candidate watched, the heart changed into an ibis, and the brain into a flashing emerald. In Its hand this mysterious Being bore a winged rod, entwined with serpents. The aged initiator, raising his wand, cried out in a loud voice: "All hail Thee, Thoth Hermes, Thrice Greatest; all hail Thee, Prince of Men; all hail Thee who standeth upon the head of Typhon!" At the same instant a lurid writhing dragon appeared--a hideous monster, part serpent, part crocodile, and part hog. From its mouth and nostrils poured sheets of flame and horrible sounds echoed through the vaulted chambers. Suddenly Hermes struck the advancing reptile with the serpent-wound staff and with snarling cry the dragon fell over upon its side, while the flames about it slowly died away. Hermes placed His foot upon the skull of the vanquished Typhon. The next instant, with a blaze of unbearable glory that sent the neophyte staggering backward against a pillar, the immortal Hermes, followed by streamers of greenish mist, passed through the chamber and faded into nothingness.

    SUPPOSITIONS CONCERNING THE IDENTITY OF HERMES

    Iamblichus averred that Hermes was the author of twenty thousand books; Manetho increased the number to more than thirty-six thousand (see James Gardner)--figures which make it evident that a solitary individual, even though he be overshadowed by divine prerogative, could scarcely have accomplished such a monumental labor. Among the arts and sciences which it is affirmed Hermes revealed to mankind were medicine, chemistry, law, arc, astrology, music, rhetoric, Magic, philosophy, geography, mathematics (especially geometry), anatomy, and oratory. Orpheus was similarly acclaimed by the Greeks.

    In his Biographia Antiqua, Francis Barrett says of Hermes: "* * * if God ever appeared in man, he appeared in him, as is evident both from his books and his Pymander; in which works he has communicated the sum of the Abyss, and the divine knowledge to all posterity; by which he has demonstrated himself to have been not only an inspired divine, but also a deep philosopher, obtaining his wisdom from God and heavenly things, and not from man."

    His transcendent learning caused Hermes to be identified with many of the early sages and prophets. In his Ancient Mythology, Bryant writes: "I have mentioned that Cadmus was the same as the Egyptian Thoth; and it is manifest from his being Hermes, and from the invention of letters being attributed to him. " (In the chapter on the theory of Pythagorean Mathematics will be found the table of the original Cadmean letters.) Investigators believe that it was Hermes who was known to the Jews as "Enoch," called by Kenealy the "Second Messenger of God." Hermes was accepted into the mythology of the Greeks, later becoming the Mercury of the Latins. He was revered through the form of the planet Mercury because this body is nearest to the sun: Hermes of all creatures was nearest to God, and became known as the Messenger of the Gods.

    In the Egyptian drawings of him, Thoth carries a waxen writing tablet and serves as the recorder during the weighing of the souls of the dead in the judgment Hall of Osiris--a ritual of great significance. Hermes is of first importance to Masonic scholars, because he was the author of the Masonic initiatory rituals, which were borrowed from the Mysteries established by Hermes. Nearly all of the Masonic symbols are Hermetic in character. Pythagoras studied mathematics with the Egyptians and from them gained his knowledge of the symbolic geometric solids. Hermes is also revered for his reformation of the calendar system. He increased the year from 360 to 365 days, thus establishing a precedent which still prevails. The appellation "Thrice Greatest" was given to Hermes because he was considered the greatest of all philosophers, the greatest of all priests, and the greatest of all kings. It is worthy of note that the last poem of America's beloved poet, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, was a lyric ode to Hermes. (See Chambers' Encyclopædia.)

    THE MUTILATED HERMETIC FRAGMENTS

    On the subject of the Hermetic books, James Campbell Brown, in his History of Chemistry, has written: "Leaving the Chaldean and earliest Egyptian periods, of which we have remains but no record, and from which no names of either chemists or philosophers have come down to us, we now approach the Historic Period, when books were written, not at first upon parchment or paper, but upon papyrus. A series of early Egyptian books is attributed to Hermes Trismegistus, who may have been a real savant, or may be a personification of a long succession of writers. * * * He is identified by some with the Greek god Hermes, and the Egyptian Thoth or Tuti, who was the moon-god, and is represented in ancient paintings as ibis-headed with the disc and crescent of the moon. The Egyptians regarded him as the god of wisdom, letters, and the recording of time. It is in consequence of the great respect entertained for Hermes by the old alchemists that chemical writings were called 'hermetic,' and that the phrase 'hermetically sealed' is still in use to designate the closing of a glass vessel by fusion, after the manner of chemical manipulators. We find the same root in the hermetic medicines of Paracelsus, and the hermetic freemasonry of the Middle Ages."

    Among the fragmentary writings believed to have come from the stylus of Hermes are two famous works. The first is the Emerald Table, and the second is the Divine Pymander, or, as it is more commonly called, The Shepherd of Men, a discussion of which follows. One outstanding point in connection with Hermes is that he was one of the few philosopher-priests of pagandom upon whom the early Christians did not vent their spleen. Some Church Fathers went so far as to declare that Hermes exhibited many symptoms of intelligence, and that if he had only been born in a more enlightened age so that he might have benefited by their instructions he would have been a really great man!

    In his Stromata, Clement of Alexandria, one of the few chroniclers of pagan lore whose writings have been preserved to this age, gives practically all the information that is known concerning the original forty-two books of Hermes and the importance with which these books were regarded by both the temporal and spiritual powers of Egypt. Clement describes one of their ceremonial processions as follows:

    "For the Egyptians pursue a philosophy of their own. Read more at link above.
    Carol wrote:
    The Templars have burst back into the Memestream, mostly due to the senseless Norway massacre. The Templars have been the topic of endless conjecture and speculation over the years and there's no shortage of groups claiming to be the true remnant of the old order. Umberto Eco went so far as to write a novel on European Templar mania, Foucault's Pendulum.

    An undercurrent of darkness has followed Templar revivalism even before the recent events in Norway and the emergence of another Templar order (in the form of a drug cartel) in Mexico. The cult known as The Order of the Solar Temple inspired a series of mass suicides/murders in the 90s. Death and tragedy seem to be inextricably linked to this powerful meme.

    In light of all of this, I wanted to pull this piece out of my archives. In it I trace the prehistory of the Templars, their links to the mysterious Normans and the survival of Templar memes in Freemasonry and into popular culture today. Modern mass media controls our understanding of complex historical issues by divorcing them from history and excising any truths seen to be inconvenient to the manufactured consensus. I hope this work will put it all back in perspective.

    The idea of the Knights Templar is a very powerful meme and has a nearly tidal pull over some very powerful-- and dangerous-- people. Hopefully, this series will shine some light on the subject for you...

    The Cult of Constantine did not save the West. The New Jerusalem never came from the clouds and saved Europe from the disease, death and ignorance left in the wake of the Fall of Rome. Those Romans who believed that the sack of Rome was divine retribution for the Empire’s abandonment of the old gods would find much evidence to corroborate their suspicions in the centuries following the disastrous reign of Theodosius. Roman art, science, medicine, architecture and education were all set back hundreds, if not thousands, of years with the rise of this new faith. A entity that men called ‘Rome’ would continue in the East, but it was a merely an Imperial vestige whose fall was long and gradual, rather than sudden and catastrophic like that in the West.

    The Byzantine Empire, as this remnant of Rome has come to be known, soon became nothing but a relentlessly shrinking Christian island in the middle of a new religious tide rushing forth from the Arabian peninsula called Islam. Founded in the Seventh century by an Arabian merchant turned warlord named Mohammed, Islam lived up to its name (Islam means "submission") and soon brought most of the Middle East under its boot. The Islamic campaign would then spread like wildfire and conquer most of North Africa by the middle of the Eighth Century. Islam’s swordsmen were relentless in seeking to fill the vacuum left by the collapse of the Roman Empire. Its colonizers would spread so far as southern Spain, which became a major Islamic center in the Dark Ages.

    As wielded by the mighty nation of the Turks, the sword of Islam would reach deep into Central Europe, until the tide turned in the early 15th Century. A key figure in the repulsion of the advancing Turks was a particularly horrific sadist named Vlad Tepes of Wallachia. This Romanian warlord delighted in impaling his enemies, often by the tens of thousands. And his list of enemies was not limited to Turks and Muslims. It also included thousands of his own subjects, many of whom were ethnically German Christians. Vlad the Impaler is known to us today through his ceremonial name, Dracula.

    A GOD-DAMNED BLOODY MESS

    In the Eighth Century, a petty Frankish warlord named Charlemagne labored to reunify Europe. The resulting conglomeration- made of mainly Germanic central European kingdoms- became known as the ‘Holy Roman Empire’. Historians today delight in pointing out that Charlemagne's ‘Reich’ was neither Holy, nor Roman, nor an Empire. It soon began to fall apart, but Europe remained more or less reunited under the banner of the Roman Church. The wheels of Charlemagne’s Empire were greased with the blood of tens of thousands of Saxons, who resisted the State Cult in favor of their native gods.

    They would not be the only martyrs of the old Northern faiths. For it would be the sword-- not the Word-- that would bring the peoples of the North to their knees before the cross. The Eighth Century also saw the rise of the Reconquista in Spain, where the Islamic colonists were eventually expelled by a confederation of Gothic and Frankish kings. Norman armies were also busy expelling Islamic occupations from traditionally Roman territories like Sicily and Sardinia.

    In 1074, Pope Gregory issued a call for Christians to go to Byzantium to the Eastern Empire in their struggles against the Turks. Gregory was unsuccessful, but Pope Urban II had better luck in his call for a crusade against the Islamic occupation of Jerusalem. His motivations were not purely spiritual. Europe was plagued by infighting, as recently converted warrior tribes in the hinterlands had little to do except fight one another. Urban sweetened the pot by informing his subjects that unlike dirty, crowded, miserable Europe, the Holy Land was one of endless riches and sunshine. Needless to say, his words had a singular effect on the oppressed peasants of Europe.

    ANKLE DEEP IN THE BLOOD OF CHILDREN

    Thus began the First Crusade. And it was a disaster. A monk named Peter the Hermit raised his own army of peasants to aid the Byzantines at Constantinople, which came to number 100,000. This army bumbled their way through southeastern Europe, and spent most of their time either starving half to death or engaging other Christian armies in battle. The Byzantines were nothing but bemused by this ragtag army and sent them off to Asia Minor. There the would-be Crusaders were mowed down en masse by the fierce Turkish army.

    Next to take up the Cross and the Sword were a band of more experienced warriors from the German territories. However, this band of thugs could not have been too experienced because they went north towards the Rhine instead of south towards Jerusalem. The so-called 'German Crusaders' then decided it would be easier and more fun to slaughter thousands of unarmed Jews in leafy green German cities than fight seasoned Muslim warriors in the burning sun of Canaan. Urban's glorious war wasn't getting off to a great start. Perhaps the Church's burning all of those pagan libraries and its policy of mandating illiteracy and superstition among the peasantry was ill-advised.

    Another wave of crusaders was soon launched, led by a band of French-speaking Norman princes. They dragged an army of peasants in their wake, some of whom were veterans from Peter's ‘People's Crusade’. This pack of Crusaders made it to Constantinople, but Byzantine King Alexius wasn't too thrilled to deal with a bunch of Norman warlords, since the Normans had spent the past few hundred years harassing the Byzantines. However, Alexius was successful in wresting a loyalty oath from the Normans and lent them a Byzantine army escort. This conglomeration made it to the Turkish stronghold of Dorylaeum, where the Crusaders would eventually defeat the Muslim army of Kilij Arslan. Then they marched to Antioch. The Crusaders laid siege to the Islamic city-state, but were eventually laid low by infighting, an outbreak of Typhus and a lack of supplies.

    Their numbers greatly diminished, the ‘Prince’s Crusade’ finally made it to Jerusalem. On July 15, 1099, the Crusaders then began a massacre were they proceeded to annihilate every man, woman, and child within the city walls. Jews, Muslims and Christians all fell beneath the sword, until the blood ran in the streets up to the Crusader's ankles. A Norman government was then instituted with Godfrey of Boullion at its head, and the Holy Land was officially open for business.

    THERE’S EVIDENCE...

    The late Eleventh Century was a great time to be a Norman. Thirty three years prior to the conquest of Jerusalem, the Normans had conquered Anglo-Saxon Britain as well. The Norman shadow also looms large over the formation of an order of Crusaders officially known as ‘the Poor Fellow-Soldiers of Christ and of the Temple of Solomon.’ This group was founded in 1119 by Hughes De Payens and a group of nine knights. Their original commission called on them to safeguard the passage of European pilgrims to the holy city of Jerusalem. But under the patronage of St. Bernard of Clairvaux, their reputations, ranks and treasuries grew. This once-obscure band of military escorts soon came under no one's authority but the Pope himself.

    As the order grew, the Templars graduated from their duties as escorts to becoming a full-fledged military order. Yet these knights were also monks, and were required to take the usual oath of poverty, chastity and obedience required of monastic orders by the Church of Rome. Templar knights made their headquarters on the Temple Mount in the so-called Stables of Solomon. They were known by their distinctive uniforms which featured the so-called ‘Cross of St. George’, the red on white cross known today in the flags of both England and the International Red Cross relief agency.

    However, the Templar cross was not the same type as the more-familiar ‘Latin Cross’. It’s form is known as the Cross Patee - an equilateral cross with wings at the ends of each point and if often depicted in a circular form. In truth, the Templar cross is an ancient Assyrian Sun Cross. Another pre-Christian symbol was seen in the Templar seal. The famous two knights on horseback image associated with the Templars dates back to ancient Mesopotamia, birthplace of the Shemsu Hor. The Hittites associated this image with Astarte, whose Egyptian equivalent is Hathor.

    The Templars soon became renowned for the ferocity on the field of battle. One of the oaths required of Templars was that they never surrender on the field of battle. It was promised that if they died in battle against an unbeliever, their place in Heaven would be instantly assured. How familiar that sounds to us today. Indeed, Templar knights were pivotal in the victory of the Christian King Baldwin IV over the Saracen army of the legendary Muslim warlord, Saladin. The military prowess of the Templars was such that only 80 Templars along with 500 knights and a few thousand foot soldiers were able to decimate Saladin's 30,000 strong army. The Muslim generals fearsome bodyguard of Mamluks were annihilated entirely.

    If all that weren't enough, the Templars soon became entrusted with the treasuries of the pilgrims. This added to the already unimaginable wealth donated to the Templars by nobleman and initiates. Indeed, the entire concept of branch banking began with the Templars, as well as did a sort of credit system. A pilgrim was able to deposit his money in a Templar bank in Europe and then withdraw an equivalent sum at the end of his voyage. This system was instituted to safeguard the wealth of those traveling to the Holy Land, since they were subject to the predations of pirates, thieves and enemy soldiers. The Templars then used their wealth to institute a massive building program, consisting of fortresses, churches and public buildings. In addition, they founded a massive naval fleet which policed the Mediterranean on behalf of the Church.
    Carol wrote:In case you haven’t seen the famous handshake of Trump and the French President Macron on French Bastilles day, I strongly recommend this highly ritualized public display of a concrete oath (almost Mithraic!) below:

    https://www.nytimes.com/2017/07/14/world/europe/trump-macron-frendship-france-bastille-day-parade.html

    The link below shows the “French plot to wreck the city of London”. It can’t be any clearer what is taking place here. The neo-Phoenicia “Banking” city-state of London is now under a serious threat from the “builders” and “Industrialist” alliance. Things are moving very fast from now on I would imagine!


    Revealed: City of London accuses France of plot to ‘wreck Britain’ – even if it gains nothing itself

    A leaked memo says French bankers are plotting to 'actively disrupt' the City
    The London financial centre is worth £66 billion a year to the Treasury
    The City's Brexit envoy says Macron has declared 'open war' on the Square Mile
    French representatives are now offering firms big money to move to Paris

    France has boasted to City of London chiefs that it will use Brexit to sabotage the British economy, according to a bombshell leaked memo.

    The memo, sent to Ministers, says the French government and banking chiefs are plotting to ‘actively disrupt and destroy’ the UK’s multi-billion-pound financial sector when Britain leaves the EU – even if France gains nothing.

    The missive blames the ‘giddy’ effect of newly elected President Emmanuel Macron for an ‘assertive collective endeavour’ to wreck the City, which is worth £66 billion a year to the Treasury in tax receipts – around half of the entire budget for NHS England.

    His message to UK Treasury Ministers and MPs says Macron’s France has effectively declared open war on London’s Square Mile. And he warns starkly: ‘They are crystal clear about their underlying objective: the weakening of Britain, the on-going degradation of the City of London.’

    Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4700008/City-London-accuses-France-plot-wreck-Britain.html#ixzz4n1NtkERN
    United States AI Solar System (6) - Page 2 Nephilim2bgiants2bfallen2bangels2balien2bhibrids
    orthodoxymoron
    orthodoxymoron


    Posts : 13283
    Join date : 2010-09-28
    Location : The Matrix

    United States AI Solar System (6) - Page 2 Empty Re: United States AI Solar System (6)

    Post  orthodoxymoron Sun Jun 24, 2018 12:54 am

    I'm in way over my head in my online-quest. I feel more and more insignificant and stupid, the more I read (and listen-to) other people. Here's yet another Study-List. I continue to think there's a core of SDA stuff which provides an interesting Research-Platform:

    1. Patriarchs and Prophets (EGW).

    2. Prophets and Kings (EGW).

    3. The Desire of Ages (EGW).

    4. Christ's Object Lessons (EGW).

    5. The Acts of the Apostles (EGW).

    6. The SDA Bible Commentary -- Volumes 3, 4, 5, 6 (1 Chronicles to Ephesians).

    7. Daniel 8:14, the Day of Atonement, and the Investigative Judgment (Desmond Ford).

    8. The United States of the Solar System: A.D. 2133 (Books 1, 2, 3).

    9. Sacred Classical Music.

    Consider all of the above in the context of British-Anglicanism and French-Catholicism. What if the Abbey Church of St. Ouen were devoted to the pursuit of all of the above??!! Does ANYONE have ANY Idea of what I'm getting-at?? I don't know what's REALLY Wrong with Me -- but I am utterly-screwed. I'm not sure if it's organic -- mental -- spiritual -- all of the above -- or none of the above. I am more miserable and hamstrung than you can possibly imagine. I'm probably operating at 20% of what I might be reasonably capable of, if I weren't so messed-up. I get the sinking-feeling that a lot of you consider my plight with glee -- and with the expectation that things will get MUCH worse for me. Hope Springs Eternal.

    All roads really do lead to Rome, and I continue to think that everything we discuss should be viewed from the Roman context. I continue to imagine myself as being a well-connected Renegade French Jesuit Organist. I continue to love the artistic aspects of Rome, but the history, theology, and politics are horrible, and I'm sure that most upper-level and well-informed Roman Catholics know this, but they have a Dragon by the Tail, and they are probably terrified of what might happen if they let go. As the general public finds out about all of this, things could get very, very nasty. I'm interested in this area of research, but it scares the hell out of me. I'm trying to be open and fair in all of this, and I'm trying to look at both the positive and negatives in all of this. All roads lead to Rome, but where did all of these roads originate?

    My present working assumption is that the solar system probably contains thousands of unconventional craft, including asteroid and moon spacecraft, which might be friendly or unfriendly toward the human race. I get the feeling that this solar system is like the wild, wild west -- and that we might be facing a showdown at the ok corral. I certainly do not desire peace at any price, nor do I desire to end-up as space-dust. What would Anna Hayes say? I'd still like to hang-out on Phobos for a while, regardless of whether it is populated by friend or foe. But I would have to have a solid guarantee that I wouldn't be harmed or kidnapped. I still like the idea of a Theocratically-Implemented, Responsibility-Based, United States of the Solar System -- with the governmental personnel mostly located within the University of Solar System Studies and Governance campuses throughout the solar system.

    I've spoken of using a deconsecrated cathedral as the headquarters of a New Solar System, so just for the fun of it, today I'm thinking of either the Crystal Cathedral or St. Mary's Cathedral (or both!!) as being the headquarters, with the University of California system serving as the core of the University of Solar System Studies and Governance system. Again, this is just for the conceptual heck of it. This is a test. This is only a test. And yes, I realize that I am insane, but it's more fun that way! The UC system has solid ties to the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, and to the Los Alamos National Laboratory. I don't wish to reinvent the wheel. I just wish to have 10,000 PhD's with clipboards and safety-goggles, watching it rotate... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/University_of_California

    United States AI Solar System (6) - Page 2 Crystal-cathedral-exterior
    United States AI Solar System (6) - Page 2 4544568915_4d4f30d30c
    United States AI Solar System (6) - Page 2 UCLA

    The original Project Avalon, combined with The Mists of Avalon, might be excellent places to begin your University of Solar System Studies and Governance academic career. I'm very serious. You won't end up with a Marketable Job Skill, and it might even drive you nuts, but perhaps this is a Missing Link in the Consciousness Evolution of Humanity. I'm overwhelmed by all of this. I'm becoming more confused and bewildered, each and every day. Things are not resolving, yet I press onward, even as I slide further and further downhill. I am a supporter of the progressive release of forbidden knowledge, yet I do not support cramming all of the new and upsetting information down the throats of the general public. If most people wish to watch football and chase skirts -- so be it. Those who wish to spend (waste?) their lives on the internet, digging into this and that, can do so, even though it probably won't make them as happy as watching football and chasing skirts. I'm really not into forcing people to do things -- other than being responsible in everything they do. I even like the idea of the Mafia becoming more ethical and responsible -- and becoming increasingly legitimate and less violent. Come on guys! Do it!

    I think there are responsible and irresponsible ways of doing just about anything. I like the U.S. Constitution and Bill of Rights -- but look at some of the Reprehensible Horrors connected with the United States of America over the past couple of hundred years. I like the Teachings of Jesus -- but look at some of the Reprehensible Horrors connected with the Professed Followers of Jesus Christ over the past couple of thousand years. My preference for a Responsibility-Based United States of the Solar System is not an attempt to strong-arm or force people to do anything. It is Intended to Provide a Safe Environment for the Human Race to Pursue Responsible Freedom in a Plurality of Methodologies. There might be such things as Responsible Socialism or Responsible Communism -- even though that would not be my preference. What would the English Model combined with the American Model look like? You know, the Monarchy, the Church of England, and the U.S. Constitution -- living together as one, big, happy family! Might this pave the way for a Modified Roman Model of Church and State? Do you understand what I am hinting at here, without spelling it out?

    What if a completely reformed City of London were the Actual Physical Headquarters of a New United Nations, a Visible and Open 'Secret Government', the United States of the Solar System, a Largely Ceremonial Church of the Solar System, a Non-Corrupt Solar Financial System, and the Nerve Center of a Solar Defense System (Including the Underground Bases, the Secret Space Program, and the Weapons of Mass Destruction)? What if the Vatican and the United States of America were deeply involved in all of this, but neither gave orders or took orders? I haven't thought this through, so don't crucify me just yet. What if St. Paul's Cathedral were the primary meeting place for all of the above -- with lots of pomp and circumstance? What if the other buildings in the City of London were devoted to the administrative and financial aspects of all of the above? What if the Area Beneath the City of London were devoted to the Solar System Defense Activities? What if 2,500 of the 10,000 Representatives of the United States of the Solar System lived in and around the City of London -- with the other 7,500 spread throughout the Solar System -- communicating with each other and the public via Secure and Encrypted InterPlaNet? What if Oxford and Cambridge were the primary campuses of the University of Solar System Studies and Governance? What if everyone had a Seat at the Table - with no one left out in the cold? Can you visualize what I'm saying? Where there is no vision, the people perish.

    I had a brain-storm today (which is a very dangerous thing), and I've tentatively decided to do a post by post review of the 'Archangelic Queens of Heaven and the United States of the Solar System' thread -- right here on this thread. I'll probably just provide a link to the original thread, at the beginning of each post on this thread. Then I'll probably just provide elaboration and extrapolation. I've been attempting to end the U.S.S.S. thread ("End the Thread!! End the Thread!! End the Thread!!") for years now -- and there have been no new posts on that thread for a couple of months (although I keep adding to the last dozen posts)!! This thread might be a 'Middle-Way' wherein I simply review territory already covered. I have no clue about alot of the stuff I've posted. My questions have mostly been non-rhetorical. No one has fed me secret information in parking-garages at 3:00AM (or any other time or place). I simply make this stuff up as I go (just like Indiana Jones)!! I have never disputed the nasty accusation of me being a completely ignorant fool. If you knew me in 'real-life' you'd know why. But I swear that I could seamlessly fit into the most sensitive and technical discussions imaginable. The hows and whys of this phenomenon allude me. I really am sort of a Latter-Day Beautiful-Mind. What Would John Nash Say??

    I just finished watching 'Fail-Safe', the fifth-season of 'Star Trek Voyager', 'Star Wars: The Phantom Menace', 'Star Trek: First Contact', and the 'Saviour of the Universe Edition' of 'Flash Gordon' (I liked it! I liked it alot!!). I might do some minimal editing of the original thread -- but not to cover-up embarrassing comments, images, or links. Expect me to just clean-up dead-links, grammatical-errors, etc. I might do some elaborating and extrapolating within the U.S.S.S. thread -- in a different font and/or color -- and then transfer the entire post to this thread. I'm not really sure just how to proceed, at this point. All I know is that I want to attempt to stay in shape by continuing to post -- but without introducing nasty surprises which might really tick-off all factions. I've sort of made an effort to be everyone's friend -- and everyone's enemy -- simultaneously. Imagine Lilly, Picard, Data, and the Borg-Queen assimilated into the Orthodoxymoron-Collective -- as your teacher(s) -- in the context of the Borg-infested Voyager orbiting Earth in the year 2063!! Class is Now in Session!! "Class. Class! Class!! Shudddup!!! Thank-you"

    magamud wrote:
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    What if Reality is Stranger and More Violent Than Fiction??

    What if the Solar-System is ruled by a Borg-Queen Interfacing with a Supercomputer-Network?? I'm actually being Very-Sirius!! I'm not sure where I'm going with this. Does agonizing over the Known-Madness and Possible Dark-Realities really do anyone any good?? Is Ignorance really Blissful-Virtue?? Should we simply Eat, Drink, Be-Merry, Look-Good, and Make as Much Money as Possible?? What if Preventing-Armageddon Now sets the stage for a Much-Worse Armageddon Later?? What if Agonizing Over the Madness is simply part of an Experiment Conducted by Our Hypothetical Alien-Masters?? What if we really are Galactic Lab-Rats caught in a Galactic Rat-Trap?? What if "Figuring Things Out" is the worst thing anyone can do?? What if we are NOT supposed to "Figure Things Out"?? What if being "Smarter Than the Average-Bear" is NOT a Good-Thing?? My Internet-Activities have seemingly brought No Joy or Benefit to Me or Anyone-Else. What's REALLY Going-On Here?? What if websites such as this one are really Alphabet-Agency Mind-Control Experiments?? What if people such as Alex Jones are Enslavers rather than Liberators?? What if Theology and Eschatology scare and beat the population into submission?? What if Resistance Really Is Futile?? I continue to caution those who research my threads to treat all of them as Science-Fiction. I don't spearhead-movements or sell-books. I Mentally-Masturbate in Public-Places for No-Charge!! Is this a Benefit or a Detriment to Society?? I have noticed that I've been treated as a Grave-Threat to the Way Things Are. The Secret-Agents are Not-So-Secret. It's all SO Obvious!!

    Do We Live in a "Roman Solar-System"?? When in Rome Should We Do As the Romans Do?? Should We Join Them If We Can't Beat Them?? Is Resistance Really Futile?? What if things will play-out in a pre-planned manner -- no matter what we do or don't do?? What if Society is Managed by Controlled Greed, Fear, and Anger?? What if our Favorite-Saviors are White-Knight Politicians and Theologians?? What if Well-Meaning Completely Ignorant Fools (such as myself) Play Into the Devil's-Hands for Nefarious-Purposes?? I've tried to make the Crazy-Stuff and Apocalyptic-Salvation into Science-Fictional Educational-Entertainment. Has this been an Exercise in Futility?? Have I Wasted My Life Away on the Internet?? What is the Meaning of This??!! I still delude myself into thinking that these U.S.S.S. Threads are a Goldmine for the Right-Researchers!! Even though a lot of my posting seems self-serving -- I continue to view my work as benevolently-selfless. I haven't received anything for doing this (so far)!! Writing a book continues to scare the hell out of me!! Writing a book would cross SO many lines -- and I mostly don't want to go there!! Should I secure an agent and sell my soul to "The Man"?? Sometimes I REALLY scare myself!! If you can remain calm in this situation -- you simply do NOT understand the situation!!

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    burgundia wrote:
    Carol wrote:
    burgundia wrote:
    Carol wrote:So do you think that the earth is in danger burgundia? No No

    I do not know Carol.

    I wonder but gave up worrying about any of this. After years and years of various individual reporting on this with nothing happening I suspect something is there somewhere given all of the visible evidence. Who knows if it will affect the planet or not. And if so in what capacity? It's all just speculation.
    NANUXII wrote:And it will be glorious when it does lol !

    look at whats around the world , the trends ... the big boys are making underground cities to live in ... why ?

    is it because they know something we dont ?

    my prediction is it was for civil unrest , so when they pull the pin or things get out of hand , they leave us to kill each other off while they rest in the safety of underground tunnels ... remember the movie Kingsmen ? similar sort of scenario.

    Would a DUMB survive a direct hit from another planet ? NOPE ! so thats not what they are for

    the continued fear agenda of Nibiru is just that , think about it , does knowing about nibiru give you an advantage ? if it does please tell me what it is ? im serious , id truly like to know. One thing i do know is a lot of top end government types have shares in and even own survival supply companies and fear is good for their business , just like cancer is good for the pharmacy business.

    there will be no world war , the world is already at war on so many levels , just not in the traditional sense of stuff like WW1 and WW2 ... if that took place , they know they would lose all control ... mind you culling numbers is on the agenda , but idi assume it needs to be monatised.

    the next most sirius event to worry about wont happen till 2031 ... give or take
    Carol wrote:I pretty much thought along the same lines N. The two on the top of the list for most are earth changes (storms and such) and civil unrest. If supplies are cut as a result of an EMP (solar or otherwise) things could get dicey as people will roam looking for supplies to feed themselves and their families. That's when it gets dangerous.
    burgundia wrote:
    Carol wrote:I think I'll go watch some disaster movies for entertainment now. 2012 comes to mind along with The Day After Tomorrow.
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    What if one limited their study of the Old-Testament to 1 Chronicles through Malachi?? What if one limited their study of the New-Testament to Acts through Revelation?? This would correspond to Volumes 3,4,6, and 7 of the SDA Bible Commentary. How much of the omitted-material is revealed by the included-material?? Is there a problem here?? But notice that these volumes of the SDA Bible Commentary are Whole-Bible approaches (making reference to the rest of the Bible as required by the passages under review). Once again, I am suggesting reading Volume 4 of the SDA Bible Commentary (Isaiah to Malachi) straight-through over and over. This does not necessarily yield the teachings of ANY church or theologian. Don't expect this study to make you happy. I tend to think the Truth is mostly NOT Pleasant. I Continue to Know That I Don't Know BUT Here is a VERY Tentative Timeline:

    December 21, 2012 to December 21, 2132 Investigative and Executive Judgment of This Solar System.

    A.D. 2133 to A.D. 2370 Cleansing and Refinement of This Solar System.

    A.D. 2370 to ???? Governance of This Solar System by Our Father Who Art in Heaven.

    Some or All of the Above MIGHT Involve a Royal-Model United States of the Solar System. Here's Some Support for Some of the Above:

    http://www.truegospel.com/rapturevd.html Showing the situations around the world, the bible teachers preach that Jesus Christ may come at any time to rapture the church, or to end the world. Jesus Christ said in Matt 24:4-12 in 6, when such things happen, the end will not come. So a/c to Jesus Christ the present situation is proof that the end will not come. Preachers take verses like I come quickly, and say that Jesus may come any time. But, this verse was written 2000 years ago. Jesus said that he comes quickly. Probably he had come already and preachers did not know about it. So they keep on preaching that Jesus Christ will come any day to rapture and to end the world. They should rather find scriptures to show the specific time and the event and then preach that Jesus will come in such & such time. If not, it is just a bluff. A/c to the Bible, the rapture will not happen for another 300 years. The end of the world will not come for another 2100 years. Let us study it from the Bible. But, let me cover a few things first.

    The second coming of Jesus Christ is a general term that points to 4 major and a few minor events. Let us look at the 4 major events now. 1. Jesus Christ has already come. 2. Jesus Christ will come to raise and rapture his people. 3. Jesus Christ will establish his Millennium reign. 4. He will destroy this world and create all new. Any one of these major or even minor events, is called the second coming of Jesus Christ. So, there are many second comings.

    Now, let us study the 4 main events one by one in detail. The first event is: Jesus Christ has already come. Acts 3:26 God having raised up his Son Jesus, sent him to bless you, in turning away every one of you from his iniquities. Matt 28:20 Jesus Christ tells his disciples to teach them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. So, God the Father sent Jesus Christ to the world and Jesus came and told his disciples that he is with them and he will be with his future disciples until the end of the world. At the same time he is on the right hand of the Father a/c to Acts 2:34. Since he is God, he can be in heaven and on earth at the same time.

    Most Christians do not like the true Jesus Christ, who will turn the people away from their sins because they love and enjoy their sins. The so called preachers also love their sins, as well as the prestige and the benefits they receive as ministers of God for encouraging people to stay in sin and assuring them that they are going to heaven. So, they have rejected the true Jesus Christ and accepted another Jesus Christ who has finished the salvation work at the cross and will not do any thing more. Further he does not want his people to do anything other than accepting him. But this is a counterfeit Jesus Christ created by theologians. But, in reality Satan is behind this counterfeit Jesus Christ. But, as Christians keep on rejecting the true Jesus Christ: he, with one last warning, in such an hour they think not, as a thief in the night, in his wrath, he swears to them one by one that they will never enter his rest and close the door of heaven behind them a/c to Heb 3:7-18, Matt 24:44-51, 1 Thes 5:2-6, Matt 25:1-13 & Luke 13:23-25. But, they will continue to live as Adam and many others lived even after they were eternally dead, a/c to Gen 2:17, Matt 8:22, Acts 10:42, 1Tim 5:6, 24, 2Tim 4:1, 1Pet 4:5, Rev 20:14 and few other scriptures. So, phrases like, in such an hour they think not, as a thief in the night, etc refer to how Jesus Christ comes suddenly and judges them to eternal death as they are committing sin.

    The second event is: Jesus Christ will come to raise and rapture his people. We know that Jesus Christ is turning people away from their sins and iniquities. Eph 5:27 says Jesus Christ might present to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish. So, Jesus Christ is converting them to be holy, spotless, without any blemish for himself. Eph 2:6 he hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: That is, Jesus Christ, pulls them out of sin and seats their spirit in himself in heaven. As they die, they will sleep in him. Jesus Christ is doing this work for the last 2000 years. 1 Thes 4:14 them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. 16 the dead in Christ shall rise first: 17 Then, we which are alive and remain shall be caught up with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: So, Jesus Christ will raise and rapture them who were in him. But, the tragedy is, most Christians are taught to say that they are in Jesus Christ, while they are in sin. But no sin can enter Jesus Christ in heavenly places. If we are in sin, we are not in Jesus Christ. It is deception to say we are in Jesus Christ while in sin.

    2 Thes 2:1 brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him, (ie, rapture) 3 Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; It says that rapture will not come until two things happen. 1st is falling away. That is, the people of God will fall away with Satan. But, it already happened as the word of God was in writing and Satan entered the churches. 2nd, God will reveal Satan, from his disguise as Jesus Christ in churches. 4 he opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God. Vs 7 the mystery of iniquity doth already work: See, Satan was already in the churches showing himself as God and receiving the worship as Paul was writing this letter. But, bible teachers say that a man antichrist will come to fill this place. No man can show himself as God, who is invisible, doing miracles, healings, etc, for the last 2000 years. It is Satan. 6 now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time. Only God can withhold Satan from revealing himself. God will reveal Satan in God's time. Rev chapter 11 speaks about two witnesses. They are two latter rain ministries, work miracles, wonders and they prophesy. One of the ministries will work with churches exposing Satan. As Satan is exposed, Jesus Christ will rapture his people a/c to v 3. Then believers will expel Satan from churches and Satan will persecute believers. So, if tribulation has begun in the churches, then the rapture has just taken place.

    The third event is: Jesus Christ will establish Millennium reign. King of Babylon saw a statue in a dream, etc. Daniel interpreted the dream for the king. It is recorded in Dan 2nd chapter. Dan 2:33 says His legs of iron, his feet part of iron and part of clay. 41 thou sawest the feet and toes, part of potters' clay, and part of iron, the kingdom shall be divided; but there shall be in it of the strength of the iron, etc. The two legs are Iraq and Iran. They were strong and had iron fist rule. Few years ago, Iraq became democracy, no more iron rule, but iron with clay. One foot has become iron and clay. Iran also will become iron and clay like Iraq. At present, they are not strong enough to attack Israel. But a/c to the prophesy, Iraq and Iran will become strong enough to destroy Israel in the future.

    Matt 23:39 Jesus says to Jews, Ye shall not see me henceforth, till ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord. The second latter rain ministry in Rev 11, will prophesy to Israel that Iraq and Iran, which is Babylon, will destroy her and Jesus Christ the Messiah alone will protect her if she will call upon him. Israel will ignore it, until Iraq and Iran invade Israel and bring the great tribulation upon her. At the point of destruction, Israel will call upon Jesus Christ. Zach 12:10 I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, etc. John 19:37 They shall look on him whom they pierced. As Israel calls upon Jesus Christ, he will come. Dan 2:34 a stone was cut out without hands, which smote the image upon his feet that were of iron and clay, and brake them to pieces. So, Jesus Christ, who is their Messiah, will come and break Babylon, which is Iraq and Iran, to pieces.

    Now, before we go further, let us look back at a previous prophesy and its fulfillment from history. Daniel 8:11 he (Roman Empire) magnified himself even to the prince of the host, and by him the daily sacrifice was taken away, and the place of his sanctuary was cast down. 12 An host was given him against the daily sacrifice by reason of transgression, etc. God has given Israel to Rome because of her transgression, then the destruction of Jerusalem, the temple, the sanctuary, the daily sacrifice, etc. This prophesy was fulfilled in 70 AD. 13 How long shall be the vision concerning the daily sacrifice, and the transgression of desolation, to give both the sanctuary and the host to be trodden under foot? 14 he said unto me, Unto two thousand and three hundred days; then shall the sanctuary be cleansed.

    The specific question in this verses is, how long Jerusalem will be trodden by others. Answer is 2300 days, a symbolic number. If we use the symbolic equivalent one day as one year, it will be 2300 years from the day of destruction. Jerusalem was destroyed in 70 AD. If we add 2300 years to it, it will be 2370 AD. Now the year is 2011. 2370-2011=359. So in another 359 years, Jesus Christ will cleanse the host and begin his Millennium reign in the land of promise that God promised to the Seed of Abraham, who is Jesus Christ. When will be the rapture? The great tribulation to churches and to Israel will happen at the same time and it will be for seven years even though it is divided in two. Rapture is just before tribulation and it is just before Millennium. So, 359 years to Millennium - 7 years of tribulation = 352 years from now to the rapture. But, we cannot know the exact dates of God's doings. So, if we give 52 years as margin, ie, 352-52 = 300 years. So, we may safely say that Jesus Christ will not come at least for another 300 years to rapture his holy church.

    The fourth and the last event is: the end of the world. Satan will be bound in the bottomless pit for 1000 years and he will be loosed a/c to Rev 20:1-3. With his influence, the 7 heads and 10 horns will begin to rule. Most Bible teachers say that the 7 heads rule is Pope and the Catholic church. No, it is not. The rule will not even start until Satan comes out of the bottomless pit. Almost 800 years into their reign, Jesus Christ will destroy this world and make all things new. 2 Peter 3:10 the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up. That is, Jesus Christ will destroy this world in total surprise. When will it be? Millennium will be 359 years from now. Satan will be loosed after 1000 years. Then the 7 heads and 10 horns will rule about 800 years. So, 359+1000+800 = 2159. Again, no one can know the exact day. So giving a margin of 59 years, ie 2159-59= 2100, we may safely say that the present world will not come to an end for another 2100 years from now a/c to the scriptures.

    When Jesus Christ destroys this world, he will create New Earth, New Heaven, New Jerusalem and also the lake of fire. The lake of fire is to punish Satan and disobedient people. Now, Jesus Christ is here judging people every day. What we do, determines where we go. If you trust him and love him, obey him. Rev 21:1 I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; 2 And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, 2 Pete 3:13 we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness. 14 Wherefore, beloved seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless. Rev 22:14 Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city. Luke 13:24 Strive to enter in at the strait gate: The final word of Jesus Christ is: Rev 22:12 behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be. He came already and he is here. He will visit you by surprise to judge you. Are you ready?


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    orthodoxymoron
    orthodoxymoron


    Posts : 13283
    Join date : 2010-09-28
    Location : The Matrix

    United States AI Solar System (6) - Page 2 Empty Re: United States AI Solar System (6)

    Post  orthodoxymoron Sun Jun 24, 2018 12:58 am

    This post is several years old, and does not necessary represent my current thinking, but I'm leaving it mostly 'as-is' for the record, and for research purposes. Consider my threads as science-fiction which attempts to be real. Researcher Beware. Consider reading Luke through Jude (straight-through, over and over). Is this the New-Testament Real-Deal?? Luke as 'Dominant Synoptic-Gospel' and Revelation as 'Johnny Come-Lately Odd-Man Out'?? Sorry if my Irreverent Possibility-Thinking offends, but we need to Get-Real Real-Fast. Consider the concept of a 1928 Book of Common Prayer which, instead of merely having the Psalms printed in full -- contains Psalms, Isaiah, Daniel, Luke, Acts, and James -- in the King James Version of the Holy Bible. Then, consider combining this concept with Sacred Classical Music.

    What if Jupiter Jones = Jupiter Ascending = Jupiter Rose = Rose Line = Holy Grail?? What if Borg Queen = Swedish Queen = Ring of Power?? What Would King Ring Say?? What Would the House of Leo Say?? What Would Abraxasinas Say?? What Would Raven Say?? What Would Sherry Shriner Say?? What Would Azazel Say?? What Would the Major Prophets Say?? What Would Josephus Say?? What Would the Ancient Egyptian Deity Say?? Anti-Antichrist = In Place of the Antichrist?? What Would Rose Say?? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rose_(Doctor_Who) What Would Who Do??



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    The whole premise behind this thread is that there is another level of civilization which rules humanity, which is smarter than mankind, with more resources than mankind, and with a completely different system of religion and governance. This is not to imply that they are God with a Big-G -- but rather Gods and Goddesses who MIGHT be at war with BOTH God (with a Big-G) and with Humanity. They could be Gizeh-Intelligence (or whoever the Nazis, the Masons, the Vatican, the City of London, the Monarchy, the United Nations, the Elites, et al REALLY deal with in secret). I'm trying to be neutral toward this hypothetical phenomenon. Without knowing my level of Karmic-Debt, it might not be wise for me to cast too many stones. I'm seeing Humanity as seemingly being a Herd of Lemmings in Quickening Mode. However, if one stops to reflect upon the madness, they get run over by the stampeding sheeple. I am SO hamstrung and fatigued. I'd actually rather be dealing with THIS!! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_HHz-INVUhk OR THIS!! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tZEl8d-RE4M BTW -- I wonder how many of us would be here if it weren't for Bill and Kerry. I'm not a Bill and Kerry basher -- but I never felt that they were really friendly toward the humble rank and file posters. Cool!!!! I just saw a group of Fighter-Jets fly by!!!

    What do you think about this?? I am NOT endorsing these videos!! As you all know, I post a wide variety of perspectives, to attempt to make all of us think. Consider studying Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel, and Daniel -- as sort of a Testament within the Old Testament -- and as of a Road Less Travelled -- which MIGHT not have been messed-with as much as some other Biblical Books MIGHT have been. Just a thought. I'm NOT trying to spoon-feed you with answers. I am merely providing a somewhat strange study-guide, to possibly assist those who are already way down the rabbit-hole. I am NOT trying to spoil the faith of the Faithful. Can you even begin to imagine the response to my posting if I posted this stuff on a Christian Website??? OMG!!! This does NOT mean that I'm NOT a Christian -- or that I don't believe in God. I'm simply taking contrarian approaches, in order to consider all of the possibilities -- even those which seem absurd and ridiculous. This madness is NOT intended for the General Public. I do NOT talk about this stuff in public -- other than on this small and select website -- where I perceive that I am mostly ignored (and even hated).




    I am truly NOT dangerous in any conventional sense -- but I certainly don't know who I might really be on a soul-level. I MIGHT be more of a threat (to someone) than I think I might be. I might scare myself if I knew the truth about myself. I could pursue that FoIA thing (I never received a reply from my request submitted approximately one year ago), but perhaps it is better NOT to know. The PTB are NOT tripping over each other to tell me the truth -- and I think I might know why -- but I'm NOT going to talk about it!! I am frankly preparing myself for as many possibilities as possible. I just think this solar system (and everyone in it) is SO screwed. A promotion (as I keep joking about) would only multiply the problems and perplexities. I'm trying to imagine being part of an Ethical and Righteous Gizeh Intelligence. I really don't wish to be too specific regarding this fantasy -- which is a major reason why I am going silent at the end of this month. It's too nerve-wracking and potentially-dangerous to keep blurting-out this and that theory. I have hinted at a lot of things -- and given all of you tools to work with -- to build a new tomorrow, on plans we make today. Just keep researching and responding responsibly. Here is a roommate-candidate for that room with a supercomputer!! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EzjkBwZtxp4

    Take a look at this Phobos portion of Richard Hoagland's website. http://www.enterprisemission.com/Phobos2.html I will continue to be open, yet critical, regarding this sort of thing. I've done a lot of joking about Phobos and the Dracs, but this could be a very serious matter. I prefer to keep treating all of this solar system stuff (SSS) as science-fiction. When I don't really know the truth, I will continue to be somewhat irreverent and sarcastic. We need to keep asking the hard questions. At this point, I'm more interested in Phobos than I am in Nibiru, simply because Phobos has been close to us for so long, and we have had so many spacecraft doing flybys. Actually, the Secret Space Program probably has unconventional craft going to Phobos all the time! There has to be a helluva lot of classified information on Phobos! Hopefully, some of this info will start leaking and seeping out of the agencies who are 'protecting' us from the horrors of the universe, and there probably are legion horrors to look forward to. The Moon and Phobos are probably excellent 'spaceships' to focus upon. They could be 'practice' for Nibiru, and who knows what else is out there? I guess I'm trying to learn how to think clearly, while in a state of petrifying horror, if you know what I mean. I guess I'm practicing for I know not what. There really is no security or reward in this line of voluntary madness. It's really a labor of insanity, but somebody's gotta do it.

    I like what Richard wrote about Phobos, but he speaks as though whoever was within Phobos is no longer there, and that we will be free to plunder and scavenge as we please. I tend to think that Phobos is occupied with those who are related to us, at least on a soul-level, and that the advanced technology is ancient technology, which might be our own. I'm sensing that a lot of technology stealing has occurred, or the stealing of 'fire' from the gods. I further think that a lot of this technology is already in the underground bases, and some of it might be most of the 'modern' technology we use each and every day. Theology and Star Wars should not be minimized when discussing the Moon, Phobos, Iapetus, and Advanced Technology. I worry that we can't even handle the technology which we already possess. I also worry that the nukes and other weapons of mass-destruction might not be under the control of human beings. The military-industrial complex might not have been for the benefit of human beings. Perhaps just the opposite.

    What if none of the advanced spacecraft, underground bases, and weapons of mass-destruction were intended to benefit the human-race, in any way, shape, or form? What if we really are slaves who are so stupid that we think we are in control, when we are just prisoners on a prison-planet in rebellion??? What if we have built up the solar system real nice - for someone else? What if they don't like to share? Think about it. I have been working toward the establishment of a United States of the Solar System, but I don't know what the hell is really going on. How would I ever know when I was finally being told the true story? If, I have appeared to be somewhat rude and ungrateful, it's because I have a HUGE crisis of confidence. I am so disillusioned and despondant regarding the state of affairs in this solar system, that it will take a series of major miracles to cheer me up. 'Everything is Fine' is going to be a VERY hard sell. I'm expecting nothing but trouble for a very long time. Promising me a rose-garden won't get me to walk happily and stupidly down the primrose path. Trust me.

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    What would be the harm in studying world-government, the solar system, and watching science-fiction - in a non-paranoid and non-conspiratorial frame of mind? Also, what would be the harm in studying reptiles and mammals, without necessarily thinking about reptilian humanoids? This sort of relates to the idea of a University of Solar System Studies and Governance. I'd like to make this whole thing be an academic pursuit, rather than a sneaking around in the mountains with guns, ammo, constitutions, and bandanas - waiting for the Feds, the Chinese, the UN Troops, and the Aliens - if you know what I mean. I continue to like the idea of multidisciplinary studies, rather than getting into a rut on any one subject. I might do some posting, but I think I'm going to lay-off of the Namaste Constitutional Responsible Freedom United States of the Solar System thing for a while. I've ridden that dead-horse for long enough. I'm going to study the Moon, Phobos, the SS, the Jesuits, and Gizeh-Intelligence for a while. That oughtta keep me out of trouble!!!! That oughtta make them stop watching me for a while!!!!!! That oughtta get me off the Red-List!!!!! Here's more. A lot more.

    Interstellar War and Genetic Hybridization are sort of at the center of my speculations. I obviously want peace, but not at any price. I'm very concerned about deception by both the good and bad guys and gals. I'd sort of like to get to the truth with all deliberate speed, regardless of how brutal the gang of facts (gang of dracs?) are. I keep getting the impression that we all came here in other than human form (as the Orion Group?), and engaged in genetic hybridization, advanced technology development, and the inevitable rivalries and jealousies, leading to Star Wars in Heaven (or at least in the Solar System). I think that the whole Nazi-Phenomenon might be quite revealing regarding this subject. I think we might be in the middle of a continuing Star War. The SS, the Jesuits, and Gizeh-Intelligence are of interest to me. I smell smoke, but I'm not sure I really want to see the fire. It might be quite blinding. It feels as though we have a somewhat out of control situation, which I would like to see become safe and sane, for all concerned. Here is the truth about Aliens, Nibiru, 2012, Lucifer, and the USSS Namaste aka Phobos. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3u810PTA5Tc&NR=1 The secret government doesn't want you to know about this! After viewing this explosive video, they will stop at nothing to stop you! You know too much! What's that helicopter doing over my house? Why are they pounding on my front-door! Aaaaaaaaaagh!!!!!!!


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    THE GIZA DEATH STAR STRIKES AGAIN!!

    Imagine being in a room with 100 of the best and brightest individuals in the solar system - discussing solar system governance issues. What might that be like? Is this the way it should be? But how would one ensure that you really had the 100 best and brightest individuals? How would one keep this group from becoming cold, hard, cynical, and corrupt? So many things start out looking so very promising, and then they go to hell in a hurry. Would an Idealized Queen of Heaven really be the best final authority? Imagine dealing with an Uber Competent Queen of Heaven in a Temple Palace on the Moon. What might that be like? If they were really, really good - that would be an exhilarating experience, especially if they were really, really sexy!! But what if they made Bloody Mary look like Mother Teresa? How about Kali or Hathor on a bad day?? Think about it. The human race should be treated with dignity and respect, and be given appropriate levels of responsibility, but does there need to be a theocratic authority of last resort? If people are treated like children, they're going to act like children. But, on the other hand, if they are allowed to run wild, they might exterminate themselves rather quickly. Where is the happy medium or proper balance point in all of this governance madness?

    I really just want things to operate properly, and for wars, starvation, gross-injustice, etc. to be completely eliminated. The drama should be kept to an absolute minimum. There are probably hundreds of viable models of solar system governance, which would work just fine, but a Theocratically Implemented United States of the Solar System is the one I'm going to run with, until I find something better, and I am open to being shown something better. But it better be really good! This thread is not born of arrogance and superiority, but rather of insecurity and inferiority. I'm really just trying to make sense out of things, so as to try to help make things better for everyone. I like a mixture of the royal model, the servant model, formality, informality, democracy, and theocracy. Even if there has been historical and contemporary governmental malfeasance, a new team might not be much better. I really am trying to understand that which has been hidden from the goyim and commoners. I hate having to keep guessing about all of this, but when I really find out the truth, I might hate myself regarding my historical reincarnational role in the troubles which have plagued this solar system. Ignorance is bliss, right?

    I deal in possibilities and probabilities, and I also mostly connect dots to information which has been revealed by others. But I do this very passively, and only on this little forum. I think most of those who read what I write, know a lot more than I do, even though they rarely comment. I have no credentials, so my credibility is zero. Even if I'm mostly right, the impact is probably close to zero. It's not like I've been given the grand-tour by a group of Dracs and Tall, Long-Nosed Greys, and then told not to tell anyone. I really don't know, but I worry constantly, and I suspect deception and foul-play on a grand scale. And no, it's not worth it, but I do it anyway. It might be of some benefit to someone, somehow, somewhere, somewhen. This is sort of like 'Mr. Smith Goes to Phobos'. This is honestly an attempt to reconstruct a badly shattered faith, but it obviously is not working. They promised me a rose-garden. They lied. I'm not complaining about the primrose path. It's what's at the end of the path that troubles me. The light at the end of the tunnel might be an oncoming magneto-leviton train travelling at mach 2.

    They never promised me a rose-garden in Avalon or the Mists of Avalon, and I don't expect one here, or on Phobos, for that matter. But the truth of our predicament seems to have been carefully hidden by both the good guys and the bad guys. They all have their reasons. But it seems to me that the time has come for the truth to be tactfully revealed to everyone, regardless of whether satisfactory solutions can be achieved, or not. My continued speculation might prepare myself and others for whatever horrors await us, just around the corner. I'm trying to keep all of this in the realm of science-fiction, and mostly for a morbid sort of entertainment. If someone becomes upset by this, they can be consoled that I'm just a stupid crackpot conspiracy theorist, rather than a credentialed whistleblower. If the Mists of Avalon gets taken down, perhaps we can start the Fog of Phobos...


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    I GET HOW THIS THING WORKS. IF YOU'RE QUALIFIED - YOU'RE COMPROMISED. IF YOU'RE NOT COMPROMIZED - YOU'RE NOT QUALIFIED. RIGHT? RECRUIT 'EM - OR REMOVE 'EM. RIGHT? PRETTY GOOD WAY TO CONTROL THE SITUATION - ISN'T IT? THOSE WHO TALK, DON'T KNOW. THOSE WHO KNOW, DON'T TALK. RIGHT? GO COMPLETELY IGNORANT SCIENCE FICTION WRITERS! THE PIOUS ZOMBIES SHALL INHERIT THE EARTH! I NEED TO SHUT-UP!
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    Regardless of what has transpired throughout history, there is probably no simple and easy way to manage a solar system, past, present, or future, especially when very high technology is involved. I think a lot of people are experiencing future-shock and an information overload. There is a loss of innocence and security. We are hurtling through space on a spaceship filled with weapons of mass-destruction, and who knows what horrors lurk throughout the solar system? We have been lied to by the preachers, politicians, scientists, banksters, et al, and it seems that there is a corrupt and deceptive core to this world and solar system. But what is one to do, when to rule men it is necessary to deceive them? I'm just very worried about all of the problems which seem to have been deliberately perpetrated against humanity. I don't expect things to ever be perfect, but I think they could be a helluva lot better than they have been, or are presently. The principles and concepts presented in this thread could help achieve a better solar system, but I know there are many other ways to improve things. I need to let all of this settle in my soul.

    I am worried about the possibility of global unrest as we learn more and more upsetting facts and figures relevant to our predicament. I'm really trying to cool-it. Soul-craft needs to be central to societal evolution. I think I might be able to expose a lot of things if I really tried, but I really don't wish to try. I think I've stirred-up enough trouble already. But what really bothers me, is that justice does not seem to be forthcoming regarding all of the corruption and wrongdoing which has been clearly uncovered by thousands of people throughout the world. Covering things up seems to be the top priority of the custodians of the status-quo, rather than making things right. The bad guys and gals are still riding high, and I see no signs that anything is changing for the better. The average person seems to be under attack, rather than the real thieves and violent criminals, who often wear Armani, Prada, and Rolex. Many of the pillars of society appear to be rotten or crumbling, but not many notice because of all the smoke and mirrors.

    This world really is sick, and trying to change things for the better seems to make one mentally ill, and become a person of concern to the law-enforcement and intelligence-communities. Not giving a damn and being morally-ambiguous seems to work a helluva lot better. The irresponsible seem to be rewarded, and the responsible seem to be punished. Are we witnessing and experiencing the controlled-demolition of the human-race? Anyway, I need to heal, so I'll be in better shape when the excrement really hits the refrigeration system. Perhaps I need to find a good 'Armageddon Trainer'. I'm half-joking and half-serious. A big thank-you to those who frequent these alternative sites, regardless of your point of view, and regardless of whether you work for the secret-government or not. I feel really lost today. The info-War seems to have gotten to me. You know, once we get everything all figured-out, and put all of the bad guys and gals in prison, we will still face huge problems and disappointments. The struggle will be ongoing. I hope things will be better, but I don't expect things to ever be easy and painless. Once again, pain is the cost of doing business in the universe, regardless of who runs the solar system, and regardless of how they do it.

    There are good and bad people in every race, religion, country, business, and political system. What is the common factor uniting the good people? What is the common factor uniting the bad people? What turns good people into bad people? What turns bad people into good people? Do you see my point? There could be good and bad proponents of a Namaste Constitutional Responsible Freedom United States of the Solar System. I really wish to maximize the good people and minimize the bad people. But who is qualified to judge who is good and who is bad? What if the judge is bad? Or what if a good judge has bad judgment? I read 'The Communist Manifesto' in high-school, and it had a lot of good points, but look at the horrors of the Soviet Union! I lean strongly toward the U.S. Constitution, but look at the many absurdities and abuses in the history of the United States! Just establishing the ultimate religion, the ultimate government, or the ultimate union of church and state, really doesn't solve the problem. Are we really fighting an unseen and supernatural foe, or is there a problem at the soul-level? Do we all have negative baggage at the soul-level, which rears it's ugly head, to taunt, harass, and possess us? I don't know, but we seem to live in a somewhat creepy solar system, which a New Solar System might not remedy. It might go deeper than my band-aid fix. Think long and hard about what I just said in this post.

    Again, the ultimate goal, for me at least, is a perfected humanity living in a perfected solar system. But how do we achieve this? Do the ends justify the means? I think that the means determine the ends. Methodology is extremely important. The journey is as important as the destination. In many respects, the journey is the destination. When I spoke with Terence McKenna, he told me that 'if you dream it, you've already done it'. Once again, this thread is a study-guide rather than a manifesto. Use it while you can. I suspect that the internet might become severely restricted in the near future. All is not well in this solar system. All might not be well throughout the universe. I have conceptualized being a solar system administrator, just for the hell of it, and it has frankly scared the hell out of me. So many things could go so very wrong, as I suspect that they have, throughout the history of this solar system. Idealism doesn't necessarily equal effectiveness. Someone who is good today, can be bad tomorrow, and the reverse can be true. I have dealt with individuals who I had very mixed feelings about. They seemed to be a mixture of extreme good and extreme evil. I was, and am, extremely conflicted about this. I have faked being nutty on this thread, but I do feel a bit nutty, most of the time. I feel as if we are presently in the eye of the storm, and that something is a brewing. Hmmmmmmmmmm. What would tone3jaguar say? What would Dr. Who say? Which one? Do you think that Dr. Who might be a bit like Michael / ??????? / Horus / Mithras / Various Pharaohs / Jesus / ????? / ?????!!!???


    I like Ron Paul, but I don't dislike Bernanke. I dislike the IRS and the Federal Reserve, but if Bernanke told the truth about what's really going on, I think all hell would break loose. He seems to be keeping the lid on what could potentially be a very explosive situation. The existing system seems to be corrupt and hostile toward the public. I want to End the Fed, and institute a 5% National-Federal Point of Sale Tax on every sale, even stocks and produce. I suppose that foreign visitors and food-stamp recipients would not be exempted either. No exceptions. No exemptions. No forms. No kidding. Agents would enforce the point of sale collection of this tax, and the money would go directly to the government, without going through private hands. I realize this would create a problem for the black projects, secret government, secret space program, and underground bases, but the legitimate aspects of these programs could be legitimately and openly funded, without resorting to corrupt taxation, blood-money, and illegal-drug money. That's my story, and I'm sticking to it.

    Tangentially, I noticed that when I disconnected the internet line to my computer, that the computer fan continued to rev like a sports-car, even when not in active use. Either this phenomenon has nothing to do with being monitored, or there is some sort of wireless or satellite access to my computer. I know I'm paranoid, and I often wear a Ron Paul hat, but I do think that back-door access to computers and 24/7 monitoring of problem people is a reality. I think I'm problematic on the internet, but not in real-life. The devil used to make me do it, but now the internet makes me do it. What if all of our computers are possessed by evil-spirits? Amoeba-like whisps of white-light pass between me and the computer-screen, at least once a month, and that's just when I notice them. As I watch the screen, the screen is probably watching me. The devil used to tempt me, but now I tempt the devil, in sort of a Last Temptation of Satan. I need some sleep, or maybe I just need to get laid.

    On yet another tangent, to me, at least, there is a strange underlying attitude or atmosphere connected with the management and directorial aspects of Hollywood and Showbiz, which is quite different than the finished products on television or on the silver screen. I think these people know a lot, but they don't say a lot, which is understandable. I also think they get fed scripts and information by those who know a helluva lot. Again, this is understandable. But I would like to see showbiz take a much higher road than it has over the past few decades. Some sex and violence is necessary for a realistic story-line, but not the trash the public is bombarded with. The same goes for Las Vegas. A sexy show is one thing, but the escort, call-girl, and prostitution situation is sickening and out of control. It really cheapens that town. I visited there a couple of years ago, and I really don't wish to go back, until they clean things up. I don't oppose the basic concept, but the reality stinks, in my view. In a way, it would be sort of cool to live in Vegas, and work at Area 51, but only if the whole thing were cleaned-up.

    I don't wish to reinvent the solar system. I just want it cleaned-up and streamlined. I don't want it to be a toilet and a slaughterhouse. The courruption, misery, and degradation in this solar system is indescribable and unimaginable. Consider the butchery and environmental destruction over the past 150 years. This deplorable state of affairs must and will be corrected. Nuff said. What would Bugsy say? Who shot Bugsy Siegel? Notice Virginia Hill's (Bugsy's mistress) brooch. What was Virginia's occupation? What are Hollywood and Vegas sometimes called? Virginia wasn't exactly a virgin, or was she? What would TREEE say? I need to stop, and watch my 3 DVD's called 'Hollywood vs the Mob', after I finish watching 'La Femme Nikita'. I don't go much for raw violence, but this movie is quite good, even though it's in French. I really just need to drop this whole thing. I'm really just trying to find peace, for myself and the solar system.

    BTW -- the Ancient Egyptian Deity told me that they "Built Las Vegas with Bugsy"!! Consider the similarities between Virginia Hill and Angela (in The Word)!! What if Virginia = Angela = Sherry = Dana = TREEE = Anubis = RA = AED?? Think About It!! What Would Groot Do??


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    What do you think about this? I lean toward Dana's perspective - but I have learned a lot from Sherry and TREEE. Perhaps Dana, TREEE, and Sherry are all ONE?! I so don't want to keep dealing with this madness - but I so don't want the madness to continue. It is interesting to compare these three interesting ladies with each other. It's sort of like a cat-fight, in a way - even though they don't usually refer to each other. Once again - I am not a follower of any of these three - but I do like to keep my eye of them...

    What if the three interesting ladies are all the same individual? I'm not saying they are, and I could say a lot more, but why would Dana have all of TREEE's passwords, and access to all of her accounts? I like listening to all three, and they know a helluva lot, but I don't trust them. Could this be sort of a test? There is another individual of interest, who I won't name, and I won't say anything further about them. I just think there are a lot of deceptive games being played, for who knows what reasons?! What would Lilith say? I'm both supportive and angry at just about everyone right now. I'm pretty much disgusted with everything. I'm really winding-down my posting activities. I'm going to be reviewing everything I have done, in sort of a private investigative judgment. I think I've been on the right track, but there are huge gaps in my theories and ideas. I also need to get my personal act together. I'm seeing lies everywhere. It seems that even the good-guys fight the bad-guys with white-lies. Perhaps telling the absolute truth is an impossibility. The truth is so overrated, right? Well, I think we should get to the truth of the matter, with all deliberate speed, in a highly tactful manner. I will not yell 'FIRE' in a crowded theater, even if the theater is on fire. I think I've said quite enough on the internet, and I think others are saying quite enough, but the dots are not being properly connected. Also, we seem to want to hurt each other, no matter what. This needs to change.

    Here is yet another interesting website I found while looking at one of TREEE's You Tube videos. http://hellenandchaos.blogspot.com/2010/04/suicidal-attitude-usa-government-is.html It doesn't seem that TREEE has posted anything since last summer. What's going on? If you watch TREEE, you will see someone who appears scatter-brained, but who seems to be able to rattle-off a huge amount of esoteric information. I have no idea whether it's true or not, but it would be difficult for anyone to speak this quickly and abstractly. Nuff said. You figure it out. Here is something from that site:

    USA Government stupidly rushing to build a forward moon base in cooperation with the lunar Dragonians in order to meet ...the alien "threat". Namely in order to try to stop the Andromedians Universal Hierarchy Judges that are about to free us from the criminal cancerous 13.500 years presence of the Lunar "Lord" who has instigated genocides that bloodbathed humanity and the White and Black Race in world wars, civil wars and riots and who is now trying to cause the terminal WWIII of the Dragonian "Armageddon" in order to completely annihilate everyone except the pure yellow Sinese saurianhumo Race.

    -These collusion gangs of Dragonian Spirits, through besotted earthly priesthoods, established all the contrary Religions (888 vs 666, etc), all the contrary Political ideologies (Capitalism, Communism, Nazism, Fascism, Socialism, Democracy, etc.), all the contrary Economical systems, and all the contrary Military pacts (NATO, Shanghai Pact, etc) of our Planet, with end purpose the division and the civil genocides of all races of our planet, and with end purpose the final Genocide of all the Human Races, Nations and States of our Planet, by the armies of the Dragonian pure yellow race Chinese and Koreans in the Chinese "Armageddon" of the Dragonian Judeo-Christian "Holy Scripture", because according to the G.H.REES research, planet Earth became a Theater of War, as a projection of the Space War between the coalition of the "Constellation of Andromeda" and the coalition of the "Hyper Solar System of Sirius", against the "Constellation of Draco".

    -There are attempts to connect G.H.REES with Groups of "New Age Spiritual Mediums" who communicate with the Dragonians like the "Ashtar Command of the non existent Galactic Federation of Light" posing as the returning Andromedian Dodecatheon of Zeus.

    NesaRA's Descended Demonic Imposter Disasters. (cartoon shapeshifting Draconian fakes) http://nesara.insights2.org/Founders.html

    Cancerous entrapped reincarnation dragonian - lunar policy (cause) and Universal Hierarchy arriving Judges (effect). Should Anna Hayes aka Ashayana Deane be a fourth interesting lady? I'm somewhat intrigued by these four interesting ladies, for a variety of reasons. And what about Orgone, for making UFO's crash, and killing aliens, as advocated by Sherry Shriner? I'm somewhat suspicious about the whole Orgone thing. What if Orgone is something the dark-side wants spread everywhere, or what if all the alien-haters are marked by using Orgone? What if Orgone attracts evil-spirits? I'm going to say it one more time, be very discerning, and listen to a wide variety of sources. I'm doing the best I can, but I think that at least half of what I speculate about is probably pure, unmitigated popycock. What about Colleen Thomas? She's foxy and easy to listen to, but what is the true source of her voluminous information. I listen, but I am very suspicious of so much of what I listen to on the internet. I think the bs and delusion is rampant, and that it will probably get worse. I continue to be very concerned about the small numbers and lack of active discussion of extremely important topics, on this site and other similar sites. I think this world might be really, really screwed. I don't trust the good-guys or the bad-guys at this point. What if all we are dealing with in this solar system is different factions of the Orion Group. What if all of us are part of the Orion Group, including the humans, hybrids, reptilians, and greys? I'm thinking Orion Group and Sirius A and B, as being 95% of what's going on in this solar system. I think there is SO MUCH DECEPTION AND MANIPULATION. Keep thinking about Occam's Razor, and don't stop thinking about tomorrow.

    I just want to apologize one more time for anything I have posted which has been offensive to anyone. I'm trying to be informal, honest, and sometimes funny. I'm trying to be a pure-soul, but I'm also trying to be a real-soul. I sometimes swear privately, but I never swear at anyone. I am a very, very frustrated person, at this point, and I am trying to think about a lot of things which are difficult to think about, and I am doing so in some very unconventional ways, which make me a lone-ranger with my @#$% hanging out. I really wish to be pure and refined, and live in a rarified spiritual atmosphere, but I am finding that there are very few kindred spirits, or so it often seems. And when one engages in this sort of thinking, there are various and sundry intellectual, spiritual, and emotional challenges, which could resemble a mild case of going nucking futs. Once again, I need to stop.

    I'm going to continue to spend most of my time looking at recent history and solar system governance, rather than focusing on predictions and prophecy. I grew-up in a church which focused on prophecy, and while I still respect the principles and concepts, I think predictions and prophecy can be a mental and spiritual trap. I'm simply going to try to make things better, and just take whatever comes my way, be it good or bad. There might very well be an apocalypse, but I'm not preparing for it, or trying to get a ticket for an underground base, or a ride on a ufo. I'm just going to stay where I am, and go down with the ship, if it does go down. The dark-side needs to cease and desist. Game Over.

    The history and philosophy of science might be a beneficial area of research. Again, I have a bad feeling about a lot of traditional theology and about a lot of new age teaching. I'm trying to pick and choose from a very wide variety of topics and sources. I still like the idea of a University of Solar System Studies and Governance. Hold that thought. What do the people at JPL really think? What do the people at the Vatican really think? What do the people at the Pentagon really think? What does the Secret Government really think? What does the World Council of Churches really think? What does Obama really think? What does the Queen really think? What does the Queen of Heaven and God of This World really think? We might be surprised. What does orthodoxymoron really think? You don't wanna know...

    I am trying so very hard to stop posting, and just research. Period. I'm also liking the idea of eliminating the cell-phone and endless hours on the internet, because of the monitoring. I realize that monitoring can still occur, but I still would like to minimize my exposure at this point. This latest crisis of confidence is one more reason for me to go dark, and become an ultra-secret society of one. I can give myself the secret orthodoxymoron handshake, as I watch the end of the world from the comfort of my shallow underground civilian base. I plan to swelter in my shelter. Or perhaps I should say 'Beam me up SaLuSa!'


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    What if at least one branch of the military were based upon 1. The Writings of Sun Tsu. 2. The U.S. Constitution. 3. The Teachings of Jesus? I don't have a problem with military discipline, but I have a HUGE problem with nearly all of the wars, throughout history. I love the air-shows, parades, exercises, etc., but I hate the damn body-bags and injuries. What if everyone got cycled through a military branch, such as the National Guard, where people learned trades, discipline, civil defense, search and rescue, how to properly use weapons, and how to follow instructions under pressure? Do you see my point? The purpose of this branch of the military might be to avoid war, and to make friends around the world. The other branches would be ready to kick @$$, if need be. Civilian gun owners would need to go through this training, and would be part of a well-regulated militia. Do you see what I'm saying? Once again, my posts are intended to make you think, and to then arrive at your own conclusions.

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    I'm thinking mostly in terms of This Solar System, Sirius A & B, and the Orion Group - and that we might all be a part of the Orion Group from Sirius - and that all of the humanoid forms in all of the above might be pretty much the same at the soul-level. I'm seeing mostly a continuing ancient Civil Star War in Heaven, with at least three factions led by Reptilian Queens. (We Three Queens of Orion are Trying to Rule the Heavens Afar.) There might be a lot more to it than this simple view, but why not completely explore the simple view, before making things more complex than they really are? I'm hoping there can be a satisfactory resolution to this madness, very soon, but I certainly don't know how bad things really are. I'm feeling nothing but negativity and dread. This thing doesn't seem to be even close to being over. I have repeatedly gotten my hopes up, but now I'm preparing for a very long and hard winter. Once again, hope springs eternal. Once again, I don't necessarily hate scales and tails, or suffer from Phobos-Phobia, but I don't know enough to make proper judgments and determinations. Consider reading and watching a lot of science-fiction to prepare for a wide variety of possible scenarios. I don't think we have a clue about what's really going to happen in the future, if we even have a future. I wouldn't count on anything. I think we all need to become a lot tougher, but in a kinder and gentler manner. We should be prepared for just about anything, and I mean anything. I still think it would be cool to live in a non-militaristic version of the Stargate SG-1 base, which might be sort of a think-tank, with perhaps a couple of dozen team-members. An old decommissioned missile silo might be used for such a purpose. I don't like all of the machine-gunning in SG-1 episodes, but I like the discussions they get into, and I like the team members.

    What about a Calculus-Based United States of the Solar System? What would Riemann say? Would this create a derivative scandal? What about the derivative of X, with no respect for Y? dx de heck with it! Seriously. What mathematical models might we use in a Cray, to test competing political and religious solar systems? Resource allocation spreadsheets might be interesting. What about modelling Asteroid Wars? How many Asteroid Drones are in this Solar System? What about deriving the Galactic Wave Equation? What would Schroedinger say? What would his cat say? I was a helluva lot smarter when I was a little child. I used to imagine flying through the solar system in a one-child UFO, that I designed and built myself. I imagined designing personal computers and frictionless magnetic bearings, and I looked at the solar system through my little telescope, with innocent wonder. But then I grew-up and got really mean, stubborn, and stupid. I'm trying to get nice and smart again, but now I'm going crazy, and this Disneyland of the Gods E-Ticket Ride is almost over. Now what do I do? What would John Keel say? What would the Mothman say? Is God going to hit the reset button, and reboot the universe? Perhaps it just needs a new operating system or a software upgrade. Has technology made us safer and happier? What would Palmer Joss say? What would Ellie say? What would Rachel say? What would Mr. Hadden say?

    If we had ten times as many WMD's as we have now, would we be ten times as safe? Put that in your Cray, and model it. Or perhaps it might be better to smoke the peace-pipe. Maybe if we all got a bong, we'd all get along. Perhaps the thurifer should replace the incense with some Maui-Wowie! Or maybe a little angel dust in the refrigeration system would bring us face to face with the Almighty, and without a Mediator! Would the excrement contact the blower? Perhaps we should eliminate 90% of the least beneficial technology and industrialization, and only implement the most beneficial new technology and industrialization. Why should we bury ourselves with the work we dig? Can you dig it? Solar System Governance is an Abstract. It's a Human Construct. What would Azrael say? How much truth is there in 'Legion' and 'Dogma'? What would Gabriel, Lucifer, and Michael say? WWJD? Should Jesus be called 'Jesus'? Who is responsible for creating Astro-Theology? Something fishy's going on. Do Draconian Reptilians have Fish-Heads? What would the Dogons say? What would Robert Temple say? What would the Nommos say? What would the Pope say? Siriusly!

    Why is the Woman in Scarlet called 'The Whore of Babylon'? Because she babbles on and on and on and on. What would TREEE say? Tehuti is important, and so are tatoos! Don't get stung by Serqet! She's a real mother! She might give you the kiss of death and the last supper. I don't know why I'm doing this, and you probably wish that I weren't doing this. Perhaps I should stop. Or maybe I should talk about sex. What would Raven say? Who invented sex? What would Michael say? What would Horus say? What would Mithras say? Was and is Jesus archangelic and pharaonic? Was Jesus black? Was Jesus Annunaki? Did Jesus get fired? Did he get blacklisted? What is the Nature of Christ, at the soul-level? Fully God and Fully Man? Or Truly God and Truly Man? Will Jesus return? Did he leave? How many Incarnations have there been? Incarnation or Reincarnation? Example or Substitute? Is the Substitutionary Atonement Ethical? Is cleansing the universe of sin and sinners really mass murder? Is Mass Murder Ever Ethical? What would Joseph Fletcher say? Is War a Sin? What would Karl Menninger say? Is the Latin Mass a Human Sacrifice? Who gave Adolph Hitler and Eugenio Pacelli their marching orders? What would Heinrich Himmler say? What would the Jesuit General say? What would the Bavarian Illuminati say? What would the Teutonic Zionists say? What would the Freemasons say? What would the Queen of Heaven and God of This World say? What would the Moving Finger Write? Babylon is Fallen - and can't get up? Are we fiddling, while Rome burns? I should stop, drop, and roll another joint.

    Actually, I've never smoked anything in my life. Not even a fish. I've never had a single drink of beer or wine (except for communion wine - Port Tawny), but still you judge me as unworthy. Perhaps I should've become an Unnecessary Surgeon or a Lying Leader in the Synagogue of Satan. That wouldn't make me righteous, but at least I'd be respectable and presentable. Appearances are Everything, aren't they? What would Joe Kennedy say? Now I really do need to stop, and finish re-watching 'Avatar'. What did James Cameron know, and when did he know it? What was Steven afraid of? Was Stephen stoned, drunk, or just stupid? What about you? What's your excuse? What would Bartleby say? What would Loki do? Hocus Pocus Dominocus - the Spirits are About to Speak! This might be a good time to cover your ears. Now I shall improvise a fugue. As the voices enter, one by one - the people leave, one by one. Open the doors of the church! Twelve O'Clock, and All's Well!!! At least that's what you think! What about the secretary who gave her boss a raise??!! That temptress from hell!! They're both gonna burn!! Fire!! Fire!! Your Pants Were on Fire!! Your Hearts Were Filled With Burning Desire!! Sex as Sin is Good for Business, When Salvation is For Sale. Indulgences by PayPal. Visa and MasterCard (formerly BankAmeriCard) Accepted!! What would Eric John Phelps say? Pretty fly for a white-guy!! What would Noodles say? The Offspring is the Spawn of Satan!! New Solar System Without End. Orthodoxymoron. Completely Ignorant Fool, or Wave of the Future?? I had you fooled, didn't I?!


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    orthodoxymoron
    orthodoxymoron


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    Post  orthodoxymoron Sun Jun 24, 2018 1:01 am

    Please compare Deuteronomy with Psalms, Proverbs, and Ecclesiastes. What parts of each of these books apply only to Jews (in antiquity and modernity)?? What parts of these books apply to both Jews and Gentiles (in antiquity and modernity)?? How do these books compare with Matthew, Romans, Galatians, and James?? Which rules apply to Jews in modernity?? Which rules apply to Gentiles in modernity?? Is the Old-Testament abominable?? Is the New-Testament apostasy?? What if Job through Isaiah -- and Romans through James -- applied to Jews and Gentiles -- Christians and Muslims?? But what if the God of This World decreed Religious and Philosophical Diversity and Confusion??

    What if the so-called "Great Controversy Between Christ and Satan in the Conflict of the Ages" has been inflicted upon Humanity by the God of This World (or possibly an even Higher-Power)?? If so, has Humanity DESERVED This Verdict?? Can there be a Happy-Ending for All-Concerned?? What sort of eschatology might emerge with the removal of the Book of Revelation?? How reliable is the "History" in the Bible?? Do theologians have to lie to make the Bible work?? Are most theologians Hermeneutic-Whores?? What is one to do?? Sorry, but I'm modeling Tough-Love. It's a nasty-task, but someone must do it -- or must they??

    http://www.whiteestate.org/books/pp/pp27.html Soon after the encampment at Sinai, Moses was called up into the mountain to meet with God. Alone he climbed the steep and rugged path, and drew near to the cloud that marked the place of Jehovah's presence. Israel was now to be taken into a close and peculiar relation to the Most High--to be incorporated as a church and a nation under the government of God. The message to Moses for the people was:

    "Ye have seen what I did unto the Egyptians, and how I bare you on eagles' wings, and brought you unto Myself. Now therefore, if ye will obey My voice indeed, and keep My covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto Me above all people: for all the earth is Mine: and ye shall be unto Me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation."

    Moses returned to the camp, and having summoned the elders of Israel, he repeated to them the divine message. Their answer was, "All that the Lord hath spoken we will do." Thus they entered into a solemn covenant with God, pledging themselves to accept Him as their ruler, by which they became, in a special sense, the subjects of His authority.

    Again their leader ascended the mountain, and the Lord said unto him, "Lo, I come unto thee in a thick cloud, that the people may hear when I speak with thee, and believe thee forever." When they met with difficulties in the way, they were disposed to murmur against Moses and Aaron, and accuse them of leading the hosts of Israel from Egypt to destroy them. The Lord would honor Moses before them, that they might be led to confide in his instructions.

    God purposed to make the occasion of speaking His law a scene of awful grandeur, in keeping with its exalted character. The people were to be impressed that everything connected with the service of God must be regarded with the greatest reverence.

    The Lord said to Moses, "Go unto the people, and sanctify them today and tomorrow, and let them wash their clothes, and be ready against the third day: for the third day the Lord will come down in the sight of all the people upon Mount Sinai." During these intervening days all were to occupy the time in solemn preparation to appear before God. Their person and their clothing must be freed from impurity. And as Moses should point out their sins, they were to devote themselves to humiliation, fasting, and prayer, that their hearts might be cleansed from iniquity.

    The preparations were made, according to the command; and in obedience to a further injunction, Moses directed that a barrier be placed about the mount, that neither man nor beast might intrude upon the sacred precinct. If any ventured so much as to touch it, the penalty was instant death.

    On the morning of the third day, as the eyes of all the people were turned toward the mount, its summit was covered with a thick cloud, which grew more black and dense, sweeping downward until the entire mountain was wrapped in darkness and awful mystery. Then a sound as of a trumpet was heard, summoning the people to meet with God; and Moses led them forth to the base of the mountain. From the thick darkness flashed vivid lightnings, while peals of thunder echoed and re-echoed among the surrounding heights. "And Mount Sinai was altogether on a smoke, because the Lord descended upon it in fire: and the smoke thereof ascended as the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mount quaked greatly." "The glory of the Lord was like devouring fire on the top of the mount" in the sight of the assembled multitude. And "the voice of the trumpet sounded long, and waxed louder and louder." So terrible were the tokens of Jehovah's presence that the hosts of Israel shook with fear, and fell upon their faces before the Lord. Even Moses exclaimed, "I exceedingly fear and quake." Hebrews 12:21.

    And now the thunders ceased; the trumpet was no longer heard; the earth was still. There was a period of solemn silence, and then the voice of God was heard. Speaking out of the thick darkness that enshrouded Him, as He stood upon the mount, surrounded by a retinue of angels, the Lord made known His law. Moses, describing the scene, says: "The Lord came from Sinai, and rose up from Seir unto them; He shined forth from Mount Paran, and He came with ten thousands of saints: from His right hand went a fiery law for them. Yea, He loved the people; all His saints are in Thy hand: and they sat down at Thy feet; every one shall receive of Thy words." Deuteronomy 33:2, 3.

    Jehovah revealed Himself, not alone in the awful majesty of the judge and lawgiver, but as the compassionate guardian of His people: "I am the Lord thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage." He whom they had already known as their Guide and Deliverer, who had brought them forth from Egypt, making a way for them through the sea, and overthrowing Pharaoh and his hosts, who had thus shown Himself to be above all the gods of Egypt--He it was who now spoke His law.

    The law was not spoken at this time exclusively for the benefit of the Hebrews. God honored them by making them the guardians and keepers of His law, but it was to be held as a sacred trust for the whole world. The precepts of the Decalogue are adapted to all mankind, and they were given for the instruction and government of all. Ten precepts, brief, comprehensive, and authoritative, cover the duty of man to God and to his fellow man; and all based upon the great fundamental principle of love. "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbor as thyself." Luke 10:27. See also Deuteronomy 6:4, 5; Leviticus 19:18. In the Ten Commandments these principles are carried out in detail, and made applicable to the condition and circumstances of man.

    "Thou shalt have no other gods before Me."

    Jehovah, the eternal, self-existent, uncreated One, Himself the Source and Sustainer of all, is alone entitled to supreme reverence and worship. Man is forbidden to give to any other object the first place in his affections or his service. Whatever we cherish that tends to lessen our love for God or to interfere with the service due Him, of that do we make a god.

    "Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them."

    The second commandment forbids the worship of the true God by images or similitudes. Many heathen nations claimed that their images were mere figures or symbols by which the Deity was worshiped, but God has declared such worship to be sin. The attempt to represent the Eternal One by material objects would lower man's conception of God. The mind, turned away from the infinite perfection of Jehovah, would be attracted to the creature rather than to the Creator. And as his conceptions of God were lowered, so would man become degraded.

    "I the Lord thy God am a jealous God." The close and sacred relation of God to His people is represented under the figure of marriage. Idolatry being spiritual adultery, the displeasure of God against it is fitly called jealousy.

    "Visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate Me." It is inevitable that children should suffer from the consequences of parental wrongdoing, but they are not punished for the parents' guilt, except as they participate in their sins. It is usually the case, however, that children walk in the steps of their parents. By inheritance and example the sons become partakers of the father's sin. Wrong tendencies, perverted appetites, and debased morals, as well as physical disease and degeneracy, are transmitted as a legacy from father to son, to the third and fourth generation. This fearful truth should have a solemn power to restrain men from following a course of sin.

    "Showing mercy unto thousands of them that love Me, and keep My commandments." In prohibiting the worship of false gods, the second commandment by implication enjoins the worship of the true God. And to those who are faithful in His service, mercy is promised, not merely to the third and fourth generation as is the wrath threatened against those who hate Him, but to thousands of generations.

    "Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain: for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh His name in vain."

    This commandment not only prohibits false oaths and common swearing, but it forbids us to use the name of God in a light or careless manner, without regard to its awful significance. By the thoughtless mention of God in common conversation, by appeals to Him in trivial matters, and by the frequent and thoughtless repetition of His name, we dishonor Him. "Holy and reverend is His name." Psalm 111:9. All should meditate upon His majesty, His purity and holiness, that the heart may be impressed with a sense of His exalted character; and His holy name should be uttered with reverence and solemnity. "Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labor, and do all thy work: but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates: for in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day, and hallowed it."

    The Sabbath is not introduced as a new institution but as having been founded at creation. It is to be remembered and observed as the memorial of the Creator's work. Pointing to God as the Maker of the heavens and the earth, it distinguishes the true God from all false gods. All who keep the seventh day signify by this act that they are worshipers of Jehovah. Thus the Sabbath is the sign of man's allegiance to God as long as there are any upon the earth to serve Him. The fourth commandment is the only one of all the ten in which are found both the name and the title of the Lawgiver. It is the only one that shows by whose authority the law is given. Thus it contains the seal of God, affixed to His law as evidence of its authenticity and binding force.

    God has given me six days wherein to labor, and He requires that their own work be done in the six working days. Acts of necessity and mercy are permitted on the Sabbath, the sick and suffering are at all times to be cared for; but unnecessary labor is to be strictly avoided. "Turn away thy foot from the Sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on My holy day; and call the Sabbath a delight, the holy of the Lord, honorable; and . . . honor Him, not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleasure." Isaiah 58:13. Nor does the prohibition end here. "Nor speaking thine own words," says the prophet. Those who discuss business matters or lay plans on the Sabbath are regarded by God as though engaged in the actual transaction of business. To keep the Sabbath holy, we should not even allow our minds to dwell upon things of a worldly character. And the commandment includes all within our gates. The inmates of the house are to lay aside their worldly business during the sacred hours. All should unite to honor God by willing service upon His holy day. "Honor thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee."

    Parents are entitled to a degree of love and respect which is due to no other person. God Himself, who has placed upon them a responsibility for the souls committed to their charge, has ordained that during the earlier years of life, parents shall stand in the place of God to their children. And he who rejects the rightful authority of his parents is rejecting the authority of God. The fifth commandment requires children not only to yield respect, submission, and obedience to their parents, but also to give them love and tenderness, to lighten their cares, to guard their reputation, and to succor and comfort them in old age. It also enjoins respect for ministers and rulers and for all others to whom God has delegated authority.

    This, says the apostle, "is the first commandment with promise." Ephesians 6:2. To Israel, expecting soon to enter Canaan, it was a pledge to the obedient, of long life in that good, land; but it has a wider meaning, including all the Israel of God, and promising eternal life upon the earth when it shall be freed from the curse of sin.

    "Thou shalt not kill."

    All acts of injustice that tend to shorten life; the spirit of hatred and revenge, or the indulgence of any passion that leads to injurious acts toward others, or causes us even to wish them harm (for "whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer"); a selfish neglect of caring for the needy or suffering; all self-indulgence or unnecessary deprivation or excessive labor that tends to injure health--all these are, to a greater or less degree, violations of the sixth commandment.

    "Thou shalt not commit adultery."

    This commandment forbids not only acts of impurity, but sensual thoughts and desires, or any practice that tends to excite them. Purity is demanded not only in the outward life but in the secret intents and emotions of the heart. Christ, who taught the far-reaching obligation of the law of God, declared the evil thought or look to be as truly sin as is the unlawful deed.

    "Thou shalt not steal."

    Both public and private sins are included in this prohibition. The eighth commandment condemns manstealing and slave dealing, and forbids wars of conquest. It condemns theft and robbery. It demands strict integrity in the minutest details of the affairs of life. It forbids overreaching in trade, and requires the payment of just debts or wages. It declares that every attempt to advantage oneself by the ignorance, weakness, or misfortune of another is registered as fraud in the books of heaven.

    "Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor."

    False speaking in any matter, every attempt or purpose to deceive our neighbor, is here included. An intention to deceive is what constitutes falsehood. By a glance of the eye, a motion of the hand, an expression of the countenance, a falsehood may be told as effectually as by words. All intentional overstatement, every hint or insinuation calculated to convey an erroneous or exaggerated impression, even the statement of facts in such a manner as to mislead, is falsehood. This precept forbids every effort to injure our neighbor's reputation by misrepresentation or evil surmising, by slander or tale bearing. Even the intentional suppression of truth, by which injury may result to others, is a violation of the ninth commandment.

    "Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor anything that is thy neighbor's."

    The tenth commandment strikes at the very root of all sins, prohibiting the selfish desire, from which springs the sinful act. He who in obedience to God's law refrains from indulging even a sinful desire for that which belongs to another will not be guilty of an act of wrong toward his fellow creatures.

    Such were the sacred precepts of the Decalogue, spoken amid thunder and flame, and with a wonderful display of the power and majesty of the great Lawgiver. God accompanied the proclamation of His law with exhibitions of His power and glory, that His people might never forget the scene, and that they might be impressed with profound veneration for the Author of the law, the Creator of heaven and earth. He would also show to all men the sacredness, the importance, and the permanence of His law.

    The people of Israel were overwhelmed with terror. The awful power of God's utterances seemed more than their trembling hearts could bear. For as God's great rule of right was presented before them, they realized as never before the offensive character of sin, and their own guilt in the sight of a holy God. They shrank away from the mountain in fear and awe. The multitude cried out to Moses, "Speak thou with us, and we will hear: but let not God speak with us, lest we die." The leader answered, "Fear not: for God is come to prove you, and that His fear may be before your faces, that ye sin not." The people, however, remained at a distance, gazing in terror upon the scene, while Moses "drew near unto the thick darkness where God was."

    The minds of the people, blinded and debased by slavery and heathenism, were not prepared to appreciate fully the far-reaching principles of God's ten precepts. That the obligations of the Decalogue might be more fully understood and enforced, additional precepts were given, illustrating and applying the principles of the Ten Commandments. These laws were called judgments, both because they were framed in infinite wisdom and equity and because the magistrates were to give judgment according to them. Unlike the Ten Commandments, they were delivered privately to Moses, who was to communicate them to the people.

    The first of these laws related to servants. In ancient times criminals were sometimes sold into slavery by the judges; in some cases, debtors were sold by their creditors; and poverty even led persons to sell themselves or their children. But a Hebrew could not be sold as a slave for life. His term of service was limited to six years; on the seventh he was to be set at liberty. Manstealing, deliberate murder, and rebellion against parental authority were to be punished with death. The holding of slaves not of Israelitish birth was permitted, but their life and person were strictly guarded. The murderer of a slave was to be punished; an injury inflicted upon one by his master, though no more than the loss of a tooth, entitled him to his freedom.

    The Israelites had lately been servants themselves, and now that they were to have servants under them, they were to beware of indulging the spirit of cruelty and exaction from which they had suffered under their Egyptian taskmasters. The memory of their own bitter servitude should enable them to put themselves in the servant's place, leading them to be kind and compassionate, to deal with others as they would wish to be dealt with.

    The rights of widows and orphans were especially guarded, and a tender regard for their helpless condition was enjoined. "If thou afflict them in any wise," the Lord declared, "and they cry at all unto Me, I will surely hear their cry; and My wrath shall wax hot, and I will kill you with the sword; and your wives shall be widows, and your children fatherless." Aliens who united themselves with Israel were to be protected from wrong or oppression. "Thou shalt not oppress a stranger: for ye know the heart of a stranger, seeing ye were strangers in the land of Egypt."

    The taking of usury from the poor was forbidden. A poor man's raiment or blanket taken as a pledge, must be restored to him at nightfall. He who was guilty of theft was required to restore double. Respect for magistrates and rulers was enjoined, and judges were warned against perverting judgment, aiding a false cause, or receiving bribes. Calumny and slander were prohibited, and acts of kindness enjoined, even toward personal enemies.

    Again the people were reminded of the sacred obligation of the Sabbath. Yearly feasts were appointed, at which all the men of the nation were to assemble before the Lord, bringing to Him their offerings of gratitude and the first fruits of His bounties. The object of all these regulations was stated: they proceeded from no exercise of mere arbitrary sovereignty; all were given for the good of Israel. The Lord said, "Ye shall be holy men unto Me"--worthy to be acknowledged by a holy God.

    These laws were to be recorded by Moses, and carefully treasured as the foundation of the national law, and, with the ten precepts which they were given to illustrate, the condition of the fulfillment of God's promises to Israel.

    The message was now given them from Jehovah: "Behold, I send an Angel before thee, to keep thee in the way, and to bring thee into the place which I have prepared. Beware of Him, and obey His voice, provoke Him not; for He will not pardon your transgressions: for My name is in Him. But if thou shalt indeed obey His voice, and do all that I speak; then I will be an enemy unto thine enemies, and an adversary unto thine adversaries." During all the wanderings of Israel, Christ, in the pillar of cloud and of fire, was their Leader. While there were types pointing to a Saviour to come, there was also a present Saviour, who gave commands to Moses for the people, and who was set forth before them as the only channel of blessing.

    Upon descending from the mountain, "Moses came and told the people all the words of the Lord, and all the judgments: and all the people answered with one voice, and said, All the words which the Lord hath said will we do." This pledge, together with the words of the Lord which it bound them to obey, was written by Moses in a book.

    Then followed the ratification of the covenant. An altar was built at the foot of the mountain, and beside it twelve pillars were set up, "according to the twelve tribes of Israel," as a testimony to their acceptance of the covenant. Sacrifices were then presented by young men chosen for the service.

    Having sprinkled the altar with the blood of the offerings, Moses "took the book of the covenant, and read in the audience of the people." Thus the conditions of the covenant were solemnly repeated, and all were at liberty to choose whether or not they would comply with them. They had at the first promised to obey the voice of God; but they had since heard His law proclaimed; and its principles had been particularized, that they might know how much this covenant involved. Again the people answered with one accord, "All that the Lord hath said will we do, and be obedient." "When Moses had spoken every precept to all the people according to the law, he took the blood, . . . and sprinkled both the book and all the people, saying, This is the blood of the testament which God hath enjoined unto you." Hebrews 9:19, 20.

    Arrangements were now to be made for the full establishment of the chosen nation under Jehovah as their king. Moses had received the command, "Come up unto the Lord, thou, and Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel; and worship ye afar off. And Moses alone shall come near the Lord." While the people worshiped at its foot, these chosen men were called up into the mount. The seventy elders were to assist Moses in the government of Israel, and God put upon them His Spirit, and honored them with a view of His power and greatness. "And they saw the God of Israel: and there was under His feet as it were a paved work of a sapphire stone, and as it were the body of heaven in his clearness." They did not behold the Deity, but they saw the glory of His presence. Before this they could not have endured such a scene; but the exhibition of God's power had awed them to repentance; they had been contemplating His glory, purity, and mercy, until they could approach nearer to Him who was the subject of their meditations.

    Moses and "his minister Joshua" were now summoned to meet with God. And as they were to be some time absent, the leader appointed Aaron and Hur, assisted by the elders, to act in his stead. "And Moses went up into the mount, and a cloud covered the mount. And the glory of the Lord abode upon Mount Sinai." For six days the cloud covered the mountain as a token of God's special presence; yet there was no revelation of Himself or communication of His will. During this time Moses remained in waiting for a summons to the presence chamber of the Most High. He had been directed, "Come up to Me into the mount, and be there," and though his patience and obedience were tested, he did not grow weary of watching, or forsake his post. This period of waiting was to him a time of preparation, of close self-examination. Even this favored servant of God could not at once approach into His presence and endure the exhibitions of His glory. Six days must be employed in devoting himself to God by searching of heart, meditation, and prayer before he could be prepared for direct communication with his Maker.

    Upon the seventh day, which was the Sabbath, Moses was called up into the cloud. The thick cloud opened in the sight of all Israel, and the glory of the Lord broke forth like devouring fire. "And Moses went into the midst of the cloud, and gat him up into the mount; and Moses was in the mount forty days and forty nights." The forty days' tarry in the mount did not include the six days of preparation. During the six days Joshua was with Moses, and together they ate of the manna and drank of "the brook that descended out of the mount." But Joshua did not enter with Moses into the cloud. He remained without, and continued to eat and drink daily while awaiting the return of Moses, but Moses fasted during the entire forty days.

    During his stay in the mount, Moses received directions for the building of a sanctuary in which the divine presence would be specially manifested. "Let them make Me a sanctuary; that I may dwell among them" (Exodus 25:Cool, was the command of God. For the third time the observance of the Sabbath was enjoined. "It is a sign between Me and the children of Israel forever," the Lord declared, "that ye may know that I am Jehovah that doth sanctify you. Ye shall keep the Sabbath therefore; for it is holy unto you. . . . Whosoever doeth any work therein, that soul shall be cut off from among his people." Exodus 31:17, 13, 14. Directions had just been given for the immediate erection of the tabernacle for the service of God; and now the people might conclude, because the object had in view was the glory of God, and also because of their great need of a place of worship, that they would be justified in working at the building upon the Sabbath. To guard them from this error, the warning was given. Even the sacredness and urgency of that special work for God must not lead them to infringe upon His holy rest day.

    Henceforth the people were to be honored with the abiding presence of their King. "I will dwell among the children of Israel, and will be their God," "and the tabernacle shall be sanctified by My glory" (Exodus 29:45, 43), was the assurance given to Moses. As the symbol of God's authority and the embodiment of His will, there was delivered to Moses a copy of the Decalogue engraved by the finger of God Himself upon two tables of stone (Deuteronomy 9:10; Exodus 32:15, 16), to be sacredly enshrined in the sanctuary, which, when made, was to be the visible center of the nation's worship.

    From a race of slaves the Israelites had been exalted above all peoples to be the peculiar treasure of the King of kings. God had separated them from the world, that He might commit to them a sacred trust. He had made them the depositaries of His law, and He purposed, through them, to preserve among men the knowledge of Himself. Thus the light of heaven was to shine out to a world enshrouded in darkness, and a voice was to be heard appealing to all peoples to turn from their idolatry to serve the living God. If the Israelites would be true to their trust, they would become a power in the world. God would be their defense, and He would exalt them above all other nations. His light and truth would be revealed through them, and they would stand forth under His wise and holy rule as an example of the superiority of His worship over every form of idolatry.

    http://www.whiteestate.org/books/pp/pp28.html While Moses was absent it was a time of waiting and suspense to Israel. The people knew that he had ascended the mount with Joshua, and had entered the cloud of thick darkness which could be seen from the plain below, resting on the mountain peak, illuminated from time to time with the lightnings of the divine Presence. They waited eagerly for his return. Accustomed as they had been in Egypt to material representations of deity, it had been hard for them to trust in an invisible being, and they had come to rely upon Moses to sustain their faith. Now he was taken from them. Day after day, week after week passed, and still he did not return. Notwithstanding the cloud was still in view, it seemed to many in the camp that their leader had deserted them, or that he had been consumed by the devouring fire.

    During this period of waiting, there was time for them to meditate upon the law of God which they had heard, and to prepare their hearts to receive the further revelations that He might make to them. They had none too much time for this work; and had they been thus seeking a clearer understanding of God's requirements, and humbling their hearts before Him, they would have been shielded from temptation. But they did not do this, and they soon became careless, inattentive, and lawless. Especially was this the case with the mixed multitude. They were impatient to be on their way to the Land of Promise--the land flowing with milk and honey. It was only on condition of obedience that the goodly land was promised them, but they had lost sight of this. There were some who suggested a return to Egypt, but whether forward to Canaan or backward to Egypt, the masses of the people were determined to wait no longer for Moses.

    Feeling their helplessness in the absence of their leader, they returned to their old superstitions. The "mixed multitude" had been the first to indulge murmuring and impatience, and they were the leaders in the apostasy that followed. Among the objects regarded by the Egyptians as symbols of deity was the ox or calf; and it was at the suggestion of those who had practiced this form of idolatry in Egypt that a calf was now made and worshiped. The people desired some image to represent God, and to go before them in the place of Moses. God had given no manner of similitude of Himself, and He had prohibited any material representation for such a purpose. The mighty miracles in Egypt and at the Red Sea were designed to establish faith in Him as the invisible, all-powerful Helper of Israel, the only true God. And the desire for some visible manifestation of His presence had been granted in the pillar of cloud and of fire that guided their hosts, and in the revealing of His glory upon Mount Sinai. But with the cloud of the Presence still before them, they turned back in their hearts to the idolatry of Egypt, and represented the glory of the invisible God by the similitude of an ox!

    In the absence of Moses, the judicial authority had been delegated to Aaron, and a vast crowd gathered about his tent, with the demand, "Make us gods, which shall go before us; for as for this Moses, the man that brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we wot not what is become of him. [*See Appendix, Note 4.] The cloud, they said, that had heretofore led them, now rested permanently upon the mount; it would no longer direct their travels. They must have an image in its place; and if, as had been suggested, they should decide to return to Egypt, they would find favor with the Egyptians by bearing this image before them and acknowledging it as their god.

    Such a crisis demanded a man of firmness, decision, and unflinching courage; one who held the honor of God above popular favor, personal safety, or life itself. But the present leader of Israel was not of this character. Aaron feebly remonstrated with the people, but his wavering and timidity at the critical moment only rendered them the more determined. The tumult increased. A blind, unreasoning frenzy seemed to take possession of the multitude. There were some who remained true to their covenant with God, but the greater part of the people joined in the apostasy. A few who ventured to denounce the proposed image making as idolatry, were set upon and roughly treated, and in the confusion and excitement they finally lost their lives.

    Aaron feared for his own safety; and instead of nobly standing up for the honor of God, he yielded to the demands of the multitude. His first act was to direct that the golden earrings be collected from all the people and brought to him, hoping that pride would lead them to refuse such a sacrifice. But they willingly yielded up their ornaments; and from these he made a molten calf, in imitation of the gods of Egypt. The people proclaimed, "These be thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt." And Aaron basely permitted this insult to Jehovah. He did more. Seeing with what satisfaction the golden god was received, he built an altar before it, and made proclamation, "Tomorrow is a feast to the Lord." The announcement was heralded by trumpeters from company to company throughout the camp. "And they rose up early on the morrow, and offered burnt offerings, and brought peace offerings; and the people sat down to eat and to drink and rose up to play." Under the pretense of holding "a feast to the Lord," they gave themselves up to gluttony and licentious reveling.

    How often, in our own day, is the love of pleasure disguised by a "form of godliness"! A religion that permits men, while observing the rites of worship, to devote themselves to selfish or sensual gratification, is as pleasing to the multitudes now as in the days of Israel. And there are still pliant Aarons, who, while holding positions of authority in the church, will yield to the desires of the unconsecrated, and thus encourage them in sin.

    Only a few days had passed since the Hebrews had made a solemn covenant with God to obey His voice. They had stood trembling with terror before the mount, listening to the words of the Lord, "Thou shalt have no other gods before Me." The glory of God still hovered above Sinai in the sight of the congregation; but they turned away, and asked for other gods. "They made a calf in Horeb, and worshiped the molten image. Thus they changed their glory into the similitude of an ox." Psalm 106:19, 20. How could greater ingratitude have been shown, or more daring insult offered, to Him who had revealed Himself to them as a tender father and an all-powerful king!

    Moses in the mount was warned of the apostasy in the camp and was directed to return without delay. "Go, get thee down," were the words of God; "thy people, which thou broughtest out of the land of Egypt, have corrupted themselves: they have turned aside quickly out of the way which I commanded them. They have made them a molten calf, and have worshiped it." God might have checked the movement at the outset; but He suffered it to come to this height that He might teach all a lesson in His punishment of treason and apostasy.

    God's covenant with His people had been disannulled, and He declared to Moses, "Let Me alone, that My wrath may wax hot against them, and that I may consume them: and I will make of thee a great nation." The people of Israel, especially the mixed multitude, would be constantly disposed to rebel against God. They would also murmur against their leader, and would grieve him by their unbelief and stubbornness, and it would be a laborious and soul-trying work to lead them through to the Promised Land. Their sins had already forfeited the favor of God, and justice called for their destruction. The Lord therefore proposed to destroy them, and make of Moses a mighty nation.

    "Let Me alone, . . . that I may consume them," were the words of God. If God had purposed to destroy Israel, who could plead for them? How few but would have left the sinners to their fate! How few but would have gladly exchanged a lot of toil and burden and sacrifice, repaid with ingratitude and murmuring, for a position of ease and honor, when it was God Himself that offered the release.

    But Moses discerned ground for hope where there appeared only discouragement and wrath. The words of God, "Let Me alone," he understood not to forbid but to encourage intercession, implying that nothing but the prayers of Moses could save Israel, but that if thus entreated, God would spare His people. He "besought the Lord his God, and said, Lord, why doth Thy wrath wax hot against Thy people, which Thou hast brought forth out of the land of Egypt with great power, and with a mighty hand?"

    God had signified that He disowned His people. He had spoken of them to Moses as "thy people, which thou broughtest out of Egypt." But Moses humbly disclaimed the leadership of Israel. They were not his, but God's-- "Thy people, which Thou has brought forth . . . with great power, and with a mighty hand. Wherefore," he urged, "should the Egyptians speak, and say, For mischief did He bring them out, to slay them in the mountains, and to consume them from the face of the earth?"

    During the few months since Israel left Egypt, the report of their wonderful deliverance had spread to all the surrounding nations. Fear and terrible foreboding rested upon the heathen. All were watching to see what the God of Israel would do for His people. Should they now be destroyed, their enemies would triumph, and God would be dishonored. The Egyptians would claim that their accusations were true--instead of leading His people into the wilderness to sacrifice, He had caused them to be sacrificed. They would not consider the sins of Israel; the destruction of the people whom He had so signally honored, would bring reproach upon His name. How great the responsibility resting upon those whom God has highly honored, to make His name a praise in the earth! With what care should they guard against committing sin, to call down His judgments and cause His name to be reproached by the ungodly!

    As Moses interceded for Israel, his timidity was lost in his deep interest and love for those for whom he had, in the hands of God, been the means of doing so much. The Lord listened to his pleadings, and granted his unselfish prayer. God had proved His servant; He had tested his faithfulness and his love for that erring, ungrateful people, and nobly had Moses endured the trial. His interest in Israel sprang from no selfish motive. The prosperity of God's chosen people was dearer to him than personal honor, dearer than the privilege of becoming the father of a mighty nation. God was pleased with his faithfulness, his simplicity of heart, and his integrity, and He committed to him, as a faithful shepherd, the great charge of leading Israel to the Promised Land.

    As Moses and Joshua came down from the mount, the former bearing the "tables of the testimony," they heard the shouts and outcries of the excited multitude, evidently in a state of wild uproar. To Joshua the soldier, the first thought was of an attack from their enemies. "There is a noise of war in the camp," he said. But Moses judged more truly the nature of the commotion. The sound was not that of combat, but of revelry. "It is not the voice of them that shout for mastery, neither is it the voice of them that cry for being overcome; but the noise of them that sing do I hear."

    As they drew near the encampment, they beheld the people shouting and dancing around their idol. It was a scene of heathen riot, an imitation of the idolatrous feasts of Egypt; but how unlike the solemn and reverent worship of God! Moses was overwhelmed. He had just come from the presence of God's glory, and though he had been warned of what was taking place, he was unprepared for that dreadful exhibition of the degradation of Israel. His anger was hot. To show his abhorrence of their crime, he threw down the tables of stone, and they were broken in the sight of all the people, thus signifying that as they had broken their covenant with God, so God had broken His covenant with them.

    Entering the camp, Moses passed through the crowds of revelers, and seizing upon the idol, cast it into the fire. He afterward ground it to powder, and having strewed it upon the stream that descended from the mount, he made the people drink of it. Thus was shown the utter worthlessness of the god which they had been worshiping.

    The great leader summoned his guilty brother and sternly demanded, "What did this people unto thee, that thou hast brought so great a sin upon them?" Aaron endeavored to shield himself by relating the clamors of the people; that if he had not complied with their wishes, he would have been put to death. "Let not the anger of my lord wax hot," he said; "thou knowest the people, that they are set on mischief. For they said unto me, Make us gods, which shall go before us: for as for this Moses, the man that brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we wot not what is become of him. And I said unto them, Whosoever hath any gold, let them break it off. So they gave it me: then I cast it into the fire, and there came out this calf." He would lead Moses to believe that a miracle had been wrought--that the gold had been cast into the fire, and by supernatural power changed to a calf. But his excuses and prevarications were of no avail. He was justly dealt with as the chief offender.

    The fact that Aaron had been blessed and honored so far above the people was what made his sin so heinous. It was Aaron "the saint of the Lord" (Psalm 106:16), that had made the idol and announced the feast. It was he who had been appointed as spokesman for Moses, and concerning whom God Himself had testified, "I know that he can speak well" (Exodus 4:14), that had failed to check the idolaters in their heaven-daring purpose.

    He by whom God had wrought in bringing judgments both upon the Egyptians and upon their gods, had heard unmoved the proclamation before the molten image, "These be thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt." It was he who had been with Moses on the mount, and had there beheld the glory of the Lord, who had seen that in the manifestation of that glory there was nothing of which an image could be made--it was he who had changed that glory into the similitude of an ox. He to whom God had committed the government of the people in the absence of Moses, was found sanctioning their rebellion. "The Lord was very angry with Aaron to have destroyed him." Deuteronomy 9:20. But in answer to the earnest intercession of Moses, his life was spared; and in penitence and humiliation for his great sin, he was restored to the favor of God.

    If Aaron had had courage to stand for the right, irrespective of consequences, he could have prevented that apostasy. If he had unswervingly maintained his own allegiance to God, if he had cited the people to the perils of Sinai, and had reminded them of their solemn covenant with God to obey His law, the evil would have been checked. But his compliance with the desires of the people and the calm assurance with which he proceeded to carry out their plans, emboldened them to go to greater lengths in sin than had before entered their minds.

    When Moses, on returning to the camp, confronted the rebels, his severe rebukes and the indignation he displayed in breaking the sacred tables of the law were contrasted by the people with his brother's pleasant speech and dignified demeanor, and their sympathies were with Aaron. To justify himself, Aaron endeavored to make the people responsible for his weakness in yielding to their demand; but notwithstanding this, they were filled with admiration of his gentleness and patience. But God seeth not as man sees. Aaron's yielding spirit and his desire to please had blinded his eyes to the enormity of the crime he was sanctioning. His course in giving his influence to sin in Israel cost the life of thousands. In what contrast with this was the course of Moses, who, while faithfully executing God's judgments, showed that the welfare of Israel was dearer to him than prosperity or honor or life.

    Of all the sins that God will punish, none are more grievous in His sight than those that encourage others to do evil. God would have His servants prove their loyalty by faithfully rebuking transgression, however painful the act may be. Those who are honored with a divine commission are not to be weak, pliant time-servers. They are not to aim at self-exaltation, or to shun disagreeable duties, but to perform God's work with unswerving fidelity.

    Though God had granted the prayer of Moses in sparing Israel from destruction, their apostasy was to be signally punished. The lawlessness and insubordination into which Aaron had permitted them to fall, if not speedily crushed, would run riot in wickedness, and would involve the nation in irretrievable ruin. By terrible severity the evil must be put away. Standing in the gate of the camp, Moses called to the people, "Who is on the Lord's side? let him come unto me." Those who had not joined in the apostasy were to take their position at the right of Moses; those who were guilty but repentant, at the left. The command was obeyed. It was found that the tribe of Levi had taken no part in the idolatrous worship. From among other tribes there were great numbers who, although they had sinned, now signified their repentance. But a large company, mostly of the mixed multitude that instigated the making of the calf, stubbornly persisted in their rebellion. In the name of "the Lord God of Israel," Moses now commanded those upon his right hand, who had kept themselves clear of idolatry, to gird on their swords and slay all who persisted in rebellion. "And there fell of the people that day about three thousand men." Without regard to position, kindred, or friendship, the ringleaders in wickedness were cut off; but all who repented and humbled themselves were spared.

    Those who performed this terrible work of judgment were acting by divine authority, executing the sentence of the King of heaven. Men are to beware how they, in their human blindness, judge and condemn their fellow men; but when God commands them to execute His sentence upon iniquity, He is to be obeyed. Those who performed this painful act, thus manifested their abhorrence of rebellion and idolatry, and consecrated themselves more fully to the service of the true God. The Lord honored their faithfulness by bestowing special distinction upon the tribe of Levi.

    The Israelites had been guilty of treason, and that against a King who had loaded them with benefits and whose authority they had voluntarily pledged themselves to obey. That the divine government might be maintained justice must be visited upon the traitors. Yet even here God's mercy was displayed. While He maintained His law, He granted freedom of choice and opportunity for repentance to all. Only those were cut off who persisted in rebellion.

    It was necessary that this sin should be punished, as a testimony to surrounding nations of God's displeasure against idolatry. By executing justice upon the guilty, Moses, as God's instrument, must leave on record a solemn and public protest against their crime. As the Israelites should hereafter condemn the idolatry of the neighboring tribes, their enemies would throw back upon them the charge that the people who claimed Jehovah as their God had made a calf and worshiped it in Horeb. Then though compelled to acknowledge the disgraceful truth, Israel could point to the terrible fate of the transgressors, as evidence that their sin had not been sanctioned or excused.

    Love no less than justice demanded that for this sin judgment should be inflicted. God is the guardian as well as the sovereign of His people. He cuts off those who are determined upon rebellion, that they may not lead others to ruin. In sparing the life of Cain, God had demonstrated to the universe what would be the result of permitting sin to go unpunished. The influence exerted upon his descendants by his life and teaching led to the state of corruption that demanded the destruction of the whole world by a flood. The history of the antediluvians testifies that long life is not a blessing to the sinner; God's great forbearance did not repress their wickedness. The longer men lived, the more corrupt they became.

    So with the apostasy at Sinai. Unless punishment had been speedily visited upon transgression, the same results would again have been seen. The earth would have become as corrupt as in the days of Noah. Had these transgressors been spared, evils would have followed, greater than resulted from sparing the life of Cain. It was the mercy of God that thousands should suffer, to prevent the necessity of visiting judgments upon millions. In order to save the many, He must punish the few. Furthermore, as the people had cast off their allegiance to God, they had forfeited the divine protection, and, deprived of their defense, the whole nation was exposed to the power of their enemies. Had not the evil been promptly put away, they would soon have fallen a prey to their numerous and powerful foes. It was necessary for the good of Israel, and also as a lesson to all succeeding generations, that crime should be promptly punished. And it was no less a mercy to the sinners themselves that they should be cut short in their evil course. Had their life been spared, the same spirit that led them to rebel against God would have been manifested in hatred and strife among themselves, and they would eventually have destroyed one another. It was in love to the world, in love to Israel, and even to the transgressors, that crime was punished with swift and terrible severity.

    As the people were roused to see the enormity of their guilt, terror pervaded the entire encampment. It was feared that every offender was to be cut off. Pitying their distress, Moses promised to plead once more with God for them.

    "Ye have sinned a great sin," he said, "and now I will go up unto the Lord; peradventure I shall make an atonement for your sin." He went, and in his confession before God he said, "Oh, this people have sinned a great sin, and have made them gods of gold. Yet now if Thou wilt forgive their sin--; and if not, blot me, I pray Thee, out of Thy book which Thou hast written." The answer was, "Whosoever hath sinned against Me, him will I blot out of My book. Therefore now go, lead the people into the place of which I have spoken unto thee: behold, Mine Angel shall go before thee: nevertheless, in the day when I visit, I will visit their sin upon them."

    In the prayer of Moses our minds are directed to the heavenly records in which the names of all men are inscribed, and their deeds, whether good or evil, are faithfully registered. The book of life contains the names of all who have ever entered the service of God. If any of these depart from Him, and by stubborn persistence in sin become finally hardened against the influences of His Holy Spirit, their names will in the judgment be blotted from the book of life, and they themselves will be devoted to destruction. Moses realized how dreadful would be the fate of the sinner; yet if the people of Israel were to be rejected by the Lord, he desired his name to be blotted out with theirs; he could not endure to see the judgments of God fall upon those who had been so graciously delivered. The intercession of Moses in behalf of Israel illustrates the mediation of Christ for sinful men. But the Lord did not permit Moses to bear, as did Christ, the guilt of the transgressor. "Whosoever hath sinned against Me," He said, "him will I blot out of My book."

    In deep sadness the people had buried their dead. Three thousand had fallen by the sword; a plague had soon after broken out in the encampment; and now the message came to them that the divine Presence would no longer accompany them in their journeyings. Jehovah had declared, "I will not go up in the midst of thee; for thou art a stiffnecked people: lest I consume thee in the way." And the command was given, "Put off thy ornaments from thee, that I may know what to do unto thee." Now there was mourning throughout the encampment. In penitence and humiliation "the children of Israel stripped themselves of their ornaments by the mount Horeb."

    By the divine direction the tent that had served as a temporary place of worship was removed "afar off from the camp." This was still further evidence that God had withdrawn His presence from them. He would reveal Himself to Moses, but not to such a people. The rebuke was keenly felt, and to the conscience-smitten multitudes it seemed a foreboding of greater calamity. Had not the Lord separated Moses from the camp that He might utterly destroy them? But they were not left without hope. The tent was pitched without the encampment, but Moses called it "the tabernacle of the congregation." All who were truly penitent, and desired to return to the Lord, were directed to repair thither to confess their sins and seek His mercy. When they returned to their tents Moses entered the tabernacle. With agonizing interest the people watched for some token that his intercessions in their behalf were accepted. If God should condescend to meet with him, they might hope that they were not to be utterly consumed. When the cloudy pillar descended, and stood at the entrance of the tabernacle, the people wept for joy, and they "rose up and worshiped, every man in his tent door."

    Moses knew well the perversity and blindness of those who were placed under his care; he knew the difficulties with which he must contend. But he had learned that in order to prevail with the people, he must have help from God. He pleaded for a clearer revelation of God's will and for an assurance of His presence: "See, Thou sayest unto me, Bring up this people: and Thou hast not let me know whom Thou wilt send with me. Yet Thou hast said, I know thee by name, and thou hast also found grace in My sight. Now therefore, I pray Thee, if I have found grace in Thy sight, show me now Thy way, that I may know Thee, that I may find grace in Thy sight: and consider that this nation is Thy people."

    The answer was, "My presence shall go with thee, and I will give thee rest." But Moses was not yet satisfied. There pressed upon his soul a sense of the terrible results should God leave Israel to hardness and impenitence. He could not endure that his interests should be separated from those of his brethren, and he prayed that the favor of God might be restored to His people, and that the token of His presence might continue to direct their journeyings: "If Thy presence go not with me, carry us not up hence. For wherein shall it be known here that I and Thy people have found grace in Thy sight? is it not in that Thou goest with us? So shall we be separated, I and Thy people, from all the people that are upon the face of the earth."

    And the Lord said, "I will do this thing also that thou hast spoken: for thou hast found grace in My sight, and I know thee by name." Still the prophet did not cease pleading. Every prayer had been answered, but he thirsted for greater tokens of God's favor. He now made a request that no human being had ever made before: "I beseech Thee, show me Thy glory."

    God did not rebuke his request as presumptuous; but the gracious words were spoken, "I will make all My goodness pass before thee." The unveiled glory of God, no man in this mortal state can look upon and live; but Moses was assured that he should behold as much of the divine glory as he could endure. Again he was summoned to the mountain summit; then the hand that made the world, that hand that "removeth the mountains, and they know not" (Job 9:5), took this creature of the dust, this mighty man of faith, and placed him in a cleft of the rock, while the glory of God and all His goodness passed before him.

    This experience--above all else the promise that the divine Presence would attend him--was to Moses an assurance of success in the work before him; and he counted it of infinitely greater worth than all the learning of Egypt or all his attainments as a statesman or a military leader. No earthly power or skill or learning can supply the place of God's abiding presence.

    To the transgressor it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God; but Moses stood alone in the presence of the Eternal One, and he was not afraid; for his soul was in harmony with the will of his Maker. Says the psalmist, "If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me." Psalm 66:18. But "the secret of the Lord is with them that fear Him; and He will show them His covenant." Psalm 25:14.

    The Deity proclaimed Himself, "The Lord, The Lord God, merciful and gracious, long-suffering, and abundant in goodness and truth, keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, and that will by no means clear the guilty."

    "Moses made haste, and bowed his head toward the earth, and worshiped." Again he entreated that God would pardon the iniquity of His people, and take them for His inheritance. His prayer was granted. The Lord graciously promised to renew His favor to Israel, and in their behalf to do marvels such as had not been done "in all the earth, nor in any nation."

    Forty days and nights Moses remained in the mount; and during all this time, as at the first, he was miraculously sustained. No man had been permitted to go up with him, nor during the time of his absence were any to approach the mount. At God's command he had prepared two tables of stone, and had taken them with him to the summit; and again the Lord "wrote upon the tables the words of the covenant, the Ten Commandments."

    During that long time spent in communion with God, the face of Moses had reflected the glory of the divine Presence; unknown to himself his face shown with a dazzling light when he descended from the mountain. Such a light illumined the countenance of Stephen when brought before his judges; "and all that sat in the council, looking steadfastly on him, saw his face as it had been the face of an angel." Acts 6:15. Aaron as well as the people shrank away from Moses, and "they were afraid to come nigh him." Seeing their confusion and terror, but ignorant of the cause, he urged them to come near. He held out to them the pledge of God's reconciliation, and assured them of His restored favor. They perceived in his voice nothing but love and entreaty, and at last one ventured to approach him. Too awed to speak, he silently pointed to the countenance of Moses, and then toward heaven. The great leader understood his meaning. In their conscious guilt, feeling themselves still under the divine displeasure, they could not endure the heavenly light, which, had they been obedient to God, would have filled them with joy. There is fear in guilt. The soul that is free from sin will not wish to hide from the light of heaven.

    Moses had much to communicate to them; and compassionating their fear, he put a veil upon his face, and continued to do so thereafter whenever he returned to the camp from communion with God.

    By this brightness God designed to impress upon Israel the sacred, exalted character of His law, and the glory of the gospel revealed through Christ. While Moses was in the mount, God presented to him, not only the tables of the law, but also the plan of salvation. He saw that the sacrifice of Christ was pre-figured by all the types and symbols of the Jewish age; and it was the heavenly light streaming from Calvary, no less than the glory of the law of God, that shed such a radiance upon the face of Moses. That divine illumination symbolized the glory of the dispensation of which Moses was the visible mediator, a representative of the one true Intercessor.

    The glory reflected in the countenance of Moses illustrates the blessings to be received by God's commandment-keeping people through the mediation of Christ. It testifies that the closer our communion with God, and the clearer our knowledge of His requirements, the more fully shall we be conformed to the divine image, and the more readily do we become partakers of the divine nature.

    Moses was a type of Christ. As Israel's intercessor veiled his countenance, because the people could not endure to look upon its glory, so Christ, the divine Mediator, veiled His divinity with humanity when He came to earth. Had He come clothed with the brightness of heaven, he could not have found access to men in their sinful state. They could not have endured the glory of His presence. Therefore He humbled Himself, and was made "in the likeness of sinful flesh (Romans 8:3), that He might reach the fallen race, and lift them up.

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    United States AI Solar System (6) - Page 2 Empty Re: United States AI Solar System (6)

    Post  orthodoxymoron Sun Jun 24, 2018 1:03 am

    This page of the new thread contains a lot of interesting content, and I might attempt to get better acquainted with it prior to moving on. I'm frankly more miserable now, than I was prior to my surgery, and I'm not sure what's really going on. The bottom-line is that I'm probably even more sidelined than I already was. I might try to write a book, but it would mostly restate the obvious, and I'd probably just read excerpts at book-signings (with no questions), and have pre-signed books for sale. I'm pretty-much burned-out and out of commission. I kept hoping things would improve, but I know that's not going to happen. Just the Opposite. I'll probably do a lot of private study and reflection, as a preparation for my next incarnation (if I even have one). I really think I'm a Galactic Persona Non Grata (probably going way, way, way back). Please study my stuff, but don't get too close to me. I am highly damaged goods. I make no attempts to influence and recruit. I generally push people away, rather than drawing them in. This website tolerates me, but doesn't respect me, or respond to my questions. I think they know I'm toast.

    The Ancient Egyptian Deity told me (in 2011) that in twenty years I'd be working for 'them'. NANUXII just suggested that 2031 would be the next really big event!! OMG!! I doubt that any of this is good and happy. An Individual of Interest told me that God could run this world any way they wanted to. What if this world MUST be run in good and bad ways, simultaneously?? This Individual suggested that the whole solar system were somehow based upon deception and the bottom-line as the bottom-line. They seemed to be OK with the simultaneous administration of Rich-God and Poor-God. They also indicated that they would 'hang-on' as long as they could. They suggested that an extermination was inevitable and immanent. They suggested that a 'Stand-In' God would fail, and ultimately be replaced by the 'Real-Deal'. I'm honestly NOT making this stuff up, but I wish I were.

    Consider reading Job through Isaiah and Luke through Jude (side by side, straight-through, over and over, in the NKJV) regardless of whether one is a believer or unbeliever, as a mental and spiritual exercise, utilizing what some might consider to be the 'Cream of the Old and New Testaments'. I seem to have a love/hate relationship with the Bible and Religion. Many have discovered that deep and honest study of the Bible and Religion is unimaginably difficult and traumatic. Researcher Beware. Consider a 1928 Book of Common Prayer with Job through Isaiah, and Luke through Jude (instead of just the Psalms). I like Ellen White, but there's too much prejudice and dirty-linen for wide acceptance. I am highly conflicted in all of this.

    I'm not going to do a point by point analysis of the 'Founding Documents of the United States of the Solar System' at this point -- but perhaps I should. I simply wish to suggest reading the second post -- over and over and over and over -- until it hurts. But really, the context of the United States, the United Nations, and the Federalist Papers are really necessary to give that post its proper setting. The preamble is obviously mostly taken from the 'Declaration of Universal Rights' penned by Eleanor Roosevelt. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Universal_Declaration_of_Human_Rights The opening paragraph is taken from the opening lines of the U.N. Charter. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Nations_Charter The 'Declaration of Human Sovereignty' is taken from http://www.humansovereignty.org/index.htm And obviously, the U.S. Constitution needs no introduction. I've made changes in form and content to all of the above -- so read the previous post carefully. This material is not original -- and I claim no credit for it -- other than to craft it into the form shown above -- and to present it within the context of the United States of the Solar System. This is merely a preliminary study. This is to make everyone think -- including myself. But so far, I've received the silent-treatment, which doesn't surprise me -- although it does disappoint me. Perhaps we really are NOT prepared for self-rule. If you think otherwise, please study my United States of the Solar System threads from beginning to end -- and then tell me what you think -- in detail. I'm waiting with great anticipation -- but I'm NOT holding my breath.

    I have a feeling that Gizeh Intelligence knows what I'm talking about. I'll bet they know more about my posts, principles, and concepts than I'll ever know about them. Unfortunately, I get the sinking-feeling that 'they' have a vested interest in making sure that a United States of the Solar System NEVER becomes a reality. Forgive me if I'm wrong in this conviction -- but that which is hidden continues to mostly remain hidden. If I strolled into the Headquarters of Gizeh Intelligence (if that were even possible) I'm sure 'they' would tear me apart (in more ways than one). Still, I think that a critical-mass of humanity will need to gain a Gizeh-Intelligence Level Understanding of the United States of the Solar System before it can become a functional reality. Oh, it might get dumped on humanity -- just to make everything go to hell -- but for it to properly work, a helluva lot of foundational ground-work would be necessary -- probably constructed over many decades. This thing needs to be done right -- if it's going to be done at all. I just keep thinking that things are so screwed-up that NOTHING will work -- and that things are going to go to hell -- no matter what we do. I SO hope that I'm wrong.

    As of 1997, Dr. A. Graham Maxwell https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pBjkZ5WzBfc had read the Bible (from cover to cover) 136 times (and counting). May I suggest reading the 'Federalist Papers' and the 1928 'Book of Common Prayer' through at least 136 times -- side by side -- to begin to gain a proper understanding of what I have in mind. I obviously must 'walk the walk' -- and not simply 'talk the talk' -- and I am making some progress in this regard -- but I KNOW that I am just scratching the surface. I have also suggested listening to sacred classical music while engaging in this mental and spiritual exercise. Dr. Maxwell suggested a 'narrative' approach to Bible-Study (rather than the 'Proof-Text' method) wherein whole books of the Bible are read from beginning to end -- rather than just quoting selected texts. On the other hand, the 1928 'Book of Common Prayer' does 'pick and choose' so as to provide prayer-inspiring biblical devotional material. I have covered all of this elsewhere, and I really do not relish 'reinventing the wheel' and 'repeating myself' within this thread.

    When I have spoken of 'hanging-out with the Jesuits on Mt. Graham' I have NOT been sarcastic -- I Mean It. I think they know more about what's REALLY going on in this solar system than 99.3% of the human race -- but this does NOT mean that I like them or believe their public statements. I would NOT wish to be a Jesuit -- but I'd sure love to know what they know -- if you know what I mean. I have repeatedly joked about being a Renegade French Jesuit Organist -- and I have speculated that I might've been just that in a previous incarnation. To get anyone to properly understand me, and talk to me, I'd probably have to be a patient in one of those Secret Military Mental Hospitals (where they treat those who 'know too much' and who 'can't take it anymore'). I'm mostly NOT kidding. Government Psychiatrists (sworn to absolute secrecy) would probably be the only ones who would articulately give me the time of day (and only because they were ordered and paid to do so). I get the sinking feeling that my internet work might only be seriously considered AFTER everything goes to hell -- and AFTER it might be too late.

    What if we are primarily dealing with 1. Ancient Sirius. 2. Ancient Egypt. 3. Ancient Israel. 4. Pagan Rome. 5. Papal Rome. -- with Egyptian Rule mostly ending about 2,300 years ago -- with most of the 'goodies' being 'taken' to Jerusalem and Rome??? What if Jerusalem and Rome are two sides of the same coin -- as strange as that sounds?? As usual, I have no idea. I just freely speculate in a rather unscholarly manner. This doesn't mean that I don't read books and listen to lectures -- but I don't go through a strict academic process to establish my points of view. But come to think of it, I don't really have points of view. I'm always 'at sea'. What if Daniel 8 might be applied as I just suggested -- with the 'sanctuary being cleansed' for 2,300 years -- rather than something changing in heaven in 1844 (or any other date)?? What if this hypothetical 2,300 years of Roman Rule ends around 2020?? What if this solar system is a great-big rat-trap?? It's a rat-race -- but what if the rats merely thought they were winning?? SNAP!!! Just a thought. Will things then revert to some sort of Egyptian Rule?? Status Quo Ante Bellum?? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Status_quo_ante_bellum What if Atlas = Ra = Judeo-Christian Roman Rule??

    What if Pleione = Isis = Teachings of Isis Egyptian Rule?? What if we have been enduring a Galactic Marital Spat for thousands of years?? What if Isis returned to Earth (from the Pleiades) in 1947 (to Roswell)?? What if ISIS = KRLLL?? Is this when the 'Bitch Got Back'?? Damned if I Know. But as I previously mentioned, two agent-types spoke to me about the 'Bitches' in connection with our conversation about the latest 'V' series. They thanked me in a very official manner (for something -- I know not what) and then proceeded to speak in a very derogatory manner about the 'Bitches'. (their words -- not mine). Does the back of the U.S. Dollar Bill depict the Egyptian (left) and the Roman (right) aspects of the New World Order?? Was the Egyptian Empire the Old World Order?? Is the Roman Empire the New World Order?? How does all of this relate to the founding documents of the United States of the Solar System?? I'm not quite sure. Will the best aspects of the Egyptian and Roman Empires provide the backbone for a New Solar System?? "It's Possible. It's Possible." https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QbHuRyzRIYY

    I have spoken of ending war and violence in this solar system -- but how might the population be prepared for war -- if war is not routinely planned and orchestrated?? How might wealth be created without 'blood-money'?? Think of the Native-Americans who were defenseless against the Europeans. They lived in harmony with the land -- yet they were not wise to the brutal ways of conquest, industrialization, and technology. How might this solar system remain smart, wise, healthy, wealthy, tough, disciplined -- and prepared for ANYTHING?? How might we have the highest technology -- yet NOT replace our people with computers, machines, and robots??? How might we have strong leadership -- yet avoid the master-slave mentality?? How might we replace 'Free-Enterprise' with 'Responsible-Enterprise'?? Laissez-Faire Capitalism is SO overrated. What Would Ivan Svitak Say?? I once took a class on 'Socialistic Democracies' from Ivan. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ivan_Svitak This solar system seems to be a Purgatory -- but should it really be a Heaven?? Should it be half-way between Purgatory and Paradise?? How good is too good?? How should a civilization maintain an immune-system?? Should we conduct International and Interplanetary War-Games in Perpetuity -- to keep everyone in shape?? Getting Ethics, Law, Law-Enforcement, and the Military ABSOLUTELY RIGHT is of the UTMOST IMPORTANCE. Think about it.

    I'm going to attempt to deal with this topic by pretending to be an insider - interacting with all aspects of this hypothetical Secret Government. I don't know where this will lead - but I doubt that it will end well - for me at least. I'm going to pretend to travel throughout the solar system as an ambassador or coordinator of sorts - who is trying to transform the Secret Solar System Government into a Namaste Constitutional Responsible Freedom Solar System. I don't have a clue how to proceed - and I will step on a lot of very sensitive toes - connected to feet which can kick one where it counts - swiftly and firmly. The horror. I will interact with forum members as though they were colleagues and reporters - even though I know that sounds corny. Try to fit your questions and comments into the story-line, just for the heck of it. This is just an experiment. I honestly don't know where I am going to end up on this adventure. I'm just poking and prodding. Who knows - I might end-up becoming a member of the Illuminati!

    This thread will basically be a continuation of the 'United States of the Solar System' thread from AV1. I have been using the term 'Namaste Constitutional Responsible Freedom Solar System' more and more because it is so descriptive and concise. The U.S. seems to be in the doghouse - and it's not hard to understand why. But if the Secret Government rules the Visible Government - this may explain 90% of the problems. I just wish to keep conceptualizing Solar System Governance - from a wide variety of perspectives. Take a look at the original thread - and then tell me what you think. This is an ongoing research project. http://projectavalon.net/forum/showthread.php?t=15878

    I'm really trying to hijack the Secret Government and the New World Order - rather than fighting it. I'm a United Nations Country Club Constitutionalist - rather than a Shotgun and Constitution in My Truck Constitutionalist. I'm starting to get better acquainted with the Vatican, the United Nations, the City of London, and Washington D.C. I'm also looking at a lot of the fringe material regarding the Underground Bases and the Secret Space Program - but I'm trying to pretend like I'm a non-corrupt member of the Illuminati - or even to pretend (as strange and delusional as it seems) that I am a non-corrupt god or goddess (very small 'g' orthodoxymoron) who is completely onboard with the U.S. Constitution and the Teachings of Jesus. This is a very strange space to be in - and I don't recommend these mind-games to everyone. Don't try this at home kiddies!

    I used to just think that God was in control - and would take care of everything - and that all human efforts to save the world would fail - which would culminate in Armageddon and the Second Coming of Christ. I don't think like that anymore. I think the ball is really in our court - and that our planet is how we plan-it. Is Solar System Governance too confusing and intimidating for mere mortals to contemplate and comprehend? I made post after post on this topic for months and months on Avalon 1 - with very little response. Of those responses - most were either negative or off-topic. Have we pretty much left things up to the Gods, Goddesses, and Megalomaniacs Anonymous? But then we bitch and blame when things don't go our way. I have made various observations and proposals - but what I would really like to see is vigorous discussion of the general topic of Solar System Governance. To me - this should be the number one topic in our world today. I just stumbled onto it - and I keep kicking myself that I didn't get into this sooner. I think I'll be going 'round and 'round with this subject for the rest of my life. I don't think I'll ever really master the concept - but I'm sure going to try. I think that others who are more emotionally stable and better educated will have to do the heavy lifting - but I will do my best to offer moral-support. I'll just keep posting and hoping. Hope springs eternal.

    I probably shouldn't say this - but I think I may have unknowingly been somewhat close to two people who knew a helluva lot about world government - possibly one on the Zionist side - and possibly one on the Teutonic Zionist side. I don't know for sure - but I think about both of them a lot. They never said anything much - but now in retrospect - and reading between the lines - I'm thinking this might've been the case. I often wish that I hadn't moved away from the area where both of them lived. One is now deceased - and I'm sure the other wouldn't give me the time of day. They probably wouldn't have told me anything years ago anyway. I'm too brash, flighty, idealistic and honest. I'm the put my foot in my mouth and spill the beans type of person. How does one rise into the stratosphere of world government without becoming hard, cynical, corrupt, and out of touch? In general - I get the picture of people who are penetratingly intelligent, cold, and calculating - and perhaps without much conscience, compassion, innocence, or idealism. Come to think of it - if one were to rise to the top - they might not like the view. (I got that one from 'Miami Vice'.) Do the people at Bilderberg ever really look happy and joyful? My impression of world leaders is that they most often look like someone just beat the crap out of them - rather than being triumphantly on top of the world. 'Atlas Dropped the Ball and Shrugged - A Case Study in Global Leadership.' Doesn't that sound like a great article title for the CFR journal 'Foreign Affairs'?!

    Somewhat unrelatedly - what if it were illegal to have a net-worth greater than one billion dollars (USD) or less than zero dollars (USD)? Would this defeat the spirit and letter of free-enterprise? Should we focus upon the Responsible Pursuit of Fame, Fortune, Power, and Pleasure - Where Responsibility is Rewarded and Irresponsibility is Punished? What if Public Assistance were in the form of a Card which provided the recipient with up to 500 dollars (USD) per month in the form of a zero interest LOAN? (rather than a handout) What if everyone were issued a Healthcare Card at no cost - which would provide them with Free Preventive, Basic, and Emergency Services? What if a second Healthcare Card were available to cover 75% of costs for everything else - which everyone would have to pay for on a sliding-scale based upon their income and net-worth? What if medical professional incomes were limited to a quarter of a million dollars (USD) annually? (How would the poor b@stards survive?) I think the medical profession is more corrupt than hell itself - and that's pretty damn corrupt. Why isn't the health and safety of our 'civilization' based upon PREVENTION in all areas of life? Follow the money...

    When I ask questions - especially regarding fringe topics which are especially controversial - I'm really asking 'Am I sane?' It drives me crazy when answers are not forthcoming. I really just want something in place which facilitates unity and freedom for all races - and which is based upon truth rather than lies. I'm only poking and prodding because things are so screwed-up, and because they seem to have been screwed-up for thousands of years. I fear that things will continue to be screwed-up for thousands of years - if we even survive.

    Unrelatedly, I sat down today, and read from my Holy Bible, Book of Common Prayer, and Church Hymnal. Last night, I spoke with some friends who attend a church which I used to attend. They invited me to church. How should I properly deal with this, in light of all the blasphemous postings I've made? Should I continue to speculate regarding the possible Luciferian origins of theology, mythology, architecture, sacred music, and sacred texts? Or should I just shut up? Have I more than made my point? Do I need to learn to know when to stop? Have I worn out my welcome? Even if I'm right - or even partially right - is this subject too hot to handle? Is it a threat to national security? Are more things than we think ultimately from the Pen of Lucifer? Are all of us actors on a stage? Is Lucifer the script-writer? Has this been going on for a long, long time? Could this entire world be one big Colosseum Event - a Galactic Theater of the Universe? Is it time for WE THE PEOPLE OF EARTH to close the curtain - and START WRITING OUR OWN SCRIPT? Just wondering.

    Has anyone taken a very, very close look at the architecture and art of churches, mosques, synagogues, and government buildings throughout the world? Are there commonalities? Look at the domes. Look at the gods and goddesses. What's going on here? I desire a unified and peaceful world which is genuinely responsibly free. A combined church and state wouldn't be so bad if it wasn't run by the same humans and non-humans who brought us the Crusades and the Inquisition. A minimalist humanist namaste constitutional responsible freedom theocracy might actually work. I just worry that highly disfunctional gods and goddesses would screw everything up - resulting in billions of corpses throughout the world. Would the Latin Mass, the Teachings of Jesus, and the U.S. Constitution be a good place to start? I'd like to know what the Pope and Jesuit General really think about in their most private moments regarding psychology, ethics, governance, science, technology, secrecy, history, spirituality, etc. It might be very, very different than what they present in public. I sometimes imagine their thoughts as they stand before the faithful. Might they be thinking 'if you people only knew what's really going on in this world!' Many people seem to be jumping out of the church frying pan, and into the new age fire. Look at the 'Infiltration of the New Age' thread in MOA. The information presented should be considered very carefully. Is there a Spiritual Switzerland somewhere between the Traditional Church and the New Age?

    Things get done based upon economic incentive, upon the ability of people to be deceptive, and upon their ability to throw their weight around. IT IS NOT BASED UPON REASON AND RATIONAL CONVERSATION. WHY IS THIS? Would it help if I became a pompous, supercilious, bombastic, opinionated, divisive, partisan shout-show host??? Is that what everyone wants? It worked out quite well for Rush Limbaugh didn't it???!!! Is there any difference in effectiveness between someone who posts what I post - and someone who doesn't post at all - and just concentrates on $crewing the competition and his secretary? This may be my last post. I just got an idea for a business with only one employee (or independent contractor)!!!
    I might even get a raise!!!

    Seven score and five years ago, a great American signed the Emancipation Proclamation. This momentous decree came as a great beacon light of hope to millions of Negro slaves who had been seared in the flames of withering injustice. It came as a joyous daybreak to end the long night of their captivity.

    But one hundred forty-five years later, the Human Race still is not free. One hundred forty-five years later, the lives of Human Beings are still sadly crippled by the manacles of greed and the chains of fear. One hundred forty-five years later, Humanity lives on a lonely island of quiet desperation in the midst of a vast ocean of nearly seven billion souls. One hundred forty-five years later, Humanity is still languishing in the corners of global society and finds itself an exile on its own planet. And so today...I have determined to dramatize a shameful condition.

    In a sense...I've come to our religious and political leaders to cash a check. When the architects of the American constitutional republic wrote the magnificent words of the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence, they were signing a promissory note to which every American was to fall heir. This note was a promise that all people would be guaranteed the "Inalienable Rights" of "Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness." America was to be a city on a hill...to illuminate the rest of the world with Namaste Constitutional Responsible Freedom. It is obvious today that America has defaulted on this promissory note. Instead of honoring this sacred obligation, America has given We the People of Earth a bad check, a check which has come back marked "insufficient funds."

    But I refuse to believe that America...and the rest of the world...is morally bankrupt. I refuse to believe that there are insufficient funds. And so, I've determined to cash this check...a check that will give Humanity...upon demand...the riches of freedom and the security of justice.

    I have also determined to remind the world of the fierce urgency of Now. This is no time to engage in the luxury of cooling off or to take the tranquilizing drug of gradualism. Now is the time to make real the promises of Namaste Constitutional Responsible Freedom. Now is the time to rise from the dark and desolate valley of nationalism and protectionism. Now is the time to lift our world from the quicksands of war and hate...to the solid rock of brotherhood and sisterhood. Now is the time to make Namaste Constitutional Responsible Freedom a reality for all of God's children.

    It would be fatal for We the People of Earth to overlook the urgency of the moment. This sweltering summer of Humanity's legitimate discontent will not pass until there is an invigorating autumn of freedom and equality. 2012 will not be the end...but a beginning. And those who hope that the patriots and conspiracy theorists needed to blow off steam and will now be content...will have a rude awakening if the world returns to business as usual. And there will be neither rest nor tranquility in the world until Humanity is granted it's citizenship rights. The whirlwinds of revolt will continue to shake the foundations of our world until the bright day of justice emerges.

    But there is something that I must say to We the People of Earth...who stand on the warm threshold which leads into the palace of justice: In the process of gaining our rightful place in the universe...we must not be guilty of wrongful deeds. Let us not seek to satisfy our thirst for Namaste Constitutional Responsible Freedom by drinking from the cup of bitterness and hatred. We must forever conduct our struggle on the high plane of dignity and discipline. We must not allow our creative protest to degenerate into physical violence. Again and again, we must rise to the majestic heights of meeting physical force with soul force.

    The marvelous new militancy which has engulfed Humanity must not lead us to a distrust of all of the Powers That Be...for many of them have come to realize that their destiny is tied up with our destiny. And they have come to realize that their freedom is inextricably bound to our freedom.

    We cannot walk alone.

    And as we walk, we must make the pledge that we shall always march ahead.

    We cannot turn back.

    There are those who are asking the devotees of Namaste Constitutional Responsible Freedom, "When will you be satisfied?" We can never be satisfied as long as any Human Being is the victim of the unspeakable horrors of brutality and starvation. We can never be satisfied as long as our bodies and minds are racked with the pain and horror of war. We cannot be satisfied as long as our children are stripped of their self-hood and robbed of their dignity by being taught violence, lies, and immorality. We cannot be satisfied as long as the will of We the people of Earth is not taken seriously...and followed. No, no, we are not satisfied, and we will not be satisfied until "justice rolls down like waters, and righteousness like a mighty stream."¹

    I am not unmindful that some of you have encountered great trials and tribulations. Some of you have come fresh from narrow jail cells. And some of you have come from areas where your quest -- quest for freedom left you battered by the storms of persecution and staggered by the winds of brutality. You have been the veterans of creative suffering. Continue to work with the faith that unearned suffering is redemptive. Know that somehow this situation can and will be changed.

    Let us not wallow in the valley of despair, I say to you today, my friends.

    And so even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream.

    I have a dream that one day this world will rise up and live out the true meaning of the creed: "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal."

    I have a dream that one day...the elites and the general public will sit down together at the table of brotherhood and sisterhood.

    I have a dream that one day...even the Deep Underground Military Bases will be transformed into an oasis of openness and transparency.

    I have a dream that one day...We the People of Earth will not be judged by our fame, fortune, and power...but by the content of our characters.

    I have a dream today!

    I have a dream that one day the little boys and little girls of the world...will be able to join hands...as Citizens of Earth.

    I have a dream today!

    I have a dream that one day every valley shall be exalted, and every hill and mountain shall be made low, the rough places will be made plain, and the crooked places will be made straight; "and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed and all flesh shall see it together."

    This is our hope...and Earth is our home.

    With this faith, we will be able to hew out of the mountain of despair a stone of hope. With this faith, we will be able to transform the jangling discords of our world into a beautiful symphony of brotherhood and sisterhood. With this faith, we will be able to work together, to pray together, to struggle together, to go to jail together, to stand up for freedom together, knowing that we will be free one day.

    And this will be the day -- this will be the day when all of God's children will be able to sing with new meaning:

    My country 'tis of thee, sweet land of liberty, of thee I sing.

    Land where my fathers died, land of the Pilgrim's pride,

    From every mountainside, let freedom ring!

    If America is to be a great nation...this must become true. If Earth is to be a great planet...this must become true.

    And so let freedom ring from Washington D.C.

    Let freedom ring from the United Nations.

    Let freedom ring from the City of London.

    Let freedom ring from the Vatican.

    Let freedom ring thoughout the Secret Government.

    But not only that:

    Let freedom ring from the Georgia Guidestones.

    Let freedom ring from the Secret Space Program throughout the Solar System.

    Let freedom ring from every Deep Underground Military Base.

    Let freedom ring from the Sea of Tranquility.

    From every Planet of the Solar System...let freedom ring.

    And when this happens, when we allow freedom to ring, when we let it ring from every village and every hamlet, from every state and every planet, we will be able to speed up that day when all of God's children, of all races, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics, will be able to join hands and sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual:

    Free at last! Free at last!

    Thank God Almighty, we are free at last!


    Is the division of territories into States rather than Worlds (or even Countries) significant? I think it is. Numerous States provide for a systematic and orderly decentalization. There might be a thousand States throughout the Solar System. If each of these States had independent militias/armies/uforces...it would be very difficult to impose Tyranny. If a significant outside threat arose...these independent forces would undoubtedly unite to oppose the outside threat. An outer perimeter uforce would be financed by the United States of the Solar System...and would defend against any external invasion of the Solar System...but would not be used to crack down on member States. I guess I'm trying to be a Minimalist Fundamentalist.

    Here is something from the 1916 Congressional Record http://www.biblebelievers.org.au/verona.htm which is worth considering:

    Senator Owen: I wish to put in the Record the secret treaty of Verona of November 22, 1822, showing what this ancient conflict is between the rule of the few and the rule of the many. I wish to call the attention of the Senate to this treaty because it is the threat of this treaty which was the basis of the Monroe doctrine. It throws a powerful white light upon the conflict between monarchical government and government by the people. The Holy Alliance under the influence of Metternich, the Premier of Austria, in 1822, issued this remarkable secret document:

    SECRET TREATY OF VERONA
    AMERICAN DIPLOMATIC CODE, 1778-1884, vol. 2; Elliott, p. 179.
    The undersigned, specially authorized to make some additions to the treaty of the Holy Alliance, after having exchanged their respective credentials, have agreed as follows:

    ARTICLE 1. The high contracting powers, being convinced that the system of representative government is equally as incompatible with the monarchical principles as the maxim of the sovereignty of the people with the divine right, engage mutually, in the most solemn manner, to use all that their efforts to put an end to the system of representative governments, in whatever county it may exist in Europe, and to prevent it being introduced in those countries where it is not yet known.

    ARTICLE 2. As it can not be doubted that the liberty of the press is the most powerful means used by the pretended supporters of the rights of nations to the detriment of those of princes, the high contracting parties promise reciprocally to adopt all proper measures to suppress it, not only in their own States but also in the rest of Europe.

    ARTICLE 3. Convinced that the principles of religion contribute most powerfully to keep nations in the state of passive obedience which they owe to their princes, the high contracting parties declare it to be their intention to sustain in their respective States those measures which clergy may adopt, with the aim of ameliorating their own interests, intimately connected with the preservation of the authority of the princes and the contracting powers join in offering their thanks to the Pope for what he has already done for them, and solicit his constant cooperation in their views of submitting the nations.

    ARTICLE 4. The situation of Spain and Portugal unite unhappily all the circumstances to which this treaty has particular reference. The contracting parties, in confiding to France the care of putting an end to them, engaged to assist her in the matter which may the least compromit (sic) them with their own people and the people of France by means of a subsidy on the part of the two empires of 20,000,000 of francs every year from the date of the signature of this treaty to the end of the war.

    ARTICLE 5. In order to establish in the Peninsula in the order of things which existed before the revolution of Cadiz, and to insure the entire execution of the articles of the present treaty, the high contracting parties give to each other the reciprocal assurance that as long as their views are not fulfilled, rejecting all other ideas of utility or other measure to be taken, they will address themselves with the shortest possible delay to all the authorities existing in their States and to all their agents in foreign countries, with the view to establish connections tending toward the accomplishment of the objects proposed by this treaty.

    ARTICLE 6. This treaty shall be renewed with such changes as new circumstances may give occasion for, either at a new congress or at the court of one of the contracting parties, as soon as the war with Spain shall be terminated.

    ARTICLE 7. The present treaty shall be ratified and the ratifications exchanged at Paris within the space of six months.

    Made at Verona the 22nd November, 1822.
    for Austria: METTERNICH
    for France: CHATEAUBRIAND
    for Prussia: BERNSTET
    for Russia: NESSELRODE

    I ask to have printed in the CONGRESSIONAL RECORD this secret treaty, because I think it ought to be called now to the attention of the people of the United States and of the world. This evidence of the conflict between the rule of the few verses popular government should be emphasized on the minds of the people of the United States, that the conflict now waging throughout the world may be more clearly understood, for after all said the great pending war springs from the weakness and frailty of government by the few, where human error is far more probable than the error of the many where aggressive war is only permitted upon the authorizing vote of those whose lives are jeopardized in the trenches of modern war.

    Mr. SHAFROTH, Mr. President, I should like to have the senator state whether in that treaty there was not a coalition formed between the powerful countries of Europe to re-establish the sovereignty of Spain in the Republics of South and Central America?

    Senator Owen: "I was just going to comment upon that, and I am going to take but a few moments to do so because I realize the pressure of other matters. This Holy Alliance, having put a Bourdon prince upon the throne of France by force, then used France to suppress the condition of Spain, immediately afterwards, and by this very treaty gave her a subsidy of 20,000,000 francs annually to enable her to wage war upon the people of Spain and prevent their exercise of any measure of the right of self-government.

    The Holy Alliance immediately did not same thing in Italy, by sending Austrian troops to Italy, where the people there attempted to exercise a like measure of liberal constitutional self-government; and it was not until the printing press, which the Holy Alliance so stoutly opposed, taught the people of Europe the value of liberty that finally one country after another seized a greater and greater right of self-government, until now it may be fairly said that nearly all the nations of Europe have a very large measure of self-government. However, I wish to call the attention of the Senate to this important history in the growth of constitutional popular self-government.

    The Holy Alliance made its powers felt by the wholesale drastic suppression of the press in Europe, by universal censorship, by killing free speech and all ideas of popular rights, and by the complete suppression of popular government."

    "The Holy Alliance having destroyed popular government in Spain, and Italy, had well-laid plains also to destroy popular government in the American Colonies which had revolted from Spain and Portugal in Central and South America under the influence of the successful example of the United States."

    "It was because of this conspiracy against the American Republics by the European monarchies that the great English statesman, Canning, called the attention of our government to it, and our statesmen then, including Thomas Jefferson, who was still living at that time, took an active part to bring about the declaration by President Monroe in his next annual message to the Congress of the United States that the United States would regard it as an act of hostility to the government of the United States and an unfriendly act, if this coalition, or if any power of Europe ever undertook to establish upon the American continent any control of any American republic, or to acquire any territorial rights."

    "This is the so-called Monroe Doctrine. The threat under the secret treaty of Verona to suppress popular government in the American republics is the basis of the Monroe Doctrine. This secret treaty sets fourth clearly the conflict between monarchial government and popular government, and the government of the few as against the government on the many. It is a part, in reality, of developing popular sovereignty when we demand for women equal rights to life, to liberty, to the possession of property, to an equal voice in the making of the laws and the administration of the laws. This demand on the part of the women is made by men, and it ought to be made by men as well as by thinking, progressive women, as it will promote human liberty and human happiness. I sympathize with it, and I hope that all parties will in the national conventions give their approval to this larger measure of liberty to the better half of the human race".

    (Senator Owen, Congressional Record 1916)


    I'm not going to keep commenting on my own threads to try to generate interest. The ball is in your court. There are some other threads I wish to follow (some by BROOK and TRANCOSO)- but I think I'm done with my threads for the foreseeable future. This does not imply a lack of interest or a change of heart. I just don't wish to play the part of the crusader. I might try to visit the United Nations, Washington D.C., the City of London, and the Vatican once again (I visited them many years ago). I will continue to fantasize about being a part of a Namaste Constitutional Responsible Freedom Solar System which includes the U.N., Washington D.C., the City of London, the Vatican, the Underground Bases, and the Secret Space Program - except that in my dreamworld there is no secrecy or corruption. Once again - I don't wish to fight the New World Order - I wish to HI-JACK IT!! 'Take me to Nirvana!!' I'd love to put the dream into practice - but I'm not going to push it right now. If someone wants to pick me up in a UFO, and take me to the Darkside of the Moon to meet with Lucifer - I'll be ready to go at a moments notice. What am I saying?

    Whatever anyone thinks of me - I challenge ANYONE to produce a better six word (or less) model for solar system governance than a NAMASTE CONSTITUTIONAL RESPONSIBLE FREEDOM SOLAR SYSTEM. After the New World Order fails - someone might want to give them a try. Try working outward from this six word combination. Try doing this several times a day. Make numerous connections, applications, and extrapolations. This is more of an intellectual challenge than one might suppose. Also - one does not have to be in 'Who's Who' to know 'What's What'. Degrees, Titles, Incomes, Offices, Uniforms, Clearances, and Badges are merely crutches which small people use to delude themselves into thinking they are big people. Put that in your bong, and smoke it!

    Are Satan, Lucifer, the Rothschilds, the Rockefellers, the Royal Family, and the Vatican the biggest seed-money rock stars on the planet - who are doing the most to make the world a better place? Trickle down theory voodoo economics? Where are the Billionaire Ghandi's? Jesus was pretty tough on rich people. Are billionaires the most socially responsible people on the planet? Did they gain their money through socially responsible activities? Can wealth become anticompetitive at some point? Should those with the most money have the greatest political clout? Should those with the gold - RULE? One of the greatest tragedies of history is the non compassionate use of accumulated wealth. I know that a lot of contactees and gurus are opposed to money - but I disagree. Money and private property are expressions of freedom. The problem with money is the irresponsible pursuit and use of money. Perhaps the billionaires should be placed under the scanning electron microscope to look for illegality and irresponsibility. Blood Money, Drug Money, and Destructive Money of All Kinds - should be repaid to society - with interest and penalties. I'm also not a big fan of ET Mentoring. Have the Gods, Goddesses, Angels, Archangels, ET's, and Ascended Masters been promoting Responsibility, Freedom, and Human Sovereignty (other than the Andromedans)? Boy - I sure got a lot out of my system - and I didn't even feel hostile. It must've been something I ate - or maybe the devil made me do it.

    Having said all of the above - I'm getting tired of being an internet warrior. It seems to be a monumental waste of time. Remember what Jesus said about pearls and such? Money Talks and BS Walks. The Bottom Line is the Bottom Line. Winning Isn't Everything. It's the Only Thing. Perhaps the secret is to be a Humanitarian on the Surface - and a Shrewd and Ruthless SOB Below the Radar. Could the Worship of Fame, Fortune, and Power - rather than the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit - help to explain why the Corrupt Rule the Stupid? Is Greed Good? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VVxYOQS6ggk

    I need to go for a long walk with my dog - and then perhaps I need to create a ten-year business plan. Who knows - in ten years I might have to change my tune and eat my words...

    OK...I'm back from my walk...and I decided that the Corrupt Will Always Rule the Stupid - because both the Corrupt and the Stupid are happy with the arrangement - despite all outward appearances. Additionally - Both the Corrupt and the Stupid are Threatened by Non-Corrupt Highly Intelligent People - and will Fight Them Vigorously. Think about THAT... Perhaps this is why no one has REALLY followed the Red Letter Teachings of Jesus for 2,000 years - and why they probably never will... Narrow is the way. Read Revelation 20:12. Is December 21, 2012 really Judgement Day?

    I'm on the verge of pusuing a business plan which is neither corrupt or stupid - and which will be executed in a manner which threatens neither the corrupt or the stupid. I may simply live a life of quiet decadence...and leave the corrupt and the stupid to their own devices...

    I'm going to bump this thread (even though it's not the same as bumping on AV1) because I think the general topic of Solar System Governance is extremely important. I got the idea over a couple of decades - but Alex Collier probably was the one who opened my eyes more than anyone else. I doubt that I have this figured out to any significant degree - but I wish for literally millions of people worldwide to think about how this solar system should be properly run. Sometimes I think I'm not doing enough - and sometimes I think I sound like a broken record. I guess I'm trying to use some of the propaganda techniques of Joseph Goebbels (or Lucifer/Kali perhaps?) - like reducing an idea to it's simplist form - and then repeating it over and over again - despite the objections of the intellectuals. Unfortunately - at this point - not many people seem to give a rat's patootie about Solar System Governance (SSG). I guess we'll just keep getting $crewed by Megalomaniacs Anonymous and the New World Order. What fun!

    Please take a look at these few first posts on this thread. A lot of it is review -- but I have added some new material -- and I will add more. Also, please watch this video -- one more time -- and tell me what you think. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pv7E7Q3fsLo I don't watch this stuff to scare myself, or to make myself angry. I watch it to attempt to learn what's Really Going On -- so as to help me determine what the next best step might be for this solar system. I'm trying to be an insider -- without being an insider. Things are neater and cleaner that way. I suspect that being a real insider might literally destroy a person -- and it might destroy those around them. This game seems to be very messy and very nasty. I'm not sure how I might participate in how things really work -- and still retain some semblance of innocence and purity. I still think that I'd simply like to have a Room with a Cray, and an Unlimited-Access Badge (which I might use very sparingly). I'd sort of like to be a Solar System Palmer Joss (if you know what I mean). I'd like to know everything -- and say and do very, very little. I'd like to mostly be seen -- and not heard. I'd like to be treated like the 'Invisible Man' in every conceivable context. Do you see my point?? We all have our delusions, don't we. We're probably ALL deluded -- with various conflicting delusions. But really, can't we just all get along???

    magamud wrote:Ortho im still trying to get ready for the test monday with the berkley college study and Dr. Francis Schaeffer.

    I guess the Center for National Policy uses Dr. Francis as their guru.

    Council for national policy
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Council_for_National_Policy

    Jeff Sharlets The Family?
    The Family: The Secret Fundamentalism at the Heart of American Power
    The Fellowship (Christian organization)
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Fellowship_(Christian_organization)

    National Prayer Breakfast
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Prayer_Breakfast
    Should we have breakfast?

    The Fellowship hosts the National Prayer Breakfast
    The National Prayer Breakfast is a yearly event held in Washington, D.C., on the first Thursday of February each year.
    Every U.S. president since Dwight D. Eisenhower has participated in the breakfast.

    The breakfast, held in the Hilton's International Ballroom, is attended by some 3,500 guests, including international invitees from over 100 countries. The National Prayer Breakfast is hosted by members of the United States Congress and is organized on their behalf by The Fellowship Foundation, a conservative Christian organization more widely known as "The Family". Initially called the Presidential Prayer Breakfast, the name was changed in 1970 to the National Prayer Breakfast.




    United States AI Solar System (6) - Page 2 Kennedy_prayer_breakfast
    President John F. Kennedy addresses the Prayer Breakfast in 1961

    Opus Dei
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opus_Dei

    United States AI Solar System (6) - Page 2 Opus_Dei_expansion

    magamud wrote:Bahá'u'lláh
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bahá%27u%27lláh
    (English pronunciation: /b??h??'?l?/; Arabic: ???? ?????, "Glory of God"; 12 November 1817 – 29 May 1892), born Mírzá ?usayn-`Alí Núrí (Persian: ????? ??????? ????), was the founder of the Bahá'í Faith. He claimed to be the prophetic fulfilment of Bábism, a 19th-century outgrowth of Shí‘ism, but in a broader sense claimed to be a messenger from God referring to the fulfilment of the eschatological expectations of Islam, Christianity, and other major religions.

    One of those Bene Gesserit Bloodlines I assume....Could this be the Crux of WW3? Linked to Iran...

    Bahá'u'lláh was born on 12 November 1817, in Tehran, the capital of Persia, present-day Iran. His ancestry can allegedly be traced back to Abraham through Abraham's wife Keturah, to Zoroaster and to Yazdigird III, the last king of the Sassanid Empire,[2] and also to Jesse.

    Jesse
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jesse
    Jesse, Eshai or Yishai, (Hebrew: ??????, Modern Yishay Tiberian Yišáy, meaning "God exists" or "God's gift"; Arabic: ??????? Yassa; Greek: ?essa? Iessai; Latin: Isai, Jesse) is the father of the David, who became the king of the Israelites. His son David is sometimes called simply "Son of Jesse"

    Bábism
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bábism
    The Babi Faith (Persian: ???? ?? Bábí há ) is a religious movement that flourished in Persia from 1844 to 1852, then lingered on in exile in the Ottoman Empire (especially Cyprus) as well as underground. Its founder was Siyyid `Alí Muhammad Shirazi, who took the title Báb—meaning "Gate"—from a Shi'a theological term. Unlike other Islamic messianic movements, the Bábí movement signalled a break with Islam and attempted to start a new religious system. While the Bábí movement was violently opposed and crushed by the clerical and government establishments in the country in the mid 1850s, the Bábí movement led to the founding of the Bahá'í Faith which sees the religion brought by the Báb as a predecessor to their own religion, and gives a renewed significance to the Bábí movement
    magamud wrote:
    United States AI Solar System (6) - Page 2 Seat_of_the_House_of_Justice

    United States AI Solar System (6) - Page 2 New_delhi_temple

    United States AI Solar System (6) - Page 2 Bahá%27%C3%AD_gardens_by_David_Shankbone

    United States AI Solar System (6) - Page 2 Bahaullah_from_miller
    Bahá'u'lláh
    devakas wrote:
    for study


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